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
902 articles
Mars helicopter needs a software update before attempting first flight
NASA said Monday the Ingenuity helicopter needs a software update to resolve a problem that cut short the drone's rotor startup sequence on Mars last week, postponing the craft's first flight in the Red Planet's atmosphere until later this month.
NASA’s Mars helicopter ready for pre-flight checkouts
Mission controllers plan to unlock the blades on NASA's Ingenuity helicopter and spin them up to more than 2,000 rpm for a test later this week, a bit of "calisthenics" before the rotorcraft's first flight in the atmosphere of Mars as soon as this weekend, the helicopter's operations lead said Monday.
Musk says methane leak doomed latest Starship test flight
SpaceX founder Elon Musk said Monday that a "relatively small" methane leak caused the explosion of the company's latest Starship test rocket last week on an experimental flight over South Texas.
Perseverance rover’s zoomable camera checks out on Red Planet
Scientists have confirmed the first zoomable camera on Mars is in top-top shape since arriving aboard NASA's Perseverance rover in February, adding a long-distance survey capability to the robot's scientific toolkit. The camera is now ready to capture high-definition video of the Ingenuity helicopter's first flight in the Martian atmosphere later this month.
Mars rover deploys Ingenuity helicopter for historic flight
NASA's Perseverance rover released the Ingenuity helicopter onto the surface of Mars Saturday, leaving behind the experimental flying drone to survive on its own power until attempting a historic hop in the Red Planet's thin carbon dioxide atmosphere around April 11.
China’s Tianwen 1 mission targets mid-May landing on Mars
China's Tianwen 1 spacecraft -- in orbit around Mars since February -- is scheduled to deploy a descent module to attempt the country's first landing on the Red Planet in mid-May. Officials plan to share the Mars rover's scientific data with researchers around the world, a senior Chinese scientist said last week.
Perseverance rover begins steps to deploy Mars helicopter
NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter is being lowered from the belly of the Perseverance rover this week as ground teams run through a choreographed long-distance command sequence to safely release the $80 million rotorcraft onto the surface of Mars.
SpaceX’s latest high-altitude Starship test flight ends in another explosion
SpaceX's latest Starship test flight apparently ended with another explosion Tuesday in South Texas, but dense fog obscured clear views of the launch and failed landing. The Federal Aviation Administration said late Tuesday it is working with SpaceX to determine if light debris reported in a nearby town came from the Starship test rocket.
Northrop Grumman to supply solid rocket motors for first Mars Ascent Vehicle
NASA awarded Northrop Grumman a contract worth as much as $84.5 million earlier this month to supply rocket motors for a first-of-its-kind launch vehicle to fire a capsule of rock samples off of Mars on a journey back to Earth.
SpaceX’s next Starship test flight delayed to Tuesday
SpaceX scrubbed the launch of its next Starship test rocket Friday afternoon, and the the next opportunity for the atmospheric test flight is now expected Tuesday. SpaceX plans to launch and land the rocket at company's South Texas development complex after losing three previous prototypes in explosions.