Satellite News

Rocket: Falcon 9; Payload: JCSAT-16; Date: 14 August 2016, 0526 UTC; Launch site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, USA. After its deployment into geostationary transfer orbit, the satellite is performing post-launch manoeuvres according to plan.

NASA and Orbital ATK announced that data gathered and reviewed to date from the second five-segment qualification motor (QM-2) test show the solid rocket motor manufactured by Orbital ATK performed as designed.

Rocket: Chang Zheng 4C; Payload: GaoFen-3; Date: 9 August 2016, 2255 UTC; Launch site: Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, China. The radar reconnaissance satellite was catalogued in a 735 km x 747 km x 98.4 degrees sun-synchronous orbit.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) decided to postpone the launch of the H-IIB Launch Vehicle No. 6 with the H-II Transfer Vehicle “KOUNOTORI6” (HTV6) onboard from the Tanegashima Space Center.

Orbital ATK completed a stage test at the end of May and final data review has confirmed the test was successful, clearing the way for the Antares return to flight, now expected for the second half of September.

The U.S. Air Force and Lockheed Martin delivered the next Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) satellite to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on 2 August ahead of its October launch.

Officials with SSC, the Swedish Space Corporation, and Millennium Space Systems of El Segundo, Calif., announced they are teaming together on the first-ever ALTAIR launch to provide customisation and rapid constellation production for Millennium’s customers.

The next Ariane 5 rocket was rolled out from the Launcher Integration Building at the Spaceport in French Guiana to the Final Assembly Building. This process formally transferred authority for the heavy-lift vehicle to Arianespace from production prime contractor Airbus Safran Launchers.