Satellite News

SES Astra has signed another service provider to its satellite based broadband service Astra2Connect. The contract partner National Broadband Services will specialise in offering Astra2Connect in Ireland.

Media&Broadcast, a business unit of T-Systems, and Eutelsat Communications have signed a 10-year agreement for the lease of a full transponder on Eutelsat’s Eurobird 9 satellite.

Apax Partners France has successfully completed its acquisition of Telenor Satellite Services and is incorporating the company into the new Vizada brand.

A key sensor being built for the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) passed a critical test last month. Northrop Grumman Corporation is the prime contractor for NPOESS; ITT Corporation is the subcontractor responsible for developing the sensor.

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) has lost another gyroscope, but no significant impact on science operations is expected.

An International Launch Services Proton M/Briz M carrying the Japanese JCSAT-11 satellite has crashed shortly after launch from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, on 5 September (UTC).