CNES – Page 8 – Spaceflight Now

Launch of NASA’s next Mars mission delayed until at least 2018

December 27, 2015 Stephen Clark

Persistent problems with a seismometer instrument package will keep NASA’s InSight Mars lander from departing for the red planet during a March launch period, and officials said they will consider shelving the $675 million project if the issues prove too costly to fix.

Launcher contracts signify shift in Europe’s rocket industry

August 18, 2015 Stephen Clark

Europe’s next-generation launcher family has moved a step closer to reality with the signature of nearly $3.8 billion in contracts for development of the Ariane 6 rocket and an upgraded version of the lightweight Vega booster.

Ariane 6 rockets likely to be assembled horizontally

June 24, 2015 Stephen Clark

Construction of a new launch pad for Europe’s Ariane 6 rocket, which will be put together horizontally instead of vertically, is due to begin next week at an abandoned quarry site in French Guiana.

Jason 3 satellite shipped to Vandenberg for SpaceX launch

June 18, 2015 Stephen Clark

An international oceanography satellite arrived at its California launch base from a factory in France on Thursday for fueling, testing and other final preps before its scheduled Aug. 8 blastoff on a Falcon 9 rocket.

France to privatize its Arianespace shares

June 11, 2015 Stephen Clark

The French government has signaled its intention to sell its stake in Arianespace, a major step in consolidating the European launcher industry under the control of a joint venture formed by Airbus and rocket engine manufacturer Safran.

Launch of U.S.-French oceanography satellite postponed

June 2, 2015 Stephen Clark

The launch of a U.S.-French oceanography satellite from California has been postponed from July 22 after engineers discovered contamination in one of the spacecraft’s thrusters at its factory in France.