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Pegasus abort
During the final seconds prior to the planned launch of the Space Technology 5 mission on March 15, a retention pin that holds the starboard-side fin aerosurface on the Pegasus rocket first stage did not retract. That forced the launch team to call an abort. This movie shows the scrub as it happened.

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Shuttle launch delay
Space Shuttle Program Manager Wayne Hale announces his decision to replace suspect fuel-level sensors inside the liquid hydrogen portion of Discovery's external tank. The three-week job means Discovery will miss its May launch window, delaying the second post-Columbia test flight to the next daylight period opening July 1. Hale made the announcement during a news conference from Johnson Space Center on March 14.

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Stardust science
NASA's Stardust spacecraft returned to Earth in January with the first samples ever retrieved from a comet. This briefing with mission scientists held March 13 from the Johnson Space Center offers an update on the initial research into the comet bits.

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Exploring Enceladus
The Cassini spacecraft orbiting the planet Saturn has found evidence indicating pockets of liquid water may exist near the surface on the icy moon Enceladus, raising the question of whether the small world could support life. This movie includes stunning images of Enceladus taken by Cassini and animation of geysers seen erupting from the moon.

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MRO's orbit insertion explained
The make-or-break engine firing by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to enter orbit around Mars and the subsequent aerobraking to reach the low-altitude perch for science observations are explained by project manager Jim Graf in this narrated animation package.

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Loral Skynet re-enters North American FSS market
LORAL NEWS RELEASE
Posted: March 20, 2006

Loral Skynet, a subsidiary of Loral Space & Communications, today announced that as of March 18, 2006, it has resumed offering fixed satellite services (FSS) to customers in North America.

"Having the ability to once again offer our FSS services in North America is a major milestone in Skynet's growth strategy," said Patrick Brant, president of Loral Skynet. "Most of Skynet's history and consistent reputation for superior customer service has been as an FSS provider in the U.S. We intend to vigorously market our heritage services in this newly available region, in addition to providing our successful IP-focused network services."

Pursuant to the terms of Loral's agreement to sell certain of its North American assets to Intelsat in March 2004, Skynet was precluded from offering basic FSS capacity leasing services in North America for two years.

Brant continued, "Loral Skynet operates a global satellite fleet, now offering complete bandwidth services in every major geographic region. With the resumption of service in North America, Skynet's portfolio of satellite services offers customers complete global communications services, from basic capacity leases to the latest in IP-powered hybrid satellite and terrestrial network services."

Loral Skynet currently operates two satellites that provide coverage of North America. Telstar 14/Estrela do Sul offers Ku-band capacity across North America and Telstar 12 offers Ku-band capacity to as far West as Denver. Skynet also offers FSS service on transponders it leases across the North American arc, including four transponders it will operate aboard Satmex 6, a high-power C- and Ku-band satellite covering all of the Americas, which is scheduled to begin service this summer.

In addition, Loral Skynet recently announced the start of construction on Telstar 11N, a powerful new multi-region Ku-band communications satellite to be located at 37.5 degrees West longitude. When it enters service in the second quarter of 2008, Telstar 11N will provide service from 39 high-power 54 MHz Ku-band transponders spread across four different geographic beams in each of North and Central America, including the U.S., Europe, Africa and the maritime Atlantic Ocean Region. Telstar 11N will complement the coverage of Skynet's Telstar 12 satellite at 15 degrees West longitude, which provides Ku-band trans-Atlantic coverage to an array of commercial and governmental users.

A pioneer in the satellite industry, Loral Skynet delivers the superior service quality and range of satellite solutions that have made it an industry leader for more than 40 years. Through the broad coverage of the Telstar satellite fleet, in combination with its hybrid VSAT/fiber global network infrastructure, Skynet meets the needs of companies around the world for broadcast and data network services, Internet access, IP and systems integration. Headquartered in Bedminster, New Jersey, Loral Skynet is dedicated to providing secure, high-quality connectivity and communications.

In addition to being the parent company of Loral Skynet, Loral Space & Communications is a world-class leader in the design and manufacture of satellites and satellite systems for commercial and government applications through its Space Systems/Loral subsidiary.