SSI News
Falcon 9 makes two launches: for Starlink Group 2-8 and SES-18 and -19 respectively…but recently launched Starlink Group 6-1 appears to be sinking
SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg, California, at 1926 GMT on 17 March. The vehicle was carrying 52 satellites of Starlink Group 2-8 for SpaceX’s own low Earth orbit communications satellite constellation. The B1071 first stage, on its eighth...
Chinese Long March 3B/E launches earth observation satellite into orbit
China successfully launched a Chinese Long March 3B/E rocket carrying the a new geostationary Earth observation satellite, Gaofen-13 02. The lift off from Xichang Satellite Lunch Centre took place at 0833 GMT on 17 March. Officially, Gaofen-13 02 will be used for...
Astranis gets order for two GEO sats from Mexico’s Apco Networks
Spacecraft manufacturer Astranis has received a construction order from Apco Networks, a Mexican telecoms firm, for a pair of small communications satellites. The units, which weigh in at circa 400 kg and will use electric propulsion, will be operated in geostationary...
Rocket Lab successfully deploys two Capella Space radar satellites after Electron launch
Rocket Lab successfully launched its Electron rocket and deployed two Capella Space radar imaging satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO). The vehicle lifted off from the company’s launch site on Wallops Island, Virginia, at 22:38 GMT on 16 March, five days after its...
NASA uses CLPS programme to contract lunar ride for Firefly’s Blue Ghost 2 lunar lander and ESA’s Lunar Pathfinder comms relay spacecraft
Firefly Aerospace has been awarded a second CLPS transportation order to the Moon, this time for the Blue Ghost 2 lander mission which NASA has payloads on under a US$112 million contract made under the NASA CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) programme. Blue...
SATELLITE 2023: Many different paths towards space sustainability, all it takes is time and money
During the last session of the SATELLITE 2023 conference in Washington DC was the Space Sustainability Services panel. This saw representatives from Slingshot Aerospace, OneWeb, SpaceLogistics, Astroscale, and George Washington University, discuss the different...
SATELLITE 2023: Arianespace prefers to look further into the future as 2023 is set to see low number of its launches
At the Launcher Roundtable at SATELLITE 2023 Arianespace CEO, Stéphane Israël, talked about his company's activities for the coming years. He outlined what Arianespace expected to achieve this year: the launch of the major ESA interplanetary science mission...
NASA unveils new spacesuits for Artemis astronauts moon landing
A new style, for a new space era – that’s the message NASA wants to send with the unveiling of brand new spacesuits for the return to the Moon, designed by Axion Space. The Artemis III spacesuit prototype, the AxEMU, was unveiled during a “Moon 2 Mars” festival hosted...
UPDATED: With its cash about to run out Virgin Orbit suspends operations and lays off staff – then falls into Chapter 11
While it has been expected for a while, CNBC broke the story that Virgin Orbit had taken the decision to have an “operational pause” meaning that it would temporarily lay off (furlough) staff and suspend operations. With a cash burn of about US$40-50 million a quarter...
SATELLITE 2023: Regional GEO operators talk about LEO constellation threat… not the end of the world yet
Seradata Data Manager Matt Wilson dissects how some of the biggest names in regional GEO operators really feel about the rise of low Earth orbit (LEO) constellations The chief execs of the heavyweight regional GEO operators sat down to discuss the advance of low Earth...
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