Satellite News

NASAA is optimistic that a backup gyroscope (gyro) can be used to operate the Hubble Space Telescope. The backup gyro was turned on after the spacecraft entered safe mode due to a failed gyro on 5 October but was incorrectly returning extremely high rotation rates. The rotation rates have since reduced and are now within an expected range. Additional tests will be performed to ensure Hubble can return to science operations with this gyro.

NOAA’s GOES-17 satellite is getting ready to move to its new location at 137.2 degrees west. For the past seven months, the satellite has been in a temporary position – at 89.5 degrees west – known as its on-orbit checkout location. Since then, scientists have been testing and calibrating GOES-17’s instruments.

The C-Band Alliance (CBA) announced that up to 200 MHz of mid-band (C-band downlink) spectrum could be cleared, dependent upon demand, under its updated proposal to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) opening new spectrum to support 5G wireless deployment while protecting current users.