Satellite News

Rocket: H-IIA; Payload: Global Changing Observation Mission – Climate “SHIKISAI” (GCOM-C) and the Super Low Altitude Test Satellite “TSUBAME” (SLATS); Date: 23 December 2017, 0126 UTC; Launch site: Tanegashima Space Center, Japan. The launch and flight of H-IIA F37 proceeded as planned.

Rocket: Falcon 9; Payload: 10 Iridium NEXT satellites; Date: 23 December 2017, 0127 UTC; Launch site: Vandenberg Air Force Base, USA. The successful launch marks the midway point of the Iridium NEXT launch programme, and was the first Iridium launch to use a recycled SpaceX rocket.

Rocket: Chang Zheng 2D; Payload: LKW-2 (Land Survey Satellite-2); Date: 23 December 2017, 0414 UTC; Launch site: Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre, China. The land exploration satellite was successfully deployed into a preset orbit.

SES-14, the first ever all-electric satellite in the 4-tonne class, has left the Airbus Defence and Space clean rooms in Toulouse. The spacecraft will be delivered to French Guiana for its launch from Kourou CSG (Guiana Space Center), by Ariane 5, in January 2018.