SPACEFLIGHT

SpaceX tests Dragon abort engine

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:57:00 GMT

SpaceX has made a full-duration burn of the SuperDraco engines intended to power the Dragon capsule in case of a launch abort, and ultimately may provide...

Space, time and Vega's heavy burden

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:58:00 GMT

To avoid the prospect of losing a high-value commercial payload on a risky maiden flight, Vega's first mission - VV01 - will carry a basket of scientific spacecraft, including nine so-called "cubesats", the 1kg 10cmx10cm boxes that are increasingly popular with low-budget researches thankful for any lift to orbit.

SpaceX delays Dragon launch to ISS

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:04:00 GMT

SpaceX has announced a delay to the upcoming launch of their Dragon spacecraft, initially scheduled for 7 February. The launch, from Kennedy Space Center...

High-power plasma thruster could replace chemical rockets for satellite and deep-space propulsion: Snecma

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:00:00 GMT

Snecma and French national scientific research agency CNRS have claimed a European first in successfully testing a 20kW electric plasma thruster for spacecraft.

Funding cuts put NASA commercial X-plane on hold

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:45:00 GMT

NASA has pulled back on plans to launch a 737-sized subscale test vehicle (STV) by 2016 to demonstrate a next-generation airliner or cargo aircraft.

Year ahead a time of technical, financial challenges for European Space Agency

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:00:00 GMT

Europe's next push into space gets off to a slightly anxious start this year with a tight window for the maiden launch of the all-new light rocket, Vega.

Xcor reveals Lynx test schedule

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:52:00 GMT

Spacecraft designer Xcor has revealed details of a plan to achieve first flight of the Lynx Mk1 later this year and to expand the suborbital market far beyond...

Vega maiden launch could slip into February

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:44:00 GMT

European Space Agency launch operator Arianespace plans a busy 2012, with seven Ariane 5 heavy-lift missions and three medium-lift Soyuz flights from ESA's...

Key tests set to validate engine technology for single stage to orbit space plane

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:00:00 GMT

Tests set to begin this month are hoped to validate an ambitious air cooling technology that Oxfordshire-based Reaction Engines believes will make possible single stage to orbit space planes and in-atmosphere hypersonic transport aircraft.

2011 – The Year in Review: Anniversaries

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Hunters' 60th anniversary The Hawker Hunter (Mk. 3) celebrated the 60th anniversary of its first flight on 20 July. This aircraft is now displayed at the Tangmere Military Aviation Museum, West Sussex. RIAT 40th Air Show The Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) marked its 40th anniversary with exceptional flying displays, involving aircraft from various nations. A Da

2011: The Year in Review: Most Downloaded Images from AirSpace

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

This image of the first Qantas A380 being rolled out in Hamburg is the most downloaded image on AirSpace in 2011. Qantas Airbus A380 VH-OQA in full livery at Hamburg ...uploaded by user Rear Loader. Image courtesy Airbus/C. Brinkmann

Skylon space plane places huge demands on exotic structural materials

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:40:00 GMT

Engine technology may be key to realising the Skylon space plane, but its airframe is also critical, and possibly just as ambitious.

Massive air-launch system unveiled

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 18:57:00 GMT

Paul Allen, ex-Microsoft billionaire and major funder of Scaled Composites' SpaceShipOne programme, today announced he would fund a system, called Stratolaunch,...

Vega on track for January maiden flight from ESA's French Guiana launch site

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:00:00 GMT

The European Space Agency will finish its so-called "year of launchers" a few weeks short of realising the maiden flight of its third vehicle, but the Vega light rocket remains on course for a January 2012 launch from ESA's Kourou, French Guiana spaceport.

Air Force awards reusable booster contracts

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 17:28:00 GMT

Andrews Space, Boeing and Lockheed Martin have been awarded contracts to design, fabricate and test systems under the reusable booster system flight and...

Blow for Roscosmos as Mars probe descends into silence

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

With what appears to be the imminent demise of Phobos-Grunt, Russian space agency Roscosmos has had a decidedly mixed year. In spite of many notable triumphs,...