INDIA CAN DEVELOP SPACE STATION, SAYS ISRO CHIEF - Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman A S Kiran Kumar on Monday said the country has the capability to develop a space station, but it needed a long-term approach and an ambitious planning. His comment follows ISRO display of technological prowess last week by launching 104 satellites+ in a single mission. "We have all the capabilities to set up a space station. The day the country takes the decision, we will 'ok' the project. Just draw a policy and provide us necessary funds and time," Kumar said here.    More
(Source: Times of India - Feb 21)

SPACEX LAUNCH HAM RADIO TRANSCEIVER TO ISS - The CRS-10 mission carrying vital amateur radio equipment to the International Space Station launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 at 1439 UT on Sunday, February 19 Frank Bauer KA3HDO, ARISS International Chair and AMSAT-NA V.P. for Human Spaceflight Programs writes: Included as part of today's successful launch of the SpaceX Dragon vehicle to ISS is an ARISS Ericsson 2 meter VHF radio. This radio will replace the Ericsson radio that failed a few months ago. The VHF radio is used for school group contacts and amateur packet radio in the Columbus module. Once the Dragon vehicle is berthed to ISS, the Ericsson will be unstowed and, at some point, installed in Columbus, replacing the UHF radio that is now supporting APRS packet and some school contacts.    More
(Source: Southgate ARC - Feb 20)

HISTORIC LAUNCH PAD BACK IN SERVICE WITH THUNDERING BLASTOFF BY SPACEX - SpaceX sent a cargo capsule with nearly 5,500 pounds of experiments and supplies on a three-day trip to the International Space Station on Sunday, firing the automated spaceship through low-hanging clouds and into orbit from the same launch pad where Apollo astronauts began voyages to the moon. A kerosene-fueled 213-foot-tall (65-meter) Falcon 9 rocket powered the cargo freighter into space, soaring on a northeasterly course from launch pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center at 9:39 a.m. EST (1439 GMT) atop 1.7 million pounds of thrust.   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Feb 20)

SPACEX ABORTS FLIGHT DUE TO ROCKET ISSUES - SpaceX aborted its flight plans Saturday due to issues with its rocket. The private space firm plans to try its unmanned mission to the international space station again at 9:38 am ET on Sunday. SpaceX decided to halt its launch plans Saturday in order to "take a closer look at positioning of the second stage engine nozzle," the company tweeted. The delay comes after founder Elon Musk tweeted concerns about a small leak in the rocket's upper stage on Friday. That issue appeared to be resolved Saturday morning.    More
(Source: CNN - Feb 18)

SMALL SATELLITE ROCKET BOOSTER ARRIVES AT NEW ZEALAND'S FIRST LAUNCH SITE - A small satellite launcher built by Rocket Lab has reached its New Zealand launch site for a debut test run in a few months. The rocket, called Electron, is one of at least 17 small satellite launchers in development worldwide, a study for the Satellite Industry Association by The Tauri Group shows. Another study, presented at last year's International Astronautical Congress in Mexico, found at least 29 small boosters in development.   More
(Source: Seeker - Feb 17)

NAYIF-1 LAUNCHED - The Indian Space Agency ISRO successfully launched the amateur radio satellite Nayif-1 along with 103 other satellites, a record for a single launch. The PSLV-C37 lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh at 03:58 UT on Wednesday, February 15, 2017. Nayif-1 started transmitting about an hour after launch and radio amateurs in the west of the USA reported the first signals. The first frame of data received at the Data Warehouse was from Christy Hunter KB6LTY. Telemetry data was also received by WA6FWF, KA7FVV, WC7V, NC7V, K6FW, KE7QPV, WA9ONY, W5PFG, KK6AYK.   More
(Source: AMSAT-UK - Feb 16)

CHINA TO LAUNCH ROBOTIC CARGO SHIP FOR SPACE LAB IN APRIL - A key element of China’s human spaceflight program is being prepared for launch this April. The country’s first cargo-carrying spacecraft, known as Tianzhou-1, arrived at a launch site in Wenchang City in southern Hainan Province on Monday, according to Chinese media reports. The robotic Tianzhou-1 can carry about 5 tons of supplies into Earth orbit. The cargo vessel is integral to the operation of the space station that China aims to build by 2020, Chinese officials have said.   More
(Source: CBS News - Feb 16)

WEATHER COULD STAND IN WAY OF FALCON 9 LAUNCH SATURDAY - Rainy weather expected across Central Florida this weekend has a 50-50 chance of preventing the launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket Saturday on a resupply mission to the International Space Station, U.S. Air Force forecasters said Wednesday. The official weather outlook issued by the Air Force’s 45th Weather Squadron calls for thick clouds and isolated rain showers at Cape Canaveral during Saturday’s launch countdown. Liftoff is timed for 10:01 a.m. EST (1501 GMT), roughly the moment the space station’s orbital path is positioned above Florida’s Space Coast.   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Feb 16)

ARIANESPACE LAUNCHES TWO TELECOM SATELLITES ON ARIANE 5 ROCKET - European launch provider Arianespace completed the first of seven planned launches of its heavy-lift Ariane 5 rocket this year, delivering two telecommunications satellites into geostationary transfer orbit. The rocket lifted off from the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, at 4:39 p.m. ET with the Sky Brasil-1/Intelsat 32e and Telkom-3S telecommunications satellites. Sky Brasil-1/Intelsat-32e, built by Airbus Defence and Space in Toulouse, France, is a 6,000-kilogram Ku-band satellite with broadcast capacity for DirecTV Latin America and high-throughput capacity for Intelsat-supported mobility network services.   More
(Source: SpaceNews - Feb 16)

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