Satellite News

The LEOSWEEP project (‘Improving Low Earth Orbit Security With Enhanced Electric Propulsion’), coordinated by the engineering and technology group SENER, has been selected during the last call of the European Commission’s 7th Framework Program. SENER will lead a consortium of 11 institutions comprised of companies, research centres and universities of the EU and Ukraine that will work jointly on the project during three years.

Willis Group Holdings announced that Inmarsat has extended the exclusive appointment of Willis’s Inspace team to act as its space risk management adviser and placing broker. This encompasses Inmarsat’s entire in orbit satellite fleet as well as its future launches.

Copernicus, the EU’s new Earth Observation System, was approved by the European Parliament’s Industry Committee last week. Replacing the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) programme, it will have a EUR3.79 billion budget for 2014-2020. Its data will serve many purposes, including monitoring climate change and protecting public security.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed into law a decree to establish a state corporation that will consolidate spacecraft developers and manufacturers.

Rocket: Chang Zheng 3B; Payload: Chang’e 3, Yutu; Date: 1 December 2013, 1730 UTC; Launch site: Xichang Satellite Launch Center, China. The launch of China’s third moon probe, this time carrying the lunar rover Yutu, was successful.

Progress M-21M (a.k.a. Progress 53) docked to the aft port of the International Space Station’s Zvezda service module at 2230 UTC on 29 November, delivering almost three tons of food, fuel, supplies and holiday gifts for the Expedition 38 crew. However, docking had to be performed manually.

The critical manoeuvre to place India’s Mars Orbiter Spacecraft in the Mars Transfer Trajectory was successfully carried out on 30 November (UTC).