Satellite News

Rocket: Falcon 9; Payload: 10 Iridium NEXT satellites; Date: 25 June 2017, 2025 UTC; Launch site: Vandenberg Air Force Base, USA. The satellites were deployed into low-Earth orbit approximately one hour after lift-off.

Space Systems Loral (SSL) announced that the BulgariaSat-1 satellite, designed and built for Bulgaria Sat, an affiliate of Bulsatcom, is successfully performing post-launch manoeuvres according to plan.

Rocket: PSLV C38 ‘XL’; Payload: Cartosat-2E, 30 other satellites; Date: 23 June 2017, 0359 UTC; Launch site: Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, India. The rocket launched the 712 kg Cartosat-2 series satellite for Earth observation and 30 co-passenger satellites (total mass: about 243 kg) into a 505 km polar Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO).

Rocket: Soyuz 2-1v/Volga; Payload: classified; Date: 23 June 2017, 1804 UTC; Launch site: Plesetsk, Russia. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the launch went as scheduled.

Rocket: Falcon 9; Payload: BulgariaSat 1; Date: 23 June 2017, 1910 UTC; Launch site: Kennedy Space Center, USA.

The European Space Agency and Airbus Safran Launchers, the 50/50 joint-venture set up by the Airbus and Safran groups, which will become ArianeGroup have signed the first tranche of the development contract for the future Prometheus LOx-methane engine.

Orbital ATK has completed analysis of the critical components demonstrated in the Orion Launch Abort System Attitude Control Motor (ACM) test conducted at the company’s Elkton, Maryland, facility. Results from the test indicate the motor’s HT-11 ‘High Thrust’ test was fully successful.

India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, in its 40th flight (PSLV-C38), will launch the 712-kg Cartosat-2 series satellite for Earth observation and 30 co-passenger satellites into a 505 km polar Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO) on 23 June 0359 UTC.