The month of July ended with an Indian orbital launch, the fifth of the year. It was preceded by a new SpaceX success, the fifty-first in seven months!
India in the top four
On July 30, sixteen days after the Chandrayaan 3 mission was sent to the Moon, theIndia orbited an Earth observation radar satellite, DS-Sarand six microsatellites for the United Kingdom and Singapore, using a medium launcher PSLV-CA implemented from the barrier island of Sriharikotain the southeast of the country.
It was the fifth launch of the year for theisrothe National Space Agency, which consolidates its position as the fourth player on the world stage in 2023, behind the UNITED STATES (57 launches, including 6 from New Zealand), the China (30) and the Russia (9).
The largest satellite placed in GTO
The day before, SpaceX carried out its… 51st orbital mission of the year, placing the EchoStar 24 telecommunications satellite into geostationary transfer orbit, on behalf of the American company EchoStar.
With more than 9 tons on the take-off scale, EchoStar 24 appears to be the largest satellite of its category ever placed in orbit. GTO.
For the occasion, SpaceX used its heavy launcher Falcon Heavy (with two second-hand side stages, successfully recovered at the end of the mission), for the third time this year.
To which must therefore be added 48 Falcon 9 (including only 3 with new first stages) and an (unsuccessful) attempt at orbital flight of the Starship.
