Government/Military

[Via Satellite 08-23-13] Gaia, believed to be the most advanced space telescope built in Europe, has left the Toulouse facilities of Astrium after final integration and testing. The spacecraft is now in transit to its launch site in French Guiana, where it will be prepared for launch aboard Soyuz. Designed and built by Astrium for...

As Latin America continues to shape up as a hotbed for the satellite industry, Venezuela is looking to become a more relevant player in this market.  With two satellites already launched, and more ambitious space projects in the pipeline, the country is quickly becoming a pioneer for developing a space-based capability in Latin America. In...

[Via Satellite 08-22-13] Ball Aerospace & Technologies’ Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) spacecraft will emerge from its two-year hibernation in September to resume its near-Earth object NEOWISE asteroid hunting mission. The renewed mission will again focus on detecting near-Earth objects that may be of importance for identification and detection of asteroids for future NASA missions. “The...

[Via Satellite 08-22-13] Macom Technology Solutions (MACOM), a supplier of high performance radio frequency (RF), microwave, and millimeter wave products, announced a new single-pole, double-throw switch-limiter suited for S-Band military and commercial radar systems. The MASL-011023 is a switch-limiter solution created for customers who require a faster recovery time and higher power handling for S-Band...

[Via Satellite 08-22-13] Raytheon Company graduated 17 Brazilian students from a 4-week course focused on the defense industry in the United States. The program, “Science to Success,” is part of the Brazilian Scientific Mobility Program or Science without borders program. Raytheon’s effort is built around developing core engineering skillsets and is the first-ever defense technology-focused course...

[Via Satellite 08-21-13] TeleCommunication Systems (TCS) has received $2.8 million in incremental funding from the U.S. Army for Secret Internet Protocol Router and Non-secure Internet Protocol Router Access Point (SNAP) Tactical Transportable TROPO (3T) deployable communications systems. The U.S. Army Project Manager for the Warfighter Information Network – Tactical (PM WIN-T) Commercial Satellite Terminal Program...

[Via Satellite 08-20-13] Two Boeing Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS) have completed testing milestones – one in space and the other on Earth – marking more progress in enhancing the tracking and communications network used by NASA and its customers. The spacecraft are the first two of a set of three next-generation satellites that...

[Via Satellite 08-20-13] After more than 10 years of service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) 12 spacecraft is being retired. Launched on July 23, 2001, the satellite lasted beyond its original operational design life of two years for on-orbit storage and five years of actual operations to support...

NASA’s Commercial Crew Program (CCP) partner Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) recently reviewed the systems critical to sustaining crews in orbit and returning them safely to Earth aboard the company's Dragon spacecraft.

Tracking space debris and predicting possible satellite collisions is about to become more difficult and could potentially cost billions of dollars to the satellite and aerospace industries.