Launch – Page 95 – Spaceflight Now

Long-delayed NASA science satellite gets October launch date

September 10, 2019 Stephen Clark

The launch of a NASA ionospheric research satellite off Florida’s east coast is targeted for Oct. 9 after persistent technical problems with its air-dropped Pegasus rocket stymied two launch opportunities last year.

Live coverage: H-2B rocket launch scrubbed after fire

September 10, 2019 Stephen Clark

The launch of a Japanese H-2B rocket was called off Tuesday after a fire broke out on the launch pad a few hours before liftoff. A new target launch date has not been confirmed. The mission will carry an HTV cargo ship into orbit on a resupply run to the International Space Station.

Investigators narrow cause of Vega launch failure to second stage

September 10, 2019 Stephen Clark

Engineers believe super-hot gas from burning solid propellant impinged on the structure of the second stage on a European Vega launcher during a failed flight in July, causing the vehicle to break apart minutes after liftoff from French Guiana with a reconnaissance satellite for the United Arab Emirates, the CEO of Italian rocket-maker Avio said Monday.

Photos: H-2B rocket prepared for launch at Tanegashima

September 10, 2019 Stephen Clark

These photos show the stacking of Japan’s eighth H-2B rocket inside an assembly building at the Tanegashima Space Center over the past few weeks, followed by rollout of the 186-foot-tall vehicle to its launch pad Tuesday.

Japan set to launch space station resupply mission

September 9, 2019 Stephen Clark

A Japanese HTV cargo freighter is set for launch Tuesday (U.S. time) aboard a powerful H-2B rocket, ferrying six new lithium-ion batteries, a Sony-developed laser communications terminal, fresh water and other equipment to the International Space Station.

SpaceX’s first rocket built for humans test-fired in Texas

September 5, 2019 Stephen Clark

The Falcon 9 booster assigned to launch two NASA astronauts on an orbital test flight of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule has been test-fired in Texas, but the schedule for the long-awaited mission remains unclear.

Two satellites launch aboard Chinese Kuaizhou 1A rocket

September 3, 2019 Stephen Clark

Two experimental Chinese satellites have launched on a Kuaizhou 1A rocket from the Jiuquan space base in northwestern China.

Russian military satellite orbited by Rockot launcher

August 30, 2019 Stephen Clark

A geodetic surveying satellite for the Russian military successfully launched Friday aboard a Rockot booster — a modified ballistic missile — from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome.

ULA releases ‘rocketcam’ video from Atlas 5 launch

August 30, 2019 Stephen Clark

United Launch Alliance has released views from cameras mounted aboard the company’s most recent Atlas 5 rocket launch showing the rocket’s blastoff from Cape Canaveral at dawn Aug. 8 with a U.S. Air Force communications satellite.

SpaceX launches Starship “hopper” on dramatic test flight

August 27, 2019 William Harwood

SpaceX launched its sub-scale Starship “hopper” spacecraft on a brief unpiloted up-and-down test flight at the company’s Boca Chica, Texas, test facility Tuesday, a dramatic demonstration of rocket technology intended to pave the way to a new, more powerful heavy lift booster and, eventually, crew-carrying interplanetary spacecraft.