June 18, 1997
                                              Paris Air Show
                                                  Special #3
                ==============================
                  THE ORBITAL REPORT ON-LINE
                ==============================
             Space Executive's Weekly News Digest
This issue of Takyon International's latest on-line newsletter
was published in cooperation with New Space. (www.newspace.com)
OReOL covers space industry news, market trends, and provides the
necessary background information for immediate analysis. Please feel
free to contact us for any comment.
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=== FROM THE PARIS AIR SHOW ===
* ALCATEL ALSTHOM and LORAL SPACE & TECHNOLOGY will combine their
efforts to develop and launch their US$1.6-billion SKYBRIDGE and
US$3.5-billion CYBERSTAR constellations of broadband communication
satellites. ALCATEL and LORAL have also agreed to invest US$30 million
in each other's venture. The 64-satellite SKYBRIDGE constellation in low
Earth orbit, the Ku-band part of the business, could be launched as soon
as 2001. Three Ka-band CYBERSTAR satellites are planned for launch
beginning in 1999.
* MOTOROLA has unveiled its intent to build a US$12.9-billion broadband
satellite system, dubbed CELESTRI, which could provide worldwide
interactive multimedia services in Ka-band in 2002. This new system
would be based on a 63-satellite constellation in low Earth orbit.
* A Russian PROTON K vehicle has successfully launched a cluster of 7
IRIDIUM satellites into their targeted orbit from Baykonur today.
* STARSEM, the French-Russian joint-venture in charge of marketing the
Soyuz vehicle, has agreed with RKA, the Russian space agency, to begin
the marketing of two new versions of the vehicle. The SOYUZ-FREGAT, and
later the SOYUZ 2-FREGAT, will allow to launch more voluminous payloads.
The FREGAT upper stage will first be test-launched in 1999. Two SOYUZ-
FREGAT are due to loft the CLUSTER 2 satellites in 2000.
* FIAT AVIO is studying a new concept for its proposed VEGA launcher
incorporating Ukrainian liquid propulsion technology from NPO YUZHNOE in
its third and fourth stages.
* NASA has awarded a US$54-million contract to LOCKHEED MARTIN for the
development and manufacturing of a Solar X-Ray Imager which will be
carried aboard  NOAA's future Geostationary Operational Environmental
Satellites (GOES-N, O, P & Q).
* INPE, the Brazilian space science institute, has signed a US$4-million
contract with AEROSPATIALE, of France, for the procurement of the
mechanical/optical system of the CIMEX optical instrument. This
equipment will fly on the US SPACE SHUTTLE.
             For more information regarding these topics
                        and much, much more !
                  Please refer to the next issue of
                     THE ORBITAL LAUNCHER REPORT
             The Monthly Space Transportation Newsletter          
                     (Vol.3, N°9, is due July 7)
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  * As part of the New Space Journal, two interactive columns are now *
  * being published. "Minimum Cost Design" by Arthur Schnitt focuses  *
  * on the MCD criteria and its application to space launch vehicles. *
  * "Reality Check" by Rick Fleeter takes a critical look at current  *
  *   space industry issues and concepts from the perspective of a    *
  *     seasoned veteran. You can view these columns on the web:      *
  *                                                                   *
  *    www.newspace.com/schnitt   -or-   www.newspace.com/fleeter     *
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   The Orbital Report On-Line is published 3 to 4 times per month
         by Takyon International (RCS Paris B 401 465 398)
            34, boulevard Exelmans, 75016 Paris, France
       Phone: +33 (0) 146 566 490 * Fax: +33 (0) 146 561 355
              Editorial hotline: +33 (0) 607 995 056
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                  Chief Editor: Stefan Barensky
               Technical Contributor: Samuel Szdat
               © Takyon International - June 1997
               Takyon International also publishes
                   The Orbital Launcher Report,
            a monthly space transportation newsletter.
--------------- End of Paris Air Show Special #3 ------------------

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