Having lost their first satellite Angosat-1 shortly after launch last year, in May the Angolan National Space Programme Management Office (GGPEN) formally announced the order of a YAMAL USP (VICTORIA) bus/platform replacement from RSC Energia. The finance for the construction of the spacecraft is coming from two main sources: a US$121 million payout from insurers for the loss of Angosat-1 and state grant from Russia itself. The spacecraft will carry the same telelcommunications payload of 16 Ku- and 6 Ka-band transponders as Angosat-1. Angosat-2 is expected to be launched in 2020.
Artist’s impression of what Angosat-1 should have looked like with its solar arrays deployed. Courtesy: Roscosmos
In a separate announcement in May, NOAA has formally excercised two options for the construction of JPSS-3 and JPSS-4 following on from Orbital ATK’s construction of JPSS-1 and JPSS-2 meteorological satellites.
The contract for the construction of ESA’s PLATO (PLAnetary Transits and Oscillations of stars) mission is expected to be signed in June with OHB System for €300 million (US$350 million). The PLATO mission will be launched in 2026.
Tim Fuller contributed to this story.
