Falcon 9 – Page 83 – Spaceflight Now

Falcon 9 rocket test-fired for weekend launch

July 18, 2018 Stephen Clark

Nine Merlin engines on the first stage of SpaceX’s next Falcon 9 rocket briefly fired up on a Cape Canaveral launch pad Wednesday, and the launcher cleared a customary pre-flight checkout in preparation for liftoff early Sunday with a Canadian-owned communications satellite.

Live coverage: SpaceX’s second upgraded “Block 5” booster test-fired in Florida

July 18, 2018 Stephen Clark

SpaceX is preparing this week for the second flight of the upgraded “Block 5” version of the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, and a hold-down firing of the booster was accomplished Wednesday at Cape Canaveral ahead of a middle-of-the-night launch this weekend with a Canadian-owned commercial communications satellite. The static fire test occurred at 5 p.m. EDT (2100 GMT) Wednesday.

SpaceX’s first space-worthy Crew Dragon capsule arrives at Cape Canaveral

July 14, 2018 Stephen Clark

SpaceX’s first Crew Dragon spacecraft, a capsule designed to eventually carry astronauts on treks to the International Space Station, has arrived at Cape Canaveral to begin preparations for launch on an unpiloted test flight later this year.

SpaceX could try to land rocket in California later this year

July 6, 2018 Stephen Clark

A recent federal regulatory filing by SpaceX suggests the company may attempt to return a Falcon 9 rocket booster to Vandenberg Air Force Base in California for the first time later this year.

Photos: Falcon 9 rocket dazzles at dawn

July 1, 2018 Stephen Clark

Powering into a pre-sunrise sky over Florida’s Space Coast on Friday, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket provided a memorable show as it climbed into sunlight, delivering a Dragon cargo craft to orbit on a trip to the International Space Station.

SpaceX launches AI-enabled robot companion, vegetation monitor to space station

June 29, 2018 Stephen Clark

A commercial SpaceX Dragon cargo capsule packed with a robot assistant for the International Space Station’s crew, pouches of extra strong coffee, and a NASA science instrument designed to track the health of plants on Earth left Cape Canaveral aboard a Falcon 9 rocket Friday on a three-day pursuit of the orbiting research lab.

Launch timeline for SpaceX’s 15th space station resupply mission

June 28, 2018 Stephen Clark

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket will go from Cape Canaveral to low Earth orbit in less than 10 minutes Friday with a Dragon capsule heading for the International Space Station carrying more than 5,900 pounds of supplies and experiments.

Commercial SpaceX cargo capsule readied for launch Friday

June 28, 2018 Stephen Clark

A Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon supply ship, primarily using previously-flown hardware, are scheduled for liftoff before dawn Friday at Cape Canaveral on SpaceX’s 15th cargo launch to the International Space Station under contract to NASA.

Live coverage: SpaceX supply ship arrives at space station

June 28, 2018 Stephen Clark

A SpaceX-owned Dragon supply ship packed with nearly three tons of cargo arrived at the International Space Station on Monday after a three-day trip from Cape Canaveral. The station’s robotic arm grappled the cargo capsule at 6:54 a.m. EDT (1054 GMT).

SpaceX test-fires reused rocket in preparation for space station cargo mission

June 23, 2018 Stephen Clark

A rocket booster SpaceX used to launch a planet-hunting NASA observatory two months ago fired again Saturday at Cape Canaveral, clearing a major pre-flight checkout before blastoff June 29 with a space station supply ship.