Satellite News

Inmarsat has been awarded a contract by the European Space Agency (ESA) as the Prime Contractor for the new “PACIS-6” Govsatcom Precursor project.

Viasat Inc. confirmed it will not be moving forward with Eutelsat Communications on a deal for use of the ViaSat-3 satellite, due to Eutelsat’s decision to pursue a local market alternative.

Payload: Ariane 5 ECA; Payload: DNS-1/Superbird-8, HYLAS 4; Date: 5 April 2018, 2254 UTC; Launch site: Kourou, French Guiana. The satellites were successfully deployed into geostationary transfer orbit just under 34 minutes after lift-off.

The first nozzle of the P120 solid rocket motor common to the future European launchers has just left for the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou (French Guiana). It will be fitted to the body of the booster intended for the first firing test on the solid rocket booster test stand (BEAP).

Eutelsat Communications announced the order of a next-generation VHTS satellite system named KONNECT VHTS (Very High Throughput Satellite) to support the development of its European fixed broadband and in-flight connectivity businesses.

US orbital launch provider Rocket Lab confirmed it will open a 14-day launch window this month to conduct the company’s first fully commercial launch.

China Wednesday received the first package of data from the three high-resolution Gaofen-1 satellites launched on 31 March, according to the Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Two instruments built by Northrop Grumman Corporation for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) newest weather satellite were activated and are successfully performing post-launch procedures after reaching orbit.