NEW WEATHER SATELLITE TO BE LAUNCHED JUNE 26TH - A Delta 4 medium rocket is set to launch the new GOES-O weather monitoring satellite for NASA and NOAA today (June 26th) at 5:14 p.m. CDT, weather and other conditions permitting. The odds that the weather will cooperate are not great; NASA gives less than even money prospects of getting the launch off within the one-hour window available. It will lift off from Cape Canaveral in Florida. More (Source: Examiner.com - Jun 26)
SERIOUSLY, SIRIUS SATELLITE LAUNCH - The SIRIUS FM-5 satellite will supplement the existing fleet of SIRIUS satellites with a high-power geostationary satellite that enhances the listening experience. The Proton launch vehicle, utilizing a 5-burn Breeze M mission design, will lift off from Pad 39 at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, with the SIRIUS FM-5 satellite on board. The first three stages of the Proton will use a standard ascent profile to place the ascent unit (Breeze M upper stage and the SIRIUS FM-5 satellite) into a sub-orbital trajectory. More (Source: SatNews.com - Jun 24)
WHITE HOUSE TO ABANDON SPY-SATELLITE PROGRAM - The Obama administration plans to kill a controversial Bush administration spy satellite program at the Department of Homeland Security, according to officials familiar with the decision. The program came under fire from its inception two years ago. Democratic lawmakers said it would lead to domestic spying. More (Source: The Wall Street Journal - Jun 23)
REPAIRED SATELLITE FINALLY BLASTS OFF FROM BAIKONUR - A Malaysian communications satellite successfully journeyed to orbit Sunday after spending nearly an extra year on the ground for repairs to damage caused by a launch site crane accident last August. A Land Launch Zenit 3SLB rocket lifted off at 2150 GMT (5:50 p.m. EDT) from Complex 45 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The first phase of the launch was successful, placing the launcher's upper stage and the MEASAT 3a satellite in a temporary parking orbit about 12 minutes after liftoff, according to the launch provider. More (Source: Spaceflight Now - Jun 22)
SABOTAGE ON SHUTTLE? NASA DOESN’T THINK SO - NASA does not suspect sabotage was behind the glitch that twice delayed the launch of the space shuttle Endeavour recently. The agency is investigating all possible explanations for the problem, but has no specific processes to search for intentional tampering, officials said. More (Source: MSNBC - Jun 19)
NASA ORBITER ON WAY TO EXPLORE THE MOON - Humans are a step closer to returning to the moon after NASA launched a lunar orbiter Thursday to provide a comprehensive survey of our nearest celestial neighbor. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter lifted off aboard an Atlas V Rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida at 5:32 p.m. ET, powered by two liquid-fueled engines and a pair of solid-fueled boosters. More (Source: CNN - Jun 18)
NASA TARGETS MOON FOR A MIGHTY CRASH - The last thing one usually wants on a spaceflight is a crash, but that's exactly what NASA is hoping for when it launches two new probes at the moon's south pole this week on the first U.S. lunar mission in more than decade. The two probes will tag along with powerful new lunar orbiter that will map the moon's surface to help figure out where astronauts might set up moon bases in the future. More (Source: MSNBC - Jun 17)
GPS SATELLITE GLITCHES FUEL CONCERN ON NEXT GENERATION - Technical problems are degrading the accuracy of signals from the last GPS satellite launched by the Pentagon, sparking concerns among U.S. military and aerospace industry officials that the next generation of the widely used satellites could face similar troubles. The next generation of the widely used satellites could face similar troubles. More (Source: The Wall Street Journal - Jun 17)
HYDROGEN GAS LEAKING AGAIN FROM SPACE SHUTTLE TANK - Hydrogen gas is leaking again from a vent line on space shuttle Endeavour's external fuel tank. Launch officials have yet to call off Wednesday morning's launch attempt. But it appears unlikely the shuttle will be able to take off. That means the space station construction mission will be delayed until July. NASA said the leak is occurring in the same place as one that cropped up Saturday during fueling and caused a four-day launch delay. More (Source: Associated Press - Jun 17)
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