March 2020

United States Space Force officials formally declared initial operational capability and operational acceptance of the Space Fence radar system, located on Kwajalein Island in the Republic of the Marshall Islands on 27 March 2020. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020032802

"If you’re thinking about investing in OneWeb, I would recommend strongly against it. They fooled some people who are going to be pretty disappointed in the near term." – SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell in October 2019 according to CNBC http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020032803

Rocket: Atlas V 551; Payload: AEHF 6, TDO-2; Date: 26 March 2020, 2018 UTC; Launch site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, USA. The satellite was to be deployed more than five hours after lift-off (too late for this issue). http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020032600

Airbus has received confirmation from ESA of a successful end to the In Orbit Commissioning (IOC) of CHEOPS after the IOC review. This critical phase was performed by Airbus in Spain with the support of the Instrument Team (University of Bern), Mission Operation Centre (INTA), Science Operation Centre (University of Geneva) and ESA. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020032601

The Venezuelan government conformed that the country’s first communications satellite, launched in 2008, is out of service due to a systems failure. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020032602

ICEYE unveiled its latest capability of 25 cm resolution imaging with synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) small satellites, utilising the company’s current commercial SAR satellite constellation in-orbit. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020032603

The next Falcon 9 mission, scheduled for 30 March, has been postponed indefinitely amid the coronavirus pandemic. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020032500

In response to the evolving COVID-19 situation, Rocket Lab has paused launch preparations for its next mission. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020032501

Venezuela’s VeneSat-1 (also known as Simon Bolivar 1) has left geostationary orbit, reportedly as result of botched orbital manoeuvres. The spacecraft is drifting westward as apparently contact with it has been lost. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020032400

Rocket: Chang Zheng 2C; Payload: Yaogan Weixing-30 Group-6 (three satellites); Date: 24 March 2020, 0343 UTC; Launch site: Xichang Satellite Launch Center, China. The satellites were deployed into approx. 591 km x 602 km x 35.00 degrees orbits. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020032401