Satellite News

Eutelsat Communications announced it has concluded negotiations to acquire the GE-23 satellite, associated customer contracts and orbital rights from GE Capital for US$228 million. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2012 (calendar), subject to regulatory approvals.
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Iridium Communications Inc entered into a joint venture with Nav Canada to allow air traffic authorities to track aircraft around the globe in real time.
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NASA has selected an ocean wind study proposal led by the University of Michigan from among 19 submitted to the agency’s Announcement of Opportunity for small spaceflight investigations of the Earth system.
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LuxSpace Sarl, OHB affiliate and partner of Orbcomm Inc., announced the award of a multi-year framework contract with the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA).
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The Bank for Development and External Economic Affairs, a Russian state-owned corporation known as Vnesheconombank or VEB, and the Russian Satellite Communications Company have signed a EUR124.6 million [US$158 million] credit agreement to fund the building of Ekspress AM7 spacecraft.
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The first manned space docking of China succeeded today with the coupling of the Shenzhou-9 spacecraft and Tiangong-1 lab module, the Beijing Aerospace Control Center said.

Boeing has completed the fifth of 12 Global Positioning System (GPS) IIF satellites the company is building for the U.S. Air Force.

Lockheed Martin has successfully completed thermal vacuum testing of the U.S. Navy’s second Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite, designated MUOS-2. Completion of this major programme milestone validates performance in a simulated space environment and clears the satellite for final integrated system test.