SLATS – Spaceflight Now

June 9, 2026

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[ June 9, 2026 ] NASA names four-man crew to Artemis 3 mission Artemis
[ June 9, 2026 ] Live coverage: NASA to unveil Artemis 3 crew, provide updates on mission Artemis
[ June 7, 2026 ] SpaceX launches Falcon 9 rocket booster on record-breaking 35th flight Falcon 9
[ June 6, 2026 ] SpaceX launches 2 Starshield satellites during Saturday night Starlink mission Falcon 9
[ June 5, 2026 ] NASA crew briefly shelters inside Dragon capsule as Russia addresses new space station leaks Mission Reports

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.