- Technical problems with Indonesian operator PT Telkom’s Orbital Sciences-built Telkom2 satellite have halted the second commercial Ariane 5 ECA launch. Planned for 24-25 June, it was to launch Telkom2 and DirecTV’s Boeing-built Spaceway2. The two satellites will launch together on a future ECA. Arianespace’s next launch is of Thai operator’s Shinsat’s IPStar on an Ariane 5G on 7-8 July.
- The European Union’s competitiveness council and the European Space Agency’s ministerial council met for the second space council meeting in Luxembourg on 7 June to discuss the EU’s proposed space programme and space policy. The organisations will agree a final draft at the third meeting in November.
- Space Systems/Loral is to build XM Satellite Radio’s fifth spacecraft, XM-5, a ground spare for delivery in 2007. Boeing lost the competition after two of the four XM Radio satellites it built encountered solar array problems, reducing their operational lives and forcing the February launch of ground spare XM-3 by Sea Launch. XM-4 will be delivered late this year for launch in 2006.
- Russia launched a Foton M2 recoverable microgravity research satellite on a 16-day orbital flight by Soyuz booster from Baikonur on 31 May. The 6.5t satellite carries 39 experiments, ranging from biology to fluid physics and weighing 1.2t, from Russia and the European Space Agency. Many are being reflown after the October 2002 Foton launch failure.
- Ukraine has become the third country, after China and Israel, to formally join the European Galileo navigation satellite system. Discussions are under way with Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, India, Mexico, Morocco and South Korea.
- Space Shuttle return-to-flight mission STS 114/Discovery may carry a new payload, the free-flying Mini-Aercam camera pod, to inspect the orbiter’s thermal protection system in orbit. The unit would augment the extended, sensor-equipped robot arm.
Source: Flight International
