rocketry
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SpaceX Fuels Starship as ULA’s Vulcan Readies for Christmas Launch—Plus More Rocket News
It’s been an unusually busy week in spaceflight, with the chatter restricted to rockets still on the ground. In a particularly festive update, United Launch Alliance (ULA) is gearing up for the launch of its Vulcan Centaur rocket on Christmas Eve. In what should serve as a thrilling finale to the year, United Launch Alliance…
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ULA’s Vulcan Rocket Successfully Fires Engines Ahead of Debut Flight
After weeks of anticipation, United Launch Alliance (ULA) fired up the two engines of its Vulcan Centaur rocket to prepare for its inaugural flight. The Colorado-based company completed the final flight readiness test of its heavy-lift rocket on Wednesday at 9:05 p.m. ET at Cape Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex 41. The entire test lasted for…
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New Zealand Spaceplane Performs First Rocket-Powered Flight, Achieving Major Milestone
New Zealand-based private space company Dawn Aerospace says it has completed three successful tests of its prototype Mk-II Aurora spaceplane using rocket engines. A scaled-up version of the suborbital vehicle could eventually perform multiple flights each day, sending payloads on journeys to low Earth orbit.
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Astra Investigation Uncovers Cause of Failed Rocket Launch
Last summer, Astra’s Rocket 3.3 came crashing down after failing to reach orbit and deliver a pair of shoe-box sized satellites. Following a six-month investigation, the California-based startup identified the culprit: fuel injector blockage that resulted in combustion chamber burn-through.