News & Events

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

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries announced the launch schedule of the H-IIB Launch Vehicle No. 9 (H-IIB F9) which carries aboard the H-II Transfer Vehicle "KOUNOTORI9" (HTV9), the cargo transporter to the International Space Station (ISS). http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020032402

A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket is in final preparations to launch the sixth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) communications satellite for the U.S. Space Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020032403

On 23 March, the U.S. Space Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center successfully transferred the second Global Positioning System III space vehicle (GPS III SV02) to Space Operations Command. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020032404

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, ESA has decided to further reduce on-site personnel at its mission control centre in Darmstadt, Germany. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020032405

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning to launch 10 Earth observation satellites by March 2021, space minister Jitendra Singh said in Parliament. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020032300

OneWeb has has reduced its workforce via layoffs but did not confirm reports that 10% of employees were affected. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020032301