Spaceflight Insider

  • Battery failure delays Atlas V launch until July

    Jason RhianJune 23rd CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V 551 rocket with the fifth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF-5) satellite for the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center will have to wait a little longer before taking flight.

  • Successful static fire clears way for launch of third Falcon Heavy flight

    Curt GodwinJune 21st KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Clearing one of the last hurdles before the flight of the Space Test Program 2 (STP-2) mission early next week, SpaceX is preparing for the first night launch of a Falcon Heavy rocket.

  • Under increasing pressure from SpaceX, Arianespace launches telecommunications satellites

    Jason RhianJune 20th KOUROU, French Guiana -- Arianespace conducted its fifth flight of  2019 when it launched an Ariane 5 ECA rocket and its payload of two communications satellites at 6:41 p.m. local time from Guiana Space Centre's ELA-3 launch site.  Today's launch comes at a time when the company is facing increasing pressure from SpaceX.

  • If it’s Boeing (space) – it’s going to Florida

    Jason RhianJune 19th TITUSVILLE, Fla. -- After the end of the Shuttle Program it appeared space operations at the Cape might be on the downturn. Appearances can be deceiving however. Boeing, the largest aerospace company in the world - is moving some of its operations to the Sunshine State.

  • NOAA to launch six weather satellites later this month

    Laurel KornfeldJune 18th The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) plans to launch six remote-sensing micro-satellites next week, which will monitor weather in space and on Earth beginning approximately seven months after launch.

  • NASA concept for generating power in deep space a little KRUSTY

    Collin SkocikJune 18th Prospects of establishing a permanent human presence on the Moon have taken a step forward with the test of a system known as Kilopower, a lightweight fission reactor which could provide ten kilowatts of power for at least a decade.

  • NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope mission nears end

    Jim SharkeyJune 17th While criticism of NASA's efforts frequently focuses on cost overruns or delays, what is sometimes missed is that many missions have far exceeded how long program managers had believed they would be operating. The Spitzer Space Telescope is one such mission, but like all good things, it too is nearing the end.

  • Next NASA Mars mission to serve as pathfinder for astronauts

    Cullen DesforgesJune 17th It’s no secret that sending the first astronauts to Mars will be a monumental challenge marked with many “firsts.” Given that NASA hasn't launched a manned mission beyond low-Earth orbit in 47 years - crews will need a guide to show them the way. Enter the next rover the U.S. space agency plans to send to the Red Planet.

  • USAF provided with software upgrade for GPS III

    Jason RhianJune 15th Five months after being awarded the GPS Control Segment Sustainment II (GCS II) contract, Lockheed Martin has started delivering on that contract.

  • Pass the salt shaker: Key ingredient of life found on Europa

    Laurel KornfeldJune 14th A new study has identified yellow regions on the surface of Jupiter's moon Europa as sodium chloride or table salt, which may originate in the large moon's underground ocean.

  • Design phase begins for Psyche mission to metal asteroid

    Laurel KornfeldJune 13th NASA's Psyche mission to a unique metal asteroid has attained the important milestone of being approved to begin spacecraft design and construction.

  • Mars 2020 spacecraft tested for flight, rover gets cameras

    Joe LatrellJune 13th Leading up to a planned July 2020 launch date, NASA’s latest mission to Mars is currently undergoing testing. Both the spacecraft and its rover payload have been tested and have been equipped with new equipment in preparation for flight.

  • Successful static fire clears way for launch of third Falcon Heavy flight

    Curt GodwinJune 21st KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Clearing one of the last hurdles before the flight of the Space Test Program 2 (STP-2) mission early next week, SpaceX is preparing for the first night launch of a Falcon Heavy rocket.

  • If it’s Boeing (space) – it’s going to Florida

    Jason RhianJune 19th TITUSVILLE, Fla. -- After the end of the Shuttle Program it appeared space operations at the Cape might be on the downturn. Appearances can be deceiving however. Boeing, the largest aerospace company in the world - is moving some of its operations to the Sunshine State.

  • NASA concept for generating power in deep space a little KRUSTY

    Collin SkocikJune 18th Prospects of establishing a permanent human presence on the Moon have taken a step forward with the test of a system known as Kilopower, a lightweight fission reactor which could provide ten kilowatts of power for at least a decade.

  • Next NASA Mars mission to serve as pathfinder for astronauts

    Cullen DesforgesJune 17th It’s no secret that sending the first astronauts to Mars will be a monumental challenge marked with many “firsts.” Given that NASA hasn't launched a manned mission beyond low-Earth orbit in 47 years - crews will need a guide to show them the way. Enter the next rover the U.S. space agency plans to send to the Red Planet.

  • Mars 2020 spacecraft tested for flight, rover gets cameras

    Joe LatrellJune 13th Leading up to a planned July 2020 launch date, NASA’s latest mission to Mars is currently undergoing testing. Both the spacecraft and its rover payload have been tested and have been equipped with new equipment in preparation for flight.

  • Bridenstine: Artemis mission could send first woman to the Moon

    Michael ColeJune 11th GLENN RESEARCH CENTER, Ohio -- NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine paid a visit to the agency's Glenn Research Center on Monday, June 10.  During his visit Bridenstine noted how the agency's latest lunar initiative - could make history with the first woman walking on the Moon.

  • Michigan company helping NASA speed up SLS development

    Jim SharkeyJune 8th As NASA works to meet its goal of returning  astronauts to the Moon by 2024, a Michigan-based company is helping to accelerate the production of the space agency's Space Launch System (SLS) deep space rocket by providing one of the key tools needed to build the massive vehicle.

  • Huh? Trump says NASA should stop talking about the Moon

    Derek RichardsonJune 7th For 18 months, NASA has been focused on returning humans to the Moon under Space Policy Directive 1—signed by President Trump. Is he changing course?

  • NASA selects companies for commercial Moon landing services

    Derek RichardsonJune 3rd The first commercial Moon landing missions under NASA’s Artemis program have been announced as precursors to human missions by 2024.

  • Stacking underway for next Atlas V launch

    Derek RichardsonMay 28th United Launch Alliance has begun assembling the Atlas V rocket that will be used to orbit the U.S. Air Force’s next advanced communications satellite.

  • SpaceX launches 60 Starlink satellites

    Derek RichardsonMay 24th CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — SpaceX made history again by launching the first 60 satellites of its Starlink satellite internet mega constellation.

  • Lunar Gateway contract adds ‘power’ to Artemis program

    Derek RichardsonMay 23rd NASA awarded Maxar Technologies a contract for the first piece of the Lunar Gateway, which is designed to be a staging point for Moon-bound astronauts.

  • Virgin Orbit conducts crucial hotfire test

    Jim SharkeyMay 23rd Virgin Orbit announced the successful completion of a full mission duty cycle hotfire test of the first stage of its LauncherOne rocket.

  • India’s PSLV places RISAT-2B into orbit

    Derek RichardsonMay 22nd Launching its third rocket of 2019, the India Space Research Organisation (ISRO) sent the RISAT-2B spacecraft into low Earth orbit on May 22, which should provide Earth-imagining services to

  • Vulcan clears final review, could fly as early as 2021

    Jason RhianMay 22nd United Launch Alliance, along with the United States Air Force, has cleared the company's new Vulcan rocket to continue its journey toward flight.

  • Companies selected to study lunar landers for Artemis program

    Derek RichardsonMay 17th In order to land astronauts on the Moon by 2024 under the Artemis program, NASA needs to get a jump start on the development of crew-rated lunar landers.

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