June 2010 Space News

First MUOS Satellite Successfully Completes Key Test Milestone Navy NewsStand 30 Jun 2010 -- The Mobile User Objective System (MUOS), directed by Team Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command's (SPAWAR's) Communications Satellite Program Office (PMW 146), completed a significant test milestone for the program's first satellite June 29.
Russian space freighter blasts off to ISS RIA Novosti 30 Jun 2010 -- A Russian cargo spacecraft, Progress M-06M, lifted off toward the International Space Station at 19:35 Moscow time [15:35 GMT] on Wednesday, the Russian space agency Roscosmos said.
Two Thales Alenia Space communications satellites arrive at launch site Thales 30 Jun 2010 -- The Nilesat-201 and RASCOM-QAF1R satellites, built by Thales Alenia Space as prime contractor for Nilesat and RascomStar-QAF, respectively, have arrived at the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana, for final preparations leading up to an Ariane 5 launch this summer.
Eutelsat selects Astrium to deliver W5A satellite to drive up capacity and flexibility at 70.5 degrees East EADS 30 Jun 2010 -- Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL), one of the world’s leading satellite operators, announced today that it has selected Astrium to build a 48-transponder Ku-band satellite that will be located at its 70.5° East location in geostationary orbit.
New U.S. Blueprint for Space Exploration Unveiled VOA 29 Jun 2010 -- The Obama administration has issued a new national space policy for the United States that emphasizes exploration, international cooperation, environmental monitoring and fostering a robust U.S. space industry.
THAAD Weapon System Achieves Lowest Endo Intercept to Date, Maintains 100% Success Rate Lockheed Martin 29 Jun 2010 -- The Missile Defense Agency and Lockheed Martin [NYSE:LMT] conducted a successful flight test of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Weapon System today at the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai, HI. This flight test was THAAD’s seventh intercept to date and proved the system’s ability to intercept a unitary target in the low endo-atmosphere.
Key Sensor Delivered for NPP Satellite Northrop Grumman 29 Jun 2010 -- An advanced infrared sensor designed to improve weather forecasting around the world has been delivered for integration and testing on the precursor satellite to the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS). The Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS), a key sensor for the NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) was delivered June 18 by Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) subcontractor ITT to a Ball Aerospace facility in Boulder, Colo.
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Propulsion System Successfully Maneuvers THAAD Interceptor to Destroy Ballistic Missile Target Pratt & Whitney 29 Jun 2010 -- The Divert and Attitude Control System (DACS) developed by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne successfully positioned a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor that successfully destroyed an incoming Short Range Ballistic Missile (SRBM) in the low endo-atmosphere. Today’s flight test was conducted at the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is under contract to produce the DACS for Lockheed Martin [NYSE:LMT], the THAAD prime contractor and systems integrator. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) company.
The Observation Satellite "Ofeq 9" Produced by Israel Aerospace Industries Has Successfully Transmitted Its First Images Israel Aerospace Industries 28 Jun 2010 -- Itzhak Nissan, President and CEO of Israel Aerospace Industries: "A flawless technological achievement that will improve the Israel Defense Forces' operational capabilities."
DoD News: Defense Secretary Robert Gates Statement on the National Space Policy DoD 28 Jun 2010
Briefing by Senior Administration Officials on the President's National Space Policy Via Teleconference, 06/28/10 US Dept. of State 28 Jun 2010
Statement by the President on the New National Space Policy, 06/28/10 The White House 28 Jun 2010
U.S. to cooperate with Russia on global missile defense system RIA Novosti 28 Jun 2010 -- The United States is ready to cooperate with Russia toward the creation of a global missile defense system.
Space command officials embark on many firsts AFNS 28 Jun 2010 -- Transition of TACSAT 3 from experimental to operational marked the beginning of many firsts as USSTRATCOM accepted the satellite.
Arabsat 5A satellite successfully launched Thales 27 Jun 2010 -- Arabsat 5A telecommunication satellite has been successfully launched tonight by Arianespace form Kourou, in French Guyana, with an Ariane 5 rocket. Arabsat 5A will provide a large range of satellite communications services for Middle East and Africa.
Six Astrium satellites launched in a month EADS 26 Jun 2010 -- Following the second successful Ariane 5 launch this year – six satellites built by Astrium have now been launched within a month: COMSATBw-2 and ASTRA 3B on 21 May, Arabsat 5B by a Proton launcher on 4 June, TanDEM-X by Dnepr on 21 June and now Arabsat 5A and COMS by Ariane 5 tonight.
Thales Alenia Space’s spaceborne explorers of climate change Thales 25 Jun 2010 -- For the last 15 months a new generation of European satellites has been exploring our planet to help us better understand the different factors that influence climate change. GOCE, SMOS and Cryosat/Siral are the first members in the family of “Earth Explorer” missions deployed by the European Space Agency (ESA). Thales Alenia Space played a decisive role in the development and production of these three extraordinary satellites.
Space station crew prepares to relocate Russian spacecraft RIA Novosti 25 Jun 2010 -- The crew of the ISS will move a Russian spacecraft docked with the Zvezda module to the Rassvet research module.
Russia, Europe may join forces to protect Earth RIA Novosti 24 Jun 2010 -- Russian space officials and members of the EC will meet to discuss joining forces against thousands of potentially hazardous asteroids.
Subsystem failure delays Ariane 5 launch from Kourou RIA Novosti 24 Jun 2010 -- The launch of the Ariane 5 carrier rocket with two satellites from the Kourou space center in French Guiana was delayed.
Israel launches military satellite to spy on Iran RIA Novosti 23 Jun 2010 -- Israel has launched a new spy satellite to improve the country's capabilities to spy on Iran and other potential enemies.
Israel's "Ofeq 9" satellite was launched and successfully injected into orbit Israel Aerospace Industries 22 Jun 2010 -- The following announcement was issued by Israel's Ministry of Defence spokesman on June 22nd, 2010:
Northrop Grumman Pulsed Fiber Laser Achieves Record Power Level for Environmental Space Missions Northrop Grumman 22 Jun 2010 -- A pulsed fiber laser Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) is developing for future space-based environmental missions has surpassed power output requirements by producing more than 170 watts of average power with nearly perfect beam quality.
Lockheed Martin Team Completes Requirements Milestone for GPS IIIB Program Lockheed Martin 21 Jun 2010 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] announced today that it has successfully completed a key requirements review for the Global Positioning System (GPS) IIIB satellite series under the U.S. Air Force's next generation GPS III Space Segment program.
Thales Alenia Space altimeter chosen for U.S. Navy satellite GFO-2 Thales 21 Jun 2010 -- Thales Alenia Space announced that it has signed a contract with Ball Aerospace covering the preliminary phase for the GFO-2 RA altimeter, which will equip the new-generation Geosat Follow-On 2 (GFO-2) satellite. This phase covers the definition, design and system compatibility aspects; the final contract for the production of the altimeter is expected by the end of 2010.
Converted Russian ICBM takes German satellite into orbit RIA Novosti 21 Jun 2010 -- A converted Russian intercontinental ballistic missile took Germany's TanDEM-X satellite into orbit.
Russian-built first stage unlikely to cause S.Korean rocket explosion — expert RIA Novosti 18 Jun 2010 -- An explosion of a South Korean rocket last week was not caused by Russian-built first stage of the spacecraft, a deputy head of the Russian Federal Space Agency said.
Clinton Urges U.S. Senate To Ratify START, Is Challenged On Missile Defense RFE/RL 18 Jun 2010 -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has urged the Senate to ratify a new U.S.-Russian nuclear-arms control treaty as soon as possible and tried to refute concerns from lawmakers that the agreement would limit U.S. missile defense efforts.
Russia's Soyuz TMA-19 spacecraft docks with ISS RIA Novosti 18 Jun 2010 -- Russia's Soyuz TMA-19 spacecraft with three crewmembers on board docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on Friday at 2.25 Moscow time (22.25 GMT, Thursday).
Orbital Marks Second Anniversary of Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope Mission Orbital Sciences Corp. 18 Jun 2010 -- Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB) is celebrating the second anniversary of the launch of the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope spacecraft, which has performed flawlessly over the initial two years of its mission to supply scientists with important new data about the nature of the universe.
US, Romania Move Forward on Missile Defense VOA 18 Jun 2010 -- U.S. and Romanian officials are working out details of a proposal to place interceptors in Romania as part of a U.S. anti-missile shield in Europe.
General Dynamics Awarded $642.2 Million to Modernize NASA Satellite System Ground Segment General Dynamics 17 Jun 2010 -- General Dynamics C4 Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), has been awarded a seven-year contract by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center for the Space Network Ground Segment Sustainment (SGSS) project. The company will modernize the ground system and network for NASA’s Tracking Data and Relay Satellite (TDRS) constellation. The indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract has a total potential value of approximately $642.2 million, including options. The period of performance is from June 21, 2010, through June 20, 2017.
Lockheed Martin and Alaska Aerospace Partner for GMD Development and Sustainment Contract Lockheed Martin 17 Jun 2010 -- Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) and Alaska Aerospace Corporation announced today that they are partnering to pursue the U.S. Missile Defense Agency’s Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) Development and Sustainment Contract.
SecAF discusses Minuteman III, space at Vandenberg AFNS 17 Jun 2010 -- Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley visited Vandenberg Air Force Base June 15 to 16 to tour the base and observe the Minuteman III test launch.
McNaught comet passes Earth, heads for the Sun RIA Novosti 17 Jun 2010 -- The C/2009 R1 McNaught comet passed the Earth on Wednesday at the closest proximity of 170 million kilometers and continues moving toward the Sun, a Russian astronomer said.
Russia's Soyuz spacecraft blasts off for half-year space mission RIA Novosti 16 Jun 2010 -- The Soyuz TMA-19 spacecraft with three crewmembers on board has blasted of from the Baikonur Space Station in Kazakhstan for its half-year mission on the International Space Station (ISS).
The DGA selects Thales for the COMCEPT design contract for the architecture of satellite communication networks Thales 16 Jun 2010 -- The DGA (French Defence Procurement Agency) has selected Thales to perform an architectural study and define the ground segments and networks for satellite communications, as a complement to Syracuse: Inmarsat, Telcosat and Athena.
Russia launches 3 foreign satellites into orbit RIA Novosti 15 Jun 2010 -- Russia's Strategic Missile Forces (SMF) launched on Tuesday a converted Russian intercontinental ballistic missile carrying three foreign satellites from a missile site in the Urals region, a SMF spokesman said.
Orion Spacecraft Takes Shape Lockheed Martin 15 Jun 2010 -- The Orion crew exploration vehicle took shape as the two halves of the crew module were fused together at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, La. The Lockheed Martin Orion team welded the forward cone assembly to the aft barrel assembly using the next generation friction stir weld process. The 445-inch long weld is the longest such weld of its kind and will ensure optimal structural integrity for the harsh environments of space flight.
Raytheon Receives $73 Million to Advance Patriot Capabilities for Taiwan and Kuwait Raytheon 15 Jun 2010 -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) received a $73 million contract for spares as part of upgrades to Configuration-3 of the Patriot Air and Missile Defense System for Taiwan and Kuwait.
Boeing and Northrop Grumman Partner for Missile Defense Agency Contract Competition Boeing 14 Jun 2010 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] and Northrop Grumman Corp. [NYSE: NOC] today announced a strategic partnership to pursue the competitive development and sustainment contract for future work on the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA).
Lockheed Martin Successfully Completes Key Test Milestone for First Mobile User Objective System Satellite Lockheed Martin 14 Jun 2010 -- The U.S. Navy and Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] today announced that they have successfully completed a significant test milestone for the first satellite in the Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) program.
Lockheed Martin Solar X-Ray Imager on NOAA GOES-15 Spacecraft Sees “First Light” Lockheed Martin 14 Jun 2010 -- The Solar X-ray Imager (SXI) instrument aboard the NOAA GOES-15 spacecraft has seen “first light.” SXI was designed and built by Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT], at its Space Systems Advanced Technology Center (ATC) in Palo Alto, for the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, Md.
Boeing and Northrop Grumman Partner for Missile Defense Competitive Contract Northrop Grumman 14 Jun 2010 -- The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) and Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) today announced a strategic partnership in pursuing the competitive development and sustainment contract for future work on the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency.
Officials announces initial test transmissions from GPS satellite AFNS 14 Jun 2010 -- Officials from the Space and Missile Systems Center's Global Positioning Systems Wing announced that the first GPS IIF satellite, launched May 27, has begun test transmissions of the new safety-of-life (L5) navigation signal.
Next ISS crew confirmed for June 16 launch RIA Novosti 14 Jun 2010 -- Russian cosmonaut Yury Yurchihin and U.S. astronauts Douglas Wheelock and Shannon Walker were confirmed on Monday as the crew for the next half-year mission on the International Space Station.
Medvedev to discuss missile defense during U.S. visit RIA Novosti 11 Jun 2010 -- Russia President Medvedev will discuss missile defense with the US leadership during his upcoming visit to the US.
South Korean rocket explodes shortly after take-off RIA Novosti 10 Jun 2010 -- A South Korean rocket, launched from the Naro space center, exploded two minutes after take-off, Yonhap news agency said.
South Korea loses contact with KSLV-1 rocket RIA Novosti 10 Jun 2010 -- The terrestrial services of the South Korean space center lost contact with their KSLV-1 rocket eight minutes after its launch on Thursday, Yonhap news agency said
97th Transportation Company participates in final launch of Atlantis Army News 10 Jun 2010 -- NASA's shuttle Atlantis embarked on its final mission May 14th at 2:20 p.m. from Kennedy Space Center.
Tac Sat-3 completes groundbreaking experimental mission AFNS 10 Jun 2010 -- Tactical Satellite-3 will transition from an experimental demonstration to an operational asset June 12.
Raytheon Space Sensor Tasked for First-Of-Its-Kind Military Use Raytheon 10 Jun 2010 -- Raytheon Company's (NYSE: RTN) hyperspectral imaging sensor known as ARTEMIS is being prepared for a first-of-its-kind tactical military role by the Air Force Space Command.
Eutelsat selects Thales Alenia Space to deliver W6A satellite to expand business at 21.5 degrees East Thales 09 Jun 2010 -- Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL), one of the world’s leading satellite operators, announced today that it has selected Thales Alenia Space to build a 40-transponder Ku-band satellite enabling a 50% increase in capacity operated at its 21.5° East location in geostationary orbit.
U.S. prosecutors charge six with Iranian satellite scheme RIA Novosti 09 Jun 2010 -- US prosecutors charged 6 people with a conspiracy to illegally provide Iran with satellite technologies.
South Korea delays rocket launch RIA Novosti 09 Jun 2010 -- South Korea postponed Wednesday's planned launch of its KSLV-1 rocket due to technical problems
Second launch of South Korea's KSLV-1 rocket scheduled for Wednesday RIA Novosti 09 Jun 2010 -- Russia's Khrunichev space center: Second launch of the rocket is scheduled for Wednesday.
NASA's Unmanned Global Hawk Aircraft Conducts Ground Breaking Science Missions Northrop Grumman 09 Jun 2010 -- NASA's unmanned Global Hawk aircraft, developed by Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC), completed four science flights over the Pacific Ocean during the month of April. The flights were part of the Global Hawk Pacific (GloPac) mission, a joint project between NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), with Northrop Grumman support.
Missile Defense Sore Topic Between Washington and Moscow VOA 08 Jun 2010 -- The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty signed between the United States and Russia, does not specifically address the issue.
TanDEM-X – observing the Earth in 3D EADS 08 Jun 2010 -- The TanDEM-X (TerraSAR-X add-on for Digital Elevation Measurement) mission demonstrates once again the world-beating German expertise in satellite-based radar technology: the primary mission objective is to record all the Earth’s landmasses in 3D, or to be more precise create a global digital elevation model with unprecedented accuracy.
Russian Mission Control raises space station orbit RIA Novosti 08 Jun 2010 -- Russia's Mission Control readjusted the orbit of the International Space Station (ISS) raising it by 2.5 kilometers (1.6 miles).
New space 'eye-candy' to appear in skies in mid-June RIA Novosti 08 Jun 2010 -- The C/2009 R1 comet is nearing the Earth and will be visible in the Northern hemisphere with a naked eye in mid-June.
Orbital's Two-Stage OBV Interceptor Rocket Successfully Launched for Missile Defense Flight Test Orbital Sciences Corp. 07 Jun 2010 -- Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB) announced today that a two-stage configuration of its flight-proven Orbital Boost Vehicle (OBV) was successfully flight-tested earlier today in the Booster Verification Test-1 (BVT-1) mission that originated from Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB), CA. Under a contract from The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA) for the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system, Orbital developed a two-stage ground-based interceptor (GBI) booster that will provide the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) more flexibility in how it addresses emerging threats to the United States, its deployed troops and allied nations.
Boeing-led Missile Defense Team Completes 2-Stage Interceptor Booster Test Boeing 06 Jun 2010 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA], industry teammates and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) today completed a successful flight test of the two-stage ground-based interceptor (GBI) of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system, the United States' only long-range ballistic missile defense system.
Russian specialists to adjust ISS orbit prior to Soyuz spacecraft docking RIA Novosti 05 Jun 2010 -- Russian specialists will adjust the orbit of the International Space Station (ISS) on May 5 and 8 prior to docking of Russia's Soyuz TMA-19 spacecraft, a spokesman for Mission Control said on Saturday.
Mission: Implausible -- Scientists Locked Away On 520-Day 'Trip' To Mars RFE/RL 03 Jun 2010 -- A similar project a decade ago ended in fisticuffs and charges of sexual harassment, but scientists hope that this time a simulated marathon space mission to Mars flies smoothly.
Russia to test launch new spacecraft from Baikonur in 2015 RIA Novosti 03 Jun 2010 -- Russia will test launch a new spacecraft from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in 2015, the head of the manned space program at Russia's Federal Space Agency Roscosmos said on Thursday.
Mars 'expedition' starts in Moscow RIA Novosti 03 Jun 2010 -- The participants in a simulated Mars expedition waved good-bye to journalists, sealed the hatches and "took off" for a 520-day "space trip" on Thursday, a spokesman for the Moscow Institute of Medical and Biological Problems said.
Clinton hails Romania's willingness to host U.S. missiles RIA Novosti 02 Jun 2010 -- Romania's readiness to host U.S. missile defense systems demonstrates its 'serious' attitude to global security, U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton has said.
Boeing Team Ships 1st SBSS Spacecraft to Launch Site Boeing 01 Jun 2010 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] and its teammate Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. today announced that the first Space Based Space Surveillance (SBSS) system satellite has been shipped to Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., and is scheduled to launch on July 8.
Orbital Selected for Azerspace/Africasat-1a Satellite by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan Orbital Sciences Corp. 01 Jun 2010 -- BUG: the mark does not exist in the description file
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Celebrates 50 Years of Helping Boost Delta Vehicles into Orbit with the Successful Launch of Navigation Satellite Pratt & Whitney 01 Jun 2010 -- Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne celebrated 50 years of powering Delta-family rockets into orbit with the successful launch of the first NAVSTAR Global Positioning System (GPS) Block IIF military navigation satellite on May 27. The mission launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket with Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne’s RS-68 and RL10 engines providing booster and upper-stage propulsion, respectively. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) company.
Air Force upgrades GPS constellation AFNS 01 Jun 2010 -- Airmen from the 2nd and 19th Space Operations Squadrons took control of the Air Force's newest GPS satellite following its launch into orbit May 28 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.

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