Category: Commercial
Weekly Space News – 1/7
We are excited to bring back our weekly review of Space related news. These are a selection of stories that excite us about the future of Space exploration/development. The opinions in these reviews are our own. NASA announces selection of two Discovery Missions This week NASA announced that he has selected the Lucy and Psyche missions…
SpaceX ready for resumption of Falcon 9 launches
Following a four month investigation into the September 1st anomaly that resulted in the lose of a Falcon 9 rocket with it’s payload the Spacecom Amos 6 satellite and significant damage to Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral, Florida. SpaceX announced this week that they have completed the investigate (see report here) and…
SpaceX Falcon 9 explodes during static fire test countdown
This morning during their standard Static Fire test procedure the Falcon 9 tasked with launching the Spacecom Amos-6 satellite exploded during the countdown to the static fire. SpaceX have confirmed that the Amos-6 payload was lost due to the explosion, however there were no personnel lost due to standard procedures during tanking operations. Statement on…
Cargo Vehicles arrive at ISS
Following the two successful launches over the weekend the International Space Station now has two additional vehicles attached. Monday evening the Progress MS-03/64P vehicle completed it’s mission with a picture perfect docking to the Pirs module. And early this morning ISS Commander Jeff Williams and Flight Engineer Dr. Kate Rubins successfully captured the Dragon CRS-9 spacecraft. Three…
SpaceX CRS 9 launches
The second launch of International Space Station Cargo this weekend was completed successful this morning following the successful delivery to orbit of the Dragon capsule. Following a smooth countdown the Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 12:45:29 am EDT today propelling the Dragon capsule to orbit, the first stage then returned to the Cape for…
SpaceX launches Eutelsat/ABS satellites
SpaceX continued it’s launch campaign today with the successful launch and deployment of the Eutelsat 117 West B and ABS-2A satellites. The two Boeing built spacecraft utilize an all electric propulsion system allowing them to be launched on a single Falcon 9 vehicle. Unfortunately the first stage didn’t survive the landing attempt, as explained by…
SpaceX continues 2016 launch campaign
SpaceX continued it’s 2016 campaign with the successful launch of the Thaicom 8 satellite this evening. Originally scheduled for yesterday 5/26 the launch was postponed to allow more time to investigate an issue found during the countdown. @SpaceX There was a tiny glitch in the motion of an upper stage engine actuator. Probably not a…
SpaceX nails the GTO Landing
SpaceX successfully launched the JCSAT 14 satellite this week for SKY Perfect JSAT, and once again landed the Falcon 9 first stage on the ASDS “Of Course I Still Love You”. Unlike the landing during the CRS-8 mission this was more complicated due to the speed of the first stage booster at separation. According to…
SpaceX CRS-8 launches successfully – First Stage Lands
Ten months after the failed CRS-7 launch SpaceX resumed their servicing missions to the International Space Station today with the successful launch of their Dragon spacecraft. Following a smooth countdown the Falcon 9 lifted off at 4:43 pm EDT to begin a 10 minute climb to orbit. As with previous launches SpaceX also attempted to…
ULA launches Cygnus OA-6 to ISS
Last night United Launch Alliance (ULA) launched an Orbital ATK Cygnus spacecraft towards the International Space Station (ISS). This is the second Cygnus that has launched on an Atlas V rocket and will be the heaviest payload the Atlas V has ever launched. Even with the heavier payload ULA didn’t require any Solid Rocket Boosters as…