Launch – Page 2 – Spaceflight Now

Live coverage: China launches three-man crew to Tiangong space station

May 29, 2023 Stephen Clark

Three Chinese astronaut rocketed into orbit in pursuit of the Tiangong space station at 9:31 p.m. EDT Monday (0131 UTC Tuesday). The crew blasted off from the Jiuquan launch base in northwestern China on a Long March 2F rocket.

Three astronauts ready for ride to China’s space station

May 29, 2023 Stephen Clark

The next three-man crew to live on China’s Tiangong space station will launch Monday night on a Long March rocket, heading for a half-year expedition on the orbiting outpost to replace an outgoing team of astronauts set to return to Earth this weekend.

India launches first in new generation of navigation satellites

May 29, 2023 Stephen Clark

An Indian Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle lifted off Monday with the first in a new generation of upgraded regional navigation satellites designed to be interoperable with other countries’ global navigation networks.

Swiss company selects Arianespace to launch first space debris removal mission

May 27, 2023 Clive Simpson

Swiss-based in-orbit servicing startup ClearSpace has contracted Arianespace to launch its first debris removal mission to capture and deorbit a piece of space debris.

SpaceX rocket sends Arabsat communications satellite into orbit

May 27, 2023 Stephen Clark

SpaceX kicked off Memorial Day weekend with an overnight launch Saturday from Cape Canaveral, boosting a nearly five-ton communications satellite into orbit for Arabsat, a multinational consortium providing TV and video broadcast services across the Middle East.

NASA’s final two TROPICS CubeSats launched by Rocket Lab

May 26, 2023 Stephen Clark

The last two spacecraft in a four-satellite constellation of tropical cyclone research platforms took off late Thursday from New Zealand on a Rocket Lab Electron launcher, helping ensure NASA’s TROPICS mission is ready for observations in time for the peak of this year’s Atlantic hurricane season.

ULA delays Vulcan test-firing to troubleshoot engine ignition system

May 26, 2023 Stephen Clark

United Launch Alliance called off a test-firing of the company’s first flight-rated Vulcan Centaur rocket at Cape Canaveral Thursday to troubleshoot a problem with the booster’s engine ignition system.

Live coverage: Rocket Lab launches NASA’s final two TROPICS satellites

May 25, 2023 Stephen Clark

NASA’s final pair of TROPICS hurricane research satellites lifted off on a Rocket Lab Electron launch vehicle from New Zealand on Thursday night (U.S. time). The two identical shoebox-size spacecraft launched at 11:46 p.m. EDT Thursday (0346 UTC Friday) from Rocket Lab’s privately-owned spaceport on Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand.

Russian supply ship launches to International Space Station

May 24, 2023 Stephen Clark

Russia’s Progress MS-23 cargo freighter launched Wednesday from Kazakhstan on a mission hauling more than 2.7 tons of fuel, food, experiments, and supplies to the International Space Station.

SpaceX delays launch of Arabsat telecom satellite until Friday night

May 24, 2023 Stephen Clark

SpaceX scrubbed a launch attempt early Wednesday at Cape Canaveral due to thick cloud cover, then delayed the liftoff of a Falcon 9 rocket with an Airbus-built communications satellite for Arabsat until Friday night to wait for improved weather and to make room for the test-firing of United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket at a neighboring launch pad.