Government/Military

[Satellite Today 02-06-09] Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) Vice President, Space Systems, J.P. Stevens told Satellite Today, that he does not believe that a change in the ruling party of the U.S. government will lead to dramatic cuts in expensive space programs.      “I do not believe that President Obama is going to shoot down projects,...

[Satellite Today 02-06-09] GeoEye Inc. initiated commercial operations for the GeoEye-1 Earth-imaging satellite and submitted imagery from the satellite to the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) for certification, GeoEye announced Feb. 5.     The satellite, placed in orbit in September by Boeing, will provide black-and-white imagery with a ground resolution of 0.41 meters and multi-spectral...

[Satellite Today 02-05-09] The RapidEye constellation is ready to begin operations, RapidEye AG announced Feb. 4.     The constellation was launched in August, and prime contractor MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. has been conducting the commissioning period on the five Earth observation satellites and the related ground infrastructure.     RapidEye AG will use the satellites...

[Satellite Today 04-05-09] Boeing shipped the second Wideband Global Satcom (WGS) satellite, WGS-2, from its El Segundo, Calif., facility to Cape Canaveral Air Station in Florida, where it will be readied for a March launch. Boeing announced Feb. 4.     WGS-2 is the second of six advanced Boeing 702 satellites being built for the U.S....

[Satellite Today 02-04-09] Iran launched Omid, its first domestically made satellite, Feb. 2, Iranian state radio reported.     The satellite, designated to monitor natural disasters and earthquakes, was taken into orbit onboard a Safir 2 rocket, which was tested in August. Iranian state television showed footage of what it claims was the satellite blasting off...

[Satellite News 02-04-09] European Satellite Operators Association (ESOA) Secretary General Aarti Holla-Maini is preparing for a busy year as she looks to lobby the European Commission (EC) to provide funds to help satellite broadband initiatives in rural areas across Europe. The lobbying effort will intensify following a Jan. 28 EC announcement that 1 billion euros...

Russia May Agree To Share Missile Defense Radar Data With United States: Gates No Time To Lose, Because Iran Is Just Two To Three Years Away From Missiles Able To Hit Europe By Dave Ahearn Secretary of Defense Robert Gates told both House and Senate lawmakers that he sees a chance that Russia may drop...

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates spoke as a witness before the Senate Armed Services Committee, and then before the House Armed Services Committee, touching on topics including missile defense. The following is a transcript prepared by Space & Missile Defense Report, providing excerpts of his views in testimony before the Senate and House committees,. As...

Updated — January 23, 2009 – 2:45 p.m. EST Legend: + Targeted For | *No Earlier Than (Tentative) | **To Be Determined 2009 Launches Date: Feb. 4 Mission:NOAA-N Prime Launch Vehicle: United Launch Alliance Delta II Launch Site: Vandenberg Air Force Base – Launch Pad SLC-2 Launch Window: 2:22 – 2:32 a.m. PST/5:22 – 5:32...

[Satellite Today 02-02-09] Lockheed Martin‘s Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) geosynchronous orbit (GEO-1) satellite has completed baseline integrated system testing of new flight software that enables command and control operations, the company announced Jan. 30.     The flight software used during the testing contains applications that control space vehicle electrical power, temperature, attitude and navigation. Testing...