Tag: SLC-40
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39A CAA removed, ending crew launch from historic site, for now
SpaceX has begun dismantling key infrastructure at Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, marking a significant shift in its Florida launch operations. The company’s Crew Access Arm (CAA), installed in the summer of 2018 and first used for crewed missions less than six years ago, was removed this week using a heavy…
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Launch Preview: Vulcan launches USSF-87, SpaceX sends Crew-12 to ISS
The launch manifest is full this week, with eight launches scheduled from different launch sites worldwide. The week kicked off with a SpaceX Starlink mission on Wednesday, followed by a busy Thursday, during which five different rockets — including a Vulcan, a Proton, and the first Ariane 64 — launched. SpaceX and NASA are launching…
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SpaceX test fires its Falcon 9 rocket ahead of midweek launch of Crew-12 to the space station
The nine Merlin 1D engines at the base of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket briefly ignited during a static fire test of the vehicle on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. This test was a precursor to the launch of Crew-12 to the International Space Station. Image: Adam Bernstein/Spaceflight Now An early morning rocket engine test at Cape…
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SpaceX shifts away from Dragon launches at pad 39A as Starship looms
SpaceX works on the crew access arm at Launch Complex 39A on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. Image: Adam Bernstein/Spaceflight Now It’s the end of an era as SpaceX transitions all of its planned Dragon flights from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center to Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space…
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Launch Roundup: GPS, Starlink, Electron launches scheduled for last week of January
The last week of January has a busy slate of orbital launches, with flights from Florida, California, New Zealand, and possibly China on the schedule. SpaceX plans to close out the month with the GPS III SV09 mission, along with up to three Starlink launches, while Rocket Lab’s “Bridging the Swarm” mission is being prepared…
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SpaceX launches GPS 3 satellite following switch from ULA Vulcan rocket
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station to begin the GPS 3-9 mission for the U.S. Space Force on Jan. 27, 2026. Image: John Pisani/Spaceflight Now Update Jan. 28, 1:40 a.m. EST (0640 UTC): SpaceX confirms deployment of the GPS satellite. Update Jan.…
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Launch Preview: Launches from China, U.S., and Norway scheduled for upcoming week
Eight orbital launch attempts are scheduled for this week, with SpaceX and Chinese launches comprising a majority of the launch manifest. SpaceX is scheduled to launch two batches of Starlink satellites into the constellation’s Group 6 shell, as well as a batch of reconnaissance satellites for the National Reconnaissance Office. Four rockets will launch from…
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FCC gives SpaceX “green light” to expand Starlink constellation to 15,000 satellites
SpaceX launches its Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Jan. 9, 2025, on the Starlink 6-96 mission. Image: Michael Cain/Spaceflight Now Update Jan. 9, 6:14 p.m. EST (2214 UTC): SpaceX confirms satellite deployment. Adding FCC announcement details. The Federal Communications Commission granted SpaceX the ability to…
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SpaceX launches first Starlink deployment mission since problem strikes satellite
SpaceX launches the Starlink 6-88 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Jan. 4, 2026. This was the company’s first Starlink mission of the year and the first Falcon 9 launch from the Eastern Range of 2026. Image: Michael Cain/Spaceflight Now Update Jan. 4, 3:38 a.m. EST (0838 UTC):…
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SpaceX launches classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS) to begin the NROL-77 mission on behalf of the National Reconnaissance Office on Dec. 9, 2025. Image: Michael Cain / Spaceflight Now Update Dec. 9, 6 p.m. EST (2300 UTC): The National Reconnaissance Office confirms…