Really Rocket Science

Yes, it’s Earth Day. So we’ll follow the Sun instead. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory released it’s first images and video. The spacecraft’s three instruments will likely revolutionize the study of heliophysics, much as Hubble did for astronomy.

The Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) will study the motions and magnetic fields at the Sun’s surface to figure out what’s happening inside.

The Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) is a bunch of four telescopes will check out the corona, the outer layer of the Sun’s atmosphere. The AIA filters will observe across ten wavelength and provide 725 km resolution.

And the Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment (EVE) will gauge the Sun’s energy in extreme-ultraviolet wavelengths.

 Check out this short video…

WTF, in this instance, stands for the Woomera Test Facility in Australia. Hayabusa, the unmanned JAXA spacecraft that’s been on a mission to return asteroid samples back to earth since launching in 2003, is set to land in Australia in June.

The report, via Adelaide Now…

 Australian authorities are working with the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to land the Hayabusa in the Woomera Prohibited Area in June.

Hayabusa met with the asteroid Itokawa in 2005. Since then, the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency has been guiding the craft home to Earth.

Innovation Minister Senator Kim Carr said this was a great example of Australia’s ongoing contribution to international space programs.

"Australia is proud to support Japan in this world-first expedition," Senator Carr said.

"The Australian Government is investing $48.6 million in the Australian space sector through its new Space Policy Unit and Australian Space Research Program.

"The Space Policy Unit is the central point of contact and coordination for all civil space activities, including fostering links with international space organisations. The return of the Hayabusa is one of the many activities the unit is supporting."

Defence Minister Senator John Faulkner said Australian authorities would help ensure the recovery of the spacecraft on its return, working closely with their Japanese counterparts on the proposed path and landing of Hayabusa.

 Should prove be a cool landing: a high-speed re-entry from space, then descending via parachute. I’d expect nothing but the best in HD video from JAXA, as evidenced by this promo film. Not being able to understand the narator’s Japanese is not a factor…

Can’t  understand what "nature boy" is saying in this Bugs Bunny episode either.

 
Bushy Hare

Gilat is engaged to deliver its SkyEdge II-based satelli8te network technology to support a border security program of an undisclosed Latin American country.
[UPI – 04/02/2010]

European Space Policy Institute to release fourth volume in series of publications evaluating how to achieve sustainable use of space by means of respecting fairness and responsibility.
[SatNews – 04/02/2010]

Fourth annual Military Satellites Summit April 27 – 28 in Tysons Corner, VA, is announced by the Institute for Defense and Government Advancement.
[dBusinessNews – 04/02/2010]

Ocean Systems Engineering will provide a wide variety of services and support relating to satellite communications to the Marine Corps under $13.1 million order.
[Washington Technology – 04/02/2010]

ARINC becomes Distribution Partner for SwiftBroadband service from Inmarsat.
[SatNews – 04/01/2010].

Gantry for Russian Soyuz rocket at Arianespace facility in French Guiana takes shape.
[SatNews – 04/01/2010]

Bolivia signs contract with China for a $300 million communications satellite.
[Reuters – 04/01/2010]

Integral Systems gets support services contract in Asia for $3+ million.
[SatNews – 04/01/2010]

DirecTV to have four 3D channels beginning in June – ESPN, N3D, a 3D pay-per-view channel, and one on-demand 3D channel.
[SatNews – 04/01/2010]

China Satellite Communications profit jumps 26.9% in 2009.
[TMCnet – 04/01/2010]

Harris comes to 2010 NAB as market leader in Mobile TV, with more than 40 sales of ATSC Mobile DTV systems confirmed to date.
[SatNews – 04/01/2010]

Sencore to introduce its first DVB-S2 modulator.
[SatNews – 04/01/2010]

Scientists funded by Astrium unveil 30 Kg nanosatellite engineered to clear more than 5,000 tons of debris in low-Earth orbit.
[Satellite Today – 04/01/2010]

Frost & Sullivan report finds inadequate satellite bandwidth impacts world VSAT market by increasing service revenues, while causing a dip in sales of equipment or hardware.
[PR Newswire – 04/01/2010]

SpaceX activates International Space Station (ISS) communications system for the Dragon spacecraft, which is to begin ISS resupply missions starting in 2011.
[Space Travel – 03/31/2010]

Shaw Direct contracts with Telesat to acquire capacity on a new satellite to be available in late 2012.
[CNN Money – 03/31/2010]

Comtech Systems gets $34.5 million contract for telecommunications transmission equipment from a North African government.
[CNN Money – 03/31/2010]

Boeing explores collaboration with Indian Space Research Organization in area of communications satellites.
[Space Daily – 03/31/2010]

Astrium is commissioned by European Space Agency to build Sentinel-2B optical satellite.
[SatNews – 03/31/2010]

DigitalGlobe announces its content library contains more than one billion square kilometers of earth imagery, 33% of which is less than one year old.
[SatNews – 03/31/2010]

India’s GSLV rocket, powered by home-made cryogenic engine for the first time, is slated to launch the GSAT-4 experimental satellite April 15th.
[Space Travel – 03/31/2010]

Russia increases security for train rollout of Soyuz rocket for launch to the International Space Station, in aftermath of suicide bomb attacks.
[Space Daily – 03/31/2010]

Documents filed by FCC indicate that Harbinger Capital Partners intends to use its recent acquisition of satellite communications company Skyterra to build out a 4G network, competing withy cellular carriers.
[Business Week – 03/30/2010]

India is developing winged reusable rocket for launching objects into space.
[Space Travel – 03/30/2010]

Singapore to have first locally-built satellite in space by middle of this year – a 120 kg micro-satellite called the X-Sat
[Space Daily – 03/30/2010]

Avanti wins government contract extension in Northern Ireland.
[Satellite Today – 03/30/2010]

CryoSat-2 satellite to be launched April 8 in program led by UK  to monitor changes in ice cover at the poles.
[Phys-Org – 03/30/2010]

NASA awards contracts to eight aerospace firms for Rapid Spacecraft Acquisition III spacecraft and related services.
[SatNews – 03/30/2010]

Norsat wins network service contract worth $1.7 million from military group based in Europe.
[SatNews – 03/30/2010]

Teal Group Corp. revises upward its Worldwide Mission Model of future space payloads, indicating there are 2,229 space payloads proposed for launch to Earth or Lunar orbits, or deep space trajectories, from 2010 – 2029.
SatNews – 03/30/2010]

SES WORLD SKIES hosts Defense Information Systems Network connection point at Manassas VA media port, enhancing U.S. government access to WORLD SKIES bandwidth and global connectivity.
[SatNews – 03/30/2010]

SatMAX, a leading provider of non-line of sight satellite communications  equipment signs letter of intent to grant exclusive domestic marketing rights to AvStar Aviation Group.
[CNN Money – 03/29/2010]

U.S. Air Force could transfer some Atlas and Delta rocket missions from Florida to California and assign U.S. military payloads to specific boosters closer to launch in effort in improve efficiencies in launch manifests.
[Space Flight Now – 03/29/2010]

Northrup Grumman stops some work on next generation of U.S. weather satellites as officials decide how to proceed under Obama administration’s decision to terminate and divide program among three government agencies.
[Spaceflight Now – 03/29/2010]

Russia Eyes bigger slice of international space market, planning to build a new space center.
[Space Daily – 03/29/2010]

AT&T and Verizon Wireless criticize FCC decision to require SkyTerra to seek FCC approval before leasing capacity to the two largest wireless providers.
[Business Week – 03/29/2010]

Globe Wireless enters agreement to supply and install two FleetBroadband satellite terminals per ship aboard approximately 350 Anlo Eastern Ship Management vessels.
[SatNews – 03/29/2010]

KVH Industries TracPhone and miniVSAT broadband systems to be installed on vessels of DSD Shipping of Norway.
[SatNews – 03/29/2010]

Arianespace Ariane 5 launch postponed several days to allow replacement of part in a launcher subsystem that caused an anomaly.
[SatNews – 03/28/2010]

Cape Canaveral new $500 million rocket launch tower unused, with Ares 1 rocket and entire Constellation program cancelled by the Obama administration.
[Space Travel – 03/28/2010]

Space shuttle Discovery to launch April 5 for 13 day mission in fourth-to-last shuttle launch.
[Discover Magazine – 03/28/2010]

U.S., Air Force responds to Iridium’s call to put hosted payloads, experiments, and sensors on the company’s next-generation satellites.
[Space Flight Now – 03/27/2010]

Air Force flight tests validate two-and-a-half year effort , successfully accessing the high-capacity Ka-band portion of the new WGS satellites from airborne 707 test bed.
[U.S. Air Force web site – 03/26/2010]

WBMSAT PS – Satellite Communications Consulting Services

Nice piece in today’s Star-Ledger, marking the 50th anniversary of the TIROS spacecraft, designed and built by RCA Astro-Electronics in East Windsor, NJ:

WALL — It didn’t get the respect of Sputnik or a hit song like Telstar, but 50 years ago today TIROS redefined the space race.

For the 78 days it functioned, this engineering marvel proved America could not only put a satellite into outer space but — in a giant leap beyond the Soviet satellites — take pictures once it got there.

"It was huge. Massive. It not only did radically change the study of meteorology, but it gave us the upper hand in the Cold War by showing the Russians we could spy on them from outer space," said historian Fred Carl. "How cool is that?"

Way cool. And impossible without New Jersey’s contribution, which may be why the state appears to be the only place celebrating TIROS’s big anniversary, according to NASA officials.
TIROS-satellite2.jpgPhoto by Carolyn Russo/NASMIn 1960, TIROS I became the world’s first successful imaging weather satellite. Nine more TIROS series spacecraft followed, and they revolutionized weather monitoring and prediction. This prototype of TIROS I and II was used for ground testing.
Granted, the festivities are not exactly on par with Columbus Day.

In Princeton, the party will start Saturday with a program featuring some of the scientists who worked at RCA Astro-Electronics in East Windsor, the birthplace of TIROS. In Wall Township, home of the giant dish that received the first images sent back from TIROS, local officials will gather April 11 to sign an application to put the site on the National Historic Register.

In coming weeks there will be scholarly discussions about the future of space exploration and a dinner dance.

Primarily, however, the TIROS anniversary is an opportunity for aging scientists and engineers to reflect back on when they were there for the dawn of space travel.

"It was a time of national need and TIROS is about how one group of people responded to that need," said George Martch, 73, a retired RCA engineer who is organizing the Princeton celebration. "It’s hard now, when satellite photos are everywhere, to imagine what it was like back then before the technology existed.

"We were making it up as we went along."

Only 40 years earlier, meteorologists were still sending up kites to get weather readings, a practice that routinely caused electrocution. But World War II brought huge technological advances. By the 1950s, the basics were there.

Cameras had already gone briefly into space, attached on the backs of ballistic missiles. The military had put test satellites into brief orbit and NASA, the civilian space agency, was in place, although in its infancy.

The problem was putting it all together.

"What we had was mostly experimental. We had to adapt cameras and find a way to store images, since they could only be sent back under certain conditions," said Martch, adding they also developed a power source, antennas and a way to stabilize the orbit. "You have to remember, there really was no aerospace before this."

It was a time of flux, as systems, structural and electrical engineers, scientists, physicists, and experts in thermal dynamics and propulsion were switched back and forth, depending on the progress of each component, RCA retirees recalled.

There was drama along the way. They learned electronics will fry when subjected to the wrong pressure in a vacuum chamber. There were heated theoretical battles and even romance among two RCA scientists who later married.

The result looked like a giant hatbox and weighed less than a defensive lineman. It was aluminum and stainless steel and covered with 9,200 solar cells.

Launched April 1, 1960, out of Cape Canerval Florida, it stayed in orbit by spinning like a top, traveled 18,000 mph and could circle the earth every 90 minutes at an altitude of about 450 miles.

It was formally known as the Television Infra-Red Observation Satellite and shot 22,962 photographs before a fatal power failure ended its mission.

TIROS was the first satellite to publicly take photos of the earth, although there was a secret project launched by the U.S. military a year earlier. However, only TIROS could send photos back to Earth in real time.

The "Eye in the Sky," as TIROS was also called, needed a way to phone home, and that is where Camp Evans in Monmouth County came in.

The former property of telegraph pioneer Marconi had been absorbed by RCA. It was later sold to the military and the Signal Corps built a radar laboratory there during World War II, said Carl, a former science teacher who is leading a campaign to preserve the site.

A giant receiver that was assembled at Camp Evans, where it still exists. Minutes after TIROS sent back its first picture, it was on a jet to Washington and hand-delivered to President Eisenhower. He sent copies to the Russians and the Chinese as a "gesture of goodwill," noting TIROS busily was taking photos of both countries.

Kicking a little Communist butt at the height of the Cold War was only a side benefit of TIROS. Its real accomplishment came nine days into orbit, when it sent back a photograph of a curious cloud formation with a hole in the middle.

Planes were dispatched to the photo location, in one of the "silent spots" in the South Atlantic where it was formerly impossible to take weather readings. The "hole" was a nascent tropical storm.

Hurricane tracking was born.

"Solar cells, tape recorders, transistor tubes, phone cameras. They all are directly related to TIROS," said Carl. "But with storm tracking, TIROS is responsible for saving millions of lives, yet few people have ever heard of it. Don’t you think it’s time that changed?

The back-up can be found at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.

The tracking antenna on Marconi Road in Wall, N.J.? Still working…

Our friends at NOAA are marking the anniversary as well…

Fifty years ago today, the world’s first weather satellite lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Fla., and opened a new and exciting dimension in weather forecasting. Top leaders from NOAA and NASA hailed the milestone as an example of their agencies’ strong partnership and commitment to flying the best satellites today and beyond.

The first image from the satellite, known as TIROS-1 (Television Infrared Observation Satellite), was a fuzzy picture of thick bands and clusters of clouds over the United States. An image captured a few days later revealed a typhoon about a 1,000 miles east of Australia. TIROS-1, a polar-orbiting satellite, weighed 270 pounds and carried two cameras and two video recorders. Though the satellite only lasted 78 days, its impact is still visible today.

“This satellite forever changed weather forecasting,” said Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “Since TIROS-1, meteorologists have far greater information about severe weather and can issue more accurate forecasts and warnings that save lives and protect property.”

"TIROS-1 started the satellite observations and interagency collaborations that produced vast improvements in weather forecasts," said NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden, Jr. "It also laid the foundation for our current global view of Earth that underlies all of climate research and the field of Earth system science."

Throughout the 1960s, each TIROS spacecraft carried increasingly advanced instruments and technology. By 1965, meteorologists combined 450 TIROS images into the first global view of the world’s weather.

In a EUR13 billion deal that’s been brewing for years, Luxembourg-based SES (NYSE Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) is acquiring Paris-based Eutelsat (NYSE Euronext Paris: ETL) to preserve its EBITDA of 80%. The deal was announced after the SES Annual General Meeting, and may be approved as early as next week in Annecy. The deal is more than twice Eutelsat’s market cap.

SES aims to be the employer of choice in the industry. The company identifies, secures, engages, develops and retains the best talent to further expand its technological reach and business objectives. With this acquisition, we have struck our target and will thus be the only employer in the industry — at least in Europe.

As a result of the merger, the satellite fleet will be renamed HOT ASS and shall henceforth be abbreviated as  "HA." The combined companies’ 2,200-headcount is expected to remain the same.

No pesky DoJ or DoD review is requited, and the EU Competition Directorate is expected to approve the acquisition by the end of April…

Ceci est une bonne idée! Competition Policy is basically applying rules to make sure that companies compete with each other and, in order to sell their products, innovate and offer good prices to consumers. How can we not approve such an ingenious deal? Enough of this senseless rivalry. The EU wants better prices for all and full employment in the satellite business.

Meanwhile, the agreement with Yahsat for a DTH service in the Middle East is expected to benefit from hundreds of new "adult" channels and will be renamed YAH BABY!

 Happy April Fool’s Day. Yeah, we’ll come up with something better next year. Google’s name change to Topeka wins. Brilliant.

Satellites use in U.S. FCC’s broadband plan a big unknown.
[Aviation Week – 03/26/2010]

DirecTV may lose stations in fight over retransmission-consent fees.
[Contact Music – 03/26/2010]

Alliant Techsystems and Lockheed partner to develop smaller less expensive launch vehicles for smaller satellites.
[Wall Street Journal – 03/26/2010]

The 50th Ariane 5 was rolled out March 25 for March 26 launch with a mixed civilian and military telecommunications satellite payload.
[SatNews – 03/25/2010]

ViaSat receives approximately $21.5 million order for Multifunctional Information Distribution System – Low Volume Terminals (MIDS-LVT) from the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR), MIDS Program Office (MPO).
[SatNews – 03/25/2010]

Comtech EF Data wins $2.5 million order for satellite communications equipment for new satellite network of an Asian Pacific enterprise.
[TMCnet – 03/25/2010]

EchoStar Europe secures the ‘Best Hybrid Broadcast-IP Video Delivery Solution or Service’ award at the IPTV World Series Awards in London.
[SatNews – 03/25/2010]

Comtech AeroAstro is awarded $39.7 million contract to develop and deliver spacecraft bus to U.S. Navy for the Joint Milli-Arcsecond Pathfinder Survey mission.
[Market Watch – 03/25/2010]

Eutelsat welcomes launch of UK Space Agency and government recognition of satellite broadband for bridgint the "Digital Divide."
[RealWire – 03/25/2010]

Secure World Foundation has released a budget analysis that examines an array of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) space security programs as outlined in its Fiscal Year 2011 budget request.
[SatNews – 03/25/2010]

Measat-3a will distribute Discovery HD channel in Asia.
[Satellite Today – 03/25/2010]

KVH opens subsidiary based in Singapore to support growing demand for KVH’s miniVSAT satellite broadband and TracVision satellite TV services.
[The Maritime Executive – 03/25/2010]

Satcom Direct receives FAA certification for Inmarsat Satellite Communications Training Course to count toward requirements for Inspection Authorization renewal.
[SatNews – 03/25/2010]

European Union foreign ministers call on Iran to cease censorship and jamming of satellite broadcasts coming from Europe.
[Satellite Today – 03/25/2010]

KVH and Viasat receive authorization to operate the mini-VSAT service in the Indian Ocean region.
[SatNews – 03/25/2010]

Comtech EF Data receives $1 million order to provide C-band satellite communications equipment to a U.S. government agency.
[TMCnet – 03/24/2010]

High-level panel of space leaders and economic experts will meet in Colorado Springs to address impact on the overall information infrastructure and financial climate as the space industry becomes more international and more diversified.
[SatNews – 03/24/2010]

Sea&Space Exploration, a Brussels-based consulting company, and Global VSAT Forum release report at Satellite 2010 stating that global consumber and enterprise demand for satellite communications has strong potential to exceed historical trends.
[Satellite Today – 03/24/2010]

Hughes Network Systems and Vizada reach agreement expanding Hughes Europe’s portfolio of managed network services for European enterprises.
[SatNews – 03/24/2010]

Air Force to add high-speed satellite communications link to Global Hawk UAV.
[Military & Aerospace – 03/24/2010]

Innovative Solutions & Support announce receipt of FAA Supplemental Type Certificate for the Class 3 Electronic Charts and XM Satellite Weather upgrade to cockpit system of Eclipse Aerospace EA500 Very Light Jet.
[SatNews – 03/24/2010]

Twentieth Century Fox and SmartJob sign non-exclusive agreement for satellite distribution of digital cinema content to theatres in Europe.
[SatNews – 03/24/2010]

Spacecom, Israeli operator of AMOS satellite fleet, is selected by  Germany’s Da Vinci Media GmbH to distribut Da Vinci Learning Channel in Eastern and Central Europe.
[SatNews – 03/24/2010]

Canadian broadcaster’s get leverage  under new framework laid out by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission to allow blockage of cable and satellite re-broadcast of local channels in absence of compensation.
[Montreal Gazette – 03/23/2010]

Comtech EF Data wins the World Teleport Association’s Teleport Technology of the Year award for its CDM-625 Advance Satellite Modem.
[CNN Money – 03/23/2010]

ORBCOMM launches web-based subscriber portal at CTIA Wireless 2010.
[PR Newswire – 03/23/2010]

Satellite communications set up for Abu Dhabi motor rally.
[Thaindian News – 03/23/2010]

Sierra Wireless and ORBCOMM announce new M2M portal that gives ORBCOMM’s customers ability to seamlessly track and manage equipment worldwide, even over ocean.
[SatNews – 03/23/2010]

EchoStar plans Dish Network market expansions in North America.
[Satellite Today – 03/23/2010

Surrey Satellite Technology welcomes British government program including launch of the UK’s first national space agency.
[SatNews – 03/23/2010]

SkyTerra stockholders approver merger with Harbinger Capital Partners.
[Satellite Today – 03/23/2010]

Thales Alenia Spaces negotiates with European Space Agency for contract to build Meteosat Third Generation satellites.
[Satellite Today – 03/23/2010]

Thrane & Thrane SwiftBroadband receives Inmarsat type approval and parts manufacturer approval from U.S. FAA.
[Satellite Today – 03/23/2010]

RapidEye enters reseller partnership with Harris.
[Satellite Today – 03/23/2010]

SatMAX announces record-breaking number of inquiries about its non-line of sight satellite equipment following second purchase order from U.S. Navy.
[TMCnet – 03/22/2010]

TerreStar to highlight satellite capability in standard mobile devices at CTIA Wireless 2010.
[Market Watch – 03/22/2010]

Higher bandwidth availability and networking requirements in Military Satellite Communications (MilSatCom) create new opportunities for advanced electronic components.
[Business Wire – 03/22/2010]

Eutelsat Communications has revealed it will be upgrading its satellite broadband service Tooway to offer download speeds of ‘up to’ 10Mbps by the end of 2010.
[Network World – 03/22/2010]

Bankruptcy court approves second round of financing for Sea Launch.
[Satellite Today – 03/22/2010]

Intelsat signes agreement with Turkish operator Turksat to provide satellite capacity serving Middle East region.
[Satellite Today – 03/22/2010]

Eutelsat Communications announces the successful completion of the UK-built communications module for its high-speed broadband communications satellite, KA-SAT.
[SatNews – 03/21/2010]

London-based environmental campaigner travelling world in biofuel-driven bus runs into legal trouble in India for using a satellite phone in the country.
[Simple Thoughts – 03/21/2010]

Leaders from 5 largest MSS companies debate form and function of mobile satellite industry at Satellite 2010, and praise the U.S. FCC’s broadband plan.
[Satellite Today Satellite 2010 – March 2010]

OverHorizon has selected Arianespaace to launch into orbit their OHO-1 satellite.
{SatNews – 03/21/2010]

WBMSAT PS – Satellite Communications Consulting Services

“This reflects the Air Force’s strong commitment to providing superior protected satellite communications capabilities for the war fighter.” That’s what Steve Tatum wrote in response to the news of the USAF’s pending request for $6.5 billion to get the Advanced EHF program into space. The first one launched in September:

The Air Force said it will request four years of funds totaling $6.5 billion for a Lockheed Martin Corp. military communications program that plans to launch its first satellite in September after six years of delays.

The funding request for fiscal years 2012-2015 will follow $598 million sought for fiscal 2011, according to an e-mail from Gary Payton, the Air Force’s top civilian for space programs. The six-satellite program is budgeted at a total of $9.9 billion.

The request, part of the Pentagon’s current five-year budget plan, reflects the Air Force moving forward with a program endorsed by Defense Secretary Robert Gates now that delays and technical problems have been worked out.

Bethesda, Maryland-based Lockheed Martin and its top subcontractor, Los Angeles-based Northrop Grumman Corp., have been awarded contracts to build the first three satellites. They may get contracts for a fourth that the Air Force budgeted for next year and two more planned by 2014. The Air Force budget figures show that the service may buy a seventh satellite starting in fiscal 2015.

The Advanced EHF program calls for six satellites, capable of withstanding shocks from a nuclear attack, to allow secure communications between top commanders including the president. It also would provide transmission of tactical communications such as real-time video, battlefield maps and targeting data.

Good day at the office for Lockheed Martin (and subcontractor Northrup Grumman). How "advanced" is this system? Dude.

The B-2 is being upgraded, using fiber connections — inside the aircraft.  A single AEHF spacecraft will provide more capacity than the entire Milstar system currently on-orbit — combined.

Watch this…

This Mini outfitted with a mobile antenna is pretty cool, although it may not be as practical as the "command vehicle" put together by CAMMS.

CAMMS™ (Command Anywhere Media Management System) was developed to enable a totally secure, scalable mobile mesh (ad hoc) network and provide the necessary tools for Command Anywhere.

The CAMMS™ mobile mesh software program is a patent pending Windows-based program, which provides the foundation for an ad hoc, self-forming / self-healing wireless mobile mesh network.   It provides interoperability and allows real time communications with any others users in the mesh.

Mobile mesh (ad hoc) networks offer many advantages over other types of communications networks.  Chief among these is the ability of the mesh to function independently of a land-based infrastructure.

When communication is linked solely to a land-based infrastructure an acute vulnerability exists.  By utilizing a mesh, the network infrastructure becomes decentralized, avoiding a central point of failure and control.  Command can be located anywhere with hand off from first responder to others when required instantly.

The CAMMS™ mobile mesh software does not require servers or fixed access points (FAP’s) and is compatible with existing mesh AP’s.  The software may be purchased separately to maximize existing communications systems or as part of complete interoperable communications solution that includes software and AP.

The FCC National Broadband Plan‘s release probably has nothing to do with the Satellite 2010 trade show at the Gaylord National Harbor Resort.

Sure, satcom is referenced in the plan, especially chapter 4.

More bandwidth. Lower price per MHz. Yeah, right.

Federal court upholds regulations that require cable TV companies to make sports programming and other channels they own available on equal terms to rival TV providers such as satellite companies.
[Reuters – 03/12/2010]

The U.S. Navy says launch of next-generation MUOS communications satellites will be delayed until September 2011; military space officials search for options deal with gap in critical tactical mobile communications.
[Spaceflight Now – 03/12/2010]

CapRock Government Solutions expands coverage on its pre-packaged satellite subscription service, CommandAccess™, with the finalization of its commercial X-band network with military-grade features for secure voice, video, and data communications.
[Satellite Today – 03/12/2010]

Goonhilly in the UK, once the largest teleport in the world with over 60 operational antennas, will close visitor center for an unspecified length of time, according to BBC.
[BBC News – 03/11/2010]

Globalstar, Inc. receives a substantial order for the initial delivery of more than 15,000 SPOT Satellite Communicators from DeLorme.
[CNN Money – 03/11/2010]

A coalition of cable and satellite companies ask the FCC to mandate that disputes with broadcasters be settled by arbitration, to prevent broadcasters from charging big fees for retransmission.
[USA Today – 03/10/2010]

SkyTerra adds data capability to its MSAT-G2 mobile satellite radio equipment with new software, expanding applications of SkyTerra’s mobile satellite equipment for government and enterprise customers.
[Market Watch – 03/10/2010]

Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. and Orbit Technology Group announce integration of their products for Satellite Communications On-The-Move (SOTM) solutions to serve mobile requirements of a wide range of industries.
[CNN Money – 03/10/2010]

GE – Satlynx is re-named GE – Satcom, the final step for the company as they become a fully integrated GE business brand identity.
[SatNews – 03/08/2010]

SkyTerra announces the roll-out of its new radio software, developed by Hughes, that enables data capability on its MSAT-G2 mobile satellite radio equipment.
[Market Watch – 03/10/2010]

Starling Advanced Communications of Israel is introducing the StarPack, a single-case, fly-away antenna providing two-way, high-speed Ku broadband satellite communications from anywhere on earth.
[RF Globalnet – 03/10/2010]

Globecomm Systems announces the company’s subsidiary has received a $34 million-plus increase in a contract from a major U.S. Government prime contractor; the contract is valued at up to $127 million over four years.
[TMCnet – 03/09/2010]

A satellite radio company increases its subscriber uptake by getting its system installed in 60% of new cars, compared to 50% last year, and choosing the car models carefully to enhance the probability of car owners subscribing to the service.
[CNN Money – 03/09/2010]

SkyBitz® and Iridium announce a strategic partnership that will position Iridium as the first-ever provider of two-way global MSS for SkyBitz, integrating the SkyBitz Global Locating System (GLS) technology with the recently announced Iridium 9602 satellite data transceiver.
[CNN Money – 03/09/2010]

NASA launches interactive online Space Communication and Navigation (SCaN) simulation in an effort to excite young people about space and NASA’s missions.
[The Orange County Register – 03/09/2010]

The Ministry of Defence has extended a deal with EADS to use a fourth SkyNet satellite of EADS subsidiary Paradigm to provide communications and data to troops in the field. The total value of the deal is now £3.5 billion.
[Computer World UK – 03/09/2010]

Globecomm Systems Inc. acquires Carrier to Carrier Telecom BV and Evolution Communication Ltd. for
about $15 million in cash as it expands its geographic reach.
[Business Week – 03/08/2010]

The Navy has awarded Lockheed Martin Corp. a new $10.2 million task order through the Integrated Topside program to help develop advanced satellite communications systems for submarines.
[Defense Systems – 03/08/2010]

Harris receives a Navy deal worth $10.7 million for computer systems for naval frigate vessels using 1.3-meter satellite communications terminals that have 10-times the bandwidth currently available, and operate on both X- and Ku-band frequencies.
[Orlando Sentinel – 03/08/2010]

Two areas of the national broadband plan likely to cause controversey are its goal to provide 100 Mbps service provided to 100 million U.S. homes by 2020 and its effort to get broadcasters to give up 500 MHz of spectrum for the use of wireless providers.
[TMCnet – 03/08/2010]

The U.S Army may be signaling to have at its disposal a variety of applications, particularly for sending goods, managing supply and support troops with more rich features, perhaps video or large data file transfers. But will this be the end of military narrowband tracking and M2M services?
[NSR Report -"Scenarios in Asset Tracking and Situational Awareness " –  March 2010]

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