Arianespace
Ariane 6 maiden flight likely slipping to 2021
The inaugural launch of Europe’s Ariane 6 rocket appears all but certain to slip into 2021 because of development delays the European Space Agency attributes to the coronavirus pandemic.
Guiana Space Center launches to resume in June
Europe’s South American spaceport will resume launch preparations in late May under new protective measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
OneWeb falls back to Earth
Analysts agree the coronavirus crisis roiling markets is making it difficult for companies to raise money, but OneWeb’s troubles began well before the outbreak became a global pandemic.
Synspective shifts launch of first satellite to Rocket Lab
Japanese synthetic aperture radar (SAR) company Synspective announced April 14 it will launch its first satellite with Rocket Lab after initially selecting Arianespace for that mission.
Russia suspends Soyuz rocket production amid coronavirus
The manufacturer of Russia’s workhorse Soyuz-2 rocket said it has paused production to keep factory workers safe during the coronavirus pandemic.
Avio, exempt from Italy’s coronavirus lockdown, seeks reopening of French Guiana spaceport
Since 60% of Avio’s revenue comes from manufacturing, the French government’s March 16 decision to suspend launches from the Guiana Space Center shouldn’t impact revenues as long as Europe’s South American spaceport reopens within two to three months, Ranzo said.
Soyuz launches 34 OneWeb satellites
Arianespace launched 34 small broadband satellites for OneWeb March 21, expanding the startup’s constellation to 74 satellites in low Earth orbit.
Space should fare better against coronavirus than other industries, report says
“While by no means immune from the broader economic downdraft, we nonetheless expect the Satellite & Space industry to fare somewhat better from a demand perspective than the economy-at-large,” the report said.
Arianespace suspends French Guiana launches amid coronavirus response
Arianespace paused launch activity from Europe’s South American spaceport March 16 following the French government’s announcement that non-essential activities should be limited in response to the growing coronavirus pandemic.
Japanese communications satellite and South Korean weather satellite launch on Ariane 5
Arianespace completed its third launch of the year Feb. 18, sending a Japanese communications satellite and a South Korean weather satellite into geostationary transfer orbits.
OneWeb’s first large batch of satellites launch on Arianespace Soyuz rocket
A Soyuz rocket launched 34 small broadband satellites for OneWeb Thursday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, marking the beginning of a multi-launch campaign for the company.
OneWeb plans April launch break to tweak satellite design
Instead of kicking off a sustained campaign of monthly launches, OneWeb intends to take a break in April after putting up 68 satellites with the pair of launches planned for February and March.
Opportunities grow for smallsat rideshare launches
SpaceX disclosed new details about its small satellite rideshare efforts Feb. 5 as it, and other programs like it by large launch vehicle operators, put new pricing pressure on small launch vehicle companies.
EU reserves four Ariane 6 rockets for Galileo navigation satellites
The European Commission has “pre-booked” four launches using Europe’s next-generation Ariane 6 rocket.
UAE’s Falcon Eye 2 satellite switched from Vega to Soyuz
Stéphane Israël, CEO of Arianespace, said Airbus, the satellite’s manufacturer, asked to switch from Vega to Soyuz to avoid further delays getting Falcon Eye 2 into orbit.
Arianespace could launch record 22 missions in 2020
Arianespace is poised to launch up to 22 missions this year, a number that would nearly double the company’s record.
