Satellite News

Rocket: Chang Zheng-3B/Yuanzheng-1; Payload: BDS M1-S, BDS M2-S; Date: 25 July 2015, 1229 UTC; Launch site: Xichang Satellite Launch Center, China. The two navigation satellites reached their target orbits three and a half hours after the launch.

Europe’s ninth and tenth Galileo satellites have crossed the Atlantic, touching down in French Guiana ahead of their joint launch this September.

On 26 July at 0930 UTC, ESA handed control of Europe’s last Meteosat Second Generation weather satellite, MSG-4, to EUMETSAT.

Airbus Defence and Space has announced that the planned 67,000 km move of the Skynet 5A satellite over the Asia Pacific region is on track.

The Sentinel-5 Precursor platform and the TROPOMI instrument have been integrated together to form the satellite which will be leaving the UK for testing. Airbus Defence and Space will deliver the spacecraft to Intespace in Toulouse, France, for final system level testing. The spacecraft is scheduled to be launched in April 2016 by a Eurokot rocket from Plesetsk, Russia.

ABS and FSM Telecommunications Corporation (FSMTC) announced that they have signed a multi-year, multi-transponder deal on ABS-6, C-band. The capacity agreement will provide Internet connectivity to support FSMTC’s growing business.