Satellite News

Rocket: Atlas V 401; Payload: GPS IIF-7; Date: 2 August 2014, 0323 UTC; Launch site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, USA. The satellite has sent signals to controllers that confirm it is currently operating properly within the constellation.

AsiaSat 8, the latest communications satellite of Asia Satellite Telecommunications company Limited (AsiaSat), is scheduled for launch at 0525 UTC on 5 August by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch vehicle from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, USA.

The fourth Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite in the launch order is progressing in its final testing phase, having successfully cleared acoustic tests. Now the satellite moves on to thermal vacuum testing, which is the last step in its environmental trials.

Iridium Communications Inc. announced the delivery of the first satellite engineering model for the forthcoming Iridium NEXT constellation.

Intelsat S.A. reported financial results for the second quarter 2014.

Generation Orbit Launch Services, Inc. (GO) said it completed the initial captive carry flight of the Flight Experiment Testbed (GO-FET). Operating out of Cecil Spaceport in Jacksonville, Florida, the three hour test flight served as an demonstration of air launch operations both on the ground and in flight.

The Russian Progress M-23M spacecraft was deorbited and fell into the Pacific Ocean, Roskosmos said.

According to Euroconsult’s newly released research report, Satellites to be Built and Launched, 115 satellites will be launched on average yearly over the next decade (2014-2023).