April 18, 2023 Quick space links
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay.
- Virgin Orbit’s 747 took a flight yesterday
As Jay asks, “A buyer for the plane or the company?”
- European Commission requests permission from EU to launch its Galileo GPS-type satellites using American rockets
Right now it is required to launch on Arianespace’s rockets, but the Ariane-5 is being retired, the Ariane-6 is not ready, and the partnership with the Russians is dead. So once again, America (likely in the guise of SpaceX) will come to rescue Europe.
- Chinese pseudo-rocket company signs launch deal with Chinese pseudo-satellite company
The rocket, Gravitation-1, has not yet launched, and is targeting the 4th quarter of this year for that flight.
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay.
- Virgin Orbit’s 747 took a flight yesterday
As Jay asks, “A buyer for the plane or the company?”
- European Commission requests permission from EU to launch its Galileo GPS-type satellites using American rockets
Right now it is required to launch on Arianespace’s rockets, but the Ariane-5 is being retired, the Ariane-6 is not ready, and the partnership with the Russians is dead. So once again, America (likely in the guise of SpaceX) will come to rescue Europe.
- Chinese pseudo-rocket company signs launch deal with Chinese pseudo-satellite company
The rocket, Gravitation-1, has not yet launched, and is targeting the 4th quarter of this year for that flight.