Satellite News

NASA agreed to co-operate with PlanetSpace Inc. and Transformational Space Corp. (t/Space) to support the companies as they develop capabilities to transport goods and people to orbital destinations.

Harris Corporation said it has successfully logged onto a Milstar satellite using an Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) Navy Multiband Terminal prototype system onboard a platform that simulates submarine conditions.

Spain’s GMV said it recently signed five new Galileo contracts worth over EUR40 million. These contracts involve the supply of key systems and also a significant participation in the engineering and design tasks of the complete system.

Brazil’s National Institute of Space Research (INPE) said that CBERS-2B, the third satellite to be launched in co-operation with China, is being assembled, integrated and tested.

Russia’s recently launched Meridian strategic communications spacecraft was put into operational service ahead of schedule.

SES Americom said that the Americom-18 (AMC-18) satellite launched on 8 December 2006 successfully completed in-orbit-tests and is now operational from its assigned orbital location of 105 degrees West. Its is the first C-band satellite to be operated by SES Americom at that location.

SpaceDev announced that it has completed a series of three hot-fire tests of its hybrid upper stage motor, part of the SpaceDev Streaker Small Launch Vehicle development programme.

Sea Launch said it was in the process of securing the Odyssey Launch Platform and taking initial measures to determine the root cause of the 30 January (UTC) explosion of a Zenit-3SL rocket on the launch pad.