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Added on the 17/11/2022 17:07:39 - Copyright : France 24 EN
A test flight of NASA's powerful new Moon rocket may be possible on Friday, Artemis 1 mission manager Mike Sarafin says, after the US space agency scrubbed Monday's launch because of an engine issue. "Friday is definitely in play," Sarafin tells reporters. SOUNDBITE
NASA scraps its launch of a 30-story rocket due to orbit the Moon, citing a fuel leak in delaying the mission for a second time. The leak occurred as liquid hydrogen was being pumped into the rocket. No new date for another try was immediately announced. IMAGES
5,000 model rockets blast off in an attempt at a Guinness world record for the most rockets launched at once. The record attempt at the US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, is part of commemorations marking the launch of Apollo 11, 50 years ago. IMAGES
An unexpected explosion occurred during a fueling operation before the test firing of one of NASA's rockets at the Space X launch site at Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Thursday. According to witnesses the shock of the initial blast could be felt miles from the test site and several smaller explosions continued to occur for a few minutes afterwards. The blast reportedly destroyed Facebook's $200 million Internet.org satellite.
A rocket made by a Japanese company exploded just after launch on Wednesday in Japan's Wakayama. Tokyo-based startup Space One had been aiming to become the first Japanese private firm to successfully place a satellite into orbit. Its 18-meter (60-foot) solid-fuel Kairos rocket blasted off from the startup's own launch pad in Wakayama prefecture in western Japan, carrying a small government test satellite. But seconds after the launch, the rocket erupted into a ball of flame, with black smoke filling the launch pad area. Burning debris was seen falling onto the surrounding mountain slopes as sprinklers began spraying water. IMAGES
Final preparations are underway for the launch of the first American spacecraft to attempt a lunar landing in more than 50 years, under a new partnership between NASA and private industry. United Launch Alliance's Vulcan rocket was rolling out to the launchpad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, preparing for its maiden flight set to blast off on Monday at 2:18 am local time (7:18 GMT). IMAGES