September 2019 Space News

Spacecom Built for Today's Strategic Environment DoD News 27 Sep 2019 -- The U.S. Space Command that activated last month is quite different from the U.S. Space Command that stood up when Ronald Reagan was president, Spacecom's commander said.
4th Space Operations Squadron gains Enhanced Polar System US Air Force 27 Sep 2019 -- The 4th Space Operations Squadron officially gained command of the Enhanced Polar System satellite Sept. 25, at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado.
Raymond outlines ambitious U.S. space activities, embraces Space Force as a new, separate military branch US Air Force 27 Sep 2019 -- Air Force Gen. John Raymond, recently confirmed to lead the U.S. Space Command, emphasized on Sept. 27, the singular need for a Space Force and the steps required to maintain U.S. preeminence in a "domain" that is becoming increasingly crowded, dangerous and essential.
China launches new satellite for air, ocean study Global Times 25 Sep 2019 -- China successfully launched a new satellite on Wednesday that will study the earth's atmosphere, monitor the marine and space environment, help prevent and reduce disasters and conduct scientific experiments.
First UAE Astronaut flies to ISS SPA 25 Sep 2019 -- Hazza Al-Mansoori today made his first venture to the sky as United Arab Emirates first astronaut to the International Space Station (ISS), a great milestone that catapults his country to the ranks of advanced nations, especially in the space science.
Russia Develops First Ever Standard for Satellite Navigation in Arctic - Manufacturer Sputnik 24 Sep 2019 -- The Russian Space Systems company, together with the Polar Initiative scientific and information centre, have developed requirements for receivers of satellite navigation systems for use in the Arctic, the company, which is a part of State Space Corporation Roscosmos, said.
Lockheed Martin Wins NASA Contract For Orion Spacecraft Crucial For Moon Mission - NASA Sputnik 24 Sep 2019 -- The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has signed a contract with Lockheed Martin for the production of the Orion crew capsule, which is expected to carry the first woman to the Moon as part of the Artemis program, NASA announced.
NASA Awards Lockheed Martin Contract for Six Orion Spacecraft Lockheed Martin 23 Sep 2019 -- NASA and Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) have finalized a contract for the production and operations of six Orion spacecraft missions and the ability to order up to 12 in total. Orion is NASA's deep space exploration spaceship that will carry astronauts from Earth to the Moon and bring them safely home. Lockheed Martin has been the prime contractor during the development phase of the Orion program.
China launches two new BeiDou satellites People's Daily 23 Sep 2019 -- China has successfully sent two satellites of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) into space from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan Province at 05:10 a.m. Monday.
China Launches Another 2 Satellites of BeiDou Navigation System - Aerospace Corporation Sputnik 23 Sep 2019 -- China on Monday successfully launched into the orbit the 47th and 48th satellites of its BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, China Aerospace and Technology Corporation (CASC) said.
Last Soyuz-FG Carrier Rocket Installed at Baikonur Cosmodrome Launch Site - Roscosmos Sputnik 23 Sep 2019 -- The last ever Soyuz-FG carrier rocket to be launched was installed at a launch site at Kazakhstan's Baikonur cosmodrome on Monday, Russia's state space agency, Roscosmos, said.
Trump Marks Mars as NASA's Next Target, Says Moon Is 'Not So Exciting' Sputnik 23 Sep 2019 -- US President Donald Trump on Friday praised the US space program's efforts to return astronauts to the moon by 2024 as "tremendous," yet outlined that the ultimate goal is Mars.
In letter to UNSC, Iran refutes US claims on space activities, ballistic missiles IRNA 20 Sep 2019 -- which is a terminated and, in fact, dead resolution -- is ironic. Likewise, it is hypocritical that the United States, which arrogantly continues to threaten other States either to violate resolution 2231 (2015) or face punishment, is calling for the full implementation of that resolution. If the implementation of resolution 2231 (2015) matters for the United States, it should end violating it itself and also stop forcing other States to violate that resolution.
China launches new remote-sensing satellites Global Times 19 Sep 2019 -- Five new remote-sensing satellites were sent into planned orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China's Gobi Desert Thursday.
Roscosmos to Build Inexpensive Soyuz-2M Rocket for Commercial Satellites Launch Service Sputnik 13 Sep 2019 -- Russian state space corporation Roscosmos is working on a cheaper version of the Soyuz rocket to cut launch costs for commercial satellites, Russian space travel operator Glavkosmos (GK) Launch Services CEO Alexander Serkin said.
China launches three new satellites Global Times 12 Sep 2019 -- China sent a resource satellite and two small satellites into planned orbits from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province on Thursday.
New Army space unit streamlining satellite communication missions Army News 11 Sep 2019 -- In just 1.5 seconds, Soldiers can bounce a communications link off a satellite 23,000 miles in space down to a warfighter halfway around the world.
India's Unmanned Lunar Lander Located on Surface VOA 10 Sep 2019 -- India's space agency says it has located the lunar probe that was feared lost as it was making its final approach towards the surface last weekend.
Dunford: Spacecom Allows U.S. to Retain 'High Ground' DoD News 09 Sep 2019 -- The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff presided over the presentation of the colors of U.S. Space Command at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado.
Indian Moon Lander Makes Hard Landing on Moon's Surface Without Breaking Apart - Reports Sputnik 09 Sep 2019 -- The Vikram lunar lander of the Chandrayaan-2 mission has not crashed during a hard landing on the Moon's surface and is very close to the planned landing site, local media reported on Monday, citing a source from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
ISRO Locates Vikram Lander on Lunar Surface Day After Failed Moon Touchdown Sputnik 08 Sep 2019 -- On Friday night, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) lost contact with the Vikram lander during the last stage of the Moon landing operation, minutes before it was due to land near the lunar South Pole.
Russian Space Agency to Test Modernized Fregat Upper Stage During Launch of Meteor Satellite in 2020 Sputnik 08 Sep 2019 -- Russian state space corporation Roscosmos will test the modernized Fregat upper stage in 2020 during the blastoff of the Meteor-M meteorological satellite No. 2-3 from the Vostochny space centre, according to materials on the government procurement website.
Israeli Satellite Photo Allegedly Shows Cleanup Effort at Iranian Spaceport Days After Failed Rocket Launch Sputnik 08 Sep 2019 -- Last week, the US slapped sanctions on Iran's Space Agency, Space Research Centre and Astronautics Research Institute following the August 29 explosion of a rocket on the launch pad at the Imam Khomeini Space Centre in northern Iran.
PM condoles demise of Shri Ram Jethmalani Prime Minister of India 07 Sep 2019 -- "Friends, the last stop of Chandrayaan's journey may not have been optimistic, but we also have to remember that Chandrayaan's journey has been fantastic, it has been life. The country has rejoiced many times during this entire mission. Our orbiter is full of pride at this time, and is whirring around the moon."
China's lunar rover travels over 284 meters on moon's far side People's Daily 07 Sep 2019 -- China's lunar rover Yutu-2 has driven 284.66 meters on the far side of the moon to conduct scientific exploration on the virgin territory.
Russia's Soyuz Spacecraft With Humanoid Robot Lands in Kazakhstan Sputnik 07 Sep 2019 -- Fedor, Russia's first robot which flew to the International Space Station, returned to Earth on board the Soyuz MS-14 spacecraft, space agency Roscosmos said in the early hours of Saturday.
India Loses Communication With Its Moon Lander Vikram During Descent Sputnik 07 Sep 2019 -- The historic Lunar mission Chandrayaan-2 was to make Indian the fourth nation to land on the moon, following Russia, the United States and China.
India's Moon Mission Suffers Setback as it Loses Contact With Landing Craft VOA 06 Sep 2019 -- India's ambitious mission to land an unmanned probe on the moon suffered a setback when its space agency lost contact with the landing craft minutes before it was to make a critical touchdown on the lunar surface.
Putin Rebukes Russian Space Officials Over Troubled Far Eastern Cosmodrome RFE/RL 06 Sep 2019 -- During a visit to the often-delayed, corruption-plagued space-launch facility in Russia's Far East, President Vladimir Putin has told officials he expects a "more responsible attitude" from them.
Space Expansion Presents Opportunities, Challenges for DOD DoD News 06 Sep 2019 -- As more nations, businesses and militaries become involved in space, the amount of data that will become available will also increase, as will challenges and opportunities for the Defense Department, a panel of defense intelligence experts said yesterday.
Joint Chiefs Chairman Warns Russia, China, North Korea, Iran are Trying to 'Contest' US Space Supremacy Sputnik 06 Sep 2019 -- The remarks come a week after the Trump administration's reactivation of 'Space Command' – a DoD unit aimed at 'defending America's vital interests in space.' President Trump has called outer space "the next warfighting domain," possibly putting the US commitment to the 1967 Outer Space Treaty into question.
India Completes First Level of Astronaut Selection for Manned Space Mission Sputnik 06 Sep 2019 -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with Russian President Vladimir Putin, on Wednesday, announced that Moscow would provide advance training to three Indian astronauts for New Delhi's manned space mission – Gaganyaan.
Sanctions not to affect Iran's space activities, official says IRNA 05 Sep 2019 -- The head of Iranian Space Agency Morteza Barari stressed the absolutely peaceful nature of Iran's space programs and said the US sanctions against the agency will in no way affect their progress and development.
Zarif: US sanctions on Iran's space program 'ineffective' Press TV 04 Sep 2019 -- Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has downplayed as "ineffective" the US's recent sanctions on the country's space program, saying Washington's extreme use of economic leverage will gradually threaten its economic might.
US hostile actions not to disrupt Iran's space programs IRNA 04 Sep 2019 -- Iranian Space Agency in a stance against the US sanctions on three organizations related to Iran space industry said in a statement that the US hostile actions will not disrupt Iran's space programs.
Iran's Zarif Dismisses U.S. Space-Agency Sanctions As 'Totally Ineffective' RFE/RL 04 Sep 2019 -- Iran's foreign minister has accused the United States of an overreliance on sanctions and said the latest punitive measures out of Washington targeting his country's space and research sectors are "totally ineffective."
United States Imposes New Sanctions Designations on Iran's Space Program as Tehran Continues to Use Civilian Space Agencies to Advance its Ballistic Missile Programs US Dept. of State 03 Sep 2019 -- "Today, the Department of State designated the Iran Space Agency and two of its research institutes under Executive Order (E.O.) 13382 for engaging in proliferation-sensitive activities. This is the first time the United States is designating Iran's civilian space agency for activities that advance its ballistic missile program."
New Sanctions Designations on Iran's Space Program US Dept. of State 03 Sep 2019 -- "Today, the Department of State designated the Iran Space Agency and two of its research institutes under Executive Order (E.O.) 13382, which targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and WMD delivery systems and their supporters – the first time the United States is publicly designating Iran's civilian space agency."
US Imposes Sanctions on Iran Space Agencies VOA 03 Sep 2019 -- The United States has imposed its first-ever sanctions against Iran's space agency, accusing it of disguising a missile program.
US new sanctions target Iranian Space Agency Press TV 03 Sep 2019 -- The United States has imposed new sanctions on Iran this time to target its space program.
U.S. Slaps Sanctions On Iran Space Program Over Missile Work RFE/RL 03 Sep 2019 -- The United States has imposed sanctions on Iran's civilian space agency and two of its research institutes, saying they are being used to advance Tehran's missile program.
BeiDou-GLONASS synergies will offset dominance of US GPS Global Times 02 Sep 2019 -- China and Russia will soon put in place an agreement involving their respective satellite navigation systems, aiming to promote the compatibility and interoperability of the BeiDou and GLONASS systems.
Iran Acknowledges Blast At Space Center RFE/RL 02 Sep 2019 -- Iran has confirmed an explosion at one of its launch pads after satellite photos showed the blast last week, saying it was due to a technical malfunction.
Iran Admits Space Rocket Explosion for First Time After Trump Denies US Involvement in Viral Tweet Sputnik 02 Sep 2019 -- The report comes a few days after US President Donald Trump tweeted a photo of an apparent explosion at Iran's space centre, while saying that Washington had nothing to do with what he described as a "catastrophic accident" during first launch preparations.
Indian Lunar Probe Successfully Carries Out Tricky Move to Delink Lander and Orbiter Sputnik 02 Sep 2019 -- India's second Lunar probe, Chandrayaan-2 has achieved yet another milestone, just five days ahead of its most challenging exercise to soft land on the unexplored South Polar Region of the Moon.
India Crosses Another Milestone in Moon Mission VOA 02 Sep 2019 -- India's ambitious mission to the moon has crossed a crucial milestone and is on course to place a probe on the south pole of the lunar surface later this week.
Russia successfully launches military satellite Global Times 01 Sep 2019 -- Russia on Friday successfully launched a military satellite from its Plesetsk cosmodrome in the northern Arkhangelsk region, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

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