Satellite News

The European Space Agency (ESA) has selected AdaCore to provide a qualified multitasking solution for spacecraft software development to support multiple ongoing and future ESA projects.

NASA has awarded the Orion Production and Operations Contract (OPOC) to Lockheed Martin of Littleton, Colorado. OPOC is an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract that includes a commitment to order a minimum of six and a maximum of 12 Orion spacecraft, with an ordering period through 30 September 2030.

Thales Alenia Space recently inaugurated a new plant in Hasselt, Belgium, dedicated to the automated production of photovoltaic assemblies (PVA), which generate electrical power on satellite solar arrays.

A blockage in the loop heat pipe of the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI), the primary instrument on NOAA’s GOES-17 satellite, prevented the instrument from cooling properly and impeded its ability to collect data, according to a special Mishap Investigation Board.

Airbus has won a design study from the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) to develop the technologies for a cluster of ultra-high-resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites for the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD). The satellites will also have the ability to collect radio frequency (RF) signals.

Thales Alenia Space launched its new Space Inspire satellite product line (INstant SPace In-orbit Reconfiguration) which allows seamless mission and services reconfiguration, instant in-orbit adjustment to the demand, transition from video broadcasting to broadband connectivity services while maximising the efficiency and effective use of satellite resources.

A team of engineers, scientists, and satellite operators recently restored the Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS), which was damaged by radiation as it flew on the Suomi-NPP satellite. The team made a successful switch to the sensor’s electronic B-side, returning the instrument to full capability.

Boeing unveiled its 702X family of software-defined satellites, highlighting a 1,900kg variant for geosynchronous orbit. The 702X technology enables operators to adapt to changing market conditions by dynamically allocating bandwidth. The first customer is SES, which will use the spacecraft for their planned O3b mPOWER system.