April 2019 Space News

International Space Station Suffers Partial Power Loss, No Danger to Crew - NASA Sputnik 30 Apr 2019 -- Astronauts on the International Space Station are working to restore full power after a partial failure in the orbiting laboratory's electrical system Monday morning that imposed no danger to the crew, NASA said in a press release.
Pentagon Mulls Whether Space Force Will Have Space National Guard Sputnik 30 Apr 2019 -- Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Jack Reed noted that the Department of Defence has not yet decided what role the Guard and Reserve will play in the new Space Force service.
China, Pakistan sign deal on peaceful use of space Global Times 29 Apr 2019 -- A newly signed space exploration agreement between China and Pakistan on manned space missions manifests their more profound cooperation on the peaceful use of outer space, experts said.
China's Chang'e-4 probe resumes work for fifth lunar day People's Daily 29 Apr 2019 -- The lander and the rover of the Chang'e-4 probe have resumed work for the fifth lunar day on the far side of the moon after "sleeping" during the extreme cold night.
100th space sharing agreement signed, Romania Space Agency joins US Air Force 29 Apr 2019 -- U.S. Strategic Command reached a milestone with the signing of its 100th space situational awareness agreement when the Romanian Space Agency signed an agreement with USSTRATCOM April 25. These agreements foster openness, predictability of space operations and transparency in space activities.
China to build scientific research station on Moon's south pole Global Times 24 Apr 2019 -- China aims to build a scientific research station in the south polar region of the moon and realize manned lunar exploration mission in about ten years, said a senior space official on Wednesday.
China's Long March-5B rocket to make maiden flight in 2020 Global Times 24 Apr 2019 -- China's Long March-5B carrier rocket is scheduled to make its maiden flight in the first half of 2020, according to the China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO).
Trump Space Force Aimed at Reviving Reagan-Era Star Wars Insanity – Russian MoD Sputnik 24 Apr 2019 -- The Trump administration has committed considerable resources to expanding the scope of the US' modernisation of its nuclear forces, proposing a new 'Space Force' branch for the armed forces and withdrawing from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), a key arms agreement signed at the twilight of the Cold War to secure peace in Europe.
Testing complete on core module of new space station Global Times 23 Apr 2019 -- China's manned space program has taken another step forward after authorities revealed on Tuesday that the Tianhe, the core module of the country's upcoming space station, has completed testing, including a vacuum heat test and will soon advance to the flight modeling stage, a day before the country's fourth aerospace day.
SECAF underscores space strategy and partnerships with allies US Air Force 23 Apr 2019 -- Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson spoke at the Policy Exchange, a U.K.-based think tank that launched their Space Policy Unit in London, April 23.
China launches new BeiDou satellite People's Daily 21 Apr 2019 -- China sent a new satellite of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) into space from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan Province at 10:41 p.m. Saturday.
1st Manned Flight of Dragon 2 to ISS Postponed Due to Accident in Tests – Source Sputnik 21 Apr 2019 -- The first manned flight of Dragon 2 spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) has been put off due to an accident that occurred during the tests, a source in the aerospace industry told Sputnik.
SpaceX Says 'Anomaly' Happened During Fire Tests of Crew Dragon's Abort Engines Sputnik 21 Apr 2019 -- US aerospace manufacturer SpaceX said on Sunday that an "anomaly" had occurred during static fire tests for the abort engines of its Crew Dragon spacecraft.
China invites world scientists to explore asteroid, comet together Global Times 19 Apr 2019 -- China on Thursday unveiled its plan to explore an asteroid and a comet, inviting scientists around the world to participate in the program.
China opens Chang'e-6 mission for international payloads People's Daily 19 Apr 2019 -- China announced the cooperation plan for its future Chang'e-6 mission, offering to carry a total of 20 kg of solicited payloads, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA) on Thursday.
China unveils colossal Mars imitation base camp in Gobi desert Global Times 18 Apr 2019 -- China unveiled a colossal Mars survival simulation base camp on Wednesday in the Gobi desert of Jinchang, Northwest China's Gansu Province. According to a project employee, the simulation camp will become an astronaut training facility in the future.
Nepal, Sri Lanka Launch Their First Nano-Satellites Using US Rocket Sputnik 18 Apr 2019 -- The two satellites, one belonging to Nepal and the other to Sri Lanka, were designed and built at the Kyushu Institute of Technology in Japan by engineers from the aforementioned countries, with UN funding.
China to send probes to Mars and Jupiter Global Times 16 Apr 2019 -- China's deep space exploration will go beyond the moon and Mars to reach Jupiter in the future, according to Ye Peijian, the country's leading aerospace expert and chief consultant to China's lunar and Mars probes.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Promises State Aid to Second Moon Mission Sputnik 14 Apr 2019 -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised on Sunday that the national government would help send a second lunar lander to the Moon.
Beresheet 2: Israeli SpaceIL Announces New Mission to Land Spacecraft on Moon Sputnik 13 Apr 2019 -- Morris Kahn, a billionaire who founded Israeli firm SpaceIL, announced on Saturday a new mission to land the world's first privately-funded spacecraft on the Moon.
Russia Developing Launch Vehicles Similar to Falcon Heavy - Deputy PM Sputnik 12 Apr 2019 -- The launch of SpaceX's Falcon Heavy heavy-lift vehicle is a major success for the US space industry but Russia is also developing its own launch vehicles with reusable elements, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov said on Friday.
Army Guard missile brigade executes unique mission Army News 12 Apr 2019 -- The mission of the Colorado Army National Guard's 100th Missile Defense Brigade is unique, but, for some brigade Soldiers, also fairly straightforward.
Israeli moon-landing mission fails while being broadcast live Press TV 12 Apr 2019 -- Israel's Beresheet spacecraft has crash-landed on the moon as the widely publicized event was being broadcast live.
India's ASAT Justified, But Space Debris Still a Concern Says Pentagon - Report Sputnik 12 Apr 2019 -- US Strategic Command chief General John E. Hyten defended India before members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, saying that the country had tested the anti-satellite missile because it needed the capability to defend itself in space. The general called for international norms of behaviour in space to curtail the dangerous debris issue.
US to Deploy THAAD Interceptors in Romania Despite Moscow's Opposition Sputnik 11 Apr 2019 -- THAAD is an anti-ballistic missile defence system that intercepts ballistic missiles during their late mid-course or final stage flight both inside and outside the Earth's atmosphere.
Aegis Ashore missile defence system in Romania undergoes scheduled update NATO 11 Apr 2019 -- NATO's Aegis Ashore Ballistic Missile Defence site in Romania will undergo a long-planned update this summer. This update, which has been taking place across the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defence system fleet, will not provide any offensive capability to the Aegis Ashore missile defence system.
Indian Satellite's Pieces Unlikely to Collide With ISS - Russian Space Agency Sputnik 11 Apr 2019 -- The likelihood of a collision between pieces of a destroyed Indian satellite and the International Space Station (ISS) is not high but some of these parts are small and hard to track, Sergey Krikalev, director of manned spaceflight at Russian State Space Corporation Roscosmos said in an interview with Sputnik on Thursday.
Defense Leaders: Space Force Would Build, Accelerate American Space Capabilities DoD News 11 Apr 2019 -- A United States Space Force would build on and accelerate the advantage the U.S. Air Force has given the American military in space, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick M. Shanahan told the Senate Armed Services Committee today.
Senate Armed Services Committee recognizes importance of space while offering divergent views on Space Force US Air Force 11 Apr 2019 -- The Senate Armed Services Committee acknowledged April 11 that maintaining U.S. superiority in space is a national imperative but expressed skepticism that creating a Space Force as a new, sixth branch of military is the best approach for achieving that goal.
AFSPC Commander highlights Joint, Coalition warfighters at Space Symposium US Air Force 11 Apr 2019 -- The leader of Air Force Space Command and the Joint Force Space Component Command spoke to members of the international space community, industry and media at the 35th Space Symposium April 9.
'We're Going to Have a Space Force Someday,' General Says VOA 11 Apr 2019 -- The general in charge of the U.S. military's space assets told a skeptical Congress on Thursday that creation of a Space Force was inevitable.
Shanahan: Next Big War May Be Won or Lost in Space DoD News 09 Apr 2019 -- Wars have been fought on land, on the sea and in the air. But the next conflict may be a war in the immediate area above the breathable atmosphere, amid the satellites now circling Earth, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick M. Shanahan said today.
US Actions Can Trigger Space Arms Race - Beijing Sputnik 10 Apr 2019 -- The Chinese Foreign Ministry's spokesman, Lu Kang, voiced the belief on Wednesday that Washington's actions could lead to militarisation of space and even trigger an arms race in space.
India to Draft Space Doctrine After Successful Anti-Satellite Missile Test Sputnik 10 Apr 2019 -- On 27 March, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the completion of a successful test of the country's anti-satellite (A-SAT) missile capability.
Iran's satellite launches 'no cover for another activity': Min IRNA 10 Apr 2019 -- Iranian Minister of Information and Communications Technology Mohammad Javad Jahromi said Tehran's satellite launches are not a cover for other missile programs.
Remarks by Acting Secretary Shanahan at the 35th Space Symposium, Colorado Springs, Colorado DoD 09 Apr 2019 -- Acting Secretary Of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan
Pentagon Sounds Alarm US Losing Competitive Edge in Space VOA 09 Apr 2019 -- Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Pat Shanahan has sounded the alarm that the U.S. military "is not moving fast enough to stay ahead" of rivals China and Russia in space.
Japan - Standard Missile (SM)-3 Block IB DSCA 09 Apr 2019 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Japan of up to fifty-six (56) Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IB missiles for an estimated cost of $1.150 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.
Iran to send three domestically-developed satellites into orbit this year: Minister Press TV 09 Apr 2019 -- Iranian Minister of Information and Communications Technology Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi says the country plans to launch three domestically-developed satellites into orbit as it presses ahead with its aerospace program despite US warnings.
China's BeiDou navigation system sees bright future in Arab region People's Daily 08 Apr 2019 -- China's home-made BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) enjoys excellent potential in the Arab region within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), according to a recent forum between China and Arab states.
India Looks to Roll Out More Space Weaponry After Satellite-Killer Test Sputnik 07 Apr 2019 -- The successful test of India's brand new anti-satellite weapon last month has drawn criticism from NASA and Pakistan, but New Delhi does not plan to stop yet. The capabilities under development include directed-energy and laser weapons - arms that have been popularised by video games but have not been seen in real life yet.
Soyuz Rocket Launches Satellites From French Guiana Site RFE/RL 05 Apr 2019 -- Arianespace says it has successfully launched a Soyuz rocket from French Guiana carrying four telecommunications and Internet satellites.
Defense of U.S. is Top Priority for Missile Defense, DOD Leader Says DoD News 03 Apr 2019 -- Potential adversaries are developing sophisticated ballistic and cruise missile systems, with increased speed, range, accuracy and lethality, a senior Pentagon official said today.
NASA Says India's Anti-Satellite Missile Test 'Unacceptable' Sputnik 02 Apr 2019 -- The United States has criticized India for last week's anti-satellite missile test calling it unacceptable and incompatible with the future of human space flight, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said on Monday.
Lockheed Martin receives $2.5bn deal to forward US THAAD deal with Saudi Arabia Press TV 02 Apr 2019 -- The US Department of Defense has awarded arms manufacturing giant Lockheed Martin Corp a $2.5 billion contract to produce Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile systems for Saudi Arabia, as part of President Donald Trump's extensive arms deals with the oil-rich kingdom.
Pentagon Awards $2.4Bn to Build THAAD Anti-Missile Interceptors for Saudi Arabia Sputnik 02 Apr 2019 -- Lockheed Martin has received a more than $2.4 billion contract from the US Missile Defence Agency (MDA) to provide Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) interceptors to Saudi Arabia, the US Department of Defence said in a press release.
China launches new data relay satellite People's Daily 01 Apr 2019 -- China sent a new data relay satellite into orbit from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province late Sunday night.

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