Tag: Thales Alenia Space

  • Photos: Jason 3 oceanography satellite encapsulated

    —

    by

    starpathwp-production
    in

    The Jason 3 oceanography satellite, a joint project between U.S. and European weather agencies, is closed up inside the nose cone of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket awaiting launch from California’s Central Coast on Sunday. Technicians from SpaceX and Thales Alenia Space, the French manufacturer of the Jason 3 spacecraft, oversaw the encapsulation procedure Jan.…

  • Thales, Arianespace win repeat business with O3b

    —

    by

    starpathwp-production
    in

    Artist’s concept of O3b satellites in orbit. Credit: Thales Alenia Space Armed with $460 million in fresh financing to grow its broadband communications capacity, O3b Networks has selected Thales Alenia Space to build eight new satellites and Arianespace to launch at least four of them aboard a Soyuz rocket in 2018. The contracts will allow…

  • ExoMars orbiter and lander on display

    —

    by

    starpathwp-production
    in

    The European Space Agency’s ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter and Schiaparelli lander were recently presented to the media as they prepare for a tandem launch to the red planet in March. The two spacecraft combined will weigh 4.3 metric tons, or about 9,480 pounds, when fully fueled for liftoff in a 12-day window opening March 14.…

  • ExoMars nears launch, thanks to nonstop work in factory

    —

    by

    starpathwp-production
    in

    Artist’s concept of Europe’s ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter at Mars. Credit: ESA/ATG medialab Working around the clock to meet a 12-day launch window in March, European engineers are putting the final touches on a Mars orbiter that could shed light on whether tiny microbes or geologic activity still linger on the barren planet. A stationary…

  • Weather satellite, Brazilian payload launched on Ariane 5

    —

    by

    starpathwp-production
    in

    Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – S. Martin A new spin-stabilized European weather observatory hitched a ride into space aboard an Ariane 5 rocket Wednesday, accompanying a Brazilian television broadcasting craft on a launch from French Guiana into Earth orbit. The 18-story launcher lit a hydrogen-fueled Vulcain 2 main engine, throttled up to…

  • Jason 3 satellite shipped to Vandenberg for SpaceX launch

    —

    by

    starpathwp-production
    in

    Artist’s concept of the Jason 3 satellite in orbit. Credit: Thales Alenia Space-D. Ducros An international oceanography satellite arrived at its California launch base from a factory in France on Thursday for fueling, testing and other final preps before its scheduled Aug. 8 blastoff on a Falcon 9 rocket. Packed inside a specialized shipping container,…

  • Launch of U.S.-French oceanography satellite postponed

    —

    by

    starpathwp-production
    in

    The Jason 3 satellite inside a clean room at its Thales Alenia Space factory in Cannes. Credit: CNES/Thales Alenia Space The launch of a U.S.-French oceanography satellite from California has been postponed from July 22 after engineers discovered contamination in one of the spacecraft’s thrusters at its factory in France. NOAA announced the launch slip…

  • Turkmenistan’s first satellite braced for liftoff

    —

    by

    starpathwp-production
    in

    SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket with Turkmenistan’s first satellite rolls out to Cape Canaveral’s Complex 40 launch pad Sunday. Credit: SpaceX SpaceX ground crews transferred a Falcon 9 rocket to its seaside launch mount at Cape Canaveral on Sunday evening in preparation for liftoff Monday with Turkmenistan’s first satellite. Liftoff is set for 6:14 p.m. EDT…

  • Ariane 5 sends Thor 7 and Sicral 2 satellites into orbit

    —

    by

    starpathwp-production
    in

    The Ariane 5 rocket blasts off from Kourou, French Guiana, at 2000 GMT (4 p.m. EDT; 5 p.m. local time). Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – S. Martin Blasting into space atop an Ariane 5 launcher, two communications satellites started missions Sunday to beam broadband services to ships, airplanes and offshore oil rigs…

  • Ariane 5 in position for dual-satellite launch

    —

    by

    starpathwp-production
    in

    Rolling out for its first liftoff of the year Friday, an Ariane 5 rocket journeyed out of a launcher assembly building Thursday and rode railroad tracks to its launch pad in French Guiana with two European communications satellites. Pulled under the power of a 540-horsepower Titan tug, the 179-foot-tall rocket arrived at the ELA-3 launch…