THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY'S (ESA) $5 billion Ariane 5 satellite launcher, is scheduled to have its maiden flight on 15 May. The booster is being assembled at Kourou, French Guiana, and will resemble the vehicle mock-up pictured above in 1995. The 30.5m-high Ariane 5 will be used to fly two ESA development missions before the project is handed over to Arianespace, primarily for launches into geostationary-transfer orbit of two satellites weighing a total of 5,900kg.
Source: Flight International
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.
BAE Systems has completed its acquisition of Ball Aerospace, with the move further strengthening its US business presence.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has retired its Mars helicopter Ingenuity after the craft suffered damage upon landing.
