News on key developments at SupremeSAT, and general news on the Space and Satellite industry from across the web
China has completed the modification of two relay satellites to prepare them for new tasks relating to the country’s scheduled Mars exploration mission Tianwen-1. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020072105
Rocket: H-IIA; Payload: EMM [Emirates Mars Mission] ‘Al Amal’ [Hope]; Date: 19 July 2020,2158 UTC; Launch site: Tanegashima Space Center, Japan. The launch vehicle trajectory was executed as planned, and at about 57 minutes after lift-off, separation of the Hope spacecraft was confirmed. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020072000
NASA is targeting 30 July, 115o UTC for the launch of its Mars 2020 Perseverance rover on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The launch window is approximately two hours, with a launch opportunity every five minutes. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020072001
The BSAT-4b broadcasting satellite, which will be orbited by Arianespace as part of a turnkey contract between the Japanese operator B-SAT and the satellite manufacturer, Maxar, is being readied for a 28 July lift-off from the Spaceport in French Guiana on Ariane 5. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020072002
The launch of the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) on an Ariane 5 rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana is now planned for 31 October 2021. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020071900
The fourth Chang Zheng-5 rocket, to be used to launch China’s first Mars exploration mission, was vertically transported to the launching area at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in south China’s Hainan Province on Friday. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020071901
Airbus Defence and Space has signed a contract with the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) to extend and enhance the Skynet fleet. This will involve the development, manufacture, cyber protection, assembly, integration, test and launch, of a military communications satellite, Skynet 6A, planned for launch in 2025. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020071902
The finalised details of Russia’s Sfera project, which is intended to rival the OneWeb and Starlink programmes, will be submitted for approval to the government in August, the press office of Roskosmos said. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020071903
After two weather-induced scrubs, the launch of the UAE’s Mars probe aboard an H-IIA from Tanegashima Space Centre, Japan, is now tentatively scheduled for 20 – 22 July. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020071600
The EDRS-C satellite, the second node of Airbus’ SpaceDataHighway constellation, completed its commissioning tests on 15 July 2020 and is now ready to start operational services. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020071601