Launches

The Dragon space cargo ship starting its CRS-17 mission blasting off atop a Falcon 9 rocket (Image NASA TV)

1

A little while ago the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft blasted off atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral in its CRS-17 (Cargo Resupply Service 17) mission, also referred to as SPX-17. After just over ten minutes it separated successfully from the rocket’s last stage and went en route. This is the 17th mission for the Dragon spacecraft to resupply the International Space Station with various cargoes and then return to Earth, again with various cargoes.

The Cygnus "Roger Chaffee" cargo spacecraft blasting off atop an Antares rocket (Photo NASA/Bill Ingalls)

1

A few hours ago Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft blasted off atop an Antares rocket from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS), part of NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) on Wallops Island. After about nine minutes it successfully separated from the rocket’s last stage went en route to its destination. This is its 11th official mission, called NG-11 but also CRS NG-11, to transport supplies to the International Space Station for NASA, the second for Northrop Grumman Corporation after completing the acquisition of Orbital ATK.

The Falcon Heavy blasting off carrying the Arabsat-6A satellite (Photo courtesy SpaceX)

1

It was afternoon in Florida when SpaceX launched its Falcon Heavy rocket from Cape Canaveral on its first commercial mission. The most powerful rocket in activity launched the Arabsat-6A satellite, which after about 34 minutes separated from the rocket’s last stage entering a transit orbit from where it started the maneuvers that will take it towards a geostationary orbit within a bit more than two weeks.

The Crew Dragon spacecraft blasting off atop a Falcon 9 rocket in its SpX-DM1 test (Image NASA TV)

1

A little while ago, the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft blated off atop a Falcon 9 rocket from the Cape Canaveral base in its SpX-DM1 (SpaceX Demonstration Mission 1) or SpaceX Demo-1 mission. After about eleven minutes it successfully separated from the rocket’s last stage and went on its way to carry out its mission. This is the first test of the Crew Dragon spacecraft with a journey to the International Space Station and back. In this case there’s no one on board but if all goes well in the next launch there will be the first transport of astronauts.