Satellite News

Rocket: Soyuz-FG; Payload: Soyuz TMA-15M; Date: 23 November 2014, 2101 UTC; Launch site: Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The Soyuz TMA-15M manned transport spacecraft was accurately placed on the target orbit and has meanwhile docked with the ISS.

Following the State Review Board’s decision, the Proton M/Astra 2G integrated launch vehicle (ILV) was rolled out to Launch Complex. The ILV is now installed on its launch pad.

As Arianespace prepares to close out a busy year of mission activity, the initial Ariane 5 for launch in 2015 already is beginning to take shape at the Spaceport in Kourou.

After ground testing and careful review over two days, MAVEN was successfully brought out of Safehold Mode the afternoon of Friday, 21 November. The spacecraft is operating nominally in Earth-Point Mode with high-rate communications.

Northrop Grumman Corporation has successfully conducted the integrated baseline review (IBR) of the production, deployment and initial sustainment phase for the Enhanced Polar System (EPS) Control and Planning Segment (CAPS).