Satellite News

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has put off this month’s launch of Cartosat-2, its long-delayed advanced remote sensing satellite, to January according to PTI news agency.

Rocket: Delta II 7925-10L; Payload: Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO A, STEREO B); Date: 26 October 2006, 0052 UTC; Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, USA. Following a 25-minute flight, the Delta II placed the spacecraft in a highly elliptical, near escape orbit to complete the mission.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has announced 16 December as date for the launch of its eleventh H-IIA rocket.

Rocket: Chang Zheng 4B; Payload: Shijian 6-2A, Shijian 6-2B (?); Date: 23 October 2006, 2343 UTC; Launch Site: Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The launch, which hadn’t previously been announced, was successful.

Rocket: Soyuz-U; Payload: Progress M-58 (Progress 23P); Date: 23 October 2006, 1340 UTC; Launch Site: Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The Progress cargo spacecraft was successfully placed on the target orbit for another mission to the International Space Station.

Alliant Techsystems has received a US$17.5 million contract from Orbital Sciences Corporation for CASTOR 120 motors.

Rocket: Soyuz 2-1a; Payload: MetOp-A; Date: 19 October 2006, 1628 UTC; Launch Site: Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Some 69 minutes after launch, the Fregat upper stage released the first European polar-orbiting weather satellite at an altitude of 837km.

The launch of Russia’s Soyuz 2-1a/ST with the European MetOp-A weather satellite aboard has been delayed by one day, the country’s Federal Space Agency said according to Russian news agencies.