Satellite News

The launcher for Arianespace’s next Soyuz mission from the Spaceport in French Guiana is completing its initial checkout for a flight in the second half of 2012, which will carry another two spacecraft for Europe’s Galileo satellite navigation constellation.

Rocket: Chang Zheng 2D; Payload: Tian-Hui 1B (TH-1B); Date: 6 May 2012, 0710 UTC; Launch site: Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China. The mapping satellite has entered its preset orbit, Chinese media reported.
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Russia’s Energomash has reportedly started development of a new rocket engine which could reduce the cost of rocket launches and avoid the need to produce hydrogen for fuel.
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SpaceX now plans to launch its Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Dragon capsule on 19 May, the company said.
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Spaceflight Inc. (Spaceflight) unveiled its SHERPA in-space tug, which is dedicated to hosting and deploying small and secondary payloads.
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Rocket: Atlas V/Centaur; Payload: AEHF-2; Date: 4 May 2012, 1842 UTC; Launch site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, USA. Ground controllers have established communications with the spacecraft and confirmed the craft is operating properly.

Aerojet announced that its AJ26 engine successfully completed a hot-fire test yesterday at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. Orbital Sciences Corporation (Orbital), Aerojet and NASA monitored the full-duration test in support of the Antares rocket programme. This is the eighth AJ26 engine to be tested at Stennis.

OHB System AG officially opened its new satellite integration hall. The new integration hall bears the name of the Galileo satellite navigation system.