Satellite News

Thales Alenia Space, prime contractor for the Iridium NEXT constellation, said it reached a major milestone in this programme with the successful completion of thermal-vacuum tests of the protoflight satellite at its plant in Cannes. This is the last milestone leading up to the qualification of Iridium NEXT satellites, expected in December 2015.

NASA tested components for an engine that could be used for Mars landers powered with methane, a fuel that has never before propelled a NASA spacecraft.

Intelsat S.A. reported third quarter 2015 results.

Telesat Holdings Inc. announced its financial results for the three month period ending 30 September 2015.

Iridium Communications Inc. reported financial results for the third quarter of 2015.

MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. reported financial results for the third quarter ending 30 September 2015.

A structural test article of the interim cryogenic propulsion stage (ICPS) for NASA’s new deep-space exploration rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), has been completed at United Launch Alliance in Decatur, Alabama, prior to handover to Boeing, the prime contractor for the SLS core stage.

Eutelsat Communications has ordered a new-generation High Throughput Satellite from Thales Alenia Space. To be launched in 2019, the all-electric satellite will be the first to use Thales Alenia Space’s new Spacebus Neo platform.