Satellite News

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 will launch the GPS IIF-11 mission for the U.S. Air Force Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on 30 October 2015.

For the first time in almost 40 years, a NASA human-rated rocket has completed all steps needed to clear a critical design review (CDR). The agency’s Space Launch System (SLS) is the first exploration class rocket since the Saturn V.

Arianespace recently signed extensions to its ground service contracts covering the operation of the three launch complexes at the Guiana Space Center, for the Ariane 5, Soyuz and Vega launchers. These agreements will extend by three years, through the end of 2019, the contracts that first took effect on 1 January 2012.

Pre-launch activity for Arianespace’s Ariane 5 mission on 10 November is gearing up – with both satellite passengers undergoing preparations in French Guiana.

International Launch Services successfully launched the TURKSAT 4B satellite into a 9,169 km x 35,759 km x 13 degrees geostationary transfer orbit on an ILS Proton vehicle. The satellite was built by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation for Turksat Satellite Communication, Cable TV and Operation Inc. Co. (Turksat A.S.). This was the second Proton launch for both the satellite operator and the manufacturer; it was also the 6th Proton launch of the year.

International Launch Services successfully launched the TURKSAT 4B satellite into a 9,169 km x 35,759 km x 13 degrees geostationary transfer orbit on an ILS Proton vehicle. The satellite was built by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation for Turksat Satellite Communication, Cable TV and Operation Inc. Co. (Turksat A.S.). This was the second Proton launch for both the satellite operator and the manufacturer; it was also the 6th Proton launch of the year.

Rocket: Proton M/Briz M; Payload: TURKSAT-4B; Date: 16 October 2015, 2040 UTC; Launch site: Baikonur, Kazakhstan.

Rocket: Chang Zheng-3B/G2; Payload: Apstar-9; Date: 16 October 2015, 1616 UTC; Launch site: Xichang Satellite Launch Center, China. 26 minutes after lift-off , the satellite successfully entered transfer orbit after separating from the rocket.