Satellite News

The launch of the NOAA-N Prime weather satellite for NASA and NOAA aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket has been postponed for an additional 24 hours.

Arianespace’s first Ariane 5 for launch in 2009 is now complete following the full installation of its multi-satellite payload, keeping preparations on schedule for lift-off from the Spaceport in French Guiana on 12 February between 2209 and 2304 UTC.

Gazprom Space Systems and Thales Alenia Space have signed the contract for manufacturing and delivering two Yamal-400 new generation communications satellites.

The Ciel Satellite Group announced that its first communications satellite, Ciel-2, has completed all in-orbit testing and has now entered commercial service at 129 degrees West.

COM DEV International Ltd. announced that it has been awarded a C$5.4 million contract to begin work on Phase B of the Canadian Space Agency’s Radarsat Constellation Mission (RCM).

GeoEye, Inc. announced the start of commercial operations for its new GeoEye-1 Earth-imaging satellite.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said it has re-ignited the ion engine of its Hayabusa asteroid sample return probe.