Government/Military

[Satellite TODAY 07-20-10]  MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) has received the initial payment due under its $254 million contract with the National Space Agency of Ukraine for the provision of a communication satellite system, the company announced July 19.     MDA said it also has completed the definization phase on the satellite and will add...

[Satellite TODAY 07-20-10]  The European Space Agency (ESA) has contracted Astrium to develop the Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space (ACES) for the International Space Station (ISS), the company announced July 19th.     The 35 million euro ($45.2 million) contract will see Astrium deliver the ACES payload for its scheduled launch on a Japanese HTV transport...

[Satellite TODAY 07-20-10]  Space Tracking and Surveillance System (STSS) demonstration program satellites built by Northrop Grumman and Raytheon have completed a U.S. Missile Defense Agency Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) test on the space-based sensor’s capabilities, the companies announced July 19.     The STSS demonstration satellites detected the launch of a threat-representative missile and...

Winning the initial battle for young hearts and minds is key for the future of the space sector, and important work is being done with younger students. But that is only half the battle, as numerous science- and math-related professions are available once these children reach the university level, and keeping them moving toward space-related...

[Satellite TODAY 07-19-10] Norwegian operator Kongsberg’s AISSat-1 nanosatellite entered service and began transmitting automatic identification system (AIS) messages from orbit via Kongsberg’s ground station at Svalbard, Norway, the operator announced July 16.     AISSat-1, launched July 12 by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on an Indian PSLV rocket, is an experimental satellite equipped with...

[Satellite News 07-19-10] While the United States remains the global leader in space industry competitiveness, its position has diminished throughout past three years due to growing cooperation in the international community and a lack of appropriate response from the U.S. government, according to the Space Competitiveness Index report, released July 19 by analyst firm Futron....

[Satellite TODAY 07-16-10] NASA has contracted Millennium Engineering and Integration to provide support for the U.S. Department of Defense’s Rapid Response Space Works (RRSW) program, the agency announced July 15.     Serving as a contracting agent for the Pentagon’s Operationally Responsive Space Office (ORS), NASA issued the five-year, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity award to Millennium. Millennium Engineering...

[Satellite TODAY 07-16-10] Globecomm Systems has been awarded an $8.7 million Ka-band infrastructure contract from an unnamed foreign government, company announced July 15.     Globecomm will design and install multiple Ka-band antennas and related subsystems under the contract scope, which includes a turnkey RF electronics installation for fixed- and vehicle-mounted Ka-band terminal systems. The company...

[Satellite TODAY 07-15-10] TeleCommunication Systems (TCS) was awarded an order contract to provide satellite communication and mission analysis shelters to the U.S. Army, the company announced July 14.     TCS will provide the Army with complete end-to-end managed services, supporting SCMAs with converged (IP-based) voice, video and data satcom for highly secure connectivity between fixed...

[Satellite TODAY 07-15-10] The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has contracted Summation Research Inc. (SRI) to provide advanced multi-functional demodulators in support of the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) weather satellite system, SRI announced July 14.    The contract, worth more than $400,000 once the system is fully deployed, will see SRI provide...