Canada plans a constellation of three radar satellites for tracking ice, detecting oil spills, monitoring floods and disasters, and aiding forest firefighting. Budgeted at C$111 million ($90 million) for 2005, the system will also provide all-weather coastal surveillance.
Russia has signed a $132 million contract to build and launch an Iranian communications satellite, Zohreh. Based on NPO/PM's Express-1000 satellite, with 12 transponders supplied by Alcatel, Zohreh will be launched by Soyuz-2/Fregat 30 months after Iran makes its first payment. Iran is expected to order a second satellite within the next year.
India is to launch the 350kg (770lb) Italian Agile science satellite as the lone payload on a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle in 2006, says Bangalore-based Antrix, commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The first indigenously developed cryogenic upper-stage engine for the Geostationary Satellite Launch Vehicle will be test flown in 2006, says ISRO.
Source: Flight International