Satellite News

Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. announced that Intelsat completed a strategic selection process and placed a significant initial order for Gilat’s new SkyEdge IV platform, which will be used for its latest high throughput satellite, Intelsat IS-40e, designed to augment inflight connectivity and mobile backhaul services over North America.

Orbital Insight announced that it has been awarded a contract from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to deliver a new technology platform for identifying intentional Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) interference and manipulation operations across the world.

NASA conducted its second RS-25 engine hot fire test of the new year 8 February on the Fred Haise Test Stand at Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.

Spire Globa and Exolaunch have closed a new contract for a multi-launch agreement (MLA). Through this MLA, Spire gains fast and regular access to space for its own satellite constellation as well as for all of its customers to enhance Spire’s “space-as-a-service” offerings.

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. announced the launch window for a dedicated Electron mission for Japanese Earth imaging company Synspective. The 14-day launch window opens on 28 February UTC and will lift-off from Rocket Lab’s Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand.

Rocket: Soyuz-2.1b/Fregat; Payload: 34 OneWeb satellites (OneWeb 13); Date: 10 February 2022, 1809 UTC; Launch site: Sinnamary, French Guiana. The launch went ahead as planned. The mission was expected to be completed 3 hours, 33 minutes after lift-off [too late for this issue.]

The launch of Astra’s 3.3 rocket (LV 0008) ended in failure for a reason yet unknown. The rocket appeared to have reached an altitude of 104 km and then experienced a malfunction, sending the second stage tumbling after separation. Further details were not available at the time of writing this.