June 17 News Items

ILS to Launch 5th-Generation Satellite for Arabsat (Source: ILS)
International Launch Services (ILS) has been selected to launch a fifth-generation satellite for Arabsat. ILS will launch the satellite, either Arabsat-5A or BADR-5, in the 2009-2010 timeframe on a Proton Breeze M vehicle from the Baikonur spaceport in Kazakhstan. ILS partner Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center builds the Proton in Russia. A consortium of EADS Astrium and Thales Alenia Space is building the satellites and is responsible for delivering the satellites in orbit.

South African Satellite Ready for Launch (Source: BusinessReport)
South Africa will launch its second microsatellite into low Earth orbit next month. If all goes well, the R26 million Sumbandila satellite (SumbandilaSat) will take to the heavens from Severemosk, Russia. Sumbandila is Venda for "lead the way" and the announcement shows that open collaboration works better than unsupervised secrecy. The satellite will be launched after midnight from a Russian nuclear-powered missile submarine in the icy Barents Sea as part of a Russian navy exercise.

Russian Launch Vehicle to Take Australian Satellite into Space from Kourou (Source: Interfax)
Australia's Singtel Optus Ltd. plans to launch a telecommunications satellite with a Soyuz-ST launch vehicle from Kourou in French Guiana. "The payload of the Russian vehicle's first launch from Kourou has been agreed upon. Australia's Singlet Optus plans to launch its telecommunications satellite with a Soyuz-ST," the press service said, citing Arianespace President Jean-Yves Le Gall. "A contract with Arianespace to launch four Russian launch vehicles from the South American pad is expected to be signed in Le Bourget next week," it said.

Six Russian Computers Resume Pperation at ISS (Source: Itar-Tass)
All the six computers of the Russian segment of the International Space Station have resumed operation, NASA’s ISS program manager Mike Saffredini said on Saturday. He said that all the six machines were working, including the command and managing computers. The Russian and American computers can “see” each other and exchange information.

India Plans Astrosat Launch in 2008 (Source: DNAIndia.com)
India's multi-wavelength astronomical observatory "Astrosat" will be launched in 2008 with the challenges in its design and control system being overcome, eminent astrophysicist and former ISRO chairman Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan has said."It will be launched next year," Kasturirangan said, adding that the biggest challenge of creating a control system in space for the Astrosat had been overcome with the use of high-speed wheels to facilitate tilting of the telescopes at the desired angles. Orbiting 600 km above the earth's surface, the Rs 200 crore Astrosat would facilitate study of astrophysical objects ranging from nearby solar system objects to distant stars and objects at cosmological distances, he said.

U.S. Air Force Wants Advisory Group To Help Oversee Satellite Programs (Source: Wall Street Journal)
The U.S. Air Force, already increasingly dependent on outside experts to help oversee development of new space systems, also is looking for such assistance for many of its existing satellite programs. As part of the service's efforts to enhance technical review of major space projects, Air Force Lt. Gen. Michael Hamel, head of space acquisitions, said in a recent interview that he hoped to create a permanent cadre of veteran advisors to help vet progress on projects across the board.