Government/Military

[Via Satellite 08-20-2014] On Aug. 19, China launched the Gaofen 2 Earth Observation (EO) satellite from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, located in the country’s Shanxi Province, aboard a Long March 4B rocket. Gaofen 2 is the second of seven planned high definition EO satellites China plans to place in orbit by 2020. The country...

[Via Satellite 08-20-2014] The United States Air Force partnered with three officers from the Dominican Republic, Peruvian and Brazilian militaries to work collectively on the space component of Panamax 2014, a multinational exercise that focuses on ensuring the defense of the Panama Canal. This was the third year partner nations joined the U.S. in Panamax’s...

[Via Satellite 08-20-2014] The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has awarded Communications & Power Industries Canada (CPI Canada) a $3.3 million contract for a Ka-band Extended Interaction Klystron (EIK). The 35 GHz EIK will enable space-based radar for the Surface Water & Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission. Canada and the U.K. are providing assistance for SWOT, which...

[Via Satellite 08-18-2014] In less than two months the United States Congress must make a decision on the fate of the Export-Import Bank, an independent federal agency designed to provide export financing when private banks are not able. The satellite industry around the world stands out as the quickest-growing market the bank supports, which makes...

[Via Satellite 08-18-2014] General William Shelton’s successor, General John Hyten, has been promoted to commander of Air Force Space Command (AFSPC). In this role, Hyten is tasked with maintaining mission-ready space and cyberspace forces and capabilities for North American Aerospace Defense Command, U.S. Strategic Command and other combatant commands around the world. As commander he...

[Via Satellite 08-15-2014] Lockheed Martin has awarded a contract to General Dynamics C4 Systems Satcom Technologies for ground structure design and manufacture as well as integration of mechanical systems for the Air Force’s Space Fence. General Dynamics will begin construction on the Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands during the middle of...

[Via Satellite 08-15-2014] Four United States military divisions have contracted ASC Signal to provide up to 25 TriFold antennas. The orders are specifically for 3.9 meter and 4.6 meter antenna systems. United States military customers will deploy ASC’s C-, X-, Ku- and Ka-band antenna systems. The TriFold antenna systems will be mounted on a variety of...

[Via Satellite 08-15-2014] Northrop Grumman strategic business unit Astro Aerospace has transported 13 lightweight antennas to RadarSat’s prime contractor MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates (MDA). The antennas will be integrated into the RadarSat Automatic Identification System (AIS) payload for use in locating and tracking maritime vessels. The Canadian Space Agency’s three-satellite RadarSat constellation is slated for...

[Via Satellite 08-14-2014] Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory has awarded a contract to Northrop Grumman worth close to $3 million for a Scalable Space Inertial Reference Unit (Scalable SIRU). The instrument will be used aboard NASA’s Solar Probe Plus satellite, which APL manages, for stabilization, pointing and attitude control data. Northrop Grumman is scheduled...

[Via Satellite 08-12-2014] The Space Data Association, an international consortium of commercial satellite operators dedicated to safe conduct in space, has reached an agreement with the United States Department of Defense (DoD) to play a role in the DoD’s Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Data Sharing Program. The agreement with U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) is the...