All Space articles – Page 225
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Identified flying object
THIS IS ONE FLYING SAUCER which can be identified. It is the Wake Shield free-flying spacecraft seen after deployment during the Space Shuttle Endeavour/STS69 mission in September. Control problems and overheating reduced the craft's production of ultra-thin semiconductor films in the pure vacuum created in the wake of the Shuttle's ...
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Space Station funding passes major milestone
Tim Furniss/LONDON THE US HOUSE of Representatives, has cleared a hard fought Bill, authorising NASA to spend $13.1 billion on the international space station over the next seven years, during which time, construction of the base is scheduled to be completed. The unprecedented financial forward ...
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The four contenders
I-CO I-CO Global Communication's system will cost about $2.6 billion for both the space and ground network, and it is expected to begin service in 1999/2000. It will use ten operational satellites, weighing 1,925kg, with 6.3kW power, in 10,400km circular orbits in two planes, providing about 160 beams ...
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NASA starts on New Millennium project
Tim Furniss/LONDON NASA PLANS TO launch three interplanetary space missions before 2000, as part of a $100 million-a-year New Millennium space-technology validation effort. The first to be launched in 1998, will be built by Spectrum Astro at a cost of about $30 million. It is ...
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Satellite wars
Establishing mobile telephone networks via satellite is proving fiercely competitive. Tim Furniss/LONDON THE INCREASINGLY competitive market of worldwide, anywhere-to-anywhere, mobile telephone systems is expected to have generated revenues of $26 billion by 2005, and have over 33 million subscribers by 2012. It is, however, a market likely ...
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Satellite launcher directory
Compiled by Tim Furniss/LONDON The futures of several launchers could be decided over the next 12 months THE NEXT YEAR will be critical for the future of several launch vehicles. Europe's Ariane 5 is due to have its maiden flight in 1996. Commercial operations by Arianespace, are scheduled ...
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ILS plans Proton threat to Ariane 5
Tim Furniss/LONDON US/RUSSIAN SATELLITE-launcher company International Launch Services (ILS) is planning to introduce a Proton M model in 1997, capable of carrying two Hughes HS-601-class satellites into geostationary orbit (GEO). The launcher will compete head-on with Arianespace's Ariane 5. ILS, which markets the US Atlas ...
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Atmospheric instrument
NASA has selected an atmospheric science instrument, called the pressure modulator infra red radiometer, to be flown aboard the Mars Surveyor orbiter in 1998. Source: Flight International
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Russia seizes Rimsat satellites
RUSSIA'S Informcosmos organisation has taken back control of two orbiting communications satellites which US operator Rimsat claims to have "fully paid for". The satellites operate in geostationary orbit for Southeast Asian customers. Informcosmos, which Rimsat believes is working with the support of the Russian Space Agency and ...
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Successful docking starts second Euromir mission
Tim Furniss/LONDON The Soyuz TM22 spacecraft docked with the Russian Mir 1 space station on 5 September, two days after launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. TM22's research engineer is the European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Thomas Reiter, who is scheduled to make a 135-day space ...
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Space FUSE
Orbital Sciences has won the $37 million contract from John Hopkins University to build the NASA Far Ultra-violet Spectrograph Explorer (FUSE). The FUSE will be launched, in 1998 by a yet to be assigned, Med-Lite programme booster. Source: Flight International
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All eyes on Conestoga launch
Tim Furniss/LONDON THE REPUTATION of the USA's small-launcher industry will ride with the 16m-tall Conestoga 1620 when the maiden flight is attempted from Wallops Island, Virginia, in about "four weeks' time", says EER Systems. The industry has been hit by several setbacks recently. Orbital Sciences ...
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New Mission Control is inaugurated at Houston
THE USAS' NEW $500 million manned space flight mission control centre was used for the first time during the recent STS70 Discovery mission. The new centre, which was brought on-stream $75 million under budget, will first complement and then replace the control centre at the Johnson Space Center, ...
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NASA details new mission to Hubble
Tim Furniss/LONDON DETAILED PLANS for the second Space Shuttle mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in February 1997 cover three space walks during which two new instruments and new equipment will be fitted. The STS82/Discovery mission will cost about $260 million to fly. NASA ...
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A growing hazard
A new report on space debris says that it is a growing hazard, which needs urgent attention. Tim Furniss/LONDON A NASA-FUNDED report by the National Research Council (NRC) says that the hazard to spacecraft posed by artificial debris in orbit, although still low, is growing ...
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OSC
Space-technology company, Orbital Sciences (OSC) of Dulles Virginia, has named Dr Michael Griffin, senior vice-president and chief technology officer and president, of its American Space Lines joint venture with Rockwell International. He was most recently senior vice-president for programme development at Space Industries International. Source: Flight International
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UK research satellites find dynamic radiation belts
THE EARTH'S van Allen radiation belts are more dynamic than previously thought, according to data returned from the Space Technology Research Vehicles STRV 1A and 1B, launched in June 1994. These satellites, built by the UK's Defense Research Agency (DRA) at Farnborough, were expected to survive only for ...
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P&W and Energomash join for motor study
Graham Warwick/ATLANTA PRATT & WHITNEY and Russian rocket-engine manufacturer NPO Energomash are jointly studying a tri-propellant motor for NASA's X-33 reusable launch vehicle (RLV) technology-demonstrator. Near-full-scale combustion tests are being conducted in Russia under NASA contract, says the US Company. News of the tie-up emerged ...
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Orbital Sciences to absorb MDA merger
SATELLITE AND launcher builder Orbital Sciences has agreed to acquire Canadian remote-sensing specialist MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA). The deal, which needs US and Canadian regulatory approval, will be structured as a merger with Orbital exchanging shares, for all of MDA's outstanding stock. MDA supplies commercial remote-sensing ground ...
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Hot Bird tanks
Propellant tanks are being installed in Eutelsat's Hot Bird 2 satellite at Matra Marconi Space (MMS), Stevenage UK. MMS is also building the Hot Birds 3 and 4 (Flight International, 26 July-1 August). The 20 Ku-band transponder Hot Birds will be co-located at 13°E in geostationary orbit to provide direct-to-home ...