News on key developments at SupremeSAT, and general news on the Space and Satellite industry from across the web
Rocket Lab unveiled plans to support extended range missions to medium, geostationary, and lunar orbits with the company’s Photon satellite platform. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2019102102
At Northrop Grumman Corporation in Redondo Beach, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope successfully validated its ability to perform key deployments for the first time since its post environmental testing of the Spacecraft Element (SCE) and integration of the SCE and Optical Telescope Element/Integrated Science Instrument Module (OTIS). http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2019102103
The Mobile User Objective System (MUOS), developed by prime contractor Lockheed Martin with ground systems provider General Dynamics Mission Systems, was deemed operationally effective, operationally suitable, and cyber survivable, following successful completion of its Multiservice Operational Test and Evaluation (MOT&E). http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2019102104
Rocket: Chang Zheng 3B/G2; Payload: TJS 4 [Tongxin Jishu Shiyan Weixing (TJSW-4)]; Date: 17 October 2019, 1521 UTC; Launch site: Xichang Satellite Launch Center, China. The satellite was deployed into a 200 km x 35,810 km x 27° geostationary transfer orbit. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2019102000
The payloads for Arianespace’s upcoming Ariane 5 and Soyuz missions have arrived at Cayenne’s Félix Eboué Airport earlier this week aboard the same chartered cargo jetliner. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2019102001
China will launch test flights for the next two rockets in its Smart Dragon series meant for commercial use in 2020 and 2021, Xinhua news agency reported. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2019102002
Solar Orbiter, the European Space Agency’s (ESA) flagship mission to study the Sun has completed all tests and is set to be flown to Cape Canaveral ready for its launch in February 2020. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2019102003
Rocket: Electron/Curie; Payload: Palisade; Date: 17 October 2019, 0122 UTC; Launch site: Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand. The satellites was placed into a circular 1,200 km x 87.9 degrees orbit around 71 minutes after lift-off. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2019101700
NASA and Boeing have initiated a contract for the production of 10 Space Launch System core stages and up to eight Exploration Upper Stages to support the third through the twelfth Artemis missions. Up to 10 additional core stages may be ordered under the contract. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2019101701
Originally slated for a two-year mission, the second of the twin Van Allen Probes spacecraft will be retired just prior to running out of propellant, more than seven years after launch. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2019101702