Satellite News

Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. has successfully integrated the fifth and final payload to fly aboard the STPSat-3 spacecraft when it launches from Wallops Island, Virginia, in mid-2013.

On 18 January, the Canadian NEOSSat (Near-Earth Object Space Surveillance Satellite) arrived in India.

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has selected Surrey Satellite Technology US LLC (SST-US) to investigate cost reduction and augmentation of the current GPS constellation through the application of the small satellite approach.

Earlier this month during a semi-weekly contact with the spacecraft, the Kepler project team detected an increase in the amount of torque required to spin one of the three remaining reaction wheels. This increase in friction occurred before the 11 January 2013 quarterly roll, and persisted after the spacecraft roll and several momentum desaturations of the reaction wheels.

RapidEye announced a positive update on the health and lifespan of its satellites. In addition, Michael Oxfort has been appointed to lead the development of the company’s data continuity strategy.

Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. has completed all performance testing for NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope aft-optics subsystem (AOS) under contract to the Northrop Grumman Corporation.

NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver announced a newly planned addition to the International Space Station that will use the orbiting laboratory to test expandable space habitat technology. NASA has awarded a US$17.8 million contract to Bigelow Aerospace to provide a Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM), which is scheduled to arrive at the space station in 2015 for a two-year technology demonstration.

Space Systems/Loral (SSL) announced that the Amazonas 3 multi-mission satellite, designed and built for Hispasat Group, has arrived at the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, where it will be launched aboard an Ariane 5 launch vehicle by Arianespace.