Satellite News

Lockheed Martin has delivered the first space-bound Orion spacecraft crew module structure to the Operations and Checkout Building on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida.Other Posts:Roskosmos gives overview of satellite plans for FSP 2006-2015AGS’ Commercially Hosted Infrared Payload passes CDRXM CEO Hugh Panero To ResignNorsat CFO ResignsCiel-2 to be launched by Proton in 2008Globecomm Systems Awarded $5.5 Million Contract For FAA ProgramWays to Overcome Common Dish TV ProblemsSciSys Signs Contract With EADS Astrium For Climatology Mission

With the initial satellites of the Galileo constellation working well in orbit, it has been decided to end the mission of ESA’s pioneering GIOVE-A navigation satellite. The second pathfinder satellite, GIOVE-B, will be put into graveyard orbit in September.Other Posts:Meteosat-9 Becomes Prime Eutmesat SatelliteHughes wins U.S. Air Force satellite study contract50th launch of Ariane 5 successfulGlobalstar Unveils Smaller, Lighter HandsetsGoldberg to succeed Boisvert as Telesat president, CEOAstrium ships ATV “Edoardo Amaldi”Petra Mateos resigns as Chairwoman of HispasatTopcon awarded world’s first government GNSS technology contract

Rocket: Delta IV Heavy; Payload: NROL-15; Date: 29 June 2012, 1315 UTC; Launch site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The classified payload, carried for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office, was successfully placed into its target orbit. To independent observers, this was a relatively mysterious mission as it appears to have required a specially designed modification of the rocket’s first-stage engines.

The Shenzhou-9 spacecraft has landed safely at the main landing area in northern China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region and all three astronauts aboard are in good physical condition, said hang Wanquan, chief commander of China’s manned space programme.

Space Propulsion Group, Inc. (SPG) successfully completed a major technology development test of its 56-cm-diameter, Liquid Oxygen/paraffin-based advanced hybrid rocket motor. This hybrid propulsion technology has practical applications for numerous space-related industries, including transportation, defence, suborbital research and tourism, the company said.

An Ariane 5 fairing underwent separation tests last week to help improve the ride to orbit provided by Europe’s heavy launcher for its passengers.

With the fallback zones for parts of the Soyuz rocket launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan now available,a new launch date for the Metop-B satellite from the Baikonur Cosmodrome has been set for 19 September 2012.Other Posts:Ball Aerospace completes environmental test phase for WISESea Launch says Intelsat 19 launch was nominalSkyVision takes W2A transponderThales Alenia Space delivers first Cygnus PCM to OrbitalCooperation agreement for satellite navigation in AfricaChibis-M releasedProtoStar officially orders second satelliteHughes and Avanti expand Ka-band satellite services footprint

Astrium has successfully completed a set of tests on tank structures proving that key design and manufacturing processes used for Ariane launchers are ready for production of the Liberty commercial launch vehicle second stage. In addition, ATK has completed its Liberty software technical interface meeting (TIM).Other Posts:Microscopic technology for James Webb Space TelescopeNext Generation GPS III programme shifts to production phaseDelay of the day: COSMO-SkyMed 4Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. results Q3 2006Space Agencies Unveil Exploration Strategy FrameworkHDTV and Satellite TV – Turn Your Home Into a Movie TheaterPlan B for AEHF 1 orbit-raising manoeuvres implementedU.S. Air Force changes TSAT plans