Satellite News

China Space Mobile Satellite Telecommunications Co. Ltd. (China Spacecom) has announced that it is planning to open an Iridium gateway Earth station in 2007.

The Management Board of OHB Technology AG has presented audited consolidated financial statements for 2006.

China and Russia plan to jointly explore Mars and one of its moons with a Chinese micro-satellite aboard the Russian spacecraft Fobos-Grunt.

Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) has signed an order with the Federal State Unitary Enterprise – The Russian Research and Production Enterprise Pan-Russian Research Institute for Electromechanics (FSUE NPP VNIIEM) and Radioexport of Russia for the supply of satellite platform equipment and services for the Kanopus Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Earth observation spacecraft.

ESA officially announced the signing with OHB System AG, Germany, of a EUR100 million framework contract to develop a European Small Geostationary Satellite platform for telecommunication missions.

The Russian Progress M-58 (23P) cargo freighter has left the International Space Station for re-entry into the atmosphere. Reports that debris from the vessel almost hit a commercial jetliner as it flew over the South Pacific seem to have been premature, though – it must have been something else.

A new date has been scheduled for the upcoming Dnepr cluster launch.

Boeing said will lead a team of suppliers in pursuit of a contract for production of the upper stage for the Ares I crew launch vehicle, NASA’s first new human-rated launch vehicle since the space shuttle.