Civil aerospace news and insights from Forecast International
by Bill Ostrove, Space Systems Analyst, Forecast International. On October 30, 2017, SpaceX successfully launched the Koreasat-5A satellite from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Falcon 9 delivered the Koreasat-5A to its …
SpaceX Falcon 9 Positioned as the Most Popular New Launch Vehicle in a Generation Read Moreby Bill Ostrove, Space Systems Analyst, Forecast International. Two years ago, Forecast International published a blog post about a trend toward decreasing launch mass in commercial communications satellites. Since that post …
Commercial Communications Satellite Launch Mass – It’s Complicated Read Moreby Bill Ostrove, Space Systems Analyst, Forecast International. International Launch Services (ILS) recently announced that it will introduce a new Proton launch vehicle variant with a larger payload fairing – …
Launch Vehicle Flexibility Increasingly Important Read Moreby Bill Ostrove, Space Systems Analyst, Forecast International. On the morning of February 15, 2017, ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (designated PSLV-C37) launched the 714-kilogram Cartosat-2 Series Satellite and 103 …
PSLV Launch with 104 Payloads Opens New Opportunities for Small Satellites Read MoreRecent Decline Continued, but Stage Set for Renewed Activity in 2017 by Bill Ostrove, Space Systems Analyst, Forecast International. The year 2016 saw 85 launches into Earth orbit (this count …
Launch Vehicles: Year in Review 2016 Read Moreby Bill Ostrove, Space Systems Analyst, Forecast International. United Launch Alliance (ULA) has announced a new website that enables customers to shop for launch services and sets standard price transparency. …
New ULA Website Marks New Era in Launch Industry Transparency and Competition Read Moreby Bill Ostrove, Space Systems Analyst, Forecast International The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has successfully launched a reusable launch vehicle demonstrator, dubbed the RLV-TD. The RLV-TD is a delta-winged …
Reusable Launch Vehicles Remain Appealing Read Moreby Richard Pettibone, Aerospace & Defense Companies Analyst, Forecast International. 2015 was another record year for Arianespace, with the launch consortium posting revenues of EUR1.44 billion. During the year, the …
Arianespace Boasts Another Record Year, and Looks Set for 11 Launches in 2016 Read Moreby Bill Ostrove, Space Systems Analyst, Forecast International. Orbital ATK is asking U.S. lawmakers to end a 20-year ban on using decommissioned intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) to carry commercial satellites …
Ending Ban on Retired Missiles Could Disrupt Lightweight Launch Market Read MoreBy Bill Ostrove, Space Systems Analyst, Forecast International. A Zenit 2SB launch vehicle lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on December 12 carrying the Elektro-L2, a geosynchronous meteorological …
Multiple Issues Lead to Last Zenit Launch Read More