SSI News
JUICE mission to Jupiter’s moons blasts off after initial delays…then it has a radar antenna deployment fault
After Flight VA260 was delayed by one day due to the weather, the Ariane 5 ECA+ rocket successfully launched the JUICE (JUpiter ICy-moon Explorer) spacecraft onto its interplanetary trajectory on 14 April from Guiana Space Centre, Kourou, French Guiana at 1214 GMT....
Northrop Grumman building communications satellite for 2025 launch and US$2.4 billion military contract
Northrop Grumman is developing a geostationary communications satellite in a bid for a military contract worth US$2.4 billion. The aerospace and defence giant will have to compete with Boeing to develop Protected Tactical Satcom (PTS) prototype satellites. Both...
Centaur V stage test failure puts Vulcan-Centaur maiden launch timeline in jeopardy
In a blow to United Launch Alliance’s (ULA’s) hopes for the latest Vulcan-Centaur rocket, an explosive pressurisation test failure of the Centaur V’s upper stage occurred on 29 March. While quickly admitting to the failure, ULA initially downplayed the event...
Hyperbola-1 (SQX-1) test launch reaches orbit
A test launch of the i-Space (China)'s Hyperbola-1 (SQX-1) three-stage solid rocket launch vehicle aka Shyang Quxian-1 has been deemed a success. The launch took place at 0400 GMT on 7 April 2023. While no live satellites were on board, an object, believed to be the...
Intelsat-40e/TEMPO is sent on its way via a transfer orbit by Falcon 9
A Falcon 9v1.2FT Block 5 successully launched the Intelsat IS-40e/TEMPO satellite into its planned geosynchronous transfer orbit via parking orbit at 0430 GMT on 7 April from Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA. The spacecraft will later stabilise itself into a circular...
Space Orders: D-Orbit gets SAR satellite contract for IRIDE as Loft Orbital doubles original order from Airbus OneWeb while Astra Space gets DoD launch order
The space transportation/delivery into orbit firm D-Orbit has signed a €26-Million Contract with ESA for IRIDE Satellite Observation Program to create a new Earth observation constellation which will be launched from 2025 that will monitor critical infrastructure, air...
NASA announces astronauts for Artemis II round the Moon trip with a pro-diversity and international slant
NASA has announced the names of the astronauts who will take part in the Artemis II “around the Moon” mission in 2024. They are: NASA astronauts Christina Hammock Koch, Reid Wiseman (Commander) and Victor Glover, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. The...
Chinese Space Pioneer firm beats small launcher competitors by reaching orbit with its new liquid-fuelled Tianlong-2 rocket
Space Pioneer, a private Chinese space launch provider, successfully sent the new three-stage Tianlong-2 rocket on its maiden flight to orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre, China, at 0948 GMT on 2 April. The rocket uses LOX/kerosene as its propellants. The...
Falcon 9 launches “Tranche 0” military tracking and data relay satellites from Vandenberg
SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9v1.2FT Block 5 rocket from Vandenberg, California, USA at 1529 GMT on 2 April 2023 on a mission for the Space Development Agency. The SDA-0A dubbed launch was carrying a pair of "Tracking Layer" spacecraft, SV1 and SV2, built by...
Third spacewalk from the CSS for Shenzhou 15 crew
On 30 March 2023, Chinese astronauts "taikonauts" Fei Junlong and Zhang Lu began their third space walk. The third crew member of Shenzhou 15 crew, Deng Qingming ,assisted from within the Chinese Space Station. Details on exact times have remained sketchy but reports...
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