Satellite News

Northrop Grumman Corporation recently conducted its first ground test of a 160-cm diameter Graphite Epoxy Motor (GEM 63) in Promontory, Utah. Utilising advanced technologies, the company developed this new rocket motor for use on the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V launch vehicle.

A pair of robot rovers have landed on an asteroid and begun a survey, Japan’s space agency JAXA said, as it conducts a mission aiming to shed light on the origins of the solar system. The rover mission marks the world’s first moving, robotic observation of an asteroid surface.

Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited has received its second patent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), titled, “Methods and Systems for Improving Spectrum Utilisation for Satellite Communications” (US Patent No. 10,050,698 B2).

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) have postponed the launch of the H-IIB Launch Vehicle No. 7 (H-IIB F7) which carries aboard the H-II Transfer Vehicle “KOUNOTORI7” (HTV7).

Arianespace has been selected by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute to launch KOMPSAT-7. Using a Vega C launcher, the mission will be conducted from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana, from December 2021.

US orbital launch provider Rocket Lab has signed a contract with Luxembourg-based satellite technology company Kleos Space to launch the scouting mission satellites that will geolocate maritime radio to guard borders, protect assets and save lives.

The European Space Agency (ESA) has commissioned Airbus for two studies for possible European involvement in the future human base in lunar orbit. The Gateway, previously known as the Deep Space Gateway (DSG) or Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway (LOP-G), is a project involving the US, Russian, Canadian, Japanese and European space agencies (NASA, Roskosmos, CSA, JAXA and ESA).

Russia’s navigation satellite GLONASS-M number 754 has been withdrawn from the orbital group, which now consists of 23 operational satellites.