January 2009 Space News

ATK Successfully Conducts NASA Ares I-X Separation Test ATK 30 Jan 2009 -- Alliant Techsystems successfully conducted a full-scale separation of NASA's Ares I-X Forward Skirt Extension at its Promontory facility today. The test is a milestone in preparation for this summer's flight test of Ares I-X.
Russia makes first space launch of 2009 RIA Novosti 30 Jan 2009 -- Russia has successfully launched its first carrier rocket of 2009, putting a Coronas-Photon research satellite into orbit.
NASA Prepares to Launch Satellite Designed to Study Global Warming VOA 30 Jan 2009 -- NASA will launch first satellite designed to answer questions about source of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
First SBIRS Satellite With New Flight Software Completes Key Test At Lockheed Martin Lockheed Martin 29 Jan 2009 -- The first Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) geosynchronous orbit (GEO-1) satellite, built by a Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] team for the U.S. Air Force, has successfully completed a major test utilizing new flight software that will enable highly reliable spacecraft command and control operations.
Russia's space agency plans to build own orbital station RIA Novosti 29 Jan 2009 -- Russia's Federal Space Agency will propose to the government the construction of a low-orbit space station.
Russia, Europe abandon joint space project RIA Novosti 29 Jan 2009 -- Russia and Europe will not continue the joint development of a new reusable manned spacecraft.
Russia delays first space launch in 2009 for one day RIA Novosti 29 Jan 2009 -- Russia's first carrier rocket launch of 2009, scheduled for Thursday, has been delayed until Friday for technical reasons.
Iran set to launch first domestic satellite by March 20 RIA Novosti 28 Jan 2009 -- Iran plans to put its first domestically made communication satellite into orbit by March 19-20.
Boeing Receives Contract Extension for Transformational Satellite Communications System Boeing 27 Jan 2009 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] has received a $75 million contract extension from the U.S. Air Force to continue risk reduction and system definition for the Transformational Satellite Communications System (TSAT).
ATK and NASA Complete Major Milestones for NASA Constellation Program ATK 26 Jan 2009 -- In the last twelve months, Alliant Techsystems has completed several significant milestones for NASA's Constellation program that will set the stage for major flight and ground tests in 2009.
Lockheed Martin Readies Historic Operations & Checkout Facility For New Orion Spacecraft Integration Work Lockheed Martin 26 Jan 2009 -- After a two-year, top to bottom renovation, the High Bay Facility of the Operations & Checkout (O&C) Building at NASA’S Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is now ready to begin preparations to build the new Orion crew exploration vehicle – the flagship of NASA’s Constellation Program.
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne’s Lunar Lander Technology Demonstrator Engine Validates Critical Capabilities Pratt & Whitney 26 Jan 2009 -- Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne’s Common Extensible Cryogenic Engine (CECE) has successfully demonstrated critical capabilities required for NASA’s Altair lunar lander.
Raytheon Awarded $154 Million for Taiwan Patriot Upgrade Raytheon 26 Jan 2009 -- Raytheon Company has received a $154 million Foreign Military Sales contract award to upgrade Taiwan's Patriot Air and Missile Defense Systems.
Russia to use 2 launch pads at Baikonur for ISS missions RIA Novosti 26 Jan 2009 -- Russia will use 2 pads at the Baikonur space center to send 4 manned missions to the International Space Station in 2009.
Missile Defense Agency Successfully Tests Newest Target Launcher AFPS 23 Jan 2009 -- Missile Defense Agency officials announced the newest addition to the agency’s “flexible target family” today after a successful rocket motor test yesterday at the China Lake Naval Warfare Center in Ridgecrest, Calif.
Academy researcher develops satellite imaging technology AFNS 23 Jan 2009 -- A research associate at the U.S. Air Force Academy's Laser and Optics Research Center here is developing a new capability that will allow satellites to be seen and see clearer.
Japan launches satellite to monitor greenhouse gases RIA Novosti 23 Jan 2009 -- Japan launched a satellite that will monitor greenhouse gases as part of global efforts to understand climate change.
Lockheed Martin/Northrop Grumman Team Advances New High Speed Data Transfer Technology For TSAT Lockheed Martin 22 Jan 2009 -- A Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT]/Northrop Grumman [NYSE: NOC] team has achieved a key design milestone for a high-performance technology solution that will dramatically increase data transfer speeds in the U.S. Air Force's Transformational Satellite Communications System (TSAT) constellation.
Thales Alenia space statement concerning Astra 5A Thales 21 Jan 2009 -- As announced on January 16, the Astra 5A satellite, formerly named Sirius 2 and operated by Swedish Space Corporation (SSC), experienced an abnormal event that led to a spacecraft attitude disturbance.
KCNA Calls for Checking Japan's Moves for Space Militarization KCNA 21 Jan 2009 -- The Japan Defense Ministry reportedly made public a basic policy on the development and use of space on Jan. 16.
Russia says no ISS space tourists after 2009 RIA Novosti 21 Jan 2009 -- The International Space Station will be off limits to space tourists after 2009 as its crew grows from 3 to 6.
ATK Propulsion and Composite Technologies Help Launch National Reconnaissance Office Satellite ATK 19 Jan 2009 -- Alliant Techsystems composite and propulsion technologies supported the successful launch of a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket carrying a National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) satellite.
Thales Alenia Space España contributed to 17 out of 49 satellites launched in 2008 Thales 19 Jan 2009 -- Thales Alenia Space España, Thales Alenia Space's Spanish subsidiary, supplied Active and Passive Radiofrequency communication, digital electronic and data handling units, subsystems and equipment for the main satellite programs launched in year 2008: Star One C2, Amos-3, Turksat 3A, Skynet 5C, SAR-Lupe 4 and 5, Superbird-7, AMC21, Astra 1M, Hot Bird 9, W2M, Ciel-2, Jason-2, Theos 1, Ibex, ATV Jules Verne, Giove-B, among others.
A very solid year for Thales Alenia Space in 2008 Thales 19 Jan 2009 -- Thales Alenia Space won five contracts for geostationary communications satellites out of a total of 26 ordered in 2008, a market share of 23%, plus contracts for 4 communications payloads, one observation satellite and the low Earth orbit constellation for O3b Networks, comprising 16 satellites.
Northrop Grumman-Built Satellite Antenna Enables NASA's Discovery of Buried Glaciers On Mars Northrop Grumman 19 Jan 2009 -- Antenna technology designed and built by Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) made it possible for a radar sounder instrument aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) to detect huge glaciers on the Red Planet covered by a layer of dust and rocks.
Three Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RS-68 Rocket Engines Boost Classified Spy Satellite Pratt & Whitney 18 Jan 2009 -- Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company, contributed to the nation’s security by boosting a classified spy satellite for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Jan. 17.
Raytheon Sensor Passes Space Simulation Test Raytheon 16 Jan 2009 -- A sensor developed by Raytheon Company to increase understanding of how aerosols affect climate has shown in a test it would neither emit nor experience interference from electromagnetic impulses it might encounter in space.
Russia hopes U.S. will review missile defense plans - Lavrov RIA Novosti 16 Jan 2009 -- Moscow is hoping that US President-elect Obama will review Russia's proposal for a collective missile defense network.
NASA: Discovery of Methane Gas on Mars Could Mean Microbial Life on the Red Planet VOA 16 Jan 2009 -- NASA says large quantities of methane gas have been detected on Mars, hinting at possibility of activity.
Boeing Awarded $234 Million to Complete Production of 6th Wideband Global SATCOM Satellite Boeing 15 Jan 2009 -- The Boeing Company today announced that the U.S. Air Force has authorized the Commonwealth of Australia's provision of US$234 million for Boeing to complete production of the sixth Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) satellite.
NASA debuts Global Hawk autonomous aircraft for Earth science AFNS 15 Jan 2009 -- NASA and Northrop Grumman unveiled the first Global Hawk aircraft system to be used for environmental science research.
Orbital Selected by Intelsat to Design and Build New Dawn Commercial Communications Satellite Orbital Sciences Corp. 14 Jan 2009 -- Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB), one of the world's leading space technology companies, announced today that it has been selected to design, manufacture and test a new commercial communications spacecraft known as New Dawn
Astrium acquires Surrey Satellite Technology Limited EADS 13 Jan 2009 -- Astrium, Europe’s leading space company, has acquired Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL), the innovative University of Surrey spin-out company which specialises in the design and manufacture of small satellites and subsystems.
Lockheed Martin-Built Stardust Spacecraft To Fly by Earth Jan. 14 Lockheed Martin 13 Jan 2009 -- On Jan. 14, NASA’s Stardust-NExT spacecraft will fly by Earth during a gravity assist maneuver that will increase its velocity and sling shot the spacecraft into an orbit to meet up with comet Tempel 1 in February 2011.
Lockheed Martin Begins Key Test Of First SBIRS GEO Satellite With New Flight Software Lockheed Martin 13 Jan 2009 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] announced today that the first Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) geosynchronous orbit (GEO-1) satellite has entered a major test phase with the latest version of flight software designed to provide highly reliable spacecraft command and control operations.
U.S. Air Force Selects Northrop Grumman for Next Generation Missile Warning System Northrop Grumman 13 Jan 2009 -- The U.S. Air Force has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) a contract to deliver Next Generation Missile Warning Systems (NexGen MWS) as the latest upgrade to their Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) system, which protects aircrews and high value aircraft from shoulder-fired, heat seeking missiles.
Malfunctioning component delays satellite launch AFNS 13 Jan 2009 -- USAF delaying launch of Tactical Satellite-3 until repairs to avionics component complete.
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Receives $12 Million Contract to Design and Build Pathfinder Divert and Attitude Control System for MDA MKV Pratt & Whitney 12 Jan 2009 -- The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) awarded Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne $12 million for the first phase of a contract to design, build, integrate, and test a prototype Divert and Attitude Control System (DACS) that will power two different types of kinetic vehicles on missile interceptors.
Russia prepares for launch of U.S. telecoms satellite RIA Novosti 12 Jan 2009 -- Russia has delivered a US Telstar telecom satellite to the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan in preparation for a scheduled launch.
Sagem delivers first of three NIRSpec telescopes for James Webb Space Telescope to EADS Astrium Sagem (Safran group) 09 Jan 2009 -- Sagem (SAFRAN Group) delivered to Astrium, on January 8, the first of three telescopes intended for the NIRSpec instrument (Near Infrared Spectrograph) on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Sagem will deliver the other two telescopes during the first half of 2009.
Raytheon Team Completes Final Major Milestones on Next-Generation GPS Control Segment Raytheon 08 Jan 2009 -- Raytheon Company has successfully completed two significant milestones for the U.S. Air Force's next-generation Global Positioning System Control Segment, or GPS OCX, establishing a solid foundation and roadmap to keep the program on track and on schedule.
Boeing Increases Capability of On-Orbit US Navy Satellite Boeing 07 Jan 2009 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] has successfully reconfigured an on-orbit U.S. Navy satellite, adding 30 percent more communications capability.
Lockheed Martin-Developed Systems, Capabilities Led Ballistic Missile Defense Efforts in 2008 Lockheed Martin 07 Jan 2009 -- Lockheed Martin-developed missile defense system elements led global ballistic missile defense efforts in 2008 with five successful target intercepts, including two international intercepts, and numerous next-generation milestones

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