Satellite News

Arianespace and ViaSat, Inc. have signed a launch contract for the ViaSat-1 satellite.

Arianespace has set the date for the next Ariane 5 launch for Saturday, 20 December 2008.

Alliant Techsystems once again conducted a successful test firing of NASA’s reusable solid rocket motor (RSRM). Data collected during the test will be used to further ensure the safety of the remaining shuttle flights and provide valuable information which will be utilised on the Ares I programme.

The Mercury-bound spacecraft MESSENGER has completed the first part of a two-part deep-space manoeuvre, providing the expected 90 percent of the velocity change needed to place the spacecraft on course to fly by Mercury for the third time in September 2009.

China will team up with Russia to launch two probes to take pictures of Mars and one of the planet’s two small moons, Phobos, in October next year.

Raytheon Company, Northrop Grumman Corp. and the U.S. National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System Integrated Program Office successfully completed the next phase of compatibility testing for the NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP).