Satellite News

Rocket: Chang Zeng 4B; Payload: Yaogan 26; Date: 27 December 2014, 0322 UTC; Launch site: Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, China. The military reconnaissance satellite was deployed into a circular 485-km orbit with an inclination of 97.4 degrees.

Rocket: Proton M/Briz M; Payload: Astra 2G; Date: 27 December 2014, 2137 UTC; Launch site: Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Successful separation of the Astra 2G satellite occurred approximately 9 hours, 12 minutes after lift-off.

Russia is looking into the possibility of moving rocket launches under the Sea Launch project to Brazil, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin was quoted as saying.

Rocket: Soyuz-2.1b (no upper stage); Payload: Resurs-P2; Date: 26 December 2014,1855 UTC; Launch site: Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The remote sensing spacecraft entered orbit successfully less than 10 minutes after the liftoff.

Rocket: Soyuz-2.1b (no upper stage); Payload: Lotos-S No. 802 (Kosmos 2503?); Date: 25 December 2014, 0301 UTC; Launch site: Plesetsk, Russia. The 6,000-kg electronic intelligence (ELINT) satellite was placed in a 242 km x 899 km x 67.2 degrees orbit.

Rocket: Angara A5.1 L/Briz M; Payload: dummy mass; Date: 23 December, 0557 UTC; Launch site: Plesetsk, Russia. In this first flight test of the newest Russian heavy-lift launch vehicle, a satellite mockup was successfully brought into geostationary orbit (but was, as per plan, not deployed).

SES S.A. announced that the Astra 2G satellite is ready for its scheduled launch on board an ILS Proton booster from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on 27 December at 2237 UTC.

Rocket: Strela; Payload: Kondor-E2; Date: 19 December, 0443 UTC; Launch site: Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The radar imaging satellites was successfully deployed to its target orbit.