On Tuesday, August 9th, at 10:14 p.m., ET, SpaceX launched 52 Starlink satellites from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This was the third flight for the Falcon 9 first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched SES-22 and now, two Starlink missions. Earlier mission info… SpaceX is targeting Tuesday, […]
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The largest smallsat constellation build contract to date received by Blue Canyon Technologies
Blue Canyon Technologies LLC (“BCT” or “Blue Canyon”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Raytheon Technologies, has been selected to provide 18 cubesats for The Tomorrow Companies Inc. (“Tomorrow.io”) microwave sounding mission. In the company’s largest constellation delivery to date, Blue Canyon will provide 18, integrated cubesats and payload elements, support payload integration, conduct integrated space vehicle […]
D-Orbit has a multi-year launch + deployment contract with Astrocast
D-Orbit has signed a multiple launch and deployment contract with Astrocast — according to the agreement, D-Orbit will launch 20 of Astrocast’s satellites aboard ION Satellite Carrier, D-Orbit’s orbital transfer vehicle (OTV) designed to precisely deploy satellites and perform technology demonstrations of third-party payloads in orbit. The satellites, which will join Astrocast’s constellation of satellites […]
Benchmark Space Systems intends to keep popular orbits safer with their new Collision Avoidance Kit (CoLA)
With the most popular, revenue-generating orbits increasingly congested, Benchmark Space Systems has unveiled a breakthrough Collision Avoidance (ColA) Kit, featuring the firm’s heritage propulsion technology in a condensed package that is easily and affordably deployed aboard electric propulsion (EP) and non-propulsive smallsats and OTVs to help them quickly steer clear of approaching spacecraft and orbital […]
Artemis I ready for launch according to ESA + NASA
ESA and NASA’s Artemis I spacecraft is cleared for launch after a series of final tests at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. ESA’s European Service Module (ESM) will provide electrical power and propel the uncrewed Orion capsule in an extended orbit around the Moon, setting the scene for future crewed missions. ESA has already […]
Spaceflight’s Sherpa-LTC OTV prepares for launch
Spaceflight Inc. has now shipped the fully integrated Sherpa-LTC orbital transfer vehicle (OTV) and customer payload to Cape Canaveral to launch aboard an upcoming Starlink mission that is scheduled for September. The high-thrust, propulsive Sherpa will deploy from SpaceX’s Falcon 9, targeting a 310-kilometer circular orbit, before igniting and transporting an undisclosed, customer payload, that […]
UPDATE 1: Blue Origin’s NS-22 crewed mission successfully lifts off from West Texas
Blue Origin has successfully completed the firm’s sixth, human spaceflight and the 22nd flight for the New Shepard program. The crew achieved three historic firsts: Sara Sabry became the first person from Egypt to fly to space. Vanessa O’Brien became the first woman to reach extremes on land (Mt. Everest), sea (Challenger Deep), and air […]
Flying to the Moon is the South Korean Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter thanks to a SpaceX Falcon 9
On Thursday, August 4th at 7:08 p.m. ET, a SpaceX Falcon 9 launched KPLO to a ballistic lunar transfer orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This was the sixth launch and landing of this booster, which previously supported the launch of Arabsat-6A, STP-2, COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation […]
UPDATE 4: ULA launches the USSF / SSC SBIRS GEO 6 satellite — SSC + Lockheed Martin’s additional mission info…
A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket carrying the Space Based Infrared System Geosynchronous Earth Orbit-6 (SBIRS GEO 6) mission for the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command lifted off on August 4that 6:29 a.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station — to date, ULA has launched 152 times with 100 […]
Copernicus Sentinel-1B decommissioned by ESA / EC due to a December 23, 2021, satellite anomaly
On December 23, 2021, the European Space Agency’s Copernicus Sentinel-1B experienced an anomaly related to the instrument electronics power supply provided by the satellite platform, leaving the spacecraft unable to deliver radar data. Since that date. spacecraft operators and engineers have been working to rectify the issue. Unfortunately, ESA and the European Commission have announced […]