Telecom

Proton rocket successfully returns to flight after year-long grounding

June 8, 2017 Stephen Clark

An EchoStar communications satellite designed to link Europeans with voice and broadband data services rode into orbit on top of a Russian Proton rocket Thursday, deploying into an on-target orbit after nine hours of maneuvers by the launcher’s Breeze M upper stage.

Video: Proton rocket returns to service with launch of EchoStar 21

June 8, 2017 Stephen Clark

A Proton rocket launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan with the EchoStar 21 communications satellite Thursday, the heaviest commercial payload ever flown aboard a Russian booster.

Live coverage: Proton rocket blasts off for first time in a year

June 7, 2017 Stephen Clark

A Russian Proton rocket launched at 0345 GMT Thursday (11:45 p.m. EDT Wednesday) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan with the EchoStar 21 communications satellite, a hefty 7.6-ton telecommunications station designed to support a mobile network in Europe. Managed by U.S.-based International Launch Services, the mission will take more than nine hours to deliver EchoStar 21 into a geostationary transfer orbit using five burns of the Breeze M upper stage engine.

Watch a replay of India’s most powerful launcher heading into orbit

June 5, 2017 Stephen Clark

India’s GSLV Mk.3 rocket took off Monday on its first full-scale orbital test flight, delivering the GSAT 19 communications satellite to an on-target orbit after successfully demonstrating new solid rocket boosters, a twin-engine core stage and an upgraded cryogenic upper stage engine.

India’s launcher fleet gets an upgrade with successful test flight

June 5, 2017 Stephen Clark

A powerful new launch vehicle climbed into space from India’s east coast Monday, delivering a multi-beam communications satellite to orbit on its first full-up test flight, setting marks for the heaviest rocket and spacecraft ever launched from India.

Live coverage: New Indian launcher succeeds on maiden orbital test flight

June 5, 2017 Stephen Clark

The most powerful rocket ever built by India, boosted by two solid-fueled strap-on motors, a twin-engine core and a cryogenic upper stage, lifted off Monday to prove it can haul satellites into orbit nearly twice as heavy as India’s existing launchers. Launch occurred at 1158 GMT (7:58 a.m. EDT).

Ariane 5 succeeds in launch of two high-value communications satellites

June 2, 2017 Stephen Clark

A pair of ViaSat and Eutelsat communications satellites — one to broadcast unparalleled high-speed Internet from space, and another to connect the Asia-Pacific — streaked into space Thursday from French Guiana atop an Ariane 5 rocket, setting records for the heaviest and most valuable commercial payload ever put into orbit.

Proton rocket successfully returns to flight after year-long grounding

Video: Proton rocket returns to service with launch of EchoStar 21

Live coverage: Proton rocket blasts off for first time in a year

Watch a replay of India’s most powerful launcher heading into orbit

India’s launcher fleet gets an upgrade with successful test flight

Live coverage: New Indian launcher succeeds on maiden orbital test flight

Ariane 5 succeeds in launch of two high-value communications satellites

Launch timeline for Ariane 5’s flight with ViaSat 2 and Eutelsat 172B

Live coverage: Ariane 5 rocket launches on record-breaking mission

Two high-power broadband satellites set for record-breaking launch on Ariane 5 rocket