Satellite News

Northrop Grumman Corporation with Scaled Composites and Virgin Galactic is developing a preliminary design and flight demonstration plan for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Experimental Spaceplane XS-1 programme.

Rocket: Chang Zheng-4B; Payload: Gaofen-2, BRITE-PL-2 “Heweliusz” (aka CanX-3D); Date: 19 August 2014, 0315 UTC; Launch site: Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, China. The launch of the high-definition Earth observation satellite was succesful, according to the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND).

Aerojet Rocketdyne announced that its Low Earth Orbiting Nanosatellite Integrated Defense Autonomous System (LEONIDAS) first stage solid propellant rocket motor (LEO-46) successfully completed a hot-fire static test at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

A Russian-Ukrainian Dnepr with Japanese satellites aboard will be launched from Yasny in early October, a source in the Russian Military Industrial Commission was quoted as saying.

The return of Optus 10 to French Guiana has set the stage for a new phase of payload preparations at the Spaceport with Arianespace’s next Ariane 5 mission, which is scheduled for a lift-off carrying this multi-mission satellite and its Measat-3b co-passenger on 11 September.

Rocket: Atlas V 401; Payload: WorldView-3; Date: 13 August 2014, 1830 UTC; Launch site: Vandenberg Air Force Base, USA. This was the fourth successful ULA launch in six weeks and the 87th successful mission since the company was formed in December 2006.

Preparations for Arianespace’s next Ariane 5 mission marked an important milestone this week with the vehicle’s transfer from the Launcher Integration Building – where it was assembled, to the Final Assembly Building – where the dual-passenger payload will be installed.

Rocket: Chang Zheng 4C; Payload: Yaogan XX (Yaogan Weixing-20); Date: 9 August 2014, 0545 UTC; Launch site: Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China.