Launch

What Stratolaunch Systems Corp. (SSC) claims is the “world’s largest aircraft” has completed its first low-speed taxi test. Scaled Composites, a Northrop Grumman subsidiary, is constructing and testing the Stratolaunch aircraft within SSC facilities at the Mojave Air & Space Port in California. (Video courtesy of Stratolaunch Systems Corp.) “It was a lot less intimidating...

Arianespace has signed a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) to launch the Characterising Exoplanet Satellite (CHEOPS), which is its upcoming exoplanet mission as part of ESA’s science program. Arianespace will launch the satellite from the Guiana Space Center, Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, between late 2018 and early 2019 using a Soyuz...

Kymeta and partner Intelsat announced that Kalo internet access is now available with broad initial geographic coverage. According to Kymeta, Kalo will make purchasing mobile satellite communications as easy to buy as a mobile phone plan. Kalo internet services, powered by the IntelsatOne Flex network, deliver connectivity when paired with Kymeta’s flat-panel, electronically-steered satellite terminals...

The Indian Space Research Organization’s (ISRO) Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) has had a high profile year, with one significant failure and another record-breaking launch. Now, the agency is pivoting to launch smallsat constellations with a new, smaller launch vehicle that would weigh just 100 tons. Read more at The Economic Times.

Vector announced it will conduct a dedicated launch in 2018 featuring one of Astro Digital’s satellites for remote sensing applications. Astro Digital plans to engage Vector to launch at least 12 such satellites as part of a larger constellation, with an option to then continue operations at a pace of two to four dedicated satellite...

SpaceX successfully completed its 13th cargo mission to the International Space Station (ISS) this afternoon. The launch marked the first time SpaceX used previously flown hardware — a Falcon 9 and Dragon capsule — to send cargo up to the ISS, signifying NASA’s confidence in the viability and reliability of its reusable launch vehicles. Notably,...

The Next Generation Operational Control System (OCX) successfully established remote connectivity and communicated with the first GPS 3 satellite, further validating that the U.S. Air Force is ready to launch the first in a series of new GPS assets. According to the Air Force, GPS 3 Space Vehicle 01 (GPS 3 SV01), the first of...

Arianespace has successfully launched satellites 19, 20, 21 and 22 in the Galileo constellation, using an Ariane 5 heavy launcher on behalf of the European Commission and under a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA). The launch took place on Dec. 12 from the Guiana Space Center (CSG), Europe’s spaceport in French Guiana. Arianespace...

Travelxp 4K will start delivering its programs in Ultra High Definition (Ultra-HD) and High Dynamic Range (HDR) to HD+ viewers across Germany as of Dec. 13. SES will broadcast the channel via Astra 19.2 degrees east, while MX1 will provide playout and uplink services. The Ultra-HD HDR channel first launched on SES’ North American Ultra-HD...

Spaceflight announced it will be launching 11 spacecraft in early January 2018 from the Indian Space Research Organization’s (ISRO) Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). Spacecraft include Finland’s Iceye-X1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) microsatellite, Planetary Resources’ Arkyd-6 6U asteroid prospecting demonstration cubesat, four Spire Global Lemur 2 cubesats, Astro Digital’s Landmapper-BC3, AmSat’s Fox-1D cubesat, and others....