News on key developments at SupremeSAT, and general news on the Space and Satellite industry from across the web
Global Eagle Entertainment announced that it has agreed upon a definitive "stalking horse" asset purchase agreement under which substantially all of the company’s assets will be acquired for total consideration of $675 million by an entity established at the direction of holders of approximately 90% of the company’s senior secured first-lien term loans. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020072603
Rocket: Chang Zheng 5; Payload: Tianwen-1; Date: 23 July 2020, 0441 UTC; Launch site: Wenchang Space Launch Center, China. About 36 minutes later, the spacecraft, comprising an orbiter and a rover, was sent into the Earth-Mars transfer orbit, embarking on an almost seven-month journey to the red planet, according to the China National Space Administration…
Rocket: Soyuz 2.1-a; Payload: Progress MS-15; Date: 23 July 2020, 1426 UTC; Launch site: Baikonur, Kazakhstan. In about nine minutes after the lift-off, the space freighter was delivered into orbit. Approx. three hours later, the spacecraft docked to the ISS automatically. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020072301
Northrop Grumman Corporation has delivered three of its 160-cm (63-inch) diameter Graphite Epoxy Motors (GEM 63) for United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Atlas V rocket. The three motors will be used as strap-on boosters to augment thrust on Atlas V. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020072200
The heavy-lift Ariane 5 for Arianespace’s fifth mission of 2020 is now complete following integration of its three passengers at the Spaceport in French Guiana. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020072201
Orange has purchased from Eutelsat Communications all available capacity on the Eutelsat KONNECT satellite, launched earlier this year, to cover the entire French territory. It will enable Orange’s consumer customer base, even those living in the most isolated areas, to benefit from very high-speed fixed broadband via satellite from January 2021. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020072202
Rocket: Falcon 9; Payload: ANASIS-II (Army/Navy/Air Force Satellite Information System 2, originally known as KMilSatCom 1); Date: 20 July 2020, 2100 UTC; Launch site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, USA. The ANASIS-II spacecraft deployed about 32 minutes after lift-off. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020072100
SEOPS, LLC has signed an agreement with SpaceX to launch aboard the company’s Falcon 9 launch vehicle as part of the SpaceX SmallSat Rideshare Program. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020072101
Loft Orbital Solutions Inc. (Loft Orbital), a Space Infrastructure-as-a-Service company, has signed a contract with LeoStella, a specialised satellite constellation design and manufacturing company, to build and integrate satellite buses for several upcoming Loft Orbital missions. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020072102
TriSept Corporation, a provider of launch integration and mission management services, and Millennium Space Systems has announced preparations are underway for the experimental DRAG RACER orbital debris mission payload to be delivered to New Zealand and integrated aboard a Rocket Lab Electron ahead of the planned launch this autumn. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020072103