All Space articles – Page 194
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New European launcher awaits full funding
Tim Furniss Europe's new small satellite launcher, Vega, makes its debut on the Aerospatiale stand in Hall 1. If it gets full development funding, the 26m high Vega will make it first launch from Kourou in 2002. Commercial flights and transportation for European Space Agency (ESA) satellites will ...
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Saab Ericsson starts on new space projects
Work has started at Saab Ericsson Space on two major satellite projects. The company, which is featured in Hall 1, has won contracts to provide vital components for Metop meteorological and Astra communications satellites. Saab will supply antenna interface units, flight computers, and radar antennas for three Metop ...
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Ex-astronaut fronts low-cost satellite initiative
Karen Walker A former NASA astronaut who helped in the famous Intelsat-6 satellite rescue is leading an industry initiative to provide global satellite services to small, independent operators. Rick Hieb is now director, commercial space, at AlliedSignal Technical Services in Maryland. He is better known, however, as the ...
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UK satellite to be launched by Russia
Surrey Satellite Technology (SSTL) has signed a contract with the Russian ISC Kosmotras company to launch its new Uosat 12 Minisatellite aboard a modified SS-18 missile renamed the Dnepr. Making the announcement yesterday, SSTL says the launch will be from Baikonur in 1999. SSTL's FA-SAT Bravo microsatellite - ...
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Europe's future: watch this space
Tim Furniss The European space industry is in limbo. It is awaiting, with extremely sweaty palms, the next Ariane 5 launch and, with puzzlement, the outcome of negotiations to form a major European space company. The next launch of the Ariane 5 is scheduled for 30 ...
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Ground control error led to SOHO hiccup
Tim Furniss The mysterious loss of contact with the European Space Agency's (ESA) Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) last June was caused by mistakes by ground controllers, ESA reported yesterday. The highly successful SOHO had been providing excellent data about the sun for over two years from its ...
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Atlantic Research develops new Agena engine
Tim Furniss Atlantic Research has released details at the Show of its new Agena 2000 rocket engine for the Lockheed Martin fleet of US Air Force Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELVs). The 15,000lb thrust nitrogen tetroxide-monomethyl hydrazine engine will power a storable upper stage that can be fitted as ...
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X-38 contract
GenCorp Aerojet has been awarded a $16.4 million contract to provide a de-orbit propulsion stage for the International Space Station X-38 Crew Return Vehicle (CRV). The technology demonstrator will make an unpiloted re-entry and landing test flight from the orbiting Space Shuttle in 2000-1. The contract includes an option for ...
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Deep Space 1 arrives at Kennedy for October mission
Spectrum Astro has delivered the Deep Space 1, the first NASA New Millennium programme spacecraft, to the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, in preparation for launch on a Boeing Delta II 7326 booster from Cape Canaveral on 15 October. The craft, which weighs 490kg (1,100lb), will demonstrate new technologies for ...
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SGS wins $2.2bn basing deal
Tim Furniss/LONDON NASA and the US Air Force have awarded a joint contract to Space Gateway Support (SGS) of Virginia, to provide base operations from 1 October at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. The Joint Base Operations Support Contract (JBOSC), which ...
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Grace launcher
Two joint NASA/German Gravity Recovery Climate Experiment GRACE satellites will be launched in 2001 by Eurockot, the joint Russian/German launcher organisation which markets the Russian Rokot low earth orbit satellite launcher. The contract will bring to eight the number of satellites manifested for three commercial Rokot launches. Two launches will ...
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Orbital timebomb
Tim Furniss/LONDON Safety concerns are mounting over the de-orbiting of the Mir space station next June and an international debate has now begun on how to dispose safely of the flagship of Russia's aerospace industry. While Russia embarks this month on reducing Mir's orbit from its present 450km, ...
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Skynet 5 goes national
European military space integration has been ditched by the UKTim Furniss/LONDON The UK is to develop a new generation of military communications satellites rather than enter the Trimilsatcom collaborative programme with France and Germany (Flight International, 19-25 August). When he announced the Ministry of Defence decision on 12 August, Lord ...
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Hughes clears HS-601 satellites
Tim Furniss/LONDON Hughes has cleared the Galaxy X and Astra 2A satellites for launch after completing investigations into the failure of space control processors aboard three HS-601 model communications satellites. The failure resulted in the total loss of Galaxy IV and the loss of the primary processor systems on ...
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Japan calls off new attempt to dock orbiting spacecraft
Failure to dock the Japanese Orihime and Hikoboshi spacecraft in orbit on 13-14 August was the result of attitude control difficulties. The cause was either a jammed thruster, software or electronic errors, say officials in Tokyo. The two spacecraft had successfully undertaken rendezvous and station-keeping manoeuvres as part of ...
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USAF plans further manoeuvre vehicle tests
Further drop tests in the US Air Force Space Manoeuvre Vehicle (SMV) programme are planned, including a suborbital rocket engine boosted test flight in 2001, following the successful first drop-test of a 6.7m-long flight test vehicle on 11 August (Flight International, 19-25 August). A fully developed operational SMV would provide ...
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Spare module
Russia's Khrunichev company has revealed that it has built a back-up Control Module for the International Space Station (ISS) in case the prime module is lost in a launch failure when the ISS programme kicks off with a Proton flight on 20 November. The backup module could be used later ...
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Beluga ferries ISS components
An Airbus A300-600ST Beluga has been contracted to assist NASA with the transportation of components for the International Space Station (ISS). The Beluga, which is operated by the consortium's cargo airline division, Airbus Transport Inter- national, transported an 18,200kg (40,000lb) Mini Pressurized Logistic Module between Alenia Spazio's plant in Turin, ...
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Economic booster
Tim Furniss/LONDON Development of an improved version of Japan's H-2 booster is a reflection of the country's determination to cut the production costs of its satellite launchers, to enable it to compete in the growing commercial launch market. Japan will not know how successful this bid is until 2001, ...
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Cold war logic ?
Ousting 40 Russian and Ukrainian engineers from the USA after suspending Boeing's licence to participate in an international satellite launcher project smacks of a return by the US Administration to outdated insular industrial and technology policies founded on national economic and security interests. Ironically, though, the State Department's decision to ...