Associated Press

KODIAK, Alaska (AP) — An Alaska aerospace company wants to increase its launch frequency to at least two or three launches per year.

The Kodiak Daily Mirror reports representatives from Alaska Aerospace Corporation spoke about their plans earlier this week at a town hall meeting in Kodiak. They told residents the advancement of small-launch vehicles provides an opportunity to send more satellites into space.

Currently, companies or organizations that need to launch a small nano-satellite or cube satellite typically hitch a ride with a larger payload, taking up unused space in the launch vehicle at a lower cost.

This way of launching has created a backlog of customers hoping to send their satellites. But the company’s director of range operations, Barry King, says the smaller vehicles being developed should bring prices down and supply up.

He said the company just needs to attract commercial customers.

KODIAK, Alaska (AP) — An Alaska aerospace company wants to increase its launch frequency to at least two or three launches per year.

The Kodiak Daily Mirror reports representatives from Alaska Aerospace Corporation spoke about their plans earlier this week at a town hall meeting in Kodiak. They told residents the advancement of small-launch vehicles provides an opportunity to send more satellites into space.

Currently, companies or organizations that need to launch a small nano-satellite or cube satellite typically hitch a ride with a larger payload, taking up unused space in the launch vehicle at a lower cost.

This way of launching has created a backlog of customers hoping to send their satellites. But the company’s director of range operations, Barry King, says the smaller vehicles being developed should bring prices down and supply up.

He said the company just needs to attract commercial customers.

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The Alaska Senate bungled its adjournment from the first special session. But a Department of Law spokeswoman says that has no impact on Gov. Bill Walker’s proclamation calling a new special session.

The Senate on Friday morning adjourned from the first special session without voting on whether to do so after Senate Minority Leader Berta Gardner objected. The House adjourned late Thursday.

Walker issued a proclamation calling lawmakers into a new special session after the Senate adjourned.

Before gaveling in for the new session Friday afternoon, Senate President Pete Kelly allowed for a vote on closing the first special session. Once that was held, he then called the Senate to order on the new special session.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The National Park Service in Alaska says a climber has died on Denali, North America’s highest mountain.

The name, gender and nationality of the climber were not immediately released pending notification of the climber’s family.

Denali’s summit is at 20,310 feet (6,190-meters).

The park service received a request for help at about 1 a.m. Friday from a party at the 17,500-foot (5,334-meter) level.

A party of three was descending from Denali Pass when one person collapsed due to unknown illness.

Two park service mountaineering volunteers reached the party and found the stricken climber unresponsive.

Despite emergency interventions, the climber did not regain consciousness and was pronounced dead.

The park service says the climber’s body will be recovered from a camp at 17,200 feet (5,242 meters) as weather conditions allow.

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — A former Kodiak, Fairbanks and Bethel district attorney died in a motorcycle crash as he traveled in Canada.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports 64-year-old Mike Gray died Sunday near Mile 820 Alaska Highway.

Gray, traveling alone, left Fairbanks early Saturday morning for a family gathering in Montana.

Yukon Territory Chief Coroner Heather Jones says Gray lost control of his bike on a gravel shoulder near Jake’s Corner and slid into a ditch.

Gray was a Kodiak assistant district attorney from 1995 to 1998 and the Kodiak district attorney from 1998 to 2007.

He took over in Fairbanks in 2007 and became Bethel district attorney in 2015. He retired May 31.

Gray is survived by his wife, Katherine Martin-Gray, and two daughters.

The man accused of killing five people at a Florida airport faces more legal trouble in Alaska.

An arrest warrant was issued Wednesday for Esteban Santiago, 27, for failing to appear at a sentencing hearing on an earlier domestic violence charge in Anchorage.

The judge issued the warrant after court workers could not reach him on the phone to participate in the hearing from Florida.

This essentially puts the Alaska case in limbo as the Santiago faces federal charges in the Jan. 6 deadly shooting at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood airport.

He’s accused of flying overnight from Alaska to Florida. Once he landed, authorities say he retrieved the gun he had checked. He then shot five people and wounded another six.

His trial in that case is tentatively scheduled for January.