Aerojet Rocketdyne Coleman Aerospace Opens New Facility on Cape Canaveral

Pictured LtoR: Colonel Matthew Wallace ; Stan Thomas ; Dan Kelly ; Tyler Evans ; Angelique Rinaldi ; Patrick Gavin ; and Jim Kuzma “With the opening of this innovative facility, we are building on our expertise as a premier launch vehicle provider for missile defense testing,” said Dan Kelly, who will serve as interim general manager of Aerojet Rocketdyne Coleman Aerospace. “We are excited to officially establish our Space Coast presence today, marking the culmination of years of collaboration that brought this facility and its needed capabilities to fruition,” said Aerojet Rocketdyne CEO and President Eileen Drake.

SpaceX launches first rocket since explosion in Florida

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from California on Saturday and placed a constellation of satellites in orbit, marking the company’s first launch since a fireball engulfed a similar rocket on a Florida launch pad more than four months ago. The two-stage rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base at 9:54 a.m. carrying a payload for Iridium Communications Inc., which is replacing its entire global network with 70 next-generation satellites.

SpaceX finds source of rocket explosion, plans new launch

SpaceX plans to resume flights as early as next week after finding the cause of an explosion that destroyed a rocket and satellite on a Florida launch pad in September. The Hawthorne, California-based company is aiming for a Sunday, Jan. 8, flight from Vandenberg Air Force Base, the Los Angeles Times reported Monday .