NOAA – Page 11 – Spaceflight Now

NOAA satellite sends back view of planet Earth

July 20, 2015 Stephen Clark

Fulfilling an idea dreamed up by former Vice President Al Gore more than 17 years ago, NASA has released the first in a daily series of Earth snapshots from a newly-launched spacecraft stationed a million miles away.

Satellite owners among bystanders in Falcon 9 accident

June 29, 2015 Stephen Clark

The long queue of satellites waiting on launches aboard SpaceX’s Falcon rockets — a backlog the company says is worth $7 billion — will stay grounded while investigators determine what caused a Falcon 9 booster to disintegrate after liftoff Sunday.

Jason 3 satellite shipped to Vandenberg for SpaceX launch

June 18, 2015 Stephen Clark

An international oceanography satellite arrived at its California launch base from a factory in France on Thursday for fueling, testing and other final preps before its scheduled Aug. 8 blastoff on a Falcon 9 rocket.

DSCOVR space weather sentinel reaches finish line

June 8, 2015 Stephen Clark

A new space weather observatory launched in February has completed a four-month journey to an operating post a million miles from Earth, NOAA announced Monday.

Launch of U.S.-French oceanography satellite postponed

June 2, 2015 Stephen Clark

The launch of a U.S.-French oceanography satellite from California has been postponed from July 22 after engineers discovered contamination in one of the spacecraft’s thrusters at its factory in France.

Space weather observatory blasts off after 17-year wait

February 12, 2015 Stephen Clark

An interplanetary space weather station rocketed away from Cape Canaveral aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket Wednesday, speeding toward a remote operating post a million miles from Earth to help forecasters warn of intense solar storms.

Falcon 9 launch scrubbed by high winds aloft

February 11, 2015 Stephen Clark

Unfavorable high-altitude winds above Cape Canaveral on Tuesday kept a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket loaded with a NOAA space weather observatory on the ground another day.

17 years later, Gore makes case for viewing Earth from deep space

February 9, 2015 Stephen Clark

After waiting nearly two decades for dream to become reality, former Vice President Al Gore said Sunday the mission he fostered in 1998 — finally ready for launch this week — will have important scientific and social impacts in humanity’s relationship with Earth.

Storied space weather observatory finally ready for launch

February 7, 2015 Stephen Clark

The world’s most distant weather outpost is set for liftoff from Cape Canaveral on Sunday aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, launching to a point a million miles from Earth to warn forecasters of solar storms that could disrupt global air traffic, satellite navigation and power grids.

Photos: DSCOVR buttoned up for Falcon 9 launch

February 7, 2015 Stephen Clark

Engineers worked inside a climate-controlled clean room for two months to ready NOAA’s new space weather observatory for launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.