Loral Space and Communications and Alcatel Alsthom are to develop and launch the EuropeStar multiple geostationary telecommunications and broad- casting satellite system. The system will provide telecommunications and other services to users as far afield as Western Europe to South-East Asia. EuropeStar, which will join Loral Skynet's Global Marketing Alliance, will consist of three Ku-band satellites at 43í, 45í and 47.5í in geostationary orbit.
Source: Flight International
China’s AVIC has secured a contract from the China Manned Space Agency to develop a winged, reusable spacecraft called Haolong.
The UK Space Command’s first owned earth observation microsatellite has been launched, providing the inaugural element of a planned space-based intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) constellation.
Orbital launch pioneer SpaceX is being contracted by the American space agency NASA to develop a so-called “US Deorbit Vehicle” that can safely return the International Space Station to Earth via controlled re-entry.
