Government/Military

Boeing Co. received a $299.8 million contract from the U.S. Air Force for production of the fourth Wideband Gapfiller Satellite (WGS), Boeing announced Nov. 9. The award is the first option exercised under the $1.1 billion WGS Block 2 contract finalized in October. The spacecraft, dubbed WGS-4, will be similar to the three Block 1...

ATK will become the lead contractor for Rocketplane Kistler’s K-1 launch vehicle, the companies announced Nov. 8. ATK will provide vehicle development, assembly, integration and test of the launch system as well as conduct launch and landing-site development and launch-vehicle preparation. ATK also will develop and produce composite structures and subsystems for the pressurized and...

Microsat Systems Inc. announced Nov. 8 the completion of spacecraft system testing and the delivery of the responsive satellite bus, Tacsat-2, scheduled for a Dec. 11 launch. The micro satellite features 11 onboard experiments to be conducted during the spacecraft’s planned six- to 12-month mission, including high-resolution visible imagery, direct theater payload tasking and high-speed...

Research and Markets announced the release of its "State of the Space Industry 2005" report on Nov. 7. Designed to provide industry, government, and financiers with an independent assessment of the trends and issues affecting the industry, "State of the Space Industry 2005" offers quantitative and qualitative analysis and commentary on developments in the space...

Raytheon Co. announced having reached two technological milestones: Its Navy Multiband Terminal (NMT) is the first advanced, next-generation satellite communications (satcom) system to successfully log onto and communicate with the U.S. government’s Milstar Satcom system using low and medium data rate waveforms, the company reported Nov. 7. The system will provide naval commanders and sailors...

A Boeing Delta 4 rocket placed a Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellite into orbit for the U.S. Air Force, Boeing announced Nov. 4. The launch of DMSP-17 from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., was the second West Coast mission for the U.S. Air Force Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program.

Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. signed a contract with the National Space Research and Development Agency of Nigeria for a small Earth observation satellite, Surrey Satellite announced Nov. 6. Nigeriasat-2 will be based upon a new generation of small satellite technology and will become part of the Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC), Surrey Satellite said. Nigeria already...

The U.S. Air Force awarded Boeing a $299.9 million contract change to further the Wideband Gapfiller Satellite (WGS) program. This funding exercises an option for production of WGS Space Vehicle 4, work that is to be completed by March 2011.

Northrop Grumman Corp. and Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) filed complaints with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission over pending approval of the United Launch Alliance (ULA). The joint venture, which received preliminary approval in October, would combine the government launch vehicle operations of Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp. SpaceX, which would be a competitor...

ViaSat Inc. posted record revenues of $131.5 million in its 2007 second quarter, up from revenues of $104.1 million in the same period a year ago, the company announced Nov. 2. ViaSat’s profits improved from $6 million to $6.5 million over the same period. The government segment had revenues of $70 million in the 2007...