Satellite News

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced sweeping changes to the Pentagon budget. Among several programmes to be scrapped is the Transformational Satellite (TSAT) project.
Other Posts:Badr-4 launch campaign startedGilat Provides Satellite Broadband Network For Nicaraguan Telecom OperatorMacDonald Dettwiler To Supply Imagery Ground StationNorthrop delivers pop-up antennas for GPS-2FMobile satellite TV has growth potential in EuropeQualcomm to integrate satcom into mass market devicesCOM DEV to start work on Globalstar 2SpaceDev founder James Benson steps down as chairman and CTO

Boeing said it has acquired the first on-orbit signals from the second of six Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) satellites that the company is building for the U.S. Air Force. The signals indicate that the spacecraft is healthy and ready to begin orbital manoeuvres and operational testing.
Other Posts:Hispasat upgrades to SAT Corporation’s MonicsNetInternational Space Station module from Japan arrives at NASASpaceDev gets contract from former chairmanGilat deal runs into trouble; company reports Q2 2008 resultsDo the bump!ESA Provides Satellite Photos To Google EarthSpacecom To Provide Bandwidth To U.S. Department Of DefenseSpacenet Reinvents Home and Small-Office Satellite Services with All-New StarBand Nova

Inmarsat and Solaris Mobile, a joint venture between SES Astra and Eutelsat, are expected to be given 18-year rights to S-band radio spectrum in 27 countries across Europe, the Financial Times reports.
Other Posts:China Sends Up GPS SatelliteAAS radar altimeter for new CryoSatKorea Plans To Make Satellite Imagery AvailableFirst GPS Block 2F Satellite Completes Initial Integrated System TestingProtoStar 1 to become condo satellite?ICO v/s Boeing trial to start in JuneAPTS Lobbies Congress To Mandate Satellite CarriageVirgin Media Launches New TV Service United Kingdom

Does history repeat itself? Again, North Korea claims to have successfully launched a satellite that apparently nobody else is able to see or hear.
Other Posts:Harris To Develop Encryption Device For ArmySES Americom Adds Home2US To IP Prime ServiceTelenor Satellite Services Expands Use of Intelsat Global Satellite CapacityChina launches Venesat 1SpaceDev to build lunar lander prototypeShin Satellite Sells SheningtonNorthrop Grumman-built cryocooler on Ibuki operationalSea Launch Prepares to Launch Koreasat 5

The W2A satellite of Eutelsat Communications was successfully lofted into orbit by a Proton Briz M rocket supplied by ILS. As reported earlier, lift-off of the 5.9 tonne satellite took place on 3 April at 1624 UTC.
Other Posts:Execs See Boost in Satellite ConstructionEU Commission approves proposed SES Astra-Eutelsat joint ventureEaglepicher To Furnish Lockheed Martin With BatteriesInmarsat Enters Agreement With ACeSSpaceX completes PDR for second COTS demoTelenor Satellite Services Unveils Emergency Communications Response KitHot Bird 8 Launched Aboard Proton RocketWeather may delay shootdown of defunct spy satellite

Rocket: Atlas V; Payload: WGS-2 (WGS SV-2); Date: 5 April 2009, 0031 UTC; Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, USA. After a 31-minute flight, WGS-2 was placed successfully in orbit.
Other Posts:NGA director wants control over dissemination of satellite imageryU.S. spy satellite to crash back to Earth within weeksAstrium to study new Vega upper stageRussia launches solar research satelliteDawn pre-launch detailsEurope, United States To Add New Galileo-GPS Civil SignalIndia Approves $67.5 Million Arianespace DealCharges Result In Boeing Second Quarter Loss

The launch of a Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT) aboard an Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C12) from Sriharikota has been rescheduled.
Other Posts:Intelsat, Ltd. results Q3 2008SpaceX Gives Test Launch Positive Spin Despite ProblemsCNES selects MSC.Software solutionsUpdate: Two Ekspress payloads arrive in RussiaContract for Universitetsky 2 signedAir Force Assigns Launches To Lockheed, BoeingIranian parliament commission rejects plans for IRIB satelliteNASA To Make Data Available Through Google

Rocket: Proton M/Briz M; Payload: Eutelsat W2A; Date: 3 April 2009, 1624 UTC; Site: Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Lift-off and flight of the launch vehicle were nominal.
Other Posts:Iridium Satellite LLC results Q3 2009Eutelsat, ViaSat launch broadband satellite serviceAstrotech wins first competed contract under recently awarded VAFB IDIQGOCE prepares for shipment to RussiaRS-18 engine tested with liquid methaneMineral-mapping imager begins mission at MarsHarris Receives NPOESS ContractEutelsat 2007 survey of satellite and cable homes