A Forecast International blog about the arms trade, geopolitics, defense and security, and military spending.
by Bill Ostrove, Space Systems Analyst, Forecast International. International Launch Services (ILS) has successfully delivered the Amazonas 5 satellite into orbit on an ILS Proton for HISPASAT. The ILS Proton launched …
ILS Proton Getting Back on Track Read Moreby Bill Ostrove, Space Systems Analyst, Forecast International. Between 2012 and 2016, global militaries took delivery of 203 satellites. Deliveries reached a peak in 2013 with the launch of 55 satellites. …
Military Satellite Average Launch Mass Continues to Decline 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. U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and U.S. Representative John Culberson (TX-07) have introduced a bill in Congress to require NASA to develop …
Cornyn, Culberson Restart Debate on Future of NASA’s Human Spaceflight Efforts 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. After dominating the commercial launch market for years – along with the Ariane 5 – the Proton is seeing a loss in …
ILS Plans to Revitalize Proton Sales Read Moreby Bill Ostrove, Space Systems Analyst, Forecast International. On October 5, Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket performed an in-flight test of the capsule’s full-envelope escape system, designed to quickly propel …
Blue Origin Conducts Successful In-Flight Escape Test Read Moreby Bill Ostrove, Space Systems Analyst, Forecast International. China plans to start launching commercial payloads on its Kuaizhou-11 launch vehicle in 2017. The Kuaizhou-11, which first launched in 2013, is …
Despite U.S. Export Restrictions, Market for Commercialized Chinese Kuaizhou-11 Rocket Looks Strong Read Moreby Bill Ostrove, Space Systems Analyst, Forecast International. The average size, or launch mass, of commercial communications satellites is declining. After the average launch mass reached a peak of 4,424 kilograms …
Average Commercial Communications Satellite Launch Mass Declines, Again Read More