Satellite News

XM Satellite Radio announced that the company added more than 1.695 million new subscribers in 2006 and achieved positive cash flow in the fourth quarter.

Shareholders in French defence group Thales have approved a tie-up with Alcatel-Lucent that will more than double Alcatel-Lucent’s stake in Thales.

State-owned Vietnam Post and Telecom Group, which has commissioned Vinasat 1 — the country’s first satellite — has begun building a satellite control station in the northern Ha Tay province.

Indonesian state-owned telecommunications company PT. Telkom said it is studying possibility of ordering new telecommunication satellite from Chinese or Russian manufacturers, citing lower prices as main reason.

Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) has been awarded a contract to modify the former ChinaSat-8 and deliver the high-power satellite to ProtoStar Ltd. for an expected launch in 2008.

NASA has completed the Ares I crew launch vehicle system requirements review — the first such milestone for a U.S. human-rated launch vehicle system in more than 30 years.