Pegasus launches NASA astronomy satellite
Posted: Wed, Jun 13, 2012, 9:29 PM ET (0129 GMT)
A Pegasus rocket successfully launched a small NASA spacecraft designed to help astronomers track down black holes. An Orbital Sciences Corporation L-1011 aircraft, flying out of Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean, released the Pegasus XL rocket at 12:00 pm EDT (1600 GMT). The rocket's first stage ignited five seconds after release, and it and two other stages propelled NASA's NuSTAR into a circular low Earth orbit. NuSTAR, or Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, is designed to detect hard x-ray emissions from astrophysical phenomena, in particular black holes. It will complement observations by other NASA spacecraft at other x-ray energies. The 350-kilogram spacecraft was also built by Orbital, and the project is led by Caltech.
A Pegasus rocket successfully launched a small NASA spacecraft designed to help astronomers track down black holes. An Orbital Sciences Corporation L-1011 aircraft, flying out of Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean, released the Pegasus XL rocket at 12:00 pm EDT (1600 GMT). The rocket's first stage ignited five seconds after release, and it and two other stages propelled NASA's NuSTAR into a circular low Earth orbit. NuSTAR, or Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, is designed to detect hard x-ray emissions from astrophysical phenomena, in particular black holes. It will complement observations by other NASA spacecraft at other x-ray energies. The 350-kilogram spacecraft was also built by Orbital, and the project is led by Caltech.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
California commission votes against increase in SpaceX Vandenberg launches
Posted: Sun, Aug 17 11:32 AM ET (1532 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Wednesday, August 20
SpaceX says states should dump fiber plans, give all grant money to Starlink
Ars Technica — 7:01 am ET (1101 GMT) Alaska Airlines selects Starlink, the fastest Wi-Fi in the sky, to launch new era of connectivity
PR Newswire — 6:59 am ET (1059 GMT) Space Force stands up third ‘system delta’ acquisition unit, plans to activate five more in 2025
Defensescoop — 6:59 am ET (1059 GMT) Space Force Unveils New Dress and Appearance Policy as It Preps for Fresh Uniforms
Air and Space Forces Magazine — 6:57 am ET (1057 GMT) Space Force Demonstrates New Protected Tactical Waveform
Aviation Week — 6:57 am ET (1057 GMT) |
