Satellite News

“If I had not criticised them, they wouldn’t have done anything – constructive criticism is helpful.” – Russian Vice-Premier Sergei Ivanov commenting earlier harsh remarks about Roskosmos, which he blamed for shortcomings of the GLONASS system

U.S. military officials over the past few days encountered some verbal problems in delivering their message regarding the destruction of the errant NRO-L21 (USA 193) spy satellite. One even re-invented the Gregorian calendar.

“There were winners and losers in the contractor community as to who was going to get to do what on the next system post shuttle. And we didn’t pick (Lockheed Martin’s) Atlas 5, in consultation with the Air Force for that matter, because it wasn’t the right vehicle for the lunar job. Obviously, we did pick others. So people who didn’t get picked see an opportunity to throw the issue into controversy and maybe have it come out their way.” – NASA administrator Mike Griffin about questions regarding Ares I vibration and other issues. (CBS News via Spaceflight Now)

“[I]n 2007, we orbited no less than three satellites originally planned for competitors’ launchers, but which simply were not available when they had been promised. As one U.S. client told us, at Arianespace, ‘launches speak louder than words,’ while other players in the industry ‘take the money and run.’” – Jean-Yves Le Gall, Arianespace CEO

“We were just using up fuel trying to stay still.” — Sea Launch spokeswoman Paula Korn describing the unusual ocean currents that thwarted the launch of Thuraya 3 aboard a Zenit-3SL

“The move was opposed by some member States which felt the cash would be better off being spent on giving French farmers subsidy money to stop them bringing their tractors into Paris, or very large EC sponsored lunches.” — The Inquirer on EU plans to use unspent agricultural and administrative funds for Galileo

“There’s fire, smoke, the ground shakes, the windows rattle, some dogs howl. But most of us don’t bother to go out and look. It’s clearer on TV.” — A Xichang resident about rocket launches from the nearby launch centre, cited by the Los Angeles Times

“Our photo-copying bill alone was more than $1 million.” — Mel Karmazin, chief executive of Sirius Satellite Radio, commenting on the paperwork regarding the planned merger with XM Satellite Radio.