AIRBUS SIGNS MULTI-SATELLITE CONTRACT WITH INTELSAT - Airbus has signed a contract with Intelsat to build two OneSat satellites operating in multiple frequency bands for Intelsat’s next-generation software-defined network. The contract was signed on 31 December 2020. The satellites will be based on Airbus’ OneSat product line, the latest generation of fully flexible, in orbit reconfigurable, Software Defined Satellites (SDS).   More
(Source: SatelliteProME.com - Jan 30)

CHINA LAUNCHES MILITARY SPY SATELLITE TRIO INTO ORBIT - China launched three Yaogan military satellites Friday on a Long March 4C rocket, adding to a fleet of spacecraft independent analysts believe are designed to spy on naval forces. The three Yaogan 31-series satellites lifted off aboard a three-stage, liquid-fueled Long March 4C rocket at 0447 GMT Friday (11:47 p.m. EST Thursday), according to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp., or CASC, China’s largest state-run aerospace contractor.   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Jan 30)

RADFXSAT-2 SIGNALS DETECTED, AMSAT ENGINEERING CONTINUES TO ASSESS STATUS - On January 27th, Brad Schumacher, W5SAT, reported copying his CW signal weakly via the RadFxSat-2 transponder. On the morning of January 28th, AMSAT Engineering and Operations confirmed these reports and determined that RadFxSat-2 is partially functioning, though signals are extremely weak. AMSAT thanks W5SAT for his report. We also appreciate those who joined in determining whether they could detect their own or other signals in recent passes today.   More
(Source: AMSAT - Jan 29)

ARISS AND PARTNERS ARE INVESTIGATING SPACE STATION HAM RADIO FAILURE - Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) and its partners are troubleshooting the failure of the on-board NA1SS amateur station in the ISS Columbus module. ARISS was alerted of the problem when a contact with a school in Wyoming, between ON4ISS on Earth and astronaut Mike Hopkins, KF5LJG, at NA1SS, had to abort when no downlink signal was heard. “Today was a tough one for ARISS,” ARISS-International Chair Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, began in a message on January 28 to the ARISS team.    More
(Source: ARRL - Jan 29)

FALCON 9 ROCKET ARRIVES ON PAD 39A FOR SUNRISE STARLINK LAUNCH THIS WEEKEND - SpaceX plans to deploy the next group of Starlink internet relay spacecraft Sunday with a liftoff on top of a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, the company’s fourth satellite launch of the month. The two-stage Falcon 9 launcher emerged from its hangar at the Florida spaceport Thursday and rolled up the ramp to pad 39A, where SpaceX will raise the 229-foot-tall (70-meter) rocket vertical for a test-firing as soon as Friday.   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Jan 29)

BALKY CONNECTORS PREVENT FULL ACTIVATION OF EUROPEAN EXPERIMENT PLATFORM - Two astronauts working outside the International Space Station Wednesday installed a European Space Agency data relay antenna and connected four of six cables to partially power a new ESA experiment platform. They also removed two solar array handling fixtures to clear the way for a future power system upgrade. But the two cables they were unable to connect to the Bartolomeo platform, attached to the front side of ESA’s Columbus laboratory module, will need to be connected later to accommodate a full suite of external payloads.   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Jan 28)

SIRIUS XM’S LATEST SATELLITE, BUILT BY MAXAR AND LAUNCHED BY SPACEX, SUFFERS FAILURE IN ORBIT - A recently launched Sirius XM satellite suffered “failures” during preliminary testing in space, the company said in a securities filing Wednesday. It did not disclose the cause of the malfunction. “During in-orbit testing of SXM-7, events occurred which have caused failures of certain SXM-7 payload units. An evaluation of SXM-7 is underway. The full extent of the damage to SXM-7 is not yet known,” Sirius XM said in the filing.   More
(Source: CNBC - Jan 28)

ELON MUSK AND JEFF BEZOS IN THE RACE FOR SATELLITE INTERNET - The two richest men in the world are in dispute. Elon Musk criticized Amazon through his Twitter and SpaceX accused the company led by Jeff Bezos of making "misleading claims" referring to what the ecommerce giant's spokespersons said regarding new Starlink strategies. SpaceX is seeking an affirmative response from the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to its request to place the satellites of Starlink, its satellite internet system, at lower altitudes than planned.   More
(Source: Entrepreneur - Jan 28)

NASA ASTRONAUTS VICTOR GLOVER, MIKE HOPKINS CONDUCT SPACEWALK WEDNESDAY - Astronauts Mike Hopkins and Victor Glover Jr. are conducting a spacewalk Wednesday to upgrade and maintain the International Space Station. It is the first spacewalk experience for Glover, who is a few months into his first spaceflight on the station. This is the third spacewalk for Hopkins, who previously completed two spacewalks during his first six-month venture to the space station from September 25, 2013, to March 10, 2014.   More
(Source: FOX Carolina - Jan 28)

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