Satellite News

Maxar Technologies has been selected by NASA to build and perform a spaceflight demonstration of the Lunar Gateway’s power and propulsion element spacecraft. Blue Origin and Draper will join the Maxar-led team in designing, building and operating the spacecraft through the demonstration period.

Viasat Inc. has been awarded a contract by the Administrator of the Space Enterprise Consortium, under the Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles XVI programme, to deliver and test the first-ever Link 16-capable LEO spacecraft.

The Ball Aerospace-built small spacecraft for NASA’s Green Propellant Infusion Mission (GPIM) has arrived in Florida to prepare for a June launch on board a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. GPIM is NASA’s first opportunity to demonstrate a new “green” propellant and propulsion system in orbit – an alternative to conventional chemical propulsion systems.

Thales Alenia Space has delivered the first Spacebus Neo payload module structure, including the first ever Mechanically Pumped Loop (MPL) to be mounted on a telecommunication satellite designed for 15 years of in-orbit service. It will be flown on the SES-17 satellite that is due to start service operations in 2021.

York Space Systems announced that it has successfully completed bus commissioning of its S-CLASS spacecraft platform from its Multi-Mission Operations Center (M-MOC) located in Denver, Colorado.

The payload and platform of the first European satellite that can be completely reprogrammed after launch have been successfully joined together.

Raytheon Company’s GPS Next-Generation Operational Control System programme, known as GPS OCX, completed final qualification testing of the system’s modernised monitor station receivers, which are now ready to be installed around the world starting in August.

MDA, a Maxar company, has been awarded an initial contract value of C$39 million with Public Services and Procurement Canada.