March 2016 Space News

Glonass Navigation System's Ground Infrastructure Successfully Completed Sputnik 31 Mar 2016 -- The testing of the ground control system of the Glonass satellite navigation system has been completed, Nikolay Testoyedov, the Head of the Reshetnev Information Satellite Systems Company told Izvestia newspaper.
No Force Can Stop DPRK's Conquer of Space: Rodong Sinmun KCNA 30 Mar 2016 -- The space development for peaceful purposes is an independent and legitimate right of Juche Korea, says Rodong Sinmun Wednesday in a commentary.
Poland's Duda Pushes Idea of NATO Missiles to Defend Against Russia Sputnik 30 Mar 2016 -- Polish President stated that NATO needs a defensive missile shield to protect troops from Russian rockets when the alliance responding to crises on its eastern border.
Russia's Roscosmos to Hand Over Glonass Infrastructure to MoD in 2016 Sputnik 30 Mar 2016 -- According to Roscosmos head, Russian space agency will transfer control over the ground infrastructure of the Glonass global positioning system to the country's defense ministry later this year.
Russia May Launch Up to Three Glonass Satellites in 2016 Sputnik 29 Mar 2016 -- Russia may launch two or three Glonass navigation satellites this year, a senior space industry official said.
Russia Develops New Heavy-Class Communications Satellite Sputnik 28 Mar 2016 -- A new Blagovest heavy-class communications satellite is being developed by Russia's Information Satellite Systems - Reshetnev Company, the enterprise's corporate newspaper reported Monday.
Evolution of GPS: From Desert Storm to today's users AFNS 24 Mar 2016 -- In a desert, it's easy to get lost. There are no roads, no signposts, nor vegetation to give locational clues.
Russia Soyuz Rocket Successfully Launches Military Satellite Into Orbit Sputnik 24 Mar 2016 -- A military satellite atop the Souyuz-2.1a carrier rocket has been successfully launched into orbit, the Russian Defense Ministry's press service told RIA Novosti on Thursday, adding that the Russian Aerospace Forces assumed control of the spacecraft's flight.
Go for launch: Airmen forecast weather for space missions AFNS 22 Mar 2016 -- Predicting weather for space missions is tough enough. But when forecasts cover part of Florida's lightning alley, where a rocket blasting off could spur strikes, the demands of the job can skyrocket.
Japan to permanently deploy missile interceptors amid intensified frequency of DPRK launches People's Daily 22 Mar 2016 -- Japan's Defense Ministry on Tuesday announced that its ground-based missile interception system would be permanently deployed at a location in Tokyo following the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's increasingly frequent launches of ballistic missiles.
Russia Launches Soyuz TMA-20M Spacecraft With Three New ISS Crewmembers Sputnik 19 Mar 2016 -- Russia has launched the Soyuz TMA-20M space vehicle carrying three new crewmembers to the International Space Station (ISS), a RIA Novosti correspondent reports.
'Lao Sat-1'communications satellite developed by China delivered into orbit People's Daily 18 Mar 2016 -- The first satellite that China exported to an ASEAN country, Lao Sat-1, was officially delivered into orbit on March 16, China News Service reported on Wednesday.
New Three-Man Crew Flies to Space Station VOA 18 Mar 2016 -- A Russian Soyuz spacecraft blasted off from Kazakhstan early Saturday on its way to the International Space Station with a three-man crew including an astronaut about to break an American record.
Patriot, one; ballistic missile, zero Raytheon 17 Mar 2016 -- The newly upgraded Raytheon (NYSE: RTN) Patriot Integrated Air and Missile Defense system has again proven that it can destroy a ballistic missile with different kinds of interceptors fired in rapid succession.
DoD, Intel Leaders Partner on Space Capabilities AFPS 17 Mar 2016 -- Space is crucial to U.S. national security, and the Defense Department and intelligence agencies are working together well to ensure the United States dominates that domain, officials told the House Armed Service Committee's strategic forces subcommittee March 15.
Sentinel of space found in Alaskan wilderness AFNS 16 Mar 2016 -- Among the bears, moose, wolves and wolverines of Alaska's interior is a silent sentinel of space -- Clear Air Force Station. Its personnel keep an eye on things above for the sake of tactical warning of ballistic missile attacks against the U.S. and Canada and space situational awareness.
First commercial Chinese rocket company in the works People's Daily 16 Mar 2016 -- China is set to establish a company that will specialize in commercial rocket launches, Hu Shengyun, chief model designer with the China Sanjiang Space Group, said on Tuesday.
Euro-Russian Mission to Mars Blasts Off From Baikonur Cosmodrome Sputnik 14 Mar 2016 -- ExoMars, the first joint ESA-Roscosmos mission to the red planet to search for the presence of life, will take off on Monday at 09:31 GMT from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Soyuz 2-1B Carrier Rocket Successfully Launched From Baikonur Sputnik 13 Mar 2016 -- The Soyuz 2-1B carrier rocket with the Resurs-P No.3 remote-sensing satellite was successfully launched from Baikonur on Sunday, which was the second attempt, a spokesman to the Russian Space Agency Roscosmos told RIA Novosti.
Belgium Plans to Create Own National Space Agency - Reports Sputnik 11 Mar 2016 -- Belgium plans to create its own state space agency, and cooperate with China on a satellite launch program, media reported Friday.
India Launches Satellite to Join Indian Regional Navigational System Sputnik 10 Mar 2016 -- India successfully launched into orbit the IRNSS-1F satellite, the sixth one to join the Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System (IRNSS), the Indian Space Research Organization said in a statement on Thursday.
China-developed the world's first quantum satellite ready to be lunched this July People's Daily 08 Mar 2016 -- The first quantum communications satellite developed by China is expected to launch in July of this year. The Beijing–Shanghai quantum private communications line will also be opened in the second half of this year, according to Pan Jianwei, academic at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, during an interview with China Youth Daily.
Why will Shenzhou-11 carry only two astronauts to space? People's Daily 08 Mar 2016 -- As part of the country's space lab program, China plans to launch the Shenzhou-11 spacecraft in the fourth quarter of this year, putting it on course to dock with Tiangong-2, according to the program's spokesperson.
China to Launch Space Telescope, Similar to "Hubble", Only Field of View 300 Times Larger People's Daily 08 Mar 2016 -- China is to launch an "optical module" along with the under-construction space station, said Zhang Yulin, Deputy to the National People's Congress and Deputy Minister of Central Military Commission Equipment Development Department, on March 7, 2016.
45th Space Wing successfully launches Falcon 9 SES-9 AFNS 07 Mar 2016 -- The 45th Space Wing supported the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch of the SES-9 communications satellite March 4 from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
China's second space lab Tiangong-2 in test for launch People's Daily 02 Mar 2016 -- Tiangong-2, China's second space lab, is undergoing tests before the launch, according to the chief designer of the lab.
China to Launch Over 100 Long March Rockets Within Five Years Sputnik 02 Mar 2016 -- China in the next five years will launch 110 Long March rockets, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee said Wednesday.
US, Russian Astronauts Back Home After Year in Space VOA 02 Mar 2016 -- After 340 days in orbit, American astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko have returned safely to Earth.

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