WBMSAT Satellite Industry News Bits 02/25/2012
World’s satellite sector, in unprecedented show of unity, presents letter signed by close to 100 satellite companies to chairman of UNIDROIT conference expressing opposition to Draft Space Assets Protocol, that threatens the stability of satellite financing.
[SatNews – 02/24/2012]
Director of Defense Intelligence Agency reveals that Beijing is developing missiles, electronic jammers, and lasers for use against satellites, under guise of supposedly non-military space program.
[SatNews – 02/24/2012]
ESA signs $1.8 billion deal with Thales Alenia for six next generation weather satellites, after acrimonious debate over decision not to award to Astrium of Germany.
[Space News – 02/24/2012]
MEASAT has a partnership agreement with Belgium Satellite Services for satellite capacity on the soon-to-be launched AFRICASAT-1a for coverage in the Middle East, Africa, and Southern Europe.
[SatNews – 02/24/2012]
Satellite bandwidth demand keeps soaring despite budget cuts.
[Defense Systems – 02/24/2012]
United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, with 200th Centaur, successfully launches Mobile User Objective System-1 satellite.
[Market Watch – 02/24/2012]
News that the son of Chinese premier Wen Jiabao has taken the helm of APT Satellite Holdings sends shares of the Hong Kong-traded stock up nearly 50%.
[Deal Journal – Wall Street Journal – 02/24/2012]
Long March 3C launches fifth Compass-G satellite into orbit.
[NASA Spaceflight – 02/24/2012]
U.S.A.F. and Lockheed Martin deliver the second Advanced Extremely High Frequency Flight communication satellite to Cape Canaveral.
[SatNews – 02/24/2012]
Intelsat gets subcontract to provide satellite connectivity for Iraqi Ministry of Defense network of 150 remote VSAT terminals.
[Ottawa Citizen – 02/24/2012]
SES announces that Brazil’s Rede Novo Tempo de Comunicacao has renewed and expanded a long-term capacity agreement for the distribution of its video and radio channels throughout Latin America, the Caribbean, North America, and Western Europe.
[SatNews – 02/24/2012]
South African satellite systems company SunSpace says its Sumbandila satellite has paved way for South African satellite to be built over which the South African National Defence Force could have total control.
[Engineering News – 02/24/2012]
Motorvision, Europe’s leading automotive-themed content provider, selects Asia Broadcast Satellite to distribute is content across the Asian continent.
[SatNews – 02/24/2012]
Death of American journalist Marie Colvin in Syria raises concern about the safety of using satellite phones in areas of conflict.
[Radio Free Europe – 02/24/2012]
GE Satcom is rebranded Signalhorn following its recent acquisition.
[SatNews – 02/24/2012]
C-Com and iSat partner on X-band enhancements for iNetVu terminal.
[Satellite Today – 02/24/2012]
Dish Chairman Charlie Ergen says Dish Network needs to package mobile wireless services with its video offering to remain competitive, explaining rationale for investing $4 billion in wireless spectrum since 2008.
[Wall Street Journal – 02/24/2012]
Army leaders outline plans to upgrade tactical communications network, pushing satellite communications down to the company level.
[www.army.mil – 02/23/2012]
U.S. Air Force and Lockheed Martin team deliver second Advanced Extremely High Frequency Flight communication satellite to Cape Canaveral.
[SatNews – 02/23/2012]
Google asks FCC to approve satellite antenna farm that would sit next to its existing data center in Council Bluffs, IA.
[DesMoines Register – 02/23/2012]
Etilisat to quit Indian telecoms market on heels of recent Indian Supreme Court decision cancelling 122 mobile licenses.
[The Vision Research – 02/23/2012]
Entry of Eutelsat’s new ATLANTIC BIRD 7 satellite into MidEast market spurs growth of digital and HDTV channels across Middle East and North Africa.
[Sacramento Bee – 02/22/2012]
Comtech Telecommunications Corp is awarded $1.0 million contract for medium-power Tri-band amplifiers for a vehicle-mounted tactical satellite communications system.
[Market Watch – 02/22/2012]
As LightSquared’s troubles continue, layoffs begin.
[Wireless Week – 02/22/2012]
Scandinavian satellite company Viasat Broadcasting extends its live broadcasting rights to the National Football League in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland until the end of the 2017 NFL season.
[Satellite Today – 02/22/2012]
LightSquared withholds $56.3 million payment to Inmarsat.
[Bloomberg Business Week – 02/21/2012]
Loral selects FMV for Thor 7 software contract.
[Satellite Today – 02/21/2012]
Gilat selected by JSC NURSAT to deploy broadband satellite communications solution in Kazakhstan.
[Market Watch – 02/21/2012]
Newtec enters agreement with InSat to supply and install Sat3Play hub and terminal technology and deliver next generation Ka-ban d communications over Afghanistan.
[Satellite Today – 02/21/2012]
Boston City Council may pass resolution requiring satellite companies to install dishes in locations that don’t affect aesthetics of a neighborhood.
[The Boston Channel – 02/21/2012]
Y1B satellite launch delayed till April.
[Khaleej Times – 02/20/2012]
Scientists seek “celestrial broom” to clean up space mess jeopardizing low earth orbit satellites.
[New York Times – 02/18/2012]
Moscow blames radiation damage to an SRAM chip aboard the Phobos-Grunt probe for its failure, but skepticism meets the official conclusion.
[IEEE Spectrum – 02/16/2012]
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Tags: satcom, satellite week, satnews
