Really Rocket Science

Courtesy of Bill McDonald…

Vox Telecom of South Africa will offer low-cost satellite broadband nationwide late next year, in partnership with Dubai-based Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat).
[Tech Central – 11/27/2010]

China successfully launches Zhongxing-20A communications satellite on Long March 3A rocket.
[Brahmand.com – 11/26/2010]

Ariane 5 ECA launches with HYLAS 1 and Intelsat 17.
[NASA Spaceflight.com – 11/26/2010]

Astrotech Wins Sixth NPOESS Contract for $35 Million.
[Satellite Today – 11/25/2010]

Otesat-Maritel of Greece becomes a Distribution Partner for Inmarsat’s Global Satellite Phone Services (GSPS) IsatPhone, the first satellite handheld by Inmarsat with global coverage.
[Wireless Week – 11/25/2010]

Russian Business Communications Provider Leases NSS-9 Capacity from SES.
[Satellite Today – 11/25/2010]

XM Canada and Sirius Canada Inc. merging; pushing for service in more vehicles and on more devices like smartphones and personal computers to better compete in audio entertainment industry.
[Winipeg Free Press – 11/25/2010]

China launches Shen Tong-1 military satellite via Long March-3A.
[NASA Spaceflight.com – 11/24/2010]

Russian Communications Administration to represent interests of Azerbaijan in the International Telecommunications Union.
[Trend – 11/23/2010]

FCC codifies legislation passed in spring of 2010 allowing DBS operators to provide out-of-market broadcast signals to households unable to receive in-market broadcasts over the air.
[Television Broadcast.com – 11/23/2010]

The U.S. Department of Defense’s STPSat-2 satellite has launched from the Kodiak Launch Complex, Alaska on board a Minotaur 4 rocket.
[Satellite Today – 11/23/2010]

TerreStar Networks, in the midst of chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, launches new satellite phone called TerreStar GENUS, billed as the first combined cellular-satellite smartphone.
[International Business Times – 11/23/2010]

USA launches the biggest-ever spy satellite, to be used "to listen to the communications of potential enemies."
[World Aeronautical Press Agency – 11/23/2010]

XipLink optimizes satellite Internet delivery with three technologies – transport layer TCP Acceleration and optimization, HTTP Acceleration, and advanced data compression.
[TMCnet – 11/23/2010]

Energia, Russia’s Rocket and Space Corporation, says the Company will build a special orbital pod designed for sweeping-up satellite debris from near-Earth space.
[Satnews – 11/23/2010]

KVH and Viasat double satellite capacity in North Atlantic for Mini VSAT maritime broadband service.
[Satellite Spotlight – 11/23/2010]

NASA’s Organism/Organic Exposure to orbital Stresses nanosatellite is successfully launched from Alaska Aerospace Corporation’s Kodiak Launch Complex.
[SatNews – 11/23/2010]

SpaceX gets first ever FAA license for commercial company to re-enter a spacecraft from orbit.
[SatNews – 11/22/2010]

Hughes Network Systems and Environmental Safety Systems International Corporation are equipping entire Hercules Offshore fleet of Class 120 to Class 230 liftboats in the Gulf of Mexico with Hughes satellite-based broadband maritime services.
[SatNews – 11/22/2010]

Global Marine Networks debuts GMN webXaccelerator for ship-to-shore and remote communications needs fishing, marine transport, cruise ships, offshore oil rigs, and first-response communications.
[SatNews – 11/22/2010]

WBMSAT PS satellite communications systems services

 There’s no question certain wireless markets are operating at peak capacity. U.S. operators such as AT&T simply can’t expand their bandwidth fast enough. This is especially true in New York and San Francisco. Verizon Wireless is hooking up their towers with 10 GB fiber connections. So what’s the solution after Verizon gets the iPhone on their network? LTE, no doubt.

But how much longer will that last? I suspect they’ll pin the network needle rather quickly. Is this when satcom comes in to help? The P-E folks at Harbinger and Nokia Siemens certainly hope so. They’ve got a nice chunk of change invested in LightSquared, a new wholesale play that just launched a spacecraft…

The ILS Proton Breeze M launched from Pad 39 at the cosmodrome at 11:29 p.m. today local time (12:29 p.m. EST, 17:29 GMT)  After a 9 hour 14 minute mission, the Breeze M successfully released the SkyTerra 1 satellite, weighing over 5.3 metric tons, into geostationary transfer orbit.  This was the 361st launch for Proton since its inaugural flight in 1965, and the 63nd ILS Proton launch overall. The Proton Breeze M launch vehicle was developed and built by Khrunichev Research and Production Space Center of Moscow, one of the pillars of the Russian space industry and the majority shareholder in ILS.

The SkyTerra 1 satellite, to be located at 101.3 degrees West, was built on the Boeing 702HP platform designed for geomobile services with an estimated lifetime of fifteen years. The SkyTerra 1 satellite features a 22-meter L-band reflector-based antenna — the largest commercial antenna reflector to be put into service. SkyTerra 1 will be among the first to combine satellite and terrestrial technologies for use in standard handsets and other devices. The 4G-LTE network offered by SkyTerra 1 will also be the first to provide wireless coverage to 100% of the population of the United States.

Here’s the spectacle…

LightSquared’s mission for SkyTerra-1 is to act as an ATC —  Ancillary Terrestrial Component. This may be the only way to make satcom pay for providing service to handhelds. Stay tuned, rocket scientists.

Spacecraft re-entry over the South Pacific? Sorry, that won’t happen any time soon. Eutelsat’s W3B spacecraft, launched on 28 October 2010, developed a huge propellant leak and was rendered useless soon thereafter. Instead of a planning scuttling into the South Pacific Ocean, that Spacebus 4000C3 will be in orbit for decades. Via Space News…

 The Eutelsat W3B satellite declared a total loss less than 24 hours after its Oct. 28 launch because of a leak in its propulsion system will spend the next 20 to 30 years in its parking orbit following ground teams’ inability to guide it into a controlled atmospheric re-entry, satellite manufacturer Thales Alenia Space said Nov. 5.

The company said that it has rendered the satellite inert to the extent possible — emptying its helium pressurization tank and whatever fuel remains in liquid state and can be discharged, as well as draining its batteries — to minimize the likelihood that W3B explodes on contact with any orbital debris it may encounter in its elliptical orbit.

Too bad they couldn’t ram it into Galaxy 15, the world’s favorite zombie satellite.

But seriously, this is a real bummer for all the people who worked on this mission for years at Eutelsat, Ariane and Thales. I remember Astra 1K and it was depressing. Reminds us that this rocket science business is very complex and carries high risks across the board.

Satellite Industry News Bits November 5, 2010

Loral Space and Communications may divest Space Systems/Loral satellite-manufacturing subsidiary if partially-owned Telesat pursues stock offering.
[Space News – 11/05/2010]

Azerbaijan signs deal with Arianespace to launch its first national satellite.
[Space Travel – 11/05/2010]

ITU deploys thirty broadband satellite terminals to Haiti as the country prepares for hurricane Tomas.
[TMCnet – 11/05/2010]

Comtech Telecommunications Corp. Wins $1.0 Million in Orders for On-Demand Emergency Restoral Networks.
[Sat PR News – 11/05/2010]

All systems go for launch from Vandenberg of the Delta II COSMO-SkyMed 4 (Constellation of four SAR radar satellites for global Earth Observation for the Italian Space Agency, the Minister of Defence and the Ministry of Research.
[SatNews – 11/05/2010]

Another gas leak causes another delay of space shuttle Discovery’s final launch.
[SatNews – 11/05/2010]

WiMax and Ka-band video are hottest topics at Offshore Communications 2010 show.
[Satellite Today – 11/04/2010]

SES WORLD SKIES announces renewal by Clear Channel of capacity deals for 144 MHz on four satellites to deliver connectivity and content to subscribers and audiences nationwide.
[SatNews – 11/04/2010]

Azerbaijani Communication Ministry defines company to launch first national satellite.
[TMCnet – 1/04/2010]

XTAR, LLC, first U.S. commercial provider of X-band satellite services, is awarded a bandwidth contract from Intelsat General Corporation to support military manpacks before field deployment.
[SatNews – 11/04/2010]

All systems nominal on BSAT-3b broadcasting satellite launched Oct. 28, designed and built by Lockheed Martin for Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT) of Japan.
[SatNews – 11/04/2010]

Hughes Network Systems successfully demonstrates 16 Mbps of TCP throughput and over 20 Mbps of UDP streaming throughput to a single HN9400 Ka-/Ku-band broadband satellite terminal.
[SatNews – 11/04/2010]

Orbit Communication Systems receives $6.25 million order to provide multiple telemetry and communications systems to an unnamed customer.
[Satellite Today – 11/04/2010]

ORBCOMM Inc.commissions South African Gateway Earth Station (GES) into operation.
[SatNews – 11/04/2010]

NASA’s FASTSAT to be launched with three other satellites aboard the Air Force Space Test Program’s STP-S26 mission from Kodiak Island Alaska November 19.
[SatNews – 11/04/2010]

Hughes Communications reports continued success of its U.S. consumer broadband business; projects 67% increase in subscribers by 2015.
[Space News – 11/04/2010]

South Africa requires all ships (including yachts) in its waters to carry an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon that relays location information by satellite when ship is in distress.
[SatNews – 11/04/2010]

SES World Skies Selects ScheduAll Booking Management Solution for Worldwide booking of occasional services on its more than 25 satellites.
[Satellite today – 11/04/2010]

Intelsat S.A. and NewWave Broadband Ltd. sign a multi-transponder, multi-year contract for Ku-band capacity on two future Intelsat satellites, Intelsat 19 and Intelsat 22.
[SatNews – 11/04/2010]

Comtech EF Data acquires FX-series WAN optimization, application and platforms developer Stampede Technologies.
[Satellite Today – 11/04/2010]

In wake of the loss of its new W3B satellite shortly after launch, Eutelsat is cheered by rise in revenue.
[Broadband TV News – 11/03/2010]

Worldwide interference geolocation services contract awarded to Integral Systems by U.S. Strategic Command.
[Market Watch – 11/03/2010]

Astrium celebrates 20 years of Eurostar satellite production and accumulation of 370 years of in-orbit operation by 45 satellites that have been launched.
[Web Wire – 11/03/2010]

MTN Satellite Communications (MTN) equips Burger Boat with communication suite including onboard medical treatment facility with 24/7 video conferencing capability.
[Satellite Today – 11/03/2010]

RigNet Wins VSAT Contract from SandRidge Energy for fully-managed remote communications to more than 20 land-drilling rigs in U.S.
[Satellite Today – 11/03/2010]

Vizada releases Universal Card solution for prepaid calling on Inmarsat’s IsatPhone Pro.
[Satellite Today – 11/03/2010]

Russian military communications satellite launched on a Soyuz rocket from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia.
[Spaceflight Now – 11/02/2010]

Delta II’s final scheduled commercial launch is struggling to get off the ground, after scrubbing for the third time in a row on Tuesday night.
[NASA Spaceflight – 11/02/2010]

ITU installs 100 satellite terminals to get links to flood-ravaged regions of Pakistan.
[eWeekEurope – 11/02/2010]

Globecomm Systems receives contract from a major media & entertainment company valued at $3.8 million.
[TMCnet – 11/02/2010]

ViaSat demonstrates full mesh HD video between mobile satellite terminals on Optus C1 satellite using Ausatralian-designed antenna.
[TWire – 11/02/2010]

Viasat completes operational testing of airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) satcom system with 4Mbps return link from plane.
[TMCnet – 11/02/2010]

Xinhua reports that China has launched a new metorological satellite, Fengyun-3, from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern China.
[SatNews – 11/01/2010]

Hughes Network Systems’ HX wideband global SATCOM solution undergoes certification by U.S. Strategic Command SATCOM Systems Expert.
[PRNewswire – 11/01/2010]

Amid criticism, Egypt orders reissuing of TV satellite uplink licenses ahead of November vote.
[Washington Examiner – 11/01/2010]

The government and military market remains sustainable and continues to exhibit growth despite changes in policy from the United States and allied governments, particularly in Iraq.
[NSR Report – November 2010]

WBMSAT PS satellite communications systems services

Why would anybody promote VoIP over satellite? Sure, low-earth orbit systems such as Iridium and Globalstar are OK, if you’ve got nothing else available (remember, they both went bust a while back). Geosynchronous satellites are a different story. It’s the physics, stupid!

I know people who use satellite Internet and they knew before they bought that Skype conversations will resemble a walkie-talkie style: "How are you? Over!" To which the other party would respond, "Fine, thank you. And you? Over!" At the speed of light, the best-case scenario is a half-second round trip to geo orbit. With processing, muxing and gateways, figure something closer to a full second (that’s "one-Mississippi," Bubba). Hey, if it’s free and you have no other Internet options, go for it.

But if you’ve got a geo spacecraft whose top priority is mobile satcom for voice services, you might want to give it up. Although we’ve advocated TerreStar’s prospects in the past, they filed for bankruptcy protection recently. In the satcom business, spectrum is king. You can’t do anything without that: no build, no launch, no services. What if you thought it over and decided you’d be better off offering one-way video services to "app phones" such as the iPhone, Android, Palm, BlackBerry, WP7 or WTF Nokia up to. People would pay extra just to have their videos stream without pausing or buffering. Well, at least some would. Add the option of doing two-way for data and you’ve got people out in the boonies ready to pay up. I know I would.

Looks like Charlie agrees. "Charlie," in this case, represents the smart thinkers over at EchoStar. They bought in to the Terrestar business and they’re ready to fight for the spectrum. Bankers: y’all better step back. The "massing of the troops" report, via International Business Times…

A battle between EchoStar, Harbinger Capital Partners and holders of TerreStar Corporation’s common stock could be brewing over the value of the TerreStar’s spectrum and whether all of the company’s affiliates should be in bankruptcy at all, according to several people familiar with the case.

Attorneys for the holders of the series B convertible preferred stock filed a motion to dismiss the bankruptcy case against seven of the affiliates of TerreStar Networks, which filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month.

If the motion is granted it could force a change in the restructuring support agreement Terrestar Networks has with EchoStar, which has an investment of $464 million of the comany’s debt.

Under the plan put forward by Echostar, which also owns a stake in TerreStar Corp., TerreStar Networks would get $75 million in financing. The company’s $944 million of senior debt would become 97% of the equity of a new Terrestar Networks. The rest of the equity would be shared between the exchangeable notes, which adds up to $179 million, and the other unsecured creditors.

TerreStar Networks, a subsidiary of TerreStar Corp., had planned to operate a combined satellite-terrestrial communications network. But the company eventually found itself unable to operate under a $1.2 billion debt load.

The company has a complex structure involving a dozen affiliates and various cross-holdings. That has created a situation where a bankruptcy is no longer as straightforward as it might otherwise be. The licenses to the radio spectrum, for example, are owned by two different entities: TerreStar Corporation owns the 1.4 GHz spectrum while TerreStar Networks owns the 2GHz spectrum license.

In the motion to dismiss the holders of the convertible preferred stock say that the "above the line" entities — those 100% owned by the parent company, TerreStar Corp. — should not be included in the bankruptcy proceedings, as those entities weren’t in any financial trouble. But removing them from the chapter 11 proceedings would also remove the 1.4 GHz spectrum, which is one of the assets listed in the current restructuring agreement.

TerreStar Networks, by contrast, is 89.3% owned by TerreStar Corp., and is the company that filed for chapter 11. It is TerreStar Networks that issued $1.2 billion in debt, which eventually proved too heavy a load.

The EchoStar plan could also be blocked by Harbinger Capital Partners, which bought millions in 6.5% exchangeable notes this week.

Meanwhile, one of the holders of TerreStar Corp.’s common stock, Marathon Asset Management, plans to weigh in on the restructuring. Marathon has not filed a brief with respect to the plan, however.

 Looks like AT&T might lose this phone, too. I say make the TerreStar mobile chipset available and subsidize the cost with premium video services. Just because Qualcomm decided that Flo is no mo’ doesn’t mean we should all surrender to broadband bull from the terrestrial carriers.

 Simply amazed at how quickly KVH has expanded coverage of their service across the globe.

Now, with ViaSat’s ArcLight platform, their broadband services is really something else, with a 100% increase in bandwidth efficiency in Europe. Tell em, Brent:

“The addition of a new satellite and the rollout of a powerful new high-density waveform, dramatically enhances the ability of our mini-VSAT Broadband network to support existing and future subscribers,” explained Brent C. Bruun, KVH’s vice president of satellite sales and business development. “Designed to offer service and performance superior to traditional maritime VSAT services, the network is built upon a robust, flexible architecture and ViaSat’s ArcLight® spread spectrum technology, permitting us to quickly and easily expand the service. Most importantly, commercial, leisure, and government mariners who rely on mini-VSAT Broadband for their Internet and voice connections will enjoy the benefit from these enhancements via their existing, compact TracPhone® V7 hardware.”

 Bubba, if I had a boat I’d get it.

Administration’s plan to reallocate spectrum weather satellites use to commercial cellular carriers in support of national broadband plan is opposed globally.
[nextgov – 10/22/2010]

Goodrich successfully integrates sensor payload with OSR-1 satellite bus, paving way for delivery later this year.
[Bradenton – 10/22/2010]

Huntsville, Ala.-based Marshall may partner with industry and academia to field a low Earth orbiting debris tracking satellite as soon as 2014,
[Space News – 10/22/2010]

In a consent decree agreed to with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Globalstar has agreed to pay $275,000 to the U.S. Treasury by mid-November and to forgo any court challenge of the FCC’s spectrum decision.
[Space News – 10/22/2010]

Major cable operator will deploy ATCi’s 5B retrofit for its legacy Simulsat 5 antennas, improving antenna surface tolerances and performance.
[PR Newswire – 10/22/2010]

Iridium selects Blue Sky Network as service partner in Brazil.
[Trading Markets – 10/22/2010]

Gilat upgrades Regis UK communication network to allow broadband access to more than 400 of its salons in the U.K.
[Sat PR News – 10/22/2010]

SPOT Announces Availability of Intrinsically-Safe (IS) SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger for sending one-way location-based messages even from remote areas beyond cell phone range.
[Market Watch – 10/22/2010]

International Communications Group to install Iridium services on Embraer commercial aircraft.
[Satellite Today – 10/22/2010]

Telecommunications Systems receives another $1.6M from U.S. Army for world-wide satellite systems equipment.
[Market Watch – 10/21/2010]

KVH and Viasat boost Nexgen satellite communications in Europe by increasing the mini-VSAT broadband network’s capacity in the region by 100%.
[SatNews – 10/21/2010]

China out to get big chunk of global satellite market by 2015.
[The Economic Times – 10/21/2010]

RRsat works with Sm2 Sports Media Solutions and their teleport partner, TV2GO, to deliver live HD sporting events worldwide in MPEG-4.
[SatNews – 10/21/2010]

Aircell satellite connectivity added to Gulfstream’s factory product line.
[Satellite Spotlight – 10/21/2010]

Red Crescent Authority of Saudi Arabia Equips Helicopter Fleet with Blue Sky Network’s Portable GPS Tracking and Communication Device using Iridium satellite system.

TerreStar Networks Files for Chapter 11 to Re-organize.
[Satellite Spotlight – 10/21/2010]

New book "Satellite Systems for Personal Applications: Concepts and Technology" explores role of satellites systems in the modern personal technology context.
[Business Wire – 10/21/2010]

Canadian company Com Dev gets contract for more than C$6M to provide electronic components for communications satellite.
[Reuters – 10/20/2010]

Pakistan and China to launch joint communications satellite in 2011.
[Economic Times – 10/20/2010]

Russian Orthodox Soyuz TV channel starts broadcasting in Europe, Middle East, North Africa, and North America on HotBird 6 and Galaxy 19.
[SatNews – 10/20/2010]

Segovia, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Inmarsat, announces that it is one of first companies awarded a contract under GSA Schedule 70 to provide commercial satellite communications services.
[PR Newswire – 10/20/2010]

The 350th launch in the Delta program history will take place October 29 when a United Launch Alliance Delta II carries the COMSO-4 satellite into space.
[SatNews – 10/20/2010]

Globalstar announces successful launch of six of its next-generation satellites in a Russian launch from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
[Market Watch – 10/20/2010]

Astrium’s HYLAS-1 satellite arrives at launch pad ahead of schedule.
[SatNews – 10/19/2010]

GE Satcom partners with United Arab emirates’ integrated telecom service provider Du to deliver satellite network solutions throughout the Middle East and Africa.
[Satellite Today – 10/19/2010]

Ericsson provides new switching technology for Iridium satellite network.
[Market Watch – 10/19/2010]

EchoStar Releases U.S. News Gateway Service.
[Satellite Today – 10/19/2010]

Viasat acquires the SKYLink airborne broadband service from ARINC Inc. and adds those business jet customers to the ViaSat Yonder(r) high-speed Internet access network.
[SatNews – 11/19/2010]

Boeing ships LightSquared’s SkyTerra 1 mobile communications satellite to launch site.
[Logistics Week – 10/19/2010]

Navy orders Raytheon Co.’s NMT satellite terminals capable of providing military-band satellite communications up to five times the bandwidth of units they replace, in smaller package.
[UPI – 10/19/2010]

FCC provides rules for Sirius XM Radio to select minority programmers.
[Bloomberg – 10/19/2010]

Digi International introduces an embedded module that enables products with GSM/GPRS, global positioning system (GPS) and ORBCOMM satellite connectivity in a single solution.
[Electric Light & Power – 10/19/2010]

Norsat International announces new lightweight and compact Ku-Band block up-converters.
[Market Watch – 10/19/2010]

Globalstar receives FCC approval for temporary operation of upgraded satellite gateway stations in Sebring FL and Clifton TX.
[Market Watch – 10/18/2010]

Global Gateway partners with Century TV Today to enhance programming, lower production costs, and increase viewership.
[PR Newswire – 10/18/2010]

Dean Olmstead, well-known in the satellite industry, and with Echostar since January 2008, loses his battle with cancer and passes away.
[Market Watch – 10/18/2010]

Satcom Direct, provider of satellite voice, fax, datalink, and internet solutions, launches web portal giving customers access to manage and personalize their service.
[TMCnet – 10/18/2010]

Inmarsat launches IsatPhone Pro in the Middle East.
[Zawya – 10/18/2010]

Sirius XM-5 satellite successfully placed into transfer orbit aboard Russian Proton-M rocket.

[ITAR-TASS – 10/15/2010] 

Cyprus-based Intership selects broadband VSAT services by MTN for its 177,000 deadweight ton ships being built in China.
[Satellite Spotlight – 10/15/2010]

Newcom expands worldwide reach with value added services including VideoMeetings, Internet Protocol TV (IPTV (News – Alert)) Services, and SatFAX.
[Satellite Spotlight – 10/15/2010] 

Launcher integration enters final phase as Arianespace prepares for Soyuz 2 launch of 6 Globalstar satellites next week.
[SatNews – 10/14/2010] 

SatMAX presents at SATCON on wirelessly using satellite phones and modems in command centers, airplane hangars, and indoor installations.
[Market Watch – 10/14/2010] 

WTA publishes its annual Inside the Top Operators research report.
[SatNews – 10/14/2010] 

Comtech EF Data wins $3.2M order from unnamed U.S. Government Agency for satellite communications equipment to upgrade fielded terminals.
[Satellite Today – 10/14/2010] 

Stratos Global is provides world’s largest media organizations with Inmarsat BGAN] mobile broadband satellite service to broadcast coverage of the Chilean Mine Rescue.
[SatNews – 10/14/2010]

GlobalTop Technology announces GlobalTop Gms-u1LP, an all-in-one, high sensitivity, low power consumption, small SMD form factor (16 x 16 x 6 mm) GPS antenna module.
[SatNews – 10/14/2010] 

Northrup tests new computers and satellite communications hardware on B2 bomber.
[UPI-10/14/2010] 

Applied Satellite Engineering (ASE) has unveiled their SatChat Program for Windows(tm) as a powerful enhancement for the Iridium 9555 satellite phone.
[SatNews – 10/14/2010] 

LightSquared assembles rapid response team to deploy its technologies (basically a box of satellite-capable phones) quickly at disaster locations.
[The Register – 10/14/2010] 

Sirius co-founder Robert Briskman to be inducted into hall of fame at his alma mater, the University of Maryland’s Clark School of Engineering.
[PR Newswire – 10/14/2010] 

Canada’s Telesat sells out its Anik G1 X-band satellite capacity entirely to Paradigm Services two years before it is to be launched.
[Ottowa Business Journal – 10/13/2010] 

TSI Wins $5.5 Million NASA Emergency Ground Station Upgrade Contract.
[Satellite Today – 10/13/2010] 

Asia Broadcast Satellite signs Space Systems/Loral to build its ABS-2, with 12 KW of payload power and upt to 87 C-band, Ku-band, and Ka band transponders over 10 different beams.
[Market Watch – 10/13/2010] 

The Nigerian FederaL government announces plans to launch pico satellite to monitor its space assets, hoping to avoid another loss of a satellite.
[SatNews – 10/13/2010] 

Israel-based Gilat to buy Wavestream for $130M in cash.
[Bloomberg – 10/13/2010] 

SES signs agreement with South African information and communications technology provider SkyeVine to deliver its satellite broadband service in Africa.
[SatNews – 10/13/2010] 

IBM introduces new cloud services platform making it easier for communications service providers including satellite companies to use cloud computing.
[Venture Beat – 10/13/2010] 

Telenor Satellite Broadcasting,  a regional satellite operator delivering services throughout Europe and the Middle East, has launched a nexgen satellite network based on the iDirect’s Evolution platform.
[SatNews – 10/13/2010] 

Globecom Systems announces contracts with various U.S. Government Agencies valued at $8.8M.
[Market Watch – 10/12/2010]

LightSquared to provide free satellite phones and services to serve needs of American Indians and Alaskan Natives.
[Urgent Communications – 10/12/2010] 

Phoenix Releases Iridium Satellite-based Asset Tracking, Monitoring Gateway.
[Satellite Today – 10/12/2010] 

NATO orders 3 UHF control stations from satellite communications equipment provider Viasat, for use in Afghanistan, the Balkans, and other theaters.
[Space News – 10/12/2010] 

CapRock gets long term contract renewal from Diamond Offshore for Gulf of Mexico fleet.
[Kansas City.com – 10/12/2010] 

Intelsat General and iDirect Government Technologies partner to implement SatManage system for major maritime network for military vessels.
[PR Newswire – 10/12/2010] 

YTL, declaring that Malaysian consumers are dissatisfied with TV services and costs, warns incumbent Astro that it is going after the digital TV market currently served by Astro.
[The Edge – 10/12/2010] 

SES Astra brings Astra2Connect to U.K. business customers.
[Satellite Today – 10/11/2010] 

Thuraya signs service provider agreement in Taiwan with Chunghwa Telecom to provide mobile satellite services focusing on disaster prevention and restoration, maritime, and global travelers.
[TMCnet – 10/11/2010] 

03b signs multi-year deal with Netcom Africa to deliver high capacity broadband connectivity to offshore platforms and ships.
[Satellite Today – 10/11/2010] 

NSR Report – is mobile banking in the developing world the next "killer app" for satellite backhaul?
[NSR – October 2010] 

Microwave Journal MilSatCom webcast October 26 to discuss military satellite communications market trends through 2020, and new opportunities for advanced electronic components.
[Microwave Journal – October 2010]

WBMSAT PS satellite communications systems services

Courtesy of Bill McDonald…

Microspace Communications to offer shared hub services using X-Digital Systems platform.
[PRWeb – 10/02/2010]

Orange picks Gilat for broadband satellite communications solutions.
[TMCnet – 10/01/2010]

Fashion TV HD now delivered to North, Central, and South America by RRsat on Intelsat-805.
[PR Newswire – 10/01/2010]

KVH wins $42m Coast Guard contract to install mini-VSAT on as many as 216 small cutters over next 3 – 5 years.
[Trade Only – 10/01/2010]

NASA awards Raytheon $1.7B contract to create Joint Polar Satellite System to replace older weather-monitoring satellite program.
[Executive Biz – 10/01/2010]

The Society of Satellite Professionals International honors three outstanding young satellite professionals with its 2010 Promise Awards.
[SatNews – 09/30/2010]

Harris Corp and Atlas Telecom  launch joint venture to deliver intelligence solutions and geospatial 3-D visualization for the United Arab Emirates.
[Satellite Today – 09/30/2010]

Cobham SATCOM’s Sea Tel Product and Uplogix announce new levels of automated control and recovery for maritime VSAT IP networking devices.
[SatNews – 09/30/2010]

LightSquared is donating up to 2,000 satellite phones and service to Indian Health Service (IHS), a federal agency that serves the health needs of the country’s American Indian and Alaska Native populations.
[Wireless Week – 09/30/2010]

Hylas-1 to be shipped to French Guiana in preparation for November launch following extensive testing in India.
[SatNews – 09/29/2010]

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency successfully injects MICHIBIKI satellite into quasi-zenith orbit above Japan.
[SatNews – 09/29/2010]

NASA EPOXI exploration satellite successfully performs its 20th trajectory correction maneuver as it speeds toward comet Hartley 2.
[SatNews – 09/29/2010]

LightSquared, building hybrid satellite-terrestrial mobile broadband network, faces significant financing challenges and difficult competitive market.
[Wireless Week – 09/29/2010]

Military terrestrial satcom market projected to peak in 2014 according to recently published Strategy Analytics Advanced Defense Systems forecast.
[Space Daily – 09/29/2010]

China’s satellite navigation system struggles as delayed release of decoding files for access limits early use of the system.
[Market Watch – 09/29/2010]

Two Russian companies plan to build first commercial low-earth-orbit space station.
[Universe Today – 09/29/2010]

Harbinger Capital’s Phil Falcone’s latest bet – bold move by LightSquared and SkyTerra to launch nationwide satellite/terrestrial broadband network.
[Bloomberg – 09/29/2010]

Glowlink rolls out capability to locate satellite interference emitters using a single satellite.
[SatNews – 09/28/2010]

ORBCOM partners with OHB and LuxSpace to build and launch two AIS enabled satellites.
[Business Wire – 09/28/2010]

Integral Systems to expand existing satellite fleet control system to support four Boeing 702 satellites already in orbit.
[Market Watch – 09/28/2010]

New surveillance satellite designed to detect and monitor debris and space objects that could be threat to national security and communications is launched from Vandenberg AFB, California.
[AP – 09/27/2010]

MTN Satellite Communications announces signing of MNESCO Limited as authorized reseller in Korea.
[SatNews – 09/27/2010]

ViaSat gets add-on order worth $5.5M for Multifunctional Information Distribution System – Low Volume Terminals and spares from the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command.
[SatNews – 09/27/2010]

The Russian Satellite Communications Company signes contracts with Information Satellite Systems and Thales Alenia Space for three new satellites.
[Broadband TV News – 09/27/2010]

AT&T now selling satellite-enables smart phone, the TerreStar Genius.
[Online Athens – 09/26/2010]

Globecomm Systems awarded one-year contract worth $4M from a U.S. Government agency for Ku-band space segment and bandwidth management; with four options the contract could reach $20M over 5 years.
[Sat PR News – 09/26/2010]

Direct-to-Home (DTH) growth and consolidation over past year culminates in market with 113 operators at end of 2009, reaching more than 130 million subscribers in over 85 countries.
[NSR Report – September 2010]

WBMSAT PS satellite communications systems services

Satmex 5 next potential target of interference from Galaxy 15 as the rogue satellite continues to drift out of control with the communications package still operating.
[Space – 09/17/2010]

Rascom-QAF1R aand Nilesat 201, launched on Ariane 5 ECS rocket from French Guiana August 4, are now in operation.
[Satnews – 09/17/2010]

Artel is selected by GSA and DISA as first winner under $5 billion satellite services contract vehicle.
[PR Newswire – 09/17/2010]

Hughes Communications inaugurates its third India satellite hub at Hyderabad to enhance its offerings to its clients and serve as a disaster recovery back-up site.
[Telecom Tiger – 09/17/2020]

Spacenet Integrated Government solutions now operates Raysat Antenna Systems U.S. Division, recently acquired by Spacenet’s parent company, Gilat.
[TMCnet – 09/17/2010]

NASA announces awards for NASA Launch Services II contract, to the tune of $15B.
[SatNews – 09/16/2010]

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is stepping up its production to launch eight spacecraft a year in order to meet increasing demand.
[Satellite Today – 09/16/2010]

KVH announces new airtime rate plans for its mini-VSAT broadband service and hardware, including seasonal rate for subscribers not using vessels year-round.
[SatNews – 09/16/2010]

ViaSat releases software enhancements for its LinkWayS2 satellite network system adding mobile communication capabilities and network control center operating system options.
[SatNews – 09/16/2010]

FCC refuses to extend deadline for Globalstar to come in compliance with commission rules so its mobile spectrum can be used by partner Open Range in delivering broadband to remote users, directly impacting Open Range’s plans.
[Fierce Broadband Wireless – 09/16/2010]

RapidEye successfully passes Operational Readiness Review for the European Space Agency.
[SatNews – 09/16/2010]

Astrium wins new compe\itetive contract from European Space Agency as follow-up to the Next Exploration Science and Technology study to develop a Lunar Lander.
[Satellite Today – 09/16/2010]

WTA white paper "Ka-Band and the Teleport" examines how the coming wave of Ka-band satellite capacity may transform the business of companies that create and deliver services via satellite today.
[SatNews – 09/16/2010

Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) is supporting Change the Equation (CTEq), a CEO-led initiative to cultivate widespread literacy in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
[SatNews – 09/16/2010]

Pactel International establishes a new satellite link between their US Hub and the Cocos Islands, using Newtec’s DVB-S2 technology.
[SatNews – 09/16/2010]

Kepler’s prediction begins to be realized as rings build around earth formed by space junk, such as remains of the collision between a Russian satellite and an Iridium satellite in 2009.
[New Scientist – 09/15/2010]

Ghana-base triple-play provider K-NET uses Newtec’s Sat3Play to extend the reach of their services throughout West Africa.
[SatNews – 09/15/2010]

Marlink and Vizada institute significant expansion of Marlink’s contract with one of world’s largest shipping companies – AP Moller-Maersk.
[SatNews – 09/15/2010]

According to the sify news website, Bangladesh will soon launch a new satellite for improvement of information and communication technology, a government statement said.
[SatNews – 09/15/2010]

Russia to fully rebuild its network of weather forecasting and monitoring satellites by 2030 under a state program for the development of meteorology.
[SatNews – 09/15/2010]

Air Force program "BATMAN" aims to modernize gear that commandos take with them on covert missions; latest capabilities include being able to manually switch from terrestrial to satellite communications
[MSNBC – 09/14/2010]

Astrium Services has signed a 10-year partnership with the Russian research and development center ScanEx for the reception and distribution rights on the upcoming SPOT 6 and 7 satellites.
[SatNews – 09/15.2010]

Integral Systems subsidiary SAT Corporation chosen by Hispasat to upgrade Monics carrier monitoring and interference detection to Hispasat’s 1E satellite.
[Market Watch – 09/14/2010]

A Space Tracking and Surveillance System (STSS) Demonstration program satellite shows increased set of capabilities by detecting and tracking another satellite.
[SatNews – 09/14/2010]

KVH mini-VSAT coverage for Internet and Voice to be expanded into new South American region as KVH signs agreement with Star One for capacity on C-1 to serve Brazil.
[Market Watch – 09/13/2010]

New Chinese broadcast satellite Sinosat-6, launched on September 5, faces shortened life as leak develops in its helium-pressurization system.
[Space – 07/13/2010]

Rockwell Collins has teams with ND SatCom to integrate the SkyWAN 7000 series modem into the SWE-DISH CommuniCase(r) Technology (CCT) platform.
[SatNews – 09/13/2010]

Mobile Satellite Services and the Need for Speed – NSR webinar October 13 to discuss demand for connectivity on land, in the air, or at sea, coupled with drive to give customers faster download speeds at cheaper prices.
[NSR Webinar October 13, 2010}

WBMSAT PS satellite communications systems services