Satellite News

Rocket: Ariane 5 ECA; Payload: ABS-2, Athena-Fidus; Date: 6 February 2014, 2130 UTC; Launch site: Kourou, French Guiana. After a weather-related 60-minute delay, the rocket lifted off and successfully deployed its dual payload into geostationary transfer orbit about 30 minutes later.

Antrix Corporation Limited, the commercial arm of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), signed two launch service agreements recently.

NASA’s SLS and Orion four prime contractors met recently at an industry-team meeting to discuss progress to date and ensure the teams are on track for the 2014 and 2017 launches.

Manoeuvres are under way to steer ESA’s trio of Swarm satellites into their respective orbits so that they can start delivering the best-ever survey of our magnetic field, the agency said.

SES announced the signature of a major capacity agreement with Telefonica Global Solutions to enhance and extend the reach of Telefonica’s VIVO mobile voice and data services across the Northern and Northeast region of Brazil. VIVO is the largest national mobile voice and data service provider in Brazil.