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Follow along on NASA TV and the agency's website for the live launch broadcast, happening now. Before NASA's Pegasus XL rocket can carry the agency's ICON satellite to low-Earth orbit, Northrop Grumman's L-1011 Stargazer aircraft has to reach an altitude of 39,000 feet, which requires about an hour of flight time. Once there, Pegasus will …

Northrop Grumman's Stargazer aircraft is airborne after taking off from the Skid Strip runway at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Stargazer is carrying the company's Pegasus XL rocket – a small expendable rocket that is the only operational air-launched rocket in the world. Pegasus is attached beneath the aircraft and will be carried to an …

Stargazer's engines have powered up on the Skid Strip runway at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Takeoff is scheduled for 8:33 p.m. EDT. Stick with us here on the blog for live updates.

A Northrop Grumman L-1011 Stargazer aircraft is positioned for takeoff from the Skid Strip runway at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Takeoff is scheduled for 8:33 EDT tonight. Attached to the aircraft is a Pegasus XL rocket, carrying NASA's Ionospheric Connection Explorer, or ICON, satellite. Weather officials are predicting an 80% chance of favorable weather …

P6 Battery Extravehicular Activity (EVA) #2 (US EVA#57) Preparations: Today, the ISS crew completed multiple road-to activities in preparation for the P6 Battery EVA that is planned for Friday, October 11.  The P6 Battery EVA#2 will focus on upgrading the Solar Array Channel 2B with a third and final Li-Ion battery.  Today’s preparations included the …

The Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) will launch tonight on a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket from the company's Stargazer L-1011 aircraft. The Stargazer will take off from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 8:33 p.m. EDT. The first launch attempt for ICON is 9:30 p.m. EDT. Follow live coverage here on the blog as well …

Two astronauts will suit up Friday morning for the second spacewalk in a series of five this month to upgrade International Space Station power systems. In the meantime, the duo and the rest of the Expedition 61 crew are staying on top of ongoing microgravity research today aboard the orbiting lab.  NASA Flight Engineers Andrew …

By Grace Callahan /HUNGA TONGA-HUNGA HA'APAI, KINGDOM OF TONGA/ Hello from the newest land mass on earth! I'm Grace, and today was my first day on Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha'apai. (I spent yesterday on the ship, helping to ensure that our anchor wouldn't slip and allow us to be blown out to sea.) After breakfast …

Due to weather in the area, NASA and Northrop Grumman have decided to move the Pegasus XL and ICON launch 24-hours to October 10 at 9:30 p.m., with takeoff of the Stargazer L-1011 at 8:32 p.m. NASA's live broadcast will begin tomorrow at 9:15 p.m. on www.nasa.gov/live. The teams are not working any issues. The …

Four of the six Expedition 61 crewmembers are relaxing today before ramping up final preparations for Friday’s spacewalk. The two cosmonauts maintained their normal schedule of Russian science and maintenance activities. NASA astronauts Andrew Morgan and Christina Koch have cleared their schedule for a well-deserved rest day and are taking it easy aboard the International …