Lockheed Martin has completed the integration of the first modernized A2100 spacecraft.
That satellite, Hellas-Sat-4/SaudiGeoSat-1, incorporates improved power, propulsion and electronics systems and advanced manufacturing techniques to reduce costs. The spacecraft will now go into final assembly and testing, with launch planned for 2018. Lockheed Martin has four other satellites under construction on the modernized platform: Arabsat-6A, JCSAT-17, and the Space Based Infrared System satellites 5 and 6. [Lockheed Martin]
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The CEO and co-founder of satellite operator Avanti Communications has left the company. Avanti announced that David Williams was leaving his positions as CEO and member of the board of directors, but did not give a reason. Avanti operates the Hylas series of broadband satellites, but has struggled to finance its latest spacecraft, Hylas-4, set to launch later this year. Alan Harper, a non-executive board member, will serve as interim CEO. [SpaceNews]
A static fire test Thursday confirmed plans for a SpaceX launch Monday. The traditional pre-launch static fire test of the Falcon 9’s first stage took place on the pad at Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A at 9:10 a.m. Eastern Thursday. SpaceX confirmed that the test went as planned, setting the stage for a launch Monday at 12:31 p.m. Eastern. The Falcon 9 will launch a Dragon cargo spacecraft carrying about 2,800 kilograms of cargo for the International Space Station. [Spaceflight Now]
Ursa Space Systems will provide global reports on oil inventories based on analysis of radar imagery.The company said it will use synthetic aperture radar images to measure the level of oil storage tanks around the world, allowing it to calculate inventories, particularly in regions of the world were there are few other metrics of oil supplies. Ursa has provded a similar service, focused on China, since May. [SpaceNews]
Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. and a British startup plan to offer a series of hosted payload smallsat missions. SSTL and In-Space Missions announced this week plans for Faraday, a small spacecraft that can accommodate payloads ranging from 50 kilograms down to a single circuit board. SSTL will provide the spacecraft bus and In-Space Missions will handle the payload accommodations. The first Faraday mission is planned for launch in 2019. [SpaceNews]
Clyde Space, a smallsat manufacturer, has opened its first ground station in a bid to be a complete mission service provider. The company’s first ground station is on the roof of its headquarters in Glasgow, Scotland, with others to be be opened later this month in California and Qatar. Company executives said the ground stations are part of an effort to provide end-to-end smallsat mission services to customers who have little experience operating spacecraft. [SpaceNews]
The payload for the next commercial Proton launch has arrived in Baikonur. International Launch Services said the Amazonas 5 satellite arrived at the Baikonur launch site earlier this week to begin launch preparations. The communications satellite will launch on a Proton in September. [ILS]
China plans to launch additional satellites to test quantum encryption technologies. China launched the Quantum Experiments at Space Scale (QUESS) satellite, also known as Micius, a year ago to test quantum communications technologies. Those tests have been completed a year ahead of schedule, allowing for additional experiments. Scientists said they would like to fly future satellites in higher orbits to allow for extended communications sessions with ground stations. [Xinhua]
Former NASA Administrator Charles Bolden is receiving a prize to honor his contributions to science.The Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego announced earlier this month that Bolden will receive its 2017 Nierenberg Prize for Science in the Public Interest, an award previously won by people ranging from Jane Goodall to James Cameron. Bolden, who will receive the award at an event in October, said the prize “surpasses my wildest imagination of any recognition I could possibly receive for being allowed to pursue a passion for education inherited from my parents.” [La Jolla (Calif.) Light]
