Satellite News

Orbital Sciences Corporation has completed final testing on the SES New Skies NSS 9 commercial communications satellite, the company announced. With its statement, the company seemed to indirectly reject reports that the delivery of the satellite was delayed.

The next and last Hubble repair mission might be further delayed, reports New Scientist. Although a ground-stored replacement for the satellite’s defunct science data formatter is available, it may need more testing than previously thought.

NASA has decided to press ahead with plans to launch its troubled Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) in 2009.

NASA and Alliant Techsystems have successfully concluded initial testing and deployment of the UltraFlex solar arrays for NASA’s New Millennium Program Space Technology 8 Project (NMP ST8).