SSI News
Long March 2D rocket launch from Xichang puts three CX-20 satellites into orbit (Corrected)
A Long March-2D/YZ-3 (CZ-2D/YZ-3) rocket was launched from Xichang Satellite Launch Center at 1000 GMT on 23 November 2023. The Y59 flight used a Yuanzheng-3 (YZ-3) upper stage to carry a trio of demonstration satellite for the internet constellation called...
Two more Starlink launches on Falcon 9 rockets: Group 6-29 and Group 7-7
A Falcon 9v1.2FT Block 5 rocket launched from Vandenberg, California, USA, on 20 November 2023. The pad used was SLC-4E. Aboard the launch were 22 Starlink v2 Mini bus satellites as Starlink Group 7-7. The reusable first stage B1063 on its 15th flight was...
Third time lucky for North Korea’s successful launch of Malligyong-1 optical satellite
A North Korean Chollima-1 rocket has reportedly placed an optical reconnaissance satellite into LEO after being launched at 1342 GMT on 21 November. The mission lifted off from the Sohae Satellite Launching Ground, in the north-west of the Korean peninsula, and was...
China launches Haiyang 3A ocean colour monitoring satellite
China's launched the Haiyang 3A (aka HY3-01) ocean colour monitoring satellite at 0355 GMT on 16 November 2023. The rocket used was the CALT operated Long March 2C/3/YZ-1S (CZ-2C/3/YZ-1S) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 0355 GMT on 16 November 2023. The...
Falcon 9 launches Starlink Group 6-28 from Cape Canaveral
While the Starship second launch (IFT-2) from Boca Chica, Texas, on 18 November, gained all the headlines, earlier the same day a more mundane SpaceX launch took place from Pad 40 in Cape Canaveral at 0505 GMT. A Falcon 9v1.2 Block 5 launched the Starlink Group 6-28...
Starship’s IFT-2 flight test ends in a magnificent failure as both stages blow up after doing the difficult bits (Updated)
Starship IFT-2’s test flight was a highly anticipated event as it marked the first follow-up to the launch vehicle’s maiden flight failure earlier in the year. There were long delays as SpaceX had to prove that the rocket was safe to fly. This was no easy task after...
Ceres-1 launch failure: abnormal ablation of nozzle was the cause
Galactic energy has released the results of the investigation into the Ceres-1 launch failure in September which lost the Jilin 1 High Resolution 04B-01 (Gaofen 4B-01) imaging satellite resulting in an insurance loss of US$7.5 million. The lift off occurred at 0459...
Falcon 9 launches Transporter-9 multi-satellite rideshare mission – but three failed to deploy (Updated)
A Falcon 9v1.2FT Block 5 rocket launched the Transporter-9 multi-satellite rideshare mission from the Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, USA, at 1849 GMT on11 November 2023. The reusable first stage, B1071 on its 12th flight, landed back on Californian land at...
O3b launches unmodified third pair of mPOWER satellites on Falcon 9 despite electric issues with first two pairs
A Falcon 9v1.2FT Block 5 rocket launched a pair of O3B mPOWER communications satellites into orbit as the fifth and sixth of a block of 11 high-throughput communications satellites for a new generation O3B Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) constellation, ordered from Boeing....
On a lighter note: Escapee of the week leads to pun-ditry in orbit
Warning - this story is loaded with puns and might put you off your breakfast/lunch. During the 1960s and early 1970s, astronauts did not have a formal toilet, just not-nice-to-use faecal bags (US spelling "fecal" bags) and wet wipes, leading some to try and avoid...
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