Government/Military

From its final orbit location 22,000 miles above the equator, the third Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) satellite recently sent its first images back down to Earth, a milestone known as “first light.” The satellite, built by Lockheed Martin, was launched on Jan. 20 aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas 5 rocket and is...

A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta 4 rocket carrying the ninth Wideband Global Satcom (WGS-9) satellite for the United States Air Force (USAF) lifted off from Space Launch Complex-37 on March 18. “This launch commemorates the 70th anniversary of the USAF,” said Laura Maginnis, ULA vice president of government satellite launch. “We are absolutely honored to play...

Space Systems Loral (SSL) announced that NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) recognized MDA US Systems, a division of MDA managed by SSL, for its support of a robotic upgrade to the International Space Station’s (ISS) power system which took place in January. According to NASA, the MDA team based in Houston played a critical role...

Comtech announced that during its third quarter of fiscal 2017, Comtech’s command and control technologies group, which is part of its government solutions segment, received approximately $4 million in orders from a Fortune 100 U.S. government contractor and an international government science and technology institute for several antenna tracking systems with radomes that will be...

While the Department of Defense’s (DoD) space programs and policies are at something of a crossroads right now, plenty of government and industry leaders have been thinking deeply on what to do next.

Small satellites are primed to have a bigger role in military satellite communications. That was the key takeaway from the “Milspace in the 21st Century: SmallSats and Disaggregated Space Architectures” panel at SATELLITE 2017 on Monday. A

The European Global Navigation Satellite Systems Agency (GSA) has selected Eutelsat Communications for the development, integration and operation of the next-generation EGNOS payload on a future Eutelsat satellite. Eutelsat and GSA have concluded a long-term contract valued at 102 million euros ($107 million) covering the preparation and service provision phases for the European Geostationary Navigation...

Orbcomm announced that its Canadian partner Maerospace has won a multi-year contract with the government of Canada. Through its Canadian subsidiary SkyWave, Orbcomm will provide satellite Automatic Identification System (AIS) data used for ship tracking and other maritime navigational and safety efforts in conjunction with Maerospace’s TimeCaster technology to the Government of Canada for monitoring Canadian and global maritime...

Space Systems Loral (SSL) announced that it provided a two-axis gimbal mechanism for NASA’s Raven flight demonstration, which the 10th SpaceX cargo resupply mission delivered to the International Space Station (ISS) on February 19. Developed by NASA’s Satellite Servicing Projects Division, Raven will help the agency test key elements of a real-time spacecraft relative navigation...

Eutelsat Communications announced that SRG SSR, Switzerland’s public TV and radio broadcaster, has confirmed its long-term commitment to the Hot Bird neighborhood with the multi-year renewal of one transponder that complements a second transponder already booked on a long-term basis. SRG SSR occupies the two Hot Bird transponders to broadcast seven channels exclusively in HD...