August 2014

The Galileo FOC (Full Operational Capability) satellites  “Milena” (right) and “Doresa” (left). Photo: Arianespace **Update: On Saturday Aug. 23, 2014, Arianespace discovered that the satellites were injected into the wrong orbit. Further details will come soon.** [Via Satellite 08-22-2014] Following a one-day weather-induced delay, Arianespace has launched Galileo satellites 5 and 6 for the European…

Sea Launch’s Zenit 3SL. Photo: Sea Launch [Via Satellite 08-22-2014] Sea Launch is reducing its head count among staff at both its Nyon, Switzerland headquarters and at Energia Logistics’ Long Beach, Calif. site to compensate for the lack of launches this year. Sea Launch is also temporarily taking its Launch Commander and Odyssey vessels out…

Sentinel 2A. Photo: Airbus Defence and Space [Via Satellite 08-22-2014] Airbus Defence and Space has delivered the Sentinel 2A Earth Observation (EO) satellite to IABG, near Munich, Germany, for environmental testing. Engineers will evaluate the 1.2-ton spacecraft’s readiness for space prior to its launch in the first half of 2015. Sentinel 2A is one of…

Himawari 8. Photo: Mitsubishi Electric [Via Satellite 08-22-2014] Mitsubishi Electric has completed the manufacturing of Himawari 8, a geostationary weather satellite for the Japan Meteorological Agency. The satellite will soon be delivered to the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan where Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will conduct an October launch…

Vuelta a España. Photo: Vuelta [Via Satellite 08-22-2014] Hispasat is providing two mobile units equipped with satellite transmission systems to provide satellite communications for the 2014 Vuelta a España cycling race. Journalists and the host organization will have access to Hispasat services for broadband, video and voice, among other services. Hispasat is placing the first…

Arianespace on 21 August decided to postpone the launch of Soyuz flight VS09 carrying Europe’s fifth and sixth Galileo satellites. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2014082100

Arianespace and ESA, acting on behalf of the European Commission, have signed a contract for three launch services with Ariane 5 ES in order to step up the deployment of the European navigation system Galileo. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2014082101

The launch date for the U.S. government’s CLIO satellite, built by Lockheed Martin, has been set for 16 September 2014. CLIO will launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2014082102

In the coming months, the Sentinel-2A satellite will undergo a series of environmental tests at IABG, near Munich, Germany, to determine its suitability for use in space. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2014082103

Boeing recently completed the Phase Two Spacecraft Safety Review of its Crew Space Transportation (CST)-100 spacecraft and the Critical Design Review (CDR) of its integrated systems, meeting all of the company’s Commercial Crew Integrated Capability (CCiCap) milestones on time and on budget. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2014082104