Author: ChrisDMarshall
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SpaceX launches SSO-A payloads
SpaceX set more milestones today with the successful launch of the Spaceflight SSO-A: SmallSat Express mission containing 64 payloads from their launch complex at Vandenberg. The deployment of the individual payloads will be performed by Spaceflight now there vehicle is in orbit. This was the 19th launch of the year for SpaceX breaking last year’s record,…
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Soyuz MS-11 launches and docks successfully
Just over seven weeks after the MS-10 launch failed to reach space Russia resumed crewed launches today with the successful launch and docking of the Soyuz MS-11 spacecraft today. The launch lifted off at 6:31 am EST and successfully docked at 12:34 pm EST just four orbits later. Once the leak checks are completed the…
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SpaceX launches Es’hail-2 satellite
SpaceX successfully launched the Es’hail-2 satellite for Es’hailSat (Qatar) this afternoon delivering the payload to orbit 32 minutes after liftoff from Launch Complex 39-A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Following the successful stage separation the booster successfully landing on SpaceX’s Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship Of Course I Still Love you in the Atlantic ocean…
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Arianespace successfully launches BepiColumbo
Arianespace successfully launched the European Space Agency (ESA) & Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) BepiColumbo spacecraft toward Mercury. The mission comprises two spacecraft: the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) and the Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO). This is the first European spacecraft to head to Mercury and will spend 7+ years traveling to the planet before entering…
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ULA successfully launches AEHF-4 satellite
Early this morning at 12:15 am EDT United Launch Alliance successfully delivered the AEHF-4 satellite for the United States Air Force. Using the most powerful version of their Atlas V rocket with a single RD-180 engine and five strap-on solid boosters the rocket soared into the air for an on-time launch. The Advanced Extremely High…
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Soyuz MS-10 aborts after launch, lands safely
What had become almost a routine process for Russia’s space program ran into an issue today when the launch of two crew members cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin and astronaut Nick Hague aborted shortly after the first stage booster separation. The two crew members were on their way to the International Space Station (ISS) and the flight…
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SpaceX successfully launches SAOCOM-1A
This evening SpaceX successfully delivered the SAOCOM-1A, a radar observation satellite for Argentina to orbit and performed their first Return To Launch Site (RTLS) on the west coast. This was the 17th launch this year for SpaceX and 10th landing and was the 62nd launch for Falcon 9 and 30th landing. https://youtu.be/vr_C6LQ7mHc
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ULA launches NASA’s ICESat2
Early this morning United Launch Alliance successfully launched NASA’s Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satelite 2 (ICESat2). The launch was slightly delayed due to an issue with the bottle temperatures during the countdown. This issue was quickly resolved and the mission completed successfully. This was the final launch of the venerable Delta II which has…
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SpaceX successfully launches Telstar 18V satellite
Following several delays to ensure the booster was ready for launch SpaceX successfully completed their 16th launch of 2018 with the deployment of the Telstar 18V satellite to its Geostationary Transfer Order. This was the 2nd launch for Telstar in two months following the successful launch of the Telstar 19V satellite in July. The first…
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ULA launches NASA’s Solar Parker Probe
United Launch Alliance (ULA) successfully launched NASA’s Solar Parker Probe on their Delta IV Heavy rocket. Today was the second attempt to liftoff proceeded smoothly for an on-time lifted off at 3:31 am EDT. The first attempt yesterday was delayed twice before a scrub was called when a new issue occurred at T-1:55m and counting with…