News Archive
Browse every article published on Spaceflight Now, from launch reports and mission previews to spacecraft development coverage. Use the filters to narrow by topic or search by keyword.
Matching Articles
2,317 articles
Starliner landing now on indefinite hold for more tests, but NASA insists crew not ‘stranded’ in space
The problem for NASA and Boeing is that the Starliner's service module, which houses the helium lines, thrusters and other critical systems, is discarded before re-entry and burns up in the atmosphere. Engineers will not be able to study the hardware after the fact and as a result, they want to collect as much data as possible before NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams head home.
VideoSpaceX launches final NOAA GOES weather satellite on Falcon Heavy rocket
The geostationary orbital satellite is the fourth and final in the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites-R (GOES-R) series. Liftoff happened at 5:26 p.m. EDT (2126 UTC).
NASA again delays Starliner undocking, return to Earth
NASA and Boeing managers have again decided to extend the Starliner crew capsule's stay at the International Space Station, passing up a June 26 re-entry to allow more time for analysis and testing to make sure helium leaks and thruster failures are fully understood, officials said late Friday.
VideoStarliner crew welcomed aboard space station
Working around multiple helium leaks and thruster problems, the crew of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft wrapped up a challenging rendezvous and a delayed-but-successful docking with the International Space Station Thursday in a major milestone for the new ship's first piloted test flight.
VideoThird time’s the charm for the Boeing Starliner Crew Flight Test
The launch of two NASA astronauts dealt with two previous scrubs due to a valve issue on the Atlas 5 rocket and then a ground system issue at the launchpad. Liftoff happened at 10:52 a.m. EDT (1452 UTC) on Wednesday, June 5.
Cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko reaches 1,000 cumulative days in space
The milestone comes just four months after Kononenko broke the world record for the most accumulative time spent in space. The 59-year-old will continue racking up days on orbit until his return to Earth in September.
VideoNASA says Boeing’s Starliner crew capsule can safely fly ‘as is’ with propulsion system helium leak
After nearly three weeks of exhaustive tests and data analysis, NASA managers said Friday they are confident Boeing's oft-delayed Starliner crew capsule can safely launch "as is" June 1, saying a small helium leak in the ship's propulsion system does not pose a flight safety concern.
Boeing Starliner launch Saturday ruled out as helium leak analysis continues
Plans to launch Boeing's oft-delayed Starliner spacecraft on its first crewed test flight Saturday were put on hold Tuesday night to give managers more time to evaluate a small helium leak in the ship's propulsion system. A new launch target was not announced.
Boeing Starliner launch slips to May 21 to verify helium leak fix
Launch of a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket carrying Boeing's Starliner capsule is slipping another four days, from Friday to next Tuesday, to give engineers time to make sure a helium leak in the crew ship's propulsion system has been resolved, officials said Tuesday.
VideoAtlas 5 valve repair will delay Starliner’s first crewed mission to May 17 at the earliest
United Launch Alliance (ULA) is set to roll its Atlas 5 rocket and the Starliner spacecraft back to the Vertical Integration Facility on Wednesday to begin working on the problematic valve. The new launch date is no earlier than Friday, May 17, at 6:16 p.m. EDT (2016 UTC).