NASA now is targeting Oct. 31, 2021, for the launch of the agency’s James Webb Space Telescope from French Guiana, due to impacts from the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, as well as technical challenges.This decision is based on a recently completed schedule risk assessment of the remaining integration and test activities prior to launch. Previously, Webb was targeted to launch in March 2021.
The M-class mission would be launched on an Ariane 6.2 in 2032, arriving at Venus after a five month cruise, to perform 4 years of measurements with 5 cutting-edge instruments : an S-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (VenSAR), a Subsurface Radar Sounder (SRS) and VenSpec, a suite of three spectrometers and spectro-imagers : VenSpec-M (Infrared Imager), VenSpec-H (IR spectrometer), and VenSpec-U (UV spectrometer). Envision will also characterise the gravity field of Venus thanks to a Radio Science Experiment. The mission is currently in its concept study phase for a selection expected in 2021.
Stevenage 19 July 2020 – Airbus Defence and Space has signed a contract with the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) to extend and enhance the Skynet fleet. This will involve the development, manufacture, cyber protection, assembly, integration, test and launch, of a military communications satellite, Skynet 6A, planned for launch in 2025. The contract also covers technology development programmes, new secure telemetry, tracking and command systems, launch, in-orbit testing and ground segment updates to the current Skynet 5 system. The value of the contract is more than £500 million.
[VA253] has been postponed to the 31st, Friday.
Planned launches:Date - Satellite(s) - Rocket - Launch Site - Time (UTC)2021H1 - SES-17 - Ariane 5 ECA - Kourou ELA-3
VV16 launch will most likely take place at the very end of August or early September.
The VV16 launch campaign started on February 10 with the transfer of the P80. The launch was originally scheduled for March 23 (local time). That is 6 weeks.If VV16 finally takes off on August 17/18 and VV17 also needs 6 weeks, then the launch cannot be before the beginning of October.That leaves a launch window of just a few days. Soyuz VS24 is scheduled for October 17th.
July 31, 2020Ariane 5 VA253 launch delayedThe final phase of Flight Ariane #253 (VA253) launch preparation operations has been stopped 2’14’’ before lift-off due to the unexpected behavior of one sensor of the liquid hydrogen tank of the main cryogenic stage.Investigations are ongoing.The soonest possible launch date is Saturday August 01 at: 5:30 p.m., Washington, D.C. time, 6:30 p.m., Kourou, French Guiana time, 9:30 p.m., Universal Time (UTC), 11:30 p.m., Paris time.The Ariane 5 launch vehicle and its three spacecraft payloads are in stable and safe conditions.
Future satellite capacity
Nr. Version Flug Startdatum Nutzlast(en) Bemerkung16 Vega VV16 01.09.2020 (tbc) SSMS POC Flight 02:51 dt. Zeit (tbc)
<snip>hypothetical VA255<snip>
Planned launches:Date - Satellite(s) - Rocket - Launch Site - Time (UTC)2021 H1 Q3 - SES-17 - Ariane 5 ECA - Kourou ELA-3October - MTG-I1 - Ariane 5 ECA - Kourou ELA-3 July October 31 - JWST (James Webb Space Telescope) - Ariane 5 ECA - Kourou ELA-3 (or NET Q3)Q4 - Heinrich Hertz (H2Sat) - Ariane 5 ECA - Kourou ELA-3 (or 2022)H2 - Ovzon-3 - Ariane 5 ECA - Kourou ELA-3TBD - Comsat NG 1 (Syracuse 4A) - Ariane 5 ECA - Kourou ELA-3TBD - MEASAT-3d - Ariane 5 ECA - Kourou ELA-3TBD - SatKomHan 1 - Ariane 5 ECA - Kourou ELA-3 (or Falcon 9)Changes on July 17thChanges on August 7th
What is the source of the SES-17 launch delay?
Nr. Version Flug Startdatum Nutzlast(en) 110 Ariane 5 ECA VA254 Dezember 2020 (tbc) Star One D2 · Quantum (tbc)
Sept. 1/2 • Vega • SSMS POCLaunch time: 0151:10 GMT on 2nd (9:51:10 p.m. EDT on 1st)Launch site: ZLV, Kourou, French Guiana
