Tag: Launch Vehicle Platforms
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ULA’s Vulcan Rocket Set to Debut with Upper-Stage Engine Built by Aerojet Rocketdyne
When the next-generation Vulcan rocket developed by United Launch Alliance takes flight for the first time in the coming days, it will usher in a new era for the RL10 upper-stage rocket engine built by Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies company. Versions of the RL10 have been reliably propelling payloads into space for 60 years,…
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SpaceX Launches First Starlink Satellites for Direct to Cell Service with T-Mobile
T-Mobile announced that SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket launched the first set of Starlink satellites with Direct to Cell capabilities, following the live streamed webcast. This is a significant milestone following last year’s joint announcement of the Coverage Above and Beyond initiative, which aims to bring connectivity nearly everywhere in the U.S. for Un-carrier customers —…
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ISRO Successfully Launches X-ray Polarimeter Satellite Mission
ISRO’s PSLV-C58 launched the XPOSAT Satellite into an Eastward low inclination orbit on January 01, 2024, 09:10 Hrs IST. After injection of XPOSAT, the PS4 stage will be re-started twice to reduce the orbit into 350 km circular orbit to maintain in 3-axis stabilized mode for Orbital Platform (OP) experiments. The PSLV Orbital Experimental Module-3…
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JAXA Announces Launch Schedule of Second H3 Launch Vehicle
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has announced the launch schedule of the second H3 Launch Vehicle (H3TF2: Test Flight No.2. The H3TF2 will carry the Vehicle Evaluation Payload-4 (VEP-4) to conduct the flight demonstration. In addition, we will capitalize on the excess launch capability of the H3TF2 by providing launch and orbit insertion opportunities…
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SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Successfully Deploys U.S. Military Spaceplane
A SpaceX Falcon Heavy launched the USSF-52 mission to orbit from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on December 28 at 8:07 p.m. ET. This was the fifth launch and landing of these Falcon Heavy side boosters, which previously supported USSF-44, USSF-67, Hughes JUPTER 3, and NASA’s Psyche mission. X-37B Mission…
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Astrobotic’s Peregrine Lunar Lander Mission Fueled and Ready for Launch
Astrobotic announced their Peregrine lunar lander successfully completed all integration milestones and was mated with United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket payload adapter on November 16, 2023. After a 3-week campaign to fuel and complete final checkouts, the Peregrine spacecraft is ready to launch a historic mission to the Moon on January 8, 2024. Peregrine is…
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Firefly Aerospace Prepares to Launch Alpha FLTA004 Mission for Lockheed Martin
Firefly Aerospace, an end-to-end space transportation company, announced its Alpha FLTA004 Fly the Lightning mission is prepared to launch no earlier than December 20 with backup dates through December 22, depending on local weather. The daily 20-minute launch window will open at 9:18 am PST. The Fly the Lightning mission will deploy an Electronically Steered…
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Rocket Lab Sets New Annual Launch Record with Successful Launch of SAR Satellite for iQPS
Rocket Lab USA, a global company in launch services and space systems, successfully launched its 42nd Electron rocket and deployed a satellite for Japan-based Earth imaging company the Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space (iQPS). The mission was Rocket Lab’s 10th Electron launch for the year, surpassing the Company’s previous annual record of nine launches…
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Rocket Lab’s 42nd Electron Mission to Launch Earth Observation Satellite for iQPS
Rocket Lab USA, one of the global leaders in launch services and space systems, is preparing to launch its 42nd Electron mission no earlier than December 15, 2023, between 17:00 – 19:00 NZDT / 04:00 – 06:00 UTC. The mission, named “The Moon God Awakens,” will lift off from Pad B at Rocket Lab’s Launch…
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Orbex Receives £3.3 Million in Funding as Part of ESA’s Boost! Initiative
UK-based orbital launch services company, Orbex, has been awarded £3.3 million in funding from the UK Space Agency as part of the European Space Agency’s (ESA’s) “Boost!” initiative. The initiative, which is part of ESA’s Commercial Space Transportation Services and Support program, is designed to further the development of world-leading space launch technologies. Orbex will…