In the News

Links to a selection of recent news stories about Astrotech.

New NASA satellite to monitor Earth's weather and climate
msnbc.com - October 10, 2011
In a clean room inside the Astrotech Payload Processing Facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians position NASA’s National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System Preparatory Project spacecraft for testing.

Charles Bolden: NASA fueling job growth
Florida Today - Charles Bolden - September 10, 2011
I returned to Astrotech, a Titusville company that processed the spacecraft and ensured it was ready for that launch, to thank the team for its work. Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to see MSL and Juno at Astrotech as well, and there’s nothing quite like seeing in person a spacecraft that soon will soar beyond our planet on a mission of discovery.

Road trip takes satellite from Colo. to Vandenberg
Santa Maria Times - Janene Scully - September 4, 2011
The spacecraft now will be prepared inside the Astrotech Space Operations facility at Vandenberg for installation atop a rocket for an Oct. 25 launch. The team’s chores in the coming weeks include removing protective covers, testing and fueling.

Climate satellite moves to California launch base
SpaceFlight Now - Justin Ray - September 1, 2011
The environmentally controlled transportation container holding the NPP satellite arrives outside the Astrotech payload processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

NASA orbiter launches Friday to investigate Jupiter's secrets
Houston Chronicle - Don Finley - August 2, 2011
Technicians at Astrotech's payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., stow solar array #2 against the body of NASA's Juno spacecraft

Jupiter-Bound Juno Spacecraft Mated to its Rocket
Space Daily - July 28, 2011
NASA's Juno spacecraft completed its last significant terrestrial journey, July 27, with a 15-mile (25-kilometer) trip from Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., to its launch pad at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

Juno Processing Continues in Florida
NASA JPL - July 19, 2011
The Juno spacecraft completed hydrazine fuel loading, oxidizer loading and final tank pressurizations this week, and now the complete propulsion system is ready for the trip to Jupiter. The spacecraft is currently at the Astrotech processing facility in Titusville, Fla.

Gas Giant Spacecraft All Gassed Up
NASA JPL - July 7, 2011
Technicians use an overhead crane to lower NASA's Juno spacecraft onto a fueling stand at Astrotech's Hazardous Processing Facility in Titusville, Fla.

Juno Blanket Check
NASA JPL - June 24, 2011
As the Juno spacecraft is elevated by a rotation fixture, a technician at Astrotech's payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., examines the installation of blankets on the aft deck.

Astrotech... Ground Support Assurance
SatNews Daily - May 14, 2011
Astrotech Corporation (Nasdaq:ASTC) has announced that its Astrotech Space Operations subsidiary has been awarded a $16.2 million contract to fabricate, install, and test Ground Support Equipment (GSE) for the U.S. government.

NASA Administrator Visits Jupiter Bound Spacecraft
Space Daily - May 6, 2011
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden listens to Juno program manager for Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company Tim Gasparrini as they view the Jupiter-bound Juno spacecraft on Thursday, May 5, 2011, at the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla.

Austin-based Astrotech revenue, net loss falls
Austin Business Journal - May 2, 2011
Austin-based Astrotech Corp. reported a $446,000 net loss on $5.7 million revenue in the quarter ended March 31, versus $647,000 negative on $6.7 million revenue during the same three months last year.

NASA's Jupiter-Bound Spacecraft Arrives In Florida
Space Daily - April 13, 2011
NASA's Juno spacecraft has arrived in Florida to begin final preparations for a launch this summer. The spacecraft was shipped from Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, to the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., today.

Juno unpacked from shipping crate
Spaceflight Now - Stephen Clark - April 9, 2011
One day after it arrived in Florida, the Juno spacecraft was removed from its transport container Saturday and unwrapped of protective plastic at the Astrotech processing facility in Titusville, Fla.

More Secret X-37B Space Plane Missions Expected, U.S. Military Says
Spaceflight Now - Stephen Clark - March 11, 2011
The U.S. Air Force's X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle is shown inside its payload fairing during encapsulation at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla.

Secretive X-37B Space Plane Launches on New Mystery Mission
Space.com - Mike Wall - March 5, 2011
The U.S. Air Force's X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle is shown inside its payload fairing during encapsulation at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla.

With A-List help, Glory aims to unravel uncertainties about aerosols
PHYSORG.com - Adam Voiland - February 10, 2011
Inside the Astrotech Payload Processing Facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base, technicians illuminated Glory’s solar arrays to confirm they were functioning properly following shipment from the factory...

$48M IDIQ Contract from DoD Awarded
SpaceRef - Jan. 19, 2011
Space Florida will partner with ATK and Astrotech on the Spaceports 3 contract to provide the launch complex and process future payloads related to Minotaur launches from Florida...

Astrotech Space Operations to Support Multiple Spacecraft Missions at the Eastern Range
Defence Professionals - Jan. 10, 2011
...the Department of the Navy's Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) awarded Astrotech Space Operations a new contract for payload processing services in support of the Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) Program....

SPAWAR Selects Astrotech to Support Multiple MUOS Launches
Satellite Today - Jeffrey Hill - Jan. 10, 2011
Astrotech’s Space Operations business unit will provide payload processing for up to five satellite launches for MUOS and use Astrotech's services for the initial launch. The Navy has the right to exercise options that could see Astrotech support up to four additional MUOS launches.

Inspections have begun on Air Force space plane
Spaceflight Now - Stephen Clark - Dec. 12, 2010
A few hours after landing, recovery crews towed the 29-foot-long space plane to the Astrotech satellite processing facility at Vandenberg. Engineers are inspecting the X-37B to collect data on how the craft weathered its time in space.

Astrotech Receives NASA Contract
aerospace-technology.com - Nov. 30, 2010
Under the contract, Astrotech will provide facilities and payload processing services from its Vandenberg Air Force Base located in California, US, to support NASA's national polar-orbiting operational environmental satellite system preparatory project mission, scheduled to launch in October 2011.

Astrotech Wins Contract for NASA Mission
SpaceRef - Nov. 23, 2010
The Company will provide facilities and payload processing services from its VAFB location in support of NASA's National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Preparatory Project (NPP) mission scheduled to launch October 25, 2011.

Astrotech shares up on NASA contract
Houston Business Journal - Christine Hall - July 26, 2010
Astrotech Corp. shares shot up as high as 43 percent in early trading Monday on the news that the commercial aerospace company inked a NASA contract valued at $9.5 million.

Astrotech Subsidiary Secures $9.5 Million NASA Contract
SpaceRef - July 25, 2010
NASA awarded its Astrotech Space Operations business unit a new contract for payload processing services for expendable launch vehicles (ELVs) and evolved expendable launch vehicles (EELVs) from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) at the Eastern Range in Florida.