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News of January 2003 | |
Dates are those of the events (in UT) when available. |
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Commercial
Launchers
| Government Launchers | Small
Launchers |
!!!
THIS PAGE IS IN WORKS !!!
UNCOMPLETE DRAFT NEWS COVERAGE
Commercial Launchers |
SES Americom Asks for Proton Launch Slip |
January 27
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SES Americom has asked International Launch Services to delay the launch of its AMC-9 satellite atop a Proton vehicle. The launch, the last of a Proton K/DM3 planned on behalf of ILS, was due on February 10 and is now tentatively set for March 15. It could even slip to a later date as SES Americom has requested ILS to first complete of its own review of the findings by the Russian investigation board regarding the launch failure of a RKK Energiya Block DM3 upper stage which caused the loss of SES Astra‘s Astra 1K satellite on November 26. Depending on the result of this review, SES is expected to decide whether the launch will use the DM3 stage or a GKNPTs Khrunichev Breeze M stage usually flown on the new Proton M version. |
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Boeing Plans 20 Launches in 2003 |
January 27
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Boeing Launch Services has planned a busy launch schedule for 2003 with 20 launches. These will include 10 Delta 2 missions, one Delta 3, four Delta 4s and five Zenit 3SLs. The Zenit 3SL is due to demonstrate a 6-ton lift capacity to geostationary transfer orbit during the second quarter. In 2004, BLS already plans 22 launches. On the market side, BSS plans to win at least six launch contracts on its accessible launch market estimated at about 15 to 17 contracts this year. | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Delta 2, Delta 3, Delta 4 and Zenit 3SL (Boeing) |
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Editor’s note: Only one Delta 4 and the five Zenit flights will fly commercial payloads. | |||
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Arianespace Still Plans 6-7 Launches in 2003 |
January 27
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In
addition to the final Ariane 4 launch on February 12,
Arianespace
still plans to conduct five Ariane 5G and Ariane 5G+
launches in 2003, according to its CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall. The uprated
Ariane 5ECA could return to flight in the last quarter of
this year Mr. Le Gall said during the Pacific Telecommunications Council
yearly conference in Honolulu, Hawaii. Editor’s note: According to industry sources, Arianespace might have to order new EPS upper stages and Vulcain 1 engines from Astrium and Snecma Moteurs shortly since it does not have enough Ariane 5G and Ariane 5G+ vehicles available in backlog to complete all its planned missions. |
![]() ![]() Ariane 5G and 5ECA (Arianespace) |
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As of early 2003, Arianespace still has three Ariane 5G vehicles left from its initial production batch (L514 to L516) and three modernized Ariane 5G+ from the second production batch (L518 to L520). In addition to the five flights of 2003, Arianespace still needs at least four more such vehicles to loft ESA‘s Rosetta probe in 2004/2005, the first pair of Automated Transfer Vehicles for International Space Station Servicing in September 2004 and August 2006, and France’s Helios 2A military observation satellite in late 2004. |
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Rosetta Postponed and Re-Targeted |
January 14
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![]() ESA will now have to select a new target for the probe among 5 or 6 short-period comets that meet the mission requirements as the initial target, 46P/Wirtanen, moves out of reach. The launch could actually be performed between late 2003 and mid-2005. The Rosetta probe, which was ready for launch, will now be returned into a safe passive mode and stored in Kourou. The cost of this postponement is estimated at about €50-100 million. Editor’s note: This postponement is an undirect consequence of the Ariane 5ECA maiden flight failure on December 11. Although the Ariane 5G version is not affected by the cause of the failure of its uprated version, the failure investigation board has asked for a review of all qualification processes. The Ariane 5G+ introduces minor improvements to the Ariane 5G version that were developed under the "Perfo 2000" program. the major changes are the use of a composite casing for the vehicle equipment bay and of simplified P2001 nozzles on the solid booster stages. The EPS upper stage also carries 300 kg of additional propellant and can be fitted with a "reignition kit" including extra batteries and thermal insulation. This version can deliver up to 6,950 kg into geostationary transfer orbit. Due to technical constraints, Rosetta has to target a comet with an active nucleus not exceeding 3-4 km in diameter. It can perform gravity assist maneuvers flying by Mars or the Earth but not Venus. Potential targets include Churyumov-Gerasimenko, 15P/Finlay, Howell, Tempel 2 and 86P/Wild 2. ESA has required that Rosetta flies on the Ariane 5G+ version. However, if the Ariane 5ECA successfully returns to flight in late 2003, it is assumed that a launch on an Ariane 5ECA could be negotiated in 2004. |
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Rosetta Launch Under Review |
January 7
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Although
the Ariane 5G launcher was cleared for flight resumption by the
investigation board on the Ariane 5ECA maiden launch failure, Arianespace
has appointed a commission to review all of the Rosetta
launch’s specific aspects before allowing to proceed witrh actual launch
operations. ESA‘s Rosetta
probe has to be launched between January 13
and 31 to be able to reach the comet 46P/Wirtanen in 2012. However,
its launch will require a nearly 2-hour long coast phase before ignition
of the EPS upper stage. The review commission will issue its findings
on January 14. Editor’s note: If Rosetta cannot be launched in January, the mission could be reconfigured to fly in late 2003, but without any asteroid flyby on the way to the comet. |
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Ariane 5ECB Could Slip |
January 7
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ESA
has asked CNES, in
charge of Ariane 5 developments, to save some €300 million
through 2005 in the Ariane 5 Plus development program. This amount
will presumably be needed to complete the qualification of the new Ariane
5ECA, including a possible qualification flight in the second half
of 2003. One of the options considered to achieve this saving is delaying
the introduction of the Ariane 5ECB, a follow-on version of the
Ariane 5ECA with a payload capability increased to 12 tons and a reignitable
upper stage.
According to ESA’s director general, Antonio Rodotà, «CNES
has to assess if the market actually requires the Ariane 5ECB as
soon as 2006.» |
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Ariane 5ECA to Resume Flight in Six Months |
January 7
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Arianespace plans to resume flights of its Ariane 5ECA heavy lift launcher in the second half of 2003, possibly with a qualification flight. The independent investigation board has issued its report on the causes of the vehicle’s failure on its maiden flight on December 11. According to the board, actual flight loads exceeding specifications induced cracks in the dump cooling lines of the Vulcain 2 engine nozzle. The resulting leak led to an overheating and desintegration of the nozzle. The initial Ariane 5G version of the launcher is not affected by the failure and could resume flights shortly. The board recommends to improve the engine’s nozzle, possibly with an increased pressure in the cooling lines, and the simulation of flight loads during ground testing. Arianespace will propose a formal recovery plan by January 20. | ![]() Ariane 5ECA (Arianespace) |
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Editor’s note: The Snecma-built Vulcain 2 engines features a longer and wider nozzle (expansion ration, ·=60) than the original Vulcain 1 engine (·=45) for better performance in altitude. The nozzles of both Vulcain engines are provided by Volvo Aero. According to Pr. Wolfgang Koschel, head of the investigation board, the nozzle of the Vulcain 2 engine has to withstand aerodynamic loads twice stronger than the Vulcain 1. |
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Government Launchers |
Second GSLV Slips to March |
January 13
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The
Indian Space Resaerch Organisation
has postponed the second qualification flight of its Geosynchronous
Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) from February to late
March. The vehicle will feature improved thrust in order to reach
a payload capacity of 1,800 kg to geostationary transfer orbit.
Editor’s note: This will be the last qualification flight for the GSLV version featuring a Russian-built 12KRB cryogenic upper stage provided by GKNPTs Khrunichev. A third qualification flight, in late 2003 or early 2004, will test the Indian-built C12 cryogenic upper stage. |
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Small Launchers |
Orbital Gets Four U.S. Government Launches |
January 24
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Orbital Sciences Corp. announces that it was awarded four U.S. government launch contracts totalling about US$60 million in value by late 2002. NASA has exercized an option on its Small Expendable Launch Vehicle Service 2 (SELVS-2) contract for one Pegasus XL launch in 2005 to loft its Spectrometry & Photometry of the Intergalactic Medium’s Diffuse Radiation (SPIDR) mission. |
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Separately, the U.S. Department of Defense has booked three Minotaur flights under U.S. Air Force‘s Orbital/Suborbital Program 1 (OSP-1). One payload will be the Near-Filed Infrared Experiment (NFIRE) in 2004. The other two payloads will be disclosed later. These launches will begin in 2003. | |||
Editor’s note: With the launch of SPIDR, OSC was awarded 6 out of 16 missions planned under the SELVS-2 procurement. | |||
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Missile Systems |
Agni 3 to Fly in 2003 |
January 11
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India’s Defence Research
& Development Organisation is about to complete the development
of the Agni 3 ballistic missile and plans to conduct a test
flight before the end of the year. The Agni 3 will be able to deliver
a nuclear warhead with a range exceeding 3,000 km. DRDO also has
the capability to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile with a
range of 3,500 to 14,000 km if required, according to Indian defence
officials, who admit the country might not need such long range systems. Editor’s note: The Agni 3 will presumably build on the previous versions of the Agni series, derived from Indian Space Research Organisation‘s SLV-3 and ASLV small launch vehicles. |
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OSC to Supply 9 GMD Booster Test Flights |
January 10
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RLVs, Reentry and Manned Systems |
Space Propulsion |
GRC Looks for Airbreathing Technology for Launchers |
January 17
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NASA‘s Glenn Research Center plans to ask for industry proposals regarding R&D efforts in airbreathing technology for future launch systems. A formal NASA Research Announcement (NRA) will be issued on February 3 on behalf of the Propulsion Research & Technology Project as part of the Next Generation Launch Technology Program (NGLTP). Up to US$25 million could be invested in several tasks to be conducted under the project for FY2004-2006. |
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NASA Tests Clean Solid Propellant |
January 13
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NASA has successfully tested an environmentally friendly solid propellant developed by Stanford University and NASA’s Ames Research Center. This non-toxic, low cost fuel, designed for hybrid propulsion systems, is based on paraffin and produces only carbon dioxyde and water during combustion with liquid oxygen. Its burn rate is three times superior to that of common solid fuels used for hybrid motors. Some 200 firing test runs are planned at Ames Hybrid Combustion Facility. | |||
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Snecma/Volvo to Develop Turbopump |
January 10
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Snecma Moteurs and Volvo Aero have signed an agreement to jointly develop an advanced turbopump demonstrator. Testing is due to begin in 2004 to validate the technologies for possible future engine developments to be decided in 2005. | |||
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Spaceports |
Layoffs Feared in Kourou |
January 15
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Some 400 jobs could be cut at the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana, according to local trade unions. This staff reduction, as part of a plan to save up to €40 million over the next three years, would be achieved by not renewing some jobs perforemd by expatriated Europeans and through early retirements. | |||
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Agreement Prepared for Soyuz in Kourou |
January 10
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The
European Space Agency
is reportedly giving the final touch to an agreement with Russia regarding
the launch of Soyuz vehicles from the Guiana
Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana. The agreement is exepected
to be reviewed by ESA’s ministerial council in March-April and signed
with Russia in April, in order to allow breaking ground work to begin
in May. Launches could then begin in late 2005. Editor’s note: The financing sources for the €250-300 million budget required to build the Soyuz launch pad have not been fully identified yet. In November 2002, France proposed that the Russian share could be funded through a loan to be paid back by profitrs from the commercial launches. |
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Industry |
Galileo Industries Shares Work Between Partners |
January 13
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Galileo
Industrie, a joint-venture of France’s Alcatel
Space, Italy’s Alenia
Spazio, Germany’s Astrium
GmbH and Great-Britain’s Astrium
Ltd., is about to complete its internal work-sharing agreement to
dispatch the future industrial contracts for the development and production
of the Galileo global navigation satellite. Editor’s note: ESA‘s €550-million contribution for the industrial phase of the Galileo program cannot be released unless Germany and Italy settle their dispute regarding the industrial leadership on the program. |
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Alcatel to Cut Jobs |
January 9
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As the satellite market remains in crisis, Alcatel Space plans to cut 400 more jobs. In 2002, Alcatel Space has already reduced its workforce by 450 to accomodate the new market conditions. |
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Launch Market |
Venus Express Contract Signed |
January 28
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Alcatel to Build Payloads for Two More Ekspress AMs |
January 25
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PO
Kosmicheskaya Sviaz, the Russian Satellite Communications Co. (RSCC),
has contracted with Alcatel
Space to deliver the communication payloads for its Ekspress AM2
and AM3 satellites. The payloads, to be delivered in the third and fourth
quarters of 2004, will be fitted on top of satellite platforms developed
by NPO Prikladnoy Mekhaniki.
The contract is reportedly worth €50-100 million. |
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Intelsat and PanAmSat Give Up on Eutelsat Takeover |
January 24
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Rival global
communication operators Intelsat
and PanAmSat
have both halted their respective negotiations to take over European
operator Eutelsat
for an estimated US$3 billion. However,
Intelsat reportedly remains interested in the acquisition. |
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PanAmSat Files for Ka Slots |
January 16
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PanAmSat Corp. has filed for nine Ka-band geostationary slots through the Australian Communications Authority. These slots are intended to replace all but one of the Ka-band slots it held in the United States which would have required satellites to be launched before 2005. | |||
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NASA Interested in Megha-Tropiques |
January 13
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NASA
has expressed its interest in participating in the joint Indian-French
Megha-Tropiques mission to monitor the atmosphere over tropical regions,
according to Space
News. Megha-Tropiques is under development by the Indian
Space Research Organisation and CNES
and due for launch in late 2005 atop an Indian PSLV. It is part
of the missions currently under review by CNES as part of its cost-cutting
process. Editor’s note: Megha-Tropiques will be built by Alcatel Space based on its Proteus multimission bus. |
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Agencies and Governments |
China Might Join Galileo |
January 27
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China is
reportedly ready to invest some €300 million in Europe’s Galileo
global navigation system in exchange for unrestricted access to the
non-military global positioning service. |
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EC Might Join of ESA |
January 17
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The
European Commission
could become an associated member of the European
Space Agency in order to improve the cooperation between the two for
space research and development. Editor’s note: ESA’s 14 member states are not the same as the 15 members of the European Union. ESA includes Norway and Switzerland while EU includes Greece, Luxembourg and Portugal. |
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EC Proceeds on Galileo Despite ESA’s Hurdles |
January 15
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![]() Editor’s note: The Galileo industrial sharing will be discussed at ESA’s council meeting at ministerial level in April. Launches are due to begin by 2005 with pairs of demonstration satellites atop Soyuz/ST launchers provided by Starsem. The main constellation is tentatively planned to be deployed by Arianespace with Ariane 5ECB launchers. |
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