Really Rocket Science

In spacecraft operations, the last thing you want is a ground controller who decides following the standard operating procedure is for idiots. Not sure if that’s what happened at the Ciel-2 TT&C facility, but something bad did, causing the spacecraft to go into safe mode.

The customer, DISH Network, leases capacity from SES, who leases from Ciel Satellite Group, owners of the spacecraft, acknowledged the anomaly…

DISH Network restored all affected television channels for its customers Wednesday morning after experiencing a temporary interruption of service on some of its channels overnight.

The interruption mainly affected high definition channels to a portion of DISH Network customers. Standard definition channels were largely unaffected resulting in a majority of DISH Network customers not being affected at all.

The interruption began at approximately 5 p.m. ET Tuesday and involved the Ciel2 satellite, which is operated by SES at 129 degrees West Longitude through a Canadian subcontractor and leased to DISH Network. SES has attributed the anomaly to human error in its ground operation of the spacecraft. According to SES, there is no issue with the health of the satellite.

I’m glad I’m in the eastern arc and unaffected by this outage. I feel sorry for the folks in Saskatoon — those who committed the “human error” in question. The spacecraft lost its orientation and therefore automatically went into safe mode, a near total shutdown. Afterwards, it take a few hours to turn on the tubes.

SES S.A. presents new brand identity and logo as operating units merge into single entity, with independent subsidiary SES Government Solutions to market to U.S. government.
[SatNews – 09/09/2011]

New unified approach and identity of merged entities forming SES S.A. outlined by CEO of SES Government Solutions.
[SatNews – 09/09/2011]

Iridium adds new services to “personal mobile satellite communications” product, including extending beyond satellite phones to include enabling a Wi-Fi hotspot capability for connecting devices.
[Satellite Spotlight – 09/09/2011]

Launch of ViaSat-1, delayed in August due to Proton Breeze-M failure, is now scheduled for October.
[SatNews – 09/09/2011]

MIT led NASA GRAIL moon mission, twin spacecraft set to precisely map moon’s gravitational field, suffered launch delay yesterday due to high winds.  Re-scheduled to launch today, Friday September 9,
[R&D Magazine – 09/09/2011]
the launch is scrubbed a second time.
[SatNews – 09/09/2011]

Skyware Global debuts new Cielo Ka-band product range with world’s first truly integrated Ka-band VSAT transceiver.
[SatNews – 09/09/2011]

International Datacasting announces debut of IDC Systems & Solutions, offering comprehensive end-to-end systems integration for broadcasters.
[SatNews – 09/09/2011]

Satellite operators SES SA and Intelsat SA push services such as military drones in preparation for biggest increase in satellite capacity in at least 10 years (more than 200 commercial communication satellites to be launched by 2020).
[Bloomberg – 09/08/2011]

Orbit of NASA’s Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite decays, with re-entry into atmosphere expected by late September or early October.
[SatNews – 09/08/2011]

Satlink Communications’ live trial of Novelsat’s 3G-SAT NS3(TM) technology shows over 50% increase above DVB-S2 in bandwidth efficiency.
{MarketWatch – 09/08/2011]

TRACE selects Eutelsat’s EUROBIRD 9A satellite to broadcast its platform of HD channels across Europe and Middle East.
[PR Newswire – 09/08/2011]

Newtec signs contracts with Eutelsat’s Skylogic (for TOOWAY product), SES ASTRA (for ASTRA2Connect product), and African company SkyVine for the Newtec Sat3Play hub systems to provide two-way IP broadband services.
[SatNews – 09/08/2011]

Space Systems/Loral selected to provide two high-power satellites to Intelsat.
[Market Watch – 09/08/2011]

SES S.A. gets contract from GlobeCast for transponder on SES-4 as well as additional transponder on ASTRA-4A to launch two new broadcast platforms for sub-Saharan African region.
[MarketWatch – 09/08/2011]

TCS continues its successes with the U.S. military as the U.S. Marine Corp signs contract for integrated communications system that carries potential value of $139.8M.
[UPI – 09/08/2011]

Vizada expands Satcom portfolio to include new Iridium Extreme and Iridium AxcessPoint with location-based services like online tracking and emergency SOS notification.
[Market Watch – 09/08/2011]

Globecomm Systems is awarded two contracts from US Government customers valued at $12.8M, with options that could potentially increase value up to $66.6M for both contracts.
[Market Watch – 09/08/2011]

Emergency services professionals choose KVH TracPhone V3 Mini-VSAT for portable satellite communications.
[4-traders – 09/08/2011]

Marlink signs agreement with Wilson Ship Management to provide 80 of its ships with SCAP FleetBroadband on 36 month contract.
[SatNews – 09/08/2011]

C-COM debuts new 98cm iNetVue Ka-band antenna, tested by Gilat and fully integrated with Gilat’s SkyEdge II Ka-band terminals.
[SatNews – 09/08/2011]

ATCi tailors Simulsat transport system for European market.
[PR Newswire – 09/08/2011]

NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory provides scientists with new information that energy from some solar flares is stronger and lasts longer than previously thought.
[R&D Magazine – 09/08/2011]

Sea&Space of Belgium signs for capacity on Telesat’s Telstar 11N to bring advanced broadband services to remote African communities.
[SatNews – 09/08/2011]

DIRECTV Latin America signs with Intelsat for capacity on two new satellites to expand its DTH offerings and provide backup and restoration services.
[SatNews – 09/08/2011]

Advanta Technologies joins list of companies signing wholesale-only compacts with LightSquared.
[SatNews – 09/08/2011]

Optimal Satcom awarded multi-year contract by Asia Broadcast Satellite to provide enterprise satellite capacity system to help manage ABS’ growing commercial satellite business.
[SatNews – 09/08/2011]

Work Microwave announces new-generation DVB-S/S2 modulator.
[SatNews – 09/08/2011]

British scientists attempt to revive only satellite ever launched by the British (in 1971) – Prospero was only launched because it was finished; Ministers had already pulled the plug on the Black Arrow project.
[Daily Mail – 09/07/2011]

SES and Gazprom agreement boosts Russian satellite capacity with relocation of Astra 1F satellite.
[Digital TV Europe – 09/07/2011]

Eutelsat and Eser Telekom announce agreement to expand reach of Tooway(TM) satellite broadband into Turkey and neighbouring countries.
[Market Watch – 09/07/2011]

Hughes ships Ka-band broadband satellite solution to YAHSAT.
[Market Watch – 09/07/2011]

Hispasat selects Arianespace to launch its new Amazonas-3 telecommunications satellite.
[SatNews – 09/07/2011]

GlobeCast cuts ribbon on new Rome teleport.
[Satellite Today – 09/07/2011]

New Globalstar satellites now providing improved voice and data service for North American customers.
[GlobeNewswire – 09/06/2011]

ORBIT aims to expand tracking and telemetry/satellite earth observation business in the U.S.
[Market Watch – 09/06/2011]

ViaSat wins contracts from Boeing for ground based beam forming system for Mexican satellite.
[Market Watch – 09/06/2011]

KVH mini-VSAT broadband service now available in South America to all subscribers, completing original global coverage plan for the maritime satellite communications network.
[Market Watch – 09/06/2011]

Broadcom announces entry into Out Door Unit market with Full-Band Capture Satellite Channel Stacker solution supporting 24 independent channels, delivering more HD streams, multi-room DVR and IP services throughout the home.
[Market Watch – 09/06/2011]

Independent mobile and satellite networks likely to benefit from AT&T’s antitrust woes, and Justice Department sues to prevent AT&T merger with T-Mobile.
[Seeking Alpha –  09/05/2011]

Pakistan Chairman SUPARCO confident that recently launched PAKSAT-1R has capacity to bring revolution to national education programme.
[Pak Observer – 09/05/2011]

Croatia’s KLasik TV joins AMOS satellite system.
[News on News – 09/05/2011]

Hong Kong-based telco PCCW Global and Vizada Networks team up to expand international terrestrial and satellite services coverage of both companies.
[Trade Arabia – 09/04/2011]

Inmarsat launches a price War and goes direct – the risks and the possible rewards.
[SatMagazine – September issue]

WBMSAT PS satellite communications systems services

Two-foot-wide model of world’s first geosynchronous commercial communications satellite, Syncom, shares the stage at Boeing celebration of 50 years in the satellite business.
[SatNews – 09/02/2011]

Stellar Group utilizes Newtec’s Flex ACM and three transponders on inclined orbit satellite to provide reliable high speed satellite link to camp of 40,000 in Afghanistan.
[SatNews – 09/02/2011]

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) pre3pares for launch of Megha-Tropiques advanced weather and climate satellite later this month aboard Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle.
[SatNews – 09/02/2011]

Orbital Sciences receives Commercial Space Transportation License from Federal Aviation Administration to conduct Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program demonstration mission in 2012.
[SatNews – 09/02/2011]

National Polar-orbiting Operational Environment Satellite System Preparatory Project satellite,. first of new generation of satellites to observe many facets of our changing Earth, arrives at Vandenberg for October launch.
[SatNews – 09/02/2011]

Aljazeera invests in several Multimedia Exchange Network over Satellite TV interactive terminals from Newtec.
[SatNews – 09/02/2011]

Comtech EF Data’s new LPOD to get deployed by U.S. Government under $1.2M satellite earth station equipment order from leading solutions provider.
[SatNews – 09/02/2011]

iPONT International and SES Astra to demonstrate glasses-free 3DTV on SES stand at IBC 2011.
[SatNews – 09/02/2011]

Orbital awarded $135M contract by NASA for Icesat-2 earth science satellite program.
[Reuters – 09/01/2011]

Inmarsat GX and Rockwell Collins team up to expand airborne connectivity for aeronautical industry.
[Satellite Spotlight – 09/01/2011]

Gaps in smart grid network communications technologies lead many utility companies to consider two-way satellite IP networks.
[Electric Light & Power – 09/01/2011]

Worried National Research Council committee urges NASA to place greater focus on space junk.
[Science Magazine – 09/01/2011]

Repaired Amos 5 satellite to be launched in December 2011.
[Globes – 09/01/2011]

Three men responsible for damaging Waihopai Valley intelligence gathering satellite dome in 2008 found liable for damages by High Court at Wellington, NZ
[NZ Herald – 09/01/2011]

New Euroconsult report says growth continues but slows as challenges emerge for the satellite communications sector.
[Broadcast Engineering – 08/31/2011]

Roscosmos considers returning the federal space program to the framework of the state defense order to ensure steady financing and reduce the number of accidents with space launches.
[SatNews – 08/31/2011]

Launch of China’s Tiangong satellite will be delayed due to failure of experimental orbiter SJ-11-04 to enter orbit following its launch last weerk.
[SatNews – 08/31/2011]

Hughes wins two orbital slots in Brazilian auction.
[PR Newswire – 08/31/2011]

Thuraya partners with SRT Wireless to redefine the future of satellite data transmission.
[MarketWatch – 08/31/2011]

LightSquared and Inmarsat join forces to support hurricane Irene emergency responders.
[Satellite Spotlight – 08/31/2011]

Expand Networks offers satellite optimization for reliable communications in disaster events.
[Satellite Spotlight – 08/31/2011]

American Family Radio chooses Ka You Communications and VSAT Systems to connect 156 of their transmitter sites to the Internet to comply with new Common Alerting Protocol for the Emergency Alert System.
[PR Newswire – 08/31/2011]

Gilat is selected to provide multi-million dollar SkyEdsge II broadband network and services for security communications in Latin America.
[MarketWatch – 08/31/2011]

Russia lifts suspension on launches of main Proton-M rockets, pointing to problem with Briz-M booster stage as cause of August 18 failed launch.
[Reuters – 08/30/2011]

Kratos wins $6M in contracts to provide critical SATCOM situational awareness products and value added services to the military, government and intelligence communities.
[MarketWatch – 08/30/2011]

Eutelsat Communications announces six-year distribution agreement between Skylogic subsidiary and Egyptsat, bringing satellite broadband to Egyptians.
[Broadband TV News – 08/30/2011]

RRsat signs with Spacecom for Amos-5 satellite remote and mirror earth station for telemetry monitoring, tracking, and commanding, and In-Orbit Testing of the satellite following its December launch.
[PR Newswire – 08/30/2011]

KVH and ViaSat enhance KVH’s Mini-VSAT Broadband network, doubling uplink speeds and implementing adaptive return-link technology.
[SatNews – 08/30/2011]

Vizada launches SkyFile C Store & Push to offer customers highly-reliable data reporting and polling services, enabling shipping companies to adhere strictly to international maritime law.
[SatNews – 08/30/2011]

Arianespace places hold on launch of Arabsat 5X and SES-2 in order to carry out supplementary checks on the ESC-A upper-stage cryogenic engine.
[SatNews – 08/30/2011]

One-day International satellite-industry forum organized by Global VSAT Forum and Satellite Interference Reduction Group will be held in Netherlands September 8 to target satellite interference.
[SatNews – 08/30/2011]

TSF lands in Tripoli, and establishes satellite links to benefit medical establishments and organizations charged with treating injured that have been evacuated.
[SatNews – 08/30/2011]

Dish Network unveils portable satellite TV antenna for tailgaters, campers, and customer engaging in other outdoor activities.
[Satellite Today – 08/30/2011]

Pakistan telco awards $134M satellite contract to NewSat.
[The Express Tribune – 08/30/2011]

As 6,500 cell sites in four states are knocked out by Irene, Army North coordinates with FEMA and dispatches defense coordinating officer teams equipped with Chevrolet Suburban Emergency Response vehicles with satellite communication systems.
[NextGov – 08/29/2011]

ViaSat completes Yonder mobile high-speed Internet coverage over South America.
[MarketWatch – 08/29/2011]

X Class solar flare of August 9, 2011 and subsequent disruption to Japan’s Kodama communications satellite illustrate the vulnerability of Earth’s communication systems to astronomical events – underscores need to prepare.
[PR Web – 08/29/2011]

Globalstar completes French authorization of new satellite constellation.
[MarketWatch – 08/29/2011]

Raytheon ground system passes launch test for critical Polar orbiting satellite.
[Ottawa Citizen – 08/29/2011]

Dish Network and DirecTV take opposite tacks, as Dish embraces diversification including launch of new LTE network, while DirecTV is “well-advanced on a debt-fueled share buyback.”
[DSL Reports – 08/29/2011]

T-Mobile rolls out new satellite backhaul-supported emergency voice service.
[Satellite Today – 08/29/2011]

Research satellite set for launch from Kodiak Launch Complex in Alaska on September 27.
[Chron – 08/28/2011]

ISRO issues request for proposal seeking available satellite capacity to lease.
[SatNews – 08/28/2011]

Dish Network seeks FCC approval of TerreStar-DBSD merger.
[Space News – 08/26/2011]

Nigerian satellite launched August 17 returns first pictures.
[BBC News – 08/26/2011]

Russian cargo rocket bound for International Space Station with food and fuel fails and lands in Siberian forest.
[The New York Times – 08/24/2011]

Dish Network wants FCC to let it use Terrestar’s satellite spectrum to roll out LTE-Advanced, although the new standard is not yet ready.
[Wireless Week – 08/23/2011]

Another spectacular launch from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana (technically a “department of France”). The payload included ASTRA 1N and BSAT-3c/JCSAT-110R satellites — both big geo spacecraft, an Astrium Eurostar 3000 and a Lockheed Martin A2100, respectively. Both are intended as replacement capacity for DTH services in their respective markets in Europe and Japan.

Love the ASTRA version, complete with interviews and German voice-over, “ASTRA 1N Satellitenstart an Bord einer Ariane 5 Rakete by SES ASTRA”

No Borat jokes. This is serious space business. Last Friday’s successful launch of KazSat-2 and SES-3 aboard a Proton/Briz-M launcher was the first time with a dual payload. ILS will now be making money like Arianespace is with their two-at-a-time configuration. Here’s the video…

Read the summary on Caspionet. You’d think Borat did the translation:

On the threshold of the launch, the governmental delegation headed by the Prime Minister Karim Massimov arrived at the space-launching site. For the first time people enjoyed the launch online via Twitter.

The launch of the Proton-M expendable launch system, which happened on Saturday morning, is a historic launch. This is because in the near future Kazakhstan will be able to use a modern and reliable communication satellite. The Russian side and especially producers of the satellite, the Khrunichev space centre said that the KazSat-2 satellite will serve at least 12 years. The project witnessed several revisions from the moment of signing the agreement on the creation of the satellite. As a result, the KazSat-2 satellite received completely new hardware components and a new management algorithm. It also became more energy intensive and the number of transmitters increased to 20. The total capacity of transmitter-responders increased to 4.5 kilowatts, which will help to process larger amounts of data.

Yes, rocket scientists: “enjoyed the launch via Twitter!”

SES-3 is set to replace AMC-1 (formerly GE-1), the very first A2100 spacebus built by Lockheed Martin. It will be interesting to see how customers adapt to the Ku-band side not having the polarization offset (26° counter-clockwise).

This Telstar, a ground spare currently in the care of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, is what gave birth to a huge space-based business: video by satellite. On this day in 1962, a video link between the U.S. and France proved what Sir Arthur conceived in 1947.

WBMSAT Satellite Industry News Bits July 8, 2011

Thales Alenia Space selects EMS Technologies to supply hardware for  French-Italian Ka band and EHF satellite to support armed forces and civil  security agencies.
[Market Watch – 07/07/2011]

Arianespace will launch THOR 7 satellite for Telenor.
{Space Travel – 07/07/2011]

NOAA deputy administrator tells local leaders that satellite programs are key to saving lives and lessening economic impact of severe weather.
[Market Watch – 07/07/2011]

Freeing up some government broadband spectrum for commercial use could take more than 10 years.
[Government Video – 07/07/2011]

LightSquared creates rural initiative to drum up popular support for its wireless network plans while arguing that installing filters on GPS systems would address possible interference problems.
[Connected Planet Online – 07/07/2011]

Vizada looks to Expand Networks to enhance its existing Inmarsat BGAN, Swift  Broadband, and Fleet Broadband offerings with WAN optimization features for the  satellite networks.
[TMCnet – 07/07/2011]

Thuraya introduces specialised suite of solutions aimed at offering all the functionality of satellite communication indoors.
[Al Bawaba – 07/06/2011]

‘Remote Cueing’ capabilities of the Space Tracking and Surveillance System demonstration satellites built by Northrop Grumman demonstrated during Aegis test.
[Market Watch – 07/06/2011]

General Dynamics Information Technology gets task order from Defense  Intelligence Agency for enterprise communication services including satellite  communications support on coalition networks.
[PR Newswire – 07/06/2011]

India set to launch GSAT-12 communications satellite onboard a Polar  Satellite Launch Vehicle on July 15.
[Satellite Spotlight – 07/06/2011]

Hughes to connect 1,500 broadband satellite sites for India’s Restructured Accelerated Power Development & Reforms Programme.
[TMCnet – 07/05/2011]

Lockheed Martin’s BSAT-3c/JCSAT-110R satellite ready for launch aboard Ariane  5-ECA launch vehicle.
[Satellite Spotlight – 07/05/2011]

Comtech announces receipt of a SATCOM equipment contract from India-based  Bharti Airtel.
[TMCnet – 07/05/2011]

Spanish Ministry of Defence awards Indra maintenance contract for its  satellite communications terminals worth C17 million.
[Defence Professionals – 07/05/2011]

European Space Agency saves a four-satellite Cluster mission from near loss  by using “an unorthodox, dirty hack.”
[Satellite Today – 07/04/2011]

Italian Space Agency to cooperate with Eutelsat and Skylogic on broadband  connectivity in Italy.
[PR Newswire – 07/04/2011]

Consilium partners with Orange to market maritime VSAT service.
[Satellite Today – 07/04/2011]

Space rock passes through satellite belt within 12,000 kilometres of  Australia.
[University World News – 07/03/2011]

Dual launch of ASTRA 1N and BSAT-3c/JCSAT-110R scrubbed due to LH2 valve  fault on vulcain core stage of Ariance 5 ECA vehicle.
[NASA Spaceflight – 07/01/2011]

LiightSquared offers three-part solution to interference to GPS by its  proposed network, saying it remains committed to a robust GPS system and GPS  manufacturers could have avoided the problem with filters as cheap as 5 cents  each..
[SatNews  – 06/30/2011]

HISPASAT selects Gilat for broadband VSAT network in Spain.
[MarketWatch – 06/30/2011]

Pentagon’s ORS-1 imaging satellite carried to orbit aboard Orbital Sciences  Corp. Minotaur 1 rocket.
[Space News  – 06/30/2011]

Dish Network wins bid for TerreStar for $1.375 billion.
[Multichannel – 06/28/2011]

Raytheon triples bandwidth on National Weather Services’ satellite broadcast  network.
[PR Newswire – 06/28/2011]

Airport Authority of India says GAGAN {GPS-Aided Geo Augmented Navigation)  satellite is in position and certification is underway.
[Inside GNSS – 06/26/2011]

WBMSAT PS  satellite communications systems services

Excellent launch video of the ORS-1 spacecraft from Wallops Island in Virginia. The news, via the USAF:

An Air Force team successfully launched the first Operationally Responsive Space prototype satellite aboard a Minotaur I launch vehicle at 11:09 p.m. EDT June 29 from the NASA Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Va. ORS-1 deployed 12 minutes after launch.

This marks a great achievement by the Space and Missile Systems Center’s Space Development and Test Directorate, the Operationally Responsive Space Office and their contractor teams, according to Col. Carol Welsch, the directorate’s acting director and the ORS-1 mission director. ORS-1 is the Operationally Responsive Space Office’s first operational prototype satellite and represents the potential of low-cost, tactically focused satellites designed to provide critical battlespace awareness capabilities to the joint warfighter.

“Words cannot express how proud I am of the entire ORS-1 team,” she said. “The men and women of the Space Development and Test Directorate, the Operationally Responsive Space Office, and our industry partners of Goodrich, ATK, and Orbital have all worked tirelessly to move forward on the concept of a responsive space capability designed to support the warfighter. Their teamwork and dedication is simply inspiring.”

Rapidly developing and fielding ORS-1 is an important step to demonstrating the possibilities to meet emerging and persistent warfighter needs in operationally relevant timelines, Colonel Welsch said.

“Our team was able to develop, integrate, test and launch this system in just over 30 months which is a remarkable achievement,” she said.

ORS-1 was initiated as a result of a requirement to the ORS office from the commander of U.S. Strategic Command to support U.S. Central Command.

Built by ATK in 16 months! In Maryland, no less.

TeleCommunication Systems is awarded additional incremental funding of $2.4 million to provide U.S. Marine Corps with field services support for its Wireless Point-To-Point Link-Delta Solutions.
[Satellite Spotlight – 06/24/2011]

Hughes Network Systems introduces new business-grade satellite Internet service plans for small- and mid-sized business offering download speeds up to 5 Mbps.
[Small Business Trends – 06/24/2011]

Spacecom, operator of the AMOS satellite fleet, pre-sells capacity on the AMOS-5’s Ku- and C-band beams to existing leading Southern African Internet technology provider.
[SatNews – 06/24/2011]

NASA’s plans to demonstrate on-orbit satellite refueling and encourage U.S. companies to enter that business causes great concern at Canadian company MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates, which plans to build its own spacecraft servicing vehicle.
[Space News – 06/23/2011]

Astrium continues to prepare Europe’s future propulsion technology by signing a 60 million euros rider with the European Space Agency (ESA) and its partners of the joint propulsion team consortium: Avio SpA (Italy) and SNECMA (SAFRAN Group) (France).
[SatNews – 06/23/2011]

Kazakhstan signs deal with the Russian Information Satellite System Reshetnev (ISS-Reshetev) Company to build KazSat3, a communications satellite for the country; Thales Alenia Space will build the communications payload.
[Satellite Spotlight – 06/23/2011]

Y1A satellite in-orbit testing is completed and satellite is handed over to Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (YAHSAT) by Astrium and Thales Alenia Space.
[WEBWIRE – 06/23/2011]

KVH announces that coverage for the last remaining region in its original plan – South America – is now under contract and scheduled to go live in July 2011 using the IS-14 satellite, making its seamless global network the largest Ku-band marine network.
[Market Watch – 06/23/2011]

Inmarsat launches IsatPhone Link, new global fixed satellite phone service offering same capabilities as IsatPhone Pro in a fixed rather than mobile installation.
[SatNews – 06/23/2011]

TeleCommunications Systems receives $12.8 M in funding from U.S. Army for equipment and field services in support of Secret Internet Protocol Router and Non-secure Internet Protocol Router Access Point VSAT satellite systems.
[Satellite Spotlight – 06/23/2011]

Alphabus, world’s largest communication satellite platform, meets all technical requirements and is ready to offer satellite operators worldwide unrivalled payload capacity and high power for new services.
[Space Ref – 06/22/2011]

Is NASA repeating European Space Agency mistakes resulting in high costs for Arianespace, with respect to SpaceX?
[NSR – 06/22/2011]

Dish Network wins approval of bankruptcy court to be opening ‘stalking horse’ bidder at auction of assets of TerreStar Networks.
[RTT News – 06/22/2011]

Globalstar, Inc. announces that the second launch of six new Globalstar satellites is scheduled for July 11, 2011, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
[SatNews – 06/22/2011]

Department of Defense military surveillance satellite is set to launch from Wallops Island aboard a 70-foot tall U.S. Air Force Minotaur I rocket June 28.
[delmarvanow – 06/22/2011]

Astrium is selected by the European Space Agency and the European Union as prime contractor for the Galileo Full Operational Capability Ground Control Segment.
[SatNews – 06/22/2011]

Integral Systems’ wholly owned subsidiary SAT Corporation successfully completes installation of a fully integrated carrier monitoring, satellite interference detection and spectrum scheduling system for MEASAT Satellite Systems.
[Market Watch – 06/22/2011]

DeLorme has just announces the Fall 2011 release of the DeLorme inReach, the first Iridium-based personal communicator to deliver truly global two-way satellite text messaging; delivery confirmations; SOS capabilities; remote tracking, and an Android smartphone interface.
[SatNews – 06/22/2011]

Intelsat allows MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates to extend the requirements phase of its service initiative to extend the life of Intelsat’s on-orbit satellites via a space-based service vehicle.
[Satellite Today – 06/21/2011]

SES continues trend by selecting Arianespace to launch its new Astra 5B satellite in mid-year 2013.
[SatNews – 06/21/2011]

University of South Pacific, owned by governments of 12 countries, switches VSAT service to iDirect’s Evolution platform.
[PR Newswire – 06/21/2011]

Affiliates of the bankrupt telecommunications firm TerreStar Networks are disputing a $104 million bill from Sprint Nextel, claiming that the invoice is based on a flawed interpretation of an earlier Federal Communications Commission ruling.
[Satellite Spotlight – 06/21/2011]

Space Systems/Loral named Top Performing Company in Space Systems category by Aviation Week.
[Market Watch – 06/21/2011]

Integral Systems’ wholly-owned subsidiary Newpoint Technologies introduces Mercury G3 Remote Site Manager with high redundancy and complete visibility into all remote site equipment.
[Market Watch – 06/21/2011]

Tuaropaki Communications Limited (Tuaropaki), a satellite service provider based in New Zealand, launches a broadband network built on iDirect’s Evolution DVB-S2 with Adaptive Coding and Modulation (ACM) product line.
[PR Newswire – 06/21/2011]

Space Systems Loral contracted by Telenor Satellite Broadcasting to build multi-mission THOR 7, with Ka-band payload for maritime broadband, and Ku-band for expanded broadcast capacity in Central and Eastern Europe.
[SatNews – 06/20/2011]

Chinasat 10 communications satellite delivered to orbit aboard Long March rocket to replace aging 12-year old satellite serving Asia.
[Spaceflight Now – 06/20/2011]

Sky Perfect JSAT to Launch JCSAT-13 Two Years Early .
[Satellite Today Insider – 06/20/2011]

Goodrich and sub-contractor ATK Space Systems successfully complete all programs and deliver ORS-1 satellite to NASA’s Wallops Island Flight Facility.
[Satellite Today – 06/20/2011]

European Commission signs agreement transferring 104 million euros to the European Space Agency for the initial operations of the space component for the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security program.
[SatNews – 06/20/2011]

Iridium signs a contract with International Space Company (ISC) Kosmotras as a supplemental provider of launch services for its next-generation satellite constellation, Iridium NEXT.
[Market Watch – 06/20/2011]

LightSquared plans to use spectrum leased from Inmarsat instead of its own L-band spectrum until it can figure out how to avoid interfering with GPS..
[Wireless Week – 06/20/2011]

Raytheon gets $51.6M contract to provide logistics support for communication terminals of the Navy’s Extremely High Frequency Satellite Program.
[Space Daily – 06/20/2011]

Researchers use data from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory to study “magnetic rope” phenomenon, which could trigger solar storms; might be first step toward mitigating adverse affects the storms can have on earth’s communication satellites.
[msnbc – 06/20/2011

Surrey Satellite Technology moves its technical operations into The Kepler Building, providing assembly, testing and integration of satellite platforms and payloads in a single location.
[SatNews – 06/2011]

Ico Global Communications changes name to Pendrell Corp.
[Satellite Today – 06/20/2011]

WBMSAT PS satellite communications systems services

Navy selects Raytheon for satellite communications terminals under $51.6m contract for Navy’s Extremely High Frequency Satellite Program.
[Military Aerospace Electronics – 06/18/2011]

Top secret Menwith Hill project in Yorkshire, UK, defence shield inspired by Ronald Reagan’s ‘Star Wars’ program, ready to open with 33 satellite dishes receiving data from SBIRS’s four satellites, after almost two decades of construction.
[The Observer – 06/18/2011]

Globecomm Systems is awarded GSA FCSA Schedule-70 Transponded and Subscription service awards covering five-year period with two five-year renewal options and total IDIQ value of approximately $3 billion.
[SatNews – 06/17/2011]

Honeywell acquisition of rugged mobile vendor EMS Technologies gives is a foothold in rugged products for satellite communications.
[eweek – 06/17/2011]

LightSquared sees setbacks on two fronts – attempt by primary investor Harbinger to gain access to S-band frequencies is foiled by Dish Network’s acquisition of Terrestar; then public safety group testing affects of use of L-band reach verdict that “interference to public safety operations (using GPS) will occur” if LightSquared deploys its network as planned.
[Space News – 06/17/2011]

Rural Cellular Association and Cellular South join other tech companies in urging FCC to come up with a “win-win” solution for LightSquared and the GPS industry in the controversy over possible interference to GPS by LightSquared.
[Wireless Week – 06/17/2011]

Euroconsult expects global mobile satellite revenue to grow 7% per year over next 10 years in new report.
[Space News – 06/17/2011]

U.S. House of Representatives attempts to kill DISA plan for long-term lease of commercial satellite in favor of additional WGS satellite – questions emerge regarding long-term viability of defense-related commercial satellite capacity.
[NSR briefing – 06/16/2011]

Key House lawmaker asks FCC to kill LightSquared network, but FCC gives company extra two weeks to report on potential GPS interference issue.
[nextgov – 06/16/2011]

Cablevision executive John Bickham feels “Satellite penetration (of cable market) at 30% is unnatural and unsustainable.  It’s a one-way network.  It has no tricks I know of that we can’t do twice as well.”
[Multichannel News – 06/16/2011]

Intelsat confirms upcoming launch schedule for four satellites, part of $1.3b fleet investment program in the Asia-Pacific region.
[SatNews – 06/16/2011]

Is DISH Network transforming itself by acquiring valuable wireless frequency spectrum which could allow it to grow a viable pay-TV distribution network or become a wireless service provider?
[Zacks – 06/16/2011]

ATCi to provide uplink disaster recovery services for the Outdoor Channel from its Southwest operations center, located in a storm free/earthquake free/hurricane free zone.
[SatNews – 06/16/2011]

Integral Systems announces plans to combine development for its RT Logic TElemetrix-500 series and the Avtec Programmable Telemetry Processors into the Satellite Ground Systems division of its subsidiary RT Logic.
[Benzinga – 06/16/2011]

Advantech Wireless launches new series of VSAT hubs and terminals.
[SatNews – 06/16/2011]

Cont-Trak offers reliable container tracking worldwide via satellite.
[Web Wire – 06/16/2011]

KNS and H2OSatellite announce 100th successful installation of SuperTrack A-Series VSAT on H2O Lightspeed Service, a high speed broadband VSAT solution specifically developed for the maritime market.
[SatNews – 06/16/2011]

Iran launches second domestically built satellite.
[SatNews – 06/15/2011]

USAF 50th Space Wing successfully completes two-phase GPS constellation expansion known as “Expandable 24,” providing civil, military, and commercial GPS users with more robust signal and higher signal acquisition probability.
[SatNews – 06/15/2011]

Vizada Networks ramps up capacity on Eutelsat W7 satellite.
[PR Newswire – 06/15/2011]

SES ASTRA announces that N24 will be first German news channel broadcasting in HD on the ASTRA HD+ platform.
[SatNews – 06/15/2011]

WildBlue launches low-cost rural broadband plan funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
[socaltech – 06/15/2011]

Satellite manufacturers around the world prepare to compete for contract to build Nigeria’s second satellite.
[Vanguard – 06/15/2011]

Scientists say magnitude of decrease in solar activity may indicate that the current solar maximum might be the last we’ll see for a few decades, as sunspot cycle may be going into hibernation.
[Bloomberg – 06/15/2011]

The Satellite Interference Reduction Group teams up with the Global VSAT Forum to develop initiatives to combat satellite interference.
[Satellite Today – 06/15/2011]

Vizada and Thrane & Thrane sign partnership agreement to launch new broadband offering to the maritime market.
[Satellite Today – 06/15/2011]

Satellite and cellular phone provider Mobal expands Website with comprehensive buyer’s guide to prepaid and postpaid phones and rental options.
[MailWire – 06/15/2011]

Air Force recoups costs to save AEHF satellite that failed to reach orbit, as Lockheed Martin will offset up to $25m of those costs.
[SpaceFlight Now – 06/14/2011

U.S. climate experts stress importance of new weather satellites in era of tight federal budgets, as current earth observation satellites have served past their lifetimes.
[R&D Magazine – 06/14/2011]

U.S. Air Force’s newest Space Based Infrared Systems GEO-1 satellite successfully achieves orbital slot postion.
[SatNews – 06/14/2011]

Burma to launch first state-owned satellite, expand communications.
[Mizzima – 06/14/2011]

MultiChoice Africa and Eutelsat initiate pan-African student competition called “DStv Eutelsat Star Awards” to inspire innovative thinking among secondary and high-school students, create awareness how science and technology can be applied in everyday life, and show impact of satellites on African continent development.
[PR Newswire – 06/14/2011]

ARY Digital leases C-band capacity on AsiaSat 3S.
[Satellite Today – 06/14/2011]

SpaceX is chosen to launch new Thaicom 6 telecommunications satellite into geosynchronous orbit.
[SatNews – 06/13/2011]

House appropriators slam USAF satellite block buy proposal, stating that detailed information on the strategy is “woefully lacking,” and denying request for advance appropriations.
[Space News – 06/13/2011]

Orbital Sciences wins contract to build Thailand communications satellite.
[Examiner – 06/13/2011]

Norsat granted $3.5 million satellite-based communications network and services contract by First Nations’ Emergency Services Society of British Columbia.
[Satellite Today – 06/13/2011]

San Marino RTV signs three-year contract with Eutelsat to broadcast SMtv channel on Eurobird 9A satellite.
[Satellite Today – 06/13/2011]

Inmarsat and Thrane complete IPv6 trials over BGAN.
[Satellite Today – 06/13/2011][

Expanding use of remotely piloted aircraft by Defense Department consumes large amounts of satellite bandwidth – currently over 80% is commercial capacity – commercial operators are expected to upgrade geosynchronous fleets over next few years to meet increasing demand.
[National Defense Magazine July Report]

Air Force embraces small satellites as budget outlook grows dim.
[National Defense Magazine July Report]