PRIVATE SPACE PLANE PASSES RUNWAY TESTS - A privately built space plane successfully completed a series of key tests earlier this month, as part of an ongoing effort to judge the winged vehicle's ability to carry astronauts to and from the International Space Station one day. The Sierra Nevada Corp.'s Dream Chaser space plane underwent several "ground tow tests" on Aug. 2 at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in southern California. These tests are designed to assess the spacecraft's braking and runway landing systems, according to NASA officials.    More
(Source: Space.com - Aug 20)

COUNTDOWN FOR COMMUNICATION SATELLITE GSLV-D5 LAUNCH TO BEGIN AT 11.50AM ON SUNDAY - The 29-hour countdown for the launch of GSLV-D5, powered by indigenous cryogenic upper stage and carrying communication satellite GSAT-14, from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh will begin tomorrow at 11.50am, Isro chairman K Radhakrishnan said. "Preparations for the launch of GSLV-D5, which is slated to be placed in orbit on GSAT-14, an advanced communication satellite, is progressing well. The countdown will begin at 11.50am and the launch is scheduled at 4.30pm on August 19," he told reporters at Chennai airport en route to Sriharikota.    More
(Source: Times of India - Aug 18)

SPACE STATION'S NEW EYES WILL STREAM EARTH VIEW ON THE WEB - A new window on your life may soon be opened from space -- in high quality video and in almost real-time. The resolution might not be clear enough to pick out individual faces but if the simulation footage proves accurate then a video camera soon to be attached to the International Space Station (ISS) will be able to show high definition movies capable of detailing your car moving on the highway. UrtheCast, the company behind the idea, aims to stream the video for free over the web and make the data open source so you can integrate it into your own applications.    More
(Source: CNN - Aug 16)

WORLD'S FIRST POP-ART SATELLITE HEADED TO SPACE - The first art-pop satellite will soon be launched into space. Jon Gibson and Amanda White designed the artwork which will make the satellite look like a replica of an oversized electrical charging device. Unfortunately it's unlikely anybody on Earth will ever see the work once it enters orbit; it's etched onto the side pointing heavenward.    More
(Source: Sci-Tech Today - Aug 13)

JAPAN’S HTV-4 SUCCESSFULLY BERTHS WITH THE ISS - The Japanese H-II Transfer Vehicle-4 (HTV-4) automated resupply spacecraft has arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) following its launch into space from the Tanegashima space center in Japan on August 3. HTV-4?s capture was at 7:22 AM EDT, ahead of berthing at 11:38 AM EDT, which marked a large delivery of critical supplies and research cargo to the orbital outpost.   More
(Source: NASASpaceflight.com - Aug 10)

SPACEX ADDS GERMAN SATELLITE NETWORK TO LAUNCH CALENDAR - German satellite manufacturers OHB-System AG and Astrium GmbH selected the California-based firm, also known as SpaceX, to launch a trio of spacecraft that comprise a radar reconnaissance network for Germany's defense department. The OHB-System's two smaller radar satellites will ride together aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, while Astrium's larger spacecraft will solo on a second Falcon booster. The launches are targeted for 2018 and 2019.    More
(Source: Reuters - Aug 10)

SPACE STATION POISED TO LAUNCH OPEN-SOURCE SATELLITES - Want to do your own space experiment? From next week, you will be able to run science projects on the world's first open-source satellites. And it won't break the bank. ArduSat-1 and ArduSat-X were launched to the International Space Station (ISS) on 3 August aboard a Japanese resupply vehicle (which is also carrying fresh food, supplies and a talking humanoid robot).    More
(Source: New Scientist - Aug 9)

U.S. MILITARY SATELLITE, PAID FOR BY AUSTRALIA, READY FOR LAUNCH - An unmanned Delta 4 rocket was poised for launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Wednesday to put a communications satellite into orbit for the U.S. military and its partners, including Australia, which paid for the spacecraft and launch services. Liftoff of the sixth Wideband Global Satcom, or WGS, spacecraft was scheduled for 8:29 p.m. EDT (0029 GMT). The orbital network is used to relay television broadcasts, video conferences, images and other high-bandwidth data to and from ships, aircraft, ground forces, operations centers, the U.S. Department of State, the White House and select partners worldwide.    More
(Source: Reuters - Aug 8)

LOCKHEED MARTIN-BUILT DEFENSE WEATHER SATELLITE DELIVERED TO VANDENBERG - The U.S. Air Force, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman team successfully delivered the 19th Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP), block 5D3, weather satellite on Aug. 1 to Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., where it will be prepared for launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V launch vehicle. An Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft, operated by the 60th Air Mobility Wing from Travis Air Force Base, Calif., transported DMSP Flight19 from Sunnyvale, Calif., to Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.    More
(Source: Space Daily - Aug 6)

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