Satellite News

Northrop Grumman Corporation successfully hot-fire tested a new type of rocket engine specifically designed to use oxygen and methane propellants that range from all-gas to all-liquid at the inlet to the thruster.

The year-end launch of RazakSAT, Malaysia’s second low Earth orbit microsatellite, from Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands, has been postponed to next year.

Rocket: Chang Zheng 4C; Payload: Yaogan 3; Date: 11 November 2007, 2248 UTC; Site: Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, China. The remote sensing satellite was placed in its target orbit 21 minutes after lift-off.

Two upcoming commercial rocket launches have been delayed.

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) announced that it has completed development of its Merlin 1C next generation liquid fuelled rocket booster engine.

Rocket: Delta IV Heavy; Payload: DSP-23; Date: 11 November 2007, 0150 UTC; Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, USA. The early warning satellite successfully separated from the launch vehicle six hours and 20 minutes after lift-off.

Ariane 5 launch of Skynet 5B, Star One C1 delayed / Another delay for first ICO satellite

The Russian government has approved proposals developed by the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roskosmos) on the creation of a new spacecraft, a carrier rocket, and a spaceport, Roskosmos head Anatoly Perminov said.