spacetoday.net: space news from around the webin association with SpaceNews


NASA awards launch contract for solar mission
Posted: Thu, Mar 19, 2015, 11:40 AM ET (1540 GMT)
Solar Probe Plus illustration (JHUAPL) NASA announced Wednesday that it has selected a Delta 4 Heavy to launch a solar probe mission in 2018. NASA said it awarded a $389-million contract to United Launch Alliance for the launch of the agency's Solar Probe Plus mission, scheduled for July 31, 2018, at the beginning of a one-month launch window. ULA will launch the spacecraft on its Delta 4 Heavy, the largest launch vehicle currently available, with a Star-48 upper stage provided by Orbital ATK. NASA had previously considered using the most powerful Atlas 5 version, the Atlas 5 551, but determined that vehicle would require the use of a new, custom-developed upper stage. Solar Probe Plus will be the first spacecraft to fly through the solar corona, approaching within four million kilometers of the solar photosphere; the powerful launch vehicle, along with multiple gravity assist flybys of Venus, are needed to bring the spacecraft that close to the Sun.
<<previous article   next article>>
news in brief
Starship explodes during preparations for static-fire test
Posted: Sun, Jun 22 6:52 AM ET (1052 GMT)

French government leads investment in Eutelsat
Posted: Sat, Jun 21 8:38 AM ET (1238 GMT)

NASA further delays Ax-4 launch
Posted: Sat, Jun 21 8:34 AM ET (1234 GMT)

news links
Monday, July 14
Texas rocket maker Firefly Aerospace files to go public as FLY
San Antonio Express-News — 6:01 am ET (1001 GMT)
How Trump’s Megabill Could Stall American Space Exploration
The Daily Caller — 5:56 am ET (0956 GMT)


about spacetoday.net   ·   info@spacetoday.net   ·   mailing list