Satellite News

Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) was awarded a launch reservation contract with MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. to support the largest space programme to date in Canada, carrying the three satellites to orbit that will make up the Radarsat Constellation Mission (RCM) on a Falcon 9 rocket in 2018.

Rocket: Soyuz-U; Payload: Progress M-20M; Date:…Read more

Rocket: Ariane 5 ECA; Payload: Alphasat, INSAT 3D; Date: 25 July 2013, 1954 UTC; Launch site: Kourou, French Guiana. Both satellites were successfully deployed into geostationary transfer orbit in yet another flawless Ariane 5 mission.

The next Ariane mission, designated Flight VA215 in Arianespace’s launcher family numbering system, is to carry the Eutelsat 25B/Es’hail-1 and GSAT-7 telecommunications satellites on 29 August.

During the last eight days, the United Launch Alliance (ULA) team has completed five major processing activities, including one launch, on three different launch pads at both Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) and Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB).

Two more Soyuz launchers have now arrived in French Guiana, joining a previously-delivered vehicle that is being readied for Arianespace’s next Spaceport mission with the medium-lift launcher.

Rocket: Chang Zheng 4C; Payload: Chuangxin-3, Shiyan-7 and Shijian-15; Date: 20 July 2013, 2337 UTC; Site: Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, China. The launch, which had not been announced previously, reportedly was successful.

Rocket: Atlas V 551; Payload: MUOS-2; Date: 19 July 2013, 1300 UTC; Launch site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, USA. The satellite, built by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. Navy, was deployed into geostationary transfer orbit and is responding to commands.