WBMSAT News Bits for September 18, 2009

 

Nimiq-5 is successfully launched into orbit by International Launch Services from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on an ILS Proton for Telesat.
[SatNews – 09/17/2009]

NASA Lunar satellite begins detailed mapping of Moon’s South Pole
[Reuters – 09/17/2009].

Iridium joins mobile satellite industry companies and emergency response community in ProTECTS Alliance to develop two-way satellite data solutions for improve tracking, messaging, and emergency communications.
[Reuters – 09/17/2009]

Russia will push back its satellite mission to Mars’ moon until 2011, which will also delay the joint launch of China’s first Mars probe.
[SatNews – 09/17/2009]

Space Foundation in Colorado Springs releases white paper stating that developing nations should look to space-based technology to overcome infrastructure and access issues.
[SatNews – 09/17/2009]

Artel leases Ku-band transponder on Astra 3B from SES World Skies to provide U.S. Department of Defense with broadband, IP voice, data, and video solutions across a variety of regional operations.
[Satellite Today – 09/17/2009]

Satellite Operators create Coalition for Competitive Launches aiming at enhancing worldwide competition in the commercial launch market.
[Reuters – 09/16/2009]

China announces development of fourth space center, Wenchang Center, and a space analyst claims China intends to challenge the U.S. and Russia dominated commercial satellite launch market.
[UPI – 09/16/2009]

European Space Agency takes practical step towards 3D television at home, delivered by satellite, as part of its Advance Research in Telecommunication Systems program.
[SatNews – 09/16/2009]

KVH extends mini-VSAT Atlantic Ocean coverage into Greenland and northern Europe, and as far south as the horn of Brazil.
[Reuters – 09/16/2009]

SES World Skies signs multi-year, multi-transponder capacity deal in Africa with Netcom.
[Satellite Today – 09/16/2009]

Researchers at a meeting in Spain report discovery of a rocky planet five times larger than Earth beyond the solar system.
[SatNews – 09/16/2009]

Tampa Microwave announces entry into VSAT market with manpack satellite terminal and outdoor modem module.
[Reuters – 09/16/2009]

German telecommunications provider atrexx will offer satellite-based communications via Eutelsat’s EUROBIRD 4A to the Iraq region.
[PRLog – 09/16/2009]

Intelsat and the Global VSAT Forum announce agreement to facilitate training for technicians in deployment of state-of-the-art satellite systems.
[Reuters – 09/16/2009]

Gilat announces that China Unicom is deploying its SkyAbis cellular backhaul solution to enhance GSM mobile connectivity in the Xinjiang region.
{Reuters – 09/15/2009]

Australian DEFENCE awards $94m contract for construction of three new satellite ground terminals to improve communications with forces deployed around the world.
{The Australian – 09/15/2009]

Verimatrix signs pure satellite content protection deal with TV operator in Asia.
[Satellite Today – 09/15/2009]

SES World Skies signs multiyear, two-transponder deal with Galaxy Backbone to provide government broadband connectivity in Nigeria.
[Satellilte Today – 09/15/2009]

Inmarsat launches Enhanced Super Quiet Time low-cost FleetBroadband calling service.
[Satellite Today – 09/15/2009]

OmniGlobe contracts with ARABSAT to provide 12 new backhauling platforms for transmission of SCPC TV streams throughout Arab world countries.
[SatNews – 09/15/2009]

Hughes technology announces that Bantel Telecom, a satellite communications provider in the Caribbean and Central American, will use the Hughes HN System to provide KU band service in Columbia under a contract with Union Temporal Conectando.
[Reuters – 09/15/2009]

GlobeCast’s Content Exchange sharing and transfer solution receives Inmarsat certification.
[Satellite Today – 09/15/2009]

Bolivia’s president seeks United Nations assistance to acquire a communications satellite for his impoverished Andean country.
[Reuters – 09/14/2009]

SES to expand reach of its satellite-based broadband service ASTRA2Connect to Africa on NSS-12 under agreement with Intersat Africa.
[SatNews – 09/14/2009]

Russia plans launch of weather satellite Meteor-M on board a Soyuz 2.1b carrier rocket from Baikonur September 22.
[SatNews – 09/14/2009]

Beaverton, Oregon inventor claims his "launch loop" would greatly reduce the cost of space travel.
[Portland Examiner – 09/14/2009]

WBMSAT PS – Satellite Communications Consulting Services