Kennedy Space Center – Spaceflight Now

Falcon Heavy’s first national security launch slips to October

May 23, 2021 Stephen Clark

The next launch of a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket has been delayed from July to October to await the readiness of its U.S. military payload, and the following Falcon Heavy flight has been rescheduled from late this year to some time in 2022, military officials said.

Tyvak smallsat launched by SpaceX to validate miniature space debris telescope

May 18, 2021 Stephen Clark

Tyvak, a manufacturer of small satellites, disclosed new details Monday about an experimental spacecraft launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket Saturday, revealing plans to validate compact optical telescopes that could offer a new way to monitor space traffic and orbital debris.

SpaceX ramps up launch rate with fifth Falcon 9 mission in three weeks

May 16, 2021 Stephen Clark

SpaceX’s fifth Falcon 9 launch in a little more than three weeks delivered 52 more Starlink internet satellites and two small hitchhiker payloads to orbit after a booming blastoff from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Saturday evening.

Photos: Falcon 9 stands ready for weekend launch

May 15, 2021 Stephen Clark

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stood atop historic launch pad 39A Saturday afternoon as teams counted down to liftoff with 52 more Starlink internet satellites and two hitchhiker payloads.

Live coverage: SpaceX launches Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center

May 15, 2021 Stephen Clark

SpaceX launched its fifth Falcon 9 rocket in 22 days on Saturday, beginning a mission to deploy 52 more Starlink internet satellites and two rideshare payloads for Capella Space and Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems. Liftoff from pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida occurred at 6:56 p.m. EDT (2256 GMT), and SpaceX successfully landed the first stage on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.

Two hitchhiker smallsats to accompany SpaceX’s next Starlink mission into orbit

May 14, 2021 Stephen Clark

An innovative commercial Capella radar observation spacecraft with night vision and a small payload from the California-based smallsat manufacturer Tyvak are set to ride into orbit from Florida’s Space Coast Saturday with 52 more Starlink internet satellites on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

Long-time Kennedy Space Center director to take job at NASA Headquarters

May 12, 2021 Stephen Clark

Former space shuttle commander Bob Cabana, who has led NASA’s Kennedy Space Center since 2008, will take a new job in Washington as the space agency’s No. 3 official next week.

Starlink launch marks 100 missions since an in-flight Falcon rocket failure

May 4, 2021 Stephen Clark

The oldest Falcon 9 booster in SpaceX’s operational rocket fleet sent 60 more Starlink internet satellites into space Tuesday with a launch from historic pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Live coverage: SpaceX launches another Starlink mission

May 4, 2021 Stephen Clark

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket at 3:01 p.m. EDT (1901 GMT) Tuesday from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, carrying 60 more Starlink satellites into orbit. SpaceX successfully landed the Falcon 9 booster on a drone ship offshore.

Core of NASA’s first Artemis moon rocket towed into Vehicle Assembly Building

April 29, 2021 Stephen Clark

A decade in the making, the core stage for NASA’s first Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket rolled into the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center Thursday to join up with twin solid rocket boosters and an Orion capsule for an unpiloted test flight around the moon.