Satellite News

A Proton-M carrier rocket will orbit SatMex 8 in the first launch since the Yamal-402 satellite trouble, a spokesman for the Proton manufacturer, the Khrunichev Center, was quoted as saying.

Globalstar, Inc. announced that its fourth launch of six second generation satellites has been confirmed for 5 February 2013 at 1620 UTC.

Arianespace’s first Ariane 5 for launch in 2013 is now ready to receive its two satellite passengers after this heavy-lift launcher was moved to the Spaceport’s Final Assembly Building in French Guiana.

The launch of NASA’s TDRS-K Tracking and Data Relay Satellite aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is being rescheduled to 31 January. The launch window is 0152-0232 UTC, a duration of 40 minutes.

Japan is to launch a new spy satellite on 27 January between 0400 and 0600 UTC. An H-2A rocket carrying a radar reconnaissance satellite is scheduled to blast off from the Tanegashima space centre, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency announced.

The Sea Launch vessels have departed Sea Launch Home Port in Long Beach, California, for the equator, in preparation for the launch of the Intelsat 27 satellite. Liftoff is scheduled for 0656 UTC on 31 January) at the opening of the 58-minute launch window.

After in-orbit testing, the Yamal-300K satellite was put into commercial operation. The spacecraft is operated from the Mission Control Center of Gazprom Space Systems, located in Schelkovo, Moscow region.

Roskosmos and ESA will sign a final agreement on 15 March on the ExoMars project, whose goal is to send unmanned probes to Mars, Roskosmos spokeswoman Anna Vedisheva was quoted as saying.