Thales Alenia Space – Page 23

Europe’s Sentinel satellites generating huge ‘Big Data’ archive

April 28, 2016 Stephen Clark

With a second radar surveillance satellite already returning images less than three days after launch, managers in charge of Europe’s growing fleet of Sentinel environment-monitoring spacecraft will grapple with an immense ‘Big Data’ challenge as the multibillion-dollar program enters a new phase.

Photos: Russia’s iconic Soyuz booster fires away from jungle launch pad

April 26, 2016 Stephen Clark

Five satellites rode a Soyuz booster into orbit Monday from French Guiana, and these spectacular photos from Europe’s tropical spaceport show the legendary rocket’s fiery departure from the edge of the lush Amazon jungle.

Soyuz blasts off with environmental satellite, general relativity probe

April 26, 2016 Stephen Clark

A Russian Soyuz rocket fired off a launch pad in French Guiana Monday evening with satellite missions to monitor Earth’s environment, test Einstein’s theory of general relativity, and inspire the next generation of space engineers.

Q&A with Guido Levrini, ESA’s manager of the Copernicus space segment

April 25, 2016 Stephen Clark

Europe is in the midst of launching the most thorough space-based environmental network ever deployed, with satellites to help officials respond to natural disasters, measure crop yield, monitor the health of oceans and ice caps, and track ozone in the atmosphere. Guido Levrini from ESA spoke to Spaceflight Now about the program on the eve of Sentinel 1B’s launch.

Snapshots: Soyuz takes off

April 25, 2016 Justin Ray

A Russian-made Soyuz rocket was launched from Europe’s space base in French Guiana on Monday at 2102 GMT (6:02 p.m. local; 5:02 p.m. EDT) with the Sentinel 1B environmental satellite.

Live coverage: Soyuz soars into space on its fourth launch attempt

April 22, 2016 Stephen Clark

After replacing a faulty inertial measurement system blamed for a scrubbed launch attempt Sunday, a Soyuz rocket headed to space from French Guiana today with five satellites, including the next spacecraft for Europe’s multibillion-dollar Earth observing network and a French experiment to probe the validity of Einstein’s theory of general relativity.

Five European satellites ready for Soyuz flight to custom orbits

April 22, 2016 Stephen Clark

The term “direct flight” will go to new heights Friday with a four-hour flight by a Soyuz rocket and its Fregat upper stage to deliver five satellites to three distinct orbital destinations hundreds of miles above Earth.

Cluster of satellites meets Soyuz launcher in French Guiana

April 20, 2016 Stephen Clark

Five European satellites packaged inside an aerodynamic fairing have joined a Soyuz rocket its launch pad in the French Guiana jungle for a roaring ride into orbit Friday.

Europe’s ExoMars orbiter smoothly cruising toward red planet

March 23, 2016 Stephen Clark

Ground controllers are running Europe’s ExoMars orbiter through a post-launch checkup a week after its successful liftoff aboard a Proton rocket, and a first look at the probe’s systems has revealed no problems, the mission’s flight director said Tuesday.

Jason 3 satellite begins surveying world’s oceans

March 19, 2016 Stephen Clark

Two months after its foggy blastoff from California on a Falcon 9 rocket, a $364 million oceanography satellite has returned the first data from its radar altimeter mapping global sea levels, catching this year’s ongoing El Niño in the act.