Satellite News

The launch of a Proton launch vehicle with the Centenario satellite was postponed in order to investigate an anomalous condition discovered on another spacecraft and to re-confirm the flight worthiness of the Centenario satellite.

Iridium Communications Inc. announced production is complete of the qualification dispenser for the Iridium NEXT constellation’s initial launch, which will be conducted by ISC Kosmotras from the Yasny launch site in Russia using a Dnepr rocket, and qualification testing is on-track for completion in June 2015.

Airbus Defence and Space has signed a contract with the French space agency (CNES) to build the platform and carry out final integration of the MERLIN (MEthane Remote sensing LIdar missioN) satellite. From 2020 MERLIN will measure methane (CH4), one of the main greenhouse gases, in the Earth’s atmosphere. MERLIN is the first joint Earth observation satellite programme between the French (CNES) and German (DLR) space agencies.

NASA’s Dawn spacecraft entered into its first science orbit around dwarf planet Ceres on Thursday, 23 April as scheduled.

The transport cargo vehicle Progress M-25M made at RSC Energia has undocked from the ISS and reentered Earth’s atmosphere above the Pacific Ocean.

A General Dynamics-led team successfully completed on-schedule the implementation, integration and test of the NASA Space Network Ground Segment Sustainment (SGSS) programme Increment A3, the Bearer Network and Basic Ground Terminal hardware and software.

EgyptSat 2, operating in orbit, is under the full control of Egyptian experts, the head of the country’s National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences (NARSS), Medhat Mokhtar, was quoted as saying .