Satellite News

The orbital parameters of Kosmos 2429, which was launched yesterday, support the theory that the spacecraft is a military navigation satellite.

SES Astra has signed a new contract for its interactive TV service Blucom for the Arab World.

SES Astra has signed a new contract for its interactive TV service Blucom for the Arab World.

Rocketplane Kistler (RpK) officials played down the importance of a termination letter sent to the company by NASA, saying it did not represent a final decision by NASA to terminate the company’s COTS contract. But more trouble could be ahead.

Alliant Techsystems announced that the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory has awarded the company a US$3.3 million contract, with options worth an additional US$4.7 million, to develop a multi-mode propulsion system for small spacecraft.

Arianespace has won a French government contract to launch four satellites to map radar stations as part of the ELISA demonstration project.

Rocket: Kosmos 3M; Payload: Kosmos 2429; Date: 11 September 2007, likely around 0100 UTC (no exact time available yet); Site: Plesetsk, Russia.

Eutelsat Communications and ViaSat Inc. announced the expansion of the distribution network for the Tooway satellite broadband service that was first presented in Germany. Distribution agreements have been signed which mark the extension of the service beyond Germany into France, Spain and Bulgaria.