Satellite News

Luigi Pasquali has been appointed President and CEO of Thales Alenia Space Italy, replacing Carlo Alberto Penazzi. He will also take on international responsibilities in the parent company as Deputy to the CEO of Thales Alenia Space, Reynald Seznec.

EADS Astrium said that its Giove-B navigation satellite performed excellently during the In-Orbit Test (IOT) phase that was completed yesterday. The satellite was launched in April 2008 after a two-year delay.

As the first test flight of the Ares I spacecraft (currently scheduled for spring 2009) approaches, NASA has set up a web site with latest information about that launch.

The U.S. Air Force plans to fly a piggyback payload aboard a commercial satellite.

Spacecraft controllers have awoken Rosetta from hibernation to prepare for its encounter with asteroid (2867) Steins on 5 September. ESA’s comet chaser will study the asteroid as it flies by on its way to comet 67/P Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

The long-delayed Hispasat 1E will reportedly be built by Space Systems/Loral. However, no official announcement has been made yet.

NASA is considering the development of a university-based, student-led satellite development initiative.

Arianespace will boost two direct TV broadcast satellites into orbit on its fourth launch of the year: ProtoStar I for U.S. operator ProtoStar Ltd. and Badr 6 for Middle-East operator Arabsat — although with a three-day delay.