Satellite News

The launch area the Plesetsk cosmodrome is being refurbished with the purpose of guaranteed reliable and safe launches of defence satellites, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

Japan’s unmanned cargo spacecraft HTV “Kounotori”, which delivers supplies to the International Space Station (ISS), may be redesigned to save cost and for multipurpose use.

SpaceX’s Dragon cargo craft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean at 1642 UTC, about 250 km southwest of Long Beach, California, marking the end of the company’s sixth contracted cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station.

Rocket: Atlas V 501; Payload: AFSPC-5 (X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle and 10 cubesats); Date: 20 May 2015, 1505 UTC; Launch site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, USA.

The “stacking” of Vega’s solid propellant propulsion systems is complete with integration of its Zefiro 9 third stage at the Spaceport in French Guiana.

NASA and its international partners agreed Tuesday to set a new schedule for spacecraft traffic to and from the International Space Station.

Data from the first five-segment qualification motor (QM-1) test conducted by Orbital ATK and NASA show the solid rocket motor performed as designed. Manufactured by Orbital ATK, the five-segment motor will be used to provide lift-off and ascent thrust for NASA’s Space Launch System, or SLS.

The Proton/Briz-M launch of Mexico’s Centenario satellite has been rescheduled. The launch, previously scheduled for 20 April, had been postponed in order to re-confirm the flight worthiness of the Centenario satellite.