Space Station – Spaceflight Now

Space station cargo mission grounded by launch pad fire

September 10, 2019

Japanese officials called off the launch of an H-2B rocket and HTV space station cargo ship Tuesday after a fire broke out on the launch pad at the Tanegashima Space Center.

Live coverage: H-2B rocket launch scrubbed after fire

September 10, 2019

The launch of a Japanese H-2B rocket was called off Tuesday after a fire broke out on the launch pad a few hours before liftoff. A new target launch date has not been confirmed. The mission will carry an HTV cargo ship into orbit on a resupply run to the International Space Station.

Photos: H-2B rocket prepared for launch at Tanegashima

September 10, 2019

These photos show the stacking of Japan’s eighth H-2B rocket inside an assembly building at the Tanegashima Space Center over the past few weeks, followed by rollout of the 186-foot-tall vehicle to its launch pad Tuesday.

Japan set to launch space station resupply mission

September 9, 2019

A Japanese HTV cargo freighter is set for launch Tuesday (U.S. time) aboard a powerful H-2B rocket, ferrying six new lithium-ion batteries, a Sony-developed laser communications terminal, fresh water and other equipment to the International Space Station.

Soyuz spacecraft, humanoid robot return to Earth after 16-day test flight

September 6, 2019

An unpiloted Russian Soyuz spacecraft, carrying a humanoid robot instead of cosmonauts, parachuted to a rare nighttime landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan Friday (U.S. time) to wrap up a test flight to the International Space Station that paved the way for crewed launches using upgraded Soyuz boosters next year.

Live coverage: Dragon supply ship returns to Earth

August 27, 2019

A commercial Dragon cargo capsule is heading back to Earth Tuesday to conclude a 31-day stay at the International Space Station. The SpaceX-owned spacecraft was released from the station’s Canadian-built robotic arm at 10:59 a.m. EDT (1459 GMT), and the Dragon supply ship splashed down in the Pacific Ocean with nearly 3,400 pounds of cargo at 4:21 p.m. EDT (2021 GMT).

Soyuz capsule swaps docking ports on space station, clearing way for new arrival

August 26, 2019

Flying by hand, Russian cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov undocked his Soyuz space capsule from the International Space Station late Sunday (U.S. time) and maneuvered the ship to a new parking spot on the million-pound research complex, clearing the way for the arrival of a new Soyuz spacecraft Monday night after aborting its first approach.

Station crew to clear new port for second Soyuz docking attempt

August 24, 2019

Russian cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov, joined by Italian flight engineer Luca Parmitano and NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan, plans to relocate his Soyuz spacecraft to a new docking port on the International Space Station late Sunday (U.S. time), clearing a spot for the unpiloted Soyuz MS-14 spaceship to attempt another automated approach to the complex Monday after aborting its first rendezvous, Russian officials said.

Soyuz docking aborted at International Space Station

August 24, 2019

Russian cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station commanded an approaching unpiloted Soyuz spacecraft to abort its docking Saturday after the ship’s automated rendezvous system ran into trouble, leaving ground teams assessing what went wrong and whether to attempt another link-up in orbit.

Robot-carrying capsule launches on test flight to space station

August 22, 2019

With a robot rather than a cosmonaut in the commander’s seat, a Russian Soyuz spacecraft rocketed into orbit from Kazakhstan late Wednesday (U.S. time) en route to the International Space Station on a critical test flight before crews begin riding an upgraded Soyuz booster next year.