Satellite News

Rocket: Minotaur-C; Payload: six SkySat Earth Observation Satellites, four Dove CubeSats; Date: 31 October 2017, 2137 UTC; Launch site: Vandenberg Air Force Base, USA. The rocket lifted off as planned. Confirmation of orbit insertion and payload deployments were not available at the time of writing this.

For its 10th launch of the year, and the 11th Vega mission since this launcher began its career at the Guiana Space Center in 2012, Arianespace will orbit the MOHAMMED VI – A satellite (also known as MN35-A or Morocco EO Sat 1).

Rocket: Falcon 9; Payload: Koreasat 5A; Date: 30 October 2017, 1934 UTC; Launch site: Kennedy Space Center, USA. Falcon 9 delivered the Koreasat-5A satellite to its targeted orbit and the satellite was deployed approximately 36 minutes after lift-off.

Orbital ATK announced it is in final preparations to launch the company’s Minotaur C rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, on 31 October at approximately 2137 UTC.

A Vulcain rocket engine recently arrived in Germany ahead of its first test firing in December to demonstrate new capabilities and technologies developed for Ariane 6.

SSL has signed a contract to provide a powerful multi-mission communications satellite called Star One D2 to Embratel Star One.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced the launch schedule for Global Changing Observation Mission – Climate “SHIKISAI” (GCOM-C) and Super Low Altitude Test Satellite “TSUBAME” (SLATS) by H-IIA launch vehicle No. 37.

Arianespace and Inmarsat announced the signature of the launch contract for Inmarsat’s Global Xpress-5 (GX-5) very high throughput communications satellite.