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[Via Satellite 08-28-2014] Brazil’s Institute of Aeronautics and Space (IAE) plans to conduct a sounding rocket test at the Alcântara Launch Center in São Luis, Maranhão on Aug. 29. Launch VS-30 V13, designated Operation Fox, is the first Brazilian space vehicle to use liquid propellant. Orbital Engineering and the IAE manufactured the liquid propellant, which...

[Via Satellite 08-27-2014] SpaceX has decided to reschedule the launch of AsiaSat 6, previously slated for today, in order to review all potential failure modes and contingencies. The company expects the inspection will take one to two weeks to complete. Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, said that while the most likely outcome is no change,...

[Via Satellite 08-27-2014] The European Space Agency (ESA), having established control of the latest two Galileo satellites launched Aug. 22 by an Arianespace Soyuz rocket into an unintended orbit, is preparing to continue using the satellites. Intended for a circular Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), the satellites experienced a launch anomaly placing them in an elliptical orbit...

[Via Satellite 08-25-2014] The Aug. 22 Soyuz launch originally celebrated as the beginning of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) fast-paced deployment of the Galileo Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is now the subject of investigation after officials discovered the two satellites did not reach their intended orbits. The first two Full Operational Capability (FOC) satellites,...

[Via Satellite 08-25-2014] The United States Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (AFSPC) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) on a new booster as well as a potential new launch system for the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program. Conclusions drawn from the RFI process may constitute sufficient market research for a follow-on...

[Via Satellite 08-25-2014] On Aug. 22, SpaceX conducted a test of a reusable rocket in McGregor, Texas. The rocket, a three-engine version of the Falcon 9R, experienced an anomaly resulting in automatic termination by its flight termination system. SpaceX said in a statement that detecting vehicle anomalies during testing is the purpose of its Research...

[Via Satellite 08-25-2014] Lockheed Martin has finalized the purchase of Astrotech Corporation’s Space Operations business, first announced in May 2014. Now complete, Astrotech Space Operations is a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, and will report to the company’s Space Systems business area. Astrotech Space Operations has assisted more than 300 launches, providing final testing...

**Update: On Saturday Aug. 23, 2014, Arianespace discovered that the satellites were injected into the wrong orbit. Further details will come soon.** [Via Satellite 08-22-2014] Following a one-day weather-induced delay, Arianespace has launched Galileo satellites 5 and 6 for the European Space Agency (ESA). A Soyuz rocket carried the spacecraft to Medium Earth Orbit (MEO),...

[Via Satellite 08-22-2014] Sea Launch is reducing its head count among staff at both its Nyon, Switzerland headquarters and at Energia Logistics’ Long Beach, Calif. site to compensate for the lack of launches this year. Sea Launch is also temporarily taking its Launch Commander and Odyssey vessels out of service, a move the company said...

[Via Satellite 08-21-2014] Small satellite launch company Firefly Space Systems has teamed up with Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) and ANSYS to conduct rocket simulations using the Stampede supercomputer. Firefly will use TACC’s supercomputer to run ANSYS software analysis for simulations of rocket subsystems. According to the company, this method reduces the amount of time...