Spaceflight Now

A collection of 45 posts

Spaceflight Now

NASA confident Artemis 2 heat shield will protect crew during re-entry

When the Artemis 2 Orion crew capsule returns to Earth after flying around the moon, it will hit the discernible atmosphere some 75 miles above the Pacific Ocean at a blistering 24,000 mph, fast enough to fly from New York to London in less than 10 minutes. Source: https:

Spaceflight Now

Live coverage: ULA’s Atlas 5 rocket to launch its heaviest payload ever with next Amazon Leo mission

Liftoff from pad 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is scheduled for Saturday at 1:45 a.m. EDT (0545 UTC), weather permitting. Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/04/03/live-coverage-ulas-atlas-5-rocket-to-launch-its-heaviest-payload-ever-with-next-amazon-leo-mission/

Spaceflight Now

Live coverage: NASA to launch Artemis 2, its first Moon-bound mission with astronauts since 1972

The four astronauts will spend more than nine days onboard their Orion spacecraft and is poised to pass the distance record set by Apollo 13 in 1970. Liftoff from Launch Complex 39B is scheduled for Wednesday, April 1, at 6:24 p.m. EDT (2224 UTC). Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/

Spaceflight Now

Falcon 9 booster to fly for 34th time on Starlink delivery mission

Liftoff from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida is scheduled for the opening of the launch window at 5:15 p.m. EDT (2115 UTC). Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/03/30/falcon-9-booster-to-fly-for-34th-time-on-starlink-delivery-mission/

Spaceflight Now

NASA outlines ambitious $20 billion plan for moon base

Along with plans for a moon base, senior NASA managers also outlined work to develop nuclear power systems for use on the moon and Mars to keep astronauts, habitats and other equipment warm while providing the electricity needed for research, construction and daily operations. Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/03/

Spaceflight Now

NASA Administrator teases further Artemis program updates in one-on-one interview

The conversation took place amid the flight readiness review for the Artemis 2 mission, which is currently set to launch no earlier than April 1, 2026, pending work being completed in the Vehicle Assembly Building. Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/03/14/nasa-administrator-teases-further-artemis-program-updates-in-one-on-one-interview/

Spaceflight Now

NASA ready for another shot at launching Artemis 2 moon mission

At the conclusion of a two-day flight readiness review, "all the teams polled 'go' to launch and fly Artemis 2 around the moon, pending completion of some of the work before we roll out to the launch pad," said Lori Glaze, associate administrator of Exploration Systems

Spaceflight Now

NASA inspector general assesses agency’s management of moon lander risk

NASA's Office of Inspector General said that while NASA is working to "mitigate and prevent hazards" associated with lunar landers being built by SpaceX and Blue Origin, "there are currently gaps in the agency's approach, including in its testing posture and crew survival

Spaceflight Now

Live coverage: SpaceX to launch direct television satellite for EchoStar

The launch of the EchoStar 25 satellite is SpaceX’s first launch to a geosynchronous transfer orbit so far this year. Liftoff from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is scheduled for 11:19 p.m. EDT (0319 UTC). Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/03/09/live-coverage-spacex-to-launch-direct-television-satellite-for-echostar/

Spaceflight Now

Spanish launch startup PLD Space raises $209 million to scale its rocket production

This Series C funding was led by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, which invested €50 million ($58 million). To date, PLD Space raised more than €350 million ($407 million). Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/03/05/spanish-launch-startup-pld-space-raises-209-million-to-scale-its-rocket-production/

Spaceflight Now

Live coverage: SpaceX to launch 29 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral

The Starlink 10-41 mission will see the Falcon 9 rocket head out on a north-easterly trajectory upon leaving pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Liftoff is expected on March 1 at 7:34 p.m. EST (0034 UTC). Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/03/01/live-coverage-spacex-to-launch-29-starlink-satellites-on-falcon-9-rocket-from-cape-canaveral-9/

Spaceflight Now

Live Coverage: SpaceX to launch 25 Starlink Satellites from the West Coast

Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 4 East is scheduled for 1:55:50 a.m. PST (4:55:50 a.m. EST / 0955:50 UTC). The rocket will take southerly trajectory on departure from the launch site in central California. Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/03/01/live-coverage-spacex-to-launch-25-starlink-satellites-from-the-west-coast/

Spaceflight Now

SLS rocket hauled back to VAB for repairs

A 6.6-million-pound Apollo-era crawler-transporter rolled up the ramp to pad 38B on Tuesday and was positioned directly under the 3.5-million-pound Space Launch System rocket and its 11.3-million-pound mobile launch platform. Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/02/25/sls-rocket-hauled-back-to-vab-for-repairs/

Spaceflight Now

Live coverage: SpaceX to launch 500th Starlink satellite in 2026 during Wednesday Falcon 9 flight

The Starlink 17-26 mission will also be the 540th launch of a previously flown Falcon booster. Liftoff from pad 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base is scheduled for 6:17:49 a.m. PST (9:17:49 a.m. EST / 1417:49 UTC). Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/02/

Spaceflight Now

Live coverage: SpaceX to launch 29 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral

The Starlink 6-110 mission will be the 18th flight this years supporting SpaceX’s broadband internet constellation. Liftoff from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is scheduled for 6:04:10 p.m. EST (2304:10 UTC). Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/02/24/live-coverage-spacex-to-launch-29-starlink-satellites-on-falcon-9-rocket-from-cape-canaveral-8/

Spaceflight Now

Moon mission fueling test concludes with no major problems

The practice countdown began Tuesday night, kicking off a carefully choreographed series of steps to ready the world's most powerful operational rocket for what amounted to a simulated launch Thursday at 8:42 p.m. EST. Controllers then carried out additional tests to make sure the team can

Spaceflight Now

Independent report sharply criticizes NASA management, Boeing for troubled Starliner flight

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said NASA will continue working with Boeing to make the Starliner a viable crew transport vehicle, adding that "sustained crew and cargo access to low Earth orbit will remain essential, and America benefits from competition and redundancy." Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/02/19/

Spaceflight Now

Replacement crew docks at space station, boosts crew back to seven

The Crew Dragon docked at the space-facing port of the lab's forward Harmony module at 3:15 p.m. EST, 34 hours after launch Friday from the Kennedy Space Center atop a Falcon 9 rocket. Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/02/15/replacement-crew-docks-at-space-station-boosts-crew-back-to-seven/

Spaceflight Now

Live coverage: SpaceX to launch 600th Falcon 9 rocket to date with Starlink flight from Vandenberg

The Starlink 17-13 mission also represents the 180th Falcon 9 launch from pad 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base. Liftoff is scheduled for 5:58:50 p.m. PST (8:58:50 p.m. EST / 0158:50 UTC). Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/02/14/live-coverage-spacex-to-launch-600th-falcon-9-rocket-to-date-with-starlink-flight-from-vandenberg/

Spaceflight Now

NASA loading liquid hydrogen aboard Artemis 2 rocket in unannounced test

NASA is loading liquid hydrogen aboard its Space Launch System moon rocket at the Kennedy Space Center on Thursday for an unpublicized but crucial test of the repairs made to a leaky umbilical that derailed a countdown rehearsal on Feb. 2. Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/02/12/nasa-loading-liquid-hydrogen-aboard-artemis-2-rocket-in-unannounced-test/

Spaceflight Now

Live coverage: ULA to launch geosynchronous orbit surveillance satellite for the U.S. Space Force

The USSF-87 will be the second national security flight for United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket and the fourth flight of this type of rocket to date. Liftoff from pad 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is scheduled for 3:30 a.m. EST (0830 UTC). Source: https://spaceflightnow.

Spaceflight Now

Weather delays NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 flight to the International Space Station

The launch is now targeting no earlier than Thursday, Feb. 12, but that too could face challenges from a weather standpoint. Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/02/09/weather-delays-nasas-spacex-crew-12-flight-to-the-international-space-station/

Spaceflight Now

SpaceX test fires its Falcon 9 rocket ahead of midweek launch of Crew-12 to the space station

The static fire test is an important precursor to the Crew-12 launch, scheduled for the morning of Feb. 11. Ignition at pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station happened at 3:16 a.m. EST (0816 UTC). Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/02/08/spacex-test-fires-its-falcon-9-rocket-ahead-of-midweek-launch-of-crew-12-to-the-space-station/

Spaceflight Now

Live coverage: SpaceX to launch return to flight Falcon 9 mission following brief stand down

SpaceX halted launches for less than a week following an in-flight anomaly. Liftoff of the Starlink 17-33 mission is scheduled for 9:21 a.m. PST (12:21 p.m. EST / 1721 UTC). Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/02/07/live-coverage-spacex-to-launch-return-to-flight-falcon-9-mission-following-brief-stand-down/

Spaceflight Now

SpaceX shifts away from Dragon launches at pad 39A as Starship looms

The last Dragon flight from pad 39A was the CRS-33 mission in August 2025. SpaceX is preparing for the just the second pad 40 launch supporting NASA's Commercial Crew Program no earlier than Feb. 11. Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/02/06/spacex-shifts-away-from-dragon-launches-at-pad-39a-as-starship-looms/