Russia's Cosmos 2348 photo-reconnaissance satellite returned to Earth on April 14. Launched last December, the satellite was in orbit for 119.5 days, around 30 days longer than the previous record holder, Cosmos 2331. Russia does not now have a low-orbit photo reconnaissance satellite operating in orbit, says the Molniya Space Consultancy.
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.
