Satellite News

Reports about an ageing Russian spy satellite that failed and “exploded” over the U.S. appear to be exaggerated. Nonetheless, something likely did go wrong.

The five geckos onboard Russia’s Foton-M4 satellite died simultaneously two days before landing because of a technical malfunction, the leading scientist of the experiment, Sergei Savelyev, was quoted as saying.

Operations continue smoothly for the Galileo spacecraft recently launched into wrong orbit. Both satellites now have both sets of their solar arrays fully deployed and generating power. Meanwhile, Russian newspaper Izvestia reported that the failure was likely caused by software errors in the Fregat upper-stage.

ESA said that work at the agency’s ESOC control centre continues relentlessly on the two Galileo satellites which ended up in a wrong orbit after launch aboard a Soyuz/Fregat.

The launch of the first two Galileo FOC satellites aboard a Soyuz has not been as successful as initially claimed in statements by Arianespace and ESA. In fact, the rocket’s Fregat upper stage failed to place the two spacecraft in their target orbits.

One of the four Galileo In-Orbit Validation (IOV) satellites has apparently permanently failed for reasons yet unknown. The problem is not expected to affect the launch of the Galileo Full Operational Capability (FOC) satellites currently scheduled for next month.

Russia’s Progress space firm confirmed that the recently launched Foton-M4 satellite was not responding to commands from the ground to start its onboard engine and lift it to a higher orbit.

The Russian communication satellite Yamal-201 could not be recovered after a malfunction in June and was declared a total loss.