News on key developments at SupremeSAT, and general news on the Space and Satellite industry from across the web
Rocket: Kuaizhou-1A; Payload: Centispace-1-s1; Date: 29 September 2018, 0413 UTC; Launch site: Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China. About six and a half hours after leaving the pad, the state-run Xinhua press agency confirmed launch success. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2018093000
Following completion of a competitive procurement, ULA has selected Blue Origin’s BE-4 engine for Vulcan Centaur’s booster stage. The liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuelled booster will be powered by a pair of BE-4 engines, each producing 2.45 MN (550,000 lbf) of sea level thrust. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2018093001
The U.S. Air Force’s fourth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF-4) communication satellite was encapsulated on 26 September at Astrotech Space Operations processing facility in Florida. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2018093002
Ground controllers successfully installed the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Kounotori 7 H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV-7) to the International Space Station’s Earth-facing port of the Harmony module on 27 September (UTC). http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2018093003
Lockheed Martin received a contract for the first two GPS IIIF satellites, Space Vehicles 11 and 12, which are follow-ons to the initial 10-satellites of the new GPS III constellation. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2018093004
Norway’s first hybrid rocket to reach space demonstrated new hybrid propulsion technology for a cleaner, safer, more flexible method of powering small launch vehicles. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2018092700
Thales Alenia Space in the UK achieved the major milestone of delivering its IMU Flight Models to Airbus Defence and Space in UK for integration with the ExoMars Rover. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2018092701
CubeRover SARL and Luxembourg announced an agreement for the development of next-generation planetary rovers in Luxembourg. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2018092702
Capella Space, an aerospace and information services company providing on-demand Earth observation data via advanced space radar, announces US$19 million Series B funding led by Spark Capital and DCVC (Data Collective) and joined by Mark VC and Harmony Partners among other investors. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2018092703
According to Euroconsult’s latest report, Prospects for Space Exploration, global government investment in space exploration totalled US$14.6 billion in 2017, a 6% increase compared to 2016. Fifteen leading space programmes world-wide are estimated to contribute to this global investment with the U.S. accounting for 74% of the total. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2018092704