News Archive / Missions

• SOFIA data sheds new light on endurance of Pluto’s atmosphere

  Laurel KornfeldJune 1st, 2020

  Data captured by the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), an airborne observatory that studied Pluto’s atmospheric hazes just two weeks before New Horizons‘ 2015 flyby, indicates the hazes in Pluto’s atmosphere are regularly replenished.

• Crew Dragon Endeavour docks with International Space Station

  Derek RichardsonMay 31st, 2020

  Less than 19 hours after soaring into orbit from Florida, SpaceX’s Demo-2 Crew Dragon mission with NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken has reached the International Space Station.

• The drought is over: NASA and SpaceX successfully launch Demo-2

  Cullen DesforgesMay 30th, 2020

  History has been made and an almost nine-year drought has ended. SpaceX has successfully launched its first crewed mission, marking the beginning of a new era in human spaceflight. The SpaceX Crew Dragon is now officially on her way to the International Space Station for the first time with humans on board.

• NASA researcher provides overview of science on the ISS

  Laurel KornfeldMay 29th, 2020

  Research conducted on board the International Space Station (ISS) encompasses numerous science fields, such as biology and biotechnology, human research, the physical sciences, technological demonstrations, Earth and space science, and public education, noted Brandon Redell of NASA’s ISS Integration Office at the Johnson Space Center.

• Weather not favoring backup Demo-2 launch dates

  Patrick AttwellMay 28th, 2020

  Yesterday’s attempt to launch NASA’s and SpaceX’s Demo-2 mission to the International Space Station was plagued by weather issues that ultimately caused the attempt to be scrubbed. There remains the potential for weather complicate Saturday’s and Sunday’s launch attempts.

• Scrub! Historic Demo-2 mission delayed due to weather

  Cullen DesforgesMay 27th, 2020

  NASA’s historic Demo-2 mission has been scrubbed due to weather over the launch site and off the Florida coast. The next attempt is set to occur on Saturday, May 30 at 3:22 pm local time.

• Meet Crew Dragon: narrated tour of design features, design history

  Sean CostelloMay 26th, 2020

  Crew Dragon capsule, about to fly atop a Falcon 9 as part of the Demo-2 mission with two humans aboard, is a great advance in the field of spacecraft design.

• SpaceX prepares to launch Demo-2, schedule and timeline released

  Cullen DesforgesMay 26th, 2020

  As the world waits with bated breath, the Falcon 9 carrying Crew Dragon stands tall once again on pad 39A, ready to be given the final go for launch.

• Demo-2 Launch Readiness Review complete, weather systems presenting as a ‘strange brew’

  Cullen DesforgesMay 25th, 2020

    NASA and SpaceX today completed the Launch Readiness Review for Demo-2, the next step in marching towards a May 27, 2020 planned launch date.

• Virgin Orbit set to perform first test launch

  Matt HaskellMay 23rd, 2020

  Virgin Orbit has released that they are finally ready to let their rocket fly for the first time, targeting Sunday morning at 10 AM PST from a location off the coast of Southern California.

• US Space Force prepares for astronaut rescue missions

  Matt HaskellMay 22nd, 2020

  The 45th Operational Group, Detachment 3 stands ready to rescue Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley in the event their missions ends in an unexpected abort.

• Astronauts Behnken, Hurley arrive in Florida; only 7 days until Demo-2

  Michael McCabeMay 20th, 2020

  NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine and Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana welcomed the crew of the SpaceX Demo-2 mission to the Cape on May 20, 2020. Set to lift off in just 7 days, Demo-2 will be the first crewed launch from American soil since OV-104 Atlantis took her final flight on July 8, 2011. […]

• Japan launches its last ‘white stork’ to the International Space Station

  Derek RichardsonMay 20th, 2020

  Lifting off from its seaside launchpad, Japan’s final H-2B rocket sent the final Kounotori cargo ship into orbit to service the International Space Station.

• SpaceX to test sun visors on Starlink satellites

  Matt HaskellMay 19th, 2020

  SpaceX will test sun visors on one of their Starlink satellites on their next launch, currently planned for early June.

• ULA successfully launches Atlas V, X-37B spaceplane

  Theresa CrossMay 17th, 2020

  At 9:14 AM EDT, United Launch Alliance successfully launched an Atlas V rocket, lofting the X-37B spaceplane into orbit for the U.S Space Force.

• ULA to launch the sixth flight of the X-37B

  Cullen DesforgesMay 15th, 2020

  United Launch Alliance will launch the USSF-7 mission early Saturday morning from Cape Canaveral for the United States Space Force.

• 45th Space Wing preparing for back to back launches

  Matt HaskellMay 14th, 2020

  This weekend, the 45th Space wing at cape Canaveral Air Force Station is poised for a modern era record turnaround in launches, as it prepares to launch a United Launch Alliance Atlas V with the USSF-7 X-37B from LC-41 on Saturday, and a SpaceX Falcon 9 with Starlink satellites from LC-40 on Sunday.

• Flight plans released for SpaceX’s Demo-2 crewed mission

  Cullen DesforgesMay 14th, 2020

  During a recent joint NASA / SpaceX Demo-2 mission press conference, a clear picture was painted as to what launch day activities and the ensuing flight of Crew Dragon will look like.

• Curiosity mission team operates rover from home

  Jim SharkeyMay 13th, 2020

  While the majority of scientists and engineers who work at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California are currently off-site, that doesn’t mean that their work supporting interplanetary missions has ground to a halt.

• NG-13 Cygnus departs ISS for extended mission

  Derek RichardsonMay 11th, 2020

  After 83 days attached to the International Space Station, the three-person Expedition 63 crew today bid farewell to the NG-13 Cygnus cargo ship after it supplied the outpost with some 3,400 kilograms of supplies and equipment.