Launch – Page 171 – Spaceflight Now

Fate of mystery Zuma satellite in question

January 9, 2018 William Harwood

A classified satellite code-named Zuma, launched Sunday night atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, may have suffered a mission-ending failure during or shortly after the climb to space, according to news accounts Monday evening.

SpaceX kicks off ambitious 2018 schedule with launch for U.S. government

January 8, 2018 Stephen Clark

Running nearly two months late after technical concerns prevented liftoff last year, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket fired into the sky Sunday night from Cape Canaveral with a top secret payload for the U.S. government, the first of some 30 launches on the company’s docket in 2018.

Video: Falcon 9’s first stage paints a dazzling spectacle in the sky

January 8, 2018 Stephen Clark

Watch a video clip of the Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage separating and firing its engines to return to Cape Canaveral shortly after liftoff Jan. 7.

Video: Replay of SpaceX’s first launch and landing of 2018

January 8, 2018 Stephen Clark

Watch a replay of the launch and landing of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket on Jan. 7 at Cape Canaveral.

Video: Falcon 9 launch with natural sound (members only)

January 8, 2018 Stephen Clark

Watch a view of the launch of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket on Jan. 7 from Cape Canaveral with the U.S. government’s top secret Zuma payload.

Live coverage: Falcon 9 rocket launches and lands at Cape Canaveral

January 2, 2018 Stephen Clark

SpaceX’s first launch of 2018 blasted off at 8 p.m. EST Sunday (0100 GMT Monday). A Falcon 9 rocket took off from Cape Canaveral with a mysterious U.S. government payload known as Zuma, and the first stage returned to landing on Florida’s Space Coast around eight minutes later.

Communications restored with newly-launched Angolan satellite

December 29, 2017 Stephen Clark

The Russian manufacturer of Angola’s first communications satellite announced Friday that it has reestablished contact with the spacecraft after engineers stopped receiving signals shortly after its launch earlier this week.

Time-lapse video: Falcon Heavy lowered after launch pad debut

December 29, 2017 Spaceflight Now

The Falcon Heavy rocket was lowered to the horizontal position before sunrise Friday morning after less than a day standing at the launch pad.

Falcon 9 launch lights up Southern California sky

December 28, 2017 Stephen Clark

Take a look back at the Dec. 22 liftoff of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, a launch that was visible across Southern California and as far away as Arizona as the booster climbed into sunlight at dusk to deliver 10 commercial communications satellites to orbit.

Photos: Elon Musk’s Tesla Roadster prepped for one-way trip to deep space

December 28, 2017 Stephen Clark

SpaceX has released photos of Elon Musk’s midnight cherry red Tesla Roadster, the dummy payload selected for the Falcon Heavy rocket’s maiden test flight, being readied for launch at Cape Canaveral.