Finance

[Via Satellite 09-22-2015] Jean Floyd, former VP and general manager for Orbital ATK’s civil and defense division, has succeeded Gary Wentz as CEO of Stratolaunch Systems. Floyd has more than 30 years of industry experience; he served in the United States Air Force and worked as program manager for Orbital’s Pegasus launch system. In his...

[Via Satellite 09-21-2015] China’s Xinhua News Agency has reported the successful launch of the Long March 6 rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China’s Shanxi Province. The new carrier rocket, designed mainly for the launch of micro-satellites, orbited 20-such spacecraft during the mission. Xinhua said the satellites will be used for space...

[Via Satellite 09-18-2015] SpaceX has received a contract from Saudi Arabia based satellite operator Arabsat for the launch of Arabsat 6A aboard a Falcon Heavy rocket. The mission is planned for 2018. Under construction by Lockheed Martin, Arabsat 6A will be located at 30.5 degrees east. This satellite, along with Hellas-Sat 4/SaudiGeoSat 1, will grow...

[Via Satellite 09-16-2015] SSL has selected Arianespace to launch the BSAT 4a satellite currently under construction for Japan’s Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT). The launch agreement is part of a turnkey contract between the satellite manufacturer and B-SAT. Arianespace is scheduled to launch the satellite aboard an Ariane 5 rocket in late 2017 from the...

[Via Satellite 09-15-2015] Jeff Bezos, founder of Blue Origin, announced today that the company plans to build and launch reusable orbital rockets from Cape Canaveral, Fla.’s Complex 36 launch site. Bezos said Blue Origin will also build a production facility to manufacture a reusable fleet of orbital launchers and ready them for repeat flights. Blue...

[Via Satellite 09-15-2015] Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC)’s latest satellite Express AM8 launched Sept. 14 aboard a Proton rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The company currently has control of the satellite and scheduled operations are under way to deploy onboard equipment. Express АМ8 will be stationed in Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) at 14 degrees west...

[Via Satellite 09-15-2015] Virgin Galactic has nearly doubled the amount of payload its LauncherOne can deliver to Low Earth Orbit. The company is offering missions with the air-launched vehicle to lift 200 kg to a standard Sun-synchronous orbit, for less than $10 million, and to lower LEO orbits. The system will be capable of launching...

[Via Satellite 09-14-2015] International Launch Services (ILS) has appointed Kirk Pysher, formerly VP of mission assurance and product development, as president of the company. He takes over leadership from Phil Slack who served as president of ILS since 2012. Pysher was appointed to the ILS board of directors, which consists of senior level representatives from...

[Via Satellite 09-14-2015] Spanish satellite operator Hispasat has reached launch agreements with International Launch Services (ILS) and Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) to launch its Hispasat 1F and Amazonas 5 satellites. ILS will conduct a launch with the Proton rocket, and SpaceX will use the Falcon 9 vehicle. Which company will launch which satellite has not...

[Via Satellite 09-11-2015] United Launch Alliance (ULA) and Blue Origin have signed a new agreement to expand production capabilities for the American-made BE-4 engine that will power the Vulcan next generation launch system. Under development by Blue Origin for more than three years, the BE-4 is to replace the Russian-built RD-180 engine currently used in...