A series of unrelated but worrying problems is further exacerbating anxieties for many satellite operators. On June 15th, SpaceX had to again cancel its already much delayed launch of 6 small Orbcomm satellites on one of its Falcon-9 rockets.  The Orbcomm craft are designed to work in Low Earth Orbit.

Orbcomm said that it wanted to undertake further tests on one of its satellites. A Monday launch has already been scrubbed although local reports say that this coming Friday remains an option.

Either way this all translates into something like a 6 week delay when SpaceX’s queue of satellites builds up. Waiting patiently in line for launch this summer are AsiaSat-8, Amos-7, Thaicom-7 and others.

Not helping the situation is that the Russian Proton system is also subject to delays while Arianespace is also stuck on its launch pad waiting an investigation into a problem on an Optus satellite, and not helping Measat which wants to loft its Measat-3b craft as swiftly as possible on the same Ariane rocket.

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Categories: Articles, DTH/Satellite