Commercial Space – Page 50

Ariane 5 deploys communications and environmental monitoring satellites

February 18, 2020 Stephen Clark

A Japanese-owned communications satellite built in Colorado and a South Korean environmental monitoring observatory shared an Ariane 5 rocket ride into orbit Tuesday from the South American jungle.

Space Adventures announces plans to fly private citizens on SpaceX crew capsule

February 18, 2020 Stephen Clark

Building on development for NASA’s commercial crew program, Space Adventures announced an agreement Tuesday with SpaceX to fly up to four paying space tourists on a standalone mission aboard a Crew Dragon spacecraft in late 2021 or 2022 that could reach an altitude two-to-three times higher than the International Space Station.

Live coverage: Japanese and South Korean satellites launch on Ariane 5 rocket

February 18, 2020 Stephen Clark

A European-built Ariane 5 rocket launched Tuesday with a U.S.-made communications satellite for Tokyo-based Sky Perfect JSAT and a South Korean environmental observatory. The heavy-lift Ariane 5 launcher took off from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana, at 5:18 p.m. EST (2218 GMT; 7:18 p.m. French Guiana time).

SpaceX delivers more Starlink satellites to orbit, booster misses drone ship landing

February 17, 2020 Stephen Clark

Sixty more satellites for SpaceX’s Starlink broadband network launched Monday on a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, bringing the total number of Starlink platforms deployed in orbit since last May to 300.

Timeline for Falcon 9 launch of Starlink satellites

February 17, 2020 Stephen Clark

Follow the key events of the Falcon 9 rocket’s ascent to orbit with 60 satellites for SpaceX’s Starlink broadband network.

Live coverage: SpaceX launches another batch of Starlink satellites

February 17, 2020 Stephen Clark

SpaceX successfully launched 60 more Starlink Internet satellites into orbit from Cape Canaveral at 10:05 a.m. EST (1505 GMT) Monday aboard a Falcon 9 rocket powered by a thrice-flown first stage booster.

NASA picks Rocket Lab to launch lunar CubeSat mission

February 15, 2020 Stephen Clark

NASA announced Friday that Rocket Lab will launch a 55-pound CubeSat from Wallops Island, Virginia, toward the moon in early 2021 on a demonstration mission to test lunar navigation techniques and scout a unique elliptical orbit for the planned Gateway mini-space station.

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon delivered to Cape Canaveral for first flight with astronauts

February 14, 2020 Stephen Clark

SpaceX’s next Crew Dragon capsule was delivered to Cape Canaveral this week from a California factory for a liftoff as soon as this spring with veteran NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken on a test flight to the International Space Station, officials announced Friday.

SpaceX test-fires Falcon 9 rocket; Starlink launch delayed to Monday

February 14, 2020 Stephen Clark

SpaceX test-fired its next Falcon 9 rocket Friday ahead of a planned launch Monday from Cape Canaveral with 60 more Starlink Internet satellites, days after an international group sounded another warning about the effects of large satellite fleets on astronomy.

Japanese companies agree to buy Spaceflight rideshare launch broker

February 13, 2020 Stephen Clark

Spaceflight Industries said this week it is selling its rideshare launch business — known as Spaceflight — to a joint venture formed by two Japanese companies.