Government/Military

[Via Satellite 07-22-2014] The U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) has awarded SES Government Solutions a firm-fixed-priced Pathfinder contract for commercial satellite communications. The contract, worth more than $8 million, covers Ku-band communications for U.S. Africa Command. Pathfinder is a procurement method the Department of Defense is trialing for multi-year agreements, which...

[Via Satellite 07-21-2014] China and Brazil have agreed to continue the China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite (CBERS) program with an additional satellite, CBERS 4A. Xu Dazhe, China’s minister of science, technology and defense industry also expressed interest in creating CBERS 5 and 6 satellites as part of a 10-year plan between the two countries. Discussions regarding...

[Via Satellite 07-17-2014] To replace the Russian-built RD-180 engine it would take the United States government a minimum of eight years and approximately $2 billion, said Alan Estevez, principal deputy under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics at the U.S. Department of Defense, at a joint hearing between the Senate Commerce, Science and...

[Via Satellite 07-17-2014] Roscosmos has installed a Global Satellite Navigation System (GNSS) site at Brazil’s Computer Centre (CPD), the Centre for Technological Development (CDT) on the campus of the University of Brasilia. The new station is expected to improve the quality of Russia’s Glonass GNSS constellation. Russia is working with the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB)...

[Via Satellite 07-17-2014] Inmarsat has signed a new strategic agreement with Airbus Defence and Space to offer high-speed Ka-band broadband connectivity to the U.S. government. The agreement enables Airbus Defence and Space to sell the service from Global Xpress as part of the company’s AuroraGlobal suite of high throughput services. “Our customers will have access...

[Via Satellite 07-15-2014] On July 14, 2014 Northrop Grumman broke ground at the site for its new Maryland Space Assembly and Test (M-SAT) building. Northrop Grumman has invested $20 million on the construction of the new facility, which will feature 25,000 square feet of space for satellite projects that will serve mostly government customers. Northrop...

[Via Satellite 07-15-2014] The U.S. Air Force is working with Raytheon to transition from ground-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) to satellite ADS-B. Larger Air Force aircraft such as bombers, cargo planes and refueling tankers have begun receiving new transponder capabilities that broadcast location and other data while flying over civil airspace. “An ADS-B transponder...

[Via Satellite 07-15-2014] Canada-based MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) has acquired a U.S. company with expertise in radar and information sensors for an undisclosed amount. The terms of the agreement have not been disclosed and, in addition to meeting customary closing conditions, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) must approve the...

[Via Satellite 07-14-2014] Shortly after winning the U.S. Air Force competition on the Family of Beyond Line of Sight Terminals (FAB-T), Raytheon is preparing to deliver on its $298 million contract. Scott Whatmough, Raytheon’s VP of integrated communication systems, told reporters on a July 10 conference call that the company has finished the design and...

[Via Satellite 07-10-2014] The Lockheed Martin-built third Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite finished environmental testing at the company’s Dual Entry Large Thermal Altitude chamber. Lockheed Martin’s Vice President of Narrowband Communications Iris Bombelyn said the company is on track to deliver the satellite to the US Navy this year. Compared to legacy Ultra High...