Third triplet of Yaogan 30 satellites launched by China this year
Lifting-off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, China, a Long March 2C (CZ-2C) rocket has carried four satellites in to LEO. The mission took place at 0019 GMT on 19 July. The primary payloads carried were the three Yaogan 30 spacecraft - the tenth such group...
China launches and lands mysterious “reusable suborbital carrier”
China reportedly launched and landed a "reusable suborbital carrier" vehicle during 16 July (local time), according to its state media company, Xinhua. Few details about the vehicle are widely known however, this mission apparently entailed a "launch" from Jiuquan...
Momentus suffers inertia
Once a promising start-up in the fields of space transportation and in-orbit servicing, Momentus Space has suffered a largely self-inflicted ‘resistance to progress’ in the past few months. However, the announcement on 13 July that the US Securities and Exchange...
Measat-3 drifting in GEO arc after anomaly
Peter B. De Selding of Space Intel Report has reported that the Measat-3 satellite looks to be in trouble. Read here. The operator of the satellite MEASAT Global Berhad released a press release on 26 June stating that they had observed an anomaly on 21 June but, that...
Analysis: Branson realises space dream as he flies to the “edge of space”
On 11 July, Virgin Galactic founder Sir Richard Branson fulfilled a boyhood dream when he flew as ‘Astronaut 001” on his company’s SpaceShipTwo suborbital tourism vehicle, VSS Unity. He described it as “the experience of a lifetime” and “just magical”. The Unity 22...
China launches quintet of small satellites for RF-monitoring purposes
China successfully launched a Long March 6 (CZ-6) light light vehicle from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center at 1159 GMT on 9 July carrying five satellites. The satellites are the second Ningxia-1 group and will be used to provide commercial electronic intelligence...
Last first-gen GEO data-relay satellite launched by China
China successfully launched a Long March 3C/E (CZ-3C/E) rocket carrying the Tianlian 1E satellite into GTO at 1553 GMT on 6 July. The mission was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre, China. Tianlian 1E will be used to provide data relay communications...
Fifth Feng Yun-3 meteorological satellite launched by China
At 2328 GMT on 4 July, a Long March 4C (CZ-4C) rocket was successfully launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre, China. The vehicle was carrying the Feng Yun 3E satellite to a LEO sun synchronous orbit to provide meteorological data. Phil Hylands contributed...
SpaceX launches large rideshare mission
SpaceX launched its Transporter-2 rideshare mission from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, at 1931 GMT, 30 June. It carried 88 payloads into low Earth orbit using a Falcon 9 rocket with a first stage that had previously been used...
Branson & Bezos race to space
Virgin Galactic announced at the beginning of July that its founder Richard Branson will be a passenger on the next flight of its SpaceShipTwo suborbital tourism vehicle, VSS Unity. Designated ‘Unity 22’, the mission is due to launch on 11 July from its base at...
