Satellite News

Launch preparation activity is underway for Arianespace’s initial mission in 2017, with an all-new type of telecommunications satellite now delivered to the Spaceport for lift-off on a Soyuz launcher from French Guiana in January.

A United Launch Alliance Delta IV Medium+ (5,4) configuration will launch the eighth Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS-8) mission for the U.S. Air Force on 7/8 December 2016 (UTC) from Space Launch Complex-37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

Iridium Communications Inc. announced the date for the first launch of its next-generation global satellite constellation, Iridium NEXT. Iridium will be launching on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket on 16 December 2016 at 0836 UTC. Launching from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the Falcon 9 rocket will deliver 10 Iridium NEXT satellites into low-earth orbit.

India’s Resourcesat-2A is scheduled to be launched on 7 December 2016 at 0454 UTC aboard PSLV-C36 from SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota.

United Launch Alliance (ULA) announced a new website that the company says enhances the way customers shop for launch services and sets a new standard for pricing transparency. It also provides insight into reliability, schedule assurance and performance, allowing users to make a true value comparison.

The representatives of the Technical Management and State Commission at Baikonur cosmodrome issued a decision on readiness of the Rocket and Space Complex (RSC) consisting of new-series logistics vehicle Progress MS-04 and Soyuz-U launch vehicle for their roll out and erection on the launch pad.

NASA’s Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) mission is currently scheduled for launch on Monday, 12 December.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. and JAXA will launch the H-IIA Launch Vehicle No. 32 with the X-band defence telecommunication satellite-2 (DSN-2, Kirameki-2) in January.