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News briefs: September 9
Posted: Tue, Sep 10, 2002, 10:29 AM ET (1429 GMT)
- Satellite operators Intelsat and PanAmSat are each interested in acquiring rival operator Eutelsat, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday. Intelsat has reportedly made a bid of $3.5 to $4 billion for Eutelsat, while PanAmSat has yet to make a specific offer. Any acquisition would create a satellite operator that would be similar in size to SES Americom, the largest in the world.
- The Air Force awarded a $2.15 billion contract to Lockheed Martin on Monday to restructure the Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) High program. The contract, which goes through 2010, covers the development of four early warning missile launch satellites in geosynchronous orbit, with the first satellite now scheduled for launch in 2006. Last month TRW won a contract for a scaled down version of SBIRS Low, a low-Earth orbit complement to SBIRS High.
- Boeing will start sharing detailed technical information about its 702 series of spacecraft with insurers in a bid to ward off potential lawsuits, Space News reported in its Monday print edition. The first six 702 satellites all suffered a design flaw that will cause power losses, which may result in insurance claims of up to $1.5 billion. Boeing Satellite Systems hopes to prove to insurers that the company was unaware of the flaw until after the spacecraft were launched. The problem has been corrected on newer 702 spacecraft.
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