Satellite News

Indra will be in charge of storing at its data centre in San Fernando de Henares (Madrid) the images of the future optical Earth observation satellite, Sentinel-2B, which is planned to be launched into orbit in 2016.

Private joint-stock company Energia-Telcom is to temporarily lease to Open joint-stock Company RTComm.RU bandwidth needed to provide telecommunications services in the Ka-band on the planned Energia-100 high-throughput satellite.

Thales Alenia Space has signed a contract with French space agency CNES (Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales) covering the design and development phase for the Poseidon-3C radar altimeter on the SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography) satellite, new altimetry programme that will demonstrate new applications.

Eutelsat 115 West B, the first all-electric satellite of the Eutelsat Communications’ fleet, has completed the ascent to geostationary orbit and today began in orbit tests.

Orbital ATK, Inc. announced it concluded eight years of mission support for the Near Field Infrared Experiment (NFIRE) satellite with the decommissioning of the spacecraft on 5 August 2015.

Lockheed Martin’s Space Fence System, including the large-scale digital radar and turn-key facility were deemed technically mature and provided evidence that all requirements will be met through the programme’s Critical Design Review (CDR) conducted by the U.S. Air Force.

Europe’s latest pair of Galileo satellites has passed its initial check out in space, allowing control to be handed over to the main control centre and join the growing fleet.

The launch of Sentinel-5 Precursor is planned for next spring so the satellite is being put through its paces to make sure it is fit for lift-off and life in orbit tracking air pollution. Vibration and acoustic tests are next up.