Satellite News

The service module of China’s unmanned lunar orbiter is scheduled to return to the moon’s orbit in mid-January for more tests to prepare for the country’s next lunar probe mission, Chang’e-5.

Thales Alenia Space announced that it has been selected by French space agency CNES (Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales) to build the oceanography satellite SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography).

The Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) instrument Lockheed Martin helped develop for NASA’s next deep space telescope surpassed expectations during tests in late 2014. It will see farther into the cosmos and further back in time than any other instrument. Scientists are preparing NIRCam for new trials beginning this year.

Iridium Communications Inc. announced the successful completion of the first testing phase of the Iridium NEXT platform software. Developed by Thales Alenia Space, the platform software will manage all flight functions on Iridium NEXT satellites, including such systems as power management, solar array positioning, propulsion operations, navigation and attitude control.