Intelsat files for Chapter 11 to help it secure US$4.87 billion in FCC C-band compensation…hints at identity of Maxar multi-satellite orderer
On 13 May 2020, it was announced by Intelsat - one of the primary FSS operators globally - that it had entered into Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a Court in the USA. This move is being described by the company as a "financial restructuring" process. This new...
NASA plays safe and orders another “ride” on Soyuz for its astronauts in case commercial crew ops have issues
While the first manned Commercial Crew programme test flight of SpaceX Crew Dragon is due later this month, NASA is apparently playing safe and ordered another ride for one of its astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). The Soyuz seat cost US$90 million...
Rocket stage debris from Chinese Long March 5B rocket launch lands on Ivory Coast
It has been reported that debris from Chinese rocket launch vehicle carrying an test version of a planned crew carrying spacecraft has landed in a populated area of the Ivory Coast (Cote D'Ivoire), West Africa, between 1530 and 1600 GMT on 12 May 2020. The debris is...
Virgin Atlantic woes leads Sir Richard Branson to sell part of Virgin Group’s stake in Virgin Galactic
With the UK Government about to impose a 14-day quarantine on arriving passengers from most other countries, UK airlines and airports, are protesting. Rather than a very disruptive quarantine airports and airlines would ideally prefer much less draconian measures on...
China launches a pair of Xingyun Internet-of-Things comsats
China's Kuaizhou 1A (KZ-1A)/Feitian 1 launch vehicle successfully launched the Internet-of-Things (IoT) and Laser communications test satellites Xingyun 2-1 and Xingyun 2-2 into a Sun Synchronous low Earth orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre at 0116 GMT on...
Express AM-6 has had its Ka-payload turned off due to thermal issue
The Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC) has confirmed that it has turned off the Ka-band payload of the communications satellite Express AM-6 and transferred its clients to other satellites. The announcement was a confirmation that the underlying cause was...
China launches new crew spacecraft in unmanned condition on Long March 5B (Updated)
China successfully launched its Next Generation Crew Spacecraft on three-day test mission in unmanned condition on a Long March 5B from the Wenchang Sat Launch Centre, Hainan Island, at 1000 GMT on 5 May 2020. The new spacecraft has yet to have had its name formally...
NASA picks Blue Origin, Dynetics and SpaceX as teams to build its human lunar landers…then NASA’s Loverro quits over procurement
Having previously eschewed using the Lunar Gateway space station as a half-way stop for use with a human carrying landing system - even if it will still be built - NASA has announced the selection of three teams to build human landers/ascent craft which will land...
ARSAT SG-1 to become third ARSAT satellite
The Argentinian satellite operator ARSAT (Empresa Argentina de Soluciones Satelitales Sociedad Anónima) has resurrected plans to build a third GEO satellite for its fleet. The firm originally planned a third satellite to add to the two already operating, ARSAT 1 and...
Sky and Space Global enters voluntary administration
The Australian company, Sky and Space Global (SAS), reported its entry into "voluntary administration” on 7 April 2020. This status is broadly equivalent to the "Chapter 11” bankruptcy protection arrangement in the USA, which fellow low Earth Orbit (LEO)...
