Satellite News

Metop-A, Europe’s first polar-orbiting meteorological satellite, was officially declared operational after six months of commissioning.

Dr. Bashir Gwandu, member of the governing board of NigComSat Limited, gave a few additional details regarding the payload of NIGCOMSAT 1.

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s Rapid Spacecraft Development Office (RSDO) recently awarded delivery orders to four contractors for the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) Spacecraft Accommodation Study.

South Africa’s second micro satellite, SumbandilaSat, is expected to be flown to Russia on 14 May.

SES New Skies said it plans to further enlarge its satellite fleet through a new spacecraft procurement with Space Systems/Loral, and through another satellite for which a manufacturer still has to be selected.

Skynet 5A, the British military’s latest communication satellite, has been commissioned into service following its successful launch last month.

The Boeing Orbital Express system has completed another industry first by successfully performing a fully autonomous free-flight rendezvous and capture operation. The demonstration of the two-spacecraft system is part of an ongoing Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) mission to validate on-orbit servicing capabilities.

SpaceDev, Inc.has been awarded an additional US$4.4 million contract modification to continue with Phase III of its microsatellite programme for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency.