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Loral to build new craft for Sirius Satellite Radio LORAL NEWS RELEASE Posted: June 8, 2006 Space Systems/Loral (SS/L), a subsidiary of Loral Space & Communications, today announced that it has been chosen by Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. to build SIRIUS FM-5, a powerful new geostationary satellite for use in its satellite radio service. "Since its introduction only a few years ago, satellite radio has established itself as a proven business, based on the advanced technology and coverage capabilities offered by satellites," said Patrick DeWitt, president, Space Systems/Loral. "As the manufacturer of the first three SIRIUS spacecraft, we're proud to have played a significant role in the development of this unique industry and we're happy to be continuing our relationship with SIRIUS on this new and important project." SIRIUS FM-5 is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2008 and will carry an X-band uplink and S-band downlink payload. The satellite will be one of the most powerful ever constructed, with end-of-life power capability at more than 20 kilowatts. SIRIUS FM-5 is based on SS/L's flight proven and reliable 1300 platform and will have a specified service life of 15 years. It will carry a range of technologies, including a 9-meter unfurlable reflector, which will allow for highly-concentrated transmissions to small, advanced devices. As part of its commitment to SIRIUS, Loral has agreed to provide to SIRIUS a vendor financing facility of up to $100 million. The satellite will join three other SIRIUS satellites in orbit, all manufactured by SS/L. SS/L also manufactured SIRIUS FM-4, which is currently in ground storage. SIRIUS delivers more than 125 channels of the best radio programming. SIRIUS is the original and only home of 100% commercial-free music channels in satellite radio, offering 67 music channels available nationwide. SIRIUS also delivers 61 channels of sports, news, talk, entertainment, traffic, weather, and data. Space Systems/Loral is a premier designer, manufacturer, and integrator of powerful satellites and satellite systems. SS/L also provides a range of related services that include mission control operations and procurement of launch services. Based in Palo Alto, Calif., the company has an international base of commercial and governmental customers whose applications include broadband digital communications, direct-to-home broadcast, defense communications, environmental monitoring, and air traffic control. SS/L satellites have amassed more than 1,200 years of reliable on-orbit service. SS/L is ISO 9001:2000 certified. Loral Space & Communications is a satellite communications company. In addition to Space Systems/Loral, through its Skynet subsidiary Loral owns and operates a fleet of telecommunications satellites used to broadcast video entertainment programming, and for broadband data transmission, Internet services and other value-added communications services. |
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Space shuttle program manager Wayne Hale and launch director Mike Leinbach hold this news conference May 31 from Kennedy Space Center to offer a status report on STS-121 mission preparations. The briefing was held at the conclusion of the debris verification review, which examined the external fuel tank and threats to the shuttle from impacts during launch.
Dial-up: 
NASA created its Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) system to serve as a constellation of orbiting spacecraft that would replace the costly ground tracking stations scattered around the globe for communications with space shuttles and other satellites. Space shuttle Discovery's STS-29 mission in March 1989 launched the massive TDRS-D craft. This post-flight film narrated by the crew shows the deployment, the astronauts running a series of medical tests and the monitoring of a student-developed chicken embryo experiment.
Space shuttle Columbia began mission STS-61C with a beautiful sunrise launch in January 1986 after several delays. Led by commander Hoot Gibson, the astronauts deployed a commercial communications satellite and tended to numerous experiments with the Materials Science Laboratory, Hitchhiker platform and Getaway Special Canisters in the payload bay. The crew included Congressman Bill Nelson of Florida, the first U.S. Representative to fly in space. Watch this post-flight film narrated by the astronauts.
The Boeing Delta 4 rocket launches from pad 37B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station with the GOES-N spacecraft, beginning a new era in weather observing for the Americas.
As night fell over Kennedy Space Center on May 19, space shuttle Discovery reached launch pad 39B to complete the slow journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building. Discovery will be traveling much faster in a few weeks when it blasts off to the International Space Station.