Satellite News

Bolivia’s first communications satellite is under its full control and expected to be ready for operation on 1 April, the Bolivian Space Agency (ABE) announced.

The in-orbit validation of Galileo has been achieved: Europe now has the operational nucleus of its own satellite navigation constellation in place – the world’s first civil-owned and operated satnav system, ESA said.

Inmarsat has selected Northrop Grumman Corporation to field its Spectrum Interference and Monitoring System (SIMS) to government users of Inmarsat’s Global Xpress service.

The campaign in support of delivery into orbit of the Russia’s Ekspress AT1 and Ekspress AT2 direct broadcast satellites has been started at Baikonur. The Proton M/Briz M/Ekspress AT Duo is to lift off mid-March.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. announced that its Kratos Integral Systems International (Kratos ISI) business unit has been awarded a contract by Sky Perfect JSAT to upgrade its Epoch IPS satellite fleet management system to support its JCSAT-14 satellite, scheduled for launch in 2015.

Rocket: Ariane 5 ECA; Payload: ABS-2, Athena-Fidus; Date: 6 February 2014, 2130 UTC; Launch site: Kourou, French Guiana. After a weather-related 60-minute delay, the rocket lifted off and successfully deployed its dual payload into geostationary transfer orbit about 30 minutes later.

Antrix Corporation Limited, the commercial arm of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), signed two launch service agreements recently.

NASA’s SLS and Orion four prime contractors met recently at an industry-team meeting to discuss progress to date and ensure the teams are on track for the 2014 and 2017 launches.