Satellite News

Northrop Grumman Corporation reported results for the first quarter 2007.

Lockheed Martin Corporation reported first quarter 2007 financial results.

NASA’s twin Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) spacecraft have made the first three-dimensional images of the sun. The new view will greatly aid scientists’ ability to understand solar physics and thereby improve space weather forecasting, the agency said.

The operational recovery of MetOp-A has started on 23 April, the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) said.

Telenor announced that it has signed a contract with Thales Alenia Space for the construction, testing and delivery of a new geosynchronous (GEO) communications satellite.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (the new operator of Japan’s H-IIA rocket) and Arianespace S.A. have agreed to combine their commercial satellite launch services.

Rocket: Minotaur 1; Payload: NFIRE (Near Field Infrared Experiment); Date: 24 April 2007, 0648 UTC; Launch Site: Wallops Island, USA. Approximately nine minutes after lift-off, the Minotaur I deployed the spacecraft in its targeted 250 km x 450 km x 48.2 degrees orbit.

Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications Co. has signed a service provider (SP) agreement with the China Satellite Communications Global Ltd., a subsidiary of China Satcom.