Spacecraft

The Progress MS-17 cargo spacecraft blasting off atop a Soyuz-2.1a rocket (Image NASA TV)

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A few hours ago, the Progress MS-17 spacecraft blasted off atop a Soyuz-2.1a rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. After about nine minutes it successfully separated from the rocket’s last stage and was placed on its route. The cargo spacecraft began its resupply mission to the International Space Station also called Progress 78 or 78P. In this mission, the route used is the one that requires about two days.

SpaceX's Dragon 2 cargo spacecraft blasting off atop a Falcon 9 rocket (Photo NASA/Kim Shiflett)

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A few hours ago the SpaceX Dragon 2 spacecraft blasted off atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral in its CRS-22 (Cargo Resupply Service 22) mission, also referred to as SPX-22. After almost exactly 12 minutes it separated successfully from the rocket’s last stage and went en route. This is the 22nd mission for the Dragon spacecraft to resupply the International Space Station with various cargoes and then return to Earth, again with various cargoes. It’s the second mission for this Dragon version.

The Chinese Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft blasting off (Photo courtesy Xinhua/Ju Zhenhua)

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A few hours ago the Chinese Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft docked to the Tianhe core module of the Chinese space station successfully completing an automated maneuver. Tianzhou-2 was launched a few hours earlier atop a Long March-7 Y3 rocket from the Wenchang site. This is the first space cargo spacecraft launched towards the new Chinese space station, carrying propellant and supplies for the taikonauts, as the Chinese call their astronauts, who will start working on the station starting in mid-June, according to plan.

The Starship SN15 prototype blasting off (Image courtesy SpaceX)

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It was yesterday afternoon in Boca Chica, Texas, when SpaceX conducted the flight test of the Starship prototype identified as SN15, the fifth after the one conducted on March 30, 2021. Clouds and some problems with the signal from the onboard cameras prevented seeing the various maneuvers performed by SN15 but the important thing is that it managed to land successfully without suffering damage that could cause its explosion. Flames were seen at the base of SN15 but got extinguished.