Satellite News

The radar and UHF radio on NASA’s Phoenix Mars Lander have passed in-flight checkouts, the agency said.

International Launch Services (ILS) and Inmarsat Plc reiterated that the Inmarsat 4-F3 satellite would be launched on a Proton Briz M vehicle in early 2008.

Kazakhstan has accused Russia of not doing enough to ensure the safety of its space launches a day after a Proton M rocket crashed in the Central Asian state. Meanwhile, satellite operator JSAT has ordered a replacement for JCSAT-11, which was destroyed in the accident.

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.