News on key developments at SupremeSAT, and general news on the Space and Satellite industry from across the web
Small satellite launch company Rocket Lab announced that its first mission of 2019 will be a dedicated launch of a 150-kg satellite for the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2019012300
Arianespace is discounting the price of satellite launches with its Ariane 5 rockets as it competes against U.S. rival SpaceX for customers before the release of the cheaper Ariane 6 rocket next year, a senior executive was quoted as saying. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2019012301
20 January 2019 marked the 25th anniversary of the day when the first Gals satellite was launched. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2019012302
OneWeb Satellites, a joint venture between Airbus and OneWeb, announced the delivery of the first satellites for the OneWeb constellation. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2019012200
Kleos Space S.A. said that the company’s first cluster of satellites has entered the Integration Phase after successfully undergoing Critical Design Review (CDR) with Gomspace A/S. The CDR ensured the satellites could proceed towards assembly, validation, integration and testing and confirms they meet stated performance cost, schedule, and risk requirements. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2019012201
Rocket: Chang Zheng 11; Payload: two Jilin-1 satellites, two experimental satellites; Date: 21 January 2019, 0542 UTC; Launch site: Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China. The satellites have successfully entered their preset orbit, according to the center. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2019012100
The first Russian satellite for weather forecasting and monitoring climate and environment in the Arctic region, Arktika-M, is planned to be sent to near-earth orbit in June 2019, a source in the Russian space industry was quoted as saying. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2019012101
The European Space Agency (ESA) has signed a one-year contract with ArianeGroup to study and prepare for a mission to go to the Moon with the aim of mining regolith. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2019012102
Rocket: Epsilon-4; Payload: Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration-1; Date: 18 January 2019, 0050 UTC; Launch site: Uchinoura Space Center, Japan. The launch and flight of Epsilon-4 occurred nominally. All seven satellites separated from the launch vehicle successfully. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2019012000
Rocket: Delta IV Heavy; Payload: NROL-71; Date: 19 January 2019, 1910 UTC; Launch site: Vandenberg Air Force Base, USA. The classified payload was delivered into an unusual low-Earth orbit with an inclination of approx. 74 degrees. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2019012001