Tag: Vandenberg

SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn Astronauts Splash Down Ending Historic Mission

SPACE reports, “Polaris Dawn, the historic SpaceX astronaut mission — which conducted the first-ever private spacewalk, among other achievements — returned to Earth today (Sept. 15), splashing down safely in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida at 3:36 a.m. EDT (0736 GMT). ‘Polaris Dawn we are mission complete. Thanks for all the big help pulling this mission together,’ said mission commander Jared Isaacman after the crew splashed down in the ocean.”
Full Story (SPACE)

 

Video

SpaceX Polaris Dawn crew splashes down in the Gulf of Mexico (Splash down at 08:43)
(VideoFromSpace; YouTube)

SpaceX Sets New Launch Record at Vandenberg with Thursday’s Falcon 9 Launch

Spaceflight Now reports, “SpaceX launched its latest batch of 21 Starlink satellites on a Thursday night Falcon 9 launch from California. The Falcon 9 rocket launch set a new record for Vandenberg Space Force Base, marking the first time that 31 orbital missions have taken off in a calendar year. Thirty of those launches were from SpaceX and one was from Firefly Aerospace.”
Full Story (Spaceflight Now)

 

Video

A SpaceX Falcon 9 launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base, CA (Launch at 27:21)
(Spaceflight Now; YouTube)

SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches On National Security Mission for NRO

Spaceflight Now reports, “SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket with an undisclosed number of satellites on behalf of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). The spacecraft, which are believed to be Starshield satellites, make up the third batch of what the NRO calls its ‘proliferated architecture.’”  Liftoff of the NROL-113 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base took place at 8:20 p.m. PDT.
Full Story (Spaceflight Now)

 

Video

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches from California on U.S. spy satellite agency mission (Launch at 00:30:29 mark)
(Spaceflight Now; YouTube)

SpaceX Launches Falcon 9 from California

The AP reports that a SpaceX Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force base Thursday carrying 53 Stalink satellites. “The satellites were later deployed from the rocket’s second stage.” Starlink provides broadband internet service based on a constellation of such satellites all around the world.
Full Story (Associated Press)

 

 Video

On Thursday, October 27, at at 6:14 p.m. PT, SpaceX launched 53 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
(SpaceX; YouTube)

Firefly Alpha Explodes Shortly After Liftoff

Space News reports that Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket exploded two and a half minutes after its first launch Thursday. Firefly tweeted, “Alpha experienced an anomaly during first stage ascent that resulted in the loss of the vehicle.” Alpha was expected to reach supersonic speed 67 seconds after liftoff, but the rocket did not reach Mach One until 2:20 after liftoff. Alpha exploded 10 seconds after breaking the sound barrier.
Full Story (SpaceNews)