News on key developments at SupremeSAT, and general news on the Space and Satellite industry from across the web
The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded Atmospheric & Space Technology Research Associates (Astra), LLC a six-month contract to design a constellation of low Earth orbit (LEO) CubeSats able to meet the agency’s future global weather data requirements. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020062401
Northrop Grumman Corporation and Ball Aerospace have successfully completed the preliminary design review (PDR) for the Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared (Next Gen OPIR) Geosynchronous (GEO) Block 0 mission payload. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020062402
Thales Alenia Space announced the signature of an ATP (Authorisation To Proceed) with Axiom Space of Houston, Texas to initiate the development of two key pressurised elements dedicated to the world’s first commercial space station. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020062403
Maxar Technologies announced its intent to exercise its call option to take full ownership of 3D data and analytics firm Vricon for approximately US$140 million, or approximately US$115 million net of estimated cash at closing. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020062404
Thuraya, the mobile satellite services subsidiary of the UAE’s Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat), has signed a partnership agreement with Telespazio to distribute its products and services worldwide. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020062405
Rocket: Chang Zheng 3B/G2; Payload: Beidou-3GEO3 (Beidou 59); Date: 23 June 2020, 0143 UTC; Launch site: Xichang Satellite Launch Center, China. The navigation satellite was deployed into a 218 km x 35,791 km x 28,42 degrees geostationary transfer orbit. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020062300
KT SAT, South Korea’s sole satellite communication operator, unveiled its plan to launch Koreasat 6A in 2024 at the earliest. It will succeed Koreasat 6, which will be decommissioned in 2025 after 15 years of service. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020062301
The European Space Agency (ESA) has granted EUR1 million to nanosatellite mission integrator NanoAvionics to develop key components for small satellite propulsion systems. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020062302
NASA has approved the Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites (TRACERS) mission to proceed to Phase B, which marks the transition from concept study to preliminary flight design. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020062303
NSR’s Global Satellite Manufacturing and Launch Markets, 10th Edition (GSMLM10) report projects a US$478 billion opportunity for the satellite manufacturing and launch market over the next decade. http://www.sat-nd.com/archive/?id=2020062304