Satellite News

Slovenia has signed an Association Agreement with ESA. This agreement will allow direct Slovenian participation in ESA optional programmes, with Slovenian delegates attending relevant ESA subordinate bodies. Dedicated access to agency facilities and services will be provided to Slovenia’s national space projects.

Airbus Safran Launchers SAS will reportedly win European Union approval as soon as next month to take over launch-service provider Arianespace SA.

Russia’s Roskosmos State Corporation won a lawsuit in France over the seizure of US$700 million in compensation for the defunct Yukos oil company-related assets, Roskosmos communications director Igor Bure was quoted as saying.

ESA has agreed with NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to make data available to them from the European Sentinel satellites.

Asia Broadcast Satellite announced it has been granted landing rights from the Brazilian National Telecommunications Agency (ANATEL) to operate its first satellite in Brazil, ABS-3A, in both C and Ku-bands.

The EU Commission has started an investigation into Airbus Safran Launchers’ purchase of Arianespace. In a statement, the EC said it was concerned the proposed deal could lead to less innovation and higher prices in the satellite and launch service markets.

Kazakhstan’s upper house of parliament ratified a protocol, introducing amendments to the 1999 intergovernmental agreement with Russia on procedures in the event of an accident occurring during a rocket launch from the Baikonur space centre, local media reported.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree on dissolving the country’s Federal Space Agency in line with the creation of the Roskosmos state corporation. The agency will be dissolved in accordance with a federal law of 13 July 2015.