Satellite News

NASA has selected Space Systems Loral and MicroSat Systems, Inc. for award of the Rapid Spacecraft Development Office, Rapid II, contracts with a minimum value of US$50,000 each.

Only nine of the 19 Uragan satellites now in orbit are currently operating within Russia’s satellite navigation system GLONASS, reports Itar-Tass news agency.

Sea Launch has entered into an agreement with SES to use the Land Launch vehicle, initially slated to launch the AMC-21 communications satellite, for the launch of another, yet to be determined, satellite of the SES group, planned in the mid-2009 time-frame.

Arianespace CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall said the company was “committed to supporting the future evolution of the mobile satellite services (MSS) industry, offering reliable access to space on its heavy-lift Ariane 5 and medium-weight Soyuz launch vehicles.” There’s a snag, though: the Ariane 5 can’t loft these birds on a dual launch.

A close inspection of SpaceX’s Falcon 1 launch video reveals that the separation of the two rocket stages has been rather bumpy. The company said it does not regard this an anomaly.

A shortage of funding likely will delay the launch of South Korea’s multipurpose Arirang 5 satellite by two years, the Korea Times reported…

Raytheon Co. and the U.S. Navy have completed formal testing of the Navy Multiband Terminal satellite communication system, Raytheon…

Newpoint Technologies Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Integral Systems Inc., is adding support for the…