December 2014 Space News

Navy Prepares for Jan. 20 Communications Satellite Launch NNS 30 Dec 2014 -- Navy military and civilian engineers are preparing the latest military communications satellite for a planned Jan. 20 launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.
China Launches New Meteorological Satellite: Reports Sputnik 31 Dec 2014 -- The Fengyun-II 08 satellite, launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province, will be used to collect meteorological and environmental information. The data will be used for weather forecasting and climate monitoring, Xinhua reported.
Vostochny Space Center Construction Back On Track for 2015: Rogozin Sputnik 29 Dec 2014 -- Workers at the Vostochny Space Center in Russia's Far East are moving quickly to catch up to the original construction schedule and complete the work in time, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said Monday.
Russia Launches European Communications Satellite Atop Proton-M Rocket Sputnik 28 Dec 2014 -- A Russian Proton-M space rocket carrying a European Astra-2G communications satellite lifted off Sunday from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan, a spokesman for Russia's space agency Roscosmos said.
China launches remote sensing satellite People's Daily 27 Dec 2014 -- China launched the Yaogan-26 remote sensing satellite into the preset orbit at 11:22 a.m. on Saturday Beijing Time from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province.
China Launches Yaogan-26 Remote Sensing Satellite Sputnik 27 Dec 2014 -- The Chinese launched Yaogan Weixing series satellite on Saturday. The launch of Yaogan Weixing-26 took place at 03:22 UTC using a Long March-4B launch rocket from the LC9 launch complex at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, reports NASA.
Second Missile Defense Radar Deployed to Japan DoD 26 Dec 2014 -- The U.S. Department of Defense and Japanese Ministry of Defense announced today the deployment of a second Army Navy/Transportable Radar Surveillance (AN/TPY-2) radar in Japan to Kyogamisaki to enhance sensor coverage for ballistic missile defense of Japan and the U.S. homeland.
Another US Missile Defense Radar Deployed in Japan: Pentagon Sputnik 26 Dec 2014 -- A second US missile defense radar has been deployed in Japan's central Kyoto prefecture, the Pentagon said Friday in its press release.
Russia Launches Soyuz-2.1b Rocket Carrying Satellite: Defense Ministry Sputnik 25 Dec 2014 -- Russia has launched a Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket with a communications satellite from the Plesetsk space center located in the north of the country, the Defense Ministry's spokesperson told RIA Novosti Thursday.
Successful Angara-5 Launch Opens New Page in Russia's Space Exploration Sputnik 23 Dec 2014 -- The successful launch of Russia's newest heavy rocket, the Angara 5, from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, is a significant milestone in the history of Russia's rocket industry, providing the state with independent access to space.
Russia's Angara Rocket Delivers Dummy Payload to Orbit in Maiden Launch Sputnik 23 Dec 2014 -- Russia's newest ecologically friendly heavy-class Angara-A5 carrier rocket has successfully delivered a dummy payload to the geostationary orbit after its maiden launch, a source in the space industry told RIA Novosti on Tuesday.
Putin: New Angara-A5 Rocket to Enhance Defense Capability of Russia Sputnik 23 Dec 2014 -- Russia's new Angara-class rockets will be used to enhance defense capability of Russia and its security partners by putting military and dual-purpose satellites into orbit, the Russian president said Tuesday.
Russia's Glonass to Provide Brazil With Alternative to GPS: Coordinator Sputnik 19 Dec 2014 -- The Russian Global Navigation Satellite System (Glonass) will provide Brazilians with an alternative to the American Global Positioning System (GPS), giving them more localized data and stability, the Glonass project coordinator in Brazil told Sputnik.
Russia Declassifies Satellite Earth-Sensing Data Sputnik 19 Dec 2014 -- The Russian government said Friday it will provide public access to previously classified Earth-sensing data received from domestic and foreign satellites.
Strela Rocket With Kondor-E Satellite Blasts Off From Baikonur:Space Agency Sputnik 19 Dec 2014 -- Russia's Strela carrier rocket blasted off from the Baikonur cosmodrome with a Kondor-E radar imaging satellite, the country's space agency Roscosmos told RIA Novosti Friday.
All Four European Communication Satellites Put Into Orbit: Space Agency Sputnik 18 Dec 2014 -- All four European communication satellites were put into orbit by a Russian-made Soyuz ST-B rocket from the Kourou space center in French Guiana, a spokesperson for the Russian Federal Space Agency, Roscosmos, said Friday.
US Space Launcher to Get 60 Russian Engines in $1Bln Deal: Reports Sputnik 17 Dec 2014 -- Russian design bureau Energomash has signed a contract with the US-based Orbital Sciences Corporation for the delivery of 60 RD-181 rocket engines to be used to power the Antares rocket's first stage, Russia's Izvestiya newspaper reported Wednesday.
Russia, US to Cooperate on Orion Spacecraft Modernization Sputnik 16 Dec 2014 -- Russian Rocket and Space Corporation 'Energia' (Russian for Energy) and the US corporations Lockheed Martin and Boeing will jointly work on modernizing the US Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle Orion so that it can dock with Russian spacecraft, Russian Izvestia newspaper reports on Tuesday.
Atlas V launch successful AFNS 15 Dec 2014 -- The United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying a National Reconnaissance Office payload was successfully launched Dec. 12, from Space Launch Complex-3, here.
US Launches Atlas V Rocket With Classified Payload for Intelligence Agency Sputnik 13 Dec 2014 -- The US United Launce Alliance (ULA) has sent its Atlas V rocket into orbit with a classified National Reconnaissance Office payload, according to a message that has been posted on the official website of the ULA.
Estimated Cost of 3 NASA Exploration Programs to Exceed $21 Billion: GAO Sputnik 12 Dec 2014 -- A trio of National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) human exploration programs will cost over $21 billion, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) has told Sputnik.
Russia wary of US missile system in Europe Iran Press TV 10 Dec 2014 -- Russia says there is no guarantee that the United States missile system in Europe will not be used against the Russian Federation.
West Seeks to Diminish Russia's Defense Potential: General Staff Chief Sputnik 10 Dec 2014 -- The Western countries have been trying to decrease Russia's defense potential through building the US missile shield and other measures, the chief of the Russian General Staff, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, said Wednesday.
Russia warns against US missile bases in east Europe Iran Press TV 09 Dec 2014 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has warned that Moscow will show an adequate response to the US deployment of a costly missile system in Eastern Europe.
Anchorage Completes NASA Orion Mission NNS 08 Dec 2014 -- San Antonio class amphibious transport dock ship USS Anchorage (LPD 23) successfully completed recovery operations of the NASA Orion crew module, forward bay cover, and parachutes, Dec 5.
Russia to Conduct Seven Launches from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Three Months Sputnik 08 Dec 2014 -- Russia plans to conduct seven launches from the Baikonur space center during the period from December 2014 until February 2015, a source in the space industry told RIA Novosti on Monday.
Russia Develops Own THAAD-like, GMD-like Missile Defense Systems Sputnik 08 Dec 2014 -- Russia has been developing its own missile defense systems similar to Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) and Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) of the United States, Pavel Sozinov, the chief engineer of the Almaz-Antey defense corporation, said Monday.
New Russian Space Anti-Ballistic Missile System On-Track for 2020: Engineer Sputnik 08 Dec 2014 -- An improved early warning system in space for detecting ballistic missile launches will be in place by 2020, a chief engineer from the Russian defense corporation Almaz Antey said Monday.
GPS analysts bridge gap between launch, orbit AFNS 07 Dec 2014 -- The Air Force launched four GPS satellites into orbit this year, the highest number of GPS launches since 1993.
China launches CBERS-4 satellite on Long March rockets' 200th mission People's Daily 07 Dec 2014 -- China launched the CBERS-4 satellite, jointly developed with Brazil, on Sunday from the Taiyuan base by Long March-4B rocket, the 200th flight for the Long March rocket family.
New Horizons Spacecraft Ends Hibernation, Ready for Pluto Exploration: NASA Sputnik 07 Dec 2014 -- US New Horizons spacecraft has come out of hibernation and is ready to begin the exploration of Pluto, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has said.
Iran to launch satellite into space in two months ISNA 06 Dec 2014 -- Deputy Head of Iran's Space Agency (ISA) Hamid Fazeli expressed the hope that the country would launch a satellite into space by late January.
NASA Space Probe to 'Wake Up' for Pluto Encounter VOA 04 Dec 2014 -- On Saturday, the U.S. spacecraft New Horizons is set to 'wake up' in preparation for a six-month encounter with the dwarf planet Pluto, on the outer edge of the solar system.
NASA's New Orion Spacecraft Completes First Spaceflight Test NASA 05 Dec 2014-- NASA marked a major milestone Friday on its journey to Mars as the Orion spacecraft completed its first voyage to space, traveling farther than any spacecraft designed for astronauts has been in more than 40 years.
Japan launches 2nd asteroid sample return mission Hayabusa2 People's Daily 03 Dec 2014 -- Japan on Wednesday launched its second-generation asteroid explorer Hayabusa2, kicking off the country's second asteroid sample return mission.
Anchorage Departs on NASA's Orion Mission NNS 02 Dec 2014 -- San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Anchorage (LPD 23) departed from Naval Base San Diego to retrieve NASA equipment in the Pacific Ocean, Dec. 1.
Russia Tests First Military Space Surveillance Complex: Defense Official Sputnik 01 Dec 2014 -- The first surface complex of Russia's military space surveillance system has undergone state tests, Commander of Russian Aerospace Defense Forces Lt. Gen. Alexander Golovko told reporters Monday.
Russia Starts Construction of Two New Anti-Missile Radars: Defense Official Sputnik 01 Dec 2014 -- The construction of two anti-missile radars has begun in the European part of Russia, in the Orenburg Region and the Komi Republic, the commander of the Russian Aerospace Defense Forces said Monday.
Russia Puts Second GLONASS-K Satellite Into Orbit: Defense Ministry Sputnik 01 Dec 2014 -- The second new-generation GLONASS-K Russian navigation satellite has been put into orbit, a Defense Ministry spokesperson told RIA Novosti Monday.

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