Really Rocket Science

Continuing satellite system handshake signal after other communications had been turned off leads to conclusions that someone on Malaysian flight deliberately altered its flight path to one of two corridors.
[Fox News – 03/15/2014]

Inmarsat says it had recorded electronic “keep alive” ping signals from the missing Malaysia Airlines jet after it disappeared.
[NY Times – 03/14/2014]

Survey by MarketsandMarkets puts worth of M2M satellite communications market at $4.763 billion by 2019.
[Yahoo Finance – 03/14/2014]

Arieanespace launch – Credit: Arianespace photo – Space News

SES threatens to cease future dealings with Arianespace unless SES’s O3b Networks broadband satellites are given a spring launch slot also coveted by the European Commission for the commission’s Galileo spacecraft.
[Space News – 03/14/2014]

Jury trial to begin March 26 to determine whether satellite broadband provider ViaSat Inc. is right in claiming $800 million in patent-infringement damages from satellite builder Loral Space and Communications.
[Space News – 03/14/2014]

SpaceX delays its next supply run to the international space station after discovering an oily residue on thermal blankets that protect the trunk of the Dragon cargo capsule.
[Space News – 03/14/2014]

Inmarsat is negotiating with fleet operator Arabsat on the placement of an Inmarsat S-band payload aboard Arabsat’s Hellas Sat 3 satellite.
[Space News – 03/14/2014]

PhoneSat 2.5 – Phys-Org file photo

NASA prepares to launch fifth in a series of smartphone-controlled small spacecraft into orbit; PhoneSat 2.5 to be carried into orbit sunday, March 16 as part of SpaceX cargo for International Space Station.
[Phys-Org – 03/14/2014]

Cobham Satcom, an Inmarsat Global Xpress partner, announces two new maritime terminals and three new land mobile terminals for Inmarsat’s new satellite network.
[Via Satellite – 03/14/2014]

DRS is awarded $30 million contract to operate control and maintain satellite communications between the continental U.S. and worldwide locations.
[AFCEA – 03/14/2014]

Nearly a week after Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 vanished U.S. investigators say based on an analysis of satellite signals from the Boeing 777, it may have landed at some point.
[Examiner – 03/13/2014]

Chief of the space services department at the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau expresses surprise to hear satellite executives brag about their prowess in playing fast and loose with the rules.
[Space News – 03/13/2014]

Credit – Arianespace photo – Space News

Commercial launch service providers raise the possibility of Europe’s Ariane 5 rocket becoming American, the international Sea Launch becoming Russian and the high-cost Japanese H-2A rocket becoming cost competitive.
[Space News – 03/13/2014]

Malaysian airliner disappearance highlights need for Aireon’s satellite air traffic system.
[Seeking Alpha – 03/13/2014]

Northrup begins integrating new 20 GHz high-speed phased array antenna into fourth Advanced EHF communications payload.
[Satellite Spotlight – 03/13/2014]

Credit – Excelis artist’s concept – Space News

Lockheed Martin solicits info on alternative navigation payload similar to the one that has delayed the U.S. Air Force’s next-generation GSP-3 system.
[Space News – 03/13/2014]

Panasonic Avionics Corporation expects to double the size of its connectivity-equipped fleet by the end of 2014 following FAA certification of a bird strike compliant radome for B777-200 aircraft.
[Satellite Evolution Group – 03/13/2014]

Intelsat enters agreement with Airbus Defense & Space bridging maritime VSAT services to Intelsat’s High Throughput Ku-band Satellite (HTS) EpicNG platform.
[Satellite Evolution Group – 03/13/2014]

Gilat introduces new X-band antenna.
[Via Satellite – 03/13/2014]

Arquiva to provide exclusive distribution of Al Jazeera Media Network channels on two of the Es’hailSat satellites.
[Satellite Evolution Group – 03/13/2014]

Crystal Solutions will be launching Crystal Solutions Connect™, a content substitution tool for multiple distribution paths, at the National Association of Broadcasters Show (NAB).
[Satellite Evolution Group – 03/13/2014]

SES signs a capacity deal with Alruya, a leading system integrator and VSAT operator based in Libya, to deliver connectivity to oil and gas fields in the country.
[Satellite Evolution Group – 03/13/2014]

Boeing 702 – Credit – Boeing artist’s concept – Spaceflight Now

Boeing reveals an order last year by a U.S. government customer for three light-class geostationary satellite platforms with all-electric propulsion.
[Spaceflight Now – 03/12/2014]

The importance of high-quality satellite earth station installation and maintenance is being reinforced in the energy, maritime, military and other key markets through recognition of Harris CapRock Communications as a “GVF Accredited Organization.”
[SatNews – 03/12/2014]

Boeing and TrustComm to sell satellite bandwidth to government and commercial users.
[Satellite Spotlight – 03/12/2014]

Gilat Satellite Networks selected by Inmarsat as Global Xpress services partner for new fixed land VSAT opportunities.
[Yahoo Finance – 03/12/2014]

Elektrobit (EB) develops a Multiple Antenna (MIMO) test environment for next generation satellite networks.
[msn money – 03/12/2014]

Emerging Markets Communications announces receipt of contract from Brazilian Navy to provide VSAT satellite connectivity services for the entire Brazilian Navy fleet.
[digital Journal – 03/12/2014]

Picture source: smartplanet.com – Screen Africa

SatLink Communications chosen for global distribution of Ethiopian news channel.
[Screen Africa – 03/12/2014]

Euroscan Holdings, B.V., a telematics solution provider, is acquired by ORBCOMM Inc.
[Near Earth LLC. – 03/12/2014]

A rocket carrying a satellite is launched in Xichang, China. Reuters – The Wall Street Journal

China brings its rapidly expanding satellite surveillance capabilities to bear in the effort to find out what happened to Malaysian Airlines 370.
[China Real Time – 03/11/2014]

ITC Global launches a new network over Sub-Saharan Africa, utilizing the Intelsat IS-25 spacecraft.
[Yahoo Finance – 03/11/2014]

Nynex grows its multi-million dollar contract with Avanti Communications to extend satellite broadband coverage across Libya.
[Satellite Spotlight – 03/11/2014]

Etisalat showcases latest VSATExpress, VSATConnect and Satellite News Gathering services at CABSAT 2014.
[TMC News – 03/11/2014]

Vislink chooses the Q-Lite compact satellite modem for its Advent MSAT portal terminal for Satcom On The Move (SOTM).
[Business Wire – 03/11/2014]

Kratos selected by TrustComm to provide Starlight gateway satellite earth station.
[IT Business Net – 03/11/2014]

Harris CapRock debut’s its advanced Pulse VSAT system which dynamically reassigns satellite capacity on demand by leveraging Comtech EF Data Corporation’s efficient modem technologies and Vipersat Management System.
[Wall Street Journal – 03/11/2014]

Harold Rosen, satellite communications pioneer often called the father of the geosynchronous satellite, gets life achievement award.
[Satellite Spotlight – 03/10/2014]

Gilat announces availability of SkyEdge II-c Capricorn satellite VSAT with exceptional throughput exceeding 200Mbps.
[Yahoo Finance – 03/10/2014]

Newsat selects Kratos for command and control systems for Jabiru-1 satellite.
[The Wall Street Journal – 03/10/2014]

Orbital introduces the GEOStar-3 commercial communications satellite platform combining traditional and electric propulsion.
[Wall Street Journal – 03/10/2014]

Kymeta demonstrating metamaterials-based flat panel satellite antenna at Satellite 2014 following successful transmit and receive tests on the satellite in Canada and the U.S.
[PR Newswire – 03/10/2014]

LightSquared and ViaSat enter multi-year agreement to introduce ViaSat L-band managed Service, a mobile service using LightSquared’s SkyTerra 1 L-band satellite, with the largest antenna, 22 meters, ever put in service on a commercial satellite.
[Broadway World – 03/10/2014]

Thuraya partners with Talia Onboard to reach oil and gas customers.|
[National Post – 03/10/2014]

Germany’s Federal Network Agency selects Kratos for satellite carrier monitoring solution.
[The Wall Street Journal – 03/10/2014]

Opportunities exist to provide services to remote areas in Chile including tele-health and tele-education as satellite communications forms key part of Chile’s national space policy in 2014 – 2020.
[BN Americas – 03/10/2014]

EMC Satcom Technologies and Kymeta announce strategic collaboration to advance the speed, reliability and efficiency of satellite communications for mobile, fixed, and aerospace markets with flat panel metamaterials antenna.
[PRWEB – 03/09/2014]

ORBCOMM launches new satellite modems targeted for systems integrators and resellers.
[University Chronicle – 03/09/2014]

WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services

Crystal Solutions will host a series of satellite interference prevention and Carrier ID detection workshops at Satellite 2014.
[SatNews – 03/08/2014]

Satmex adopts the Eutelsat brand, becoming Eutelsat Americas.
[The Wall Street Journal – 03/07/2014]

Disaggregation gets traction in 205 Pentagon budget request as the U.S. Air Force plans to take its initial steps toward adopting a new military space architecture.
[Space News – 03/07/2014]

U.S. Air Force is halving the number of space launches to be competitively awarded from 2015 to 2017 due in part to anticipated slowdowns in satellite programs.
[Space News – 03/07/2014]

Arabsat and Telesat sign new Hellas Sat agreement under which Telesat will utilise a lifetime Ku-band payload on the new Hellas Sat-4.
[Broadband TV News – 03/07/2014]

Credit: Virgin Galactic photo – Space News

Virgin Galactic nearing approval for SpaceShipTwo launch license.
[Space News – 03/07/2014]

Airbus and Thales poised to solicit bids for components for Neosat, a platform whose goal is to assure European commercial competitiveness with its U.S., Japanese, Chinese, Russian and other competitors.
[Space News – 03/07/2014]

Kratos is selected to upgrade the network operations center for the Vinasat-2 satellite.
[The Wall Street Journal – 03/07/2014]

KVH foresees big lift from rising tide of maritime broadband demand.
[Space News – 03/07/2014]

CEO of Liquid Telecom, builder of the largest fiber network in Africa, explains that the growth of fiber across Africa has actually driven up the need for more satellite services.
[Via Satellite – 03/07/2014]

Intrasky purchases Ka-band capacity on Eutelsat 8 West C satellite to improve Internet connectivity in Lebanon.
[Via Satellite – 03/07/2014]

CPI’s new LifeExtender technology for TWT amplifiers adjusts the heater voltage over time, resulting in up to 50% longer life.
[Via Satellite – 03/07/2014]

Arabsat to order four satellites, including two for Hellas Sat subsidiary.
[Space News – 03/06/2014]

Extreme Networks graphic – BGR

Chief marketing officer of network infrastructure company Extreme Networks posts image on Twitter showing every single satellite in space currently orbiting Earth in a single graphic.
[BGR – 03/06/2014]

Europa – Credit: NASA/JPL/DLR image – Space News

NASA to solicit ideas for $1 billion mission to Europa.
[Space News – 03/06/2014]

TrustComm signs agreements with Inmarsat and Spectra Group to distribute new L-TAC service with Slingshot adaptor.
[CNBC – 03/06/2014]

Global Xpress satellite – Credit: Boeing photo – Space News

Inmarsat remains confident Global Xpress will be a hit with U.S. military.
[Space News – 03/06/2014]

MTN expands into Southeast Asia and Oceania, extending C- and Ku-band satellite coverage in those regions through an agreement with NewSat.
[Yahoo Finance – 03/06/2014]

CSG to support Inmarsat Global Xpress offering with its next-generation convergent billing platform CSG Singleview, and offline and online network mediation platform CSG Intermediate.
[Satellite Spotlight – 03/06/2014]

Orbcomm releases next-generation OG2 satellite modems for OEM integration into satellite M2M applications.
[Via Satellite – 03/06/2014]

South Korean KNS acts as primary sponsor of MSUA-11 at Satellite 2014 in Washington DC March 11-13th.
[SatNews – 03/06/2014]

Iridium chosen by ZTR Control Systems to provide satellite connectivity to its inReach remote monitoring solution.
[4-Traders – 03/05/2014]

Eutelsat’s Ka-Sat – Credit: Astrium artist’s concept – Space News

El Al Israel Airlines to offer ViaSat in-air broadband service.
[Space News – 03/07/2014]

Strategy Analytics survey expects 55 percent of Europeans to buy Ultra HDTV in next two years.
[Satellite Markets & Research – 03/05/2014]

Elon Musk, whose company Space X has made headlines ferrying cargo to the International Space Station, ways the launching of national security satellites should be subject to bidding.
[USA Today – 03/05/2014]

C-COM iNetVu FLY-75V is first auto-deploying flyaway product type approved by ViaSat for use on its Exede Enterprise Service.
[SatNews – 03/05/2014]

Kratos’ RT Logic delivers 60th IP-routing Iridium modem.
[Yahoo Finance – 03/05/2014]

In deal with Disney, Dish secures Internet streaming rights for content from Disney’s ESPN, ESPN2, ABC Family and Disney Channel as well eight ABC television stations.
[LA Times – 03/05/2014]

Intrasky combines Eutelsat Ka-band capacity with Newtec technology for Internet connectivity in the Levant area of France.
[Satellite Spotlight – 03/05/2014]

ETL launches new range of RF over fiber equipment called the StingRay series.
[SatNews – 03/05/2014]

Pivotel joins Inmarsat distribution network for M2M services in the Asia-Pacific.
[ITWire – 03/05/2014]

Skylogic’s DataMiner end-to-end multi-vendor network management platform is expanded to include management of all antennas in its satellite earth station at Torino, Italy.
[Satellite Evolution Group – 03/05/2014]

Intelsat high capacity satellite – Credit: Boeing artist’s concept – Space News

Intelsat CEO pins Intelsat’s return to growth on promise of Epic series of high-throughput satellites and mobility applications, as military demand for bandwidth declines.
[Space News – 03/04/2014]

Iridium announces delivery by Thales Alenia Space of satellite simulators for Iridium Next launch testing.
[Yahoo Finance – 03/04/2014]

Digital Satellite News Gathering (DNSG) operators can now offer free of low-cost public Wi-Fi access to venue and event operators using NovelSat’s new portable, satellite-based wireless internet access solution Sky-Fi.
[SatNews – 03/04/2014]

Pentagon budget scraps two Lockheed satellites, postpones others.
[Reuters – 03/04/2014]

ITC Global debuts new brand and marks milestone as top 3 satellite network provider to remote industrial markets.
[Digital Journal – 03/04/2014]

UK based Ocean Signal, claiming the world’s smallest personal locator beacon, announces the appointment of All Sat Communications as its new distributor in Australia.
[mysailing.com.au – 03/04/2014]

Newly declassified military space program would utilize new Air Force spacecraft as orbital watchdogs to protect U.S. satellites.
[USA Today – 03/03/2014]

Hughes Network Systems is awarded new task order by GSA to provide commercial satellite communications end-to-end services to enable distance learning capabilities for the Education and Training Network (GETN).
[Yahoo Finance – 03/03/2014]

Hispasat and Asiasat, two of several foreign suitors of Israel’s Spacecom, raise their bids.
[Haaretz – 03/02/2014]

WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services

Satellite financing emerges as U.S. Export-Import banks fastest-growing sector, rising from $50 million annually in 20109 to $1 billion per year since then..
[Space News – 02/28/2014]

One of the three Joint Polar Satellite Systems satellites. (Credit: NOAA/NASA) – cnet.com

NASA’s Joint Polar Satellite System is getting $185 million worth of updates and upgrades that will support the system’s complete technological refresh.
[cnet – 02/28/2014]

New Vostochny space center a key priority for Russian Far East.
[Space Travel – 02/28/2014]

Thales Alenia staying silent on satellite order thought to be for Morocco.
[Space News – 02/28/2014]

Though delayed the second satellite launch in China’s seven-satellite CHEOS high resolution Earth observation system is expected this year, with three more by 2016.
[Space News – 02/28/2014]

Credit: NASA photo by Bill Ingalls – Space News

U.S.-Japan precipitation-measuring satellite reaches orbit.
[Space News – 02/27/2014]

Alliance of leading satellite industry associations issues a call for application case studies that illustrate the immense contribution of the global satellite industry to business, government and human welfare.
[Space Daily – 02/27/2014]

MTN announces availability of its first calling app, OceanPhone Mobile, for maritime crews, leveraging the MTN network and vessels’ Wi-Fi network.
[Via Satellite – 02/27/2014]

Norsat still suffering from effects of Sequestration.
[Via Satellite – 02/27/2014]

Ibetor to showcase latest Sat-On-The-Move terminal, Ib SOTM 100x, at Satellite 204.
[Via Satellite – 02/27/2014]

WorldView-3 – Credit: Ball Aerospace photo – Space News

DigitalGlobe hit by unexpected competition, and delay in launch of its WorldView-3 satellite.
[Space News – 02/27/2014]

Satmex-9 satellite being built by Boeing will carry a hosted payload enabling the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to enhance aviation safety.
[Satellite Spotlighjt – 02/26/2014]

Demand for CubeSat deployments nearing Space Station limit.
[Via Satellite – 02/26/2014]

Thales Alenia Space wins contract from French defense procurement agency DGA to provide operational support for the Syracuse 3, Athen-Fidus and Sicral 2 space systems.
[Via Satellite – 02/26/2014]

Kompsat-5 – Credit: Korea Aerospace Research Institute artist’s concept – Space News

German-Korean industrial team to build Kompsat-6 radar imager.
[Space News – 02/26/2014]

Newtec launches Newtec Dialog, a scalable and flexible multiservice platform that allows operators to build and adapt their infrastructure easily as business and satellite market needs change.
[SatNews – 02/26/2014]

ATCi announces at MilSatCom its complete all-inclusive Lawful Interception Warrior Satellite Monitoring System designed for the Middle Eastern region’s applications, capable of simultaneously monitoring sky activities over 140 degrees.
[Yahoo Finance – 02/26/2014]

TrustComm announces its international expansion with construction of the Starlight regional gateway in Cyprus.
[Via Satellite – 02/26/2014]

Comtech EF Data receives purchasing agreement from Harris CapRock Communications for satellite communications infrastructure equipment.
[financial news – 02/26/2014]

Inmarsat joins International M2M Council, a new trade association formed to promote the use of communications between machines.
[Yahoo Finance – 02/26/2014]

Euroconsult forecasts that satellite capacity revenue in the global maritime market will nearly double over the next decade, with a compound annual growth rate of 7%.
[Space Daily – 02/25/2014]

Former Goonhilly engineer purchases the earth station with great plans for the future.
[SouthWest Business – 02/25/2014]

Boeing receives first signals from GPS IIF satellite.
[Via Satellite – 02/25/2014]

Anik G1 – Credit: Space Systems Loral photo – Space News

Telesat sees growth as it navigates complex arrangements with RSCC and Apstar.
[Space News – 02/25/2014]

Inmarsat becomes first satellite network for RacoWireless’ multi-network M2M service.
[Satellite Spotlight – 02/25/2014]

ESA continues progress on Neosat program, with the goal of European satellite builders to capture half of the world’s satcom market between 2018 and 2030, expected to generate more than $34 billion in sales.
[Via Satellite – 02/25/2014]

Chinese contractor agrees to accelerated schedule for APT’s Apstar 9 satellite.
[Space News – 02/25/2014]

Emerging Markets Communications focusing on connectivity for high-speed trains.
[Via Satellite – 02/25/2014]

OneAccess and the Auriga Network announce new satellite VPN managed services available through Eutelsat’s next generation KaSat satellite.
[Via Satellite – 02/25/20014]

Key officials of the Arabic and Islamic Broadcasting Union (AIBU) meet with representatives of the Global VSAT Forum (GVF) to begin coordinating initiatives to facilitate effective use of state-of-the-art broadcasting solutions.
[SatNews – 02/25/2014]

Via Satellite interviews satellite industry visionaries regarding the world’s growing dependency on satellite, and finds agreement that innovation in the satellite industry moves at a snail’s pace compared with the wireless industry.
[Via Satellite – 02/24/2014]

Cobham Plc said it voluntarily notified the U.S. Department of Justice of possible wrongdoing by a satellite communications unit in Asian business dealings.
[Bloomberg – 02/24/2014]

Ship & Bunker file illustration

Maritime communications are evolving at a phenomenal rate and the market is showing signs that the maritime industry may have access to the same services and applications to that of land based services.
[Ship & Bunker – 02/24/2014]

Eleven Asia Pacific mobile operators under Bridge Alliance, including Airtel, Optus, and CSL, have formed the region’s largest Machine-to-Machine (M2M) alliance.
[Via Satellite – 02/24/2014]

Panasonic Avionics hints at upcoming satellite capacity deals as it pushes to complete the most robust satellite network specifically designed for in-flight connectivity services.
[Via Satellite – 02/24/2014]

ViaSat partners with SamsungKNOX to provide secure mobile enterprise services.
[Via Satellite – 02/24/2014]

Cinecolombia has selected International Datacasting Corporation’s digital cinema distribution technology SuperFlex Pro Cinema for its movie theater chains.
[Via Satellite – 02/24/2014]

Thuraya introduces the Thuraya IP Voyager, its first dedicated vehicular broadband terminal.
[Via Satellite – 02/24/2014]

MACOM sells its Mindspeed wireless infrastructure business unit to Intel.
[Via Satellite – 02/24/2014]

Globecast Australia launches Chinese TV channels.
[Via Satellite – 02/24/2014]

U.S. Air Force reveals two-satellite “neighborhood watch” spy satellite program.
[World Bulletin – 02/23/2014]

GVF launches task force to counter launches of cyber attacks.
[SatNews – 02/23/2014]

WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services

U.S. Air Force expected to launch two high-orbiting satellites in late 2014 for a previously classified space surveillance system.
[Space News – 02/21/2014]

Russian government will consider idea of buying commercial launch services provider Sea Launch.
[Space News – 02/21/2014]

SES is positioned to overtake Intelsat in revenue.
[Space News – 02/21/2014]

SES-10 – Credit: Airbus Defence and Space – Space News

SES books Falcon 9 for 2015 launch of SES-9 and 2016 launch of 5,300 kilogram SES-10.
[Space News – 02/21/2014]

Intelsat faces declining revenue as military bandwidth buyers learn to “live with less.”
[Space News – 02/21/2014]

Azerbaijan and Argentina to cooperate in space industry.
[trend – 02/21/20147]

Syracruse 3 – Credit: Thales Alenia Space artist’s concept – Space News

France’s DGA remains hopeful of cooperating with Britain in military satcom.
[Space News – 02/21/2014]

Airbus Defence and Space and Thales Alenia Space have been awarded roughly a third share of an €18m European Space Agency contract to develop Neosat, Europe’s next generation communications satellite.
[the engineer – 02/21/20104]

Echostar transfers 80% of Hughes consumer business to Dish Network.
[Space News – 02/21/2014]

Smart launches SmartSAT, a service bringing the benefits of satellite communications to a wider consumer market, offering SatSleeve, a portable dock transforming a smart phone into a satellite device.
[Yahoo News – 02/21/2014]

Nigeria’s government has ordered an investigation into the financial status of its Nigcomsat operation, placing the satellite company’s Managing Director on indefinite leave while the investigation is carried out.
[Advanced Television – 02/21/2014]

SGAC will hold a mentoring program for their members on Wednesday, March 12 at SATELLITE 2014 that will pair the young professionals with experienced veterans from the satellite industry.
[SGAC Press Release 02/21/2014]

Credit: ULA photo – Space News

After five-month delay and despite questions about Delta 4 rocket’s upper stage engine, launch of GPS 2F-5 goes off without a hitch.
[Space News – 02/20/2014]

SkySat-1 showing its capabilities. Credit: Skybox Imaging – Space News

Orbital Sciences will launch six 120-kilogram Skybox Imaging optical Earth observation satellites in late 2015.
[Space News – 02/20/2014]

Euroconsult forecasts that satellite revenue in the global maritime market will nearly double over the next decade, with a compound annual growth rate of 7%.
[Space Ref – 02/20/2014]

Strategy Analytics projects increasing demand for data centric communications by the military, with the military communications market reaching $30 billion by 2022.
[Yahoo Finance – 02/20/2014]

Arianespace to launch OPTSAT 3000 and VENS satellites via a Vega launcher in early 2016.
[Satellite Evolution Group – 02/20/2014]

New Russian space rocket Angara on track for launch by June and expected to be competitive with foreign rivals according to Russian Prime Minister.
[Space News – 02/20/2014]

SES to grow Latin American capacity, selecting Airbus Defence and Space to manufacture SES-10 satellite.
[Business Wire – 02/20/2014]

Globecomm extends Global Xpress VAR relationship with Inmarsat.
[twst.com – 02/20/2014]

Inmarsat selects Advalue and Cobham to manufacture terminals for Fleet One, its new voice and data satellite service designed specifically for the maritime leisure and fishing markets.
[4-traders – 02/20/2014]

KNS has announced the launch of its satellite antenna X10MK3 SuperTrack X-Series, to provide military standard communication, for ships requiring high speed broadband offshore.
[Satellite Evolution Group – 02/20/2014]

BlueTide Communications Corporation announces it will be the KNS “master distributor” of full service installation and support to the North American market.
[Satellite Evolution Group – 02/20/2014]

Research and Markets adds “Global Satellite Communication Market in the Oil and Gas Industry 2014 – 2018″ report to their offering – Harris CapRock, Inmarsat, KVH, Rignet & Vizada dominate the industry.
[Business Wire – 02/19/2014]

NSR exhibit illustrates that there will be a real net increase, about 70%, in Gbps of classic FSS C/Ku/Ka transponder leasing in the coming ten years driven by improving technology and greater capacity per provisioned site.
[NSR – HTS/MEO-HTS Drives New Markets – 02/19/2014]

Eutelsat sees steady growth as consumer broadband service gains traction.
[Space News – 02/19/2014]

Credit: NASA photo – Space News

Orbital Sciences completes first cargo mission to International Space Station for NASA.
[Space News – 02/19/2014]

Eutelsat 3B spacecraft built by Airbus for Eutelsat arrives in California to be prepared for next Sea Launch.
[BloombergBusinessweek – 02/19/2014]

Credit: ULA photo – Space News

Boeing and the U.S. Air Force appear to be nearing a forced conclusion of their multiyear dispute on prices for three Delta 4 rocket missions.
[Space News – 02/19/2014]

Avanti’s HYLAS 2 used by Hermes Datacomms to extend satellite broadband coverage in Iraq.
[4-traders – 02/19/2014]

Thuraya seeks partners to fund new satellites in order to continue its successful expansion into the mobile phone sector.
[SatNews – 02/19/2014]

Air China and Honeywell Aerospace sign a Memorandum of Understanding to install and test GX Aviation on Air China’s A330 aircraft, expected in the second quarter of 2015.
[ITCM – 02/19/2014]

Inmarsat stages first of series of “Smart Operations Dialogue” events seeking open debate in the maritime industry over the operational benefits on integrated thinking on shore and ship communications.
[The Maritime Executive – 02/19/2014]

Globat Telesat is awarded a follow-on multi-year order to provide additional satellite-based tracking and mapping services for the United States’ premier emergency response organization.
[Market Wired – 02/19/2014]

Credit:: ILS video capture – Space News

Turkey’s Turksat 4A launched by Russia on ILS Proton; satellite is healthy in orbit.
[Space News – 02/18/2014]

Global 3D TV market to grow at a CAGR of 9.7% from 2013 – 2018 according to a new report by Research and Markets.
[Satellite Markets & Research – 02/18/2014]

KVH signs 10-year contract with Global Technical Systems (GTS) to support Ultra Light Aircraft Detection platforms used by U.S. Customs and Border Protection programs.
[Via Satellite – 02/18/2014]

Global satellite telecommunications provider SpeedCast opens new facilities in Perth, Australia, following acquisitions of Australian Satellite Communications and Pactel International.
[CIOL – 02/18/2014]

Jewish Business News file photo

Israel to launch VENµS (Vegetation and Environment Monitoring on a New Micro-Satellite) to monitor crops from outer space.
[Jewish Business News – 02/17/2014]

EPFL’s Swiss Space Center and ETHZ joint project to build CubETH nanosatellite to launch in late 2015, capable of calculating its own altitude and position in space with unprecedented precision.
[Phys Org – 02/17/2014]

Military & Aerospace Electronics file photo

Northrop Grumman wins $12.4 million Army contract for SATCOM spectrum-monitoring gear.
[Military & Aerospace – 02/17/2014]

New Hiltron Communications flyaway antenna finds satellites anywhere anytime in under two minutes.
[SatNews – 02/17/2014]

Federal agents intercept Iranian entrepreneur at U.S. airport, charging him with illegal export of American-made satellite equipment to his native country.
[Yahoo News – 02/13/2014]

Argentina to launch Arsat-1 telecoms satellite in July.
[RAPIDTV News – 02/13/2014]

Astrium Services is renamed Airbus Defence and Space.
[MarineLink – 02/13/2014]

MTN’s hybrid network now on new Norwegian Cruise Line ships.
[Via Satellite – 02/13/2014]

NASA to launch Brown University students’ nanosatellite, EQUISat.
[R&D Magazine – 02/12/2014]

Despite increasing use of packaged content and amateur video, MSS SNG/OU hourly live uptake is expected to decline only slightly globally, while there will be a slight uptick in the number of In-service units.
[NSR report – 02/12/2014]

ATCi announce deployment of Lawful Interception Warrior Satellite Monitoring System, capable of complete collection of sky activities spread over 140 degrees.
[Digital Journal – 02/12/2014]

C-COM iNetVu auto-deploy antenna system used to provide assured communications during Super Bowl 48.
[Market Wired – 02/11/2014]

Iridium unveils Iridium GO, the industry’s first global Wi-Fi satellite hotspot, to become commercially available by second quarter of 2014.
[Defense Systems – 02/10/2014]

Iridium introduces the first Global Data Broadcast Service, Iridium Burst (SM).
[The Wall Street Journal – 02/10/2014]

NASA’s latest communications satellite, TDRS-L, gets a lift into space on a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket using a Russian designed RD-180 first stage engine. [CBS News – 01/24/2014]

Sentinel-1 satellite – Credit: ESA artist concept – Space News

Europe mounts defense of radar satellite spectrum against wireless broadband incursion. [Space News – 01/24/2014]

Space Travel file image

President Obama signs new spending bill including money to continue NASA’s human space exploration program, bringing back Project Constellation. [Space Travel – 01/24/2014]

Illustration only – Space Daily

Sierra Nevada reserves Atlas rocket for 2016 Dream Chaser test flight. [Space Travel – 01/24/2014]

Virgin Galactic reaches significant milestone in testing of new family of liquid rocket engines for LauncherOne, its small satellite launch vehicle. [Space Travel – 01/24/2014]

Small lander named Philae – Credit: ESA artist concept – Space News

ESA managing expectations for small lander to be launched from comet-chaser satellite Rosetta for attempt to latch onto Comet 67P by harpoon in November 2014. [Space News – 01/24/2014]

Airbus Defence and Space to build ground segment for France’s net-generation optical and infrared reconnaissance satellite system and maintain it for 12 years. [Space News – 01/24/2014]

GVF-EMP Conference – Creating the New “New” Verticals – Air, Water, Surface & Rail – coming to London February 11th and 12th will analyze “seamless connectivity” for today’s communications users. [SatNews – 01/24/2014]

ILS to launch Yamal 601 satellite for Russia’s Gazprom Space Systems in 2016. [Via Satellite – 01/23/2014]

Global Satellite Broadband Communication in Public Safety market forecast to grow at a CAGR of 8.45% over the period 2014 – 2018 in new report added to Research and Markets offering. [Yahoo Finance – 01/23/2014]

India’s satellite communication sector has experienced significant growth over past five years driven by demand from DTH payTV platforms and growing telecommunication needs in the country according to Euroconsult report. [SatNews – 01/23/2014]

Location Based Services (LBS) ,market in Asia Pacific region set to grow at CAGR of 32.98% over the period 2013-2018 according to new report by Research and Markets, but lack of knowledge among users could challenge the growth. [Satellite Markets & Research – 01/23/2014]

RFIEUI and IRG announce a merger helping the two groups to better serve the industry and combat satellite interference together. [Satellite Evolution Group – 01/23/2014]

NASA expected to miss congressional deadline for releasing call for proposals for concepts for Discovery-class planetary science missions later this year. [Space News – 01/23/2014]

Former U.S. Defense Secretary Gates says Pentagon believed PLA acted alone without knowledge of civilian Chinese leadership in 2007 Anti-satellite test. [Space News – 01/23/2014]

Spot 6 image of Bora Bora, French Polynésia. Credit: Astrium image – Space News

France to make older Spot optical Earth observation images available to researchers for free. [Space News – 01/23/2014]

SES selects Xstream to enhance Video on Demand platform. [Via Satellite – 01/23/2014]

Inmarsat Government finalizes agreement to be a Value Added Reseller for Inmarsat Global Xpress as a cleared company under a proxy agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense. [Via Satellite – 01/23/2014]

Telered and MEASAT provide TV services in Philippines. [Via Satellite – 01/23/2014]

GS Group survey shows high demand for quality digital TV in Pakistan, but reveals problems influencing the quality of TV services. [Via Satellite – 01/23/2014]

U.S. Navy accepts three MUOS ground stations built by General Dynamics. [The Wall Street Journal – 01/23/2014]

NSSLGlobal opens teleport in Perth, Australia. [Satellite Evolution Group – 01/23/2014]

Afghanistan drawdown that began in 2011 has led to diminishing growth in the global land mobile satcom market. [NSR report – 01/22/2014]

Telesat majority owner Loral Space & Communications explores a sale of the Canadian satellite communication services company. [Chicago Tribune – 01/22/2014]

ATK MegaFlex. Photo: ATK – Via Satellite

ATK demonstrates MegaFlex Solar Electric Propulsion solar array for NASA. [Via Satellite – 01/22/2014]

ILS president says it is too early to say if launch market is oversaturated. [Via Satellite – 01/22/2014]

U.S. Southern Command embarks on ambitious international CubeSat program, turning to the Naval Postgraduate School for evaluation of the micro satellites. [SIP Trunking Report – 01/22/2014]

Sierra Nevada Corp to announce expansion plans for its Dream Chaser Space System. [R&D Magazine – 01/22/2014]

Environmental & Safety Systems International spins of ESSI Communications division to create BlueTide Communications Corporation, focused on satellite communications for energy, maritime, and yacht leisure markets. [Via Satellite – 01/22/2014]

Alphasat’s high-frequency hosted payload set to begin experiments. [Via Satellite – 01/22/2014]

Digitaria International selects Signalhorn to provide satellite communications services to passengers and crew aboard fleet of twelve luxury vessels operated in the Americas, Mediterranean, and South African markets. [telecompaper – 01/22/2014]

MTN signs new agreement with Carnival Corporation extending partnership providing Internet services to customers and crew aboard several of their cruise ships. [Via Satellite – 01/22/2014]

New report added to offering of Research and Markets, “Analysis of Global Wireless Backhaul via Satellite Market,” discusses expected growth in the market in various regions, and key drivers for satellite backhaul. [Business Wire – 01/21/2014]

NASA and Roscosmos to sign new transportation services contract by summer. [Space News – 010/21/2014]

Gilat Satcom and Gilat Satellite Networks to supply fixed and on-the-move satellite services to the Israeli government. [Yahoo Finance – 01/21/2014]

Spacebel signs commercial contract to supply Vietnam with VNREDSat 1b, an Earth observation system made in Belgium set to launch in 2017. [Via Satellite – 01/21/2014]

Badan SAR Nasional selects Thuraya Telecommunications to provide satellite communications to improve search and rescue efforts in Indonesia. [National Post – 01/21/2014]

Globalstar launches industry’s lowest cost and most accessible prepaid service thoughout EMENA. [CIOL – 01/21/2014]

Telstra Global launches new Points-of-Presence increasing its global Multi-protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network in Western Europe and the American Midwest. [Via Satellite – 01/21/2014]

LiveTV and Eutelsat agree to launch new Ka-band satellite connectivity for airlines in Europe. [Yahoo Finance – 01/21/2014]

HISPASAT now offers HIGH TV 3D across Europe. [SatNews – 01/21/2014]

Australian Defense Force selects ViaSat terminal for data link network management. [Via Satellite – 01/21/2014]

With new HTS systems launching over next year or two, FSS C-band capacity might get lost in the mix, but it is not going anywhere, adding another 55 TPEs of capacity over the next ten years. [NSR Report – 01/20/2014]

SpeedCast re-branding positions it in a top five position in the international satellite telecommunications service provider market. [University Chronicle – 01/18/2014]

President of Astrium Services Government (now part of the Airbus group) calls the “Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA)” procurement strategy for the U.S. military dangerously flawed. [Via Satellite – 01/17/2014]

NASA Tech Briefs article discusses photonic laser thrusters for spacecraft maneuvering. [NASA Tech Briefs – January Issue]

WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services

NASA Space Launch System could make ‘outside the box’ science missions possible. [Space Travel – 01/17/2014]

Marines build field-based command and control center for satellite and radio operations at Camp Hansen, Okinawa as part of pre-deployment communication exercise. [dvids – 01/17/2014]

Omnibus bill fully funds primary NOAA satellites, but does not fund an adjunct satellite intended to host instruments that cannot fit on NOAA’s primary polar-orbiting platforms. [Space News – 01/16/2014]

Screaming through space at nearly one million miles a day, NASA’s New Horizons, launched in 2006, draws closer to its target Pluto, with encounter to begin in January 2015. [SatNews – 01/16/2014]

GATR Technologies spins diminished military spending into opportunity with latest $440 million contract. [Via Satellite – 01/16/2014]

Amid growing sentiment that U.S. military must adopt new ways of operating in space to cope with new threats and declining budgets, top executive with Lockheed Martin says the company must change as well. [Space News – 01/16/2014]

Harris Broadcast acquires Imagine Communications, a digital video solutions company that delivers bandwidth-efficient services with prime video quality for online applications and TV Everywhere. [Via Satellite – 01/16/2014]

KVH plans to debut multicast service intended to replace longstanding practice of sending DVDs by mail to ports in advance of ship arrivals. [Space News – 01/16/2014]

ILS to launch Eutelsat 9B satellite in 2015. [Via Satellite – 01/16/2014]

Dish and Southwest Airlines extend partnership and “TV Flies Free” promotion – through December 31, 2014 customers using iOS, Android, and other Internet-ready devices can get 20 live TV channels free, and VOD. [SatNews – 01/16/2014]

Thuraya Telecommunications launches latest version of Thuraya SatSleeve for Android-based smartphones. [Via Satellite – 01/16/2014]

Viking Satcom deploys ground station equipment to support SES’s new SES 6 satellite. [Via Satellite – 01/16/2014]

Free NSR webinar February 12 – “Satellite Manufacturing and Launching: The Dawn of a New Era.” [NSR – February 12 2014]

Government & Military Satcom – pessimistic views overshadow many opportunities for solutions that address military requirements of lower budgets while at the same time offering more bandwidth. [NSR – 01/15/2014]

Boeing Space Surveillance system helps U.S. Air Force reduce satellite loss by 66%, detecting potential threats more quickly and allowing operators to take early action if necessary. [Via Satellite – 01/15/2014]

SpaceX drives sharp increase in projected launches at Cape Canaveral, which plans to support up to 21 rocket launches in 2014, a 50% increase from 2013. [Space News – 01/15/2014]

ViaSat sees future in aeronautical and maritime broadband markets. [Space News – 01/15/2014]

Members of Netherlands Parliament want Minister of Defense to explain the exact purpose of equipment owned by the American Defense Ministry in Burum, Friesland. [NLTimes – 01/15/2014]

KVH doubles capacity of global C-band beams as its mini-VSAT broadband customers increase reliance on broadband connectivity. [The Wall Street Journal – 01/15/2014]

Planning to connect your car to the Internet by satellite – Kymeta and UIEvolution. [Via Satellite – 01/15/2014]

Indian launch of GSAT-14 communications satellite validates technology of ISRO’s indigenous GSLV-D5 rocket. [Space.com – 01/14/2014]

Air Force searches for companies in the industry able to upgrade GPS satellite waveform generators. [Military & Aerospace – 01/14/2014]

General Shelton tells George Washington University students that space is the “ultimate high ground,” fundamental to the economy. [Milsat Magazine – January issue]

Boeing tests new anti-jamming technology making it easier and cheaper for the U.S. military to send secure communications via current satellites that do not have their own anti-jamming capability. [UPI – 01/14/2014]

The first of two Intelsat launches by ILS in 2015 will be Intelsat DLA-2, also known as Intelsat 31. [Via Satellite – 01/14/2014]

C-COM receives new orders from Russian reseller AltegroSky for additional iNetVu auto-deploy antenna systems. [Yahoo Finance – 01/14/2014]

Tethers Unlimited is testing new propulsion method that might greatly improve access to as well as capability of CubeSats. [Via Satellite – 01/14/2014]

RigNet and Harris CapRock target energy businesses in Houston Texas, naming Houston as its Americas regional headquarters. [Houston BizBlog – 01/14/2014]

ViaSat’s Fly-Fi premiers on JetBlue Airways, offering new in-flight high-capacity Wi-Fi, opening the skies to business passengers needing faster internet while traveling. [U-T San Diego – 01/14/2014]

Singapore Technologies Electronics wins $468 million in 4Q 2013 contracts for intelligent transportation, satellite communications, and advanced electronics and information communications technologies. [Via Satellite – 01/14/2014]

Fifth Lockheed Martin MUOS secure communications satellite completes assembly and enters system test. [Yahoo Finance – 01/13/2014]

2013 was an unprecedented year for satellite broadband access services with record subscriber growth – NSR forecasts the global satellite broadband assess market will add over 4.3 million net new subscribers in coming ten years. [NSR – 01/13/2013]

Technavio report projects global satellite broadband communication in the Public Safety market to grow at a CAGR of 8.45% in the 2013 – 2018 period. [SBWire – 01/13/2014]

NASA’s next-generation TDRS L satellite mounted atop Atlas 5 rocket in preparation for launch on Thursday, January 23. [Spaceflight Now – 01/13/2014]

SpaceX may pick Texas over controversial Merritt Island launch site. [Space News – 01/13/2014]

Future commercial prospects for laser satellite communication could include providing “broadband access to remote parts of the world without having to dig thousands of kilometres of trenches to lay down optical fibres.” [Novus LIght – 01/13/2014]

Comtech receives $4.4 million contract to provide upgrade to Brazilian Military satellite network. [CiOL – 01/13/2014]

Cloud Front Group and Saratoga Data Systems announce availability of Flume software protocol that transmits data up to 5-100X faster than TCP and 3X faster than SCPS acceleration protocol over satellite communications. [IT Business Net – 01/13/2014]

MTN pioneers new iDirect X7 high-performance satellite modem on the Norwegian Breakaway, dramatically improving the efficiency and throughput of the vessel’s communications system. [SatNews – 01/13/2014]

Bently Walker extends reach across Africa and the Middle East using Avanti’s HYLAS 2 satellite. [Satellite Spotlight – 01/13/2014]

Raytheon to develop strategic SATCOM system to link nuclear forces to national command authorities. [Military & Aerospace – 01/10/2014]

WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services

Orbital Sciences Corp.’s Cygnus space capsule berths with International Space Station on re-supply mission. [Space News – 01/13/2013]

China’s space policy is open to the world, according to the new chief of China’s space industry. [Space Mart – 01/13/2013]

Iran is preparing to orbit three new home-made satellites in the future, according to Vice-President for Executive Affairs Mohammad Shariatmadari. [Space News – 01/13/2013]

Boeing completes first of two 702HP geomobile satellites, Centenario. for government of Mexico. [Space Daily – 01/10/2014]

Sky Perfect JSat selects SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket to launch JCSat-14 communications satellite in 2015. [Space News – 01/10/2013]

KVH surpasses 100-vessel mark in 10-year contract to supply next-generation satellite communications to U.S. Coast Guard cutter fleet, with 29.2 terabytes of data and over 835,000 VOIP minutes provided thus far. [SatNews – 01/10/2014]

Virgin Galactic’s SpaceshipTwo reaches highest altitude to date in rocket-powered test flight over Mojave desert. [Space News – 01/10/2013]

Falcon 9 v1.1 appears to have met U.S. Air Force’s requirements to bid for national security launches and challenge the market incumbent, United Launch Alliance. [Space News – 01/09/2013]

Obama administration extends International Space Station support another four years. [Nextgov – 01/09/2013]

U.S. Air Force takes control of STPSat-3. [Space News – 01/09/2013]

Launch of Orbital Science’s Antares mission following one-day delay raises awareness of space weather-induced flight risks. [Via Satellite – 01/09/2014]

Energia chooses Sea Launch to launch the AngolaSat telecommunications satellite and the Energia 100 broadband satelli8te in 2016 in a dual-satellite mission. [Space News – 01/09/2013]

Lockheed Martin gets $3.9 million contract to track orbital debris. [Via Satellite – 01/09/2014]

Comtech gets $4.4 million contract from Brazilian military to upgrade its satellite network. [Yahoo Finance – 01/09/2014]

Macdonald Dettwiler & Associates gets $4 million deal for European communications satellite subsystem. [4-traders – 01/09/2014]

Hughes teams with Aruba Networks to provide retail Wi-Fi service. [Via Satellite – 01/09/2014]

Cobham Satcom and Comtech EF Data partner to provide collaborative maritime solutions. [Via Satellite – 01/09/2014]

Huge solar flare causes Orbital Science’s Antares team to scrub ISS resupply mission. [NBC News – 01/08/2013]

Zinwell Corp is developing a new satellite digital outdoor unit (D-ODU) using MaxLinear’s channel stacking system on chip (SoC). [Via Satellite – 01/09/2014]

Use of satellite imagery is strongly related to economic growth – Asia good example as one of the most dynamic regional EO markets over the past five years. [NSR – 01/08/2014]

GATR Technologies wins $440 million contract with U.S. Army for inflatable satellite communications antennas. [BusinessWire – 01/08/2014]

Dish withdraws $2.2 billion bid to buy bankrupt LightSquared, as trial got underway over whether Dish’s Charles Ergen had unlawfully bought LightSquared’s debt in effort to take over the company. [Reuters – 01/08/2013]

ESA’s Gaia spacecraft reaches operational orbit. [Via Satellite – 01/08/2014]

Global Eagle plans expansion of in-flight connectivity across South Asia. [Via Satellite – 01/08/2014]

Spacecom to broadcast African CHAN football championships via Amos 5 satellite. [Via SAtellite – 01/08/2014]

Entropic announces first fully-integrated set-top box (STB) system-on-a-chip for satellite receivers and IP clients. [Via Satellite – 01/08/2014]

SpaceX successfully completes second GEO communications satellite launch, delivering Thaicom 6 into orbit. [[Via Satellite – 01/07/2014]

Mars One plans two, or possibly three, communications satellites for the Red Planet. [Via Satellite – 01/07/2014]

Arianespace postpones launch of Ariane 5 ECA mission, citing need to change-out unspecified equipment on the VA217 Ariane 5 ECA launcher. [Via Satellite – 01/07/2014]

Sea Launch Zenit 2S rocket completes inspection, preps for April launch. [Via Satellite – 01/07/2014]

Computer Security firm analysis states that VSAT terminals may pose a soft target for hackers, finding more than 10,000 terminals of 3 million investigated to be using default passwords or having open ports. [Computer World – 01/07/2014]

SES and EUTELSAT complete sale of Solaris Mobile to Echostar. [Market Watch – 01/07/2014]

Broadcom announces new Outdoor Unit (ODU) satellite chipset that enables wider range of services to more subscribers without additional dish installations. [Market Watch – 01/07/2014]

West African mining company uses satellite/cellular terminals to track mine vehicles where no other means of communications are available. [Directions Magazine – 01/07/2014]

ISRO completes successful GSLV D5 launch of GSAT 14 satellite. [Via Satellite – 01/06/2014]

Thales Alenia Space awarded Astrium contract for Ariane 5 Midlife Evolution (ME). [Via Satellite – 01/06/2014]

France-UAE satellite deal shaky after U.S. spy tech discovered onboard. [RT – 01/06/2014]

Navman Wireless adds satellite communications option to its OnlineAVL2 fleet tracking platform.
[Construction Equipment Guide – 01/04/2014]

Inmarsat PLC completes acquisition of Globe Wireless.
[The Wall Street Journal – 01/03/2014]

Columbus ISS (NASA Photo) – Space News

European Space Agency says that by late 2015 it will reduce its annual space station operating costs by 30% compared with 2010.
[Space News – 01/03/2014]

Mexican Oil and Gas reform opens up satellite opportunity for Jaba satellite engineering.
[Via Satellite – 01/03/2014]

Liberty Media reaches for control of SiriusXM satellite radio.
[LA Times – 01/03/2014]

Bolivian state-owned telecommunications company Entel establishes contact with the country’s first communications satellite, Tupac Katari, orbited in December.
[Hispanically Speaking News – 01/03/2014]

Eutelsat closes transaction to acquire 100% of share capital of SATMEX.
[The Wall Street Journal – 01/02/2014]

SpaceX rocket on pad (Space photo) – SatNews

SpaceX delays launch of Thaicom-6 by at least 3 days to allow launch team to resolve issue with Falcon-9 v1.1 rocket’s fairing.
[SatNews – 01/02/2014]

Amos 4 (IAI photo) – Via Satellite

Spacecom’s Amos 4 satellite concludes testing, prepares to enter commercial service.
[Via Satellite – 01/02/2014]

Soyuz 2.1v rocket – Via Satellite

New Soyuz 2.1v rocket completes first successful launch, carry8ing an AIST student built microsatellite and two SKRL 756 radar calibration spheres for the Russian Ministry of Defense into orbit.
[Via Satellite – 01/02/2014]

Airbus Defence and Space, formerly named Astrium, congratulates SpaceX for retaining focus on cost efficiency without veering off into fascinating but unnecessary engineering challenges.
[Space News – 01/02/2014]

Entropic Communications gets patent for “Method and Apparatus for Cross Polarization and Cross Satellite Interference Cancellation.”
[4-Traders – 01/02/2014]

CHIRP on SES-2 – Space News

U.S. Air Force targets 2016 for CHIRP follow-on.
[Space News – 01/02/2014]

Given the seriousness of the space debris problem, the Secure World Foundation discusses the need for space situation awareness among satellite operators.
[Via Satellite – 12/31/2013]

China puts into service its high-definition Earth observation satellite Gaofen 1.
[Via Satellite – 12/31/2013]

EIAST engineers. Photo: EIAST – Via Satellite

UAE announces plans to launch first domestically-built satellite in 2017.
[Via Satellite – 12/31/2013]

NASA artist’s concept showing the kinds of land surface data DESDynI mission will collect – Space News

Joint mission with India considered as NASA looks for savings in Earth science missions.
[Space News – 12/31/2013]

Energia completes full cycle of ground tests on Earth Observation Satellite EgyptSat 2, to be launched in April 2014.
[Via Satellite – 12/31/2013]

A Coronal Mass Ejection, or CME, as captured by NASA’s SDO Telescope. Photo: NASA – Via Satellite

UK to invest approximately $7.6 million in space weather forecasting system to protect technology from solar activity.
[Via Satellite – 12/30/2013]

China says it will have 30 satellites in its Beidou navigation system by 2020 to improve accuracy to within inches to better compete with the U.S. GPS.
[GPS Daily – 12/30/2013]

Gazprom Space Systems’ board of directors unanimously approves several long-term company goals for development until 2020. including continued construction and sustainment of fleet of Yamal satellites..
[Via Satellite – 12/30/2013]

Newsat gets Malaysian satellite regulator’s confirmation with respect to the use of the orbital slot 91.5 degrees East for the Jabiru-1 satellite.
[4-Traders – 12/30/2014]

New report published by Reportbuyer.com, “Global Fixed Satellite Service Market 2012 – 2016,” forecasts the market to grow at a CAGR of 5.44% over the period.
[Yahoo Finance – 12/30/2013]

AEHF satellite – Lockheed Martin photo – Space News

Lockheed gets $116 million for AEHF launch support.
[Space News – 12/31/2013]

House Energy and Commerce Committee announces plans to use 2014 to begin process leading to an update of the Communications Act for the digital age.
[The Washington Times – 12/29/2013]

New law precludes Russian satellite monitor stations in U.S. unless Secretary of Defense and Director of National Intelligence certify they will not be used to spy.
[New york Times – 12/29/2013]

Euroconsult believes High Throughput Satellite (HTS) services are poised for record-breaking growth, with 33 HTS systems to be launched over the next three years (31 have been launched over past decade).
[Via Satellite – 12/27/2013]

Skybox Imaging releases first high resolution HD video images from SkySat 1.
[Via Satellite – 12/27/2013]

 WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services

NASA negotiating pad lease with SpaceX after GAO rejects Blue Origin protest.
[Space News – 12/13/2013]

Brazil selects Thales to play a key role in its space development plans as it establishes SGDC Government Communications Satellite System.
[Defense World – 12/13/2013]

Arianespace and Visiona Tecnologia Espacial S.A. sign launch contract for the next Brazilian government satellite, the Geostationary Defense and Strategic Communications Satellite (SGDC).
[SatNews – 12/13/2013]

Mexican flag – Space News

Mexican government to award licenses for two orbital slots in Ku- and extended C-band frequencies at two orbital positions it has long held.
[Space News – 12/13/2013]

The sixth WGS satellite, funded by Australia, enters service.
[Via Satellite – 12/13/2013]

Chinese lunar rover – Space Daily

China’s first lunar rover to land on moon December 14.
[Space Daily – 12/13/2013]

Comtech reports increased commercial orders and expects downward revenue spiral following loss of Army contract and U.S..budget freeze to end this year.
[Space News – 12/13/2013]

EchoStar Corp. and Vivendi end talks on a joint venture to develop a pay-television service in Brazil using EchoStar’s orbital slot at 45 degrees west longitude.
[Space News – 12/13/2013]

RAVAN cubesat – Space Daily

New, low-cost cubesat mission led by the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory will demonstrate technology needed to measure the absolute imbalance in the Earth’s radiation budget for the first time.
[Space Daily – 12/13/2013]

Federal budget crunch leads U.S. Air Force to decommission an experimental missile warning sensor hosted aboard a commercial satellite after 27 months on orbit.
[Space News – 12/12/2013]

Proton M launcher – Space Daily

Russian official plays down concerns on the future of Proton launches from Baikonur, saying that during a recent meeting with Kazakhstan’s president “we came to a mutual understanding about resuming Proton launches from Baikonur.”
[Space Travel – 12/12/2013]

Northrup Grumman satcom system aboard Fireberd – Primezone

Northrup Grumman re-purposes satellite communications system normally used in space as high-functioning low cost system for aircraft in one year.
[msn money – 12/12/2013]

Mitsubishi Electric Corp. (Melco) to build Japan’s GOSAT-2 environmental satellite.
[Space News – 12/12/2013]

Research and Markets announces addition of “2013 Report on the US Machine-to-Machine Communications Market – Includes Forecasts to 2018″ report to their offering.
[Satellite Spotlight – 12/12/2013]

Team of researchers, mainly Valencian, win contract with ESA to conduct research on use of new materials for reduction of the Multipactor effect in effort to improve space communications systems in ESA’s satellites.
[Product Design and Development – 12/12/2013]

British government deepens ties to China’s space sector with bilateral agreements on future joint projects and a fund to promote British industry’s search for a foothold in China.
[Space News – 12/12/2013]

Spacecom mulls over possible sale or merger.
[Globes – 12/12/2013]

Telespazio recently linked-up with Eutelsat to market broadband services using its Ka-Sat satellite and hopes satellite broadband can make a big impact in Italy, as well as other countries in Europe.
[Via Satellite – 12/12/2013]

ATK and Hughes successfully demonstrate LEO-based weather sensing technology to US Air Force.
[Via Satellite – 12/12/2013]

Avanti secures deal to connect libraries in South Africa.
[Via Satellite – 12/11/2013]

Contribution & Occasional Use TV Markets to Require over 700 Transponders and 1.4 Gbps of HTS Capacity by 2022.
{NSR – 12/11/2013]

NSR’s new report “Land Mobile and Handheld Satellite Markets” points out that traditional growth in this part of the satellite communications market accounted for 97% of global revenues in 2012; is expected to drop to 82% by 2022; growth in the consumer market is making significant impact.
[Via Satellite – 12/11/2013]

KVH is chosen by BW, a worldwide leader in maritime energy transportation, as the satellite communications solution for its Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) fleet.
[Wall Street Journal – 12/11/20103]

NIGCOMSAT decries annual capital flight due to unchecked penchant of Nigerian organisations to purchase bandwidth from abroad.
[National Mirror – 12/11/2013]

Reuters photo – msn news

Chinese-Brazilian satellite launched by China Monday failed to reach planned orbit and likely fell back to Earth.
[msn news – 12/10/2013]

Russian Glonass satellite – Nextgov

Obama administration reviews Russian proposals for satellite monitoring stations on U.S. soil.
[Nextgov – 12/10/2013]

Lt. Gen Ellen Pawlikowski says USAF needs innovative approaches to procuring satellite capacity; tells interviewer “A different strategy would be for us to go out and leverage the bargain basement aspects of the (commercial) satcom business.”
[National Defense – 12/10/2013]

Astronaut – Nextgov

6-year-old donates life savings and starts on-line petition to save NASA.
[Nextgov – 12/10/2013]

Russian DTH provider Tricolor discusses satellite capacity demands.
[Via Satellite – 12/10/2013]

Private Mars One venture engages Lockheed Martin and Surrey Satellite Technology to work on hardware concepts for robotic Mars mission.
[nbc news – 12/10/2013]

Mars One accepting applications – CNN

200,000 people apply to live on Mars.
[CNN – 12/10/2013]

SkyWave and Garmin solution enables integrated vehicle tracking, navigation, driver communication and dispatch capabilities regardless of cellular service availability.
[Satellite Spotlight – 12/10/2013]

Honeywell and Inmarsat advance global wireless in-flight connectivity program.
[Via Satellite – 12/10/2013]

Globecast, Measat and Mezzo partner to bring new HD channel to Asia-Pacific region.
[Via Satellite – 12/10/2013]

NASA’s Tracking and Data Relay Satellite arrives at Kennedy Space Center.
[Yahoo News – 12/09/2013]

ABS-2 – PR Newswire

SSL delivers ABS-2 satellite to launch base in Kourou.
[Yahoo Finance – 12/09/2013]

Spacecom has kept all five of its satellites working at close to full capacity from DTH operators, TV channels, and North American agencies, and ultimately hopes to use its brand of Amos satellites to become a global operator.
[Via Satellite – 12/10/2013]

Recent Gooch & Housego acquisition Constelex Technology Enablers announced its participation in new European Union R&D projects and European Space Agency (ESA) space photonics contracts.
[LaserFocusWorld – 12/09/2013]

First Global Xpress®Satellite Launch and 7th ILS Proton Launch of 2013, Inmarsat-5 goes into orbit.
[Hispanic Business – 12/08/2013]

[MarketResearchReports.biz announces addition of new report “Global Satellite Communication Market in the Oil and Gas Industry 204 – 2018” to its database.
[WatchList News – 12/08/2013]

December 2013 issue of the Satellite Executive Briefing Features: Europe Gets Universal Broadband Coverage by Elisabeth Tweedie DTH Services Boost the Asia-Pacific Market by Peter Galace The Importance of Latency in the Mobile Market by Virgil Labrador Enterprise-Class HTS Servicees by Martin Jarrold
[Satellite Markets & Research – December 2013]

 WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services

Great petition on WhiteHouse.gov.

Increase NASA funding. So we can discover new worlds, protect us from danger and to make dreams come true. CJ, Age: 6.5

Increase the funding for NASA so that children can dream of exploring the universe. Science funding is the future of our country.

Go ahead and sign it! Then get your kids a space suit.