Satellite News

Rocket: Soyuz ST-B/Fregat; Payload: Galileo FOC FM1 (Doresa) and FM2 (Milena); Date: 22 August 2014, 1227 UTC; Launch site: Sinnamary, French Guiana. The two satellites launched on this mission weighing 714.3 and 715.3 kg, have been placed into a circular Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), at an altitude of 23,522 km. They will be inclined to the Earth’s equator by about 55 degrees.

Sea Launch announced a series of cost-reduction measures designed to address an upcoming gap in the launch manifest of the Zenit-3SL system. According to plan, it is expected that Sea Launch will resume and start stepping-up its launch activity during mid-2015/mid-2016 time frame.

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation announced that it has completed work on the Himawari-8 satellite, the next-generation geostationary meteorological satellite based on a contract awarded by the Japan Meteorological Agency. Himawari-8 will be delivered soon to Tanegashima Space Center, Japan, from where it is scheduled to be launched into orbit on 7 October.

Globalstar, Inc., announced that Anthony J. (“Tony”) Navarra, President Space Operations will be retiring after more than 20 years with Globalstar.