SLATS – Spaceflight Now

April 18, 2025

Breaking News

[ April 16, 2025 ] Northrop Grumman launches first Minotaur 4 rocket from Vandenberg in 14 years Minotaur 4
[ April 13, 2025 ] SpaceX launches Falcon 9 rocket booster on record-setting 27th time on midnight Starlink flight Falcon 9
[ April 12, 2025 ] SpaceX launches Starshield satellites for the NRO on Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Falcon 9
[ April 10, 2025 ] SpaceX launches 400th flight-proven Falcon booster with Saturday Starlink mission Falcon 9
[ April 9, 2025 ] Poor weather forces a scrub of the Kuiper 1 launch on a ULA Atlas 5 Atlas 5

Japanese satellite re-enters atmosphere after experiments in ultra-low orbit

October 15, 2019 Stephen Clark

An experimental Japanese satellite has ended its mission after proving it could operate at super-low altitudes, testing an Earth-imaging camera and using ion propulsion to fight against aerodynamic drag at an altitude of 112 miles.

Japanese H-2A rocket lifts off with two satellites

December 22, 2017 Stephen Clark

Two research satellites to probe Earth’s climate patterns and test ion engine technology to counter atmospheric drag in an unusual low-altitude orbit launched Saturday on top of a Japanese H-2A rocket.