May 2019 Space News

NASA's Curiosity rover finds clay minerals on Mars People's Daily 31 May 2019 -- NASA's Curiosity rover has found the highest amounts of clay minerals since its landing on Mars in August of 2012, according to a release of NASA on Wednesday.
Pentagon to Prohibit Cooperation With Russia in Space Launches - Document Sputnik 30 May 2019 -- Russian State Space Corporation Roscosmos on Thursday condemned the Pentagon's decision to ban the use of Russian carrier rockets for launching US spacecraft considering this move as a clear sign of unfair competition.
Future narrowband satellite capability to transfer to Air Force US Air Force 29 May 2019 -- The Air Force and Navy took the important step to enable the development of an integrated space enterprise architecture.
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and China's space exploration odyssey People's Daily 29 May 2019 -- Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center (JSLC), China's first and largest comprehensive space mission launch center, as well as the only manned space flight launch center in China, has witnessed many firsts and major achievements in China's space exploration.
China's Chang'e-4 probe resumes work for sixth lunar day People's Daily 29 May 2019 -- The lander and the rover of the Chang'e-4 probe have resumed work for the sixth lunar day on the far side of the moon after "sleeping" during the extremely cold night.
Experts: Combine US, S. Korean Missile Systems to Boost Defense vs. North VOA 26 May 2019 -- South Korea should integrate its missile defense system with that of the U.S. to maximize the combined capabilities to counter a potential incoming flight of North Korea's missiles across the border, experts said in the wake of Pyongyang's two missile launches in early May.
SpaceX rocket brings first batch of 60 internet satellites into space People's Daily 24 May 2019 -- U.S. private space company SpaceX launched its first batch of 60 Starlink satellites into space on Thursday, in an effort to build a 12,000-strong satellite network capable of providing broadband internet services.
NASA Unveils Plans For Astronauts To Return To Moon By 2024 RFE/RL 24 May 2019 -- NASA has said its first new mission to the moon in decades will take place in 2020, with a landing of astronauts scheduled four years later.
BDS-3 new signals achieve ideal accuracy: official Global Times 23 May 2019 -- Monitoring outcomes show that new signals, codenamed B1C, from the China- developed satellite navigation system, BeiDou-3 or BDS-3, has "ideal" accuracy, according to system operating authorities on Thursday.
BeiDou-powered frontier defense system to cover China border Global Times 23 May 2019 -- China arms industry giant China North Industries Group Corp Ltd (NORINCO) on Thursday said it is building a new frontier and coastline defensive system across the country with the home-developed BeiDou Satellite Navigation System, or BDS, at its core.
Russia to Retaliate if US Deploys Radar Facility in Norway's Vardo - FM Sputnik 23 May 2019 -- The town of Vardo in the Norwegian Arctic near the Russian border is home to a US surveillance radar station dubbed Globus II.
US deploys THAAD anti-missile system in first deployment to Romania Army News 22 May 2019 -- Approximately 100 soldiers from Fort Hood, Texas, deployed to Romania in April as the NATO's Aegis Ashore Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) site undergoes a long-planned upgrade. The soldiers will temporarily emplace a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system at the remote site for approximately three months.
China to send 6-8 BeiDou-3 navigation satellites by year-end: official Global Times 22 May 2019 -- China will send another six to eight BeiDou-3 (BDS-3) navigation satellites into space before the end of 2019, and complete construction of BDS-3 - the new generation global navigation satellite system - by 2020, a senior official said Wednesday.
Russia, Pakistan Call for Int'l Efforts to Avoid Military Confrontation in Space Sputnik 22 May 2019 -- The two countries signed a joint statement on Wednesday only a month after Pakistan accused India of weaponising space, as Indian defence scientists successfully destroyed a target satellite 186 miles above the Earth's surface on 26 March.
Indian Space Agency Successfully Launches Country's All Weather Spy Satellite Sputnik 22 May 2019 -- The satellite holds great importance for the Armed Forces, as an Indian Air Force (IAF) official reportedly claimed that one Mirage 2000 had missed the target during India's air strike in Balakot, Pakistan on the suspected terror camps on 26 February due to bad weather.
China completes first successful liquid rocket engine trial Global Times 20 May 2019 -- The first 80-ton liquid-oxygen methane engine in China, named "Tianque" (TQ-12), completed successfully its trial test on Friday, Landspace, an emerging private Chinese rocket company, told the Global Times.
Advanced rocket engine ready for space mission People's Daily 20 May 2019 -- A company in China has become the third in the world, after two others in the United States, to have developed a new type of rocket engine at the cutting edge of space propulsion, its maker said.
Satellites to customize data for BRI People's Daily 19 May 2019 -- China will offer customized data services for disaster prevention through its Fengyun meteorological satellites for more countries along the Belt and Road, said a senior official of the China Meteorological Administration's National Satellite Meteorological Center.
China completes first successful liquid rocket engine trial Global Times 18 May 2019 -- The first 80-ton liquid-oxygen methane engine in China, named "Tianque" (TQ-12), completed successfully its trial test on Friday, Landspace, an emerging private Chinese rocket company, told the Global Times.
China launches new BeiDou navigation satellite Global Times 18 May 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 11:48 p.m. Friday.
Confidential Data on New Russian Satellites LEAKED Online Sputnik 16 May 2019 -- Confidential data on Russia's new spacecraft, including names of prospective satellites, production details and launch dates, has been illegally made publicly available on the Internet, Russian engine-maker NPO Saturn said.
Private space firms rapidly growing in China: report Global Times 15 May 2019 -- China had 141 registered commercial space companies in 2018, 90 percent of which are private, according to a report, and experts said that private commercial space companies have experienced stable development in recent years but lack more talent.
Senior Space Official Said To Have Fled Russia Amid Audits RFE/RL 15 May 2019 -- The governor of Florida has said Russian hackers gained access to voter databases in two of the southern state's counties ahead of the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
Air Force announces basing candidates for US Combatant Command for Space US Air Force 14 May 2019 -- The secretary of the Air Force selected six locations as candidate bases to potentially host the headquarters for United States Space Command.
Pentagon to Redirect Money From Ballistic Missiles to Border Wall - Reports Sputnik 13 May 2019 -- The US Defence Department's funding for the construction of a wall on the border with Mexico will partially come from programmes related to the modernisation of a ballistic missile and an airborne warning and control system, The Washington Post reported, citing a document prepared by the department.
Commercial Spaceflight: Virgin Galactic Announces 1st Public Suborbital Visits Sputnik 12 May 2019 -- Spaceflight company Virgin Galactic is preparing for the transfer of its development and testing activities from Mojave, California, to New Mexico, where Spaceport America is located, signifying that its first commercial flights are just around the corner.
UK boosting space defense to prevent Russia, China attack: Leaked memo Press TV 09 May 2019 -- The UK has been designing a space defense mechanism to protect its satellites from possible attacks by Russia and China, leaked documents show.
Hamas says newly-developed tactic behind 'Iron Dome' failure Press TV 07 May 2019 -- The military wing of the Palestinian Hamas resistance movement says it successfully "overcame" Israel's so-called Iron Dome missile system during its recent confrontation with the Tel Aviv regime thanks to its new rocket-launching tactic.
Air Force successfully launches satellites from New Zealand on Electron Rocket US Air Force 07 May 2019 -- The Air Force and its mission partners has successfully launched three Department of Defense research and development satellites on Huntington Beach, California-based Rocket Lab USA's Electron rocket from Mahia, New Zealand, May 4-5.
NRL Tests Sensor On-orbit the ISS to Protect Space-Based Assets NNS 06 May 2019 -- Developed by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory Plasma Physics Division, in conjunction with the Spacecraft Engineering Department, the Space PlasmA Diagnostic suitE (SPADE) experiment launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida to the International Space Station onboard the SpaceX Dragon resupply mission (CRS-17), May 4.
China's Yuanwang-5 departs for monitoring missions People's Daily 06 May 2019 -- China's spacecraft tracking ship Yuanwang-5 is sailing to the Indian Ocean from a port in eastern China's Jiangsu Province Sunday for a maritime space monitoring mission.
Remarks by Vice President Pence at the Satellite 2019 Conference The White House 06 May 2019
DoD Approves $5.2Bln in Potential Patriot Missile System Sales to UAE, Bahrain Sputnik 04 May 2019 -- The US State Department approved more than $5 billion worth of potential military sales of the Patriot Missile System and related equipment to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain, the Defence Security Cooperation Agency said in a press release.
Air Force releases proposal request for the Phase 2 Launch Service Procurement Contract US Air Force 03 May 2019 -- The Space and Missile Systems Center, in partnership with the National Reconnaissance Office, released a request for proposals May 3, for the purpose of competitively awarding firm fixed-price, indefinite-delivery requirements contracts to two domestic launch service providers. These "Launch Service Procurement" contracts are for National Security Space launch service procurements in fiscal year 2020 through 2024 for missions launching through 2027.
Florida Air Defenders adopt new training to counter ballistic missiles Army News 03 May 2019 -- Today, the 164th Air Defense Artillery Brigade recognized the accomplishments of 12 Soldiers graduating from the 263rd Army Air and Missile Defense Command's Patriot Training Program during a ceremony at the Florida Army National Guard's Regional Training Institute at Camp Blanding Joint Training Center.
Bahrain - Patriot Missile System and Related Support and Equipment DSCA 03 May 2019 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Bahrain of various Patriot missile systems and related support and equipment for an estimated cost of $2.478 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.
United Arab Emirates (UAE) - Patriot Missile System and Related Support Equipment DSCA 03 May 2019 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to United Arab Emirates of four hundred fifty-two (452) Patriot Advanced Capability 3 (PAC-3) Missiles Segment Enhanced (MSE) and related equipment for an estimated cost of $2.728 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.
Air Force Research Laboratory completes successful shoot down of air-launched missiles US Air Force 03 May 2019 -- The Air Force Research Laboratory Self-Protect High Energy Laser Demonstrator Advanced Technology Demonstration Program successfully completed a major program milestone with the successful surrogate laser weapon system shoot down of multiple air launched missiles in flight, April 23.
Power Glitch in US Segment of ISS Fixed, Station Back to Full Power - NASA Sputnik 02 May 2019 -- As NASA explained it earlier, on 29 April the ISS team identified an issue with one of the station's Main Bus Switching Units that distributes power to two of the eight power channels on the station.
NASA Says It Lost $700 Million in Failed Rocket Launches Due to Fraud Scheme Sputnik 02 May 2019 -- A company that supplied faulty aluminium parts for rocket launches will pay $46 million to NASA, the Department of Defence, and other victims of its fraud scheme.

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