Tag Vandenberg

In an exciting week for space exploration, China is poised to make significant strides with the launch of the Shenzhou 19 mission, sending three taikonauts aboard a Chang Zheng 2F/G rocket to the Tiangong Space Station on Tuesday, October 29, at 20:27 UTC. This mission marks the 14th crewed flight of the Shenzhou program, demonstrating […]

As we navigate through the cosmic tapestry of our universe, the ongoing advances in space exploration beckon us forward with a sense of wonder and anticipation. One of the most awaited events is the potential launch of SpaceX’s Starship-Super Heavy, aiming for its fifth flight test. Set to occur no earlier than October 13, the […]

As many as four SpaceX Falcon 9 missions are on the roster for this week’s launch schedule. The four missions will be split evenly between Starlink and two payloads for other customers. At least one of the SpaceX missions is likely to be affected by the severe weather currently being experienced on the east coast […]

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rockets have been maintaining a remarkable launch cadence, showcasing the company’s ability to rapidly prepare and launch vehicles from its facilities. This week alone, SpaceX aimed to conduct four launches from the same pad, Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, within a span of just […]

EarthCARE carries four instruments that work together to study clouds and atmospheric aerosols, enabling a comprehensive understanding of their impact on Earth’s climate. The Atmospheric LIDAR (ATLID) measures the altitudes of cloud tops and aerosols using a laser and telescope. It emits ultraviolet pulses and detects the scattered light to calculate the altitude and infer […]

Spaceflight enthusiasts have an exciting week ahead as SpaceX, China, and Roscosmos gear up for several launches. SpaceX is scheduled to launch two Starlink missions, China is preparing for two payloads to orbit on the powerful Chang Zheng 5 (CZ-5) rocket, and Roscosmos is ready to launch Russian-built satellites atop the Soyuz rocket. SpaceX kicked […]

January 4th to January 10th was an exciting week for space launches, with several significant missions taking place. One of the most anticipated events was the maiden flight of the United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Vulcan rocket, which successfully carried the Astrobotic Peregrine Mission One Lunar Lander to the Moon. This launch marked several firsts, including […]

Firefly Aerospace, fresh off their successful launch for the Space Force, is gearing up for another mission in 2023. This time, they will be flying a dedicated flight for Lockheed Martin as part of the Alpha FLTA004 mission. The mission, codenamed “Fly the Lightning,” aims to deploy an Electronically Steerable Antenna (ESA) demonstrator payload developed […]

Texas-based small launch company Firefly Aerospace has successfully launched its Alpha rocket for the third time, as part of a dedicated mission for the U.S. Space Force. The mission, known as VICTUS NOX, aimed to demonstrate the United States’ capability to quickly place a satellite in orbit in response to a national security threat. Firefly […]