Fabulous explanation as to why we have black dots across many of our space images from the 1970s — by Emily Lakdawalla of The Planetary Society.
Some folks have carefully removed these dots (or other registration marks), one by one.
UK Scientists to help satellites dodge sun storms, by giving enough advance warning to allow operators to move, reconfigure, or shut down satellites in harm’s way.
[Reuters – 03/02/2012]
Military strives to increase bandwidth and link satellite and terminal design while turning to commercial suppliers for hosted payloads, as bandwidth demand is not reduced by two wars winding down.
[Defense Systems – 03/02/2012]
The launch of the first Mobile User Objective System satellite in February signals a new era of comms-on-the-move in the Defense Department.
[Defense Systems – 03/02/2012]
Pasta-shaped radio waves beamed across Venice, demonstrating an apparent solution to radio congestion using the twisted radio waves to transmit separate channels on each, at the same frequency.
[R&D Magazine – 03/02/2012]
Loral Space and Communications suspends preparations to spin off the company’s satellite manufacturing division to focus on strategic transaction with unnamed buyer or group of buyers.
[Space News – 03/02/2012]
Syria blocks Red Cross from Homs neighborhood, cutting off communications and jamming satellite signals as it is accused of overrunning district, performing execution style killings and a scorched-earth campaign.
[The Republic – 03/02/2011]
DigitalGlobe’s images of Baba Amr district of Homs, Syria show damage caused by recent fighting between the Syrian army and rebels.
[SatNews – 03/01/2012]
Avanti Communications chief executive says the launch of a third broadband satellite, HYLAS 3, will give the company the ability to “cherry-pick” customers in Africa.
[4-traders – 03/01/2012]
SES drops ASTRA name, renaming ASTRA Broadband Services as SES Broadband Services, and ASTRA2Connect as SES Broadband.
[SatNews – 03/01/2012]
Lockheed Martin announces success of in-orbit testing of the first Advance Extremely High Frequency satellite.
[UPI – 03/01/2012]
Datum Systems as new multi-function data interface for PSM-500 series modems that supports optional Advanced Ethernet IP or Dual G.703 interface.
[SatNews – 03/01/2012]
International Datacasting is awarded new contract to provide the Canadian Forces Radio and Television broadcast services for up to an additional five years. [SatNews – 03/01/2012]
Al Jazeera platform of 10 channels uses new footprint of Eutelsat’s EUTELSAT 7 West A to reach viewers from Morocco to Nigeria.
[Sacramento Bee – 03/01/2012]
Telemar to launch SeaMore, a new, joint full-service communications solution with Vizada for the maritime community.
[SatNews – 03/01/2012]
European Union’s TV information services move to the EUTELSAT 9A satellite.
[Sacramento Bee – 03/01/2012]
Canada’s MDA awaits decision on contract bid to U.S. DARPA before deciding whether to shelve its work on a space vehicle to service satellites and perform other chores in orbit.
[Space News – 03/01/2012]
Hughes Network Systems completes installation of its latest technology, HN NOCXT, for Pagaso Banda Ancha at its new teleport in Toluca, Mexico.
[SatNews – 03/01/2012]
BepiColombo, an ESA mission to the planet Mercury in collaboration with the Japanese space agency is now planned for launch in August 2015.
[SatNews – 03/01/2012]
YAHSAT launches new VSAT service on opening day of CABSAT show.
[Khaleej Times – 02/29/2012]
Laptop stolen a year ago from NASA contained formulas used to control the International Space Station.
[Nextgov – 02/29/2012]
LightSquared CEO Sanjiv Ahuja resigns after failing to get government clearance for the company’s planned LTE network; Philip Falcone takes seat on the board.
[Wireless Week – 02/28/2012]
New research program at Rensselaer Polytechnic seeks to define next generation of low-orbit satellites that are cheaper to launch, longer lived, more maneuverable, and easier to hide; research could also define means to guide dead satellites and debris to Earth.
[R&D Magazine – 02/28/2012]
Raytheon’s U.S. Air Force satellite terminal system achieves two critical milestones and is its first Advanced Extremely High Frequency terminal for the Air Force to enter production.
[Space Daily – 02/28/2012]
SES announces that Saudi-based communications service provider ICCES will use Ku capacity on SES-4 to help customers extend their VSAT-delivered services across Saudi Arabia, North Africa, Libya, Tunisia, and other key countries.
[SatNews – 02/28/2012]
C-COM completes successful testing of Ka-band mobile antenna with Avanti Communications.
[Market Watch – 02/28/2012]
SES signs new long-term multiple transponder contract with GlobeCast.
[SatNews – 02/28/2012]
Comtech EF Data partners with O3b as provider of modems, advanced VSAT solutions, and RF products.
[SatNews – 02/28/2012]
U.S. Air Force undersecretary unveils familiar military space budget strategy.
[Satellite Today – 02/27/2012]
Second Ariane 5 launch in 2012, scheduled for May to orbit Japan’s JCSAT-13 and Vietnam’s VINASAT-2, completes its initial assembly at spaceport in French Guiana. [SatNews – 02/27/2012]
Comtech Telecommunications Corp receives $2.0 million order to support global maritime fleet upgrade.
[Market Watch – 02/27/2012]
Etisalat signs with Intelsat for multi-year capacity on Intelsat 22, scheduled to launch in late March 2012.
[SatNews – 02/27/2012]
SeaSpace becomes first commercial company to provide an NPP solution to customers, as it releases its first NPP image to be broadcast over California since Direct Broadcast was turned on earlier that day by NASA.
[SatNews- 02/27/2012]
Boeing Defence Australia pursues renewal of operations contract at Pine Gap satellite intelligence facility near Alice Springs that it lost to Raytheon in 2005 after holding the contract for 30 years.
[SatNews – 02/27/2012]
ITU considers application of Azerbaijan for new orbital position.
[TMCnet – 02/26/2012]
Falcone’s telecom troubles mount, as the Harbinger Fund investments in LightSquared jeopardize investors’ value and a group of investors sues in federal court.
[Wall Street Journal – 02/18/2012]
Latest Pentagon spending plans scale back push to use commercial satellites to supplement the military’s communication and space efforts.
[Wall Street Journal – 02/17/2012]
Second attempt to launch Atlas V rocket with first MUOS satellite is scrubbed due to weather conditions.
[Central Florida News – 02/17/2012]
U.S. bankruptcy court approves TerreStar reorganization plan; Dish Network prepared to close previously approved acquisitions of TerreStar and DBSD upon FCC approval of license transfers.
[Satellite Today – 02/17/2012]
Eutelsat and ViaSat receive Industry Innovators Awards from the Society of Satellite Professionals International for development and launch of their High Throughput broadband Satellites, KA-SAT and ViaSat-1.
[Sacramento Bee – 02/17/2012]
General Dynamics demonstrates first MUOS satellite-based communications on JTRS HMS Radio.
[Market Watch – 02/17/2012]
NSR free webinar coming February 22 – Military budget cuts and troop drawdowns: What’s the impact on commercial satcoms?
[NSR – 02/17/2012]
NASA selects 33 small “cubesat” satellites to fly as auxiliary payloads aboard rockets.
[SatNews – 02/17/2012]
Global Satellite USA launches Iridium Pilot, Iridium’s second-generation maritime broadband platform.
[SatNews 02/17/2012]
Satlink expands the reach of God’s Leaning Channel into Asia on the ABS1 satellite at 75 degrees East.
[SatNews – 02/17/2012]
United States, in review of future satellite needs, examines opportunities to increase international collaboration and orders from commercial providers, U.S. Air Force official says.
[Fox Business – 02/16/2012]
SES-4 successfully performs post-launch maneuvers.
[Market Watch – 02/16/2012]
Media Networks Latin American signs long-term capacity deal with SES fior multiple transponders on AMC-4 to launch new DTH wholesale pay TV service.
[SatNews – 02/16/2012]
LightSquared may be looking to Department of Defense to save its LTE network; FCC still believes satellite spectrum can be used for wireless buildout but will tread more carefully next time.
[Washington Post – 02/16/2012]
Avanti partner STM buys Ka band capacity on HYLAS 1 to enable launch of Enterprise services in Spain.
[Proactive Investors – 02/15/2012]
Comtech EF Data wins Industry Innovators Award from Society of Satellite Professionals International for MetaCarrier technology that adds carrier ID information to a reference carrier using spread spectrum technology.
[Market Watch – 02/15/2012]
Officials eye changes to GPS receivers, but move comes too late for LightSquared.
[Nextgov – 02/15/2012]
NSR reports that FCC statement all but negates years of work from both the FCC and the mobile satellite industry.
[SatNews – 02/15/2012]
Swiss to build clean-up satellites to attack the space junk issue.
[R&D Magazine – 02/15/2012]
ORBIT Communication Systems and Milano Teleport receive orders for complete C-band VSAT solution for supertankers of one of worlds leading shipping companies based in Greece.
[SatNews – 02/15/2012]
Newly announced Intellian t80W maritime satellite TV antenna system uses WorldView LNB that automatically switches polarization and frequency according to satellite tracking onto, and satellite control system intelligence and dual antenna system that allows seamless reception of TV programs on a global basis.
[SatNews – 02/15/2012]
Harris CapRock Communications signs contract to provide telecommunications systems and infrastructure for Chevron’s Big Foot platform project in the Gulf of Mexico.
[SatNews – 02/15/2012]
IO Sat one of first customers providing services on Spacecom’s AMOS-5 satellite.
[SatNews – 02/15/2012]
NASA budget request includes funding for again launching astronauts, further exploration into space, and continuing research, providing jobs and technology that will boost the economy.
[SatNews – 02/13/2012]
Google applies for FCC licenses for “antenna farm” in Kansas that hint at possible super head-end for capturing satellite television signals for over-fiber distribution.
[Kansas City Star – 02/14/2012]
FCC bars use of satellite spectrum terrestrially for broadband networks, sending LightSquared back to Square One.
[New York Times – 02/14/2012]
Gilat develops customized solution for O3b Networks’ satellite network.
[Globes – 02/14/2012]
Xplornet Communications’ 4G broadband satellite service on ViaSat-1 goes live over Canada.
[Digital Journal – 02/14/2012]
Global Telesat Corp. launches E-Commerce mobile satellite solutions portal on worldwide web.
[Market Watch – 02/14/2012]
ORBIT awarded services contract from U.S. Air Force to install service communication management systems on KC-135 Stratotankers.
[Market Watch – 02/14/2012]
UtiliSat to offer end-to-end managed network services to U.S. government agencies under new GSA custom SATCOM solutions small business contract.
[Market Watch – 02/14/2012]
FAB Express Trucking selects VeriWise(TM) satellite tracking systems to manage dry van fleet.
[Market Watch – 02/14/2012]
Obama budget targets LightSquared.
[Nextgov – 02/13/2011]
YAHSAT begins transmission of High TV 3D.
[Satellite Today – 02/13/2012]
ViaSat phases out WildBlue brand for new Exede service on ViaSat 1.
[Satellite Today – 02/13/2012]
Spectacular view from International Space Station includes lights of hundreds of cities plus massive Aurora Borealis on the horizon.
[SatNews – 02/13/2012]
WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services
Global Industry Analysts releases report calling for satellites related products and services to reach J.S. $219.6 billion by 2015.
[San Francisco Chronicle – 02/03/2012]
Iran launches its third satellite.
[TG Daily – 02/03/2012]
NewSat signs a 15-year $US180 million contract with MEASAT to supply capacity on its Jabiru-1 satellite; is close to funding new satellites.
[Sydney Morning Herald – 02/03/2012]
Vislink to launch its new Advent Mantis “MSAT” Man Portable Data Terminal, a highly portable tri-band satellite antenna system specifically designed for rapid deployment in hostile environments, at CABSAT 2012.
[SatNews – 02/03/2012]
NASA is seeking proposals for flight demonstrations of small satellite technologies with the goal of increasing the technical capabilities and range of uses for this emerging category of spacecraft.
[Sacramento Bee – 02/02/2012]
SpaceX successfully test fires SuperDraco rocket engine – these engines “will power a revolutionary launch escape system that will make Dragon the safest spacecraft in history and enable it to land propulsively on Earth or another planet with pinpoint accuracy.”
[SatNews – 02/02/2012]
Telesat proposes $40 million investment in Artic Infrastructure to expand broadband services in the North.
[Broadcaster Magazine – 02/02/2012]
XTAR joins as new member of the Satellite Industry Association.
[Space Ref – 02/02/2012]
The European Commission issues contract worth some 255m euros (£210m; $330m) to a German-UK consortium to provide eight more spacecraft for its Galileo satellite-navigation network.
[BBC – 02/02/2012]
Viasat collaborated with Radisys to develop an entirely new ATCA-based Satellite Modem Termination System to support communications with ViaSat 1 and keep up with advancements in satellite technology.
[Market Watch – 02/02/2012]
SES and French Internet provider France-Telecom-Orange announce expansion of SES’ ASTRA2Connect with higher speeds of up to 10 Mbps.
[SatNews – 02/02/2012]
Inmarsat selects Metaswitch to expand and enrich FleetBroadband maritime communications service, allowing simultaneous calls.
[SatNews – 02/02/2012]
Mercury Computer Systems to deliver integrated ATCA(R)-based signal processing subsystem to support next generation mobile satellite system.
[Market Watch – 02/02/2012]
UniTek awarded contract by ViaSat to support the rollout of ViaSat’s Exede satellite broadband service.
[Market Watch – 02/02/2012]
European Commission selects OHB AG of Germany over Astrium to build eight more Galileo positioning, navigation, and timing satellites.
[Space News – 02/01/2012]
Eutelsat’s Tooway(TM) satellite service set to boost broadband in France for SFR affiliate, NomoTech.
[Market Watch – 02/01/2012]
KVH announces major upgrade to its mini-VSAT maritime broadband network, overlaying global C-band satellite coverage atop its Ku-band footprint for first of its kind dual-band maritime satellite network covering 95% of the earth’s surface.
[Market Watch – 02/01/2012]
SatLink launches platforms on Amos 5 Pan-African C-band, and Sub-Saharan Ku-band.
[Broadband TV News – 02/01/2012]
Blue Sky Network selected as Premium Portal Provider for iridium Extreme(TM) satellite phone.
[Market Watch – 02/01/2012]
Satworx teams up with Yukon Quest to provide the 1,000 mile Alaskan dog race event with a communication solution.
[Market Watch – 02/01/2012]
Globalstar customer experience improved mobile voice and data performance as recently launched second-generation satellites come on line.
[Market Watch – 02/01/2012]
Roscosmos identifies cause of the crash of Russian “Meridian” satellite in December as failure of one of the rocket engines.
[CRI English – 03/31/2012]
SES is relocating SES-3 from its location over North America to provide coverage of the Middle East and South Asia regions.
[Business Wire – 01/31/2012]
According to ambitious Turkish government road map for the country’s multiple satellite programs through 2020, a total of 17 Turkish satellites will come into orbit from 2012 to 2020.
[SatNews – 01/30/2012]
Eutelsat’s satellites break the barrier of 4,000 TV channels.
[Market Watch – 01/30/20012]
FCC opens up LightSquared’s embattled wireless plans for public comment.
WireLess Industry News – 01/30/2012
LightSquared asks FCC to exempt GPS receivers from protection.
[NextGov – 01/30/2012]
WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services
SpaceX Dragon to attempt first commercial cargo run to the International Space Station on February 7.
[Satellite Today – 12/16/2011]
NSR report – military satellite revenues will double for cost-conscious providers.
[Satellite Today – 12/16/2011]
NovelSat, developers of 3G-Sat modulation technology, announce new satellite data rate world record of 357Mbps on 72 MHz transponder.
[SatNews – 12/16/2011]
Artel contracts Cable & Wireless to connect 30 satellite earth stations around the globe with MPLS data network.
[Satellite Today – 12/16/2011]
Indian Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology states that foreign tourists are illegally using satellite phones and could pose a national security threat.
[Press Information Bureau, Government of India – 12/16/2011]
Second Soyuz mission is scheduled to launch from French Guyana the morning of December 175h, carrying the French Earth observation satellite Pleiades-1, four French ELISA micro-satellites, and Chile’s SSOT Earth Observation Platform..
[SatNews – 12/15/2011]
Replacement for NIGCOMSAT 1, deorbited in 2008, NIGCOMSAT 1R is scheduled to be launched from China on December 19.
[Daily Times – 12/15/2011]
New generation of weather and environmental satellites, GOES-15, officially becomes operational as GOES-West as of December 13.
[SatNews – 12/15/2011]
Lockheed Martin delivers U.S. Navy’s first Mobile User Objective System satellite to Cape Canaveral for scheduled February 16th launch.
[Market Watch – 12/15/2011]
National Space Society hails announcement of Stratolaunch Systems, a Paul Allen Project to reduce cost of space travel, carrying launch rockets to high altitude aboard largest aircraft ever built, with six 747 engines.
[SatNews – 12/15/2011]
AsiaSat and THAICOM announce signing of cooperative agreement to provide satellite services from orbital location of 120 degrees East.
[SatNews – 12/15/2011]
U.S. Air Force’s first Advanced Extremely High Frequency military communications satellite is successfully progressing through initial on-orbit tests.
[SatNews – 12/15/2011]
Republic of Estonia signs accession agreement to become full Member State of EUMETSAT by 2012.
[SatNews – 12/15/2011]
FCC passes rules requiring broadcast, satellite, and cable companies to quiet down loud ads.
[Washington Post – 12/15/2011]
Physicists in Low Temperature Laboratory of Aalto University show how a nanomechanical oscillator can be used for detection and amplification of feeble radio waves or microwaves with almost no noise.
[R&D Magazine – 12/15/2011]
NXP Semiconductors announce SiGe:C Low Noise Amplifiers that improve linearity, noise figure, and reception of GPS signals, delivering 10 dB improvement under -40 to -20 dBm jamming conditions.
[SatNews – 12/15/2011]
Government committee says that LightSquared’s network affects a “majority” of general-purpose GPS receivers and technology used to land planes.
[Wireless Week – 12/15/2011]
PacStar is awarded $12.2 million contract by U.S. Dept. of Defense to deliver tactical communications solution to U.S. forces in Afghanistan.
[Market Watch – 12/15/2011]
Satellite industry warns governments of the world of their concerns over proposed piece of international legislation called the Unidroit Space Assets Protocol which risks complicating and damaging what is currently in place.
[SatNews – 12/14/2011]
Enhanced compression technology and digitization is improving the efficiency of satellite transponders – by 2017 global demand for C- and Ku-band transponders is forecast to total 7,840.36 MHz TPEs (transponder equivalents)..
[Official Wire – 12/14/2011]
Avanti Communications shares are lifted by satellite bandwidth contract win from Bentley Walker for U.S. $1.1 million.
[Proactive Investors – 12/14/2011]
European Space Agency updates application for iPhone and iPad, allowing users to see ESA’s latest satellite imagery from Envisat in near-real time.
[SatNews – 12/14/2011]
Gilat is selected by JSC NC Kazsatnet’ of Kazakhstan for high speed data connectivity among over 200 VSATS in multi-star topology with NetEdge Gateway solution.
[Market Watch – 12/14/2011]
Arianespace signs contract with MEASAT for launch of MEASAT-3b in 2013.
[SatNews – 12/14/2011]
SES announces four global sales regions with dedicated management to consolidate positions in the Americas and Europe, and further focus on emerging and growth markets.
[SatNews – 12/14/2011]
XTAR joins Operation First Response to support wounded U.S. soldiers.
[Satellite Today – 12/14/2011]
Globecomm Systems gets 1-year $6 million service contract from U.S. Government agency to provide IT support services relating to Internet connectivity via its teleport.
[SatNews – 12/14/2011]
CalAmp begins volume shipments of new product designed to facilitate whole home networking and communications of set top boxes to its Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) customer.
[Market Watch – 12/14/2011]
Astrium imagery from two TerrSAR-X StripMap acquisitions show large crack in Pine Island glacier in Antartica; ice shelf ready to break off is larger than New York City.
[SatNews – 12/14/2011]
Dish Network indicates desire to form strategic partnership with T-Mobile USA if AT&T’s bid for acquisition of T-Mobile fails.
[Telegeography – 12/14/2011]
Arianespace signs for launch of two satellites in the European Union’s Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-3 families on the first launch of Europe’s new light launcher Vega from French Guiana in 2014-2016.
[SatNews – 12/14/2011]
O3b exercises additional launch option on Arianespace contract.
[Satellite Today – 12/13/2011]
Since SPOT Satellite Messenger products were introduced in 2007 over 1,500 emergency rescues have been initiated worldwide.
[Market Watch – 12/14/2011]
Amos 5 communications satellite launched for Israel’s Spacecom.
[Globes – 12/13/2011]
NewSat signs $67 million contract for Jabiru satellite capacity.
[ARN – 12/13/2011]
Emergency satellite communications platform developed by government of Luxembourg to be available to international humanitarian community as of 1 January, 2012.
[IEWY – 12/13/2011]
OnAir WiFi internet connectivity launched across the Emirates A380 fleet.
[SatNews – 12/13/2011]
Opinion – Why is FCC stonewalling Senator Grassley on LightSquared? – (Grassley put holds on two Barack Obama nominees to FCC).
[Hot Air – 12/13/2011]
LightSquared ‘Outraged’ over Report Leak; Primary Backer Harbinger Faces SEC Scrutiny.
[Wireless Week – 12/12/2011]
ViaSat subsidiary WildBlue begins offering 5 megabit-per-second satellite broadband service in Colorado, using recently launched ViaSat-1 satellite.
[Denver Post – 12/12/2011]
Japan launches H-2A rocket carrying a radar satellite.
[SatNews – 12/12/2011]
TCS introduces portfolio of managed mobile communications services called TotalCom for government agencies and businesses.
[Computer World – 12/12/2011]
Russian data relay satellite and Spacecom’s Amos 5 share a ride into space.
[Spaceflight Now – 12/11/2011]
Echo II: When satellites were young and shiny (photo).
[CNET – 12/10/2011]
NATO facing fast-approaching deadline for replacing satellite communications capacity to avoid “satcom blackouts.”
[Space News – 12/09/2011]
“Doing more without more” – Space Command looks to fill communication gaps as budgets tighten yet requirements for secure communications continue to grow.
[National Defense Magazine – January 2011]
WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services
Intelsat moves closer to an Initial Public Offering (IPO), asking U.S. regulators to allow the company to transfer control of all its satellite assets to new owners following the IPO.
[Space News – 12/09/2011]
Telecom’s final frontier – is the consumer changing the satellite industry or is it changing us?
[The Deal Magazine – 12/09/2011]
Spacecom AMOS-5 satellite scheduled for launch Sunday, December 11.
[SatNews – 12/09/2011]
NewSat Limited signs with Arianespace for launch of Jabiru-1 in second half of 2014.
[SatNews – 12/09/2011]
ITU and Government of Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg agree to cooperate on strengthening emergency telecommunications and rapid response in event of natural disasters.
[SatNews – 12/09/2011]
GlobeCast expands satellite capaciy over Russia and Commonwealth of Independent States with new Ku-band platform on Yamal-201 satellite.
[SatNews – 12/09/2011]
Nokia Siemens Networks’ I-HSPA combined with Evolution satellite routers from VT iDirect can deliver downlinks speeds of 10 Mbps per user from remote base stations linked to core network by satellite.
[SatNews – 12/09/2011]
Astrium is selected by European Space Agency as prime contractor for Sentinel-5 Precursor satellite, a low-cost mission to monitor atmospheric chemistry.
[SatNews – 12/09/2011]
Russian space agency Roscosmos expects to put two more of the 24 Glonass navigation satellites already in orbit into operation by end of year.
[SatNews – 12/09/2011]
RapidEye signs contract with China’s Ministry of Land and Resources to cover almost five million square kilometers of China over the next few months.
[SatNews – 12/09/2011]
United Launch Alliance, formed just five years ago with Atlas and Delta launch teams, has built an impressive record with 56 successful launches.
[SatNews – 12/08/2011]
LightSquared says new test prove it has fixed the GPS interference problem that has held up the deployment of its hybrid satellite-terrestrial LTE network.
[Wireless Week – 12/08/2011]
Verizon ends its wireless LTE partnership with DirecTV and will stop buildout of FiOS television and Internet services, as it forges a cross-marketing partnership with cable.
[Washington Post – 12/08/2011]
Thrane & Thrane is awarded contract by government organization China Transport Telecommunications & Information Center to supply, install and test a Radio Access Network system for BGAN Satellite Access Station outside Beijing.
[SatNews – 12/08/2011]
Thales signs agreement to acquire Tampa Microwave of Tampa, Florida.
[Washington Technology – 12/08/2011]
Track24 wins contract to supply Canadian government with short burst data (SBD) services from Iridium Communications Inc.
[SatNews – 12/08/2011]
Ghana a leader in satellite communications in Western Africa, with STL satellite hub supporting over 2000 VSAT sites nationwide employing Gilat’s SkyEdge II system.
[Ghanian Chronicle 12/08/2011]
SatNews information for readers interested in the myriad environments of the various and ever-expanding satellite broadcasting market segments.
[SatNews – 12/08/2011]
ViaSat’s high-capacity broadband Ka-band satellite expected to begins commercial service before end of December.
[xconomy – 12/07/2011]
Eutelsat successfully refinances debt with C800 million Eurobond issue.
[Sacramento Bee – 12/07/2011]
China to help Turkmenistan launch first communications satellite.
[Bernama – 12/07/2011]
New “Proceedings of the IEEE” presents comprehensive 21st century review of Aerospace Communications.
[Sacramento Bee – 12/07/2011]
Thales radio receives U.S. military certification for Ultra High Frequency satellite communications Integrated Waveform.
[UPI – 12/07/2011]
Newtec gets extremely positive customer feedback from customer survey indicating a continued positive evolution from “satisfied” to “extremely satisfied”.
[Screen Africa – 12/07/2011]
Eutelsat includes VISLINK’s ADVENT Flydrive 120 antenna in its guide to selection of most appropriate Eath station equipment to access Eutelsat capacity.
[SatNews – 12/07/2011]
Thuraya IP now allows user to run a range of applications requiring a public IP address on the terminal equipment attached to the IP device.
[SatNews – 12/07/2011]
Iridium GEOS emergency response service now available to Iridium Extreme satellite phone customers.
[SatNews – 12/07/2011]
NSR research on Earth Observation maket confirms importance of government funding for both the supply and the demand side of the business.
[SatNews – 12/07/2011]
Hughes Network Systems gets task order from U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service to deliver managed broadband services to 300 office and inspection sites.
[SatNews – 12/07/2011]
Eutelsat’s KA-SAT satellite proves its efficiency for fast video file delivery.
[Sacramento Bee – 12/06/2011]
Arianespace launch preparations underway for December 16th liftoff of Pleiades 1 Earth observation satellite, Chile’s SSOT optical satellite for civilian and defense Earth observation, and four French Elisa micro-satellite demonstrators.
[SatNews – 12/06/2011]
MTN to provide Costa Cruises’ new flagship, Costa Fascinosa, with VSAT services.
[Satellite Today – 12/06/2011]
Test results prompt new round in GPS, LightSquared fight.
[Nextgov – 12/06/2011]
Former Satellite Earth Station at Goonhilly, Cornwall gets UK government funding for a “space science park,” while another company at Goonhilly, Avanti Communications Group, gets funding to create “broadband satellite teleport.”
[UKPA – 12/06/2011]
Reorganized Satmex to launch new, fully funded Satmex 8 satellite service operations beginning in third quarter 2012.
[Market Watch – 12/06/2011]
Thuraya enjoys main exhibitor status at Malaysian Defense show.
[SatNews – 12/06/2011]
DISA puts finishing touches on GSM, FCSA contracts to be awarded in first quarter 2012.
[Defense Systems – 12/06/2011]
iGT, DISA, and U.S. Air Force demonstrate next-generation airborne capabilities employing Ka-Band Advanced Multiband Communications Antenna System for COTM users.
[Defence Professionals – 12/06/2011]
Inmarsat’s CTO to participate as panel speaker at Satellite Industry Association sponsored DoD Commercial SATCOM User’s Workshop in Arlington, VA.
[Sacramento Bee – 12/06/2011]
Officials say troop drawdown in Iraq and Afghanistan is unlikely to put any lasting downward pressure on demand for satellite bandwidth.
[Space News – 12/02/2011]
New satellite terminal training, fielding facility for U.S. Army to consolidate production, training, and fielding of the advanced version of its protected satellite terminal.
[Fort Gordon Signal – 12/02/2011]
NSR report assesses future global demand and supply for both commercial and military satellites, fixed and mobile solutions, and narrowband to broadband requirements for the period 2010-2020.
[NSR – December 2011]
Northrop Grumman testbed creates significant efficiencies for Air Force’s Defense Weather Satellite System program.
[Terra Daily – 11/24/2011]
ViaSat UK launches range of high-capacity satellite-based products designed for use by the UK military and government.
[Tech World – 11/24/2011]
Raytheon tests its Army Secure Mobile Anti-Jam Reliable Tactile Terminal with the on-orbit Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite, becoming first company to test the satellite.
[emoney daily – 11/24/2011]
Taiwan wins European Satellite Navigation Competition for creative Geo-coupon App based on Global Navigation Satellite System.
[Market Watch – 11/23/2011]
KVH honored with two awards for the small size, fast data rates, and affordable service of the 14.5″ TracPhone V3 maritime terminal operating on its global miniVSAT system.
[Market Watch – 11/23/2011]
ViaSat UK expands beyond traditional secure storage device market, offering satellite broadband for businesses and government departments.
[V3.co.uk – 11/23/2011]
Globalstar contracts Thales Alenia Space to develop software patch to be sent to Globalstar satellites to overcome momentum-wheel failures that have taken one satellite out of service and threaten others.
[Space News – 11/23/2011]
Iridium offers iOS app AxcessPoint Mail & Web App to bring satellite connectivity to iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
[Slash Gear – 11/23/2011]
Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited plans launch of replacement satellite NigComSat-1R on December 19.
[all Africa – 11/23/2011]
ULA successfully completes second milestone toward certification of Atlas V launch vehicle for human spaceflight.
[SatNews – 11/22/2011]
Gilat is selected by leading Latin American operator for delivery of full scale SkyEdge II network for national post office program.
[SatNews – 11/22/2011]
SatCom Global announces point of presence in Sydney, Australia allowing its customers to terminate Inmarsat BGAN and FleetBroadband IP traffic locally, reducing latency and cost.
[SatNews – 11/22/2011]
Four-year partnership with ESA allows Air France passengers to see satellite photos of landscape below the aircraft.
[SatNews – 11/22/2011]
Due to popular demand, Pactel International to continue the just concluded 2011 series of satellite communication seminars in 2012.
[SatNews – 11/22/2011]
BGP of China names Marlink as supplier of high quality and high capacity VSAT satellite communications for its fleet of advanced seismic vessels.
[SatNews – 11/22/2011]
U.S. Committee report on China urges satellite preparation for potential cyber attack from China and prepare for situations where U.S. space satellites are partially or completely destroyed.
[Satellite Today – 11/22/2011]
U.S. satellite hacking case a mystery; satellite services firm running ground station says there’s no evidence of any attack against its systems; commander of U.S. military space operations says insufficient evidence makes it impossible to confidently attribute blame over possible attempts to take over satellites.
[The Register – 11/21/2011]
China places two more satellites into orbit, Chuangxin 1-03 and Shiyan Satellite 4, via Long March 2D carrier rocket from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.
[SatNews – 11/21/2011]
SES-4 satellite, built by Spaced Systems/Loral for SES, arrives at Baikonur launch base – will be 50th and largest satellite in global SES fleet.
[Business Wire – 11/21/2011]
AsiaSat7 satellite set for launch on November 27th.
[Media Mughals – 11/21/2011]
Head of Iranian Space Agency states that it is ready to set up national satellite launch base in the country’s southeastern region.
[SatNews – 11/21/2011]
Thales Alenia to build Turkmenistan’s first satellite to be launched in 2014 into orbital slot controlled by government of Monaco.
[Space News – 11/21/2011]
U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments in appeal challenging use of GPS data in conviction of drug dealer.
[SatNews – 11/21/2011]
Decision by Canadian Conservative government to spend nearly half a billion dollars on construction of U.S. military satellite sparks concerns about secrecy surrounding project and who will ultimately control information it transmits.
[Montreal Gazette – 11/21/2011]
All systems go for NASA’s third generation upgrade (TDRS-K) of the orbiting TDRS satellite network communications network.
[PHYSORG – 11/21/2011]
U.S. Geological Survey has stopped acquiring images from 27-year-old Landsat 5 (designed to last three years) due to rapidly degrading electronic component.
[Satnews – 11/21/2011]
Harris Corporation completes preliminary design review for synthetic aperture radar payload on modular space vehicle.
[Market Watch – 11/21/2011]
U.S.A.F. Los Angeles AFB gets upgrade addressing telemetry, tracking, and control for all Air Force communication satellite constellations.
[SatNews – 11/21/2011]
Avanti Communications welcomes two new service provider customers – Antech S.p.A in Italy, and BriteYellow Ltd in the U.K., while NASSAT of Spain extends commitment to Avanti.
[SatNews – 11/21/2011]
WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services
Time Lapse From Space – Literally. The Journey Home. from Fragile Oasis on Vimeo.
Great video by American astronaut — and SUNY Oneonta graduate — Ron Garan…
The video shows his first attempt at time-lapse photography, suggested by his photography instructor Katrina Willoughby. He set up a Nikon D3S camera in the Cupola windowed observatory to take about 500 pictures at 3-second intervals. The project continued using D3S and D2XS cameras.
All the sequences that appear in the video were shot by either Garan or Fossum. It shows the space station’s orbits around the Earth, though the photography seems to speed up the motion.
The breath-taking sights seen on the video include the world from central Africa to Russia, Europe to the Middle East and footage of the United States. It also includes hurricanes Katia and Irene and several lightning storms.
It is set to the music of Peter Gabriel, featuring his songs “Downside Up” and “Down To Earth.”
Yeah, that’s cool. It’s a new 100m scale map of the moon, says NASA…
“Our new topographic view of the moon provides the dataset that lunar scientists have waited for since the Apollo era,” says Mark Robinson, Principal Investigator of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) from Arizona State University in Tempe. “We can now determine slopes of all major geologic terrains on the moon at 100 meter scale. Determine how the crust has deformed, better understand impact crater mechanics, investigate the nature of volcanic features, and better plan future robotic and human missions to the moon.”
Called the Global Lunar DTM 100 m topographic model (GLD100), this map was created based on data acquired by LRO’s WAC, which is part of the LROC imaging system. The LROC imaging system consists of two Narrow Angle Cameras (NACs) to provide high-resolution images, and the WAC to provide 100-meter resolution images in seven color bands over a 57-kilometer (35-mile) swath.
The WAC is a relatively small instrument, easily fitting into the palm of one’s hand; however, despite its diminutive size it maps nearly the entire moon every month. Each month the moon’s lighting has changed so the WAC is continuously building up a record of how different rocks reflect light under different conditions, and adding to the LROC library of stereo observations.
The LROC (WAC) has a pixel scale of about 75 meters (246 feet), and at the average altitude of 50 km (31 miles) a WAC image swath is 70 km (43 miles) wide across the ground-track. Since the equatorial distance between orbits is about 30 km (18 miles) there is complete overlap all the way around the moon in one month. The orbit-to-orbit WAC overlap provides a strong stereo effect. Using digital photogrammetric techniques, a terrain model can be computed from the stereo overlap.
The near-global topographic map was constructed from 69,000 WAC stereo models and covers the latitude range 79°S to 79°N, 98.2% of the entire lunar surface. Due to persistent shadows near the poles it is not possible to create a complete stereo based map at the highest latitudes. However, another instrument onboard LRO called LOLA excels at mapping topography at the poles. Since LOLA ranges to the surface with its own lasers, and the LRO orbits converge at the poles, a very high resolution topographic model is possible, and can be used to fill in the WAC “hole at the pole.” The WAC topography was produced by LROC team members at the German Aerospace Center.