Uncategorized

Ground was broken for an expansion on a Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missile factory at Camden, Ark., Lockheed Martin Corp. [LMT] announced. The new facility will allow for continued production expansion […]

[Satellite Today 05-11-09] Analysis firm Pyramid Research predicts that the number of pay-TV subscribers will grow 8 percent in 2009, but revenues could fall, the company announced May 6. According […]

It’s a blast. Space Shuttle Atlantis this afternoon thundered into the heavens from Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center for a rendezvous with an eye in the sky, the […]

Panel Will Look At What Hardware Is Available The future cost of developing and operating manned space flight hardware is "one of the important issues" tha a review panel will […]

Missile defense systems can be useful in deterring aggression against the United States, especially aggression involving nuclear-tipped missiles, and thus should occupy a key position in the U.S. strategic posture, […]

U.S. Nuclear Weapons Still Needed To Deter Aggression, Though Fewer Warheads Suffice By George Lobsenz A congressionally chartered commission backed the Obama administration’s emphasis on nuclear nonproliferation as increasingly critical […]

Deep cuts to the Airborne Laser (ABL) missile program are unwise, as would be a proposed killing of the Joint Air-to-Surface Missile (JASM) program, the Air Force Association (AFA) stated. […]

China did it again. Two Chinese fishing vessels veered dangerously close to a U.S. Navy intelligence-gathering ship, the USNS Victorious, as it moved peacefully in international waters, according to the […]

The Non Line-of-Sight-Launch System (NLOS-LM ) Precision Attack Missile (PAM) passed a captive flight test. That system is provided by NetFires LLC, a joint venture between Raytheon Co. [RTN] and […]

The Army gave Raytheon Co. [RTN] a $115 million contract to continue Pure Fleet upgrades of Army Patriot air and missile defense systems. That Army Aviation and Missile Command contract […]

The Tomahawk Block IV missile has been upgraded in effectiveness against moving maritime surface targets, with a longer-range capability, Raytheon Co. [RTN] announced. "This capability will allow the warfighter to […]

Scolese Says Any Ares I Replacement Must Be Capable To Carry Out Full Lunar Return Mission NASA today unveiled an $18.69 billion budget proposal that includes a major study of […]

Alcatel-Lucent [ALU] signed two framework agreements worth $1.7 billion with China Mobile and China Telecom, Alcatel-Lucent announced. The deal will provide network upgrades, integration and maintenance services this year. As […]

Aerojet, a GenCorp [GY] company, successfully completed the first series of vibration and altitude hot fire tests on the next-generation U.S. spaceship rocket engine. In the test, Aerojet checked the […]

The Navy gave Raytheon Co. [RTN] an $83.6 million firm fixed-price contract for radars needed by the Navy and by allied military forces on their F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighter […]

Some 300,000 Pieces Of Space Junk Imperil Billions Of Dollars Worth Of Spacecraft; Exponential Risk Rise Seen Spacecraft operators later this year may gain access to better warnings of space […]

Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Port Hueneme engineers successfully fired a test launch of the new production configuration of the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) from the Navy Self Defense […]

For Fiscal 2008-2013, Cost Overruns Total Some $10.9 Billion For Satellites The Department of Defense (DOD) has a poor track record in its military satellites development efforts, the Government Accountability […]

Needed: a huge vacuum cleaner that can roam around in low Earth orbit. While the danger of catastrophic collisions in space is rising steadily, cost and feasibility issues mean development […]

The Tracking and Data Relay Satellite system (TDRS) K-L program completed its system-level preliminary design review, The Boeing Co. [BA] announced. Boeing is moving toward integrations of the TDRS K […]

Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and contractor employees were given MDA awards for their performance in helping develop the Airborne Laser missile defense system. ABL is being created by The Boeing […]

Updated — May 1, 2009 – 12:50 p.m. EDT Legend: + Targeted For | *No Earlier Than (Tentative) | **To Be Determined 2009 Launches Date: May 5 Mission: STSS ATRR […]

Contractor Employees At Risk; Some Will Shift To Other Jobs In Their Companies The beginning of the end has arrived for workers in the space shuttle program, with 160 workers […]

International Launch Services (ILS) will launch a satellite payload IndoStar II/ProtoStar II on May 14 from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, ILS reported. The launch at 6:58 a.m. Baikonur time translates […]

The Zefiro 9A third stage rocket motor fired successfully, providing a new small launch vehicle for Europe. That final qualification test firing of the third stage took place at the […]

[Satellite Today 05-04-09] The May 1 item, “Boeing Completes TDRS Design Review for NASA,” should have said that the critical design review is scheduled to be completed in 2010 and […]

The Army gave General Dynamics Corp. [GD] a $150 million contract-change deal to produce Hydra-70 rockets, warheads and motors. Deliveries are expected to begin in September next year. This order […]

The Constellation Program goal of returning Americans to a moon base has been thrown in doubt, a House hearing revealed. Rep. Alan B. Mollohan (D-W.Va.), chairman of the House Appropriations […]

NASA gave Northrop Grumman Corp. [NOC] a contract worth up to $44.5 million to provide an instrument that would fly on the long-delayed National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System, or […]

The Army gave Raytheon Co. [RTN] a $9 million contract addition for Patriot missile maintenance and facilities, bringing the total contract to $45 million thus far, with room for further […]