|
Posted by Jacques van Oene on December 3, 2005, 12:24 pm
Please log in for more thread options
Contact: Barron Beneski, (703) 406-5000, beneski.barron@orbital.com
Orbital Selected To Build And Launch NASA's New Millennium Space Technology
8 Satellite
Spacecraft to be Based on Company's Microstar Platform and Launched Aboard a
Pegasus Rocket
Combined Mission Value to Exceed $50 Million
(Dulles, VA 28 November 2005) - Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB)
announced today that it has been selected by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory
(JPL) to design, develop and manufacture the next satellite in the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) series of New Millennium
Program (NMP) technology demonstration spacecraft. The satellite, Space
Technology 8 (ST8), will be based on Orbital's MicrostarTM platform, a
lightweight, multi-role spacecraft bus of which dozens are already in orbit
performing communications and Earth and space science missions. At launch,
ST8 will weigh approximately 385 lbs. (or 175 kg). In addition to the
satellite contract, Orbital will also provide the mission's launch vehicle
and related services, which is procured by NASA's Kennedy Space Center under
a separate contract. The ST8 mission will utilize Orbital's highly reliable
PegasusŪ rocket, the world's leading small launcher for dependable
transportation to low-Earth orbit. Together, the total value to Orbital of
the ST8 program is expected to exceed $50 million.
The ST8 mission is a technology demonstration mission, consisting of four
payload experiments. Together, these experiments aim to improve NASA's
understanding of the feasibility of using these technologies for future
space missions such as large solar sail missions. The four technology
demonstrations include a large flexible solar array, a 40-meter deployable
boom, high radiation environment electronics and a thermal radiator
experiment.
The ST8 mission is scheduled for launch in early 2009 and is planned to
conduct a seven-month technology demonstration mission. Orbital's overall
role is to provide the spacecraft, perform the integration of the
experiments with the satellite platform, conduct pre-launch environmental
testing, integrate and test the satellite with the launch vehicle, plan and
conduct the mission's launch operations and provide post-launch mission
operations support.
Orbital's Small Satellites
Orbital has built and launched more small-class satellites than any other
company by a wide margin. Over the past two decades, Orbital has delivered
nearly 100 small satellites that have performed national security,
commercial communications, Earth and space science, remote imaging and
technology demonstration missions. Together, these satellites have amassed
nearly 450 years of reliable in-orbit experience. Including the ST8
satellite, Orbital is currently under contract to deliver another 14
satellites over the next four years.
Orbital's Small-Class Space Launch Vehicles
Orbital's family of small-class space launch vehicles is the industry's
standard for reliable and cost-effective launch services to low-Earth orbit.
The company's Pegasus, Taurus and Minotaur rockets combined have carried out
a total of 47 space missions, 43 of which have been successful, including
the last 22 Pegasus launches dating back to 1996. Together, these launch
vehicles have placed 99 satellites and other payloads into orbit. Over the
next four years, Orbital is under contract to carry out another 10 space
launch missions.
Orbital's Highly Reliable Small Space Systems
The ST8 mission will continue Orbital's extensive heritage in providing
customers with a total mission package of small, highly reliable and
cost-effective space systems. On numerous occasions, Orbital has been the
provider of a mission's small satellite and small-class space launch
vehicle, as will be the case for the ST8 mission. Several recent examples of
this type of successful dual mission include the GALEX and SORCE science
missions launched in 2003 for NASA, the OrbView-3 high-resolution imaging
satellite also carried out in 2003 for ORBIMAGE, and the TSX-5 mission and
STEP series conducted in 2000 and the mid-1990's, respectively, for the U.S.
Department of Defense.
--
--------------
Jacques :-)
www.spacepatches.info
|
| Similar Threads | Posted | | NASA's Space Technology 5 Satellites Soar Into Space (Forwarded) | March 22, 2006, 12:16 pm |
| Orbital-Built Galaxy 14 Satellite Successfully Launched For PanAmSat | August 16, 2005, 3:42 pm |
| Orbital Receives Contract For Horizons-2 Commercial Communications Satellite | September 4, 2005, 3:58 pm |
| Orbital Receives Contract For MEASAT-1R Commercial Communications Satellite | November 15, 2005, 10:42 am |
| NASA's GOES-N satellite ready for launch | July 26, 2005, 7:29 pm |
| NOAA, NASA Select Contractor to Build GOES-R Series Satellite (Forwarded) | May 10, 2009, 12:18 pm |
| NASA's Launch Of Carbon-Seeking Satellite is Unsuccessful | February 24, 2009, 11:16 am |
| Lockheed Martin awarded contract to build A2100 small class geo satellite | March 24, 2005, 2:56 am |
| Orbital-Built TELKOM-2 Communications Satellite Successfully Launched Aboard Ariane Rocket | November 18, 2005, 12:21 pm |
| NASA'S Carbon-Sniffing Satellite Sleuth Arrives at Launch Site (OCO) | November 13, 2008, 3:45 pm |
|
XML Sitemap