The Indian Space Research Organisation says it will have to shut down the Insat 2B, after the loss of its Earth-orientation system in geostationary orbit. The failure means that the satellite can no longer point its solar panels to the sun to generate electrical power. The satellite's telecommunications and very small aperture terminal services will be transferred to other Insat satellites. Insat 2B exceeded its expected life in July.
Source: Flight International
China’s AVIC has secured a contract from the China Manned Space Agency to develop a winged, reusable spacecraft called Haolong.
The UK Space Command’s first owned earth observation microsatellite has been launched, providing the inaugural element of a planned space-based intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) constellation.
Orbital launch pioneer SpaceX is being contracted by the American space agency NASA to develop a so-called “US Deorbit Vehicle” that can safely return the International Space Station to Earth via controlled re-entry.
