Finance

[Via Satellite 10-17-13] The European Space Agency (ESA) has awarded three new contracts to Astrium. Running through to the end of 2014, the first two contracts cover the continued development of the Ariane 5 Midlife Evolution (A5ME) launcher for €106 million and the sub-assemblies common to both it and Ariane 6 for €278 million. The...

[Via Satellite 10-15-13] Inmarsat’s order of a fourth Global Xpress (GX) satellite is key statement as the operator looks to make good on its huge investment program in a series of new Ka-band satellites. The fourth Inmarsat-5 satellite, which will built by Boeing, will have a delivery date of mid-2016. Michele Franci, Vice President, Global...

[Via Satellite 10-09-13] Swiss Space Systems (S3), an aerospace company that designs and engineers suborbital launch systems, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Spaceport Colorado, a commercial space transportation, research and development hub. The move formalizes a collaborative relationship and advancing the spaceport’s long-term development and licensing plans. Headquartered in Switzerland, S3 is...

[Via Satellite 10-08-13] SES’ SES 8 satellite has arrived at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The satellite will now be processed for a November launch on board a SpaceX Falcon 9 booster. The satellite, manufactured by Orbital Sciences Corporation, features up to 33 Ku-band transponders (36 MHz equivalent). The SES 8 will...

[Via Satellite 10-08-13] The fifth and final European Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) built by Astrium, called “Georges Lemaître,” has left the company’s Bremen site and is on its way to the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Astrium was commissioned by the European Space Agency (ESA) to develop and also produce the ATV and is...

[Via Satellite 10-02-2013] On September 29, SpaceX’s upgraded Falcon 9 rocket launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base on a successful demonstration mission to deliver the CASSIOPE satellite to orbit for MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) of Canada. The launch marked the 11th flight of a Falcon rocket, the sixth Falcon 9 launch, and the initial...

[Via Satellite 09-30-13] International Launch Services (ILS) has successfully placed the Astra 2E satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) for SES. The satellite, which was manufactured by Astrium, was built on the Eurostar E3000 platform. This marks the 23rd SES satellite and the 17th Astrium satellite launched onboard an ILS Proton. The Astra 2E...

[Via Satellite 09-27-13] SES’ Astra 2E satellite is scheduled for launch on board an ILS Proton launch vehicle from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Sept. 30, 2013. Astra 2E was built for SES by Astrium of France. Based on the Eurostar E3000 platform, the spacecraft carries 60 Ku-band transponders, as well as four Ka-band...

[Via Satellite 09-25-13] Lockheed Martin submitted its competitive proposal for the U.S. Air Force’s Hosted Payload Solutions (HoPS) initiative aimed at leveraging commercial satellites for some government missions. According to the Aug. 1 government solicitation, HoPS will provide the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) and other U.S. government organizations with “a capability...

[Via Satellite 09-25-13] XCOR Aerospace and United Launch Alliance (ULA) have made notable progress in the XCOR/ULA liquid hydrogen (LH2) engine development program. Conceived as a lower-cost, risk-managed program, the XCOR LH2 engine program is intended to produce a flight-ready cryogenic upper-stage engine in the 25,000 lbf thrust class with growth potential up to 50,000...