Government/Military

[Satellite Today 04-08-09] As part of a restructuring of U.S. defense spending in the 2010 U.S. federal budget, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates recommended the termination of the U.S. Air Force’s $26 billion Transformational Satellite (TSAT) program, the White House announced April 6.     According to a transcript of Gates’ statement on the White House...

[Satellite Today 04-07-09] A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas 5 vehicle launched the U.S. Air Force’s WGS-2 satellite April 3 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Base, ULA announced April 3.     Boeing, the satellite’s manufacturer, said that WGS-2 has transmitted its first on-orbit signals and is ready to begin orbital maneuvers and operational testing.    ...

[Satellite Today 04-07-09] Sea Launch vessels have departed their home port in preparation for the launch of Telespazio’s Sicral 1B communication satellite, Sea Launch announced April 6     The launch, scheduled for April 19, will place Sicral 1B in a high-perigee geosynchronous transfer orbit at 11.8 degrees East. Telespazio will use some of the satellite’s...

[Satellite Today 04-07-09] Swe-Dish Satellite Systems received Xtar approval for the Swe-Dish SuitcasexAE CCT120, a portable satcom terminal that operates on Xtar’s X-band satellite system, Swe-Dish announced April 6.     The suitcase features a 1.2-meter broadband antenna and is targeted for U.S. military and civil agency users worldwide.     "This is a positive step for...

[Satellite Today 04-06-09] The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Japanese manufacturer Mitsubishi Heavy Industries performed the first captive firing test for the first stage flight model tank of the H-2B launch vehicle April 2 at the Tanegashima Space Center, JAXA announced 3.     The test was postponed from April 1 after JAXA discovered a...

[Satellite News 04-03-09] The Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) is supporting a new version of the U.S. Foreign Affairs Bill which eases satellite export controls outlined in International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), AIA Spokeswoman Alexis Allen told Satellite News.     According to an April 2 report in The New York Times, the U.S. Congress is...

[Satellite Today 04-03-09] U.S. government spending on unclassified satellites and space programs soared 42 percent to $16.9 billion in the fiscal year 2009 from $11.9 billion in 2005, according to a March 31 report from watchdog group, Taxpayers for Common Sense.     The untitled report identified 12 programs with cost growth of more than 200...

[Satellite Today 04-03-09] Vizada launched a new satellite-powered software package, SkyFile Weather, which aims to enable users to receive up-to-date and customized meteorological information regardless of a maritime or land vessel’s location, Vizada announced April 2.     The forecasts provided with SkyFile Weather will be sourced directly from Météo France, an internationally-recognized meteorological center, rather...

[Satellite Today 04-03-09] Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. has been selected by Boeing as the contractor for the Ares 1 launch vehicle’s Instrument Unit Assembly flight computer and command telemetry computer, Ball announced April 2.     Ball will employ its common computing architecture to build three flight computers that operate synchronously as well as two...

[Satellite Today 04-03-09] Com Dev USA was awarded a $20 million contract by Boeing to supply passive microwave components for the next generation of NASA’s Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS), a constellation of geosynchronous communication satellites, Com Dev announced April 1.     The contract award includes an initial $1.6 million awarded in September in...