Satellite News

Rocket: Soyuz ST-B; Payload: four O3b satellites; Date: 10 July 2014, 1856 UTC; Launch site: Sinnamary, French Guiana. After the successful 2 hour, 22 minute mission ground controllers established contact with all four satellites launched.

Orbital announced that the launch of Antares for the Orb-2 Commercial Resupply Services mission to the International Space Station has been rescheduled for Saturday, 12 July at 1714 UTC.

The Planetary Society announced that its LightSail solar sail spacecraft will reach space on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch in 2016.

Lockheed Martin has successfully completed environmental testing of the U.S. Navy’s third Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite. It recently cleared thermal vacuum trials, which validate performance in simulated space conditions, and the satellite is now in final check out.

The Clouds and Earth’s Radiant Energy Systems (CERES) instrument for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) recently arrived at Ball Aerospace.

The Algerian Space Agency (ASAL) and Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) have signed a contract to build the Alsat-1B Earth Observation satellite in combination with a comprehensive training and development programme.

According to Euroconsult’s newly released executive report, Government Space Programs: Strategic Outlook, Benchmarks & Forecasts, government funding for space is expected to progressively recover as public finances regain their comfort zone and programmes enter a new growth cycle.