Satellite News

Northrop Grumman Corporation has completed testing on a model of the “core” section of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to validate the observatory’s thermal modelling and design.
Other Posts:Contract signed for building of GMES Sentinel-1 satelliteRaytheon awarded risk reduction contract for GPS OCXIntelsat Chairman of the Board resignsMacDonald Dettwiler To Supply Imagery Ground StationHughes orders its first SS/L satelliteSciSys Signs Contract With EADS Astrium For Climatology MissionULA to launch new spy satellite aboard Atlas VNASA to partner with AirLaunch on small satellite development

KT Corporation and Asia Broadcast Satellite (ABS) announced that they have signed the sale and purchase of the Koreasat-2 satellite. The closing of the sale will occur upon the issuance of the necessary U.S. governmental approvals.
Other Posts:Satlynx becomes a General Electric CompanyGlobecomm To Acquire GlobalSat Division Of Lyman Bros.Anomaly I: Falcon 1 launch pushed back to FebruaryMitsubishi Electric hands over Superbird-7 to SKY Perfect JSATEmcore receives orders for solar cellsAAS signs initial agreement with GlobalstarTCS Receives Army Contract For TerminalsU.S. Defense Spending On Space Exceeds $22 Billion; Forecast Sees $28 Billion by 2010

Last night, the detectors of Planck’s High Frequency Instrument reached their amazingly low operational temperature of 0.1 K, making them the coldest known objects in space. The spacecraft has also just entered its final orbit around the second Lagrange point of the Sun-Earth system, L2.
Other Posts:EMS Technologies Makes Management AppointmentsCold Angara propulsion system tests completedIntegral Awarded LS1300 Control System ContractNo end in sight for Galileo talksAll key components in place for next Proton launchTSAT programme partially scrappedEutelsat-SES Joint Venture Approved By ECCo-operation of SBIRS-GEO space and ground elements tested

Northrop Grumman Corporation completed delivery of both Space Tracking and Surveillance System (STSS) demonstration satellites on 25 June 2009, when the second satellite arrived at the U.S. Air Force’s Cape Canaveral Air Station for launch preparation.
Other Posts:IBEX pre-launch detailsAerojet tests upgraded solid rocket motor case for Atlas VTurner Expands Transponder Agreement With SES AmericomSea Launch explosion costly for insurersMeasat-3 enters commercial serviceCSSI’s SOCRATES-GEO adds 100th satelliteNew approaches for producing large composite structures testedNorthrop Grumman demonstrates methane rocket engine

Ulysses, a joint NASA and European Space Agency mission, officially ceased operations on 30 June 2009, after receiving commands from ground controllers to do so. The spacecraft, which operated for more than 18 years, charted the unexplored regions of space above the poles of the Sun.

GeoEye, Inc. announced new U.S. government awards totalling more than US$25 million to supply geospatial products and services.

Measat Satellite Systems Sdn Bhd announced that the Measat-3a satellite has been successfully moved to the 91.4 degrees East orbital slot in preparation for testing.
Other Posts:Lockheed Martin-led team completes GPS III Integrated Baseline ReviewIntelsat Enlisted For South African Mobile Broadcast TV TrialEricsson Announces Cash Offer to Acquire Tandberg TelevisionCOM DEV receives C$27 million contract modificationCellular backhaul via satellite market to top US$157 million by 2011Aerojet tests upgraded solid rocket motor case for Atlas VMeasat-3 enters commercial serviceHarmonic Adds Encryption Function To Stream-Processing Platform

EUMETSAT, the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites, held its 67th Council meeting in Darmstadt, Germany, on 30 June and 1 July.
Other Posts:Hughes Unveils Broadband VSAT Platform For Maritime MarketFirst dual launch of Ekspress satellites successfulATK simulates, tests Ares I-X separation eventJules Verne ATV completes two days of testingEVC Adds Ikonos Images To Online StoreEU to rule on S-band spectrumNew 2.4 m antenna with interchangeable feeds from AndrewAstrotech vying for new Vandenberg contract