Satellite News

Rocket: Delta II 7925-9.5; Payload: GPS IIR-20(M); Date: 24 March 2009, 0834 UTC; Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, USA. After a 1 hour, 8 minute flight the 47th successful GPS satellite launched by a Delta II was delivered to orbit.

International Launch Services (ILS) and Intelsat announced a contract for launch of the Intelsat 16 satellite on an ILS Proton later this year.

The Russian State Radio Frequency Committee (SRFC) has decided to allocate frequencies for Eutelsat’s W1 satellite, which is planned to be moved to the Russian orbital position of 80 degrees East.

Intelsat General Corp. has been awarded a multi-year contract under which Intelsat repositioned one of the company’s satellites halfway around the globe to serve military units in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Nilesat and Eutelsat Communications announced the signature of a new strategic agreement to pursue the development of the 7 degrees West orbital position which is used by both companies for satellite broadcasting across the Middle East, the Gulf countries and North Africa.

The NOAA-N Prime spacecraft, the final Polar Operational Environmental Satellite (POES) launched on 6 February 2009, has completed a comprehensive 45-day on-orbit verification period. Lockheed Martin built NOAA-N Prime at its Space Systems Company Sunnyvale facility.

Intelsat, Ltd. announced that Maritime Telecommunications Network (MTN), a wholly-owned subsidiary of SeaMobile, Inc., has contracted for Intelsat capacity to expand the range of satellite-based services MTN provides to its maritime customers, including the world’s largest cruise lines.

SES Astra announced that the Slovak telecommunications and TV operator Towercom has contracted an additional transponder on Astra’s orbital position 23.5 degrees East in order to launch new HD services.