Satellite News

NASA has selected Dynetics, Inc. of Huntsville, Alabama, to develop and build a universal stage adapter for the agency’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.

SpaceX will fly its first mission for the U.S. Air Force in August when it launches the military’s X-37B miniature spaceplane, Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson said. Four previous X-37B missions were launched by United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rockets.

Rocket: GSLV Mk III; Payload: GSAT-19; Date: 5 June 2017, 1158 UTC; Launch site: Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota, India. The new rocket,the most powerful ever built by India, placed the 3,136-kilogram GSAT-19 communications satellite into an on-target Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit. The separation occurred around 16 minutes after lift-off.

Rocket: Falcon 9; Payload: Dragon; Date: 3 June 2017, 2107:38; Launch site: Kennedy Space Center, USA. It is SpaceX’s eleventh Commercial Resupply Services mission (CRS-11) to the International Space Station.

Following the launch of the Eutelsat 172B satellite, Eutelsat Communications announced a new launch services contract with Arianespace.

Rocket: H-IIA No. 34; Payload: Michibiki 2; Date: 1 June 2017, 0017 UTC; Launch site: Tanegashima Space Center, Japan. The launch and flight proceeded as planned and the separation of the satellite was confirmed 28 minutes 21 seconds after lift-off.

Rocket: Ariane 5 ECA; Payload: ViaSat-2, Eutelsat 172B; Date: 1 June 2017, 2345 UTC; Launch site: Kourou, French Guiana. The successful mission set a record for the total mass carried into geostationary transfer orbit.

The sixth Arianespace launch of 2017 is approved for lift-off on 1/2 June (UTC) from the Spaceport in French Guiana, with its dual-satellite payload of ViaSat-2 and Eutelsat 172B.