May 2020

The launch of a Falcon 9 rocket with another batch of 60 Starlink satellites was scrubbed on 17 May owing to adverse weather conditions. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020051701

China plans to complete its BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) with the launch of its last satellite in June, according to a BDS official. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020051702

Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) received its Shooting Star transport vehicle at the company’s Colorado production facility, marking the beginning of a key integration phase. This phase includes installation of the SNC-built Passive Common Berthing Mechanism that will allow SNC’s Dream Chaser Tenacity spaceplane, the first orbital vehicle in the company’s Dream Chaser fleet, to berth…

A new programme for exploration of Venus, including sending at least three scientific devices, will be developed in Russia, its main stages will be presented in 2021, scientific director of the Russian Space Research Institute Lev Zeleny was quoted as saying. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020051704

A Japanese cargo spacecraft loaded with experiment hardware, supplies and spare parts is scheduled to launch from the Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan to the International Space Station at 1730 UTC on Wednesday, 20 May. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020051400

Planet is set to launch six more SkySat satellites (SkySats 16-21) into Low Earth Orbit this summer, rounding out the fleet of 15 SkySats already in operation. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020051401

Russia’s Meteor-M No.2-2, which was struck by a micrometeoroid in December, has come back online and resumed its normal operations, a Roskosmos spokesman was quoted as saying. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020051402

Intelsat has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. in order to restructure its debt. The company said it needs to free up cash in order to start on clearing its C band spectrum in the U.S. for 5G and qualify for the associated transition payments. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020051403

Eutelsat Communications reported revenues for the nine months ending 31 March 2020. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020051404

Preparations at Europe’s Spaceport for Arianespace’s next two missions, to be performed from French Guiana with its lightweight Vega and heavy-lift Ariane 5 launch vehicles, are accelerating, the company said. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020051300