Satellite News

Mitsubishi Electric Corporationhas been selected as the contractor to supply the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) with the Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite-2 (GOSAT-2) satellite system, which is slated for launch in 2017.

Astrium has finalised its preparation of Gaia in Kourou, French Guiana. Europe’s most advanced space telescope is scheduled for launch on 19 December aboard Soyuz.

The first Trajectory Correction Manoeuvre of India’s maiden mission to Mars was carried out successfully by ISRO scientists today.

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission began its countdown on 10 December at 0043 UTC, with 999 days remaining until the opening of the mission’s launch window in September 2016.

Mars One has secured lead suppliers for its first mission to Mars. The mission, slated for a 2018 launch, will include a robotic lander and a communications satellite. Mars One has contracted Lockheed Martin and Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. (SSTL) to develop mission concept studies. The Mars lander will be built by Lockheed Martin and the communications satellite will be built by SSTL.

An Iranian aerospace official said the country plans to launch two indigenously designed and manufactured satellites by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (20 March 2014).

Kacific Broadband Satellites announced plans to launch a Ka Band High Throughput Satellite (HTS) to provide enhanced broadband to 40 million people in the Pacific including the Pacific islands, New Zealand, eastern Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

SSL announced that the ABS-2 satellite, designed and built for ABS, has arrived at the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, where it will be launched aboard an Ariane 5 launch vehicle by Arianespace.