February 2001 Space News

ATK Boosters Launch Next-Generation Military Communications Satellite Aboard Titan IV B Rocket ATK 28 Feb 2001 -- ATK (NYSE: ATK) (Alliant Techsystems), said two solid propulsion boosters designed and manufactured by ATK Aerospace Propulsion Company, Magna, Utah, helped launch a Milstar II military communications satellite into orbit for the U.S. Air Force aboard a Lockheed Martin Titan IV B rocket on Feb. 27.
EUTELSAT LOOKS ACROSS THE ATLANTIC TO AWARD SPACECRAFT CONTRACT TO BOEING SATELLITE SYSTEMS Boeing 28 Feb 2001 -- EUTELSAT, the 48-member European Satellite Telecommunications Organization, today signed a contract for a broadband communications satellite from Boeing Satellite Systems, Inc. (BSS).
ORBITAL AWARDED $5 MILLION SUBORBITAL ROCKET CONTRACT BY U.S. AIR FORCE Orbital Sciences Corp. 28 Feb 2001 -- Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB) announced today that the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center has awarded the company a $5 million contract for the Quick Reaction Launch Vehicle-2 (QRLV-2) program.
Lockheed Martin's Titan IV successfully launches next-generation military communications satellite for the U.S. Air Force Lockheed Martin 27 Feb 2001 -- A Titan IV B rocket roared into space today at 4:20 p.m. EST carrying a Milstar II military communications satellite into orbit for the U.S. Air Force. The launch vehicle and satellite were built by Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company at its operations in Denver, Colo., and Sunnyvale, Calif.
ORBITAL SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHES SUBORBITAL ROCKET FOR U.S. ARMY'S THEATER MISSILE DEFENSE PROGRAM Orbital Sciences Corp. 27 Feb 2001 -- Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB) announced today that it successfully launched a suborbital rocket that collected optical and radar data for the U.S. Army's Theater Missile Defense (TMD) Critical Measurements Program (TCMP).
BOEING MDR PAYLOAD ADDS NEW CAPABILITIES TO U.S. AIR FORCE MILSTAR II SATELLITE Boeing 24 Feb 2001 -- A U.S. Air Force Milstar II satellite equipped with a powerful medium-data-rate (MDR) communications payload supplied by Boeing Satellite Systems, Inc. (BSS), will launch on Feb. 24 from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Fla. The four-hour launch window opens at 11:09 a.m. PST, (2:09 p.m. EST and 7:09 p.m. GMT)
U.S.-Russia Friction Noted; Moscow As Nexus Of Missile Defense Debate, Office of Research, Foreign Media Reaction, 22 February 2001 -- "Russia was the nexus of foreign press coverage on missile defense this past week, prompted in part by Moscow's presenting its version of an "anti-missile shield" to NATO Secretary General Robertson during his recent visit to Moscow. Viewed as a "counterproposal" to U.S. Missile Defense (MD) plans, the Kremlin scheme was viewed by many--including some Russian papers--as an ill-fated effort to "create a rift" in the Atlantic Alliance by capitalizing on anti-U.S. missile defense sentiment in Europe."
ATK Delivers First Flight Composite Structure for Lockheed Martin Atlas V Launch Vehicle ATK 22 Feb 2001 -- ATK (NYSE: ATK) (Alliant Techsystems) said ATK Aerospace Composite Structures Company, Clearfield, Utah, has delivered the first flight composite structure for the Atlas V family of space launch vehicles to Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Denver, Colo.
BAE SYSTEMS To Supply Upper-Stage Remote Control For Atlas V Launch Vehicle BAE Systems 22 Feb 2001 -- BAE Systems Controls has been selected to develop and produce Upper-Stage Remote Control Units for the Lockheed Martin Atlas V launch vehicle.
Lockheed Martin Production Award Will Deliver Expanded Missile Defense Capability for the U.S. Navy's Area Defense Against Tactical Ballistic Missiles Lockheed Martin 16 Feb 2001 -- Lockheed Martin Naval Electronics & Surveillance Systems (NE&SS)-Surface Systems announced today that it received $182.5 million as part of a multi-year contract from the U.S. Navy for the production of three Aegis Weapon Systems. The three Baseline 7 Phase 1 Aegis Weapon Systems incorporate the latest technology that enables Arleigh Burke-class destroyers to intercept and destroy incoming ballistic missiles.
General Dynamics Opens SpacePlex General Dynamics 15 Feb 2001 -- General Dynamics Worldwide Telecommunication Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), today launched SpacePlexSM, a new, custom-designed facility that provides satellite command and control services, network operations and ground-station support for up to 100 satellites.
ORBITAL-BUILT AIR MONITORING EQUIPMENT ACTIVATED ABOARD INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION Orbital Sciences Corp. 13 Feb 2001 -- Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB) announced today that critical equipment built by the company's Sensor Systems division was successfully activated aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
New radar opens at Clear Air Force Station AFPN 15 Feb 2002 -- A mechanical radar that had been in place for nearly 40 years here was deactivated Feb. 1, and replaced with a new phased-array radar
NMD: Tensions Rise As Diplomatic Gamesmanship Moves Into High Gear, Office of Research, Foreign Media Reaction, 9 February 2001 -- "Defense Secretary Rumsfeld's reaffirmation, at a Munich security conference last weekend, of U.S. plans to proceed with missile defense prompted a fresh round of mostly critical foreign commentary on NMD."
ATK Solid Propulsion Motors Help Launch Air Force Navigational Satellite Aboard Boeing Delta II Rocket ATK 09 Feb 2001 -- ATK (Alliant Techsystems, NYSE: ATK) said nine of its solid propulsion rocket motors helped successfully launch a Global Positioning System (GPS) navigational satellite into orbit from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. on Jan. 30.
Qualification Testing on X-33 Flight Engines Begin Boeing 07 Feb 2001 -- Qualification test firings of the unique engines designed by Boeing to propel America's X-33 space plane into high-speed, suborbital flight in 2003 began yesterday at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center.
Boeing Delta II Selected to Place NOAA-N Satellite into Polar Orbit Boeing 07 Feb 2001 -- Boeing [NYSE:BA] officials announced that NASA has exercised a launch service contract option for a Delta II rocket to launch a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Earth-observing satellite in early 2003.
ORBITAL'S BSAT-2a GEOSTATIONARY SATELLITE ARRIVES AT LAUNCH SITE IN KOUROU, FRENCH GUIANA Orbital Sciences Corp. 07 Feb 2001 -- Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB) announced today that BSAT-2a, the first of three geostationary (GEO) satellites that the company plans to deliver to customers in 2001, has arrived at its launch site in Kourou, French Guiana.
ORBITAL WINS U.S. ARMY CONTRACT FOR LIQUID FUEL BOOSTER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM Orbital Sciences Corp. 05 Feb 2001 -- Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB) announced today it recently was awarded a $700,000 study contract by the United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command (USASMDC) for Phase I of the Liquid Booster Development Program.
NMD Again 'Hogging Headlines' As World 'Faces Up to U.S. Missile Plan'', Office of Research, Foreign Media Reaction, February 2, 2001 -- "President Bush's electoral victory stirred renewed controversy in overseas media over U.S. national missile defense (NMD) plans. Indeed, foreign media seized on the Bush team's advocacy of NMD as the most telling and worrisome example of a trend toward U.S. "unilateralism.""

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