Launch – Page 168 – Spaceflight Now

Luxembourg-backed telecom craft set for launch on reused Falcon 9 rocket

January 29, 2018 Stephen Clark

A communications satellite developed in a public-private partnership between Luxembourg government and SES is set for launch Tuesday aboard a previously-flown SpaceX Falcon 9 booster from Cape Canaveral, ready for a 15-year mission beaming encrypted, jam-resistant signals for security and military forces across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Rocket Lab’s test launch carried two previously-unannounced passengers

January 29, 2018 Stephen Clark

A propulsive kick stage designed to expand the performance envelope of Rocket Lab’s light-class Electron satellite launcher and a spacecraft that will grace nighttime skies for the next nine months flew into orbit on the company’s test flight earlier this month.

SpaceX schedules Feb. 6 target date for Falcon Heavy test launch

January 28, 2018 Stephen Clark

SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket could blast off for the first time as soon as Feb. 6, company founder Elon Musk said Saturday, announcing the first official target launch date for the heavy-lifter’s maiden mission from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

China launches fourth trio of Yaogan military satellites since September

January 28, 2018 Stephen Clark

A fourth trio of Chinese Yaogan military satellites with secret missions launched Thursday aboard a Long March 2C rocket from the Xichang space base in China’s Sichuan province.

ULA announces takeover of commercial Atlas 5 launch sales

January 24, 2018 Stephen Clark

United Launch Alliance announced Monday that the company will assume responsibility for commercial marketing and sales for Atlas 5 rocket missions, taking over for a Lockheed Martin division that previously sold Atlas 5 launch services on the commercial market.

Photos: Atlas 5 takes off with SBIRS GEO Flight 4

January 22, 2018 Stephen Clark

Revisit Friday night’s blastoff of a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral with SBIRS GEO Flight 4, the fourth in an upgraded line of U.S. Air Force missile detection and warning satellites.

Testbed for Canadian data relay network successfully launched from China

January 22, 2018 Stephen Clark

A nanosatellite built in Scotland for Kepler Communications, a Toronto company planning a 140-satellite global data relay network, rode to orbit Friday with five Chinese satellites launched aboard a solid-fueled Long March 11 booster from the Gobi Desert.

Rocket Lab delivers nanosatellites to orbit on first successful test launch

January 21, 2018 Stephen Clark

Rocket Lab’s privately-developed Electron launcher soared into orbit from New Zealand on Saturday, U.S. time, a success that puts the company’s founder said will hasten dedicated, frequent and affordable rides to space for small satellites.

Video: Rocket Lab achieves orbit on historic launch from New Zealand

January 21, 2018 Stephen Clark

Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket took off from a picturesque commercial launch base in New Zealand on Saturday, U.S. time, on a test flight that delivered three CubeSats into orbit on the company’s first successful satellite deployment.

Video: ULA highlights reel from Friday night’s Atlas 5 launch

January 20, 2018 Stephen Clark

United Launch Alliance has packed two days of rollout, countdown and launch activities into a two-minute video highlighting Friday night’s blastoff of an Atlas 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral with the U.S. Air Force’s SBIRS GEO Flight 4 missile-warning satellite.