Government/Military

[Satellite Today – 2-27-08] Raytheon Co. has completed the first phase of a major communications upgrade for Antarctica, a significant milestone for the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS), Raytheon announced Feb. 27.     The upgrade of the off-continent satellite communications link at McMurdo Station more than triples the bandwidth available for scientific research,...

[Satellite Today – 2-27-08] Orbital Sciences Corp. has been selected by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop a Phase 1 concept for System F6, Orbital announced Feb. 27.     System F6 – Future Fast, Flexible, Fractionated, Free-Flying Spacecraft united by Information eXchange – will demonstrate the feasibility and benefits of a satellite...

[Satellite Today – 2-22-08] Northrop Grumman and NASA‘s Goddard Space Flight Center signed an agreement to collaborate on the development of advanced civil radar system architectures that can be leveraged into new space-based remote sensing instruments, Northrop Grumman announced Feb. 21.     Goddard plans to leverage Northrop Grumman’s radar technology — including space-qualified electronically scanned...

[Satellite Today – 2-21-08] Raytheon Co. has put together a team to bid on the next-generation Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite R (GOES-R) series ground segment, Raytheon announced Feb. 21.     GOES satellites provides short-term advance weather warnings. The program is managed by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which establishes requirements, provides funding and...

[Satellite Today – 2-20-08] The Skynet 5B U.K. military space satellite has begun operations a month early, the U.K. Ministry of Defence announced Feb. 19.     Skynet 5B provides increased capability for secure voice and data traffic and is the second of three satellites that will form a new constellation for military communications. Skynet 5A...

[Satellite Today – 2-20-08] Globalstar Inc. signed an agreement to provide customers of Atmospheric Systems Corp. (ASC) with data, Globalstar announced Feb. 20.     Under  the agreement, ASC will integrate the Globalstar GSP-1620 satellite data modem as part of ASC’s Doppler Sodar (Sonic Detection And Ranging) product line, which are designed to monitor and collect...

[Satellite Today – 2-19-08] Boeing Co. signed an associate contractor’s agreement with five companies to work on the Ares 1 upper stage, Boeing announced Feb. 15.     The agreement was formed with companies that have contracts for Area 1 work with NASA‘s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. Participating companies include Aerojet, Hamilton Sundstrand,...

[Satellite Today – 2-19-08] The European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (Eumesat) signed a contract with T-Systems Business Services to secure the availability of EumetCast services for Europe until 2014, the organization announced Feb. 19.     Under the 12.8 million euro ($18.8 million) contract, Media Broadcast, in partnership with T-Systems, will continue to...

[Satellite Today – 2-19-08] NASA and Orbital Sciences Corp. signed a Space Act Agreement for the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) project, Orbital announced Feb. 19.     Under the $170 million contract, Orbital Sciences will develop and demonstrate commercial orbital transportation services that could be used to launch and deliver crew and cargo to the...

[Satellite Today – 2-18-08] Ariane 5’s largest payload ever, the Automated Transfer Vehicle, has been integrated on the launch vehicle, Arianespace announced Feb. 18.     The spacecraft, which has a liftoff mass of more than 19 metric tons, is scheduled to be launched March 8 to deliver propellant, oxygen, equipment, systems, food and water for...