Categories: Archive

Space News for April 27, 1999

High-Resolution Satellite to Launch

The first commercial high-resolution imaging satellite it due to launch tomorrow. Launching on a Lockheed Martin Athena II four-stage booster, the IKONOS will be capable of resolving images down to 1 square meter. With its polar orbit, the IKONOS will revisit the same territory every 3 days.

Astronomy Now
Space Daily

Mir’s Staying Up, Service Module Complete

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Following its announcement of raising Mir’s orbit, and synched up with the completion of the International Space Station service module, Russian officials have confirmed that the space station will stay in space. Work on the ISS has been delayed 18 months due to Russian financial difficulties.

BBC News
CNN Space
Fox News
MSNBC
Space Central

Spaceports Looking for Construction Locations

Entrepreneurs are vying for a chance to build the commercial hub for the next century – a spaceport. With over 1,700 satellites planned for launch in the next 10 years, developers are eyeing many US sites for future spaceports.

CNN Space
Fox News
MSNBC

Japanese Space Station Module Named

The Japan National Space Development Agency has found a name for its addition to the International Space Station. Previously the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM), it has been renamed to “Kibo”, the Japanese word for “Hope”.