Satellite News

The Russian space agency has notified NASA that the launch of a new Russian research module to the International Space Station has been postponed until at least 2015.

Reaching a significant milestone for ESA’s magnetic field mission, the Swarm satellites have completed the critical first phase of their new mission.

The first Full Operational Capability (FOC) satellite in the future European navigation system Galileo has passed the most difficult of all the environmental impact tests. Over a period of four weeks, the satellite known as “Doresa” was tested in the thermal vacuum chamber at European Test Services ETS, completing the tests with great success, as the OHB team reported from Nordwijk in the Netherlands.

Teal Group space analysts have identified 3,164 space payloads proposed to be built and launched to Earth or deep space orbits between 2013 and 2032. They estimate the value of these satellites and other space payloads at more than US$235 billion.

“Concerned a rocket launch might add more congestion to the skies during Thanksgiving week, federal regulators blocked SpaceX’s bid to launch a commercial broadcasting satellite Tuesday and Wednesday, two of the busiest travel days of the year” in the USA. (Spaceflight Now)