Satellite News

Eutelsat 25B/Es’hail 1 has been installed atop the SYLDA dispenser system, positioning this satellite for its ride as the upper passenger in Ariane 5′s payload “stack” for the 29 August Arianespace heavy-lift mission.

NASA has accepted ownership of its newest Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) from Boeing after successfully completing in orbit testing. TDRS-K, will be renamed TDRS-11 upon entry into service.

Following months of analysis and testing, the team is ending its attempts to restore the spacecraft to full working order as the recent pointing test proved unsuccessful. On 8 August, engineers conducted a system-level performance test using Reaction Wheel 1 (RW1), 2 and 3. RW1 and 3 are the “good” wheels that have shown no signs of degradation.

The launch of the GSLV-D5 scheduled for 1120 UTC on 19 August 2013 is called off, as a leak is observed in the UH25 fuel system of the liquid second stage during the pre-launch pressurisation phase on the vehicle just two hours before the scheduled lift-off.

After more than 10 years of service, NOAA’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-12 spacecraft is being retired.

Es’hailSat, the Qatar Satellite Company, and Arabsat announced the signing of a strategic partnership agreement to promote closer co-operation between the two companies and strengthen the reach and penetration of the 26 degrees East hot spot neighbourhood for TV broadcasting.

On 10 August 2013, the Ekspress-AM1 satellite was decommissioned. As of 12 August, a deorbiting programme has been put in effect to transfer the decommissioned satellite to a graveyard orbit, to be followed by final operations to avoid defragmentation and unauthorised activation of onboard equipment.

NASA has exercised the first option on a contract providing integrated services for the preparation and launch of the next generation of the agency’s scientific and exploration spacecraft.