SSI News
NASA launches DART asteroid deflection mission
Hollywood’s disaster movie genre has long been keen on the theme of the Earth being threatened by the imminent impact of a large object – usually an asteroid – from space. Examples include Meteor (1979), Armageddon (1998) and Deep Impact (1998). In the movies, the...
Rocket Lab to acquire spacecraft separation system company Planetary Systems Corp
Continuing a string of purchases, newspace launch provider Rocket Lab is set to acquire Planetary Systems Corporation (PSC). Rocket Lab, which is based in the USA, announced the agreement to purchase Maryland-based PSC on 15 November. PSC is a designer and...
Other International Space Station events: Cygnus NG-16 (Ellison Onizuka) departs without fuss
The space cargo vessel Cygnus NG-16 (Ellison Onizuka) was "unberthed" from the Earth-facing port of the Unity module of the International Space Station (ISS) whilst attached to the Canadarm 2 robotic arm on 20 November at approximately 1300 GMT. Cygnus NG-16 was the...
China launches Long March 4B with Gaofen 11-03 aboard (Updated)
At 0151 GMT on 20 November 2021, a Long March 4B (CZ-4B) rocket was successfully launched from the Taiyuan launch base in China. Aboard the launch was a Gaofen 11-03 spacecraft which is thought to be a civilian optical Earth imaging/remote sensing satellite but which...
Astra Space Rocket 3 series finally makes it on fourth orbital attempt
After three previous failures, the fourth orbital attempt of the privately funded Astra Space Rocket 3 series finally made it into orbit. It was launched from the Kodiak Island based Pacific Spaceport Complex in Alaska at 0604 GMT on 20 November 2021. The launch,...
SpaceX conducts a Starlink launch after two month hiatus
SpaceX conducted its latest mission in service of its Starlink constellation on 13 November. The launch which carried 53 satellites lifted-off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 1219 GMT. The Falcon 9 rocket released the payloads into a LEO deployment orbit. From here...
Arianespace Vega rocket launches French SIGINT satellite triplet
The third Vega mission of 2021 launched a triplet of French military "Earth observation" satellites on 16 November. The launch managed by European launch provider Arianespace lifted-off from Kourou, French Guiana, at 0927 GMT. The three satellites are known as CERES...
NASA gives Intuitive Machines contract to carry rovers and scientific payloads to lunar surface
NASA has awarded the Houson, Texas-based firm Intuitive Machines a US$77 million contract to deliver scientific and rover payloads to the Moon as part of its IM-3 Nova-C lander mission to the Moon in 2024. The delivery is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload...
SES picks Thales to build two new GEO sats to ensure continuation of service at 19.2 East
SES has ordered two Ku-band GEO satellites from fellow European company Thales Alenia Space (TAS). The new spacecraft are to be called ASTRA 1P and ASTRA 1Q. They are planned to occupy the company’s prime 19.2 degrees East orbital slot over Europe, according to the...
Rocket Lab Electron launch puts two BlackSky satellites into orbit as parachuted first stage floats to a splashdown
The Rocket Lab Electron KS (R) rocket successfully put two BlackSky Gen 2 multispectral imaging satellites into orbit at 0138 GMT on 18 November 2021 as part of the BlackSky Global constellation. The launch took place from the Mahia Peninsula in the North Island of...
Stay Informed with Seradata
Stay informed on the latest news, insights, and more from Seradata by signing up for our newsletter.