Tag: California
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Virgin Orbit nears first test flights with air-launched rocket
Virgin Orbit’s carrier aircraft, named “Cosmic Girl,” flies with a newly-installed rocket pylon under its left wing. Credit: Virgin Orbit LONG BEACH, California — The attachment of a mounting bracket for Virgin Orbit’s smallsat launcher under the wing of a modified passenger jetliner portends the start of a series of captive carry tests with a…
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Virgin Galactic’s rocket plane climbs closer to space
Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo rocket plane, built to eventually carry commercial passengers to the edge of space, accomplished another powered test flight into the rarefied upper atmosphere Thursday with two pilots on-board. The two-man team in the cockpit helmed the SpaceShipTwo vehicle, dubbed VSS Unity, as it dropped from the belly of a jet-powered carrier aircraft…
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Live coverage: Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from California
Live coverage of the countdown and launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California with 10 next-generation Iridium communications satellites. SpaceX’s live video coverage begins at approximately 4:24 a.m. PDT (7:24 a.m. EDT; 1124 GMT). Text updates will appear automatically below; there is no need to reload the page. Follow…
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Photos: Falcon 9 ready for launch from California
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket loaded with 10 Iridium Next communications satellite is awaiting a predawn launch Wednesday from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The Falcon 9 launcher, flying in SpaceX’s latest “Block 5” configuration, is set to lift off at 4:39:30 a.m. PDT (7:39:30 a.m. EDT; 1139:30 GMT) from Space Launch Complex 4-East at…
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Video: Falcon 9 lifts off in a veil of fog
Video credit: SpaceX A thick marine layer blanketing Vandenberg Air Force Base in California restricted views of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket lifting off early Wednesday, but cameras fixed to the launcher provided spectacular imagery of the predawn departure with 10 Iridium satellites on-board. The Falcon 9 took off from Space Launch Complex 4-East at Vandenberg…
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SpaceX’s second launch in three days lofts 10 more Iridium satellites
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket fires into orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. Credit: SpaceX Firing through a veil of fog blanketing California’s Central Coast, a Falcon 9 launcher climbed into orbit Wednesday with 10 more satellites for Iridium’s voice and data relay constellation, pushing the upgraded network closer to completion as SpaceX accomplished another…
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Launch timeline for Iridium’s seventh launch with SpaceX
Follow the key events of the Falcon 9 rocket’s ascent to orbit with the another set of 10 next-generation satellites for Iridium’s voice and data relay fleet. The 229-foot-tall (70-meter) rocket will lift off Wednesday at 4:39 a.m. PDT (7:39 a.m. EDT; 1139 GMT) from Space Launch Complex 4-East at Vandenberg Air Force Base in…
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SpaceX’s fairing-catching boat heads to sea, this time with a bigger net
SpaceX’s fairing recovery boat, Mr. Steven, will debut a bigger net during Wednesday’s launch f a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. Credit: SpaceX After several near-misses in tries to catch payload shrouds jettisoned from Falcon 9 rockets climbing into space, a high-speed boat tasked with retrieving the fairings for SpaceX to…
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Firefly’s commercial satellite launcher to use Delta 2 pad at Vandenberg
File photo of a Delta 2 rocket at Space Launch Complex 2-West at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. Credit: United Launch Alliance A commercial rocket under development by Firefly Aerospace will conduct its first orbital test flight in 2019 from a launch pad at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California that will become vacant with…
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SpaceX to build BFR factory in Southern California
Artist’s concept of SpaceX’s planned spaceship on the moon. Credit: SpaceX SpaceX plans to build its massive BFR rocket boosters and spaceships inside a cavernous new factory at the Port of Los Angeles, officials announced this week. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti confirmed Monday during a State of the City address that SpaceX will produce…