Satellite News

International Launch Services (ILS) and Intelsat S.A. have signed a contract for two firm ILS Proton launch missions.

Europe’s fourth Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) to service the International Space Station is entering its final preparation phase for a planned Ariane 5 launch this spring from French Guiana on Arianespace’s Flight VA213.

The launch of the U.S. Air Force’s Wideband Global SATCOM mission on a United Launch Alliance Delta IV vehicle has been placed on the 45th Space Wing range schedule for 8 May.

China will launch the first satellite for its high-resolution system for Earth observation in April.

A EUR438 million contract securing Europe’s access to space has been signed by Antonio Fabrizi, ESA Director of Launchers, and Bernard Chemoul, Director of both France’s CNES space agency and the Guiana Space Centre.

Rocket: Soyuz-FG; Payload: Soyuz TMA-08M; Date: 28 March 2013, 2043 UTC; Launch site: Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The manned Soyuz capsule separated from the rocket as planned nine minutes after lift-off.

ATK successfully tested its newly developed CASTOR 30XL upper stage solid rocket motor at the U.S. Air Force’s Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC) in Tennessee.

International Launch Services (ILS) announced that it has successfully carried the Satmex 8 satellite into orbit on an ILS Proton launch vehicle for Satelites Mexicanos S.A. de C.V.