Space News & Blog Articles

Rocket Lab’s 40th Electron rocket stands ready for launch on LC-1B, a the Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand. Image: Rocket Lab.

Rocket Lab will make another attempt to launch its 40th Electron rocket Sunday after a last-second abort on July 30. The small satellite launcher, carrying a radar-imaging satellite, is scheduled to liftoff from the Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand, during a launch window that runs from 0500-0700 UTC (1-3 a.m. EDT/5-7pm NZST).

The International Space Station’s robot arm captured the Cygnus cargo ship before attaching it to a docking port. Image: NASA TV.

An unpiloted Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo ship carrying four tons of supplies and equipment caught up with the International Space Station early Friday to wrap up a smooth two-and-a-half-day rendezvous.

A Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Aug. 3, 2023, carrying Intelsat’s Galaxy 37 satellite. Photo: Adam Bernstein.

SpaceX launched an Intelsat communications satellite early Thursday, part of a fleet-wide refresh under a Federal Communications Commission push to free up transmission space for 5G cellular networks.

A Falcon 9 rocket stands on pad 40 poised to launch the Galaxy 37 satellite for Intelsat. Image: Adam Bernstein/Spaceflight Now.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 is set to launch the Galaxy 37 communications satellite for Intelsat during the midnight hour Thursday. Liftoff from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is set for 12:15 a.m. EDT (0415 UTC).

Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket stands ready for launch at Wallops Island, Virginia. Image: Chuck and Jen Briggs.

After a busy spring of spacecraft going to and from the International Space Station, another surge of activity is about to begin Tuesday, with the launch of a Cygnus cargo ship from Wallops Island, Virginia at 8:31 p.m. EDT (0031 UTC on Aug. 2). This mission marks the final flight of this generation of Antares rockets, which uses major components from Russia and Ukraine.

NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli and the other members of the Crew-7 mission train at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California, in the runup to launching to the International Space Station.
Image: SpaceX

The next quartet bound for the International Space Station will wait a bit longer before they can punch their ticket to space after Falcon Heavy delays pushed back the launch of the next Crew Dragon mission, NASA said Tuesday.

Artist’s impression of Capella’s Acadia radar-imaging satellite. Image: Capella.

In a launch market dominated by SpaceX, Rocket Lab continues to cement its place in the orbital delivery landscape with plans for the 40th launch of its Electon rocket early Sunday.

Falcon Heavy streaks towards orbit in this long exposure as the side boosters perform entry and landing burns before touching down at Cape Canaveral. Image: Michael Cain/Spaceflight Now.

SpaceX launched the world’s heaviest commercial communications satellite atop a Falcon Heavy rocket on Friday. The triple-core rocket lifted off from Kennedy Space Center’s pad 39A with the Jupiter 3/EchoStar 24 satellite at 11:04 p.m. EDT (0304 UTC Saturday).

Falcon Heavy stands on the launch pad early this morning as a Falcon 9 lifts off from pad 40 on a Starlink delivery mission. Image: SpaceX.

SpaceX will make another attempt Friday to launch the world’s heaviest commercial communications satellite atop a Falcon Heavy rocket after technical problems halted a countdown on Wednesday. Liftoff from Kennedy Space Center’s pad 39A with the Jupiter 3/EchoStar 24 satellite is scheduled for 11:04 p.m. EDT (0304 UTC Saturday).

File photo of SpaceX’s Starlink V2 Mini satellites inside a payload processing facility at Cape Canaveral. Image: SpaceX

Update 10:28 p.m. EDT:

Falcon Heavy (left) and Falcon 9 missions could launch within 44 minutes of each other. Images: SpaceX/Spaceflight Now

SpaceX could break the record for the shortest time between Cape Canaveral launches Thursday night if it can launch a Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy in quick succession. But achieving that assumes the weather cooperates and any technical issues with the Falcon Heavy can be resolved.

Falcon Heavy stands ready to launch the heaviest commercial communications satellite ever, the Jupiter 3/EchoStar 24 satellite. Image: SpaceX.

SpaceX rolled a Falcon Heavy to the launch pad early Wednesday morning ahead of its planned liftoff tonight at 11:04 p.m. EDT (0304 UTC) with the Jupiter 3/EchoStar 24 satellite, the heaviest commercial communications satellite ever launched.

File photo of SpaceX’s Starlink V2 Mini satellites inside a payload processing facility at Cape Canaveral. Image: SpaceX

SpaceX will make another attempt to launch a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral after thunderstorms postponed the mission on Saturday. The rocket with 22 second-generation Starlink satellites aboard is now scheduled to liftoff at 7:09 p.m. EDT (2309 UTC) but weather is again expected to be a problem.

SpaceX is planning to launch 22 more second-generation Starlink satellites into orbit Saturday evening from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 7:34 p.m. EDT (2334 UTC).

A rendering of Amazon’s proposed satellite processing facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The 100,000-square-foot facility will be used to prepare satellites for its Project Kuiper internet constellation for launch aboard rockets from ULA and Blue Origin.

On Friday, online retail giant amazon will join with members of Space Florida to reveal its plans for a 100,000-square-foot satellite processing facility located at Space Florida’s Launch and Landing Facility (LLF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

A Falcon 9 rocket rises through a thick layer of fog at Vandenberg Space Force Base as it launches 15 second-generation Starlink satellites. Image: SpaceX.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is lifted off Wednesday night/Thursday morning carrying the first batch of second-generation Starlink satellites to be lofted from the West Coast. Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base occurred at 9:09 p.m. PDT (1209 a.m. EDT / 0409 UTC July 19).

Live commentary will begin at 9 p.m. PDT / 12 a.m. EDT / 0400 UTC in our Launch Pad Live Stream. Live coverage of the countdown and launch of a Rocket Lab Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1B on Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand with seven small satellites. Text updates will appear automatically below. Follow us on Threads or Twitter.

Live coverage of the countdown and launch of a Rocket Lab Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1B on Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand with seven small satellites. Text updates will appear automatically below. Follow us on Threads.

For the second time this week, SpaceX is pushing the envelope by flying a Falcon 9 rocket for a 16th time. Booster 1060 is now scheduled to liftoff from Cape Canaveral’s pad 40 at 11:50 p.m. EDT (0350 UTC) Saturday carrying 54 Starlink satellites into orbit. Just last Sunday, Booster 1058 launched 22 second-generation Starlink satellites, becoming the first Falcon 9 rocket to make a 16th flight. Previously, the reusable Falcon 9 first stage booster had only been certified for 15 missions.

File photo close up of a Falcon 9 static fire. Image: SpaceX.

SpaceX will test fire a Falcon 9 on pad 40 at Cape Canaveral tonight to clear the booster for its 16th flight. A launch attempt early Friday was aborted in the final minute of the countdown. SpaceX did not disclose the reason for the scrub.

For the third time in its space program, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) will launch a mission to the Moon. India is hoping for a more successful outcome this time around after a failed attempt to land safely on the Moon back in 2019.