Year: 2021

NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Notches 8th Successful Flight with Touchdown at New Airfield After Software Upgrade

For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – NASA’s groundbreaking Ingenuity Helicopter notched its 8th successful test flight on the Red Planet this week traveling for more than a minute and achieving a soft touchdown at another new ‘airfield’ – the fifth – after being upgraded with new flight software utilized for the 1st time now on its 3rd operational

SpaceX Completes Successful Falcon 9 Static Fire Test Then Postpones Transporter-2 Rideshare Liftoff: Photos

For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM TITUSVILLE, FL – After completing a successful static fire test of the Falcon 9 first stage booster on Tuesday afternoon, June 22, SpaceX unexpectedly announced two days later Thursday, June 24, that the planned launch of their second dedicated rideshare mission Transporter-2 carrying over 80 small satellites and slated for Friday afternoon, June 25, would be

NASA and Boeing Target July 30 Liftoff for Critical Unpiloted Starliner Test Flight to ISS

For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM CAPE CANAVERAL, FL –  NASA and Boeing are targeting July 30 for liftoff of the Starliner’s second unpiloted test flight atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Florida’s Spaceport on a critical mission to prove the commercial system can safely carry astronauts to and from the International Space Station (ISS), following a botched first test

ULA Atlas V Rocket for NASA Boeing Starliner Crew Test Flight to ISS Unloaded and Shipped to Cape Launch Site: Photos

For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION, FL – In a major step towards launching NASA astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) the components for the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket that will propel the Boeing Starliner commercial crew capsule to space were offloaded from the delivery ship R/S Rocketship Monday, June 21 after arrival

SpaceX Launches GPS III National Security Satellite on 1st Reused Rocket Approved by Space Force: Photos

CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION, FL – SpaceX successfully launched the newest next generation GPS III series navigation satellite with enhanced timing, speed and antijamming capabilities for the U.S. military on the 1st ever recycled Falcon 9 rocket approved for use on a national security mission for the Space Force to medium Earth orbit at lunchtime Thursday, June 17 from

China Launches 3 Astronauts on Shenzhou-12 and Docks at New Space Station on 1st Human Spaceflight Since 2016

For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – In a major advance demonstrating the growing prowess of China’s technological and scientific progress China successfully launched a trio of astronauts on the country’s first human spaceflight mission since 2016 on the Shenzhou-12 capsule, Thursday, June 17-  who soon rendezvoused and docked about six and a half hours later at the Tianhe

China Names 3 Astronauts for Next Human Spaceflight Mission on Shenzhou-12 Launching June 17 to New Space Station

For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – Chinese space officials named the crew for the country’s next human spaceflight mission now targeting launch on the Shenzhou-12 capsule on Thursday, June 17 on the first crewed mission to their new space station Tiangong – orbiting in low Earth orbit since liftoff in late April. The three man crew was revealed

NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Completes Successful 7th Flight with Touchdown at New ‘Airfield’

For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – Continuing its astounding first in flight foray on another world NASA’s history making Ingenuity Helicopter successfully completed its 7th test flight on the Red Planet last week and with “no anomalies” unlike the prior flight three weeks earlier – while landing again at a new airfield on its 2nd operational flight transitioning