INTELSAT COMPLETES REFRESH OF SATELLITES WITH FALCON 9 LAUNCH OF GALAXY 37 - SpaceX launched an Intelsat communications satellite early Thursday, part of a fleet-wide refresh under a Federal Communications Commission push to free up transmission space for 5G cellular networks. The Falcon 9 blasted off from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 1 a.m. EDT, lighting up the overnight sky as it arced away to the east atop 1.7 million pounds of thrust.   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Aug 4)

CHINA FOCUS: CHINA LAUNCHES FY-3F METEOROLOGICAL SATELLITE - China on Thursday launched a satellite into space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. The Fengyun-3F (FY-3F) satellite was launched at 11:47 a.m. (Beijing Time) by a Long March-4C carrier rocket and successfully entered the planned orbit. The satellite was developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST) under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, and its ground application system is operated by the China Meteorological Administration (CMA).   More
(Source: Xinhua - Aug 4)

NEW TARGET LAUNCH DATE SET FOR NEXT CREWED MISSION TO SPACE STATION - NASA and SpaceX now are targeting 5:23 a.m. EDT Monday, Aug. 21, for the launch of the agency’s Crew-7 mission to the International Space Station. The adjusted date allows additional time for launch site processing at Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. If needed, a backup opportunity is available at 3:49 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 25. The target date is in coordination with activities aboard the International Space Station, including operations with other crew and cargo spacecraft. A Cygnus cargo spacecraft from Northrop Grumman and Roscosmos Progress cargo spacecraft are due at the station in the coming weeks.   More
(Source: NASA - Aug 3)

WATCH A SPACEX FALCON 9 ROCKET LAUNCH A COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITE TONIGHT - SpaceX plans to launch a communications satellite Thursday (Aug. 3), and you can watch the action live. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida and loft the Intelsat G-37 mission to a geosynchronous transfer orbit during a two-hour launch window that begins at 12:15 a.m. ET (0415 GMT) on Thursday (Aug. 3). A backup window is scheduled for the same time on Friday (Aug. 4).   More
(Source: Space.com - Aug 3)

LAST ANTARES ROCKET USING RUSSIAN, UKRAINIAN PARTS LAUNCHES SPACE STATION CARGO - The mission, designated NG-19, is part of NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) program and marks roughly a decade of missions for Northrop Grumman. The company first flew a Cygnus spacecraft to the ISS on the Orbital-D1 mission on Sept. 18, 2013. The Cygnus spacecraft loaded with more than 3,700 kg. (8,200 lbs.) of cargo for the ISS. The manifest includes hardware to support about 40 different science experiments that will be conducted both by the crew members on board the space station as well as on the Cygnus itself. The Antares rocket lifted off the Cygnus cargo craft bound for the International Space Station on Tuesday after a trouble-free countdown. Cygnus was successfully placed in orbit about nine minutes after launch. It is due to berth at the space station on Friday.   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Aug 2)

WATCH THE NEXT ANTARES NASA CARGO RESUPPLY LAUNCH FROM WALLOPS - The next Antares launch is scheduled for 8:31 p.m. EDT, Tuesday, Aug. 1, from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport’s Pad 0A on Wallops Island, Virginia. The evening launch may be visible, weather permitting, to residents throughout the mid-Atlantic region and possibly the East Coast of the United States. This will be Northrop Grumman’s 19th commercial resupply services mission for NASA, delivering science investigations, supplies and equipment to the International Space Station.    More
(Source: NASA - Aug 1)

PREPARATIONS UNDERWAY FOR UPCOMING CARGO DELIVERY - The Expedition 69 crew is gearing up for a cargo delivery to the International Space Station this week. Health investigations and spacesuit surveys were also conducted today. NASA astronauts Woody Hoburg and Frank Rubio spent most of their day preparing for Friday’s capture of Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft. The duo completed another robotics practice session of Cygnus berthing and capture in the morning, followed by a practice of grapple procedures in the Cupola using the station’s robotic arm, Canadarm2, in the afternoon.   More
(Source: NASA - Aug 1)

SPACEX LAUNCHES LONG-AWAITED HUGHES JUPITER 3 SATELLITE - Hughes Network Systems’ long-awaited Jupiter 3 satellite is finally on its way to orbit after a late Friday night SpaceX launch. SpaceX launched Jupiter 3 on a Falcon Heavy mission from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:05 p.m. on July 28. The satellite was deployed three hours and 28 minutes after lift-off, and Hughes confirmed a successful launch and solar ray deployment.   More
(Source: Via Satellite - Aug 1)

CHINA BOOSTS ITS PROJECT GW SATELLITE RIVAL TO COMPETE WITH ELON MUSK’S STARLINK - A Chinese space scientist has revealed more details about China’s 13,000-satellite project, which aims to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink. Project GW is “forging ahead in an orderly manner”, according to Qu Wei, an aerothermal expert from the China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics in Beijing.   More
(Source: South China Morning Post - Aug 1)

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