Satellite News

Rocket: Chang Zheng 3A; Payload: Fengyun II-08 (Fengyun 2G); Date: 31 December 2014, 0102 UTC; Launch site: Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The weather satellite was successfully launched for China Meteorological Administration.

The fifth SpaceX cargo mission to the International Space Station (ISS) under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services contract now is scheduled to launch about 1118 UTC on 6 January from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The delay also affects the launch of NOAA’s DSCOVR satellite aboard a Falcon 9.

Es’hailSat has selected Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) to launch the company’s second satellite, Es’hail 2, in the fourth quarter of 2016 on board a Falcon 9 rocket.

Rocket: Chang Zeng 4B; Payload: Yaogan 26; Date: 27 December 2014, 0322 UTC; Launch site: Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, China. The military reconnaissance satellite was deployed into a circular 485-km orbit with an inclination of 97.4 degrees.

Rocket: Proton M/Briz M; Payload: Astra 2G; Date: 27 December 2014, 2137 UTC; Launch site: Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Successful separation of the Astra 2G satellite occurred approximately 9 hours, 12 minutes after lift-off.

Russia is looking into the possibility of moving rocket launches under the Sea Launch project to Brazil, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin was quoted as saying.

China has successfully de-orbited its geostationary Fengyun-2C weather satellite.

Rocket: Soyuz-2.1b (no upper stage); Payload: Resurs-P2; Date: 26 December 2014,1855 UTC; Launch site: Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The remote sensing spacecraft entered orbit successfully less than 10 minutes after the liftoff.