Satellite News

The launch of GLONASS-M satellite No. 53 from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in north Russia aboard a a Soyuz-2.1b has been rescheduled from 21 to 29 May, Reshetnev Information Satellite Systems CEO Nikolay Testoyedov said.

The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory and contractor Aerojet Rocketdyne achieved a major milestone under the Hydrocarbon Boost programme, which is advancing U.S. rocket engine technologies in support of next generation launch. The Hydrocarbon Boost (HCB) programme completed full power, full duration tests of the oxygen-rich staged combustion (ORSC) sub-scale preburner. Testing was conducted at the historic rocket Test Stand 2A at Edwards Air Force Base.

The ultra-black Vantablack surface coating material has made its space debut in an optical instrument on board the Kent Ridge 1 satellite. The material’s ability to absorb virtually all incident light improves the performance of the satellite’s star tracker-based positioning control system.

The second Angara-A5 rocket is scheduled to blast off from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in December, a source in the space rocket industry was quoted as saying by TASS.

Space Systems Loral (SSL) announced that it was selected to provide a high power communications satellite for Intelsat S.A.

ISS-Reshetnev company won a contract from the national satellite fleet operator Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC) to design and manufacture two communications and broadcasting satellites.

Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) has delivered the 22nd Galileo navigation payload, the last under Galileo Full Operational Capability (FOC) Works Orders 1 & 2, to prime contractor OHB System in Bremen, Germany.

A team led by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has made the first direct detection of the source of magnetic reconnection. Analysing data from NASA’s Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission, scientists have observed how this explosive physical process converts stored magnetic energy into kinetic energy and heat.