News on key developments at SupremeSAT, and general news on the Space and Satellite industry from across the web
The recently launched Chinese Queqiao relay satellite braked near the Moon as planned on 25 May, completing a vital step before entering a desired orbit, according to the China National Space Administration. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2018052800
Viasat Inc. announced financial results for the fiscal fourth quarter and fiscal year ending 31 March 2018. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2018052801
Russian President Vladimir Putin asked Dmitri Rogozin to head State Corporation Roskosmos. Mr. Rogozin is going to replace Igor Komarov in this position. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2018052802
Russia’s Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center has decided not to go ahead with its project to develop the Proton-L (Proton Medium) two-stage launch vehicle (LV), Interfax news agency reported citing a source at the centre. There was no immediate official confirmation, though. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2018052500
NASA has exercised options under the Rapid Spacecraft Acquisition III (Rapid III) contract for two additional Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) spacecraft to be built for the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2018052501
The SCARBO (Space CARBon Observatory) project for improved measurement of greenhouse gases has been officially kicked off. It is funded by the European Union (EU) Horizon 2020 Programme and will be implemented by a consortium of seven European organisations led by Airbus. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2018052502
Phase Four, a provider of electric radio frequency (RF) thrusters for in-space propulsion, announced that NASA has purchased one of Phase Four’s second-generation RF thrusters to vet its capabilities for small satellite propulsion. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2018052503
Orbital ATK announced that the "S.S. J.R. Thompson" Cygnus spacecraft successfully completed its rendezvous and berthing manoeuvres with the International Space Station. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2018052400
Aerojet Rocketdyne successfully completed hot-fire testing of a new in-space engine, designated ISE-100. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2018052401
The European Space Agency (ESA) has awarded Teledyne e2v, a division of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, with the second phase of a EUR42 million contract to produce high-end Charge Coupled Device (CCD) visible light image sensors for the PLATO (Planetary Transits and Oscillations of stars) mission. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2018052402