Satellite News

The Planetary Society announced the first of its LightSail spacecraft will embark on a May 2015 test flight. Funded entirely by private citizens, the solar sail satellite will hitch a ride to space aboard an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

In preparation of the launches of the ESA Copernicus Sentinel-3A and Sentinel-2B satellites on Rokot in 2015 and 2016, the launch adapters for these missions were fit-checked successfully.

Following intense work during the past weeks between all partners involved with the EDRS programme, in particular the European Commission, ESA and Airbus, the business prospects of EDRS have been consolidated.

Integral, one of ESA’s longest-serving and most successful space observatories, has begun a series of four thruster burns carefully designed to balance its scientific life with a safe reentry in 2029.

Preparations for the launch of the second Global Xpress satellite, Inmarsat-5 F2 (I-5 F2), are now at an advanced stage at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

SES S.A. announced that the company has selected Arianespace to launch the powerful new hybrid communications satellite, SES-12, on board an Ariane 5 booster from the European Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana, during Q4 2017. This will be the 40th launch of an SES spacecraft on board an European Ariane launch vehicle.

Rocket: Atlas V; Payload: MUOS-3; Date: 21 January 2015, 0104 UTC; Launch site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, USA. The satellite was deployed into geostationary transfer orbit and is responding to commands.

Russian rocket manufacturer Energia is currently in talks with United Launch Alliance over a contract to deliver 30 additional RD-180 rocket engines, Energia head Vladimir Solntsev was quoted as saying.