TDRS-4 MISSION COMPLETE, SPACECRAFT RETIRED FROM ACTIVE SERVICE : GREENBELT, MD -- The Tracking and Data Relay Satellite 4 (TDRS-4) recently completed almost 23 years of operations support and successfully completed end-of-mission de-orbit and decommissioning activities. TDRS-4's operational life span was well beyond its original 10-year design.

NASA AWARDS LORAL CONTRACT FOR LASER COMM PAYLOAD FLIGHT : WASHINGTON -- NASA's Space Technology Program has awarded Space System/Loral of Palo Alto, Calif., a $3 million contract to initiate the process of hosting a space laser communications relay demonstration terminal payload aboard a Loral commercial satellite, which launches in 2016.

SPACE NETWORK BEGINS NEW DESIGN PHASE FOR GROUND SEGMENT : GREENBELT, MD --- The Space Network Ground Segment Sustainment effort successfully completed its Key Decision Point - B review at NASA allowing the project to proceed into Phase B of its lifecycle, the Mission Definition Phase. During this next phase, the network will hold its PDR.