Commercial Space – Page 124

SpaceX delays launch to study data from recent payload fairing test

November 16, 2017 Stephen Clark

SpaceX has postponed its next launch from the Kennedy Space Center indefinitely to examine data from a recent payload fairing test for another customer.

Second Electron rocket shipped to New Zealand launch site

November 16, 2017 Stephen Clark

Rocket Lab’s second flight-ready Electron rocket has arrived at its launch base in New Zealand for the company’s first mission to deliver commercial satellites into orbit.

Top secret ‘Zuma’ mission puzzles satellite trackers

November 15, 2017 Stephen Clark

A top secret payload developed in secrecy for the U.S. government is set to ride into orbit from Florida’s Space Coast aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket Thursday.

Falcon 9 flight timeline for the Zuma mission

November 15, 2017 Stephen Clark

SpaceX’s next Falcon 9 booster is being readied for liftoff from Cape Canaveral, but most of the launcher’s ascent into orbit will be under a news blackout at the request of the U.S. government customer that owns the top secret Zuma payload fastened to the top of the rocket.

Live coverage: Falcon 9 rocket launch put on hold

November 15, 2017 Stephen Clark

SpaceX has postponed the launch of its next Falcon 9 rocket indefinitely. The rocket was originally scheduled take off Wednesday from pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida with a top secret U.S. government payload named Zuma. A few minutes after launch, the Falcon 9’s first stage will return for a landing at nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

Cygnus arrives at space station with food, experiments and cache of CubeSats

November 14, 2017 Stephen Clark

A commercial cargo craft owned and operated by Orbital ATK wrapped up a two-day journey to the International Space Station on Tuesday, delivering ice cream and pizza for the lab’s six-person crew and hardware for a slew of research experiments, including CubeSats slated for orbital deployments in the coming weeks.

Space station cargo shipment blasts off aboard Antares rocket

November 12, 2017 Stephen Clark

An Orbital ATK Cygnus supply ship packed with 3.7 tons of cargo, supplies and experiments rode an Antares rocket into orbit from Virginia’s Eastern Shore on Sunday, setting course on a two-day pursuit of the International Space Station.

Sierra Nevada’s Dream Chaser performs critical glide test flight

November 12, 2017 Stephen Clark

An atmospheric test article of Sierra Nevada Corp.’s Dream Chaser spaceship made a successful runway landing Saturday at Edwards Air Force Base in California after a glide test flight performed to verify the craft’s handling qualities and guidance systems before future resupply missions to the International Space Station.

Rocket test-fired for launch of secretive U.S. government payload

November 11, 2017 Stephen Clark

SpaceX moved closer to its next launch with a successful hold-down engine firing Saturday at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, sailing through a readiness check for a planned liftoff Wednesday with a clandestine U.S. government payload named Zuma.

Video: Engines ignited for hold-down test on SpaceX’s next Falcon 9 rocket

November 11, 2017 Stephen Clark

Nine Merlin main engines at the base of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket fired at launch pad 39A Saturday, passing a major test before the company’s next launch, a secretive mission slated for liftoff Wednesday night.