Government/Military

[Satellite TODAY 06-29-10] U.S. President Barack Obama’s new National Space Policy (NSP) will contain measures to double the available amount of spectrum for wireless communications over the next 10 years and establish grounds to seek international partnerships for civil space and space situational awareness programs, according to statements and documents released by the administration on...

[Satellite TODAY 06-29-10] NASA has awarded a contract with a maximum value of $273 million to Barrios Technology for International Space Station (ISS) mission integration services support, the agency announced June 26.     The fixed-price, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract includes a base period of more than five years and two one-year options worth about $42.7 million...

[Satellite TODAY 06-28-10] ViaSat has upgraded transmission rates for its Ku-band airborne broadband network to achieve speeds up to 1 megabit per second (Mbps), the company announced June 25.     The upgrade allows network users to send high-resolution video and broadband data off the aircraft at faster rates to support full motion video and other...

[Satellite News 06-28-10] U.S. President Barack Obama’s new National Space Policy (NSP) will contain measures to double the available amount of spectrum for wireless communications over the next 10 years and establish grounds to seek international partnerships for civil space and space situational awareness programs, according to statements and documents released by the administration on...

[Satellite TODAY 06-25-10] Harris Corp. has been awarded a five-year, $140 million contract by General Dynamics to modernize the ground segment of NASA’s satellite communications network, the company announced June 24.     Harris will replace all equipment and software in the space-to-ground link of NASA’s Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS). The space-to-ground link...

One of the main issues facing the space sector is an aging work force, and attracting the young people that will build, launch and operate the rockets, satellites and communications networks of the future has proven difficult. The sector has lost the appeal it once had and now faces increased competition in convincing future engineers...

[Satellite TODAY 06-24-10] The European Space Agency (ESA) awarded Astrium with a two-year contract to develop key technologies for new reusable upper stages for new launchers, Astrium announced June 23.     The contract, worth 20 million euros ($24.4 million), will see Astrium attempt to enable the engines of liquid hydrogen- and liquid oxygen-powered cryogenic upper...

[Satellite TODAY 06-24-10] Finmeccanica subsidiary Vega won a frame contract on behalf of European Space Operations Center (ESOC) that enables Vega to bid for work, the company announced June 23rd.     Under the contract, Vega can bid for work on ground segment infrastructure systems, mission specific data systems, simulators, flight dynamics, navigation, space debris and...

[Satellite TODAY 06-24-10] Israel has launched the Ofeq 9 advanced remote sensing satellite aboard a Shavit rocket from an Israel Air Force test range, Israeli officials confirmed June 23.     Following its orbital placement, the satellite will undergo several tests for validation of its serviceability and satisfactory performance. The satellite will join the Ofeq 5...

[Satellite TODAY 06-24-10] NASA has selected Orbital Sciences to launch the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) mission in February 2013 aboard a Taurus XL 3110 rocket from Vandenberg’s U.S. Air Force Base, Calif., the agency announced.     The total value of the OCO-2 launch services contract is about $70 million. The estimated cost includes the task...