Satellite News

SSTL has completed an in-orbit test campaign analysing signals from the new GIOVE-B satellite for ESA. The results suggest that GIOVE-B is operating well and in turn validates technologies integral to the EU-funded Galileo Satellite Navigation project.

After its launch by Proton on 18 August 2008, the Astrium-built Inmarsat-4 F3 satellite took four apogee engine firings to reach geosynchronous orbit. Following full deployment of its 45-m solar array and 80-m^2 antenna reflector the spacecraft adopted its final Earth-pointing control mode.

Thales Alenia Space announced the signature of a contract with RASCOMSTAR-QAF for the construction of the RASCOM-QAF1R telecommunication satellite.

ViaSat has received a US$50 million contract award from Skylogic, the broadband subsidiary of Eutelsat Communications for on-ground baseband infrastructure for the previously announced high-capacity KA-SAT Ka-band satellite system.

Singapore Telecommunications Ltd. and Taiwan’s Chunghwa Telecom Co. are in talks to launch a new satellite to boost bandwidth and replace their ST-1 spacecraft that is nearing the end of its service life.

ProtoStar announced that the ProtoStar I spacecraft has successfully completed in-orbit testing — and answered the question whose slot the spacecraft is using anyway.

At the end of a its six-month mission, Jules Verne, Europe’s first Automated Transfer Vehicle, undocked from the International Space Station today at 2129 hours UTC.

Rosetta’s control room at ESA’s European Space Operations Centre, ESOC, received the first radio signal after closest approach to asteroid (2867) Steins at 2014 UTC, confirming a smooth fly-by.