Satellite News

The European Aviation Network (EAN) has taken to the skies. Inmarsat and Deutsche Telekom, together with their technology partners Nokia and Thales have successfully conducted a programme of test flights in the UK.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. and JAXA will launch the H-IIA Launch Vehicle No. 32 with the X-band defence telecommunication satellite-2 (DSN-2, Kirameki-2) in January.

ESA’s Science Programme Committee (SPC) confirmed two-year mission extensions for nine scientific missions in which the Agency is participating. This secures their operations until the end of 2018.

Engineering and technology group SENER and Thales Alenia Space have effectively started their pioneering agreement to execute a joint business plan that will lead the Spanish industry in the development of optical payloads for space missions.

The European Data Relay System has begun servicing Europe’s Earth observing Copernicus programme, transferring observations in quasi-real time using laser technology.

Rocket: Chang Zheng 3C/G2; Payload: Tianlian 1-4; Date: 22 November 2016, 1524 UTC; Launch site: Xichang Satellite Launch Center, China. The 2,100-kg tracking and relay satellite was placed in a geostationary transfer orbit.

NASA has selected SpaceX to provide launch services for the agency’s Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission. Launch is targeted for April 2021 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

Rocket: Atlas V 541; Payload: GOES-R (GOES-16); Date: 19 November 2016, 2342 UTC; Launch site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, USA. The Atlas V launched the GOES-R weather satellite to geosynchronous transfer orbit.