Government/Military

NASA awarded contracts in response to 382 small-business proposals to meet critical research and technology needs for agency programs and projects. The awards are part of NASA’s Small Business Innovation Research Program, known as SBIR, and the Small Business Technology Transfer program, known as STTR. The SBIR program selected 350 proposals for negotiation of phase...

European space ministers in recent days have backed multi-year outlays for the European Space Agency totaling Euro11.2 billion (US$14.4 billion). Various time frames apply to different programs, ranging from 2009-2013, all the way out to 2020. The ESA, which has 18 European member states plus Canada, still has less financial support than NASA, which has...

The Hubble Space Telescope has gained a clear image of two immense stars that until recently were partially obscured, the European Space Agency (ESA) announced. Actually, what seems to be two stars may be far more stars bunched tightly together. Hubble, a NASA-ESA asset, will be refurbished next year in a rescue mission by the...

L-3 Communications Holdings, Inc. [LLL] will repurchase up to $1 billion worth of its stock over the next two years, the company announced. This is the third L-3 repurchase. "This new authorization underscores our confidence in L-3’s strong fundamental business position, our growth and earnings prospects and our ability to continue to generate strong cash...

[Satellite Today 11-26-08] A second South African satellite is scheduled to be launched in March, according to a Nov. 25 statement from the South African Foreign Affairs Ministry.     The Earth observation satellite, built at a cost of 25 million South African rand ($2.5 million), will be carried into space aboard a Russian rocket. The...

[Satellite Today 11-26-08] L-3 Communications was awarded a $28 million option placement to provide its Prophet signals intelligence platforms for the U.S. Army, L-3 announced Nov. 26.     Under this award, L-3 Linkabit, based in San Diego, will provide the Army with 49 Prophet sensors and controls that will supply mission-critical capabilities.     The total...

[Satellite Today 11-26-08] Goodrich Corp. received a contract from the U.S. Department of Defense to produce the first operational satellite system in support of Operationally Responsive Space (ORS), the company announced Nov. 26.     The satellite, ORS Sat-1, is to be manufactured and integrated by Goodrich’s ISR systems team in Danbury, Conn.     ORS is...

[Satellite Today 11-25-08] Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. has finished the instrument critical design review for the Operational Land Imager instrument for the Landsat Data Continuity Mission, the company announced Nov. 25.     The instrument is designed to capture 15-meter black-and-white and 30-meter images of Earth. The 185-kilometer swath will allow the entire globe to...

Even if President-elect Obama is unenthusiastic about deploying the European Missile Defense (EMD) system as a shield against Iranian missiles, Obama now must stand firm in favor of building the EMD system or face bullying for the rest of his term as president, an analyst warned. If Obama drops plans to build the EMD system,...

Updated — November 24, 2008 – 2 p.m. EST Legend: + Targeted For | *No Earlier Than (Tentative) | **To Be Determined 2008 Launches Date:Nov. 14 Mission: STS-126 Launch Vehicle: Space Shuttle Endeavour Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center – Launch Pad 39A Launch Time: 7:55 p.m. EST Landing Date: Nov. 30 Landing Site: Kennedy Space...