Satellite News

International Launch Services (ILS) announced that EchoStar Communications Corporation will launch a satellite in 2008 on a Proton Briz M vehicle. But which one?

Rocket: Delta 2 (7925); Payload: THEMIS (Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms); Date: 17 February 2007, 2301 UTC; Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, USA. The five THEMIS probes separated from the rocket about 74 minutes after lift-off.

The launch of a Japanese radar spy satellite aboard an H-2A rocket has been postponed twice because of bad weather.

Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) completed a preliminary design review for its first orbital demonstration mission, and Rocketplane Kistler completed a system requirements review for its cargo services system, NASA said.

A declaration signed in Bremen, Germany confirmed an increase in Ariane 5 production rate to meet growing demand in the launch services marketplace, Arianespace said.

International Launch Services (ILS) has signed a contract for the launch of the Ciel-2 satellite on a Proton Briz M vehicle in late 2008. Financial details were not disclosed.

The launch of six experimental U.S. military satellites aboard an Atlas 5 has been delayed, and Nigeria’s NIGCOMSAT will be put in orbit two moths later than expected.

The launch of five THEMIS satellites aboard a Delta II rocket scheduled for 15 February has been postponed 24 hours.