Space

Maxar sells its Canadian subsidiary MDA

On December 30, Maxar announced the sale its Canadian commercial unit MDA to Northern Private Capital, a private investment company based in Toronto.

Space

Space19+ Conference: an unexpected budget

The long-awaited ministerial meeting of the European Space Agency, which took place on November 27 and 28, ended with a historic budget agreement.

Space

Ariane: 250 launches in 40 years

The last Ariane 5 mission of the year took place on November 26. The Ariane program reaches the milestone of 250 attempts to launch in almost 40 years.

Space

ILS Proton puts two commercial payloads into orbit

On October 10, the valiant Russian launcher signed its 18th success in a row... but only its first commercial mission of the past two years.

Space

Ariane 6 passes new exam

A decisive phase has been achieved by the future European heavy launcher, planned for the second half of 2020: the Critical Design Review.

MAKS 2019

Maks 2019: The future space missions of the Lavochkin Institute

Space

Issue of the Vega VV15 accident investigation report

The inquiry commission mandated after the accident of the light launcher of Arianespace occurred on July 11 presented its conclusions. The flight resumption of Vega is expected for the first quarter of 2020.

Space

Third Iranian space failure of the year

An explosion occurred during the preparation of the orbital launch of the Iranian Space Agency. U.S. satellites sighted a column of smoke.

MAKS 2019

MAKS 2019: commercial imagery service on the Cloud

Terratekh offers a high resolution RGB and infrared commercial imagery service on its Cloud.

MAKS 2019

MAKS 2019: an unprecedented Russian space tug

Arsenal, the military entity of the conglomerate Roscosmos, introduced an unprecedented space tug on its pavilion at the MAKS 2019 Air Show.

Space

Starhopper’s jump reaches 150 m high

The successful test of the demonstrator of SpaceX’s future giant launcher looks like a déjà vu…

Space

Soyuz MS-14 docked safely

After the resettlement of the Soyuz MS-13, the ship occupied by the humanoid robot Fedor could dock at the International Space Station on August 27.

Space

The German Aerospace Center DLR partners with Drone Rescue Systems to carry out the FALCon project

Drone Rescue Systems joins DLR’s FALCon project team to enable the return of rocket stages after launch.

Space

A satellite sights Chinese military vehicles

Maxar Technologies collected imagery of the mainland Chinese city of Shenzhen, which borders Hong Kong, thanks to the satellite WorldView-1.

Space

First rollout of Ariane 6 mobile gantry

The construction site of the future launch pad for the European heavy launch vehicle witnessed a first simulation of a launch operation.

Space

Grid fins on the Chinese rocket Long March 2C

A return control system was set on the first stage of the launcher that allowed a new Chinese military mission, on July 26.

Space

France fleshes out its military space strategy

The French Minister of the Armies detailed the space defense national strategy and the associated means.

Space

Success for a first orbital launch from a Chinese “private” operator

The micro-launcher Hyperbola 1 of the Chinese startup company i-Space, founded in 2016, performed a successful maiden flight on July 25.

Space

Ending of the qualification tests of Ariane 6’s engine Vulcain 2.1

ArianeGroup’s engine Vulcain 2.1 finished tests run, cumulating almost 4 hours of static firing.

Space

With space probe Chandrayaan 2, India (too) aims at the Moon

A second Indian Space Agency’s probe was successfully sent to the Moon on July 22. The lander carried by the probe must perform a soft landing and then deploy a little rover.

Space

Aerospace projects by young people in the Pyrenees’ sky

The 5th consecutive year, Ger’s military camp is hosting this week the young rocket, balloon and cansats manufacturers’ meeting organized by the CNES and the Planète Sciences association.

Space

Europe deprived of the Galileo signal

During 4 days, the 24 satellites of the European navigation system stayed silent without any precise explanation.

Space

First fail in flight of the European launcher Vega

During the night of 10 to 11 July, Arianespace’s small-lift launcher suffered an anomaly after two minutes of flight, resulting in the failing of the mission.

Space

Contract award for CO3D Earth Observation satellites

Finalist against Thales Alenia Space, Airbus Defence and Space was awarded the contract for the development of the new French optical reconnaissance program for a dual utilisation.

Civil Aviation

LATAM nears a total solar eclipse

On July 2nd, a Boeing 787-9 of LATAM Airlines brought a group of 50 privileged to get to see a total solar eclipse over the Pacific Ocean.

Space

Cyberattack targeting the JPL NASA center

Space

Indonesia chooses Thales Alenia Space to provide Satria satellite

The Franco-Italian manufacturer was chosen to design and assemble a powerful telecommunication satellite for the Indonesian consortium PSN. The launch is scheduled for the end of 2022.

Space

France and Japan keep running the solar system exploration together

On the occasion of the State visit to Japan by Emmanuel Macron, two agreements on the exploration of Phobos and the asteroid Ryugu were settled on June 26th between the CNES and the Japan Space Exploration Agency (JAXA).

Space

The Falcon Heavy successfully completed an ambitious mission

Intended to confirm its military use, the 3rd flight of the heaviest launcher of the world had to face many unprecedented issues. Each one was easily overcome.

Space

Ariane 6 series production begins

ArianeGroup is starting to build the first series-production batch of 14 Ariane 6 launchers, which are scheduled to fly between 2021 and 2023.

Space

Arianespace to launch StriX-α satellite for Japanese startup

Synspective and Arianespace have signed a contract to launch the StriX-α Synthetic Aperture Radar demonstrator satellite.

Space

Israeli lunar probe crashes

Israel is not (yet) the fourth nation to achieve a controlled landing on the Moon, but plans are already being made for a follow-on mission.

Industry

Stratolaunch makes first flight

Stratolaunch Systems Corporation successfully completed the first flight of the world’s largest all-composite aircraft, the Stratolaunch, on 13th April.

Space

ESA supports reusable launcher tests

Drop test demonstrates technologies for reusable launcher.

Space

Safran Reosc develops mini-camera for nanosatellite

The company is developing an innovative miniature camera for Norway's future NORSAT-4 nanosatellite.

Space

Airbus to supply satellite imagery for digital agriculture

Under an agreement with The Climate Corporation, images will be used by farmers to monitor crop health and performance.

Space

Arianespace launches O3b sats on Soyuz

The launch marks completion of the initial O3b satellite constellation.

Space

Airbus exoplanet satellite set for launch

Airbus Defence and Space has completed construction of the Cheops satellite, which is set for launch from Kourou later this year.

Space

First flight for India's PSLV-QL

A new variant of the PSLV featuring four strap-on motors made a successful first flight on 1st April, launching a total of 29 satellites.

Space

India tests anti-satellite weapon

On 27th March, India became the fourth nation in the world possessing the capability to destroy a satellite in orbit.

Space

France, China to cooperate on Moon mission

France and China are stepping up their space cooperation to include French participation in the Chang’e 6 mission to return samples from the Moon in 2023-2024.

Industry

3D printing enters series production at Thales Alenia Space

Thales Alenia Space reports that it is taking 3D printing/additive manufacturing into series production to make components for telecom satellites built on the Spacebus Neo platform.

Space

Thales Alenia Space announces ISS airlock milestone

Thales Alenia Space (TAS) reports that the shell for the Bishop airlock module for the ISS is ready for shipment to the NanoRacks integration facility in Texas.

Space

ESA green light for air-breathing rocket engine

The European Space Agency, together with the UK Space Agency, has reviewed the preliminary design of the demonstrator engine core of the Synergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine (SABRE).

Space

China launches 300th Long March

The Chinese launcher family, the first of which entered service in April 1970, has performed its 300th mission, following the successful launch of a new geostationary telecommunications satellite.

Space

Safran Reosc wins ELT contract

Safran Reosc has signed a contract with the European Southern Observatory (ESO) to design and produce the M5 mirror for the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT).

Civil Aviation

Thales, Aireon to expand collaboration

The two companies aim to improve aviation efficiency using the space-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) service.

Space

France, India sign maritime surveillance agreement

French space agency CNES has signed an agreement with India's ISRO to establish a maritime surveillance centre in India.