Satellite News

Rocket: Chang Zheng 2D; Payload: Yaogan Weixing 24; Date: 20 November 2014, 0712 UTC; Launch site: Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China. The launch, which had not been announced in advance, reportedly was successful.

NASA has selected Orbital Sciences Corporation of Dulles, Virginia, to provide launch services for the Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) mission.

XCOR Aerospace announced it has completed the latest test series for the liquid hydrogen engine it is developing for United Launch Alliance (ULA). This is an important milestone in the long-running LH2 (liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen) programme. It is also a step toward running the engine in a fully closed cycle mode.

Space Systems/Loral (SSL) announced that the contract award previously reported was for the Indonesian satellite operator, PT Pasifik Satelit Nusantara (PSN).

The upcoming Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR), a satellite designed to monitor and warn of harmful solar activity that could impact Earth, recently cleared two major reviews and remains on track to launch 23 January 2015.

During its meeting at the European Space Astronomy Centre, near Madrid, on 19 November, the SPC gave the green light for the flotilla of spacecraft to continue their key scientific endeavours for at least another two years.

Alcatel-Lucent is joining Inmarsat as a technology partner for the development of the first fully integrated aviation telecommunications network across the European Union (EU). The network is scheduled to enter commercial service by the end of 2016.