Tag

Upper Stage

All articles tagged with #upper stage

space1 month ago•3 min saved

Blue Origin's New Glenn: booster lands, payload misorbit prompts investigation

Blue Origin's NG-3 mission achieved a successful booster landing, but an upper-stage thrust anomaly prevented the second burn from placing AST SpaceMobile's Bluebird 7 satellite into the planned orbit, leaving the satellite in an off-nominal orbit and ultimately deemed lost. The FAA has grounded New Glenn while Blue Origin investigates the issue, and the incident casts uncertainty over the rocket's 2026 launch cadence. Despite the mishap, the company aims to continue flights and pursue milestones like the Blue Moon lunar landers, with NASA and industry partners expressing cautious optimism about ongoing programs.

via Gizmodo|

#ast-spacemobile #blue-origin #new-glenn

space1 month ago•9 min saved

Blue Origin nails booster reuse, but upper stage derails AST satellite deployment

Blue Origin’s New Glenn achieved a successful reuse of its first-stage booster with a precise landing, but the mission’s upper stage did not place AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 7 into the planned orbit, delivering the satellite to an off-nominal, too-low orbit that will require de-orbiting, despite payload separation and the satellite powering on. The mishap tempers the milestone of reusability with a reminder that upper-stage performance remains a critical challenge for New Glenn and Artemis-era ambitions.

via Ars Technica|

#ast-spacemobile #blue-origin #new-glenn

space-exploration3 months ago•51 min saved

Falcon 9 Could Return to Flight by Feb 16 After Series of Upper-Stage Anomalies

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 has endured four upper-stage anomalies in 19 months. After FAA-mandated investigations, past cases took about two weeks, suggesting a return to flight around February 16, with Crew-12’s launch date targeted for mid-February; however, given the small sample size, the exact timeline remains uncertain.

via Space|

#crew-12 #falcon-9 #space-exploration

technology3 months ago•4 min saved

SpaceX pauses Falcon 9 launches after upper-stage anomaly on Vandenberg mission

SpaceX has paused Falcon 9 launches after the upper stage of the Feb. 2 Vandenberg mission experienced an off-nominal condition during a planned deorbit burn; the 25 Starlink satellites deployed normally and the stage was passivated as investigators review data to determine the root cause. The next launch is planned for Feb. 5 from Florida.

via SpaceNews|

#deorbit-burn #falcon-9 #spacex

space2 years ago•2 min saved

European Space Woes: Ariane 6 Launch on Track Despite Aborted Test and Missing Parts

The European Space Agency (ESA) has confirmed that the first launch of the Ariane 6 rocket is still on track for mid-2024, despite an aborted test of its upper stage. The recent test, known as CTLO3, was successful and demonstrated the rocket's readiness for launch. However, a previous test of the upper stage, called HFT-4, was aborted due to parameters exceeding predetermined thresholds. ESA is investigating the cause of the abort but remains confident that it will not impact the Ariane 6's inaugural flight schedule. Additional tests are planned for early 2024, with the first Ariane 6 launch hardware expected to arrive in mid-February.

via SpaceNews|

#ariane-6 #european-space-agency #launch-schedule

space2 years ago•2 min saved

European Space Agency's Ariane 6 rocket overcomes delays and setbacks, set for launch in 2024

The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced that its long-delayed Ariane 6 rocket is "ready to go" in terms of its ability to launch, despite concerns about the performance of its upper stage. Recent tests showed mixed results, with an aborted test due to parameters going beyond thresholds, but a successful launch countdown rehearsal. The ESA remains confident that investigations into the failed test will not impact the schedule for the inaugural flight of Ariane 6, which is expected to take place in 2024.

via The Register|

#ariane-6-rocket #european-space-agency #rocket-launch

space-technology2 years ago•3 min saved

Stoke Space Takes a Leap Towards Reusable Rockets with Upper Stage Hops

Stoke Space, a small launch company, successfully flew its upper stage rocket for the first time in a short test flight. The flight demonstrated the performance of the company's oxygen-hydrogen engine, throttle control system, avionics, software, and ground systems. Stoke Space aims to develop a fully reusable rocket, with the upper stage designed to fly back to Earth and land vertically. The company plans to focus on developing a more traditional first stage and aims for a 2025 debut of its rocket. Stoke Space has been allocated a launch complex at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and has the potential to become the second company to build a fully reusable rocket.

via Ars Technica|

#reusable #rocket #space-technology