Satellite News

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) has completed the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) for the second Falcon 9 / Dragon demonstration under NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) project.

An experimental Japanese telecommunication satellite and India’s first moon probe will have to stay on the ground a little bit longer than planned.

The board of Spacecom Satellite Communications Ltd., operator of the Amos satellites, has rejected the offer of SES SA to buy most of the company’s assets in cash or through a merger.

Lockheed Martin said the company’s A2100 communications satellite fleet recently achieved a major milestone by accumulating 200 years of successful in-orbit operations.

Turkey is reportedly interested in buying an Ofek spy satellite from Israel. But one of the main hurdles for such a deal is that Israel demands that any of its sensitive military facilities stay off-limits to surveillance.

The long-delayed and almost forgotten project of an “orbital tugboat” that could extend satellites’ lives may get a boost. Eutelsat is interested in the system, Financial Times Deutschland reported, citing industry sources.

Arianespace has taken delivery of the Ariane 5 ES launcher for its upcoming milestone mission, which will orbit Europe’s large Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV).

Raytheon Company has won the U.S. Air Force’s competition to upgrade a satellite communications system that provides protected communications to the U.S. military around the world.