On May 12, 2020, at 01:16 UTC the “Kuaizhou-1A” rocket-carrier was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan, Gansu Province, the northwest of China. The solid-fueled rocket-carrier orbited the first 2 “Xingyun-2” communications satellites for the planned 80-satellite Xingyun communications and data relay constellation. Xingyun’s narrow-band Internet of Things constellation is one of multiple satellite fleets being developed by Chinese space companies.

On May 17, 2020 at 13:14 UTC the “Atlas-5” rocket was launched from SLC-41 of the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. The launch was performed by United Launch Alliance. The rocket orbited the U.S. Air Force’s X-37B (mission OTV-6) spaceplane. The flight is the 6^th time one of the Air Force’s two X-37B spaceplanes. OTV means the Orbital Test Vehicle. No details about the spaceplane’s altitude or orbital parameters were released for this mission. Shrouded in secrecy, the automated X-37B spaceplane is a reusable vehicle designed to deploy small satellites, host experiments, and pursue other classified objectives. Flying without any astronauts on-board, the vehicle generates electricity with a solar array and can autonomously guide itself to a runway landing at the end of each mission. The Air Force has disclosed it ... Read more »