Satellite News

NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft is nearing its scheduled 22 September (UTC) insertion into Martian orbit after completing a 10-month interplanetary journey of 707 million km.

The Dawn spacecraft has resumed normal ion thrusting after the thrusting unexpectedly stopped and the spacecraft entered safe mode on 11 September. That anomaly occurred shortly before a planned communication with NASA’s Deep Space Network that morning. The spacecraft was not performing any special activities at the time.

CMMB Vision Holdings Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, announced that the company has partnered with an affiliated U.S.-based company and entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to acquire capacity on two new satellites that will provide mobile multimedia services to China and other Asian markets.

NASA has selected Boeing and SpaceX to transport U.S. crews to and from the space station using their CST-100 and Crew Dragon spacecraft, respectively, with a goal of ending the United States’ sole reliance on Russia in 2017.

The newest Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellite, built by Lockheed Martin, was accepted for operations by U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) on 19 August. This acceptance formally adds DMSP Flight-19 to the existing DMSP constellation. The satellite constellation provides weather data and forecasting information to civilian and military users.

NASA has awarded a sole source contract modification to Exelis, Inc., Geospatial Systems, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, for the Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) Instrument for flight on the Joint Polar Satellite System-2 (JPSS-2) mission.

The fifth and sixth Galileo satellites have been in a safe state since 28 August, fully under control from ESA’s centre in Darmstadt, Germany, despite having been released on 22 August into lower and elliptical orbits instead of the expected circular orbits.

After a detailed and comprehensive portfolio assessment, Airbus Defence and Space has defined Space (Launchers & Satellites), Military Aircraft, Missiles and related Systems and Services as its future core businesses. These are the areas in which the Division will further invest to strengthen its leading position.