INMARSAT WILL EXPAND THEIR GX SATELLITE FLEET - Inmarsat GX network currently includes five geostationary satellites, with four built by Boeing. Its GX5 satellite, built by Thales Alenia Space, was brought into commercial service on December 10, 2020, over Europe and the Middle East. The new scheme allows for five more satellites plus two GX payloads on two third-party satellites.   More
(Source: SatNews Publishers - Jan 7)

DARPA SATELLITES DAMAGED AT PROCESSING FACILITY AHEAD OF SPACEX LAUNCH - Two satellites from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency that were part of an upcoming SpaceX rideshare mission have been damaged at the payload processing facility, the agency confirmed Jan. 6. The mishap happened on Jan. 4 at SpaceX’s launch processing facility at Cape Canaveral, Florida. DARPA’s satellites were scheduled to fly to orbit on a Falcon 9 rocket as part of the Transporter-1 mission, SpaceX’s first dedicated rideshare mission scheduled to launch Jan. 14.   More
(Source: SpaceNews - Jan 7)

U.S. COMPANIES, LED BY SPACEX, LAUNCHED MORE THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN 2020 - Leading all other nations, U.S. launch providers flew 44 missions in 2020 that aimed to place payloads in Earth orbit or deep space, with 40 successes. China followed with 35 successful orbital missions in 39 launch attempts. Russia’s space program was in third place with 17 successful launches of Russian-built rockets in as many tries, including two Soyuz missions from the European-run spaceport in French Guiana.    More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Jan 6)

SPACE CALENDAR 2021: EVERY ROCKET LAUNCH, MARS MISSION, METEOR SHOWER AND MORE - The year 2020 AD did not turn out exactly as we would have liked down on Earth. But in space, it did prove to be momentous. SpaceX and NASA delivered astronauts to the International Space Station (twice!) aboard the Crew Dragon capsule, Japan and China brought back extraterrestrial rock to Earth and NASA scooped up some space chunks from asteroid Bennu. Excitement for Mars peaked in July, when three missions departed for the red planet. The Mars-bound spacecraft, from NASA, China and the United Arab Emirates, are en route now. They're set to arrive early in 2021.    More
(Source: CNET - Jan 6)

CHINA’S CASC TARGETS MORE THAN 40 SPACE LAUNCHES IN 2021 - China’s main space contractor aims to conduct more than 40 orbital launches in 2021, including launching a space station module and human spaceflight missions. The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) announced the target at a meeting Jan. 4, in a work report outlining major tasks for 2021. China launched 39 times last year, continuing the accelerated launch rate of the past few years.   More
(Source: SpaceNews - Jan 5)

NASA TO AIR DEPARTURE OF UPGRADED SPACEX CARGO DRAGON FROM SPACE STATION - The SpaceX Dragon that arrived to the International Space Station on the company’s 21st resupply services mission for NASA is scheduled to depart on Monday, Jan. 11, loaded with 5,200 pounds of scientific experiments and other cargo. NASA Television and the agency’s website will broadcast its departure live beginning at 9 a.m. EST. The upgraded Dragon spacecraft will execute the first undocking of a U.S. commercial cargo craft from the International Docking Adapter at 9:25 a.m., with NASA astronaut Victor Glover monitoring aboard the station.   More
(Source: NASA - Jan 5)

'WAR IN SPACE' WOULD BE A CATASTROPHE. A RETURN TO RULES-BASED COOPERATION IS THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP SPACE PEACEFUL - In 2019, US President Donald Trump declared “space is the new war-fighting domain”. This followed the creation of the US Space Force and a commitment to “American dominance” in outer space. Other space-faring nations, and those who fear the acceleration of an arms race in space, were greatly concerned. At the latest meeting of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, states noted with alarm that “preventing conflicts in outer space and preserving outer space for peaceful purposes” is more necessary than ever.   More
(Source: Space.com - Jan 4)

SATELLITE IMAGES CAPTURE MAJOR EVENTS OF 2020 - Year 2020 has largely been defined by one unprecedented pandemic that would go on to shape many things even in years to come. But even otherwise, there were many notable events and happenings that shaped this historic and difficult year. From COVID lockdowns to the melting Arctic and Antarctic reminding us of the fast-changing climate, natural disasters like the unprecedented number of hurricanes and widespread wildfires to manmade ones...   More
(Source: Geospatial World - Jan 4)

SPACEX RINGS IN THE NEW YEAR WITH A $150 MILLION SATELLITE LAUNCH CONTRACT - SpaceX landed a contract at the end of 2020 for the Space Development Agency. SpaceX estimates the first launches under the contract will happen in late 2022, and they were awarded $150.4 million. Under the contract, as many as 28 satellites will be put into orbit. SpaceX will launch a mix of small and medium spacecraft of different sizes into orbit that the Space Development Agency is purchasing from various vendors.    More
(Source: SlashGear - Jan 3)

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