Satellite News

An article in People’s Daily may shed some light on China’s somewhat surprising decision to develop its own global satellite navigation system, and even gives some technical details regarding the Beidou satellites.

Engineers are ready to begin integrating the scientific instruments into ESA’s Planck satellite. The pair of instruments will allow the spacecraft to make the most precise map yet of the relic radiation left behind by the formation of the Universe.

Alcatel Alenia Space announced that Proteus, the flight-proven multi-mission Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) platform developed in co-operation with the French space agency CNES, has been selected by NASA to be part of their Rapid Spacecraft Development Office (RSDO) catalogue.

The Lockheed Martin GPS III team announced the successful completion of a System Requirements Review (SRR) for the U.S. Air Force’s next generation Global Positioning System Space Segment programme, known as GPS Block III.

ProtoStar Ltd., a Bermuda corporation with principal U.S. operations in San Francisco, said it moved a step closer to its Asian satellite service by successfully closing on US$210 million in financing to purchase and launch its first satellite.

NASA said it has completed a milestone first review of all systems for the Orion spacecraft and the Ares I and Ares V rockets and dismissed reports that Ares 1 was “underpowered.”

The launch of the latest GPS satellite was scrubbed because of bad weather.

The second stage engine of Japan’s planned GX rocket should be redesigned from scratch, an Education, Science and Technology Ministry panel recommended recently.