Satellite News

Harris Corporation said it has reached the US$100 million mark in unfurlable antenna orders for commercial satellites during calendar year 2006.

U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) officials have announced plans to locate a satellite receiving station in India that will capture data from the future National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System, or NPOESS.

XM Satellite Radio has announced the completion of its new two-satellite broadcast system. The company’s first two satellites have been switched off and will serve as spares.

SpaceDev has been awarded a US$330,000 Phase I study contract from Benson Space Company to further the SpaceDev Dream Chaser spaceship programme.

Boeing Commercial Space Company recently celebrated the transfer of the 25th payload accommodations package to Sea Launch Company.

Rocket: H-IIA; Payload: Engineering Test Satellite (ETS) VIII (Kiku No. ; Date: 18 December 2006, 0632 UTC; Launch Site: Tanegashima Space Center, Japan. Twenty-seven minutes and 35 seconds after lift-off, successful satellite separation was confirmed.