Satellite News

Rocket: PSLV-C26 (XL); Payload: IRNSS-1C; Date: 15 October 2014, 2002 UTC; Launch site: Satish Dhawan Space Center, India. The satellite was deployed into its target orbit 21 minutes after lift-off. The mission used the largest version of the PSLV with six strap-on boosters.

The fifth Arianespace Ariane 5 flight in 2014 has been given the “go” for its lift-off on 16 October between 2300 and 0051 UTC following a successful launch readiness review, conducted at the Spaceport in French Guiana.

Northrop Grumman Corporation has been awarded a $422 million contract from Lockheed Martin to produce sensor payloads on the fifth and sixth Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) satellites, known as GEO-5 and GEO-6. The U.S. Air Force’s SBIRS provides the nation with continuous early warning of ballistic missile launches and other tactical intelligence.

Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) announced SNC’s Space Systems based in Louisville, Colorado, has been competitively selected to develop and build a next-generation science and technology demonstration satellite. Known as STPSat-5, the satellite is for the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DOD) Space Test Program (STP).

The NASA and Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. Green Propellant Infusion Mission (GPIM) will fly three U.S. Defense Department experimental hosted payloads when it launches in 2016. GPIM’s mission will validate a non-toxic fuel for future satellite missions, which could replace hydrazine and provide additional performance benefits.

Measat Satellite Systems Sdn. Bhd. announced an agreement with iSAT Africa Ltd. Fzc. (“iSAT”) for capacity on the Africasat-1a satellite.