Commercial Space – Page 133

Falcon 9 rocket test-fired for California launch next week

August 19, 2017 Stephen Clark

A commercial Falcon 9 rocket in the final stages of launch preparations fired its nine Merlin main engines Saturday at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, verifying its readiness for liftoff with a Taiwanese Earth-imaging payload Thursday.

SpaceX informed NASA of slowdown in its commercial Mars program

August 18, 2017 Stephen Clark

Confirming rumors and suspicions that SpaceX is adjusting its plans to begin dispatching robotic landers to Mars, NASA officials said the commercial space company has informed the agency that it has put its Red Dragon program on the back burner.

IAI sees demand in Earth observation, but few opportunities in telecom

August 17, 2017 Stephen Clark

Fresh off the successful launch and initial checkout of two of its spacecraft earlier this month, Israel’s top satellite manufacturer sees a robust global market for new low-altitude reconnaissance payloads, but little international demand for its communications satellites.

Rocket Lab finishes test flight inquiry, plans second launch later this year

August 13, 2017 Stephen Clark

The inaugural test flight of Rocket Lab’s commercial small satellite booster in May fell short of orbit because a software programming error on a piece of ground equipment led a safety officer to send a premature termination command, and the company is planning to deliver the next Electron vehicle to its New Zealand launch pad in October.

Q&A with Peter Beck, founder and CEO of Rocket Lab

August 11, 2017 Stephen Clark

Peter Beck, the founder and chief executive of Rocket Lab, recently discussed the outcome of the company’s first attempted orbital test flight and plans for future missions.

SpaceX performs static fire, preps for Monday launch from Florida

August 10, 2017 Stephen Clark

Set to resume a brisk pace of launch activity after a nearly six-week respite, SpaceX test-fired its next Falcon 9 rocket Thursday at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of a planned liftoff Monday with several tons of experiments and supplies for the International Space Station.

Live coverage: SpaceX rolls out rocket for static fire

August 9, 2017 Stephen Clark

SpaceX’s next Falcon 9 rocket is being readied for liftoff Aug. 14 on a space station resupply run. The two-stage rocket completed a hold-down engine firing Thursday at launch pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Shuttle-era structure dismantled piece-by-piece at pad 39A

August 5, 2017 Stephen Clark

A heavy-duty crane towering over launch pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in recent weeks has removed several large sections of a disused structure once needed to install satellites and space station modules into space shuttle cargo bays.

SES agrees to launch another satellite on previously-flown Falcon 9 booster

August 4, 2017 Stephen Clark

Six months after sending one of its communications satellites to orbit on the first re-flight of a SpaceX rocket, SES intends to launch a hybrid television broadcasting satellite owned in partnership with EchoStar on another previously-used Falcon 9 rocket from Florida’s Space Coast as soon as late September, industry officials told Spaceflight Now.

Orbital ATK kicks off follow-on station cargo contract, targets next Antares launch in October

August 3, 2017 Stephen Clark

As Orbital ATK engineers aim for the next launch of the company’s Antares rocket from Virginia this fall, early planning for missions to keep the International Space Station supplied through the early 2020s is already underway.