News Archive
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New European satellite design to debut on Ariane 5 launch Thursday
A broadband communications satellite for Paris-based Eutelsat -- built on a new Thales Alenia Space all-electric design with xenon plasma thrusters -- and an Indian broadcasting spacecraft are fastened to the top of an Ariane 5 launcher for liftoff Thursday from French Guiana.
Long March, Soyuz and Falcon rockets topped 2019’s launch leaderboard
China led the world with 34 orbital launch attempts in 2019 — including two failures — followed by 22 flights from Russian-operated launch pads and 21 satellite delivery missions originating from U.S. spaceports, all of which were successful.
Soyuz launches Italian radar satellite, ESA exoplanet telescope
A package of five satellites, including an Italian radar reconnaissance craft and a European Space Agency exoplanet science probe, soared into orbit Wednesday from French Guiana aboard a Russian-made Soyuz rocket.
Timeline of Soyuz launch with CSG 1 and CHEOPS
Follow the key events of the Soyuz rocket’s ascent into orbit from the Guiana Space Center with the first COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation, or CSG 1, radar observation satellite, the European Space Agency's CHEOPS exoplanet telescope, and three CubeSats.
VideoLive coverage: Soyuz launches from French Guiana
Five European satellites, including a Italian radar surveillance craft and an ESA exoplanet probe, lifted off Wednesday at 0854 GMT (3:54 a.m. EST) from French Guiana aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket. A launch attempt Tuesday was scrubbed due to a software concern with the launch vehicle.
ESA satellite set for launch to measure sizes of exoplanets
A compact exoplanet observatory built in Europe to help astronomers determine the sizes of distant worlds around other stars is scheduled for launch Wednesday from French Guiana aboard a Soyuz rocket.
Launch of 250th Ariane rocket marks new era for Inmarsat broadband fleet
Egypt's first military communications satellite and a powerhouse spacecraft to beam Internet signals to airline passengers and maritime vessels across Europe and the Middle East rocketed into orbit Tuesday on the 250th flight of an Ariane launcher.
VideoLive coverage: Ariane 5 rocket launches with satellites for Egypt and Inmarsat
After a four-day delay due to a ground power supply anomaly and unfavorable weather, an Ariane 5 rocket lifted off at 4:23 p.m. EST (2123 GMT) Tuesday to send into orbit a hush-hush communications satellite for the Egyptian military and a spacecraft to expand the capacity of Inmarsat's mobile Internet service.
OneWeb’s first full-up launch delayed to January
The first Soyuz launch from Kazakhstan carrying a full load of more than 30 Florida-built satellites for OneWeb's broadband Internet network has slipped from December to mid-to-late January, OneWeb officials said.
Egyptian satellite, ESA science probe share plane ride to launch base
A European-built communications satellite, manufactured in secret for the Egyptian government, joined a European Space Agency exoplanet observatory aboard a Ukrainian Antonov An-124 cargo plane for a trans-Atlantic flight Wednesday to begin final launch preparations in French Guiana.