SpaceNews This Week | Ariane 5 suffers first anomaly since '02; Lunar X Prize ending without a winner; Space hit hard by military spending downturn

January 26, 2018 View this email in your browser Satellites placed into incorrect orbits by Ariane 5 can be recovered, owners say Caleb Henry, WASHINGTON — The two satellites placed into incorrect orbits by an Ariane 5 that suffered an anomaly during its Jan. 25 launch can be recovered and placed into their desired orbits, their operators said Jan. 26. Arianespace of Evry, France, in a statement released Jan. 26, blamed a "trajectory deviation" for the break in communication with the rocket, which stopped sending telemetry 9 minutes and 26 seconds after liftoff, seconds after the rocket's second stage engine ignited. The Ariane 5 lifted off from Europe's Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana, South America at 5:20 p.m. Eastern carrying the 4,400-kilogram SES-14 satellite and the 3,800-kilogram Al Yah 3 satellite. Ground teams first discovered the issue when a tracking station in Natal, Brazil, didn't receive telemetry from the rocket. More launch headlines SpaceX conducts Falcon Heavy static fire test   To stay competitive in the launch business, ULA courts commercial customers   SpaceX, Iridium set March 18 launch date for fifth Iridium Next mission Space industry hit hard by military spending downturn Sandra Erwin, WASHINGTON —  The defense spending downturn that started in 2010 was tough on the space sector, according to a new study by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Pentagon contracts for space systems dropped from nearly $10 billion in 2009 to just over $6 billion in 2016. Especially steep were cutbacks in space research and development contracts — from $6 billion to about $3 billion. When the Budget Control Act's across-the-board spending cuts — known as sequestration — started take effect in 2013, Pentagon contract obligations plummeted by 15 percent compared to the prior year. And annual defense contracts fell on average 23 percent between 2013 and 2015. In the space industry there were some unique circumstances. CSIS analysts pointed out that much of the Pentagon's spending on space activities shifted from actual products — like rockets and satellites — to launch services. Over the post-Budget Control Act downturn, contracts for space products plummeted by 56 percent, R&D fell by 47 percent, but during that same period, annual average service contracts grew 258 percent. More military space headlines  Analysts: U.S. nuclear modernization plan under-invests in cybersecurity   Air combat commander: We depend on space systems, and we train to fight without them   HASC chairman blasts Congress for 'immoral' funding process Google Lunar X Prize to end without winner Jeff Foust, WASHINGTON — The foundation running the Google Lunar X Prize announced Jan. 23 that the $20 million grand prize for a commercial lunar lander will expire at the end of March without a winner. The X Prize Foundation said none of its five finalist teams would be able to launch a mission before the current deadline of March 31. That deadline has been extended several times in the past, but foundation officials previously said there would be no further extensions of the competition. "This literal 'moonshot' is hard, and while we did expect a winner by now, due to the difficulties of fundraising, technical and regulatory challenges, the grand prize of the $30M Google Lunar XPRIZE will go unclaimed," said a statement by Peter Diamadis, founder and executive chairman of the X Prize Founation, and Marcus Shingles, chief executive of the foundation. The $30 million refers to both the grand prize as well as a $5 million second prize and several ancillary prizes. More launch headlines X Prize teams plan to keep shooting for the moon   Potential end of the ISS raises concerns, presents opportunities   Brief shutdown offers warning of impacts to government and commercial space Solar panel suppliers adjust to GEO satellite slowdown Caleb Henry, WASHINGTON — Suppliers of solar panels and related equipment for the space industry are pivoting to serve customers planning satellites for low and medium Earth orbits as the slow down in geostationary satellite orders persists. Commercial satellite operators ordered just seven geostationary telecommunications satellites in 2017 — well below the 20 to 25 orders considered normal in years past. Orders for 2016 and 2015 topped out in the teens (still below average, but better than last year). Space solar panel providers say they see a shift toward other orbits that they must prepare to meet with different products and manufacturing techniques in addition to the large panels built to support the slower flow of GEO satellites. More commercial space headlines Eutelsat CEO joins Netflix board of directors   Telenor Satellite eyes even split between broadcast, connectivity businesses   Kepler's first satellite hitched ride on last week's Long March 11 launch Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Advertise with Us | Privacy Policy | Subscribe Copyright © 2018 SpaceNews Inc., All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: SpaceNews Inc. 1414 Prince St, Suite 204 Alexandria, VA 22314