Launch
2,077 articles
FCC approves SpaceX’s plan to operate Starlink satellites at lower altitude
The Federal Communications Commission has granted a request by SpaceX to begin launching spacecraft for the company’s Starlink broadband network to a lower orbit than originally planned, overruling protests by competitors and clearing a major regulatory hurdle before the launch of the first batch of Internet satellites from Cape Canaveral in May.

China launches mapping satellites
A Chinese Long March 4B rocket successfully launched two Tianhui satellites Monday to conduct land surveys, mapping and scientific experiments in space, according to reports from state-run media.

SpaceX resupply launch delayed by malfunction on space station
A SpaceX Dragon supply ship packed with nearly three tons of experiments, crew provisions and supplies will remain on the ground until at least Friday morning to allow more time for NASA flight controllers to troubleshoot a problem with an electrical distribution unit on the International Space Station.

Falcon 9 rocket completes static fire test, aims for launch early Wednesday
A week after a test-firing of SpaceX's new crew capsule went awry, SpaceX successfully completed a hold-down firing of its next Falcon 9 launcher Saturday morning at Cape Canaveral in preparation for a predawn liftoff Wednesday carrying several tons of food, supplies and experiments to the International Space Station.

Video: Falcon 9 rocket fires engines in pre-launch test (members only)
SpaceX test-fired a Falcon 9 rocket Saturday at Cape Canaveral, a critical test before liftoff Wednesday with several tons of cargo heading to the International Space Station.
VideoLive coverage: NASA replaces failed power distribution unit on space station
Flight controllers at NASA's mission control center in Houston have completed the robotic swap out of a failed power distribution unit outside the International Space Station, clearing a hurdle ahead of Friday's predawn launch from Cape Canaveral of a SpaceX supply ship.

Russia ships X-ray astronomy satellite to launch site
A Russian X-ray astronomy satellite with major contributions from German and U.S. scientists and instrument developers arrived Thursday at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a launch in June aboard a Proton rocket.
VideoCarbon-monitoring instrument poised for launch to International Space Station
A $110 million NASA science instrument twice targeted for cancellation by the Trump administration is set for launch Tuesday inside the trunk of a SpaceX Dragon cargo capsule for delivery to the International Space Station, where it will spend three years charting changing carbon dioxide concentrations in Earth's atmosphere.

Photos: Antares rocket blasts off from Virginia
A Northrop Grumman Antares rocket launch April 17 from Virginia's Eastern Shore marked the start of the 11th Cygnus resupply mission to the International Space Station.

SpaceX likely to move next rocket landing to drone ship
SpaceX is likely to land the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket set for launch April 30 on a drone ship just off the coast of Cape Canaveral, not at the company's onshore recovery site as originally planned, after a ground test of the company's Crew Dragon capsule at the landing pad ended in an explosion Saturday.