Government/Military

Boeing received a $75 million contract extension from the U.S. Air Force to continue risk reduction and system definition for the Transformational Satellite Communications System (TSAT). The six-month contract extension began Jan. 7 and brings Boeing’s total TSAT contract funding to $793 million.     Boeing is in competition with a team led by Lockheed Martin...

Updated — February 6, 2009 – 6:20 p.m. EST Legend: + Targeted For | *No Earlier Than (Tentative) | **To Be Determined 2009 Launches Date: Feb. 22 * Mission: STS-119 Launch Vehicle: Space Shuttle Discovery Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center – Launch Pad 39A Launch Time: TBD Description: Space shuttle Discovery launching on assembly flight...

[Satellite Today 02-09-09] Raytheon Company is hoping to win a lucrative ground segment contract from The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The company, announced Feb. 6, that it had submitted its final proposal for the development of the ground segment for NOAA’s next-generation Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite R series, known as GOES-R.     When...

[Satellite Today 02-09-09] The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has been boosted by the successful launch of its new polar orbiting satellite, NOAA-19. The environmental satellite was successfully launched from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, Feb.6.     The satellite is now circling the globe every 102 minutes taking images and measurements to...

The Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) has proposed an outline of changes to the defense procurement system. That system has drawn criticism from lawmakers in Congress, who cite giant increases in costs of weapons systems. The defense acquisition system should be improved to make it fair, reasonable and flexible, according to a new AIA report. The...

China likely will continue its explosive 12 to 18 percent increase in military spending, an analyst said. The Asian giant can well afford such outlays, with a national debt equivalent to just 25 percent of economic output, compared to 80 percent in the United States and 100 percent in Japan, according to David Finkelstein, vice...

Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Henry "Trey" Obering III, who stepped down as director of the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) in November, has joined the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance advisory board, the group announced. Obering is the third agency director to join the board, according to the group. During his four years as director, Obering...

The German government askedMEADS International (MI) to integrate a European air defense missile into the Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS). Scope of work provides for incorporation of IRIS-T SL (Surface Launched) as a secondary missile, expanding the flexibility of MEADS fire units that will be delivered to Germany. Based on a European air-to-air missile...

Cryocooler technology developed by Northrop Grumman Corp. [NOC] will improve data collection by the next generation of astrophysics missions, such as the International X-ray Observatory (IXO), the company announced. Cryocoolers are used to reduce thermal noise in space-borne sensors. During tests taking place over the last few months, a hybrid pulse tube Joule-Thomson cryocooler using...

[Satellite News 02-06-09] President Obama is pursuing a global ban on space-based weapons while promising to protect U.S. satellites from harm, according to a Jan. 26 announcement from the White House.     The pledge includes contingency plans to keep information flowing from U.S. satellites and to take steps needed to protect spacecraft against attack. It...