Satellite News

Venezuela’s third satellite, named after independence hero Antonio Jose de Sucre, will have remote sensing capacities and support such strategic areas as health, energy, food security, border surveillance and agricultural planning, according to Venezuela’s head of planning and information, Ricardo Menendez.

China plans to launch of a series of maritime surveillance satellites to monitor ships, drilling platforms, coastal and sea resources and natural disasters in 2019.

Venezuela signed an agreement with China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC), China’s sole commercial satellite launch service provider, to build and deliver into orbit the country’s third satellite.

With the commissioning of Sentinel-1A completed and the satellite’s transfer to the team in charge of its exploitation, its data are available to all users. This marks the beginning of the satellite’s operational life, delivering radar coverage for an array of applications in the areas of oceans, ice, changing land and emergency response.

The Exelis-built Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI) will launch on 7 October on board a Mitsubishi Electric Corporation weather satellite, Himawari-8, improving weather forecasts and early warnings for severe weather in Eastern Asia and Western Pacific. The second imager was delivered in August to Japan.

A Space Based Infrared System payload was delivered by Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems to Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company on 30 September 2014.

Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC) will complete work on a comprehensive programme to develop their orbital group for the period until 2020 by the end of next year, according to RSCC General Director Yury Prokhorov.

Russia may attempt to repeat its mission to Mars’ moon Phobos in 2023, Lev Zeleny, the head of the Russian Space Research Institute was quoted as saying.