Satellite News

Rocket: Falcon 9; Payload: 10 Iridium NEXT satellites; Date: 23 December 2017, 0127 UTC; Launch site: Vandenberg Air Force Base, USA. The successful launch marks the midway point of the Iridium NEXT launch programme, and was the first Iridium launch to use a recycled SpaceX rocket.

Rocket: Chang Zheng 2D; Payload: LKW-2 (Land Survey Satellite-2); Date: 23 December 2017, 0414 UTC; Launch site: Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre, China. The land exploration satellite was successfully deployed into a preset orbit.

Arianespace has signed a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) to launch CHEOPS (the CHaracterising ExOPlanet Satellite), which is its upcoming exoplanet mission as part of ESA’s science programme.

On 16 December 2017, assembly teams of RSC Energia, S.A.Lavochkin NPO and branch TsENKI of Space Center “Yuzhny” completed assembly of the ascent unit for launch of the integrated launch vehicle (ILV) consisting of the Zenit-2SB launch vehicle, Fregat-SB upper stage and Angosat telecommunication spacecraft (SC) in the integration and test facility of Site 31 of the Baikonur Launch Site.

With the successful conclusion of Maturity Gate 6.2, ArianeGroup and its industrial partners are moving into an important new phase in the development of Ariane 6, a flagship European Space Agency (ESA) programme. This review confirmed that the industrial process of Ariane 6 is mature enough to start construction of the first launcher, in line with the programme’s objectives.

Rocket: Soyuz FG; Payload: Soyuz MS-07; Date: 17 December 2017, 0721 UTC; Launch site: Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The crewed spacecraft will use a two-day flight for approaching the ISS. The spacecraft docking to the station is planned on 19 December 2017.

Rocket: Falcon 9; Payload: Dragon CRS-13; Date: 15 December 2017, 1536 UTC; Launch site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, USA. SpaceX confirmed that the launch sent the Dragon into a “good orbit”.

Rocket Lab has delayed its second test flight of the Electron rocket until early 2018.