News
Galaxies go wildThe Hubble Space Telescope has captured stunning images of colliding galaxies, which have been released to mark the 18th anniversary of the telescope's launch. The dramatic collisions trigger bursts of star formation and sometimes result in new galaxies.
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ATV Boosts Space Station to Higher Orbit
PARIS -- Europe's Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) cargo supply ship successfully raised the international space station into a higher orbit April 25 in the first of four re-boost maneuvers scheduled between now and August, according to the European Space Agency (ESA) and ATV builder Astrium Space Transportation.
Land Launch Delay Creates Stir in Israel
TEL AVIV, Israel -- The debut of the Land Launch Zenit-3SLB rocket carrying Israel's Amos-3 telecommunications satellite could take place as early as April 27 following an attempt April 24 that was aborted 90 seconds before lifted due to a ground equipment glitch, according to a program official.
Dnepr Operations Could Move Back to Baikonur
PARIS -- The Russian-Ukrainian Dnepr rocket, whose operations were moved from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in 2006 to a new site in Russia to avoid conflicts with authorities in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan over launch debris, may be forced to return to Baikonur because of similar issues with neighboring Uzbekistan, according to the Swedish Space Corp. (SSC).
NASA Awards Launch Services Contract to SpaceX
WASHINGTON -- NASA has awarded Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract for launch services on the company's Falcon 1 and planned Falcon 9 launch vehicles, according to an April 22 NASA press release.
Loral to Build Echostar 15 Satellite
WASHINGTON -- Dish Network Corp. of Englewood, Colo., has selected Space Systems/Loral of Palo Alto, Calif., to provide a new direct broadcast satellite to support expansion of Dish Network's programming and services, according to an April 22 press release from the satellite manufacturer.
General Dynamics to Build Next Landsat Spacecraft
WASHINGTON -- NASA has selected General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems of Gilbert, Ariz., to supply the spacecraft platform for the Landsat Data Continuity Mission, which is scheduled to launch in 2011, the space agency announced April 22.
Lockheed Space Division Reports Higher Profit
PARIS -- Lockheed Martin's space division reported sharply higher profit margins for the three months ending March 31 on the strength of better operating results at its rocket-making affiliate, which it owns jointly with Boeing, and a one-time payment from a customer that terminated a commercial launch contract, Lockheed Martin Chief Financial Officer Bruce Tanner said April 22.
Arianespace Revenue, Profit Decline in 2007
PARIS -- Europe's Arianespace launch consortium reported a 6.4 percent decline in revenue and a 68 percent drop in profit in 2007 compared to 2006 and continued to be buffeted by the weak dollar despite signing contracts designed to hedge against the dollar's continued decline versus the euro, the company said in its annual report.
TerreStar Ousts Management Team
PARIS -- Start-up mobile satellite services provider TerreStar Corp. has dismissed Chief Executive Robert H. Brumley and three other members of its management team effective immediately, the Va.-based company announced late April 18.
Orbital Grows More Bullish on Taurus 2 Business
PARIS -- Orbital Sciences Corp. has increased by 50 percent the annual revenue and launch rate it expects from its Taurus 2 rocket based on business carrying supplies to the international space station, Orbital Chief Executive David W. Thompson said April 17. The new estimate is four to five launches per year and $300 million in annual revenue starting in 2012 or 2013.