Finance

[Via Satellite 07-20-2016] Following approval by the United States Congress earlier this month of the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), United Launch Alliance (ULA) President and CEO Tory Bruno now feels the company will have a sufficient number of RD-180 engines to transition smoothly to a domestic alternative. The current NDAA going into conference...

[Via Satellite 07-18-2016] SpaceX completed the launch of a Dragon capsule July 18 for NASA as part of the Commercial Resupply Services 9 (CRS-9) mission, followed by a successful landing of the first stage at Landing Zone 1 (LZ1), Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida approximately eight minutes later. NASA astronaut Jeff Williams, with support...

[Via Satellite 07-13-2016] The French Space Agency (CNES) has awarded a $222.2 million (200 million euro) contract with Eiffage Civil Engineering company Eclair6 to build the launch facility for the future Ariane 6 rocket in French Guiana. The scope of the work comprises all Ensemble de Lancement Ariane (ELA) 4 structures, including the launch pad...

[Via Satellite 07-13-2016] Lockheed Martin has announced intentions to expand capabilities at its Astrotech Space Operations site in Titusville, Florida with the assistance of the North Brevard Economic Development Zone and the State of Florida. Future investments would help Lockheed Martin grow the capabilities of Astrotech Space Operations, a company Lockheed Martin acquired in 2014,...

[Via Satellite 07-12-2016] With the signing of three launches for Planet (formerly Planet Labs) announced today, Rocket Lab is filling out most of the early space in its manifest for missions with the Electron rocket well before it has ever flown. Rocket Lab revealed Electron, a two-stage, 16-meter rocket dedicated to small satellite launches for...

[Via Satellite 07-11-2016] Aerojet Rocketdyne is increasing its presence at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi to handle assembly and testing of the AR1 advanced liquid rocket engine. The company is expanding its Center of Excellence for Large Liquid Rocket Engine Assembly and Test at the facility, and consequently increasing the number of Aerojet Rocketdyne...

[Via Satellite 07-01-2016] Small satellite launch company Rocket Lab reached its 10-year anniversary this June and is now months away from the first launch of its Electron rocket. Founded in June 2006, Rocket Lab has launched more than 80 sounding rockets and in 2009 became the first private company to reach space from the Southern...

[Via Satellite 07-01-2016] Airbus Group and Safran have completed the formation of Airbus Safran Launchers — the 50/50 Joint Venture (JV) that combines Airbus Defence and Space’s launcher experience with Safran’s capability in liquid and solid rocket propulsion. Safran has agreed to make an economic equalization of approximately $836 million (€750 million) in order to...

[Via Satellite 06-27-2016] NanoRacks manifested and integrated the company’s first payload on Blue Origin’s most recent New Shepard flight, which occurred on June 19. The suborbital mission is the fourth launch and landing of the same New Shepard space vehicle. NanoRacks intends to use Blue Origin’s New Shepard space vehicle to extend the research it...

[Via Satellite 06-27-2016] United Launch Alliance (ULA) delivered the U.S. Navy’s fifth and final Mobile User Objective System (MUOS 5) satellite into Earth’s orbit June 24, marking the rocket’s first mission since the OA-6 anomaly. The mission lifted off successfully from Space Launch Complex-41 June 24, marking the company’s fifth launch in 2016 and 108th...