News

Japan successfully launches replacement for decade-old navigation satellite

H-2A, Mission Reports, News, X Sidebar / By

A Japanese H-2A rocket blasts off from Tanegashima Space Center with the QZS 1R navigation satellite. Credit: MHI A replacement for an aging satellite in Japan’s regional navigation network successfully launched Monday from Tanegashima Space Center aboard an H-2A rocket, heading to an orbit more than 20,000 miles above Earth. The launch keeps Japan on …

Japan successfully launches replacement for decade-old navigation satellite Read More »

NASA clears next SpaceX crew mission for launch, pending review of toilet system

Mission Reports, News, X Home Page Highlight / By

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Endurance spacecraft moved over the weekend to the hangar near pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, where ground teams will mate it to a Falcon 9 rocket for liftoff Oct. 31. Credit: SpaceX NASA managers at Kennedy Space Center gave the go-ahead Monday to continue preparations for a Halloween launch of …

NASA clears next SpaceX crew mission for launch, pending review of toilet system Read More »

Blue Origin and Sierra Space team up for commercial space station

Mission Reports, News, X Home Page Highlight / By

Artist’s illustration of the Orbital Reef space station. Credit: Blue Origin/Sierra Space Blue Origin and Sierra Space announced Monday they are leading development of a commercial space complex named Orbital Reef that officials said will be operational by the time NASA and its partners retire International Space Station. The two privately-owned aerospace companies said they …

Blue Origin and Sierra Space team up for commercial space station Read More »

Japanese H-2A rocket ready for launch with navigation satellite

H-2A, Mission Reports, News, X Home Page Highlight / By

A Japanese H-2A rocket rolls out to its launch pad at the Tanegashima Space Center with the QZS 1R satellite. Credit: MHI Japan is set to launch a replacement satellite Monday for a navigation spacecraft that has been in space since 2010, augmenting the U.S. military’s GPS network to provide more precise positioning and timing …

Japanese H-2A rocket ready for launch with navigation satellite Read More »

China says it has launched a space debris mitigation tech demo satellite

Mission Reports, News, X Sidebar / By

A Long March 3B rocket lifts off with China’s Shijian 21 satellite. Credit: CASC China launched the classified Shijian 21 satellite Saturday on what government officials described as an experimental “space debris mitigation” mission. The Shijian 21 satellite lifted off aboard a Long March 3B rocket at 9:27 p.m. EDT Saturday (0127 GMT Sunday) from …

China says it has launched a space debris mitigation tech demo satellite Read More »

Nanoracks announces plans for commercial space station

News, X Sidebar / By

Artist’s concept of the Starlab space station. Credit: Nanoracks Nanoracks announced Oct. 21 it is teaming with Lockheed Martin to develop a commercial crewed space station named Starlab that officials said could reach initial operational capability by 2027. The commercial space lab will be continuously crewed to conduct critical research, support off-planet industrial activity, and …

Nanoracks announces plans for commercial space station Read More »

Arianespace breaks payload mass record on final Ariane 5 launch before Webb

Ariane 5, Mission Reports, News, X Home Page Highlight / By

An Ariane 5 rocket lifts off from the Guiana Space Center with the SES 17 and Syracuse 4A communications satellites. Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace/S. Martin A European Ariane 5 rocket fired into space Saturday night from French Guiana with a commercial broadband satellite for SES and a French military telecom craft, setting a new payload mass record …

Arianespace breaks payload mass record on final Ariane 5 launch before Webb Read More »

Under watchful eye of NASA, teams prep for final Ariane 5 flight before Webb

Ariane 5, Mission Reports, News, X Home Page Highlight / By

An Ariane 5 rocket on its launch pad Thursday in Kourou, French Guiana. Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace/JM Guillon Arianespace is counting down to the blastoff of an Ariane 5 rocket Saturday night from French Guiana, the final flight of Europe’s workhorse launcher before NASA and the European Space Agency entrust it to launch the $10 billion James …

Under watchful eye of NASA, teams prep for final Ariane 5 flight before Webb Read More »

Musk says Starship may be ready for orbital launch next month, but FAA review continues

Mission Reports, News, X Sidebar / By

Elon Musk, the billionaire founder of SpaceX, said Friday the company’s huge new Starship rocket could be ready for its first orbital test launch from South Texas as soon as November, but the schedule comes with two big uncertainties that may push the launch to next year. “If all goes well, Starship will be ready …

Musk says Starship may be ready for orbital launch next month, but FAA review continues Read More »

NASA targets February launch for Artemis 1 moon mission

Mission Reports, News, Space Launch System, X Home Page Highlight / By

The 74,000-pound Orion spacecraft was lifted inside the Vehicle Assembly Building this week, and mounted to the top of the Space Launch System. Credit: NASA/Frank Michaux With NASA’s powerful new 322-foot-tall moon rocket fully stacked at Kennedy Space Center, managers said Friday that Feb. 12 is the soonest the unpiloted Artemis 1 mission could blast …

NASA targets February launch for Artemis 1 moon mission Read More »