Satellite News

Mubadala Development Company of the United Arab Emirates plans to launch its first satellite, YahSat, in 2009.

In contrast to earlier reports, Russia plans to launch six Uragan satellites this year instead of three.

SpaceDev has been awarded a contract from the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) in response to the Operationally Responsive Space Payload Technology Broad Agency Announcement.

With six months to go before launch, the Second Young Engineers’ Satellite (YES2) has been moved into the test facilities at ESA’s Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in the Netherlands.

Russia has earmarked RUB9.88 billion (EUR285 million, US$380 million) for its GLONASS navigation satellite systemin 2007, the Federal Russian Space Agency said.

Only nine of the 19 Uragan satellites now in orbit are currently operating within Russia’s satellite navigation system GLONASS, reports Itar-Tass news agency.

NASA has selected Space Systems Loral and MicroSat Systems, Inc. for award of the Rapid Spacecraft Development Office, Rapid II, contracts with a minimum value of US$50,000 each.

Lockheed Martin announced the delivery of the eighth and final satellite in the modernised Global Positioning System Block IIR (GPS IIR-M) production programme to the U.S. Air Force.