Satellite News

The European Space Agency (ESA) has approved Airbus Defence and Space’s system design of the European Service Module (ESM) for the American human Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) Orion, containing the critical propulsion, power supply and components of the life-support systems of the spacecraft.

The flash memory Solid-State Recorder (SSR) products of Airbus Defense and Space have passed all NASA space qualification test requirements successfully. In addition, the company’s flash-based SSR has exceeded 20 months of operation in orbit onboard SPOT 6, the first commercial satellite to deploy this technology.

OHB AG said it will be pooling the skills and capacities of its subsidiaries OHB System AG and Erwin Kayser-Threde GmbH with the aim of additionally strengthening OHB as a leading German space technology group in the European market.

NSR’s newly released Satellite Manufacturing and Launch Services (SMLS), 4th Edition report finds the satellite industry fared well in the past 12 months, with more than 100 satellites ordered and more than 100 satellites launched. In total, the combined satellite manufacturing & launch industry generated almost US$35 billion globally in 2013.

Thuraya Telecommunications Company and ViaSat Inc. have signed a partnership agreement to develop and launch a dedicated Machine-to-Machine (M2M) platform combined with M2M specific products and commercial packages.

Rocket: Delta IV; Payload: GPS IIF-6; Date: 18 May 2014, 0003 UTC; Launch site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, USA. This was ULA’s fifth launch in 2014, and the 82nd successful launch since the company was formed in December 2006.

SpaceX’s Dragon cargo spacecraft splashed down at 1905 UTC on Sunday in the Pacific Ocean, approximately 500 km west of Baja California, returning more than 1,575 km of NASA cargo and science samples from the International Space Station.

After eight years in orbit, ESA’s Venus Express has completed routine science observations and is preparing for a plunge into the planet’s hostile atmosphere.