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News briefs: February 25
Posted: Tue, Feb 26, 2002, 8:05 AM ET (1305 GMT)
- An international arbitrator approved Monday a decision by Loral to dissolve a satellite manufacturing partnership with Alcatel. The Swiss panel found that Loral provided the required one-years' notice in February 2001 to break its agreement with Alcatel, which dated back to 1991. The panel did find there were breaches in the agreement, but deferred a decision on what damages, if any, should be awarded to Alcatel. Loral said it ended the agreement because Alcatel had evolved into a competitor with Loral.
- ESA has begun critical thermal tests of its Rosetta comet spacecraft, the space agency reported. The three-week test will simulate the conditions the spacecraft will encounter during its journey to comet Wirtanen. Rosetta is scheduled for launch in January 2003 on an Ariane 5.
- Canadian astronaut Steve MacLean has been selected to fly on shuttle mission STS-115 in 2003, the Canadian Space Agency announced Monday. MacLean will be a member of the crew of Endeavour on a mission to the International Space Station currently slated for launch in April 2003. This assignment was the "important announcement regarding human presence in space" that the CSA promoted the previous Friday.
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