Rocket | Common News Update

Oct172018 by adminNo Comments

ULA launches military comms satellite on Atlas V rocket

Oct. 16 (UPI) -- United Launch Alliance launched the fourth Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite into space for the U.S. Air Force a little after midnight on Wednesday morning. AEHF-4 launched atop an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 12:15 a.m. EDT. The rocket was rolled out to the launch pad Monday afternoon, preparing the 197-foot rocket for take-off. The Atlas V 551 variant was used for the launch, ULA said, which includes a kerosene-fueled common core booster and five solid rocket motors strapped on, as well as the Centaur upper stage and five-meter-diameter payload fairing. The first three AEHF satellites were launched in 2010, 2012 and 2013, with the system being declared at initial operational capability in 2015. The AEHF system is intended ...

Oct162018 by adminNo Comments

Watch live: ULA to launch military comms satellite on Atlas V rocket

Science

Oct. 16 (UPI) -- If weather permits, United Launch Alliance will launch the fourth Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite into space for the U.S. Air Force a little after midnight. AEHF-4 is scheduled to launch atop an Atlas V rocket early Wednesday morning from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The launch window opens at 12:15 a.m. EDT, with ULA giving the launch an 80 percent chance of happening on schedule. The rocket was rolled out to the launch pad Monday afternoon, preparing the 197-foot rocket for take-off. The Atlas V 551 variant will be used for the launch, ULA said, which includes a kerosene-fueled common core booster and five solid rocket motors strapped on, as well as the Centaur upper stage and five-meter-diameter payload fairing. The first three AEHF satellit...

Oct112018 by adminNo Comments

Russia 'launches criminal investigation' into rocket failure

World

Russia has launched a criminal investigation over a failed rocket launch to the International Space Station, according to reports. A US and Russian astronaut were forced to make an emergency landing shortly after the mission got underway, with their Soyuz rocket having suffered significant engine failures.It was an unprecedented mishap for the Russian space programme and the AFP news agency claims a criminal investigation is now underway to determine whether safety regulations had been violated during construction. Image: Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin following emergency landing Image: NASA astronaut Nick Hague following emergency landing Despite the issue af...

Oct112018 by adminNo Comments

Astronauts escape malfunctioning Soyuz rocket

Science

A capsule carrying the two crew members of a Russian Soyuz rocket that malfunctioned on lift-off has landed safely in Kazakhstan.Russian Cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin and US astronaut Nick Hague are reported to be "in good condition", both Nasa and Russian media said.Search and rescue teams are now en route to the landing site.The rocket had taken off for the International Space Station (ISS) when it suffered a problem with its booster.The crew had to return in "ballistic descent mode", Nasa tweeted, which it explained was "a sharper angle of landing compared to normal".The Soyuz rocket had taken off at 04:40 Eastern time for a four-orbit, six-hour journey to the ISS.Mr Hague and Mr Ovchinin were due to spend six months on the statio...

Jul12018 by adminNo Comments

Rocket developed by Japan startup in flames after liftoff

Technology

A rocket developed by a Japanese startup company burst into flames seconds after a failed liftoff Saturday in northern Japan. The MOMO-2 rocket, developed by Interstellar Technologies, was launched in Taiki town on Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost main island. It was supposed to reach as high as 100 kilometers (62 miles) into space. Television footage showed that the 10-meter (33-foot) pencil rocket lifted only slightly from its launch pad before dropping to the ground, disappearing in a fireball. Footage on NHK public television showed a charred rocket lying on the ground. The incident caused no injuries. Interstellar Technologies president Takahiro Inagawa said he believes the rocket suffered a glitch in its main engine. He apologized for the failure, and said his team would collect the ...