Tag: NASA
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U.S. FAA Lifts Temporary Restrictions on Commercial Rocket Launches After Government Reopens
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has lifted temporary restrictions that had limited commercial rocket launches to nighttime hours, easing constraints on companies such as SpaceX following the end of the federal government shutdown. The order, issued on Nov. 10, was designed to reduce workload for air traffic controllers during the shutdown by avoiding daytime…
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SpaceX Marks 500th Reused-Rocket Orbital Mission With Launch of EU Ocean-Mapping Satellite
SpaceX launched a European ocean-monitoring satellite from California early Monday, completing the company’s 500th orbital mission using a flight-proven rocket booster. The Sentinel-6B spacecraft lifted off atop a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base at 12:21 a.m. EST (0521 GMT). “Sentinel-6B rising, extending nearly four decades of the precise sea-level record from space,” NASA…
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L3Harris testing brand new RS-25 engines for future Artemis launches
RS-25 prime contractor L3Harris continues to ramp up production of new flight engine hardware at their Los Angeles area facility and final assembly at the Stennis Space Center. NASA certified production restart of the former Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) in mid-2024, with the new engines slated to operate at higher performance levels in four-engine…
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Dream Chaser Completes Key Pre-Flight Tests Ahead of 2026 Orbital Debut
one: the spacecraft demonstrated real-time command and control through NASA’s Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS), successfully receiving telemetry and distributing commands between Mission Control in Louisville, Colorado, and the spacecraft. The company concluded the campaign with a post-landing recovery rehearsal, testing procedures for vehicle safing and rapid access to sensitive payloads immediately after…
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Sentinel-6B ocean monitoring satellite launches aboard Falcon 9
Sentinel-6B, a joint US-European ocean monitoring satellite, launched Sunday aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Liftoff from Vandenberg Space Force Base took place at 9:21 p.m. Pacific time (05:21 UTC on Monday). The Sentinel-6B spacecraft is the second of two Jason Continuity of Service (Jason-CS) missions, launching five years after its sister satellite, Sentinel-6A Michael…
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Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket launches twin probes on trip to Mars — and scores a booster touchdown
Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket rises from its Florida launch pad. (Blue Origin Photo via Dave Limp / X) Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture sent twin orbiters on the first leg of their journey to Mars today, marking a successful sequel to January’s first liftoff of the company’s heavy-lift New Glenn launch vehicle. The…
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Firefly Aerospace Reports 98% Jump in Q3 Revenue, Raises Full-Year Guidance Despite Wider Loss
Firefly Aerospace reported a strong third quarter, with revenues surging 98% quarter-over-quarter to $30.8 million, prompting the company to raise its full-year revenue guidance to between $150 million and $158 million. The announcement, released after market close on Wednesday, sent Firefly’s stock up more than 15% in after-hours trading, though shares remain well below the…
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Blue Origin launches twin Mars probes for NASA as New Glenn makes first landing
New Glenn lifts off from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral, carrying twin Mars probes for NASA. Image: Michael Cain/Spaceflight Now. Blue Origin launched its second heavy-lift New Glenn rocket Thursday, putting two small NASA satellites onto a long, looping course to Mars to learn more about how the sun has slowly blown away the…
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Blue Origin’s New Glenn Completes Second Flight, Deploys NASA Mars-Bound Satellites
Blue Origin’s New Glenn booster completed its second-ever trip to space on Thursday, successfully launching two NASA satellites on a mission to study the Martian atmosphere. The unmanned rocket lifted off shortly after 4 p.m. EST from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Launch Complex 36, carrying the twin ESCAPADE probes. After stage separation, the reusable…
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Dream Chaser proceeding, hits milestones despite uncertain future
Dream Chaser, the vehicle that has been likened to a miniature version of NASA’s space shuttle, continues to reach major milestones despite its uncertain future. Sierra Nevada, the company behind the currently uncrewed space plane, is planning for a launch to low Earth orbit in Q4 of 2026. In response to questions from NASASpaceflight.com, Sierra…