Aviation Week reports, “The first stage of a Firefly Aerospace Alpha rocket being prepared for launch on a commercial mission for Lockheed Martin was destroyed Sept. 29 during preflight testing at the company’s Briggs, Texas, facility. ‘During testing at Firefly’s facility in Briggs Texas, the first stage of Firefly’s Alpha Flight 7 rocket experienced an event that resulted in a loss of the stage,’ the company said in a statement.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
Tag: Astronautics
Blue Origin to Grow New Shepard Fleet
Aviation Week reports, “Blue Origin is developing three new suborbital New Shepard launch systems and mulling expanding flight services beyond West Texas, the company said Sept. 28. The current two-ship fleet will be retired by the end of 2027, with the first of three new spacecraft expected to debut next year, Senior Vice President Phil Joyce said during the Global Spaceport Alliance forum ahead of the International Astronautical Congress being held in Sydney this week.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
Amazon’s Project Kuiper Constellation Reaches 129 Satellites with ULA Launch
Via Satellite reports, “Amazon’s Project Kuiper constellation reaches 129 satellites after United Launch Alliance (ULA) launched another batch on Thursday morning from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This was Kuiper’s fifth launch overall, and the third mission with ULA on an Atlas V rocket. Amazon confirmed post-launch the mission was successful. The launch deployed 27 Kuiper satellites to an altitude of 465 kilometers, and they will orbit-raise to their final altitude.”
Full Story (Via Satellite)
Video
ULA Atlas V Launches Project Kuiper (Launch takes place at the 54:45 mark)
NASASpaceflight; YouTube
SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches 28 Starlink Satellites from Cape Canaveral
Spaceflight Now reports the Starlink 10-15 mission came a day after SpaceX launched a trio of spacecraft to study the effects of the Sun. “Liftoff from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station” took place at 4:39 a.m. EDT.
Full Story (Spaceflight Now)
Video
SpaceX Falcon 9 launches from Cape Canaveral (Launch takes place at the 59:47 mark)
Spaceflight Now; YouTube
SpaceX Performs Starship Static Fire Test Ahead of 11th Test Flight
SPACE reports SpaceX performed a full-duration static fire test with its latest Starship spacecraft recently to help gear up for the 11th test flight of the massive “megarocket, which may be just around the corner.”
Full Story (SPACE – with video)
Firefly Aerospace Anticipates Resumption of Alpha Launches Soon
Space News reports, “Firefly Aerospace expects to resume Alpha launches in the ‘coming weeks’ with two flights planned before the end of the year. The company shared details of its return-to-flight efforts during a Sept. 22 earnings call, its first since going public on the Nasdaq Aug. 7.”
Full Story (Space News)
Blue Origin to Land NASA’s Ice-hunting VIPER Rover on Moon in 2027
SPACE reports, “VIPER has officially come back from the dead. The NASA moon robot, whose name is short for ‘Volatiles Investigating Polar Explorer Rover,’ will hitch a ride to the lunar surface with Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin in late 2027, agency officials announced this afternoon.”
Full Story (SPACE)
Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus Cargo Capsule Arrives at ISS a Day Late After Engine Issue
AP News reports, “A supply ship arrived at the International Space Station on Thursday after a day’s delay due to a premature engine shutdown. Astronauts used the space station’s robot arm to pluck Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus capsule from orbit as they soared over Africa.”
Full Story (AP News)
Northrop Grumman Delays Supply Delivery to ISS Due to Engine Trouble
AP News reports, “A newly launched supply ship has run into engine trouble that is preventing it from reaching the International Space Station. Northrop Grumman’s capsule rocketed into orbit Sunday from Florida aboard SpaceX. But less than two days later, the capsule’s main engine shut down prematurely while trying to boost its orbit. The Cygnus capsule was supposed to dock Wednesday, delivering more than 11,000 pounds (5,000 kilograms) of cargo. But NASA said everything is on hold while flight controllers consider an alternate plan.”
Full Story (AP News)
Former Shuttle Commander Pam Melroy Joins Venus Aerospace After Groundbreaking RDRE Flight
SPACE reports former NASA deputy chief and shuttle commander Pam Melroy has joined Venus Aerospace’s board after its groundbreaking RDRE flight, bringing her “decades of experience” to help scale the startup’s propulsion technology.
Full Story (SPACE)