SpaceX – Page 148 – Spaceflight Now

Prototype solar array jettisoned as Dragon capsule prepares for trip home

June 30, 2017 Stephen Clark

An experimental solar wing sent to the International Space Station earlier this month was jettisoned from the orbiting lab’s robotic arm after engineers were unable to fully retract the array.

Next SpaceX launch on track for Sunday after hold-down firing at pad 39A

June 30, 2017 Stephen Clark

Six days after SpaceX fired its last Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, another launcher rolled to historic pad 39A and ignited its nine Merlin 1D engines at sunset Thursday in preparation for a commercial satellite delivery mission Sunday for Intelsat.

Video: SpaceX conducts Falcon 9 static fire at dusk

June 30, 2017 Stephen Clark

SpaceX fueled its next Falcon 9 rocket at launch pad 39A and ignited the booster’s nine Merlin engines at sunset Thursday, passing a major step in the launch campaign leading up to liftoff of the Intelsat 35e communications satellite Sunday.

Video: Falcon 9 lifted vertical for static fire test at pad 39A

June 29, 2017 Stephen Clark

Watch a time lapse replay of SpaceX’s next Falcon 9 rocket being raised vertical Thursday at launch pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for a mock countdown and engine test, ahead of a scheduled liftoff this weekend with an Intelsat communications satellite.

Live coverage: SpaceX’s next Falcon 9 rocket set for launch Sunday

June 29, 2017 Stephen Clark

SpaceX’s next Falcon 9 rocket arrived at launch pad 39A Thursday for a customary hold-down engine firing. Liftoff from Florida’s Space Coast is targeted for Sunday, weather permitting.

Photos: Falcon 9’s blastoff with BulgariaSat 1

June 27, 2017 Stephen Clark

Check out imagery from Friday’s liftoff of a previously-flown Falcon 9 rocket booster with the BulgariaSat 1 communications satellite from Florida’s Space Coast.

SpaceX will try for third Falcon 9 launch in less than two weeks

June 27, 2017 Stephen Clark

After back-to-back launches last weekend, SpaceX could launch its next Falcon 9 mission as soon as Sunday from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida with a high-power Intelsat communications satellite.

SpaceX launches and lands second Falcon 9 rocket in two days

June 25, 2017 Stephen Clark

Two days after launching a Falcon 9 rocket from Florida, SpaceX sent another mission into orbit Sunday from California’s Central Coast with 10 new satellites for Iridium’s voice and data relay network.

Video: Rocketcam replay of Iridium satellite deployment

June 25, 2017 Stephen Clark

Watch a replay of one of Iridium’s 10 communications satellites launched Sunday deploys from a dispenser mounted on the forward end of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 upper stage.

Video: Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Vandenberg, lands in Pacific

June 25, 2017 Stephen Clark

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket lifted off Sunday from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California and carried 10 Iridium communications satellites toward a perch in low Earth orbit, then the launcher’s first stage nailed a landing on a platform positioned in the Pacific Ocean.