Falcon 9 makes two launches on 17 March: for Starlink Group 2-8 and SES-18 and SES-19 respectively…but recently launched Starlink Group 6-1 appears to be sinking
SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg, California, USA at 1926 GMT on 17 March 2023. 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...
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 two GEO sat order from Mexico’s Apco Networks
The spacecraft manufacturer Astranis received a construction order from the Mexican telecommunictions firm Apco Networks for a pair of small communications salellites which will be operated in geostationary Earth orbit. Under a fast delivery to orbit schedule, the...
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 by Axiom Space at during a "Moon 2...
With its cash about to run out Virgin Orbit suspends operations and lays off staff
While it has been expected for a while, CNBC broke the story that Virgin Orbit has 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 million a quarter,...
SATELLITE 2023: Regional GEO operators talk about LEO constellation threat.. don’t think its the end of the world yet
During a Tuesday afternoon panel at the SATELLITE 2023 conference, Washington DC, the representatives of large regional GEO operators discussed the advance of the LEO constellations from their point of view. Attending were CEOs Miguel Angel Panduro, Hispasat; Amit...