Spaceflight Now

A collection of 79 posts

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/

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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/

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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/

Spaceflight Now

ULA offloads first Vulcan rocket at Vandenberg at it preps its next Cape launch

United Launch Alliance is preparing for the launch of the USSF-87 mission for the U.S. Space Force no earlier than Feb. 12, which will fly from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/02/06/ula-offloads-first-vulcan-rocket-at-vandenberg-at-it-preps-its-next-cape-launch/

Spaceflight Now

Engineers work around hydrogen fuel leak, press ahead with countdown

Whether mission managers will be able to clear the rocket for launch as early as Sunday to propel four astronauts on a flight to the moon will depend on the results of a detailed overnight review and post-test analysis. NASA only has three days -- Feb. 8, 10 and 11

Spaceflight Now

Countdown underway for critical moon rocket fueling test Monday

The countdown began Saturday evening and will continue through the start of a simulated launch window opening at 9 p.m. EST Monday. The test started two days late because of predicted arctic weather along Florida's Space Coast. Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/02/01/countdown-underway-for-critical-moon-rocket-fueling-test-monday/

Spaceflight Now

Live coverage: SpaceX to launch overnight Starlink flight as it unveils new ‘Stargaze’ space situational awareness system

Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/01/30/live-coverage-spacex-starlink-flight-comes-as-it-unveils-new-stargaze-space-situational-awareness-system/

Spaceflight Now

Live coverage: SpaceX to launch 11,000th Starlink satellite to date on Thursday

SpaceX currently has more than 9,500 Starlink satellites in low Earth orbit. Liftoff of the Starlink 17-19 mission from pad 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base is scheduled for 8:42 a.m. PST (11:42 a.m. EST / 1642 UTC). Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/01/29/live-coverage-spacex-to-launch-11000th-starlink-satellite-to-date-on-thursday/

Spaceflight Now

Live coverage: SpaceX to launch GPS 3 satellite following switch from ULA Vulcan rocket

This will be the third launch of a GPS satellite in as many years. Liftoff of the GPS 3-9 mission from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is scheduled for 11:42 p.m. EST (0442 UTC). Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/01/26/live-coverage-spacex-to-launch-gps-3-satellite-following-switch-from-ula-vulcan-rocket/

Spaceflight Now

Live coverage: SpaceX to launch 25 Starlink satellites to polar, low Earth orbit

The Starlink 17-20 mission will be the seventh Starlink mission this year. Liftoff from pad 4E is scheduled for 7:38:20 a.m. PST (10:38:20 a.m. EST / 1538:20 UTC). Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/01/25/live-coverage-spacex-to-launch-25-starlink-satellites-to-polar-low-earth-orbit/

Spaceflight Now

Eastern Range ready for same day fueling of Space Launch System, Vulcan rockets

Florida’s Space Coast is preparing for a future that could see in excess of 350 launches annually. Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/01/23/eastern-range-ready-for-same-day-fueling-of-space-launch-system-vulcan-rockets/

Spaceflight Now

Live coverage: SpaceX to launch first West Coast Starlink mission of 2026

The Starlink 17-30 mission will send the batch of satellites into a polar low Earth orbit. Liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket from pad 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base is set for 6:46 p.m. PST (9:46 p.m. EST / 0246 UTC). Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/

Spaceflight Now

U.S. Space Force switches rockets for upcoming GPS satellite launch

The change will allow the U.S. Space Force to expedite the process of building out its GPS constellation in medium Earth orbit. The launch date for the next satellite, GPS III Space Vehicle 09, could be within weeks. Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/01/13/u-s-space-force-switches-rockets-for-upcoming-gps-satellite-launch/

Spaceflight Now

India’s PSLV suffers second consecutive launch failure, 16 satellites lost

The anomaly Monday morning local time came less than a year after a previous issue that caused the failure of the PSLV-C61 mission. Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/01/12/indias-pslv-suffers-second-consecutive-launch-failure-16-satellites-lost/

Spaceflight Now

Live coverage: SpaceX to launch 1st ‘Twilight’ rideshare mission

SpaceX is launching its first 'Twilight' rideshare mission. The flight will deploy 40 payloads, including NASA's Pandora spacecraft. Liftoff is scheduled for 5:19 a.m. PST (8:19 a.m. EST / 1319 UTC) from pad 4E. Original: Live coverage: SpaceX to launch 1st ‘Twilight’ rideshare

Spaceflight Now

H3 rocket suffers upper stage anomaly, fails to correctly deploy navigation satellite

The Dec. 22 launch was the fourth and final flight of an H3 rocket in 2025. Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2025/12/22/h3-rocket-suffers-upper-stage-anomaly-fails-to-correctly-deploy-navigation-satellite/

Spaceflight Now

Launch pad issue delays again Falcon 9 launch of Italian Earth observation satellite

For the second night running SpaceX scrubbed the launch of a Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Cosmo-SkyMed Second Generation satellite for Italy. Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2025/12/27/live-coverage-spacex-to-launch-italian-earth-observation-satellite-on-final-falcon-9-flight-of-2025/

Spaceflight Now

SpaceX opens 2026 with launch of Cosmo-SkyMed Earth observation satellite for Italy

The spacecraft was originally slated to launch nearly a week prior, but SpaceX ran into ground systems issues. Liftoff from pad 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base happened at 6:09 p.m. PST (9:09 p.m. EST / 0209 UTC). Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/01/02/live-coverage-spacex-opens-2026-with-launch-of-cosmo-skymed-earth-observation-satellite-for-italy/

Spaceflight Now

SpaceX launches first Starlink deployment mission since problem strikes satellite

The Starlink 6-88 added 29 broadband internet satellites to the constellation of more than 9,300 in low Earth orbit. Liftoff from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station happened at 1:48 a.m. EST (0648 UTC). Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/01/04/live-coverage-spacex-to-launch-first-starlink-deployment-mission-since-problem-strikes-satellite/