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
985 articles
ULA’s Delta 4-Heavy rocket still grounded by launch pad problem
United Launch Alliance engineers have resolved the problem that triggered an abort of a planned Delta 4-Heavy rocket launch Sept. 30, but the company said Friday it is continuing to evaluate a concern with the launch pad swing arm retraction system at Cape Canaveral. ULA said the Delta 4-Heavy's mission to launch a classified National Reconnaissance Office spy satellite will be postponed beyond next week.
NASA selects proposals to demonstrate in-space refueling and propellant depot tech
NASA has selected 14 companies for contracts of more than $370 million to advance technology for human missions to the moon and Mars. Most of the money will support flight demonstrations by SpaceX, United Launch Alliance, and other companies that could lead to in-space refueling and propellant depots for reusable lunar landers and deep space transportation vehicles.
Commander of first piloted Starliner test flight steps down from mission
Christopher Ferguson, commander of the final space shuttle flight and now a Boeing executive, has stepped down as commander of the first piloted test flight of the company's troubled CST-100 Starliner commercial spacecraft, he and Boeing announced Wednesday. He has been replaced by NASA astronaut Barry "Butch" Wilmore.
Delta 4-Heavy launch aborted at T-minus 7 seconds
Another countdown for United Launch Alliance's next Delta 4-Heavy rocket mission ended without a liftoff Wednesday after a computer sequencer detected a potential problem just before engine ignition.
Mobile gantry wheeled away from Delta 4-Heavy rocket at Cape Canaveral
United Launch Alliance teams rolled the Mobile Service Tower away from a Delta 4-Heavy rocket at Cape Canaveral's Complex 37B launch pad Wednesday in preparation for liftoff on a national security mission.
SpaceX rockets await launch opportunities later this week
Two SpaceX rockets are standing on launch pads several miles apart on Florida's Space Coast awaiting launch opportunities Thursday and Friday, once an oft-delayed Delta 4-Heavy rocket from rival United Launch Alliance is able to blast off from Cape Canaveral with a top secret U.S. government spy satellite.
VideoLive coverage: Delta 4-Heavy countdown halted in final seconds
United Launch Alliance scrubbed the launch of a Delta 4-Heavy rocket Wednesday night less than 10 seconds before liftoff from Cape Canaveral, the second such abort suffered by this mission.. The launch of a classified National Reconnaissance Office spy satellite is expected to be delayed at least several more days as engineers assess the cause of Wednesday's last-minute abort.
After weather scrub, Starlink launch to wait for pair of national security missions
Continuing a dizzying series of rescheduled launches from Florida's Space Coast, poor weather at the Kennedy Space Center forced SpaceX to keep a Falcon 9 rocket and 60 Starlink broadband satellites on the ground Monday. The Starlink launch is expected to be delayed until Thursday, after a pair of national security missions are set to blast off from Cape Canaveral Tuesday.
Delta 4-Heavy launch delayed by ground system issue
United Launch Alliance’s next launch attempt for its Delta 4-Heavy rocket from Cape Canaveral with a top secret U.S. government spy satellite will be delayed to no earlier than early Tuesday.
ULA targeting Sept. 26 for next Delta 4-Heavy launch attempt
United Launch Alliance said Thursday it is targeting Sept. 26 for the next attempt to send a classified U.S. government spy satellite into orbit aboard a Delta 4-Heavy rocket, following an abort Aug. 29 just three seconds before liftoff from Cape Canaveral.