Launch

Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) revealed two two new satellite platforms: the SN-200M satellite bus designed for Medium-Earth Orbit (MEO) and the SN-1000. These satellite platforms offer increased payload capacity for MEO and other orbits. The SN-200M variant specifically adapts SNC’s SN-200 bus for MEO. Additionally, the SN-1000 is a demonstration platform based on the SN-200M...

It is fair to say 2020 has been widely chaotic, and that is no different for the space launch industry. The industry is facing a pandemic that affects the global aerospace workforce, a spiral of launch delays and supply chain issues, and a string of launch failures from established and new launch providers alike. One...

SES CEO Steve Collar said that the operator is working with its satellite manufacturer partners to ensure that the COVID-19 pandemic does not disrupt the tight deadlines that FCC has in place for its C-Band reallocation incentives. In the following interview with Via Satellite, Collar said that the C-band clearing is one of SES’ most...

United Launch Alliance (ULA) and SpaceX have been National Security Space Launch  (NSSL) service contracts, the U.S. Space Force announced Aug. 7.  The Phase 2 Procurement contracts are for launch service orders starting in fiscal year 2020 through 2024, with the first missions launching in fiscal year 2022. ULA will receive a contract for approximately...

SpaceX launched a batch of 57 Starlink satellites with two BlackSky Earth Observation (EO) satellites along for the ride on Friday, August 7 at 1:12 a.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch was originally scheduled for late June and was delayed a number of times and scrubbed twice...

SpaceX and United Launch Alliance (ULA) will launch up to five C-band satellites for global operator SES, which will use the spacecraft for its accelerated C-band clearing plan with the FCC, according to the terms of new launch contracts announced August 5. In order to meet the FCC’s deadline to clear spectrum for 5G service...

Benchmark Space Systems, an in-space propulsion systems supplier coming off of a recent capital fundraising round of more than $3 million, has just secured technology partnerships with Tesseract Space and Spaceflight Inc.  Under a permanent licensing partnership, Benchmark will integrate Tesseract Space intellectual property, assets, and staff to expand the development, deployment and support of...

The Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC) successfully placed two new satellites, Express-80 and Express-103, in geostationary orbit at 80 degrees East and 96.5 degrees East, respectively. The satellites will provide fixed and mobile services, digital TV and radio broadcasting, and high-speed internet across the Russian Federation and abroad. RSCC launched the two new satellites on...

ABL Space Systems was awarded two U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) contracts worth $44.5 million, and completed a funding round valued at $49 million. Additionally, the company began testing its RS1 smallsat launch vehicle, with a demonstration launch planned for Q1 2021. ABL’s DoD contracts were awarded by the Air Force Research Laboratory and the U.S....

Arianespace will have to wait a little longer for its post-COVID-19 comeback. The French launch company was forced to scrub its Ariane 5 VA253 mission on Friday after detecting a sensor malfunction on the rocket’s first stage liquid hydrogen tank just two minutes before liftoff. The Ariane 5 rocket will be transferred back to its...