Satellite News

Malaysia’s RazakSAT Earth observation satellite, launched in July 2009, developed a malfunction after one year in orbit that rendered it de facto useless. Reportedly, the spacecraft is unable to correctly point its camera at targeted regions.

Lockheed Martin announced that it will begin integration of GeoEye’s next-generation, high-resolution Earth-imaging satellite, known as GeoEye-2, with the planned delivery of its integrated propulsion system to Lockheed Martin’s Sunnyvale, Calif. facilities later this month.

OHB System AG, a company of OHB AG, and Astrium, the industrial prime contractor in the implementation of the European Data Relay Satellite System (EDRS), signed an addendum to the existing preliminary authorisation to proceed (PATP) for the development and construction of a dedicated EDRS satellite.

The U.S. National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Preparatory Project (NPP) satellite, to be launched on a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on 28 October, is to play a part in the U.S.-European polar-orbiting relationship.

The German Aerospace Center (DLR) says its defunct ROSAT research satellite that returned to Earth on Sunday came down over the Bay of Bengal, off South Asia.