WBMSAT News Bits 08/22/2014

This Week’s Featured Article

Soyuz rocket launch – Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace photo – Space News

Soyuz rocket successfully places two European Galileo positioning, navigation and timing satellites into medium earth orbit.
[Space News – 08/22/2014]

Industry Reports

Point Topic publishes 40 new country report on the state of fixed broadband.
[Satellite Markets & Research – 0/21/2014]

NSR on Avanti – is an “All-in” bet on HTS infrastructure a sustainable business model in the long term?
[NSR – 08/21/2014]

New report on companiesandmarkets.com, ‘Global Satellite Broadband Communications in Public Safety Market 2014-2018’ predicts growth of 8.5% CAGR.
[LIVE-PR – 08/20/2014]

Arab Advisors Group projects African cellular markets to add 81 million subscribers by 2018.
[Satellite Markets & Research – 08/20/2014]

NSR report ‘UltraHD via Satellite, 2nd Edition’ predicts over 820 UltraHD via satellite channels worldwide by 2025.
[Yahoo Finance – 08/18/2014]

Industry Groups, Trade Shows

SET EXPO 2014 marks South American launch of Newtec next generation Dialog platform.
[realwire – 08/22/2014]

IBC 2014 Content Everywhere series of events will cover IP-connected devices and how they are altering the way we produce and consume media.
[Satellite Markets & Research – 08/21/2014]

Satellite Interference Reduction Group (IRG) to bring its final Carrier ID (CID) Tour to IBC, following the success of the previous events.
[Satellite Evolution Group – 08/21/2014]

Satellite Launch Business

Sea Launch control ship and launch platform – Credit: Sea Launch photo – Space News

Launch gap leads Sea Launch to cut staff and sideline vessels.
[Space News – 08/22/2014]

Should Orbital Sciences convert to solid fuel, it would have to overhaul Wallops Island launch pad.
[Space News – 08/22/2014]

RD 180 rocket – Credit: NASA photo – Space News

U.S. Air Force solicits information on new rocket engine as possible replacement for Russian RD-180.
[Space News – 08/21/2014]

Aerojet Rocketdyne to 3-D print rocket engine parts under Air Force demo.
[Space News – 08/21/2014]

China launches Gaofen 2 earth observation satellite.
[Via Satellite – 08/20/2014]

Russian Astronaut throws earth observation nanosatellite into space for Peru.
[Nextgov – 08/18/2014]

The LEO-46 hot fire test. Photo: Aerojet Rocketdyne – Via Satellite

Aerojet Rocketdyne completes final hot-fire test for LEONIDAS smallsat launcher engine.
[Via Satellite – 08/18/2014]

Satellite Operations

European Space Agency still has not determined cause of sudden power drop in May aboard one of four in-orbit Galileo satellites.
[Space News – 08/22/2014]

Satellite Construction

Completed Himawan-8 satellite – courtesy of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation – SatNews

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation announces completion of the Himawari-8 satellite, the next generation weather satellite for the Japan Meteorological Agency.
[SatNews – 08/21/2014]

Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology construction of United Arab Emirate’s first satellite manufacturing facility nears completion.
[Via Satellite – 08/20/2014]

Orbital Sciences wins contract from Avanti Communication Group to build the HYLAS 4 broadband communications satellite.
[TMC News – 08/16/2014]

Satellite Technology

Communications and Power Industries Canada gets contract to develop Ka-band extended interaction klystron for SWOT satellite.
[HispanicBusiness – 08/22/2014]

Northrop Grumman cryocooler on board NASA’s OCO-2 satellite becomes 17th unit to operate in space without failure.
[Yahoo News – 08/20/2014]

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer First Class Shawn Eggert – Space Daily

Next generation MUOS satellite to be tested aboard Coast Guard Cutter Healy as part of Artic Shield 2014.
[Space Daily – 08/18/2014]

Aerojet Rocketdyne anticipates SmallSats to be the first users of the ‘green fuel’ hydrazine alternative AF-M315E.
[Via Satellite – 08/15/2014]

Ground Systems Technology

Finnish startup Kynel obtains funding for development of its cognitive radio system, which can analyze the local RF spectrum for the most optimal wireless channels available, including satellite, and re-configure accordingly.
[ArticStartup – 08/21/2014]

Cyber security expert tells NBC5 investigators he has found a way to hack into the satellite communications systems used in multiple industries.
[NBC Chicago – 08/21/2014]

Advantech Wireless to present details at IBC of its award winning ultralinear GaN based SSPAs offering the highest linear power available in the market.
[Satellite Markets & Research – 0/21/2014]

Briidge Technologies introduces VB273 intelligent L-band satellite switch that employs digital media monitoring systems.
[Via Satellite – 08/18/2014]

General Dynamics to build ground structures for Lockheed Martin for the Air Force’s Space Fence.
[Via Satellite – 08/15/2014]

Government, Military & Defense

NSA certifies Harris Corp’s manpack for top secret missions.
[Via Satellite – 08/21/2014]

U.S. Air Force partners with 3 Latin American countries on space component of  Panamax 2014 multinational exercise focused on defense of Panama Canal.
[Via Satellite – 08/20/2014]

U.S. Army photo – ARMY

As the U.S. operational footprint in Afghanistan diminishes, the Army’s portfolio of ground satellite terminals will continue to support operations for as long as the mission requires.
[ARMY – 08/19/2014]

State-of-the-art tactical communications network now used in Afghanistan automatically tracks and maintains connectivity while combat vehicles are on the move.
[Washington Post – 08/19/2014]

General Hyten takes helm at Air Force Space Command.
[Via Satellite – 08/18/2014]

Photo: Lockheed Martin – Defense Daily

U.S. Army Robotics Technology Consortium test joins unmanned ground Squad Mission Support System including satellite communications with unmanned K-MAX unmanned air vehicle.
[Defense Update – 08/18/2014]

Indian Prime Minister Modi visits Nepal and articulates vision for Indo-Nepal relationship and development of a SAARC satellite.
[The Space Review – 0/18/2014]

Government Regulation

SES Nabs rights for two Brazilian orbital slots.
[Via Satellite – 08/19/2014]

Satellite Industry Association deems Export-Import Bank ‘critical’ to U.S. Satellite Industry as Congress faces decision on the bank’s fate.
[Via Satellite – 08/185/2014]

FAA approves Avonica’s satLINK communications system.
[Avionics Today – 08/18/2014]

Aeronautical

Inmarsat in talks with airlines in Asia for tracking services.
[BusinessMirror – 08/22/2014]

Broadband

Exede to offer virtually unlimited Internet data usage plans in the Florida Panhandle.
[FFN – 08/21/2014]

Airbus Defence and Space introduces Expanded Terralink, based on the nexgen Newtec Dialog platform.
[SatNews – 08/20/14]

ViaSat Exede debuts first virtually unlimited satellite Internet service in Hawaii.
[Yahoo Finance – 08/20/2014]

ViaSat Exede debuts first virtually unlimited satellite Internet service in Alaska.
[Market Watch – 08/20/2014]

Russian Satellite Communications Company reports that the number of citizens using Ka-band satellite broadband has exceeded 5,000.
[Via Satellite – 08/19/2014]

Maritime

ITC Global wins three year contract to provide broadband to Harkland offshore support vessels.
[TMC News – 0/21/2014]

Mobile

Spartan Chassis connectivity solution integrates cellular and satellite communications with portability of today’s electronic devices.
[Firehouse – 08/22/2014]

Chinese Satellite TV Communications Group selects Octoshape, an industry leader in Over The Top (OTT) technologies, to power new high definition mobile video streaming service.
[Market Watch – 08/18/2014]

Space

Space Travel file photo

Voyager map details Neptune’s strange moon Triton.
[Space Travel – 0/22/2014]

Canadian Space Agency devising action plan for taking over troubled government space projects.
[Space News – 08/21/2014]

Orbital completes second paid ISS mission for NASA and contemplates rocket upgrade for 3rd cargo run.
[Space News – 08/19/2014]

Legal

Law firm Dentons starts space business practice.
[LawFuel – 08/18/2014]

Capacity Agreements

ITC Global signs two-year capacity agreement with Optus.
[Via Satellite – 08/18/2014]

SES signs multi-year agreement for two transponders to provide 80 Free-to-Air (FTA) channels to the West African Economic and Monetary Union.
[Via Satellite – 08/18/2014]

Market Strategy & Revenues

AsiaSat 1st half 2014 revenues down 10%.
[Satellite Markets & Research – 08/21/2014]

XTAR evaluating options for new capacity in Asia Pacific.
[Via Satellite – 08/20/2014]

ST Electronics opens new state-of-the-art satellite systems centre in Singapore.
[HispanicBusiness – 08/20/2014]

Hispasat pivots to Latin America as new top market.
[Via Satellite – 08/19/2014]

Lockheed completes acquisition of software, communications and ground systems company Zeta Associates, dedicated to national security missions.
[Via Satellite – 08/19/2014]

Inmarsat opens office in Beijing.
[China Tech News – 08/18/2014]

Global Invacom sees 26.3% revenue growth in first half of 2014.
[MIS ASIA – 08/18/2014]

Satcom Direct breaks ground on new ‘Campus of Excellence’ in Satellite Beach, Florida.
[benzinga – 08/18/2014]

History

Intelsat celebrates 50 years of providing critical communications to the world.
[Satellite Spotlight – 08/20/2014]

New museum in London dedicated to information and technology in the UK, focused on six networks that changed the world including satellite communications.
[artnet news – 08/18/2014]

Human Interest

Globecomm Europe and Event-IP Global Communications partner to deliver state-of-the-art communications services for international outdoor events.
[StreetInsider – 08/21/2014]

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