Satellite News

Orbital Sciences Corporation announced the Thaicom 6 communications satellite, built by the company for Thaicom Plc., was successfully launched into orbit yesterday aboard a Space Exploration Technologies Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Orbital and NASA conducted the Antares Launch Readiness Review (LRR) at the Wallops Flight Facility, resulting in a determination to move forward with the launch tomorrow, 8 January contingent upon successfully completing several outstanding testing actions and data reviews.

Sea Launch AG, through Energia Logistics Ltd., has conducted a Hardware Acceptance Review of the Zenit-2S launch vehicle to be utilised in support of the Eutelsat 3B mission.

Arianespace said it is gearing up to beat its record for the number of launches during a year in 2014.

Boeing has completed the first of two 702HP (high power) geomobile satellites, Centenario, for Mexico’s new Mexsat end-to-end satellite communications system. Mexsat will provide enhanced social communications to the people of Mexico, as well as capability for military, civil and humanitarian needs.

MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. has signed a contract in excess of C$4 million to provide OHB System AG with satellite communication electronics to be integrated into the EDRS-C telecommunication satellite as part of the European Data Relay Satellite (EDRS) system.

Rocket: Falcon 9 v1.1; Payload: Thaicom 6; Date: 6 December 2014, 2206 UTC; Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Air Station, USA. The rocket lifted off as planned, however the launch broadcast ended after the first of two burns of the rocket’s upper stage.

ISRO said that the Indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage was successfully flight-tested onboard GSLV-D5 launch vehicle on 5 January 2014. The GSAT-14 communication satellite was launched very precisely to its intended Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit. The satellite is healthy and has completed its first orbit-raising manoeuvre.