Satellite News

The European Space Agency has published a list of events with ESA participation in 2010. According to the agency, the payload for the first Soyuz-STB lifting off from French Guiana will be Avanti Communications’ Hylas-1 satellite.

Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) said it successfully conducted a full duration orbit insertion firing of the Falcon 9 second stage at the company’s Texas test site on 2 January.

The U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center recently awarded United Launch Alliance a contract modification to perform the launch services for the Wideband Global SATCOM-4 (WGS-4) satellite aboard a Delta IV Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle.

Rocket: Proton M/Briz M; Payload: DirecTV 12; Date: 29 December 2009, 022 UTC; Launch Site: Baikonur, Kazakhstan. After a 9 hour 10 minute mission, the Briz M successfully released the DirecTV 12 satellite into geostationary transfer orbit.
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The Proton M/Briz M rocket that is to loft DirecTV 12 has been moved to its launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome.
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China plans to launch Chang’e-2, the country’s second lunar probe, at the end of 2010, according to the State Administration of Science Technology and Industry for National Defense.
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Rocket: Soyuz-FG; Payload: Soyuz TMA-17; Date: 20 December 2009, 2152 UTC; Launch Site: Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The Soyuz TMA-17 manned transport spacecraft was accurately placed on the target orbit for another mission to the International Space Station.
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ESA has signed a contract with Astrium for the initial development phase of its programme to enhance the performance of the Ariane launch vehicle and make it even more competitive.
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