February 2017 Space News

S.Korean government signs land swap deal with Lotte for THAAD despite oppositions People's Daily 28 Feb 2017 -- South Korea's Defense Ministry on Tuesday signed a land swap deal with Lotte Group for Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) despite strong oppositions at home and abroad.
S.Korea's Lotte decides to offer golf course for THAAD deployment People's Daily 28 Feb 2017 -- Lotte Group, South Korea's fifth-largest conglomerate, decided Monday to offer its golf course to be used as a site for Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD).
Lotte's land offer for THAAD may become nightmare for business People's Daily 28 Feb 2017 -- Lotte Group, South Korea's biggest operator of department stores and duty free shops, decided Monday to offer land for the US missile shield deployment, endangering its operation both in China and South Korea.
South Koreans sue Defense Ministry over THAAD Press TV 28 Feb 2017 -- The South Korean people residing near a golf course turned over to the country's military by a major retail company to host a controversial US missile system have sued the Defense Ministry.
THAAD to Serve as S Korean Self-Defense Against Pyongyang's Threats Sputnik 28 Feb 2017 -- South Korean Foreign Ministry said that Terminal High Altitude Area Defense anti-ballistic missile system that will be installed in South Korea will serve to defend the country against North Korea's nuclear threats.
SpaceX to Send Privately Crewed Dragon Spacecraft Beyond the Moon Next Year SpaceX 27 Feb 2017 -- "We are excited to announce that SpaceX has been approached to fly two private citizens on a trip around the moon late next year. They have already paid a significant deposit to do a moon mission."
US, South Korea liable for consequences of THAAD deployment: China Press TV 27 Feb 2017 -- China says the United States and South Korea are totally responsible for "any consequences" of their decision to deploy the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system on the Korean Peninsula, warning that Beijing will "resolutely" adopt due measures to protect its own "security interests."
China to Conduct Test Flight of CZ-8 Carrier Rocket by 2018 - Manufacturer Sputnik 27 Feb 2017 -- China is planning to develop the next-generation CZ-8 (Long March 8) medium-lift carrier rocket and will conduct the first test flight by the end of 2018, Li Tongyu, the head of carrier rocket development at the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology said Monday.
Lotte Group Approves Land Swap for THAAD Installation - Defense Ministry Sputnik 27 Feb 2017 -- South Korea's Lotte Group agreed to a planned exchange of land with the military for the installation of Washington's Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-ballistic missile system, the country's Defense Ministry said Monday.
THAAD missile system to be set up in S Korea in June at earliest: Seoul Press TV 26 Feb 2017 -- The US Terminal-High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system will be installed in South Korea no sooner than June, Seoul has announced.
US May Deploy THAAD System in South Korea in June Sputnik 26 Feb 2017 -- The United States is likely to deploy its Terminal-High Altitude Area Defense anti-ballistic missile system in South Korea in June, local media said Sunday.
Guardsmen to Test Space Capsule Recovery Systems AFPS 24 Feb 2017 -- Forty-five members of the New York Air National Guard's 106th Rescue Wing are heading to Hawaii, Feb. 27, to participate in a joint NASA and Defense Department mission to evaluate recovery techniques and gear that will be used to recover NASA's Orion spacecraft, the next generation of American space vehicle.
China strongly opposes ROK's deployment of THAAD People's Daily 24 Feb 2017 -- China's military on Thursday voiced strong objections to the Republic of Korea (ROK)'s deployment of an advanced U.S. missile defense system, the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD).
THAAD deployment in S.Korea depends on land swap contract with Lotte: defense ministry People's Daily 24 Feb 2017 -- The timing of the U.S. missile shield deployment in South Korean soil will depend on a land swap contract with Lotte Group, Seoul's defense ministry said Friday.
Russian cargo ship docks at International Space Station Press TV 24 Feb 2017 -- A Russian cargo ship has docked at the International Space Station (ISS), delivering supplies at the station.
Indian Space Research Organization Awaits Government Nod to Develop Station Sputnik 21 Feb 2017 -- Indian leaders and some of the space scientists had criticized ISRO for Mars Mission in 2013, arguing that with limited available resources, ISRO should prioritize its spending and avoid wasteful expenditure. Now, space scientists have points to make in support of India's own space station.
S. Korea expects exchange of military land for THAAD site this month People's Daily 20 Feb 2017 -- South Korea's defense ministry on Monday expected the exchange of military land for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) site within this month, meaning the resumption of procedure to deploy the THAAD battery on South Korean soil by the end of this year.
China reiterates opposition to THAAD deployment in S. Korea People's Daily 19 Feb 2017 -- China on Saturday voiced its opposition to the U.S. deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), a high-end U.S. missile defense system, in the Republic of Korea (ROK), urging respect from the ROK.
SpaceX Scraps Rocket Launch Seconds Before Planned Liftoff VOA 18 Feb 2017 -- SpaceX halted the planned launch Saturday of its unmanned Falcon 9 cargo rocket with just 13 seconds left on the countdown clock because of a technical issue.
India successfully launches 104 satellites in single space mission People's Daily 15 Feb 2017 -- India on Wednesday created history by successfully launching 104 satellites in a single space mission, breaking the previous record of 37 satellites launched by Russiain 2014.
India breaks global record in single-day satellite launch Press TV 15 Feb 2017 -- The Indian Space Research Organization says it has "successfully" launched more than 100 satellites into orbit aboard a single rocket, setting a new global record.
India Successfully Launches Record 104 Satellites Simultaneously - ISRO Sputnik 15 Feb 2017 -- Indian PSLV-C37 carrier rocket successfully launched 104 satellites, five times more than the 20 launched into space in June 2016, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said Wednesday.
India Puts Record 104 Satellites in Space VOA 15 Feb 2017 -- An Indian rocket blasted off Wednesday morning from Sriharikota in eastern India putting a record 104 satellites into space in a single launch, surpassing Russia's previous feat of launching 37 satellites one year ago, according to India's space agency.
Space aggressors jam AF, allies' systems AFNS 13 Feb 2017 -- The 26th Space Aggressor Squadron at Schriever Air Force Base is always gearing up for the next exercise in replicating enemy action against space-based and space-enabled systems.
China plans to launch 1st cargo spacecraft as early as mid-April People's Daily 13 Feb 2017 -- China plans to launch its first cargo spacecraft via a Long March-7 Y2 carrier rocket in April, sources said Monday.
UK may lose access to EU's GPS navigation Press TV 13 Feb 2017 -- Leaving the European Union would put the UK at the risk of losing access to the EU-wide Galileo satellite navigation, a super-accurate global positioning system (GPS) that is partly designed and implemented by British companies.
UK May Lose Access to EU Galileo GPS System After Brexit Sputnik 13 Feb 2017 -- According to media reports, the United Kingdom may be cut off from the new EU global positioning system (GPS) Galileo, which British companies helped to develop, and will have to hold separate negotiations to obtain access to the system after London leaves the European Union.
North Korea Plans to Continue Satellite Launches Despite UN Objections Sputnik 07 Feb 2017 -- North Korea intends to continue launching satellites, despite UN Security Council sanctions and resolutions.
Seoul Mulls Possibility to Take China to WTO Over THAAD Retaliation Measures Sputnik 07 Feb 2017 -- Seoul considers a possibility to send a case of Chinese unfair retaliation measures regarding South Korean businesses to the World Trade Organization (WTO) for arbitration, Yonhap reported Tuesday, citing an official.
China to test near-space flight of solar drone People's Daily 07 Feb 2017 -- China will test how its largest solar drone performs near-space flight this year, according to the China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics (CAAA) Tuesday.
Japan's new missile defense system couldn't intercept Chinese missiles in real battle: experts People's Daily 07 Feb 2017 -- The U.S. and Japan successfully conducted a missile interception test off the Hawaiian islands on Feb. 4. The USS John Paul Jones destroyed the target ballistic missile using its Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA interceptor, reports stated. But an expert pointed out that Japan's new weapon is unable to threaten China.
U.S., Japan Successfully Conduct First SM-3 Block IIA Intercept Test NNS 04 Feb 2017 -- The U.S. Missile Defense Agency, the Japan Ministry of Defense, and U.S. Navy Sailors aboard USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) successfully conducted a flight test Feb. 3 (Hawaii Standard Time), resulting in the first intercept of a ballistic missile target using the Standard Missile-3 (SM-3)
China reiterates opposition to deployment of THAAD People's Daily 04 Feb 2017 -- China on Friday reiterated its opposition to the deployment of a U.S. missile defense system in South Korea, after the U.S. defense secretary reaffirmed the deployment in Seoul.
Russia to take corresponding measures if South Korea deploys THAAD People's Daily 04 Feb 2017 -- Russia will take corresponding measures to ensure its national security if South Korea deploys the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, Alexander Timonin, Russian Ambassador to South Korea, said at a press conference on Friday in Seoul.
US, South Korea agree to deploy THAAD this year: Seoul Press TV 03 Feb 2017 -- The US and South Korea have agreed to deploy an advanced American missile system on Korean territory this year, South Korea's Defense Ministry says.
Pyongyang's 'Provocations' Reason for THAAD Deployment in S Korea - Pentagon Sputnik 02 Feb 2017 -- North Korea's provocative behavior is the only reason behind the US deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system on the South Korean territory, US Defense Secretary James Mattis said Thursday on his first official overseas trip, reiterating that the defense of Seoul is the purpose of deployment.
Mattis: US Committed to South Korea in Face of N. Korean 'Provocations' VOA 02 Feb 2017 -- U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis said Thursday the Trump administration is committed to strengthening relations with South Korea in the face of what he called the "provocations" that country faces from North Korea.
Iran unveils Interorbital System IRNA 01 Feb 2017 -- The Interorbital System named 'Saman 1' was unveiled in a ceremony marking the ninth national space technology day in the presence of President Hassan Rouhani here on Wednesday.
Iran unveils new telecommunication satellite IRNA 01 Feb 2017 -- A new telecommunication satellite named 'Nahid 1' (Venus 1)' was unveiled in a ceremony marking the ninth national space technology day in the presence of President Hassan Rouhani here on Wednesday.
Iran unveils new satellites on Space Technology Day Press TV 01 Feb 2017 -- Iran has put on display its latest achievements in the area of space technology during a ceremony attended by President Hassan Rouhani and other senior officials.
China Steps up Opposition to US Missile Defense System VOA 01 Feb 2017 -- China is stepping up its efforts to stop South Korea from deploying a U.S. missile defense system on its soil, turning up the pressure on the economic front, while warning of the impact on diplomatic relations if the system is put in place this year.

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