News

A Rocket Lab Electron launch vehicle successfully lifted off from Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula at 23:27, 28 March 2019 UTC (12:27, 29 March NZDT). The mission launched a prototype reflect array antenna to orbit for the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). “Congratulations to our dedicated …

ESA Director of Human and Robotic Exploration, David Parker, and Associate Administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, Thomas Zurbuchen, signed a Statement of Intent to coordinate joint science research about the Moon and identify opportunities for lunar mission cooperation. Signed during the National Academies’ Space Science Week in Washington DC, …

The UAE’s national airline Etihad Airways has successfully implemented the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, Global Aeronautical Distress and Safety System, GADSS, recommendations for flight tracking ahead of the General Civil Aviation Authority’s, GCAA’s, proposed deadline of 1 June 2019. With an ICAO completion date of 8 November 2018, Etihad …

OneSpace Technology Group, a Chinese private space launch group based in Beijing, has failed in its second attempt to orbit a satellite. According to Reuters, Chinese state media reported that the rocket failed to reach orbit after it lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwestern China. It …

Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) has been awarded the prime contract to develop the next generation cluster of formation-flying microsatellites for HawkEye 360 Inc. of Herndon, Va. The HawkEye Constellation, comprised of multiple clusters of three satellites each, is the first of its kind to detect and geolocate radio frequency (RF) …

Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd (ST Engineering) announced on 27 March 2019 that its subsidiary Singapore Technologies Engineering (Europe) Ltd, has entered into a conditional share purchase agreement to acquire a 100% ownership in Newtec Group NV, an established Belgium-based company in the satellite communications industry. The consideration of €250m (approximately …

Spaceflight will launch 21 spacecraft on a rideshare mission from India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) at India’s Satish Dhawan Space Center. The launch is scheduled for Mon., April 1, 2019 Indian Standard Time (Sun., March 31 PDT). Payloads aboard the mission include the Astrocast-02 3U cubesat from Switzerland-based Astrocast …

As part of a global industry research project, combustion experts from the University of Sydney’s School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering are one step closer to developing a more efficient and cost-effective access to space platform for satellite launches. As part of the University’s Clean Combustion Group, Associate Professor …

India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully carried out the country’s first anti-satellite (ASAT) weapon test against an out-of-service Indian satellite orbiting the Earth at 300 kilometres altitude on Wednesday, 27 March 2019, at 11.16 am Indian Time. The test was carried out by DRDO from its test range …

Phase Four, makers of electric radio frequency (RF) thrusters for in-space propulsion, has announced a new agreement with Japan-based advanced spacecraft experts, Sunrise. Sunrise specializes in leading-edge aerospace technology, including satellite hardware and launch. As part of a three-year agreement, Sunrise will be bringing Maxwell, Phase Four’s turnkey electric propulsion …