Tag: launch

NASA Says SLS Megarocket Performed as Planned in First-Ever Launch

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SPACE reports that NASA officials said the agency’s “Space Launch System (SLS) megarocket hit all of its marks during its first-ever liftoff two weeks ago.” The Nov. 16 launch “kicked off NASA’s highly anticipated Artemis 1 mission, sending an uncrewed Orion capsule on a nearly 26-day trek to the moon and back. The SLS appeared to perform exactly as planned during the liftoff, and further analyses support those initial impressions, NASA officials announced on Wednesday.” Artemis mission manager Mike Sarafin said in a statement, “The first launch of the Space Launch System rocket was simply eye-watering. … While our mission with Orion is still underway and we continue to learn over the course of our flight, the rocket’s systems performed as designed and as expected in every case.”
Full Story (SPACE)

India to Launch European Proba-3 Satellites on Dec. 5 to Create Artificial Eclipses in Space

SPACE reports, “A European mission that will use two satellites to create artificial eclipses in Earth orbit will launch early Thursday morning (Dec. 5) … The ESA’s Proba-3 formation-flying mission is scheduled to lift off atop an Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from Satish Dhawan Space Center on Thursday at 5:42 a.m. EST (1042 GMT; 4:42 p.m. local time in India).”
Full Story (SPACE)

AIAA Congratulates SpaceX and NASA on Successful Crew-1 Launch

Reston, Va. (November 16, 2020) — The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) congratulates SpaceX, its aerospace industry suppliers, NASA and all those who supported the Crew-1 mission for the successful launch of the Falcon 9 rocket with the Crew Dragon spacecraft and the recovery of its booster rockets.

“Last night we witnessed the next step toward flying humans regularly to space from American soil on American rockets,” said Dan Dumbacher, AIAA executive director. “We are all inspired by the journey NASA astronauts Mike Hopkins, Victor Glover, and Shannon Walker, and astronaut Soichi Noguchi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) are taking.”

“Missions like this continue to provide safe, reliable, and cost-effective access to low-Earth orbit and the International Space Station, which is key to building our off-world future,” Dumbacher concluded.

AIAA is the world’s largest and most influential aerospace technical society, and our members have been involved in nearly every advancement in modern U.S. aerospace – including the NASA Commercial Crew program.

ULA Delta IV Heavy Set to Fly Once More

Ars Technica reports United Launch Alliance’s last Delta IV Heavy rocket is set to lift off Thursday from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, with a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, the US government’s spy satellite agency. “Weather permitting, the Delta IV Heavy will light up its three hydrogen-fueled RS-68 engines at 1:40 pm EDT (17:40 UTC) Thursday, the opening of a four-hour launch window.”
Full Story (Ars Technica)

SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches Eutelsat Satellites from California

Reuters reports, “Eutelsat, the world’s third-biggest satellite operator by revenue, launched 20 satellites for its communications network on Sunday, using Elon Musk’s SpaceX in its first move since the merger of two European companies last year. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket took off with Eutelsat satellites from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base at 0513 GMT. ‘This is the first OneWeb launch of the satellites since the merger,’ CEO Eva Berneke told Reuters in an interview. ‘We will be launching more satellites over the coming years.’”
Full Story (Reuters)