News on key developments at SupremeSAT, and general news on the Space and Satellite industry from across the web
The decision of OneWeb to scale back the constellation of its communications satellites will not affect the number of Russia’s Soyuz rockets contracted by the company for the launches, a source in the space industry told Sputnik news agency. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2018121700
Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat) and Hughes Network Systems announced the commencement of a joint venture to provide commercial satellite services across Africa, the Middle East and southwest Asia. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2018121701
Rocket: Electron/Curie; Payload: ELaNa-XIX [13 cubesats]; Date: 16 December 2018, 0633 UTC; Launch site: Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand. The Curie third stage injected the CubeSats, which had a total mass of 78 kg, into a 500 km circular orbit at an inclination of 85 degrees. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2018121600
Everything is progressing toward the ULA Delta IV Heavy launch carrying the NROL-71 mission for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2018121601
The Khrunichev Space Center has shipped the flight adapter system assigned to the commercial Proton M/Briz M dual launch of Eutelsat 5 West B and MEV-1 (Mission Extension Vehicle-1) mission for joint fitcheck testing with the spacecraft. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2018121602
Exactly one year after the signing of the Prometheus demonstrator development contract between the European Space Agency (ESA) and ArianeGroup, testing of the 3D-printed gas generator has started at the DLR site in Lampoldshausen, Germany. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2018121603
Northrop Grumman Corporation along with NASA and Lockheed Martin successfully performed a ground firing test of the abort motor for NASA’s Orion spacecraft Launch Abort System (LAS) at Northrop Grumman’s facility in Promontory, Utah. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2018121604
Three Russian engines RD-181 have been handed over to Northrop Grumman, the research and industrial association NPO Energomash said. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2018121605
With a worsening weather system on the way, Rocket Lab is now targeting no earlier than 16 December for the #ELaNa19 launch on Electron. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2018121300
S7 Space and Gazprom Space Systems have signed a co-operation agreement for the development and launches of civil satellites. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2018121200