Satellite News

Rocket: Proton M/Briz M; Payload: KazSat 3, Luch 5V (or Loutch 5V); Date: 25 April 2014, 0425 UTC; Launch site: Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Both the lift-off and the ascent events proceeded nominally.

Space Systems/Loral (SSL) announced that it was selected to provide a satellite to PT. Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) Tbk (BRI). The SSL-built satellite will make BRI the first bank in the world to launch a communications satellite, and will provide a dedicated platform for banking connection services for the people of Indonesia.

Millennium Space Systems announced that its Disaggregated Weather Satellite Pathfinder (DWSP) spacecraft, under design contract to the USAF Space & Missiles Center’s Defense Weather Systems Directorate, has passed an important milestone design review.

Iridium Communications Inc. announced the completion of an extensive upgrade to its ground station infrastructure in advance of the launch of its next generation constellation, Iridium NEXT, which is scheduled to begin in 2015.

SpaceX announced that they are filing a legal challenge to the U.S. Air Force’s latest Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) contract with United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin.

Loral Space & Communications Inc. announced that the jury in the trial of the lawsuit with ViaSat, Inc. (ViaSat) returned a verdict against Loral’s former subsidiary, Space Systems/Loral, LLC (SSL). The jury found that SSL infringed the patents asserted by ViaSat in the case and also that SSL breached certain non-disclosure agreements with ViaSat. Damages of US$283 million were awarded against SSL. The jury also found that Loral was not liable for either patent infringement or breach of contract.