Air Force, Boeing Delay Launch of Military Communications Satellite

The U.S. Air Force and Boeing [NYSE: BA] officials are delaying the launch of a Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS III B6) spacecraft aboard a Delta IV rocket from Cape Canaveral, Fla., to no earlier than Aug. 4. The launch, which originally was scheduled for Aug. 3, is being delayed so that additional testing can be done to verify launch vehicle insulation integrity, the officials said.

Separately, Boeing’s Sea Launch joint venture said it is on track to launch the EchoStar IX/Telstar 13 communications satellite for EchoStar Communications [NYSE: DISH] and Loral Skynet from its Odyssey Launch Platform on Aug. 7. The platform set sail Friday from Long Beach, Calif., to the launch site on the equator at 154 degrees West Longitude. Liftoff is scheduled for a two-hour launch window that opens at 8:31 p.m. PDT (3:31:00 GMT).

For information on other launches scheduled for August, see ST’s new monthly Launch Manifest below. Check ST at the beginning of each month for the satellite launches on deck for that month.