Satellite News

Rocket: KSLV-1 (Naro); Payload: Science and Technology Satellite 2C (STSAT 2C), Date: 30 January 2013, 0700 UTC; Launch site: Naro Space Center, South Korea. The satellite was put into designated elliptical orbit nine minutes after lift-off.

The European Space Agency (ESA) has awarded Astrium EUR108 million worth of prime contractor agreements covering the development of the Ariane 6 and Ariane 5 ME launchers. The contracts follow on from the decisions reached at the ESA Ministerial Council meeting in Naples on 20-21 November 2012.

Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) and Space Communication Ltd. (Spacecom) announced an agreement to launch Spacecom’s Amos-6 satellite on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch vehicle. Falcon 9 will insert the communications satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO).

After a “wheel rest” safe mode that began on 17 January 2013, NASA’s Kepler spacecraft returned to science data collection on 28 January 2013. During the 10-day resting safe mode, daily health and status checks with the spacecraft using NASA’s Deep Space Network were normal.

The Boeing Company reported financial results for the fourth quarter and the year 2012.