Arianespace and Chinese launches this weekend
Two launches occurred this weekend.
First Arianespace used its Ariane 5 rocket to place two communications satellites in orbit, one for the French military and the second for the commercial company SES. The total payload weight set a record for the rocket.
With this success the path is now clear for the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope on the next Ariane 5 launch in December.
Next the Chinese used its Long March 3B rocket to launch a technology test satellite aimed at testing “space debris mitigation technologies.” No other information was released.
The leaders in the 2021 launch race:
37 China
23 SpaceX
17 Russia
4 Northrop Grumman
4 ULA
4 Arianespace (Europe)
China now leads the U.S. 37 to 36 in the national rankings.
Two launches occurred this weekend.
First Arianespace used its Ariane 5 rocket to place two communications satellites in orbit, one for the French military and the second for the commercial company SES. The total payload weight set a record for the rocket.
With this success the path is now clear for the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope on the next Ariane 5 launch in December.
Next the Chinese used its Long March 3B rocket to launch a technology test satellite aimed at testing “space debris mitigation technologies.” No other information was released.
The leaders in the 2021 launch race:
37 China
23 SpaceX
17 Russia
4 Northrop Grumman
4 ULA
4 Arianespace (Europe)
China now leads the U.S. 37 to 36 in the national rankings.