Eutelsat sells its share in EUTELSAT 25B to satellite partner Es’hailSat
Following the completion of a deal on 9 August, France-based, global FSS (Fixed Satellite Service) operator Eutelsat S.A. has sold its interest in the joint EUTELSAT 25B/ES’HAIL 1 satellite, to co-owner Qatar-based Es’hailSat. The satellite is positioned...
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Three more cubesats pinged out of ISS
At 0945 GMT on 10 August 2018, a J-SSOD satellite dispenser was taken from the JEM (Japanese Experimental Module) Kibo airlock of the International Space Station using the JEM RMS robot arm. At 0945 GMT the J-SSOD ejected three 1U-Cubesats: Bhutan-1, UiTMSat-1 and...
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After one day delay NASA’s Parker Solar Probe is launched by Delta IV Heavy on its way to Sun
While the old politically incorrect joke about a stupid country (insert which nation you like) attempting a space mission to land on the Sun (they were going to go at night) might be intentionally ridiculous, NASA is attempting to do something close. After a one day...
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Jim Simpson leaves post of CEO at ABS after just seven months
After accepting the post in December 2017, Jim Simpson has left the role of CEO of ABS. His role has been temporarily filled by Chairman of ABS Board of Directors Jim Frownfelter. Comment by Matthew Wilson: It is widely believed that Mr Simpson was brought in...
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US punitive sanctions over Skripal assassination attempt result in Russian RD-180 engine supply threat to Atlas rockets
Still smarting over world reaction to the nerve agent poison assassination attempt on Russian double agent/traitor Sergei Skripal and his daughter (an attack which also killed an innocent bystander in Salisbury, England) Russia has angrily reacted to the US...
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Circle Aerospace books ten Electron launches…as Rocket Lab also offers spots on its upper stage
US orbital launch provider Rocket Lab has signed an agreement with Circle Aerospace for ten dedicated Electron launches, with the first launch scheduled to lift off in Q4 2019, with the others expected to follow in 2020. Headquartered in Dubai, Circle Aerospace is a...
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Astrocast books Vega-C launch for 10 of its 64 sat constellation…then Spire makes a Vega SSMS POC launch booking
Internet of Things communications satellite operator Astrocast, in conjunction with the dispenser provider D-Orbit, has booked a launch aboard the first Vega-C launch of Arianespace. Ten satellites of its 64 satellite constellation are to be carried to...
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Another Russian space industry casualty: RSC Energia boss is fired
There were more ructions in the Russian space industry when another of its heads was fired. At the meeting of the Board of Directors of RSC Energia Solntsev Vladimir Lvovich was removed as director general of the firm. The reason for his departure has not been...
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Elon Musk has Twitter trouble again…but we all make mistakes
SpaceX supreme leader, Elon Musk, is in trouble again – and again Twitter appears to be his downfall. Musk is alleged to have broken corporate law in using Twitter to publicly offer to buy back all the shares of his Tesla electric car concern in order to make it...
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China’s main TV company CCTV to launch its own satellite on board LandSpace’s new ZQ-1
The Chinese state television company China Central Television (CCTV) has ordered its first satellite CCTV-1 and a launch to take it into space. The recipient of the launch order is the start-up “private” Chinese launch firm, LandSpace Techologies. ...
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