SpaceX

Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft that launched astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the International Space Station is pictured docked to the Harmony module’s forward port. Image: NASA. As NASA debates the safety of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft in the wake of multiple helium leaks and thruster issues, the agency is “getting more serious” about a backup plan to bring the ship’s two crew members back to Earth aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon, officials said Wednesday. In that case — and no final decisions have been made — Starliner commander Barry “Butch” Wilmore and co-pilot Sunita Williams would remain aboard the International Space Station for another six months and come down on a Crew Dragon that’s scheduled for launch Sept. 24 to carry long-duration crew members to the outpost. Two of...

The crew of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station poses during training at SpaceX’s Hawthorne facility. Image: SpaceX NASA is delaying the launch of the next space station crew as it continues to work through thruster issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. In a blog post, the agency said the launch of the Crew-9 mission, aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule, is now targeted for no earlier than Tuesday, Sept. 24. “This adjustment allows more time for mission managers to finalize return planning for the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test currently docked to the orbiting laboratory,” NASA wrote. “Starliner ground teams are taking their time to analyze the results of recent docked hot-fire testing, finalize flight rationale for the spacecraft’s integrated propulsion syste...

A Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft separates from a SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage during the NG-21 mission on Aug. 4, 2024. Image: SpaceX Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft is preparing to end a roughly 40-hour journey playing catchup with the International Space Station. After launching late Sunday morning from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, the spacecraft is targeting its arrival at the orbiting outpost Tuesday morning. According to NASA, the Cygnus is on track for capture and the beginning of the berthing process at 3:10 a.m. EDT (0710 UTC). NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick will be controlling the Canadarm2 robotic arm during the operation and fellow Crew-8 member and NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps will be serving in the backup role. Once Cygnus is captu...

On Tuesday, July 30, 2024, the Northrop Grumman Cygnus resupply spacecraft is seen being encapsulated inside the SpaceX Falcon 9 payload fairing as it prepares to launch from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida for the 21st Northrop Grumman commercial resupply services for NASA. The mission will carry 8,200 pounds of science investigations, supplies, and equipment to the International Space Station. Liftoff is scheduled for no earlier than 11:29 a.m. EDT Saturday, Aug. 3. Image: SpaceX More than 8,200 pounds of science and cargo supplies are preparing to launch to the International Space Station. A Northrop Grumman-built Cygnus spacecraft will begin a roughly two-day journey to the orbiting outpost following its launch atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Lif...

A Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 39A (LC-29A) on Aug. 2, 2024, in support of the Starlink 10-6 mission. It added 23 Starlink Version 2 Mini satellites to a growing satellite internet constellation of more than 6,200 in low Earth orbit. Image: Adam Bernstein/Spaceflight Now Update 1:20 a.m. EDT: SpaceX successfully landed the booster, B1078, on the droneship. SpaceX launched its latest batch of Starlink satellites, increasing the company’s mega-constellation in low Earth orbit. The mission came as SpaceX works towards the launch of a cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station over the weekend. Liftoff of the Starlink 10-6 mission from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center happened at 1:01 a.m. EDT (0501 UTC). Coming into the launch opportunity, the...