May 2014 Space News

West Curtailing Missile Defense Cooperation With Russia – Foreign Ministry RIA Novosti 30 May 2014 -- The decision by organizers to reject Moscow's application to attend next month's international conference on missile defense signals that the West is suspending talks with Russia on this issue, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Friday.
Proton Rocket Failure Probe Finds No Evidence of Deliberate Misconduct RIA Novosti 29 May 2014 -- The interdepartmental state commission investigating the recent Proton-M carrier rocket launch failure has so far found no evidence supporting the theory that it was caused by deliberate misconduct, Russia's space agency Roscosmos said Thursday.
Russian Soyuz with New Crew Docks at ISS in Automatic Mode RIA Novosti 29 May 2014 -- A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying a trio of crew members docked automatically with the International Space Station on Thursday, some six hours after the launch, a spokesman for the Russian space agency Roscosmos said.
US wants more missile systems in the Pacific, China opposes Iran Press TV 29 May 2014 -- The Pentagon's second-ranking officer has said that the United States is considering plans to deploy more regional missile systems in the Pacific.
Iran lines up satellite launches next year IRNA 28 May 2014 -- Three Iranian remote-sensing satellites of Zafar, Tolou and AutSat are slated for launch using Simorgh Launcher in the coming year (to start March 21, 2015), deputy head of Iran Space Agency said on Wednesday. The satellites are designed to gather data from the environment and forecast natural disasters.
Iran to launch 3 remote sensing satellites: Official Iran Press TV 28 May 2014 -- An Iranian aerospace official says the country plans to launch three indigenously designed and manufactured monitoring satellites into orbit in the next Iranian calendar year (starts March 21, 2015).
US Mulls Missile Defense System in South Korea – Report RIA Novosti 28 May 2014 -- Washington is considering plans to deploy an advanced missile defense system in South Korea to counter the threat of North Korean missiles, the Wall Street Journal has reported citing defense officials.
US looking for suitable site for THAAD in S Korea VoR 28 May 2014 -- The United States is looking for a suitable deployment site for its Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) in South Korea, although no ultimate decision has yet been made, the Wall Street Journal reports citing Pentagon sources.
Russia may carry out joint astronautic projects with China – Russian Deputy Prime Minister Rogozin VoR 26 May 2014 -- Russia may implement joint astronautic projects with China, Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Rogozin told journalists. 'As for the period after 2020, Russia may have new astronautic projects with other partners or a broader range of partners,' Rogozin said, speaking about a possible denial to renew the program of the International Space Station (ISS) after 2020.
Russia Ready to Dismantle GPS Stations if Glonass Talks Fail - Rogozin VoR 26 May 2014 -- Russia stands firm on its decision to dismantle GPS ground stations on its territory if Washington refuses to allow the placement of Glonass facilities in the US, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said Monday. 'If we don't receive any news [from the US] by May 31, we will suspend the work of these stations for three months,' Rogozin told reporters during his visit to Crimea, which has recently become part of Russia.
Hubble's Dazzling Mission Nears Its End VOA 23 May 2014 -- The Hubble Space Telescope has changed the way we see the universe.
USecAF touts Air Force capabilities at 30th Space Symposium AFNS 22 May 2014 -- At an annual gathering of civil, military and industry professionals from across the globe, Under Secretary of the Air Force Eric Fanning emphasized Air Force contributions through space and cyberspace.
Russian engines a costly loss for US: Study Iran Press TV 22 May 2014 -- A new Pentagon study indicates that losing access to Russian-manufactured rocket engines could cost the US military's space program up to $5 billion.
Standard Missile Completes First Test Launch from Aegis Ashore Test Site MDA 21 May 2014 -- The Missile Defense Agency, the U.S. Navy, and sailors at the Aegis Ashore Missile Defense Test Complex and Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF), successfully conducted the first flight test involving components of the Aegis Ashore system.
Replacement of Russia's RD-180 rocket engine may cost US $1.5 bln and six years to develop VoR 21 May 2014 -- The development of a rocket engine to replace Russia's RD-180 used by US Atlas-5 space launch vehicle may cost the United States $1.5 billion and will take as long as six years, the Bloomberg news agency reports, citing a team of Pentagon advisors.
Belarus ratified agreement with Russia on GLONASS cooperation VoR 21 May 2014 -- The lower house of the National Assembly of Belarus on Wednesday has ratified an agreement on cooperation in the field of the deployment and development of the Russian GLONASS satellite navigation system.
Proton Rocket Crash Investigation Could Lead to Staff Changes RIA Novosti 20 May 2014 -- The investigation into a recent Proton-M rocket failure that destroyed the advanced Express-AM4R telecommunications satellite could result in a staff reshuffle, Roscosmos Head Oleg Ostapenko told RIA Novosti Tuesday.
Telemetry Shows Pressure Drop in Failed Proton's Third Stage Control Engine RIA Novosti 20 May 2014 -- Moments before the Proton-M rocket was lost last week, a sharp pressure drop was recorded in the piping of its third stage control engine, Russia's space chief said on Tuesday.
2 Russian Glonass Navigation Satellites to Undergo Maintenance RIA Novosti 20 May 2014 -- Two Russian Glonass navigation satellites will be temporarily deactivated for a day to undergo maintenance, the Glonass System Control Center said Tuesday.
All Russian Glonass Satellites Fully Functioning After Maintenance RIA Novosti 20 May 2014 -- Two satellites of Russia's Glonass navigation system deactivated Monday for maintenance are again fully functional, the Glonass System Control Center said Tuesday.
UK joins new space partnership UK GOV 20 May 201 -- The UK has joined forces with Australia, Canada and the US to share expertise and resources dedicated to space operations.
GPS IIF-6 successfully launched from Cape Canaveral AFNS 19 May 2014 -- The Air Force successfully launched the sixth Global Positioning System IIF satellite from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., May 16.
Shutdown of US GPS Stations No Threat to Russian Satellite Projects RIA Novosti 19 May 2014 -- Moscow's decision to shut down 11 US GPS ground stations located on Russian territory will not affect the ERA-Glonass accident response project and other satellite services currently employing GPS signals, the national navigation services provider NIS Glonass said Monday.
Compromise possible on European missile shield - Russian Defense Ministry VoR 19 May 2014 -- The United States disregards the Russian Defense Ministry's proposals related to the European missile shield, but a compromise is still possible, which will strengthen both NATO's and Russia's security, said Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov. 'I last held talks on this problem in New York in December 2013. We handed our American counterparts proposals on how this situation could be dealt with.
Iran to launch three satellites this year IRNA 18 May 2014 -- The Head of Iran Space Agency (ISA) announced on Saturday that the country is ready to launch three domestically-built satellites this year.
Russian Rocket Fails, Communications Satellite Destroyed RFE/RL 16 May 2014 -- Russia's Federal Space Agency says a Proton-M carrier rocket with a Russian-built communications satellite burnt up in the Earth's atmosphere on May 16 after the rocket failed to reach its intended orbit.
Russian Space Agency Still Uncertain Over Cause of Proton Failure RIA Novosti 16 May 2014 -- Russian space agency Roscosmos investigates several possible causes of the recent Proton-M rocket failure, which resulted in the loss of an advanced telecoms satellite, Russian space chief Oleg Ostapenko said Friday.
Crashed Russian Proton Rocket Insured for $225Mln RIA Novosti 16 May 2014 -- A Russian Proton-M rocket that crashed early Friday while carrying the advanced Express-AM4R satellite was insured for 7.8 billion rubles ($224 million), the Khrunichev company that built the rocket said.
New ISS Expedition Unaffected by Proton Crash – Roscosmos RIA Novosti 16 May 2014 -- The investigation into the crash of a Russian Proton-M rocket will not affect the launch of the next crew to the International Space Station, the head of the Russian space agency told RIA Novosti Friday.
Proton-M Rocket Carrying Advanced Satellite Burned Up Over China, No Debris RIA Novosti 16 May 2014 -- The third stage of a Russian Proton-M rocket carrying an advanced satellite burned up in the atmosphere above China on Friday, with no debris reaching Earth, the head of the Russian space agency told RIA Novosti Friday.
Russia's Proton-M Rocket Lost After Unspecified Failure RIA Novosti 16 May 2014 -- Russia's Proton-M carrier rocket suffered an unknown failure and was lost early on Friday, about nine minutes after being launched from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan, Russian space industry sources said.
Ailing Space Telescope Getting 2nd Chance VOA 16 May 2014 -- After being declared inoperable last year, NASA's planet-hunting space telescope Kepler has been given a second life.
US to purchase Russian rocket engines after 2016 VoR 15 May 2014 -- Russia's Energomash is going to export new rocket engines RD-181 for Antares launch systems to the US after 2016, the manufacturer's executive director Vladimir Solntsev said on Thursday, according to Itar-Tass.
GPS Expert Dismisses Russian Threat To Suspend Operations RFE/RL 14 May 2014 -- One of the creators of the U.S.-based Global Positioning System (GPS) has dismissed a threat by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dimitry Rogozin to suspend the work of U.S. ground systems in Russia, saying it would not have any effect on users, except for possibly Russians themselves.
Russia Aims To Quit International Space Station After 2020 RFE/RL 14 May 2014 -- Three crew members have returned to Earth after spending half a year aboard the International Space Station (ISS), as Russia raises questions about the future of the orbiting laboratory.
Soyuz Space Capsule Returns Astronauts Safely to Earth RIA Novosti 14 May 2014 -- Three astronauts made a safe return to Earth from the International Space Station on Wednesday, landing in Kazakhstan in a Soyuz TMA-11M capsule, a spokesman for the Mission Control Center told RIA Novosti.
Russia Retaliates Over Sanctions - from Space VOA 13 May 2014 -- Russia says it will withdraw support for the International Space Station by the end of the decade, in response to U.S. sanctions imposed on Moscow for annexing Ukraine's Crimean peninsula.
No more US GPS stations in Russia from June 1 - Russian vice premier VoR 13 May 2014 -- Russia will suspend the work carrid out by US GPS stations sited within its borders if no agreement is reached to set up GLONASS ground stations in the US, said Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin to the press.
DOD Official Testifies on Dangers of 'Space Junk' AFPS 12 May 2014 -- One congresswoman summed up the issue succinctly during a House Science, Space and Technology Committee hearing May 9: space junk is a growing problem.
US court lifts ban on Russian rocket engines Iran Press TV 12 May 2014 -- A ban on US aviation companies prohibiting them from buying Russian rocket engines has been lifted after a federal judge ruled the purchases do not violate US sanctions against Russia.
Astronomer's Discover Sun's 'Sibling' VOA 09 May 2014 -- Scientists say they have found what they're calling the "first sibling" of the Sun.
Russia Launches Military Satellite Into Orbit RIA Novosti 06 May 2014 -- Russia on Tuesday launched a carrier rocket from its northern Plesetsk space center to put a military satellite in orbit, the Defense Ministry said.
European missile shield to increase, has anti-Russian potential - ministry VoR 06 May 2014 -- The European elements of the United States national missile defense system are aimed against Russia and their potential will only grow over time, head of the Russian Defense Ministry's Main Directorate for International Military Cooperation Sergei Koshelev told reporters.
Kazakhstan Urges Talks With Russia, Ukraine for Launch Pad Project RIA Novosti 05 May 2014 -- The head of the Kazakh space agency on Monday called for trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan to discuss a new launch facility at the country's Baikonur space center.

NEWSLETTER

Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list