June 2008 Space News

LOCKHEED MARTIN BEGINS CRITICAL TEST PHASE FOR FIRST ADVANCED EHF MILITARY COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITE Lockheed Martin 30 Jun 2008 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] announced today that the first Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) military communications satellite is now undergoing thermal vacuum testing at the company's Sunnyvale, Calif. facilities.
Russian space probe may save Earth from asteroid RIA Novosti 27 Jun 2008 -- Russian experts have said a space mission should be sent in 2012 to the Apophis asteroid to establish whether it will collide with Earth, adding that the Russian Phobos-Grunt spacecraft could be used for that purpose.
Russian-U.S. launch firm to put satellite in orbit in August RIA Novosti 27 Jun 2008 -- The Russian-American joint venture International Launch Services (ILS) has started preparations for the first launch of a Proton-M rocket since one partially failed in March, the Khrunichev State Research and Production Center said Friday.
Russia successfully launches rocket with military satellite RIA Novosti 27 Jun 2008 -- A Proton-K/DM-2 heavy carrier rocket with a Cosmos-series military satellite has been successfully launched from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan on Friday, a Defense Ministry spokesman said.
Terminal High Altitude Area Defense Radar Successful in Missile Defense Test at Pacific Range Raytheon 26 Jun 2008 -- The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) radar built by Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) performed successfully in the latest integrated flight test conducted by the Missile Defense Agency and THAAD prime contractor, Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), at the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Hawaii June 25.
Scientists Find First Physical Evidence Mars Could Support Life VOA 26 Jun 2008 -- Scientists say an analysis of a soil sample by the Mars Lander Phoenix shows that Mars could support life
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Propulsion System Successfully Powers and Positions Missile Defense Interceptor to Destroy Ballistic Missile Target Pratt & Whitney 26 Jun 2008 -- Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company, proved its ability to help defend the nation by successfully powering and positioning a missile defense interceptor to destroy an incoming ballistic missile target
Lockheed Martin’s THAAD Weapon System Achieves First Successful Intercept of a Separating Target Lockhed Martin 26 Jun 2008 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) conducted a successful test of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Weapon System at the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) on Kauai, HI
Successful Missile Defense Intercept Test Takes Place off Hawaii Missile Defense Agency 25 Jun 2008 -- Lieutenant General Henry “Trey” Obering, Missile Defense Agency director, announced today the completion of a successful “hit to kill” intercept in partnership with the U.S. Army for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense test element at the Pacific Missile Range Facility off the island of Kauai in Hawaii
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Wins $2.2 Million Contract Option for Solar Thermal Propulsion Rocket Engine Pratt & Whitney 25 Jun 2008 -- The United States Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne a $2.2 million contract for the fabrication and ground test of a Solar Thermal Propulsion rocket engine
Russia 'does not rule out' U.S.-Lithuania missile defense talks RIA Novosti 25 Jun 2008 -- Russia does not rule out the possibility that the U.S. and Lithuania are holding informal talks over the deployment in the former Soviet state of elements of a U.S. missile defense system, Russia's foreign minister said on Wednesday.
Boeing's Newest Satellite for Thuraya Ready to Expand Mobile Coverage in Asia Boeing 24 Jun 2008 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today announced the on-orbit handover of the Thuraya-3 Geo-Mobile satellite, which will extend Thuraya's coverage to 170 countries in Europe, Africa and Asia. Thuraya-3 is the third Boeing-built 702 Geo-Mobile satellite for Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications, a leading multiregional mobile satellite operator
Northrop Grumman Completes LCROSS Thermal Vacuum Testing; Mission to Seek Water Ice At a Lunar Pole Northrop Grumman 24 Jun 2008 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) successfully completed one of the most critical spacecraft environmental tests on NASA's Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) two months ahead of schedule
Raytheon Participates in Key Satellite Payload Trade Study Raytheon 24 Jun 2008 -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has successfully completed a key satellite payload trade study with Northrop Grumman, the prime contractor for the Space Tracking and Surveillance System.
Missile Defense Agency Successfully Completes Third Integrated Ground Test Event Missile Defense Agency 23 Jun 2008 -- Air Force Lt Gen Henry “Trey” Obering, Missile Defense Agency Director, announced today the successful execution of Integrated Ground Test (GTI)-03, an important evaluation of hardware, software, and communication interfaces of the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) against a variety of simulated ballistic missile threats
ATK Conducts First of a Series of Tests for the Ares I-X First Stage Separation System ATK 23 Jun 2008 -- Alliant Techsystems (NYSE: ATK) recently conducted a successful full-scale severance test of an Ares I-X first stage
U.S. AIR FORCE/LOCKHEED MARTIN SBIRS TEAM COMPLETES ON-ORBIT CHECKOUT OF SECOND HEO PAYLOAD Lockheed Martin 23 Jun 2008 -- A joint U.S. Air Force/Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] team announced today that it has successfully completed on-orbit checkout of the second Highly Elliptical Orbit (HEO-2) payload in the Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) constellation.
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Engine Launches New Ocean-Mapping Satellite into Orbit Pratt & Whitney 20 Jun 2008 -- & Whitney Rocketdyne helped scientists better understand global warming and hurricane prediction by successfully boosting the 1,100-pound Jason 2 satellite into orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base today. Jason 2 is onboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket powered by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne’s RS-27A engine
Scientists Say Mars Lander Photos Show Ice VOA 20 Jun 2008 -- Scientists say new photographs from NASA's Mars lander show the robotic probe has dug up pieces of ice on the planet's surface
Second SBIRS payload completes early on-orbit checkout AFPN 20 Jun 2008 -- Air Force officials have successfully completed the early on-orbit checkout of the second Space Based Infrared Systems sensor operating in a highly-elliptical orbit over the northern hemisphere
Vandenberg Airmen launch Delta II rocket AFPN 20 Jun 2008 -- Vandenberg Air Force Base officials successfully launched a Delta II rocket from Space Launch Complex-2 at 12:46 a.m. June 20 here.
ATK Propulsion and Composite Technologies Key to Successful Delta II Launch ATK 20 Jun 2008 -- Alliant Techsystems (NYSE: ATK) played a key role in the successful launch of United Launch Alliance's Delta II rocket today from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
Russia says missile defense talks with U.S. stalled RIA Novosti 20 Jun 2008 -- Russia's foreign minister said on Friday that talks with the United States over its missile shield plans for Central Europe have stalled.
US Space Agency Believes It May Have Found Ice on Mars VOA 20 Jun 2008 -- White material, possibly ice, is located only at the upper portion of the trench, indicating that it is not continuous throughout the excavated site.
AF nominates 114 officers for astronaut training AFPN 19 Jun 2008 -- The Air Force Astronaut Nomination Board has forwarded 114 nominations to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for consideration in the pilot and mission specialist categories.
Russia's space agency backs U.S. asteroid control plan RIA Novosti 19 Jun 2008 -- Russia's Federal Space Agency has endorsed a proposal by the U.S. House of Representatives that a Russian radar station be used to detect dangerous asteroids, Roscosmos head said on Thursday.
Russian, European specialists raise space station's orbit RIA Novosti 19 Jun 2008 -- Russian and European specialists have raised the orbit of the International Space Station (ISS) using the engines of Europe's first space freighter Jules Verne, Russia's mission control said on Thursday.
Russia's Cosmos 3M rocket blasts off with six U.S. satellites RIA Novosti 19 Jun 2008 -- Russia has successfully launched a Cosmos 3M rocket with six U.S. satellites onboard from a space center in southern Russia, a spokesman for the Russian Strategic Missile Forces said on Thursday.
U.S. 'plans to neutralize Russian nuclear weapons by 2012-2015' RIA Novosti 18 Jun 2008 -- The U.S.-proposed European missile shield will eventually spread along Russia's borders and may neutralize Russia's nuclear potential by 2012-2015, a Russian political analyst said on Wednesday.
U.S., Lithuania deny holding formal missile shield talks RIA Novosti 18 Jun 2008 -- The United States and Lithuania denied reports they were formally discussing deploying elements of the U.S. missile shield in the ex-Soviet Baltic state if talks with Poland failed.
Russia to launch six U.S. communication satellites into orbit RIA Novosti 18 Jun 2008 -- A Russian carrier rocket will orbit on Thursday six U.S. commercial satellites, Russia's Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) said on Wednesday.
Lithuania Would Consider Hosting US Missile Shield if Asked VOA 18 Jun 2008 -- Lithuania's defense minister says his country would consider hosting parts of a U.S. missile defense system if asked, but says no talks on the subject are underway.
Raytheon Greatly Expands Available Bandwidth to the Military Raytheon 17 Jun 2008 -- The Global Broadcast Service Satellite Broadcast Manager facility in Wahiawa, Hawaii, recently began operational broadcasts over the U.S. Air Force's new Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) satellite.
AF engineers create thermal control system for space use AFPN 17 Jun 2008 -- Air Force Research Laboratory engineers here have successfully integrated two existing technologies to create a thermal emission management system suitable for space use.
BAE SYSTEMS COMPUTERS TO MANAGE DATA PROCESSING AND COMMAND FOR UPCOMING SATELLITE MISSIONS BAE Systems 17 Jun 2008 -- BAE Systems' new single-board computers will manage the data processing and command-and-control functions of more than a dozen satellites to be launched over the next 18 months
BAE SYSTEMS INTRODUCES NEW MEMORY PRODUCTS FOR SATELLITES BAE Systems 17 Jun 2008 -- A new generation of radiation hardened microchips, four times more powerful than those they will replace, is set to boost the data processing and storage capability of satellite systems, including those used in anti-terrorist activities.
Russia starts equipment delivery for Kourou space center July 10 RIA Novosti 16 Jun 2008 -- A Russian rocket and space company has started preparing the equipment to be sent to the Kourou launch site in French Guiana, a spokesman for the Samara-based TsSKB Progress said on Monday.
Space Shuttle Discovery Returns to Earth VOA 14 Jun 2008 -- The U.S. space shuttle Discovery and its seven-member crew returned to earth Saturday after a successful two-week mission to the International Space Station.
Successful Missile Defense Dual-Target Tracking Exercise Completed Missile Defense Agency 13 Jun 2008 -- Air Force Lieutenant General Henry "Trey" Obering III, Missile Defense Agency (MDA) director, announced the successful completion of a tracking exercise conducted by MDA and the U.S. Navy today off the coast of Kauai, Hawaii by the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) system aboard the USS Lake Erie (CG 70).
Ulysses – longest serving spacecraft goes into retirement EADS 12 Jun 2008 -- For over 17 years, the European spacecraft Ulysses explored the Sun and its influence on the Earth
US Space Agency Plans Solar Probe VOA 12 Jun 2008 -- The U.S. space agency is planning to send a probe to the sun to gather data and shed light on basic questions about how the star operates and its effects on Earth.
China plans third manned spaceflight in October RIA Novosti 12 Jun 2008 -- China plans to launch its third manned space flight in October, the Xinhua news agency said on Thursday.
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Engine Launches Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope into Space Pratt & Whitney 11 Jun 2008 -- Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne’s engine helped open a new window on the universe today by successfully launching a Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) into space from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket powered by the RS-27A engine
ATK Propulsion, Composite and Space Technologies Support Successful Launch of GLAST Satellite ATK 11 Jun 2008 -- Alliant Techsystems (NYSE: ATK) propulsion and composite technologies supported the successful launch of the United Launch Alliance's Delta II Heavy rocket carrying NASA's GLAST (Gamma-ray Large Space Telescope) spacecraft with a mission to explore the most extreme environments in the Universe.
NASA's General Dynamics-Built GLAST Satellite Launched Today General Dynamics 11 Jun 2008 -- The Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) observatory, designed and built by General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, was successfully launched today from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
NASA Launches Space Telescope VOA 11 Jun 2008 -- The U.S. space agency NASA Wednesday launched into space a new telescope to explore high-energy cosmic events in distant galaxies.
Air Force launches NASA gamma ray study AFPN 11 Jun 2008 -- The Air Force successfully launched a United Launch Alliance Delta II booster carrying NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, satellite into space at 12:05 p.m. June 11 from the Space Launch Complex here.
Lockheed Martin Completes Major Hardware Integration Milestone On Second Advanced EHF Satellite Lockheed Martin 11 Jun 2008 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] announced today that it has successfully mated the spacecraft core structure and the payload module for the second Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) military communications satellite.
Shuttle Discovery undocks from International Space Station RIA Novosti 11 Jun 2008 -- The U.S. Discovery space shuttle has successfully undocked from the International Space Station, a NASA official said on Wednesday.
NATO Meeting to Focus on Afghanistan, Missile Defense VOA 10 Jun 2008 -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates is attending a NATO defense ministers meeting Thursday and Friday in Brussels to discuss the military forces in Afghanistan and other issues affecting the alliance
ATK Launch Systems and Space Systems Joining to Prepare for Future Growth in Space-Based Markets ATK 10 Jun 2008 -- Alliant Techsystems (NYSE: ATK) announced today that its Launch Systems and Space Systems groups are combining into a single business unit to prepare for future growth in space-related markets, next-generation missile defense, and prompt global strike missions
India to set up space cell to counter threats to space-based assets IRNA 10 Jun 2008 -- Defense Minister A K Antony Tuesday said while addressing the Unified Commanders' Conference in New Delhi that India will soon set up an Integrated Space Cell to counter growing threats to the country's space-based assets.
L-3 to Support NASA Astronaut Training L-3 Communications 10 Jun 2008 -- L-3 Communications (NYSE: LLL) announced that it was awarded a five-year, $49 million cost plus fixed fee contract by NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC) to provide space systems domain expertise to enhance space training for NASA engineers and astronauts
Poland reiterates U.S. missile defense 'no threat to Russia' RIA Novosti 10 Jun 2008 -- Poland is holding discussions with Russia over the possible construction of U.S. missile defense facilities on its territory so that Moscow can be confident they pose no threat to Russian national security, the Polish ambassador to Azerbaijan said on Tuesday.
Shuttle Astronauts Finish Work on Space Station VOA 10 Jun 2008 -- Astronauts from the U.S. space shuttle Discovery have finished their final jobs on the International Space Station, and held a news conference from space
U.S. astronauts complete final spacewalk RIA Novosti 09 Jun 2008 -- NASA astronauts Mike Fossum and Ron Garan have completed their third and final spacewalk, a mission control spokesman said on Monday.
Spacewalking Astronauts Make Repairs to Space Station VOA 08 Jun 2008 -- Two space shuttle astronauts are on a spacewalk to make external repairs on the International Space Station.
Russia's Glonass satellite system to be fully operational in 2010 RIA Novosti 07 Jun 2008 -- Russia's Glonass satellite system is expected to become fully operational in 2010, if it receives sufficient financing, the head of the Russian Space Agency (Roscosmos) said on Saturday.
Successful Sea-Based Missile Defense Intercept Navy NewsStand 06 Jun 2008 -- Air Force Lt. Gen. Henry "Trey" Obering III, Missile Defense Agency (MDA) director, announced the successful completion of the latest flight test of the sea-based Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) element, conducted jointly with the U.S. Navy off the coast of Kauai, Hawaii.
Lake Erie Conducts Successful BMD Tracking Mission Navy NewsStand 06 Jun 2008 -- Returning from a three-week port visit to San Diego, the Pearl Harbor-based guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70) participated in the first Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) mission on June 5, since the famous "satellite shot" in February 2008.
Successful Sea-Based Missile Defense Intercept Missile Defense Agency 05 Jun 2008 -- Air Force Lieutenant General Henry "Trey" Obering III, Missile Defense Agency (MDA) director, announced the successful completion of the latest flight test of the sea-based Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) element, conducted jointly with the U.S. Navy off the coast of Kauai, Hawaii
Lockheed Martin Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Weapon System Destroys Ballistic Missile In Terminal Phase Lockheed Martin 05 Jun 2008 -- Lockheed Martin's [NYSE: LMT] Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Weapon System successfully detected, tracked and intercepted a short- range unitary ballistic missile target in the terminal phase of its trajectory during a test today at the Pacific Missile Range off the coast of Hawaii.
Raytheon Standard Missile-2 Intercept Demonstrates Near-Term, Sea-Based Terminal Capability Raytheon 05 Jun 2008 -- Two Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN)-built Standard Missile-2 Block IV missiles successfully intercepted and destroyed a short-range ballistic missile target above the Pacific Ocean June 5.
Raytheon-Led Team Successfully Fires Enhanced Patriot Missile Raytheon 04 Jun 2008 -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN), system integrator of the Patriot Air Defense System, successfully led a team in the launch of the Patriot's newest interceptor, the Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) version of the PAC-3 missile, during a recent test at White Sands Missile Range, N.M.
Space: Tourism May Hold Key To Making 'Space Faring' A Reality RFE/RL 04 Jun 2008 -- More than 1,000 men and women from around the planet gathered in Washington, D.C., recently to explore the idea that the future of the human race is not confined to this world alone.
Poland against permanent presence of Russian experts at U.S. base RIA Novosti 04 Jun 2008 -- Poland would agree only to regular inspections by Russian military experts at a planned U.S. anti-missile base in the north of the country, but not to their permanent presence, the Polish Foreign Ministry has said.
Boeing Fires New Thin-Disk Laser, Achieving Solid-State Laser Milestone Boeing 03 Jun 2008 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] fired its new thin-disk laser system repeatedly in recent tests, achieving the highest known simultaneous power, beam quality and run time for any solid-state laser to date.
Boeing Awards Ares I Rocket Subcontracts to 3 Small Businesses Boeing 03 Jun 2008 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has awarded subcontracts to three small businesses under its NASA Ares I avionics contract.
LOCKHEED MARTIN AND NASA AMES TEAM SELECTED TO DESIGN NEW SOLAR MISSION Lockheed Martin 03 Jun 2008 -- The Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, the NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, and a national and international team of co-investigators have been selected by NASA to undertake a $750 thousand six-month study to design a new NASA Small Explorer Mission called the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS).
Astronauts Install Japanese Lab on Space Station VOA 03 Jun 2008 -- Astronauts at the International Space Station have attached a $1 billion Japanese laboratory to the orbiting outpost
Northrop Grumman Awarded Contract to Modify CERES Sensor for NPOESS Preparatory Mission to Extend Climate Measurements Northrop Grumman 03 Jun 2008 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) was awarded a contract by NASA Langley Research Center to make modifications to a sensor that helps determine the influence of clouds on the Earth's temperature
U.S., Russia to announce deal on launch services by end of week RIA Novosti 03 Jun 2008 -- Russia and the United States will announce a preliminary deal on Russian transport services to the International Space Station for the U.S. by the end of the week, NASA said.
Discovery crew docks with ISS to deliver Japanese lab RIA Novosti 03 Jun 2008 -- The U.S. Discovery space shuttle docked with the International Space Station on Monday afternoon, delivering a bus-sized Japanese research lab that will be linked to the orbital station on Tuesday.
Astronauts Prepare to Install Japanese Lab on Space Station VOA 03 Jun 2008 -- Astronauts on the U.S. space shuttle Discovery are making preparations for Tuesday's spacewalk to attach a new laboratory to the International Space Station.
ATK Supports 35th Flight of NASA's Space Shuttle Discovery ATK 02 Jun 2008 -- Alliant Techsystems (NYSE: ATK) supported the successful launch of NASA's Space Shuttle Discovery today.
Boeing Provides 1,600 Components Successfully Launched on Discovery Boeing 02 Jun 2008 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] provided more than 1,600 of the components in the payload that Space Shuttle Discovery is delivering to the International Space Station (ISS).
Shuttle Discovery carries out safety checks RIA Novosti 02 Jun 2008 -- The Discovery crew have carried out a partial-wing inspection of the space shuttle to check for launch damage prior to docking with the International Space Station, a NASA spokesperson said.
Shuttle Discovery lifts off for space station RIA Novosti01 Jun 2008 -- Space shuttle Discovery has blasted off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida to the International Space Station, NASA said.