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[Via Satellite 12-17-2015] The European Space Agency (ESA) and Arianespace have announced the signature of the launch services contract for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), to be orbited by an Ariane 5 ECA launch vehicle from the Guiana Space Center in October 2018. The Integrated Science Instrument Module, with all four flight instruments integrated,...

[Via Satellite 12-16-2015] TeLEOS 1, the first Singapore-produced commercial satellite, launched Dec. 16 aboard a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) into a 550 km Near Equatorial Orbit (NEqO). Produced by Singapore Technologies Electronics Limited (ST Electronics), the electronics arm of Singapore Technologies Engineering (ST Engineering), the 400 kg...

[Via Satellite 12-14-2015] O3b Networks has reached an agreement with Arianespace to launch four new High Throughput Satellites (HTS) aboard a Soyuz rocket in 2018. A few days ago O3b ordered eight additional satellites from Thales Alenia Space, expanding its constellation to 20 spacecraft. Arianespace launched the first 12 O3b satellites to their Medium Earth...

[Via Satellite 12-14-2015] Khrunichev Space Production and Research Center, manufacturer of the Proton launch vehicle and upcoming Angara series, launched a Proton rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on Sunday, Dec. 13 with a Russian military satellite. Khrunichev reports all aspects of the launch were nominal, including liftoff, flight, Breeze-M upper stage separation, autonomous flight, and...

[Via Satellite 12-11-2015] The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee (COMSTAC) and its International Space Policy Working Group (ISPWG) are considering expanding access to India’s launch services to the U.S. market through the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and its commercial arm, Antrix Corp. On Dec. 10, the group tabled a...

[Via Satellite 12-11-2015] SpaceX customer Orbcomm announced its launch provider is planning to conduct the static fire of its upgraded Falcon 9 rocket on Dec. 16, preceding the launch of 11 Orbcomm Second Generation (OG2) satellites. Once the static fire is completed to verify the readiness of the Falcon 9 rocket, the mission is targeted...

[Via Satellite 12-07-2015] Orbital ATK competed its fourth Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) mission for NASA Dec. 6 using an upgraded Cygnus spacecraft launched by a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas 5 rocket. Carrying 3,500 kilograms of cargo for the crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS), this mission is also the first for Orbital ATK...

[Via Satellite 12-04-2015] Azercosmos and Intelsat have chosen Arianespace to launch the Azerspace 2/Intelsat 38 telecommunications satellite. The mission is scheduled for 2017 using an Ariane 5 rocket from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana. Azerspace 2 is Azercosmos’ second telecommunications satellite, and will expand on the current capacity of the operator’s first...

[Via Satellite 12-04-2015] To accommodate an increase in the payload capability of LauncherOne, Virgin Galactic has swapped the carrier aircraft WhiteKnightTwo for a Boeing 747-400. The larger aircraft, previously operated by Virgin Atlantic under the nickname Cosmic Girl, will provide a dedicated launch platform for the LauncherOne orbital vehicle. Virgin Galactic doubled LauncherOne’s performance to...

[Via Satellite 12-03-2015] Arianespace’s Dec. 2 Vega launch of the Lisa Pathfinder space probe fulfilled the final flight of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Vega Research and Technology Accompaniment (VERTA) program to demonstrate the vehicle’s flexibility and versatility in a variety of mission types. The mission, Vega’s sixth, successfully delivered Lisa Pathfinder into an initial elliptical...