Satellite News

Airbus Defence and Space said it has joined the European project “Beacon” that focuses on the development of key photonic technologies for future high-capacity and energy-efficient telecommunication satellites.

SES announced a partnership with the Luxembourg Government and five Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO).

Rocket: H-IIA; Payload: ALOS-2 (Daichi-2); Date: 24 May 2014, 0305 UTC; Launch site: Tanegashima Space Center, Japan. The launch vehicle flew smoothly, and, at about 15 minutes and 47 seconds after lift-off, the separation of the DAICHI-2 was confirmed.

Rocket: Zenit 3SL/Block DM-SL; Payload: Eutelsat 3B; Date: 26 May 2014, 2110 UTC; Launch site: Odyssey Launch Platform, positioned on the equator at 154 degrees West longitude in the Pacific Ocean. The satellite was deployed into geostationary transfer orbit at 2212 UTC. Spacecraft acquisition was confirmed a few minutes later.

Optus Networks Pty. Ltd. has informed Arianespace that its Optus 10 satellite, one of the two payloads being carried by Arianespace flight VA218, previously scheduled for 6 June requires additional verifications.

EUMETSAT Operators have restored life and full operational capability to the Microwave Humidity Sounder (MHS) instrument flying on the ageing Metop-A satellite. On 26 March, the MHS had entered a ‘Fault Mode’ during routine commanding, causing the suspension of the operational service from this instrument.

SES announced that CETel has signed a new capacity agreement for service on SES’s NSS-7 satellite located at 20 degrees West.

Rocket: Rokot/Briz-KM; Payload: Kosmos 2496, Kosmos 2497, Kosmos 2498; Date: 23 May 2014, 0527 UTC; Launch site: Plesetsk, Russia. “The defence satellite cluster has successfully reached the final orbit,” Aerospace Defense Forces Col. Alexei Zolotukhin was quoted as saying.