Satellite News

The Thor 5 (a.k.a. Thor II-R) telecommunications satellite, built by Orbital Science Corporation for Telenor of Norway, has arrived in Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, where it will be readied for its February launch atop a Proton.

The Sea Launch team has arrived at its launch site on the Equator and is preparing for the launch of the Thuraya-3 mobile communications satellite aboard a Zenit-3SL on 15 January.

Alliant Techsystems has been selected by Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company to design, develop and build UltraFlex solar arrays for NASA’s Orion crew exploration vehicle.

EchoStar Holding Corporation announced that Dean Olmstead will join the company as President — Satellite Services.

U.S. military officials said debris in space from the Chinese anti-satellite test a year ago will be problematic for at least a century. Since the test, at least two satellites had to be moved to avoid being hit by debris.

South Korea is terminating the mission of its first multipurpose satellite Arirang 1, launched in 1999, after losing contact with it at the end of December.

NASA said it has selected 7 February as the target launch date for shuttle Atlantis’ STS-122 mission to the International Space Station and mid-March for the launch of Endeavour on STS-123.

Laurier (Larry) Boisvert surprisingly resigned as head of the Canadian Space Agency only nine months after taking over the job. There is speculation the move could be related to the recently announced sale of MDA’s space business, which includes Radarsat 2, to ATK of the USA.