SSI News
Rivada Space places US$2.4 billion order for 300 satellites with Terran Orbital, but ITU deadline looms
On 21 February, Rivada Space Networks GmbH contracted American manufacturer Terran Orbital to produce 300 satellites in the 500 kg range for a planned LEO secure data-relay constellation. Rivada Space Networks is the German subsidiary of US company Rivada Networks,...
China launches EO satellite, Horus 1, into LEO (Updated)
A Long March 2C (CZ-2C) rocket lifted-off at 0401 GMT on 24 February from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China. It carried a “remote sensing” satellite successfully into a sun-synchronous Low Earth Orbit (LEO). According to Chinese media the satellite was...
Soyuz MS-23 “Rescue craft” is launched to ISS but crew is told they have to wait another six months to come back to Earth
The uncrewed Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft was successfully launched onboard a Soyuz 2-1A from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, near Tyuratam in Kazakhstan, at 0024 GMT on 24 February 2023. Soyuz MS-23, a replacement for the coolant-leak damaged Soyuz MS-22, is expected to...
China launches the Chinasat 26 communications satellite on the first launch of its New Year
As the first launch of its New Year (Year of the Rabbit), China has placed a communications satellite into orbit. At 1149 GMT on 23 February a Long March 3B (CZ-3B) rocket lifted-off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center and successfully carried Chinasat 26...
Space Orders: NASA, D-Orbit and Plasmos
NASA selected Blue Origin to launch the two ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers) spacecraft to study magnetosphere of Mars earlier this month. The contract was awarded as part of the Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare...
From East to West: SpaceX makes launches to LEO for Starlink and to GEO for Inmarsat
On the West Coast, SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9v1.2FT Block 5 rocket from the Vandenberg space base in California, USA, at 1912 GMT on 17 February. The rocket was carrying 51 Starlink satellites. The B1063 first stage landed on the drone barge “Of Course I...
Orbiter SN-1 delivery satellite dies from power loss and takes client sats with it
Launcher’s Orbiter SN-1 delivery spacecraft has failed in orbit, according to the California based rocket developer. Its orbital transfer spacecraft/tug was launched on 3 January aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 Transporter-6 rideshare flight. The rocket successfully...
Japan’s H3 rocket maiden flight aborted after main engines ignite
With mere seconds left before its planned lift-off from the Tanegashima launch site, Japan aborted the maiden flight of its new expendable H3 rocket. The H3 flight, which used the H3-22S variant, was scheduled to launch at 0137:55 GMT on 17 February. The main stage’s...
Comment: Russians reach for space excuse No 1: blame it on a meteor or debris strike…but sometimes they are right
A radiator leak of coolant on board the Soyuz MS-22 while it was attached to the International Space Station (ISS) in December 2022 was just the start of problems. Not only was a Cosmonaut spacewalk postponed, but an empty Soyuz spacecraft was even requested to be...
Virgin Orbit cracks probable cause of LauncherOne failure after its Cornwall lift-off (Corrected)
Launch provider Virgin Orbit has disclosed the probable cause of the failure that destroyed the high-profile “Start Me Up” launch and its nine small payloads: a dislodged fuel filter. The Cosmic Girl carrier aircraft took off for the first orbital attempt from the UK...
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