Why Space Matters: GEO Satellite operations, Part 6–Eclipse

All that you touch, all that you see… Yep, you guessed it! We’re going to talk about another issue common to geostationary (GEO) satellites: the eclipse. This issue is almost opposite from the problem discussed in Part 5 of the GEO lesson series. Instead of being overpowered by the sun’s energy, the satellite can’t function […]

Chinese Space: What has changed?

To hear people tell it, China seems to be gaining the upper-hand in the space warfare department. This Freebeacon post (http://freebeacon.com/experts-china-boosts-space-warfare-capabilities/) tells a tale of the devious Chinese space activities threatening the United States. Articles like this are designed to get people fired up, and that’s disturbing. There are reasons to worry about the future […]

SpaceX and SES: A Launch Story

SpaceX is accomplishing some very important work in the world of space launch, and meeting some very critical milestones. But for SpaceX to be successful, it’s helpful to have a willing and patient partner during their activities. That’s where SES comes in to play. This very good article on Via Satellite’s site tells the tale […]

Why Space Matters: GEO Satellite operations, Part 5–Lights & Music

During the last few lessons, the great advantages of satellites in a geostationary orbit (GEO) were espoused about ad nauseum. The characteristics of persistence in communications and observations are the direct benefits of using a satellite in GEO. Include the huge field of regard and simplified ground system requirements, and it’s really a no-brainer to […]

India Kickin’ Tail in Space

2013 and this last week have been full of successes for the Indian space programs. Just last week, after 20 years of effort, the Indians managed to lift a satellite into geosynchronous orbit. NVONews just posted yesterday a decent summary of Indian space activities. This is a good thing. It means the Chinese are looking […]