Satellite News

China plans to launch its new generation Chang Zheng-7 carrier rocket between 25 and 29 June (local time) from a new launch centre in south China, according to the manned space engineering office.

Reports suggest that the launch of Japan’s Superbird 8 aboard an Ariane 5 ECA, previously scheduled for 26 July, will be delayed after the satellite was damaged during its transport to French Guiana.

According to TASS news agency, Russia is close to an agreement with China that will allow the Chinese space programme to buy RD-180 engines. This agreement would in turn give Russia access to Chinese “micro radio electronics” for space purposes.

The 48-hour countdown for the launch of India’s Cartosat-2C and 19 other satellites, slated for 22 June UTC, has begun, the Indian space agency said.

Space Systems Loral (SSL) announced that the satellites launched on 18 June aboard an Ariane 5 ECA were both successfully performing post-launch manoeuvres according to plan.

Rocket: Ariane 5 ECA; Payload: EchoStar XVIII, BRISat; Date: 18 June 2016, 2138 UTC; Launch site: Kourou, French Guiana. This heavy-lift mission delivered a total calculated mass of 10,730 kg into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) – setting a new launch benchmark for the Ariane 5 ECA version.

The launch of an Ariane 5 with the EchoStar XVIII and BRIsat satellites on board has been rescheduled for 18 June, 2030-2140 UTC. The delay was caused by high upper level winds.

During operations to transfer the Ariane 5 ECA launcher for Flight VA230, an anomaly occurred with an umbilical connection on the upper portion of the launcher.