September 2020 Space News

Switzerland - Patriot Configuration-3+ Modernized Fire Units and Weapons DSCA 30 Sep 2020 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Switzerland of five (5) Patriot Configuration-3+ Modernized Fire Units and related equipment for an estimated cost of $2.2 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.
China sends two environmental monitoring satellites into space People's Daily 27 Sep 2020 -- China has successfully launched two environmental monitoring satellites from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern Shanxi Province on Sunday.
Russia, Kazakhstan to Begin Reconstruction of Zenit Launch Pad in Baikonur, Roscosmos Says Sputnik 26 Sep 2020 -- Russia and Kazakhstan will begin the reconstruction of the launch complex of the Zenit carrier rocket at Baikonur for the new Russian Soyuz-5 vehicle in mid-October, Roscosmos reported.
China's space-tracking ship departs for new monitoring mission in Pacific Ocean PLA Daily 25 Sep 2020 -- Space-tracking ship Yuanwang-5 has departed from a port in east China's Jiangsu Province on Thursday for a maritime monitoring mission in the Pacific Ocean.
The Netherlands - Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) Missiles DSCA 24 Sep 2020 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of the Netherlands of Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) missiles and related equipment for an estimated cost of $241 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.
China's Chang'e-4 probe switches to dormant mode following new discoveries Global Times 24 Sep 2020 -- The lander and the rover of the Chang'e-4 probe have been switched to dormant mode for the lunar night after working stably for a 22nd lunar day and according to the latest study, the materials detected by the rover, Yutu-2, come from the nearby Finsen impact crater rather than the basalt erupted from the lunar mantle.
China's Chang'e-4 probe switches to dormant mode People's Daily 24 Sep 2020 -- The lander and the rover of the Chang'e-4 probe have been switched to dormant mode for the lunar night after working stably for a 22nd lunar day, according to the Lunar Exploration and Space Program Center of the China National Space Administration.
NASA, DOD Agree to Collaborate More Closely in Space DoD News 22 Sep 2020 -- While advancing plans for unprecedented lunar exploration under the Artemis program, NASA also is building on a longstanding partnership with the Defense Department according to a memorandum of understanding announced today by Space Force Gen. John W. "Jay" Raymond and NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine.
Rocket Launching Port India PIB 21 Sep 2020 -- Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, DrJitendra Singh informed about the status of setting up of country’s second space rocket launching port by ISRO in Kulasekarapattinam, located in Tamil Nadu in a written reply in Lok Sabha.
Romania's Military Gets First Shipment Of U.S. Patriot Missiles RFE/RL 17 Sep 2020 -- Romania's military received its first shipment of U.S. Patriot surface-to-air missiles on September 16, part of efforts to upgrade the NATO member's defense capabilities.
US Forces Need to Prevent Space-Launched Attacks on Military Assets - Space Command Sputnik 17 Sep 2020 -- US Space and Cyber Forces must be able to disrupt adversaries' efforts disrupt to terrestrial forces through their own space forces, US Space Command Chief Architect Michael Dickey told the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) AscentX Conference on National Security Space.
Long March rocket sends 9 satellites into orbit from sea PLA Daily 16 Sep 2020 -- China launched nine satellites on Tuesday with a Long March 11 solid-propellant carrier rocket that blasted off from a ship in the Yellow Sea, achieving the country's first commercial launch at sea.
UK's Air Chief Warns Arms Race in Space Could End in Disaster Sputnik 16 Sep 2020 -- States, including Russia, have expressed concerns before about the militarisation of space and how it could potentially lead to the destruction of the existing security balance they have been trying to maintain over the last several decades.
US to Stop Using Russian Rocket Engine RD-180 in Mid-2020s - United Launch Alliance Sputnik 16 Sep 2020 -- US company United Launch Alliance (ULA) plans to end operation of the Atlas-5 launch vehicle with the Russian RD-180 engine in the mid-2020s, Julie Arnold, an ULA spokeswoman, told Sputnik.
Driven by 'a tectonic shift in warfare' Raymond describes Space Force's achievements and future US Air Force 15 Sep 2020 -- Chief of Space Operations, Gen. Jay Raymond, presented an ambitious blueprint Sept. 15 for cementing the nation's superiority in space while also forcing change closer to home by slashing bureaucracy, refocusing training and instilling a culture across the Space Force that puts a premium on speed, technology and innovation for "this digital service."
Space Force Chief: U.S. Doesn't Want War in Space, Must be Prepared for It DoD News 15 Sep 2020 -- The United States doesn't want to engage in warfare in space, but like in all domains, the U.S. military must be prepared for such a conflict, and that'll take a lot of preparation and change, Chief of Space Operations Gen. John W. Raymond, said.
Nation conducts second seaborne space launch Global Times 15 Sep 2020 -- China conducted its second seaborne space launch early Tuesday morning, with a Long March-11 solid propellant light launch vehicle lifting off from a mobile floating platform in the Yellow Sea, in waters off the coast of East China's Shandong Province.
Iran completes most advanced domestically-made satellite IRNA 14 Sep 2020 -- Iranian ICT Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi said on Monday that the final tests of the country's most advanced domestically-made satellite have been carried out.
Japan to Come Up with Missile Defense Plan by year-end: PM Abe SPA 13 Sep 2020 -- Japan's outgoing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said yesterday, Friday the government, under his successor, will come up with a new plan for dealing with missile threats by the end of the year, Kyodo reported.
China's Gaofen 02C satellite fails to reach orbit Global Times 12 Sep 2020 -- China's optical remote-sensing satellite Jilin-1 Gaofen 02C failed to enter the preset orbit on Saturday.
Senior Defense Officials Discuss 2030 Missile Defense DoD News 11 Sep 2020 -- Three senior Defense Department officials took part in a discussion about missile defense capabilities in 2030 and the demands of tomorrow at the Missile Defense 2030 symposium.
Japan to Develop New Missile Defence Plan After Abandoning Aegis Ashore Systems, Abe Says Sputnik 11 Sep 2020 -- The Japanese government will develop a new plan for its missile defence systems by the end of the current year, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Friday, in the wake of Tokyo's decision in June to abandon the deployment of two US-made Aegis Ashore systems.
China sends another high-resolution remote sensing satellite into space Global Times 07 Sep 2020 -- China successfully sent the Gaofen-11 02 - a high resolution Earth observation satellite - into planned orbit via a Long March-4B carrier rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in North China's Shanxi Province on Monday.
China launches new optical remote-sensing satellite PLA Daily 07 Sep 2020 -- China launched a new optical remote-sensing satellite from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern Shanxi province on Monday.
Reusable spacecraft lands after two-day excursion PLA Daily 07 Sep 2020 -- China's reusable experimental spacecraft landed at a preset site on Sunday morning after two days in orbit.
Returning reusable spacecraft may be like US' X-37B, focusing on civilian use, tapping into space application potential: experts Global Times 06 Sep 2020 -- After flying in orbit for two days, China's reusable spacecraft landed safely to its designated site on Sunday, marking a breakthrough in China's technology for reusing spacecraft.
China's reusable spacecraft successfully returns to designated landing site Global Times 06 Sep 2020 -- After flying in orbit for two days, China's reusable spacecraft, which was launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on Friday, successfully returned to its designated landing site on Sunday.
China's Reusable Experimental Spaceship Successfully Returns to Earth - Reports Sputnik 06 Sep 2020 -- The Chinese reusable experimental spaceship has successfully returned to Earth having spent two days in the orbit, Chinese news agency Xinhua reported on Sunday.
Russia Will Start Making New Soyuz-5 Rocket Next Year, Progress Space Centre's Director Says Sputnik 06 Sep 2020 -- Developers will start making the Soyuz-5 rocket (Irtysh) that Russia is planning in order to replace Ukraine's Zenit launch vehicles in mid-2021, General Director of Russian Space Rocket Centre Progress Dmitry Baranov said.
Xinhua: Reusable Experimental Spacecraft Has Returned Successfully to Earth VOA 06 Sep 2020 -- An experimental, reusable Chinese spacecraft returned to its designated landing site Sunday after two days in orbit, China's official Xinhua news agency reported.
China launches reusable experimental spacecraft for peaceful uses Global Times 04 Sep 2020 -- China successfully launched a reusable experimental spacecraft with a Long March-2F carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China on Friday.
China's Reusable Spacecraft Blasts Off for First Time in Secretive Launch Sputnik 04 Sep 2020 -- China's first reusable spacecraft was blasted into space on Friday morning from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert. According to a government aerospace agency, the mission will prepare the Chinese space program for a new generation of manned space missions.
NASA Announces Successful Completion of First Firing Test for Artemis Moon Mission Rocket Engine Sputnik 02 Sep 2020 -- The first full-scale booster engine test for the Space Launch System, the largest US rocket motor ever built, at Promontory, Utah was a full success, National Aeronautics and Space Administration officials announced.
Agency Awards Contracts to Enable Data Transfer From Space DoD News 01 Sep 2020 -- The Space Development Agency announced yesterday the award of two contracts for what's known as the first generation of the transport layer, the acting deputy undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, and director of defense research and engineering for modernization said.

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