Satellite News

This week, the largest solid rocket motor ever built in one piece will be test fired at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana for the first time.

The MetOp-C launch campaign has kicked off with the first of three Antonovs landing at Cayenne Airport, French Guiana on 20 June.

ISRO carried out a major technology demonstration on 5 July, the first in a series of tests to qualify a Crew Escape System, which is a critical technology relevant for human spaceflight.

Europe’s next four Galileo satellites have been fuelled at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, in preparation for their launch on 25 July.

Russia does not have enough time to launch three Soyuz-ST launch vehicles from French Guiana before the end of 2018 as planned.

China aims to develop a new series of small, medium, large and heavy-lift Chang Zheng carrier rockets by 2030 to meet the demands of its space operations, according to an expert.

Rocket: Falcon 9; Payload: Dragon (CRS-15); Date: 29 June 2018, 0942 UTC; Launch site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, USA. Dragon separated from Falcon 9’s second stage about nine minutes and thirty seconds after lift-off and is on its way to the International Space Station, currently expected to arrive on 2 July.

Rocket: Chang Zheng 2C; Payload: ‘New Technology Test’ A and B; Date: 27 June 2018, 0330 UTC; Launch site: Xichang Satellite Launch Centre, China. The twin satellites entered their intended orbit 30 minutes after lift-off.