REMOTE VIEWING: Consultancy Forecast International (FI) projects the worldwide civil and commercial remote sensing satellite market will reach $17 billion over 2012-2021, during which 108 remote sensing satellites will be produced. “Demand for remote sensing satellite data continues to increase,” FI says.

HOUSTON — SpaceX, after replacing a faulty first-stage check valve, readied the Falcon 9/Dragon combination for a second attempt to launch the first U.S. commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) in the early morning hours of May 22. U.S. Air Force weather forecasters offered an 80% chance of favorable weather for a 3:44 a.m. EDT liftoff from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. There has been a slight concern about isolated rain showers in the region. SpaceX has a backup launch opportunity on May 25 at 2:33 a.m. EDT.

U.S. AIR FORCE United Launch Services, L.L.C., Littleton, Colo., is being awarded a $398,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for Atlas V EELV launch service in support of a Mobile User Objective System-4 mission and Delta IV EELV launch service in support of a Global Positioning System mission. The location of the performance is Decatur, Ala. Work is to be completed by Nov. 30, 2014. SMC/LRK, El Segundo, Calif., is the contracting activity (FA8811-11-C-0001 P00018). U.S. NAVY

U.S. NAVY Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc., Pascagoula, Miss., is being awarded a $133,751,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee not-to-exceed modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-06-C-2222) for advance procurement of long-lead-time materials and pre-construction activities in support of Landing Platform Dock 27. Work will be performed in Pascagoula, Miss., and is expected to complete by June 2017. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

U.S. ARMY Alliant Techsystems, Inc., Plymouth, Minn., was awarded a $58,272,447 firm-fixed-price contract. The award will provide for the modification of an existing contract to procure Spider XM-7 networked munitions systems. Work will be performed in Plymouth, Minn.; Wilmington, Mass.; and Rocket Center, W.Va., with an estimated completion date of April 30, 2013. One bid was solicited, with one bid received. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Picatinny Arsenal, N.J., is the contracting activity (W15QKN-11-C-0126).

u.s. NAVY

u.s. AIR FORCE Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., El Segundo, Calif., is being awarded a $51,284,530 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for Multi Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program radar system development and demonstration, ECP-025, radar modification for Global Hawk Block 40. The location of the performance is Norwalk, Conn. Work is to be completed by March 2015. AMC/ESC, Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., is the contracting activity (F19628-00-C-0100 P00233).

DISPUTE VERDICT: Thales Alenia Space stands to receive a €53 million ($67 million) settlement fee by June 9 in a legal dispute with Globalstar. An arbitrator ruled in favor of Thales Alenia Space in a disagreement over a 2009 satellite contract between the operator and satellite maker. The settlement fee can still be avoided if both sides agree to other terms. Talks between the two parties are now underway.