space

Iran conducted the first launch of the 'Simorgh' last week, Tehran's largest satellite launch vehicle, and what the Pentagon views as a key element of its effort to build long-range missiles. Although Iran has not confirmed the test flight, both US and Russian sources reported the event, but the sources are not in agreement whether it was a success, part success or failure.

The Space Administration in the Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D), of the Israel Ministry of Defense (IMoD), and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), have successfully launched the “Ofek 16” reconnaissance satellite into space, today (6.07.2020), at 4:00 AM. The launch was performed from the Palmachim Airbase in Israel, a launch site based south of Tel Aviv in central Israel, using a “Shavit” launcher.

Twenty-eight Israeli companies will present a wide range of advanced technologies – many of them operational – including sophisticated sensors and systems protecting borders and sensitive facilities, robotic and automotive logistics, electro-optics for artillery and infantry, airborne satellite communications, fire control solutions, tactical medical equipment, and more. See Defense-Update video coverage of Defexpo.

DARPA has selected the Boeing Company to complete advanced design work for the Agency’s Experimental Spaceplane (XS-1) program, which aims to build and fly the first of an entirely new class of hypersonic, suborbital aircraft that would provide short-notice, low-cost access to space.

Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo rocket plane crashed today when performing a test flight over California. The spacecraft was testing a new propellant on this flight.

Russia has been engaged in direct ascent anti-satellite (DA-ASAT) anti-satellite weapon tests in the past months. On April 15 a missile launch from the Plesetsk test site on the arctic circle. Russian media sources reports said the missile tested was a variant of 'Nudol' anti-ballistic missile that has reached a speed of over 7,000 m/sec, thus positioned in the 'hypersonic' category.

China's Defense Ministry confirmed today that it was pressing ahead with anti-missile system tests after pictures appeared on state television, depicting a successful missile intercept test conducted in 2010. Earlier this week Beijing released another video depicting an anti-satellite test conducted last year. The Aolong-1 (Roaming Dragon) spacecraft sent into orbit last month will be cleaning up space junk, other analysts suspect it could serve a military purpose.

The US Navy's fifth and last Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite was launched June 24, 2016, aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket. The system will transform legacy telephone links into a globally connected IP-based ‘mobile phone’ network, that will support voice, text and data, enabling small units to switch from line-of-sight communications to beyond line-of-sight Satellite Communications. (SATCOM).

Airbus Defence and Space announced this week that it is moving the SkyNet 5A military satellite to the Asia Pacific region to extend its coverage in this area. The move will provide worldwide coverage for the first time.

Boeing, Northrop Grumman and Masten Space Systems have won additional funding from the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), to continue developing their concepts for the United States military's XS-1 robotic space plane under the program's second phase (Phase 1B).

United Launch Alliance (ULA) and Blue Origin LLC, a privately-funded aerospace company owned by Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos, entered into a public-private partnership with the U.S. Air Force to develop a new rocket propulsion system to power the Vulcan - ULA's next-generation launch system.

Utilizing innovative spacecraft design, the Space Drone will 'top up' satellites in orbit with propulsion power to extend their mission in space, just before they run out of fuel, thus extending their service far beyond their designated lifespan. U.K. based Effective Space company has signed up its launch customer to service two satellites in orbit by 2020 and has options to serve more satellites.

The Israeli Ministery of Defense (IMOD) OFEK program (Horizon in Hebrew, often referred to as OFEQ) will be awarded the prestigious 'Israel's Defense Prize for 2022' for the group's achievements that jointly developed, produced, and deployed Israel's most advanced observation satellite – OFEK-16.

The Antares rocket carrying an unmanned Cygnus suffered a 'catastrophic anomaly' seconds after liftoff from NASA's Wallops flight facility in Virginia at 06:22 PM EDT. Cygnus was packed with 5,000 pounds (2.268 tons) of food and supplies, scientific experiments destined to the International Space Station. It was the third cargo mission under a $1.9 billion contract Orbital Sciences has won from NASA.