Satellite News

China’s Smart Dragon-1 (SD-1) rocket will carry a satellite developed by a commercial Chinese space company in its upcoming launch, the Beijing Daily reported.

NASA has selected two proposals to demonstrate small satellite technologies to improve science observations in deep space, which could help NASA develop better models to predict space weather events that can affect astronauts and spacecraft.

Sierra Nevada Corporation has selected United Launch Alliance (ULA) as the launch vehicle provider for the Dream Chaser spacecraft’s six NASA missions to the International Space Station. The Dream Chaser will launch aboard ULA’s Vulcan Centaur rockets for its cargo resupply and return services to the space station, starting in 2021.

At the Baikonur cosmodrome, preparations are continuing for the test launch of the Soyuz MS-14 transport spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a Soyuz-2.1a.

The final orbit raising manoeuvre of Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft was successfully carried out on 13 August 2019 at 2051 UTC. During this manoeuvre, the spacecraft’s liquid engine was fired for about 1203 seconds. With this, Chandrayaan-2 entered the Lunar Transfer Trajectory. Earlier, the spacecraft’s orbit was progressively increased five times during 23 July to 06 August 2019.

As the second ExoMars mission, comprising a rover and surface science platform, progresses towards launch next year, teams continue to troubleshoot the parachute design following an unsuccessful high-altitude drop test last week, ESA said.

Kleos space S.A. has changed launch provider for its Scouting Mission satellites which will now launch into a 37-degree inclination. Following the recent postponement of the launch of Kleos’ Scouting Mission satellites, the company investigated other available launch options with launch and mission management provider Spaceflight Inc. that would meet immediate market demand and potentially increase the value of the data collected.

Technicians and engineers recently successfully commanded the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to deploy the support structure that holds its secondary mirror in place.