Satellite News

Rocket: Antares; Payload: Cygnus/Orb-2; Date: 13 July 2014, 1652 UTC; Launch site: Wallops Flight Facility, USA. The rocket deployed the Cygnus spacecraft into orbit about 10 minutes after lift-off. It will arrive at the International Space Station on 17 July at about 1039 UTC.

The U.S. Air Force has certified SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch system as having conducted three successful flights, a prerequisite for companies seeking to win business from the Air Force’s Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) Program.

After a month surfing in and out of the atmosphere of Venus down to just 130 km from the planet’s surface, ESA’s Venus Express is about to embark on a 15 day climb up to 460 km.