...With Metop-C now planned for launch on the 6 November from CSG, Kourou, which is experiencing an unprecedented schedule of launches up until the end of the year, the satellite integration teams for Metop-C are planning a short interruption of activities from mid-August to mid-September, after which they will restart final activities leading up to the launch. ...
Physics of Aerosol Measurements from Space andGEO-KOMPSAT-2 Satellite Applications: AMI & GEMS AODRetrievalsKyoung-Wook Jin, Koon-Ho Yang, Jae-Dong ChoiKorea Aerospace Research Institute[email protected]Key Words: Aerosol, AMI, AOD, GEMS, RetrievalAccurate temporal and spatial measurements of aerosol (fine dust) becomemore critical due to the increasing air quality issues over East Asia region.Ground measurements have limitations on tracing the source/sink of aerosolsand transportation of them. Instead, space-borne measurement techniques toestimate air quality, which is closely related with aerosol and trace gases,provide reliable quantitative information over wide regions. AMI (AdvancedMeteorological Imager) of GEO-KOMPSAT-2A (expected launch: end of 2018)and GEMS (Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer) (expectedlaunch: end of 2019) of GEO-KOMPSAT-2B will enable us to retrieve aerosolAOD (Aerosol Optical Depth) over East Asia from a geostationary orbit. In thistalk, physical background of aerosol observations from LEO and GEO satelliteswill be introduced. The aerosol measurement difference between ground andspace will be explained. The science and engineering of AMI and GEMS AODretrieval will be discussed as well.
C’s the day! Metop-C launch campaign beginsMetop-C – soon to become the latest addition to EUMETSAT’s fleet of meteorological satellites – is currently in Kourou, French Guiana, being prepared for launch in November.Ruth Evans on 13 July 2018As we approach the big day, scheduled for 6 November, the EUMETSAT Science Blog will keep you informed about the process of launching a meteorological satellite – and why this one is so important....• (EUMETSAT is currently preparing for the next generation of Metop satellites – Metop-Second Generation. The first of these is expected to be launched in 2022.)
https://www.cbronline.com/news/sample-fetch-rover-projecthttps://evertiq.com/news/44462http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5935739/The-rover-bring-samples-Mars-Earth.html
https://www.airbus.com/newsroom/press-releases/en/2018/07/Airbus-wins-two-ESA-studies-for-Mars-Sample-Return-mission.html
Arianespace is insisting on two further launches of GSAT 30 and 31 at a cost of 900 crore
The Ariane 6’s A62 version will take over with two launches used to orbit another four satellites during a timeframe between December 2020 and June 2021.
Europe’s first mission to Mercury will target the early morning of 19 October for launch, Arianespace and ESA announced today.
Lift-off is anticipated for around 01:45 GMT (03:45 CEST), equivalent to 18 October 22:45 in local time (GFT).The date chosen represents the first option to launch, taking into account some additional, unplanned testing performed in Kourou. The launch window remains open until 29 November.
The ESA Director of Science solicits proposals from the scientific community in ESA Member States for a Fast (F) mission to be launched in the 2026-2028 timeframe.This Call for a Fast mission aims at defining a mission of modest size (wet mass less than 1000 kg) to be launched towards the Earth-Sun L2 Lagrange point as a co-passenger to the ARIEL M mission, or possibly the PLATO M mission. From L2 the mission should reach its target orbit or destination with its own propulsion system.
Christodoulos Protopapas, the CEO at Hellas Sat visited the Lockheed facility for the final testing. He said the company has informed Arianespace that the satellite should be ready for launch in November from French Guiana. Preparations will now start for moving the satellite to French Guiana for an Arianespace launch.
Planned launches:Date - Satellite(s) - Rocket - Launch Site - Time (UTC)2018<snip>Late December - CSG-1 (COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation-1), CHEOPS (CHaracterising ExOPlanet Satellite) - Soyuz ST-B/Fregat-MT - Kourou ELS (or Early-Midyear 2019)Changes on July 5th
https://newsroom24x7.com/2018/07/20/what-ails-isro/QuoteArianespace is insisting on two further launches of GSAT 30 and 31 at a cost of 900 crore
<snip>Source :ISRO faces costly proposition over recall of GSAT-11QuoteFrench satellite launch firm Arianespace has shot off a letter to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), forcing on it a condition to launch India's GSAT-11 communication satellite that it will be launched only if ISRO sends two of its other communication satellites, GSAT-30 and 31, for Arianespace to launch, The New Indian Express has learnt from reliable sources.Arianespace has demanded that part of the payment for the two future launches be made before August 15, this paper has learnt. QuoteThis could push the launch cost of the satellites, something which could have been avoided. The launch of the two satellites by Arianespace is expected to cost Rs 950 crore. Indian Space Commission had sanctioned 960 crore towards design and manufacturing of GSAT-30, 31 and 32. Sources said following the letter sent to ISRO in mid-July, ISRO petitioned the commission seeking an additional 950 crore to launch GSAT-30 and 31 from Arianespace.ISRO has decided to increase the lift-off mass of the GSAT-30 and 31 satellites by an additional 500 kg to 3.1 tonnes. This situation, sources in the U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) (formerly ISRO Satellite Centre) said, has caused much bitterness among the senior Indian space scientists over extra costs incurred despite having the capability to launch these satellites indigenously from its launchpad at Sriharikota (80 km north of Chennai), using its GSLV-Mk III satellite launcher. QuoteCOSTLY OPPOSITION The opposition of former Space Applications Centre Director Tapan Mishra to this proposal by ISRO, succumbing to Arianespace, resulted in his subsequent transfer, say sources in ISRO. A highly placed ISRO official said, "Tapan Mishra, former Applications Director, was among those who had opposed the decision of increasing the weight of the satellites during the Contract Committee meeting soon after Arianespace had written the letter."ISRO has claimed it was seeking the services of the French firm due to "uprating failure" of the indigenously developed GSLV-Mk III to launch GSAT-30 and 31, which were scheduled to be launched on board the GSLV Mk III at 60% of the cost charged by Arianespace.QuoteRECALLING SATELLITE WAS THE TRIGGER Sources in URSC said the decision to ship the satellite back to India was made despite opposition from directors of various ISRO divisions. The decision resulted in ISRO missing the launch date of an important communication satellite. Soon after, Arianespace said it could only provide a launch window at the end of 2019 as ISRO had missed its schedule. As ISRO was in a pickle with Arianespace, the French firm provided a new window of November 2018 for launch. Now, this delay and the missing of the May launch window due to the GSAT-11's recall to India has come as a gift for the French firm which appears to have decided to force ISRO into an agreement for launching two additional satellites. Sources said the directors had insisted that adequate care had already been taken to prevent a GSAT-6A-like failure on board GSAT-11 and that it was not necessary to ship the satellite back to India.
French satellite launch firm Arianespace has shot off a letter to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), forcing on it a condition to launch India's GSAT-11 communication satellite that it will be launched only if ISRO sends two of its other communication satellites, GSAT-30 and 31, for Arianespace to launch, The New Indian Express has learnt from reliable sources.Arianespace has demanded that part of the payment for the two future launches be made before August 15, this paper has learnt.
This could push the launch cost of the satellites, something which could have been avoided. The launch of the two satellites by Arianespace is expected to cost Rs 950 crore. Indian Space Commission had sanctioned 960 crore towards design and manufacturing of GSAT-30, 31 and 32. Sources said following the letter sent to ISRO in mid-July, ISRO petitioned the commission seeking an additional 950 crore to launch GSAT-30 and 31 from Arianespace.ISRO has decided to increase the lift-off mass of the GSAT-30 and 31 satellites by an additional 500 kg to 3.1 tonnes. This situation, sources in the U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) (formerly ISRO Satellite Centre) said, has caused much bitterness among the senior Indian space scientists over extra costs incurred despite having the capability to launch these satellites indigenously from its launchpad at Sriharikota (80 km north of Chennai), using its GSLV-Mk III satellite launcher.
COSTLY OPPOSITION The opposition of former Space Applications Centre Director Tapan Mishra to this proposal by ISRO, succumbing to Arianespace, resulted in his subsequent transfer, say sources in ISRO. A highly placed ISRO official said, "Tapan Mishra, former Applications Director, was among those who had opposed the decision of increasing the weight of the satellites during the Contract Committee meeting soon after Arianespace had written the letter."ISRO has claimed it was seeking the services of the French firm due to "uprating failure" of the indigenously developed GSLV-Mk III to launch GSAT-30 and 31, which were scheduled to be launched on board the GSLV Mk III at 60% of the cost charged by Arianespace.
RECALLING SATELLITE WAS THE TRIGGER Sources in URSC said the decision to ship the satellite back to India was made despite opposition from directors of various ISRO divisions. The decision resulted in ISRO missing the launch date of an important communication satellite. Soon after, Arianespace said it could only provide a launch window at the end of 2019 as ISRO had missed its schedule. As ISRO was in a pickle with Arianespace, the French firm provided a new window of November 2018 for launch. Now, this delay and the missing of the May launch window due to the GSAT-11's recall to India has come as a gift for the French firm which appears to have decided to force ISRO into an agreement for launching two additional satellites. Sources said the directors had insisted that adequate care had already been taken to prevent a GSAT-6A-like failure on board GSAT-11 and that it was not necessary to ship the satellite back to India.
I would be very surprised if Arianespace "demanded" launch of GSAT 30 and 31. Most likely, the deal was to waive the 5% launch penalty for delaying the launch of GSAT 11 by giving the launches of GSAT 30 and 31 to Ariane, with the deal available until 15 August. Consequences of not agreeing to the deal could be having to pay a 5% penalty on GSAT 11 with launch at the end of 2019 instead of November 2018.