News Archive / Missions

• ULA announces new launch date for NROL-44

  Cullen DesforgesSeptember 19th, 2020

  United Launch Alliance has set September 27, 2020 as the target date for the third launch attempt of the NROL-44 payload aboard their Delta IV Heavy Rocket, due to launch at 12:10 a.m. EDT. The launch window will last for approximately 90 minutes.

• NASA seeking commercial proposals for lunar sample collection

  Theresa CrossSeptember 16th, 2020

  Over the next four years, NASA will pay for private companies to harvest rocks and soil from the moon, as the agency takes the initial steps to field sustainable lunar exploration. 

• Astra suffers anomaly following first orbital-attempt liftoff

  Michael McCabeSeptember 13th, 2020

  Astra suffered a setback during their first orbital attempt, as their Rocket 3 series rocket lifted off into the skies over Launch Pad 3B in Kodiak, Alaska at 7:19 P.M. ADT, before an anomaly occurred causing the rocket to fall back to earth. 

• Northrop Grumman cancels OmegA rocket following NSSL contract loss

  Matt HaskellSeptember 10th, 2020

  In an expected move following recent contract awards, Northrop Grumman has announced the cancellation of their OmegA launch vehicle program.

• First segment of Orion capsule delivered for assembly ahead of Artemis III mission

  Theresa CrossSeptember 10th, 2020

  Lockheed Martin takes delivery and begins production of the Artemis III Orion capsule, as the first parts of the pressure vessel are delivered to the Michoud Assembly Facility in Louisiana.

• Morning update: delayed Starlink mission set to fly in less than an hour

  Sean CostelloSeptember 3rd, 2020

  SpaceX is poised to launch their next batch of Starlink satellites aboard a Falcon 9 today, currently scheduled to liftoff at 8:46 a.m. EDT.

• Northrop Grumman continues to advance NASA’s Artemis program

  Matt HaskellSeptember 3rd, 2020

  Aerospace giant Northrop Grumman continues to meet milestones in preparation for NASA’s Artemis program, as it completes a successful booster test fire for Artemis IV, and delivers the final abort motor for Artemis II

• Orion spacecraft passes final milestone for first Artemis launch

  Cullen DesforgesSeptember 2nd, 2020

  On September 1, NASA announced that the flight-ready Orion Crew capsule had completed a significant milestone in preparation for its voyage on the first launch of the Artemis Program, Artemis 1.

• NASA to air Northrop Grumman FSB-1 test fire from Utah

  Theresa CrossSeptember 2nd, 2020

  On Wednesday, September 2 at 2:45 p.m.. EDT, NASA will broadcast a full-duration test fire by Northrop Grumman of a Space Launch System (SLS) rocket booster. It will air on NASA television and will also be viewable online, via their website. The test will be conducted at Northrop Grumman’s manufacturing and test facilities in Promontory, […]

• Following schedule adjustment, Starlink now set to launch September 3

  Theresa CrossSeptember 1st, 2020

  SpaceX has officially shifted Tuesday’s planned launch of 60 Starlink internet satellites from pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Representatives from SpaceX wrote on Twitter, “Now targeting Thursday, September 3 at 8:46 a.m. EDT for launch of Starlink from Launch Complex 39A, pending Range acceptance — team is using additional time for […]

• SpaceX launches first polar launch from Florida in 60 years

  Matt HaskellAugust 30th, 2020

  SpaceX has successfully launched the SAOCOM-1B satellite for the Argentinian Space Agency, CONAE – the first polar trajectory launch from Florida’s Space Coast in 60 years.

• No delay expected for SAOCOM 1B, Starlink missions

  Matt HaskellAugust 29th, 2020

  With less than 25 hours remaining until the second planned lift off of a possible double-header flight day, SpaceX is marching forward with plans to launch and recover two Falcon 9 rockets, just 9 hours apart.

• SpaceX aiming for first polar launch from Florida in 60 years

  Cullen DesforgesAugust 28th, 2020

  On August 30, SpaceX is planning to make another entry in the modern-day history books, flying a launch trajectory not seen from Florida’s Space Coast in over 60 years. The mission to launch the SAOCOM-1B payload into a sun-synchronous polar orbit is also part of a rare, two-launch day on the Eastern Range.

• ULA set to launch mission for National Reconnaissance Office

  Matt HaskellAugust 26th, 2020

  United Launch Alliance is preparing to launch the NROL-44 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office atop their Delta IV Heavy rocket early Thursday morning. 

• Pluto’s glaciers change with its seasons

  Laurel KornfeldAugust 26th, 2020

  Using data returned by NASA’s New Horizons mission’s July 2015 Pluto flyby, a group of researchers discovered evidence that the dwarf planet’s glaciers expand and grow in response to seasonal changes.

• SpaceX successfully launches Booster for the sixth time

  Theresa CrossAugust 18th, 2020

  On August 18 at 10:31 a.m. EDT, SpaceX successfully launched the latest batch of 58 corporate satellites from Cape Canaveral Florida, destined to become part of their growing Starlink constellation.

• Final Kounotori cargo spacecraft leaves ISS

  Derek RichardsonAugust 18th, 2020

  After more than a decade of service, Japan’s final first-generation HTV cargo resupply spacecraft has departed the International Space Station, setting the stage for a new HTV-X vehicle capable of service in low Earth orbit and beyond.

• SpaceX set to launch its 100th Mission with Starlink and SkySat

  Cullen DesforgesAugust 18th, 2020

  SpaceX is on the cusp of launching its 100th mission, due to loft the eleventh batch of Starlink satellites on Tuesday from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, atop their Falcon 9 rocket.

• Fourth GPS satellite arrives safely in Florida

  Cullen DesforgesAugust 10th, 2020

  On July 14, the fourth satellite in the Global Positioning System III (GPS III) system arrived at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, for processing in preparation of its launch in September.

• Demo-2 Crew Dragon Capsule returns to Space Coast

  Sean CostelloAugust 7th, 2020

  “Endeavour”, the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft which made history as the first commercial vehicle to ferry NASA astronauts to the International Space Station, has returned to the Space Coast.