Spire Global – Spaceflight Now

Rocket Lab, Orora Technologies contract for “responsive launch” ahead of main 2025 wildfire season

January 24, 2025 Will Robinson-Smith

The eight satellites will also fulfill a concept study contract awarded to OroraTech and Spire Global by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in October 2024. A specific launch date hasn’t been announced, but Rocket Lab said the Electron rocket launch would happen in “just a few weeks.”

SpaceX smashes record with launch of 143 small satellites

January 24, 2021 Stephen Clark

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket Sunday from Cape Canaveral with 143 small satellites, a record number of spacecraft on a single mission, giving a boost to startup space companies and stressing the U.S. military’s tracking network charged with sorting out the locations of all objects in orbit.

Falcon 9 launch timeline on the Transporter-1 mission

January 23, 2021 Stephen Clark

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket is set for liftoff from Cape Canaveral on Sunday, heading due south over the Atlantic Ocean on a trajectory hugging the east coast of Florida to deliver 143 small satellites into polar orbit.

Live coverage: SpaceX launches rideshare mission on Falcon 9 rocket

January 23, 2021 Stephen Clark

SpaceX launched the first in a series of small satellite rideshare missions Sunday from Cape Canaveral, providing transportation for 143 U.S. and international spacecraft to low Earth orbit, a record number of satellites on a single flight. Liftoff occurred at 10 a.m. EST (1500 GMT) Sunday after bad weather forced SpaceX to scrub a launch attempt Saturday morning.

Indian PSLV deploys 10 satellites in first launch since start of pandemic

November 7, 2020 Stephen Clark

A Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle lifted off Saturday with India’s EOS 1 radar imaging satellite and nine rideshare payloads for customers based in the United States, Luxembourg, and Lithuania. The successful mission was India’s first launch in nearly a year due to delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Live coverage: Indian rocket launches with 10 satellites

November 7, 2020 Stephen Clark

An Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle lifted off at 4:42 a.m. EST (0942 GMT) Saturday with India’s EOS 1 radar imaging satellite and nine rideshare payloads for customers based in the United States, Luxembourg, and Lithuania.

India planning to resume launches next month

October 14, 2020 Stephen Clark

India is set to resume satellite launches as soon as early November with a mission to deliver Indian, U.S., and European payloads to orbit, the country’s first space launch in nearly a year after delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Vega rocket deploys 53 satellites on successful return to flight mission

September 3, 2020 Stephen Clark

Delayed a year by a launch failure, the coronavirus pandemic and a stretch of stiff upper level winds this summer, an Italian-made Vega rocket vaulted into orbit from French Guiana on Wednesday night and deployed 53 small satellites from 13 countries to punctuate a flawless return to flight mission.

Live coverage: Vega rocket launches with 53 small satellites

September 2, 2020 Stephen Clark

Arianespace launched a solid-fueled Vega rocket from French Guiana at 9:51 p.m. EDT Wednesday (0151 GMT Thursday) after delays of more than five months caused by the coronavirus pandemic and unfavorable upper level winds. The Italian-built launcher will deploy 53 small satellites into orbit.

Long-delayed Vega rocket launch could happen Wednesday night

September 1, 2020 Stephen Clark

Arianespace delayed the launch of a Vega rocket from French Guiana Tuesday night due to a typhoon threatening a ground station in South Korea needed to track the vehicle as it deploys a cluster of more than 50 small satellites.