Work on the FalconSAT-8. Photo is courtesy of the U.S. Air Force Academy. A satellite built by U.S. Air Force Academy cadets will launch into space on May 16 aboard the X-37B, Orbital Test Vehicle sponsored by the Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office and built by Boeing — this is the first […]
Archives for May 2020
AsiaSat Working to Ensure C-band Satellite Service and 5G to Co-Exist Harmoniously
AsiaSat bandpass filter (BPF). In light of the roll-out of 5G in Hong Kong, AsiaSat has accelerated efforts to provide the necessary protection for its C-band TT&C (Telemetry, Tracking and Control) and TVRO antennas against potential interference from 5G deployment, to ensure the continuity of satellite operation and uninterrupted service to customers. There are currently […]
Inmarsat’s FleetXPress to be Installed on Crowley Maritime Vessels
Crowley Maritime Corp. will install Fleet Xpress from Inmarsat on a majority of its vessels. The 127-year old, Florida-headquartered business owns, operates and manages a diverse fleet of almost 100 vessels, including conventional and dual fuel (liquid natural gas – LNG) container ships, tankers and ship assist and offshore services tugboats and barges. The deal […]
Cool Idea: UNM-led NASA Project Seeks to Develop Heat-Transfer Solution for Space
A University of New Mexico professor is leading a NASA project that will develop a more efficient method of cooling that relies on electromagnetic fields instead of moving parts and is believed to be well-suited for a zero-gravity environment, such as space. The proposal, titled “Efficient Microgravity Heat and Mass Transfer with No […]
Inmarsat’s New Initiatives to Support and Provide Aid and NGO Sector During Covid-19 Crisis
Inmarsat, addressing their support to the vital aid and NGO sector during the Covid-19 pandemic, has announced new initiatives to enable enhanced offerings across both platforms that is a direct response to the additional challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. This measure ensures emergency responders can continue delivering critical aid and relief with Inmarsat’s Broadband […]
Russia’s Arktika-M Remote Sensing Satellite Scheduled to Launch by Year’s End
Russia is planning to launch their Arktika-M satellite at the end of the year, according to Vladimir Kolmykov, the General Director of the Lavochkin aerospace firm. The Arktika-M remote-sensing and emergency communications satellites is designed to gather meteorological data in the polar regions, which will allow for improved weather forecasts and enable scientists to better […]
NASA’s Got the Solar Sail and NanoAvionics Has the Satellite Bus that will be Tested Together
NASA has NanoAvionics lined up to build a 12U nanosatellite bus for an in-orbit demonstration of NASA’s Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3). It will be an approximately 800 square foot (74 square meter) composite boom and solar sail system. This is a result of a contract between NASA Ames Research Center and AST for a 12U bus to carry NASA’s payload into low Earth orbit (LEO) including an […]
Successful Demo of VSAT Return Capabilities by ST Engineering iDirect and Spacecom
ST Engineering iDirect, a company of ST Engineering North America, and its long-term partner, Spacecom (Tel Aviv Stock Exchange: SCC), operator of the AMOS satellite fleet, have announced the successful demonstration of VSAT return capabilities on AMOS-17. The demonstration resulted in an exceptionally wide return link for a small VSAT of 40 Mbps using the […]
Roeder: Colorado Springs Consultant Helps Space Force Avoid Air Force Pitfalls
Tom Roeder, photo by Mark Reis Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Chris Bogdan helped the military fix troubled programs to buy the F-35 fighter and the KC-46 tanker. Now he’s trying to help the new Space Force avoid similar woes in satellite buying. A 1983 Air Force Academy graduate, Bogdan is now […]
NASA’s Critical Mission Review Packs a PUNCH for Southwest Research Institute
PUNCH smallsats on-orbit. Image is courtesy of SwRI. On April 8, 2020, the Polarimeter to UNify the Corona and Heliosphere (PUNCH) mission achieved an important milestone, passing NASA’s critical System Requirements Review/Mission Definition Review (SRR/MDR). Southwest Research Institute is leading PUNCH, a NASA Small Explorer (SMEX) mission that will integrate understanding of the Sun’s corona, […]