Tag: ISRO
-
Launch Roundup: New Shepard to simulate lunar gravity, India and Japan launch navigation satellites
This week’s schedule has a mix of orbital and suborbital missions launching from seven different sites around the globe. In addition to launches from the Florida space coast, India and Japan have both launched navigation satellites. Rocket Lab is launching another batch of satellites for its French customer, Kinéis, while SpaceX has launched a next-generation replacement…
-
NASA’s CLPS program accelerates as two landers head for the Moon
As NASA focuses on returning humans to the Moon with Artemis, commercial providers are gearing up to deliver cargo to the lunar surface for NASA and other customers. Over a dozen uncrewed lunar missions are scheduled to be launched in the coming years, and more concepts are being developed globally. Two commercial lunar landers are…
-
India launches its first on-orbit docking demonstration in 5th and final launch of 2024
The Indian Space Research Organization’s PSLV-C60 rocket lifts off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre to begin the SpaDeX mission. Image: ISRO India made another important leap forward in its space program with the launch of its first on-orbit docking demonstration mission on Friday, Dec. 30. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) launched a PSLV…
-
India launch SpaDeX space docking demonstration, begins assembly of human-rated launch vehicle
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched a space docking experiment — a critical mission for India’s upcoming human spaceflight campaign. The mission will demonstrate the technology to rendezvous, dock, and undock in orbit. The successful completion of the mission will be a key step towards India’s ambitions for future missions to the lunar…
-
Two European satellites launch on mission to blot out the Sun—for science
Two spacecraft developed by the European Space Agency launched on top of an Indian rocket Thursday, kicking off a mission to test novel formation flying technologies and observe a rarely seen slice of the Sun’s ethereal corona. ESA’s Proba-3 mission is purely experimental. The satellites are loaded with sophisticated sensors and ranging instruments to allow…
-
India to launch Eurpope’s Proba-3 spacecraft pair to study the Sun, demonstrate tandem maneuvering in orbit
Artist’s view of Proba-3 on an ISRO PSLV-XL launch vehicle. Graphic: P. Carril/ESA Update 5:46 a.m. EST (1046 UTC): The launch was delayed a day due to a “technical issue in the Proba-3 spacecraft,” per ESA. The European Space Agency is preparing to launch two missions on Wednesday, half a world and half a day…
-
SpaceX launches India’s GSAT-N2 satellite on Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) on the GSAT-N2 / GSAT-20 mission on Nov. 18, 2024. Image: Michael Cain/Spaceflight Now SpaceX launched its third Falcon 9 rocket in less than 24 hours, bringing all three of its launch pads into play. Capping off this trio was its second…
-
AST SpaceMobile secures multi-launch agreements with Blue Origin, ISRO and SpaceX
An artist’s rendering of AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird satellites in low Earth orbit. Graphic: AST SpaceMobile A company aiming to bring cell service to unmodified smartphones using a satellite network announced Thursday it had secured its ability to reach low Earth orbit. During a third quarter earnings call, AST SpaceMobile (NASDAQ: ASTS) revealed new launch agreements…
-
India approves development of reusable launcher, space station module
All at once, India’s government has approved plans to develop a new reusable rocket, the centerpiece of an Indian space station, a robotic sample return mission to the Moon, and a science probe to explore Venus. “Great news for the space sector!” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X. Collectively, the projects authorized by…
-
Launch Roundup: Progress MS-28, Indian SSLV, Chinese CZ-4B, and Falcon 9 flights scheduled
The second full week of August is another busy one, with five flights scheduled including the final certification flight of a new launch vehicle from India. The Falcon 9 and Soyuz rockets were also scheduled to fly this week with one mission to the International Space Station and a pair of non-Starlink flights from both…