News Archive / Author: Derek Richardson

Derek Richardson has a degree in mass media, with an emphasis in contemporary journalism, from Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas. While at Washburn, he was the managing editor of the student run newspaper, the Washburn Review. He also has a website about human spaceflight called Orbital Velocity.

Articles By Derek Richardson

• SpaceX, NASA looking at potential to reboost Hubble telescope

  September 29th, 2022

  NASA has signed a contract with SpaceX to study the possibility of reboosting the Hubble Space Telescope into a higher orbit using Crew Dragon.

• Artemis 1 SLS to shelter from Hurricane Ian in assembly building

  September 26th, 2022

  NASA has opted to return the Artemis 1 Space Launch System rocket to the Vehicle Assembly Building to shelter from the potential effects of Hurricane Ian.

• NASA targets Tuesday to fly Artemis 1, despite weather outlook

  September 23rd, 2022

  While keeping an eye on the weather, NASA has opted to proceed with a Sept. 27 launch attempt for Artemis 1 following the completion of a tanking test.

• Russian-American Soyuz MS-22 crew arrives at Space Station

  September 21st, 2022

  Three new crew members arrived at the International Space Station following their launch in Soyuz MS-22 from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

• NASA plans Artemis 1 SLS tanking test on Wednesday

  September 19th, 2022

  Following repair work on a hydrogen quick disconnect seal for the Artemis 1 SLS rocket, NASA looks to perform a cryogenic loading test on the vehicle.

• Uncrewed New Shepard mission experiences in-flight abort

  September 12th, 2022

  In a reminder that rocket launches are not routine events, Blue Origin’s suborbital New Shepard rocket system suffered an anomaly during its 23rd flight.

• UPDATE: Artemis 1 likely not launching until October

  September 3rd, 2022

  After hours of troubleshooting a hydrogen leak, NASA called off its second attempt to get the Artemis 1 Space Launch System rocket off the ground.

• NASA calls off first attempt at launching its mega Moon rocket

  August 29th, 2022

  The first attempt at flying NASA's Artemis 1 Space Launch System rocket was called off because of a problem with one of the core stage’s engines.

• NASA’s Artemis 1 mega Moon rocket to launch next week

  August 26th, 2022

  Artemis 1, the first combined flight of the Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft, is set to occur next week to begin a trip to the Moon and back.

• Antares rocket to see new life with upgraded ‘330’ variant

  August 8th, 2022

  Northrop Grumman is partnering with Firefly Aerospace to create a new version of the Antares rocket following disruptions caused by Russia's war in Ukraine.

• Electron rocket launches secret NROL-199 payload

  August 4th, 2022

  The second of two back-to-back Rocket Lab Electron launches has orbited the NROL-199 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office.

• ‘Ingenuity-class’ drones added to Mars sample return mission

  July 27th, 2022

  NASA has changed the planned architecture for its Mars Sample Return Program, ditching a fetch rover in favor of two small helicopters.

• ‘Wentian’ science module launched to Chinese space station

  July 24th, 2022

  A new laboratory cabin module called Wentian was launched by China to add to the country’s fledgling Tiangong space station.

• Artemis 1 SLS mission gets preliminary launch date

  July 20th, 2022

  NASA has preliminarily selected Aug. 29, 2022, for the Artemis 1 test flight of the Space Launch System rocket with the Orion spacecraft.

• Astronaut-cosmonaut crew seat exchange deal finalized

  July 15th, 2022

  A crew seat exchange deal has been formalized by NASA and Roscosmos and should see a Russian cosmonaut fly in Crew Dragon in September.