Satellite News

“We should not assume anything about the Chinese anti-satellite test other than they now have the capacity to shoot down a satellite. I would not directly tie that to a threat – it’s a capability.” — Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, during a visit to Indonesia.

“It’s amazing. There was some damage to the pad, but the bridge is fine and the light bulbs in the hangar are still on and working.” — Sea Launch spokeswoman Paula Korn about the explosion of a Zenit-3SL aboard the company’s launch platform

“They are forcing us [Russia] to provide a six-member crew for the station. To do this, we must immediately start building [space]craft, and old ones as well at the insistence of the Americans (they don’t want to fly any modified craft). … The only reason why they are tolerating us now is they need time to make their Orion [rocket]. And then they’ll dump us with our 40-year Soyuz.” (Pavel Vinogradov, commander of the Expedition 13 crew of the International Space Station, in an interview published by Novosti Kosmonavtiki)

“In 2008-09 Kazakhstan will have a satellite potential equal to that of France. France has six satellites now, but Kazakhstan will have seven in two years.” — Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Danial Akhmetov according to Interfax.