Raytheon – Spaceflight Now

SpaceX closes out year with successful GPS satellite launch

December 23, 2018 Stephen Clark

A new era in GPS navigation launched Sunday, when a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket climbed into orbit with a Lockheed Martin-built satellite designed to beam higher-power positioning, navigation and timing signals around the world, providing military and civilian users with more accurate data that is more resistant to growing jamming threats.

Falcon 9 launch timeline with the GPS 3 SV01 navigation satellite

December 18, 2018 Stephen Clark

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket is set for liftoff from Cape Canaveral on Thursday carrying the U.S. Air Force’s first GPS 3-series navigation satellite destined for an orbit more than 12,000 miles above Earth.

Live coverage: SpaceX launches GPS navigation satellite for U.S. Air Force

December 18, 2018 Stephen Clark

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket at 8:51 a.m. EST (1351 GMT) Sunday from Cape Canaveral with the first in a new line of upgraded U.S. Air Force GPS navigation satellites. The launch was delayed five days due to technical and weather concerns.

Air Force requirements will keep SpaceX from landing Falcon 9 booster after GPS launch

December 17, 2018 Stephen Clark

The demands of launching the first in an upgraded line of U.S. Air Force GPS navigation satellites, including a late load of extra fuel for the spacecraft and a military policy of reserving fuel to eliminate space junk, will keep SpaceX from recovering the first stage of its Falcon 9 rocket following liftoff Thursday from Cape Canaveral, according to mission managers.

Live coverage: Russian rocket launches Boeing-made satellite

May 18, 2017 Stephen Clark

A Russian Soyuz rocket launched from French Guiana on Thursday at 1154:53 GMT (7:54:53 a.m. EDT) with the SES 15 communications satellite, a U.S.-built craft designed to support in-flight connectivity, video broadcasts and airborne navigation over North America.

Timeline of Soyuz launch with SES 15

May 17, 2017 Stephen Clark

Follow the key events of the Soyuz rocket’s ascent into orbit from the Guiana Space Center with the SES 15 communications satellite.

Soyuz meets multipurpose SES-owned telecom satellite for Thursday launch

May 17, 2017 Stephen Clark

A commercial communications satellite will blast off Thursday from French Guiana on top of a Soyuz rocket, on the way to a station over the Americas to supply bandwidth to airline travelers and broadcasters in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

SpaceX successfully fires satellites into orbit, but loses booster on landing

June 15, 2016 Stephen Clark

Two pioneering communications satellites purely powered by plasma rocket thrusters lifted off from Cape Canaveral aboard a Falcon 9 launcher Wednesday, starting missions to broadcast video across Asia and Latin America, and improve navigation for airplanes crossing the United States.