March 2006 Space News

Venus Within ESA Probe Reach ESA 31 Mar 2006 -- ESA's Venus Express spacecraft will finally arrive on 11 April at its destination: Planet Venus.
Lockheed Martin / Northrop Grumman Team Achieves Critical Test Milestone for High-Data-Rate Laser Communications System Northrop Grumman 31 Mar 2006 -- With the successful completion of a preliminary compatibility test, the Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) / Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) Transformational Satellite Communications System (TSAT) space segment team has built and tested high-data-rate laser communications hardware that meets a newly defined U.S. government lasercom interoperability standard. Lasercom is a key technology to be used in the U.S. Air Force's TSAT program that will deliver vastly improved communications abilities to a wide variety of users.
Sea Launch Departs Home Port for JCSAT-9 Mission Boeing 30 Mar 2006 -- The Odyssey Launch Platform and the Sea Launch Commander departed Home Port in Long Beach, Calif., this week, in preparation for Sea Launch's second mission of the year. The Sea Launch team plans to launch the JCSAT-9 communications satellite on April 11, at the opening of a 34-minute launch window, at 4:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time (23:30 GMT).
New Space Station Crew Launches from Kazakhstan Washington File 30 Mar 2006 --Commander Pavel Vinogradov and NASA Science Officer Jeffrey Williams, the 13th International Space Station crew, launched March 29 aboard their Soyuz spacecraft to begin a six-month stay in space.
MPs concerned UK will station new US missile defence system IRNA 30 Mar 2006 -- Members of all three of Britain's main political parties have raised concern over reports that the US has chosen the UK as a prime candidate to host missiles for the new US missile defence system.
LOCKHEED MARTIN AWARDED CONTRACT TO DESIGN THE MARS SCIENCE LAB AEROSHELL Lockheed Martin 29 Mar 2006 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has been awarded a preliminary design and concept study start-up contract by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) aeroshell system. Lockheed Martin and NASA will soon enter negotiations to finalize the value of the contract.
Raytheon 'VIIRS' Space-Based Weather Sensor Engineering Development Unit Completes Key Tests -- On Track for Summer 2006 Completion Raytheon 29 Mar 2006 -- Raytheon Company successfully completed three key testing milestones on an advanced sensor engineering development unit (EDU) for the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS).
International Space Station Status Report NASA 29 Mar 2006 -- The 13th crew of the International Space Station roared away today from Kazakhstan into orbit atop a Russian Soyuz rocket.
Cassini Finds "Missing Link" Moonlet Evidence in Saturn's Rings NASA 29 Mar 2006 -- Scientists with NASA's Cassini mission have found evidence that a new class of small moonlets resides within Saturn's rings.
US/Russian/Brazilian Crew Head to Space Station VOA 29 Mar 2006 -- A new crew is on its way to the International Space Station in a Russian Soyuz spaceship
Space mission supports Operation Iraqi Freedom AFPN 29 Mar 2006 -- An Army ground patrol in Iraq is ambushed. Pinned down by sniper fire, the commander calls for air support with his satellite phone.
NASA Prepares for Space Exploration in Undersea Lab NASA 28 Mar 2006 -- NASA will send three astronauts and a Cincinnati doctor under the ocean next month to test space medicine concepts and moon-walking techniques.
Academy satellite lost after launch AFPN 28 Mar 2006 -- An Air Force Academy satellite was lost March 24 shortly after launch.
NASA Sees Solar Eclipse in a Different Light NASA 28 Mar 2006 -- NASA is offering the public a front row seat for the total solar eclipse on Wednesday, March 29 thanks to a partnership with the University of California at Berkeley and San Francisco's Exploratorium.
ATK and Boeing Form Team to Compete for New Israeli Short-Range Ballistic Missile Defense System ATK 27 Mar 2006 -- Alliant Techsystems (NYSE: ATK) and Boeing (NYSE: BA) have signed a teaming agreement to support the new Israeli Short-Range Ballistic Missile Defense (SRBMD) system, which Boeing is pursuing in partnership with Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI).
Boeing, ATK Team for Israeli Short Range Ballistic Missile Defense Competition Boeing 27 Mar 2006 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] announced today an exclusive agreement with Alliant Techsystems [NYSE: ATK] to support the new Israeli Short Range Ballistic Missile Defense (SRBMD) program, which Boeing is pursuing with partner Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI).
NASA Extends Crew Exploration Vehicle Contracts NASA 27 Mar 2006 -- NASA has authorized contract extensions for development of the agency's new Crew Exploration Vehicle.
NASA Reinstates the Dawn Mission NASA 27 Mar 2006 -- NASA senior management announced a decision Monday to reinstate the Dawn mission, a robotic exploration of two major asteroids.
Missile Defense Key Security Element, Says U.S. Official Washington File 27 Mar 2006 -- Missile Defense Key Security Element, Says U.S. Official
NASA Reinstates Mission to Orbit Two Biggest Asteroids in Solar System VOA 27 Mar 2006 -- The U.S. space agency NASA has reversed itself and reinstated a mission to send a spacecraft to orbit two asteroids later this decade
Mission Control Team Readies For Venus Arrival ESA 27 Mar 2006 -- Venus Express mission controllers at ESA's Space Operations Centre (ESOC) are in intensive preparation for an 11 April arrival at the spacecraft's namesake destination.
First Launch of Privately-Built Rocket Fails VOA 25 Mar 2006 -- The first launch of a privately operated rocket ended in failure Friday over the Pacific Ocean shortly after liftoff.
NASA's New Mars Orbiter Returns Test Images NASA 24 Mar 2006 -- The first test images of Mars from NASA's newest spacecraft provide a tantalizing preview of what the orbiter will reveal when its main science mission begins next fall.
BAE Systems radiation-hardened computers help NASA success BAE Systems 23 Mar 2006 -- BAE Systems' radiation-hardened computers helped navigate NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to successful insertion into orbit around that planet on March 10.
Raytheon Wins NOAA Ocean Observation Case Study Contract Raytheon 23 Mar 2006 -- Raytheon Company's Intelligence and Information Systems business has been awarded a six-month, competitive contract by the National Oceanographic & Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Ocean Service to develop a conceptual design, life-cycle cost estimate and viability narrative for the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS).
European Robotics Under the Spotlight ESA 23 Mar 2006 -- The European Robotic Arm (ERA) will be delivered to Russia this summer in preparation for a launch to the ISS in 2007.
ATK Rocket Motors Power Successful Launch of Pegasus XL ATK 22 Mar 2006 -- Alliant Techsystems (NYSE: ATK) solid propulsion and composite technologies supported the successful launch today of an air-launched Pegasus XL rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The rocket carried three microsatellites comprising NASA’s Space Technology No. 5 (ST-5) mission into orbit.
Orbital's Pegasus Rocket Successfully Launches NASA's Space Technology 5 Spacecraft Orbital Sciences Corp. 22 Mar 2006 -- Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB) announced today that its Pegasus® space launch vehicle successfully launched three small scientific spacecraft for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Space Technology 5 program (ST5).
SAIC Wins NASA Safety and Mission Assurance Contract SAIC 22 Mar 2006 -- Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) announced today it has been awarded a $148 million cost-plus-award-fee recompete contract to provide safety and mission assurance support services for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Johnson Space Center in Houston. The NASA contract is for a three-year base period. Two one-year options would bring the total value to $256.5 million.
NASA's Space Technology 5 Satellites Soar Into Space NASA 22 Mar 2006 -- NASA's Space Technology 5 successfully launched today at 9:04 a.m. EST, from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., on a Pegasus XL rocket.
Pegasus launches from Vandenberg AFPN 22 Mar 2006 -- An Orbital Sciences Corporation Pegasus XL rocket was launched today at 6:03 a.m. The rocket took off from an L-1011 aircraft and carried NASA's Space Technology 5 spacecraft into orbit.
Missile Defense System Ties Many Elements Together AFPS 22 Mar 2006 -- The proposed U.S. ballistic missile defense system is intended to tie numerous independent elements into a sophisticated web of protection, U.S. military officials said.
Missile Defense Technology Valid, Viable, General Says AFPS 21 Mar 2006 -- A robust, fully operational missile defense system is on its way to becoming a reality, the director of the Missile Defense Agency said here yesterday.
U.S., Russia Sign Pact To Spur Commercial Satellite Launches Washington File 21 Mar 2006 -- The United States and the Russian Federation have signed an agreement intended to facilitate Russian participation in a commercial satellite-launching venture known as "Sea Launch."
First MetOp satellite ready to leave for Baikonour EADS 21 Mar 2006 -- MetOp is the first in a series of three satellites built by EADS Astrium for the European Space Agency (ESA) and Europe’s weather satellite organisation EUMETSAT. As partners in this cooperative venture the Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES) in France and the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), provide payload instruments embarked on the satellite.
Orbital To Launch NASA's Space Technology 5 Spacecraft March 22 Aboard Pegasus Rocket Orbital Sciences Corp. 21 Mar 2006 -- Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB) today announced that it is prepared to launch the Space Technology 5 (ST5) scientific spacecraft for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) aboard the company's Pegasus® rocket.
Raytheon's Upgraded Early Warning Radar Participates Successfully in Key Missile Defense Flight Test Raytheon 21 Mar 2006 -- Raytheon Company's Upgraded Early Warning Radar (UEWR) at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., performed successfully in a flight test of the Ground Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) element of the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS). The test was conducted by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) Feb. 23.
U.S. Army Awards Raytheon $80 Million Patriot Engineering Services Contract Raytheon 21 Mar 2006 -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has been awarded an $80 million contract modification from the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command to provide engineering services support to the Patriot Air and Missile Defense program.
Lockheed Martin Completes First Pathfinder Seeker For Missile Defense Agency's Multiple Kill Vehicle System Lockheed Martin 20 Mar 2006 -- Lockheed Martin (NSE: LMT) announced today that it has completed the first kill vehicle pathfinder seeker for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency’s Multiple Kill Vehicle System. Lockheed Martin is testing the pathfinder seeker in its hardware-in-the-loop facility, creating a vibration environment similar to the one the kill vehicle will experience while performing its mission. Under sophisticated optical and electrical testing, the pathfinder seeker and associated kill vehicle electronics have been demonstrating full functionality
Alcatel Alenia Space wins a major contract in North America for Ciel-2 satellite with Ciel Satellite Thales 17 Mar 2006 -- Alcatel Alenia Space today announced that it will deliver the high-powered Ciel-2 telecommunication satellite to Ciel Satellite of Canada, the newest member of the SES family. The new spacecraft, expected to launch by late 2008, will be the largest Spacebus class satellite ever built by Alcatel Alenia Space.
Mars Rovers Get New Manager During Challenging Period NASA 17 Mar 2006 -- NASA's long-lived Mars rovers demand lots of care, as they age and the Martian winter approaches.
Responsive, affordable satellite enhances support to warfighter AFPN 17 Mar 2006 -- In the battle environment, every second counts, and accelerated (within 10 minutes) information downloaded to the joint warfighter, to be demonstrated in the upcoming TacSat-3 mission, could result in victory, but more importantly, in lives saved.
India, Russia sign seven accords IRNA 17 Mar 2006 -- India and Russia today signed seven agreements to bolster cooperation in space, banking and other sectors.
Northrop Grumman Successfully Tests Kinetic Energy Interceptor Missile Defense Battle Management Capability Ahead of Schedule Northrop Grumman 16 Mar 2006 -- This month Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) successfully completed the first of two key Fiscal Year 2006 tests of the Kinetic Energy Interceptor (KEI) battle management capability, known as the KEI Fire Control and Communications (KFC/C) system, five weeks ahead of schedule.
Alcatel Alenia Space to provide the radar system for the Korean earth observation satellite KOMPSAT5 Thales 16 Mar 2006 -- Alcatel Alenia Space signed a contract with the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), the Republic of South Korea Space Agency, to provide a SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) payload system for KOMPSAT-5, the main Earth observation space program of the Republic of South Korea.
Agreement between ESA and CNES for Alphabus ESA 16 Mar 2006 -- A co-operation agreement was signed between ESA and the Centre National d'Études Spatiales for the development of Alphabus, Europe's next generation of telecommunication satellites.
NASA Satellite Glimpses Universe's First Trillionth of a Second NASA 16 Mar 2006 -- Scientists peering back to the oldest light in the universe have new evidence to support the concept of inflation.
Orbital's Launch Of Pegasus Rocket Rescheduled Orbital Sciences Corp. 15 Mar 2006 -- Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB) announced that the planned launch of its Pegasus® rocket carrying the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Space Technology 5 (ST5) satellites was called off earlier today at approximately 9:35 a.m. (EST) when a locking pin in the rocket's control surface mechanism did not retract.
Raytheon's Cobra Judy Replacement Program Completes Critical Design Review for X-Band Radar Raytheon 15 Mar 2006 -- Raytheon Company's Cobra Judy Replacement (CJR) Mission Equipment (ME) Program successfully completed its X-Band Critical Design Review last month.
NASA Releases Mosaic of Vast Martian Canyon Washington File 15 Mar 2006 -- A new view of the biggest canyon thus far identified in the solar system merges hundreds of photos from NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter and gives scientists and the public an online resource for exploring the entire canyon in detail.
NASA Announces July Launch Window for Next Space Shuttle Mission Washington File 15 Mar 2006 -- NASA announced March 14 that July 1-19 is the new launch planning window for space shuttle Discovery's mission (STS-121).
Orbital Set To Launch NASA's Space Technology 5 Spacecraft Aboard Pegasus Rocket Orbital Sciences Corp. 14 Mar 2006 -- Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB) today announced that it is in final preparations to launch the Space Technology 5 (ST5) scientific spacecraft for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) aboard the company's Pegasus® rocket.
NASA Announces New Window For Next Space Shuttle Mission NASA 14 Mar 2006 -- NASA announced today July 1 to 19, 2006, is the new launch planning window for Space Shuttle Discovery's mission (STS-121).
NASA Shuttle Launch Delayed until July VOA 14 Mar 2006 -- The U.S. space agency NASA says Tuesday wiring problems with fuel sensors have forced it to postpone the May launch of the shuttle Discovery until at least July 1.
Successful launch of the HOT BIRD 7A telecommunication satellite, built by Alcatel Alenia Space Thales 13 Mar 2006 -- The HOT BIRDTM 7A telecommunication satellite, built by Alcatel Alenia Space as prime contractor, was successfully boosted into orbit on Saturday, from Kourou, French Guiana at 7:32 pm (local time) by an Ariane 5 ECA rocket. HOT BIRDTM 7A will enable Eutelsat to broadcast digital television channels as well as radio services in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.
NASA's Stardust Findings May Alter View of Comet Formation NASA 13 Mar 2006 -- Samples from comet Wild 2 have surprised scientists, indicating the formation of at least some comets may have included materials ejected by the early sun to the far reaches of the solar system.
NASA Spacecraft Begins Five-Year Mars Mission Washington File 11 Mar 2006 -- With a crucially timed firing of its main engines March 10, NASA's new spacecraft with a five-year mission to Mars put itself into orbit around the red planet.
MARS RECONNAISSANCE ORBITER SUCCESSFULLY PLACED IN ORBIT AROUND MARS Lockheed Martin 10 Mar 2006 -- The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft, designed and built by Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), was successfully placed in orbit around Mars this afternoon. The spacecraft’s flight and operations in space are controlled by teams at JPL in Pasadena, Calif., and Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company operations near Denver, Colo. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter joins the 2001 Mars Odyssey and the Mars Global Surveyor – both designed and built for NASA by Lockheed Martin – in orbit around the red planet.
Raytheon Awarded U.S. Air Force Contract for Tactical Meteorological Observing System Raytheon 10 Mar 2006 -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) and Alliant Techsystems (NYSE: ATK) have successfully completed the first hot-fire test of a Standard Missile-3 Block IA third stage rocket motor (TSRM), employing new nozzle design enhancements to improve performance and reliability.
Biggest, Most Sensitive US Mars Spacecraft Begins Orbiting Red Planet VOA 10 Mar 2006 -- Another U.S. spacecraft has begun orbiting Mars to study the red planet in unprecedented detail. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter will continue the search for signs that water and possibly life could have existed on it.
ATK Conducts Successful Static-fire of Full-scale Space Shuttle Motor ATK 09 Mar 2006 -- Alliant Techsystems (NYSE: ATK) successfully tested a full-scale Reusable Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) today in support of NASA’s Space Shuttle program. The RSRM burned for approximately 123 seconds, the same duration each RSRM burns during an actual Space Shuttle Launch. The static-fire test included 26 specific objectives and employed 89 instrumentation channels to collect and evaluate the motor’s performance.
Moon-based radiotelescope planned EADS 09 Mar 2006 -- The Moon offers scientists a unique platform to detect the earliest period of our universe. Not having an ionosphere, the Moon is ideal for radio astronomy of the universe on frequencies below 10 megahertz. In addition, the far side of the Moon allows permanent protection against terrestrial radiation interference and periodic protection against solar radiation.
MARS RECONNAISSANCE ORBITER SET FOR ARRIVAL AT THE RED PLANET AFTER SEVEN MONTH JOURNEY Lockheed Martin 09 Mar 2006 -- As the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) nears its final destination -- the planet Mars -- Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Jet Propulsion Laboratory are preparing to place the spacecraft into orbit around the red planet. MRO was launched aboard an Atlas V on Aug. 12, 2005, and on March 10, at 1:25 pm PT, the spacecraft will fire its main thrusters to slow it down so it can be captured by Mars’ gravity and pulled into orbit around the planet.
Raytheon Achieves Two Satellite Communications Milestones Raytheon 09 Mar 2006 -- Raytheon Company's Secure Mobile Anti-jam Reliable Tactical -- Terminal (SMART-T) Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF), a mobile ground satellite communications terminal developed for the U.S. Army, is the world's first AEHF system to achieve in-orbit acquisition and data transfer with the U.S. Milstar satellite constellation.
The role of space for Europe's security operations Thales 09 Mar 2006 -- On March 10, EADS Astrium and Alcatel Alenia Space are jointly organizing a presentation at the Cité de l'Espace in Toulouse, France, on "The role of space for Europe's security operations" around the ASTRO+ project (Advanced Space Technologies to suppoRt security Operations). Speakers will include eminent figures from European, national and local politics and industry.
Japan Emerges as America's Largest Missile Defense Partner Washington File 09 Mar 2006 -- As the United States pursues a layered defense against ballistic missiles attacks, Japan has emerged as its most significant international partner, says Air Force Lieutenant General Henry "Trey" Obering, director of the Missile Defense Agency.
NASA: Saturn Moon Shows Evidence of Water VOA 09 Mar 2006 -- NASA scientists have found a reason for excitement in an unexpected place - on a tiny moon orbiting the planet Saturn. Scientists believe the moon may have water, one of the essential elements for life.
International Mission Finds Potential Water on Saturn Moon Washington File 09 Mar 2006 -- NASA's Cassini spacecraft might have found evidence of liquid water reservoirs that erupt in geysers on Saturn's moon Enceladus.
NASA Spacecraft Helps Researchers See the Sun's Far Side NASA 09 Mar 2006 -- NASA researchers using the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft have developed a method of seeing through the sun to the star's far side.
MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY, JAPAN DEFENSE AGENCY AND LOCKHEED MARTIN COMPLETE SUCCESSFUL MISSILE DEFENSE TEST Lockheed Martin 08 Mar 2006 -- The Aegis-equipped cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG-70) successfully launched a Standard Missile (SM)-3 with a cooperatively engineered, experimental nosecone.
Space-Qualified Fault Tolerant 1394 Chipset for NPOESS Passes Demanding Tests; Adapted for Space Applications by Northrop Grumman Northrop Grumman 08 Mar 2006 -- Recent tests demonstrated that the first Fault Tolerant 1394 integrated circuits adapted for use in space are performing as planned. Northrop Grumman Corp. (NYSE:NOC) led the effort to verify, qualify and manufacture the circuits for use on the next generation of polar orbiting environmental satellites.
Raytheon Standard Missile-3 Demonstrates New Japan Clamshell Nosecone Design Raytheon 08 Mar 2006 -- A Raytheon Company Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) successfully demonstrated proper separation of an advanced clamshell nosecone during a flight test mission off Hawaii today. The test was a major milestone for the United States-Japan Joint Cooperative Research (JCR) program, sponsored by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA).
Raytheon Receives $13 Million Patriot Missile Facilities Support Contract Raytheon 08 Mar 2006 -- Raytheon Company has been awarded a $13.4 million U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command contract to provide material and technical services in support of the Patriot missile field surveillance program.
NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Approaches Red Planet Washington File 08 Mar 2006 -- After a seven-month, 492-million-kilometer journey to Mars, NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) will begin the most critical minutes of its flight March 10, firing the main engines to slow the craft so Martian gravity can pull it into orbit around the Red Planet.
Raytheon Delivers Missile-Detection and Tracking Sensors for U.S. Space Program Raytheon 06 Mar 2006 -- Raytheon Company has delivered the first Block 06 sensor payload for the missile-detection Space Tracking and Surveillance System (STSS) to prime contractor Northrop Grumman Corporation in Redondo Beach, Calif.
NASA Aids in Resolving Long Standing Solar Cycle Mystery NASA 06 Mar 2006 -- Scientists predict the next solar activity cycle will be 30 to 50 percent stronger than the previous one and up to a year late.
Agenda of UN outer space panel: boosting medicine and averting cataclysm UN News Centre 06 Mar 2006 -- Reducing risks from space debris or near-Earth objects such as meteors, space-based disaster management through satellites, and space-based telemedicine for monitoring diseases such as bird flu or malaria figured high on the agenda of a two-week United Nations scientific meeting that has just ended.
Newest US Spacecraft Faces Risky Job of Entering Martian Orbit VOA 06 Mar 2006 -- The next U.S. spacecraft to inspect Mars is completing the last few days of its seven-month journey to the red planet and is scheduled to enter orbit Friday
New US Mars Mission to Get Better Look at Planet VOA 06 Mar 2006 -- The newest American mission to Mars is hurtling toward the red planet, due Friday to examine it in the sharpest detail yet
Space Shuttle Program Management Set a Launch Date NASA 03 Mar 2006 -- On Thursday, Space Shuttle Program management set a launch date of no earlier than May 10 for Discovery's launch to the International Space Station.
International Partners Predict Space Station Completion by 2010 Washington File 03 Mar 2006 -- The heads of space agencies from Canada, Europe, Japan, Russia and the United States announced March 2 that the International Space Station will be completed by 2010, without major changes to the original design.
Joint Statement by International Space Station Heads of Agency NASA 02 Mar 2006 -- The heads of space agencies from Canada, Europe, Japan, Russia and the United States met at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. on March 2, 2006, to review International Space Station cooperation and endorse a revision to the station configuration and assembly sequence.
NASA Mission Detects Significant Antarctic Ice Mass Loss NASA 02 Mar 2006 -- Scientists were able to conduct the first-ever gravity survey of the entire Antarctic ice sheet using data from the joint NASA/German Aerospace Center Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE).
GPS helps warfighters track 'bad guys' AFPN 02 Mar 2006 -- When U.S. forces get to Iraq and Afghanistan, they're finding dry, featureless terrain with no real landmarks or points of reference to use when they travel across these wide-open and often dangerous landscapes.
New Space Station Plan Completes Assembly in Four Years VOA 02 Mar 2006 -- The United States and its International Space Station partners have agreed on a new schedule to complete the outpost by 2010
Raytheon Awarded $35.9 Million Contract for Submarine Satellite Communications Solution Raytheon 01 Mar 2006 -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has been awarded a $35.9 million U.S. Navy contract to deliver 15 Submarine High Data Rate (Sub HDR) multi-band satellite communication systems (SATCOM).
Alcatel Alenia Space demonstrates the first emergency service based on EGNOS, a precursor to Galileo Thales 01 Mar 2006 -- Alcatel Alenia Space today announced that it will demonstrate the first emergency service based on EGNOS, a precursor of Galileo, in Lisbon, Portugal, on March 3rd. The integrated end-to-end Location-Based Solution (LBS), designed under the coordination of Alcatel Alenia Space, enables the Civil Security forces and Fire Brigades to locate emergency calls from mobile phones and efficiently guide the intervention team.
NASA Announces Test and Evaluation Contract NASA 01 Mar 2006 -- NASA has awarded a three-year, $162.5 million contract to Jacobs Sverdrup of Tullahoma, Tenn., for test and evaluation support at the agency's Johnson Space Center White Sands Test Facility.
Big leap forward in detecting ground targets from cosmos AFPN 01 Mar 2006 -- When launched in 2010, a football-field-in-length demonstrator radar antenna, weighing more than 5 tons, will serve as the forerunner for the future of America's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets in space.
NASA Managers Target May for Next Shuttle Launch Washington File 01 Mar 2006 -- NASA managers are targeting a May launch window for space shuttle Discovery's flight to the International Space Station, and say the engineering team is working an "aggressive schedule" to reduce the loss of insulating foam from the orbiter's external tank during takeoff and tackle other issues.
Russian Rocket Fails to Deliver Arab Satellite Into Designated Orbit VOA 01 Mar 2006 -- A Russian rocket has failed to place an Arab commercial satellite into its designated orbit, dealing another setback to Russia's space program.

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