Launch

The mission critical design review (M-CDR) of NASA‘s Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) space-based astrophysics observatory was recently completed at Ball Aerospace‘s Boulder, Colorado, facility. The IXPE mission is led by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, with support from Ball Aerospace, the Italian Space Agency (ASI), Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at University of Colorado Boulder, and...

Spaceflight will provide mission management and rideshare integration services on an upcoming launch from the International Space Station (ISS) and Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus launch vehicle. Spaceflight bought the capacity through an arrangement with Hypergiant SEOPS for a variety of customer spacecraft,. In a unique arrangement, the spacecraft will be arriving at the ISS through an...

Lockheed Martin revealed that its second, next-generation GPS III satellite is ready for its planned July 25 launch. On June 26, Lockheed Martin Space and United Launch Alliance (ULA) technicians completed encapsulating GPS III Space Vehicle 02 (GPS III SV02) in its launch fairings at the company’s Astrotech Space Operations facility, where the satellite has undergone...

Amazon is seeking government permission to launch 3,236 broadband satellites that would cover nearly all of the United States and much of the rest of the world. Amazon subsidiary Kuiper Systems filed its application with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Thursday last week, saying it intends to cover all of the US except most...

Northrop Grumman was awarded an $82 million contract by the U.S. Air Force to facilitate military satellite communications in the Earth’s north polar region through its Enhanced Polar System Recapitalization (EPS-R) Control and Planning Segment (CAPS) program. Northrop Grumman is the provider for all three major components of the EPS-R CAPS program. The U.S. Air...

Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (Kominfo) selected a consortium led by the domestic satellite operator Pasifik Satelit Nusantara (PSN) to deploy and operate a broadband telecommunication satellite. This consortium has awarded Thales Alenia Space to design and manufacture the satellite named SATRIA. Acting as prime contractor, Thales Alenia Space will deliver the Very High...

Maxar Technologies is teaming with the West Virginia Robotic Technology Center (WVRTC) in its proposal to build and fly Dragonfly, a robotic in-space assembly system. According to the release, the aim of Dragonfly is so that large structures such as space-based telescopes, satellites, and spacecraft will no longer be confined by the volume limitations of...

Hughes Network Systems‘ Jupiter System was chosen as the ground network platform for a new satellite over Indonesia. The contract for construction and operation of the 150 Gigabits Per Second (Gbps) “Multifunctional Satellite” has been awarded by the Government of Indonesia, through its Ministry of Communication and Informatics, to the PSN Consortium led by PT...

Starlink satellites were launched in a large stack on a Falcon 9 rocket. Photo: SpaceX/Forbes says that three of its 60 controversial Starlink satellites have failed in orbit, as the company moves towards the first broadcasting test of its ambitious space internet constellation. In a statement, the U.S.-based company revealed that 57 of its Starlink...

Three months ago, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a surprise announcement that India successfully took down a redundant satellite with an Anti-Satellite (ASAT) missile from Earth. A new report states that the mission has left behind hazardous debris that pose a threat to other space missions. Dubbed Mission Shakti, this was a stealth mission...