Really Rocket Science

Europe and China will share data from ocean-monitoring satellites.
[Space News – 08/30/2012]

Twin U.S. satellites rocket into orbit to explore radiation belts and protect planet from solar outbursts.
{R&D Magazine – 08/30/2012]

Defense Weather Systems Directorate celebrates 50 years of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP).
[SatNews – 08/30/2012]

Russia’s NPO Molnya Space Design Bureau developing hypersonic unmanned rocket vehicle capable of orbiting satellites.
[Satelllite Today – 08/30/2012]

Vizada is awarded five-year IDIQ contract with funding ceiling of $2.8 billion to provide land, sea, and air SATCOM services to all federal agencies.
[U.S. Politics Today – 08/30/2012]

Thaicom plans for interim satellite to be placed at its 50.5 degree East orbital slot to maintain the location rights.
[Satellite Today – 08/30/2012]

Dish Network urges FCC not to shift its spectrum holdings in the 2GHz band, and to approve rules for using satellite spectrum in terrestrial settings.
[TeleGeography – 08/30/2012]

Globecomm will introduce new business unit, Globecomm Europe, at IBC.
[SatNews – 08/30/2012]

NASA’s Dawn spacecraft to leave giant asteroid Vesta and travel three billion miles in 2 1/2 yeas to dwarf planet Ceres.
[SatNews – 08/30/2012]

Russia to launch two space laboratories within next four years.
[SatNews – 08/30/2012]

Satellite Interference Reduction Group (IRG), Global VSAT Forum (GVF), and Newtec announce number of meetings and initiatives relating to satellite interference at IBC.
[SatNews – 08/29/2012]

Largest public media enterprise in the U.S., Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), installs large set of Newtec M6100 modulators for content distribution as part of upgrade to DVB-S2 and H264, as well as Carrier ID for interference migigation.
[SatNews – 08/29/2012]

ITC deepens local presence in Africa with acquisition of Spidersat.
[Herald Online – 08/29/2012]

SES signs capacity agreement with Romantis, who will use NSS-12 Ku-band capacity to support growing connectivity needs across Russia and Central Asia.
[SatNews – 08/29/2012]

KVH introduces new onboard terminal for its mini-VSAT Broadband service including its breakthrough IP-enabled antenna control unit, CommBox ACU, with IP network and Wi-Fi features.
[SatNews – 08/29/2012]

United Arab Emirates is elected as member of the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization Advisory Committee.
[Khaleej Times – 08/28/2012]

MTN Satellite Communications launches MTN Worldwide TV for maritime customers.
[SatNews – 08/28/2012]

Intelsat Mobility offering highlights convergence of FSS and MSS markets.
[Satellite Today – 08/28/2012]

Dish Networks broadens international Internet-based television service to be viewable on PCs and Mac computers.
[Home Media Magazine – 08/28/2012]

C-COM Satellite Systems receives type approval from ViaSat for its iNetVu Ka-75V antenna system, for operation on ViaSat’s Exede professional Ka-band high-capacity satellite service.
[SatNews – 08/28/2012]

Satlink upgrades MCPC platform on AsiaSat 5 satellite to DVB-S2.
[SatNews – 08/28/2012]

Advantech Wireless rolls out new X-, C-band manpack BUCs.
[Satellite Today – 08/28/2012]

EchoStar files patent application for rooftop weather station.
[Satellite Today – 08/27/2012]

Satellite companies look to drones for growth.
[Washington Post – 08/26/2012]

iDirect Government Technologies to provide satellite router board modems to L-3 GCS for Hawkeye III 2.0M VSAT terminals.
[U.S. Politics Today – 08/26/2012]

Eight satellite providers win Custom Satellite Communications Solutions contract awarded by the General Services Administration and the Defense Information Systems Agency for commercial satellite services.
[Space News – 08/24/2012]

WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services

Newtec rapidly expands Latin American presence beyond Brazil into Argentina, Mexico, Colombia and Peru, while increasing efficiency with Clean Channel Technology and combating interference with Carrier ID insertion in its new broadcast modulator.
[IT News Online 08/17/2012]

Penny-sized rocket thruster may soon power the smallest satellites in space.
[SatNews – 08/17/2012]

PacStar wins TacSat Nano contract from 6th Contracting Squadron, MacDill AFB.
[SatNews – 08/17/2012]

As Russian Prime Minister Medvedev orders Roscosmos to sort out its problems to reverse the string of 7 failed launches and 10 satellites lost in last year an a half, the head of the Krunichev State Research and Production Space Center, Vladimir Nesterov, resigns.
[SatNews – 08/16/2012]

Harris is awarded Space Systems/Loral contract for reflector deployment booms for use on two unnamed high-throughput communications satellites.
[Satellite Today – 08/16/2012]

Space Tracking and Surveillance System demonstration satellites participate in test of next generation Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense weapon system.
[SatNews – 08/16/2012]

Ball Aerospace Technologies will incorporate essential data communication enhancements for the Joint Polar Satellite System under development for early launch in 2017.
[Space Daily – 08/16/2012]

Kratos SAT Corp to supply Monics carrier monitoring system and related products to Space Systems/Loral in support of one of its customers that will provide broadband communications services in remote areas.
[iStockAnalyst – 08/16/2012]

Sagetech Corporation wins Harris Corporation subcontract for AireonSM, a revolutionary advancement in air traffic management that will be hosted on Iridium’s second-generation satellite constellation, Iridium NEXT.
[Virtual Strategy – 08/16/2012]

Dish Network expected to offer nationwide satellite broadband on Echostar 17, with early offering download speeds of up to 5 Mbps though rates up to 15 Mbps are possible.
[Bloomberg – 08/16/2012]

MTN Satellite Communications and Wireless Maritime Services launch Connect at Sea voice application.
[Telecom Lead – 08/16/2012]

Russian manufacturer ISS Reshetnev makes contact with PT Telkom’s Telcom-3 satellite that was placed in useless orbit following failed launch last week.
[Satellite Today – 08/15/2012]

Arianespace sets launch date for Indian Space Research Organization’s next communication satellite, GSAT-10.
[Satellite Today – 08/15/2012]

Satellite Interference Reduction group pushes participation in use of carrier ID with catchy slogan “Stop Interference Now . . . its a SIN.”
[SatNews – 08/15/2012]

Georgia Tech to assist Sierra Nevada Corporation in quest to develop commercial space flight system by providing expertise on how to ensure the smoothest possible re-entry for SNC’s Dream Chaser spacecraft.
[R&D Magazine – 08/15/2012]

Automated L-72 hour launch countdown sequence is initiated by the Sea Launch and Energia Logistics teams at the Equator for the launch of Intelsat 21 on August 17.
[SatNews – 08/14/2012]

Atlas V mission carrying the National Reconnaissance Office NROL-3 payload including cubesats is rescheduled for September 6.
[SatNews – 08/14/2012]

View of London’s Olympic Park is captured by the smallest imager aboard ESA’s smallest mission – the High Resolution Camera aboard the Proba-1 microsatellite.
[SatNews – 08/14/2012]

Cobham gets $65 million Boeing contract to supply electronic systems for three satellites of WGS satellite program.
[SatNews – 08/13/2012]

New detection technique could predict solar flares more than a day before they occur, providing advance warning to protects satellites, power grids, and astronauts from potentially dangerous radiation.
[R&D Magazine 08/13/2012]

NASA selects three teams to advance the state of the art for small spacecraft in the areas of communications, formation flying, and docking systems.
[SatNews – 08/13/2012]

WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services

Roskosmos launches investigation into latest Proton rocket failure, establishing an inter-agency commission for the investigation.
[Satellite Today – 08/10/2012]

UK offers aid to Syrian opposition including satellite phones, medical supplies, and body armor.
[Washington Post – 08/10/2012]

Cobham wins contract to supply electronic systems to Boeing’s Wideband Global SATCOM satellite programme.
[ShareCast – 08/10/2012]

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev says ” . . . we can not stand this any longer” of the continuing failures of Proton launches causing loss of prestige and money for Russia’s space program.
[msnbc – 08/09/2012]

Most recent failure of Proton rocket will delay launch of Dish Network’s EchoStar XVI satellite.
[FierceCable – 08/09/2012]

NASA signs agreement to use services of the Space Data Association, established by commercial satellite operators to improve safety and efficiency of space operations.
[SatNews – 08/09/2012]

Spinning Enhance Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) instrument aboard the MSG-3 satellite captures its first image of Earth.
[SatNews – 08/09/2012]

Northrup Grumman joins the Hosted Payloads Alliance, joining aide variety of companies that support increasing role for defense and commercial contractors in helping government agencies find timely and cost effective ways of acquiring space assets and services.
[SatNews – 08/09/2012]

Gilat Satellite Networks announces that Argentina’s Servicio Satelital S.A. has selected Gilat’s SkyEdge II Hub and broadband satellite platform to upgrade its existing network and provide support to hundreds of new sites.
[SatNews – 08/09/2012]

Maxwell Technology’s SkyeMax product offering affordable satellite internet access to South Africa’s farming and rural communities.
[SatNews – 08/09/2012]

Failure of the launch of Telkom 3 and Russian Express MD2 may indirectly affect launch of Ukraine’s Lybid satellite.
[Sinoptik – 08/08/2012]

Two telecommunication satellites lost in failure of Proton-M rocket booster – Telkom 3 of PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia, and Russian Express MD2.
[redOrbit – 08/08/2012]

Intelsat sponsors Global VSAT Forum two-day training program for VSAT installers at Pacific Endeavor workshop at Changi Naval Base in Singapore.
[SatNews – 08/08/2012]

NASA selects three companies – Boeing, SpaceX, and Sierra Nevada Corp – to develop space taxis to ferry astronauts to the International Space Station.
[R&D Magazine – 08/07/2012]

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions announces its SAT Corporation subsidiary has significantly increased its Interference Detection and Geolocation service coverage with two new sites in Maryland and Hawaii, and now covers 1,127 beams from 269 commercial satellites, almost 90 percent of the world’s FSS constellation.
[SatNews – 08/07/2012]

Sirius profit soars on $3 billion income-tax benefit.
[Market Watch – 08/07/2012]

AsiaSat announces signing of Dubai Media Incorporated to broadcast two free-to-air satellite channels throughout the Asia-Pacific region on AsiaSat 5.
[SatNews – 08/07/2012]

Gilat Satellite Networks showcases lightweight compact satellite communication solution for unmanned aerial vehicles.
[4-traders – 08/07/2012]

Ball Aerospace demonstrates military X0-band MMLCA mobile satellite communications system using phased array antenna.
[Satellite Today – 08/07/2012]

Bulgaria to launch domestic satellite for the first time in more than 20 years.
[Satellite Today – 08/07/2012]

NASA’s most advanced robotic explorer Curiosity steers itself through thin atmosphere and  lands successfully on Mars – NASA releases low-res video of descent.
[R&D Magazine – 08/06/2012]
[R&D Magazine – 08/07/2012]

Russia and UK discuss number of space projects, and Russian President Vladimir Putin says “We plan to launch several British satellites” while summing up his short visit to London.
[SatNews – 08/06/2012]

Siemens CMT releases first Carrier ID Detection System (for combatting satellite interference) by successfully completing the upgrade installation of the latest SIECAMS version.
[SatNews – 08/06/2012]

Thuraya IP now offers streaming speed of 512 Kbps, double the previous speed.
[telecompaper – 08/06/2012]

The 2012 DStv Eutelsat Star Awards want African students to answer the question “How can satellite technology help expand Africa’s horizons into the future?”
[SatNews – 08/06/2012]

As we head into another peak sun cycle over the next two years, scientists are again pointing to a heightened risk that a whopping solar storm could knock out power grids, satellites, and communications.
[Insurance Journal – 08/06/2012]

Space Systems/Loral happy with launch of Intelsat 20 by Arianespace, as satellite deploys solar arrays on schedule and fires main thruster to complete travel to geostationary orbit.
[SatNews – 08/06/2012]

SkyVision Global Networks acquires Afinis Communication SA, a subsidiary of Cable & Wireless Communications and leading provider of connectivity solutions in francophone Africa.
[Telecom Tiger – 08/06/2012]

DigitalGlobe satellite earth observation photo shows scene of Olympic Village, London, before arrival of the masses.
[SatNews – 08/06/2012]

SES announces multi-year capacity deal with Eurovision, increasing capacity to 54 MHz and using SES teleport and NSS-806 satellite to broadcast London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games to audiences in Latin America.
[SatNews – 08/06/2012]

Hylas 2, recently launched by Avanti, to offer high speed data across MEA and caucasus.
[ITP.net – 08/06/2012]

India to launch three satellites in September and two more by the end of this year. [SatNews – 08/06/2012]

Israeli legal organization states ‘telecommunications giant admits it violated Iran sanctions’ as it interprets letter from Inmarsat senior vice president explaining the company’s provision of satellite communications to Iranian oil tankers.
[Israel Hayom – 08/05/2012]

WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services

SES and Astrium put together a video of how and why a spacecraft gets built, launched and operated.

Here’s the short version…

And here’s the long version…

Want to see the raw footage? Yeah, that’s here, too…

Surrey Satellite Technology announces successful launch of exactView-1 satellite aboard Soyuz launcher.
[Directions Magazine – 07/27/2012]

Communications payload on MUOS satellite passes in orbit tests.
[Defense Systems – 07/26/2012]

China successfully launches Tianlian I-03 satellite, completing the country’s first data relay satellite network system.
[SatNews – 07/26/2012]

Dubai-based Sky-Stream selects two satellites operated by Eutelsat for capacity to support increasing demand from maritime and energy sectors.
[Market Watch – 07/26/2012]

SES signs long-term renewal with the U.K’s Channel 5 for one transponder.
[SatNews – 07/26/2012]

Norsat releases Satellite Locator application for iPhone on the App Store.
[Market Watch – 07/26/2012]

U.S. Export-Import Bank approves $1.2 billion to finance export of American-made telecommunications satellites to Mexico and Australia.
[Aerospace Manufacturing and Design – 07/25/2012]

TeleCommunication Systems gets $7.3 million funded U.S. Army order for SNAP deployable satellite systems equipment and support.
[Market Watch – 07/25/2012]

Intelsat announces partnership with Harris Caprock using Intelsat’s new Epic platform to service remote sites.
[IT Web – 07/25/2012]

MTN to deliver more than 2 gigabits per second to Caribbean cruise ship and yacht customers, using Intelsat EpicNG broadband connectivity.
[Market Watch – 07/25/2012]

GMV receives contract for MEASAT-3b communications satellite control center.
[Space Daily – 07/25/2012]

NASA’s Odyssey satellite orbit is successfully adjusted so it can provide prompt confirmation of Rover landing in August.
[SatNews – 07/25/2012]

Large inflatable heat shield for re-entry of vehicles into the atmosphere successfully survives hypersonic test by NASA.
[R&D Magazine – 07/24/2012]

Roscosmos launches group of five satellites aboard Soyuz-FG carrier rocket after regulatory delays.
[Satellite Today – 07/24/2012]

Globecomm announces receipt of $17 million contract from U.S. Navy’s Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Atlantic for commercial-off-the-shelf satellite network and communications equipment and other services.
[EON – 07/24/2012]

Al Jazeera Networks (AJN) and Es’hailSat, the Qatar Satellite Company, sign a Memorandum of Understanding to promote closer co-operation between the two companies in building out AJN network to reach rest of world.
[SatNews – 07/24/2012]

Frontier will be distribution partner for HughesNet Gen4 service, offered on the Echostar XVII satellite with faster broadband speeds.
[Telecompetitor – 07/24/2012]

NASA’s Landsat, the longest running earth-imaging satellite, turns 40.
[Nextgov – 07/23/2012]

WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services

Telespazio signs $200 Million deal with Italian Ministry of Defense as prime contractor to build high-resolution Earth observation military satellite system.
[Satellite Today – 07/20/2012]

Astrium wins contract to supply telecommunications products for NewSat’s Jabiru-1 satellite, to be built by Lockheed Martin.
[SatNews – 07/20/2012]

Avanti launches Pay-As-You-Go satellite broadband service across Europe, offering a high-speed Internet connection with no monthly subscription fees.
[Tech Week Europe – 07/20/2012]

RRsat signs contract with English Club TV Network Limited for distribution of its TV channel to Asia via the MEASAT satellite.
[SatNews – 07/20/2012]

SES to present newest developments in the satellite industry with series of seminars accompanying the International Broadcasting Convention in Amsterdam, Netherlands, September 7-11, 2012.
[SatNews – 07/20/2012]

SES announces that satellite has become the leading TV infrastructure in Europe, reaching approximately 84 million European households, and more than 1200 HD channels are available worldwide on the SES fleet of 50 satellites.
[SatNews – 07/19/2012]

United Launch Alliance completes crucial milestone in development and certification of the Atlas V launch vehicle for human spaceflight.
[SatNews – 07/19/2012]

ViaSat to provide UHF satellite network with new Integrated Waveform for more efficient use of satellite capacity  for the Commonwealth of Australia Department of Defence.
[Market Watch – 07/19/2012]

iStreamPlanet and Haivision announce availability of the Go-Live Package live streaming and cross platform video playback solution for the London Olympics, to deliver premium HD video experience over the Internet.
[SatNews – 07/19/2012]

ESA selects e-GEOS to process satellite data from the Matera Space Center and support the operational activites of the Sentinel system.
[Satellite Today – 07/19/2012]

Russia invites India to participate in development of Glonass satellite navigation system.
[Satellite Today – 07/19/2012]

DigitalGlobe satellite imagery reveals a Syrian neighorhood ablaze, caused by the civil war violence.
[SatNews -07/19/2012]

Honeybee Robotics delivers hinges for deploying solar arrays to the National Space Organization in Taiwan for the new FORMOSAT-5 imaging satellite.
[SatNews – 07/19/2012]

Russia’s projected manned spacecraft capable of flights to the moon will not fly until 2018 according to head of Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos.
[SatNews – 07/19/2012]

ATIS announces work effort to find technologies to provide backup to GPS for time and frequency transport and delivery for communications systems, needed because of susceptibility of GPS system to interference and jamming.
[SatNews – 07/19/2012]

Three-part NSR webinar to examine the value of each maritime target market, including its relative demand in terms of bandwidth and in-service units.
[SatNews – 07/19/2012]

Proposal for privatisation of AsiaSat fails in vote of independent shareholders and cannot be put into effect.
[SatNews – 07/18/2012]

Thuraya launches roaming service in USA in partnership with T-Mobile.
[SatNews – 07/18/2012]

U.S. Navy’s first next-generation narrowband tactical satellite communications system, MOUS, has completed on-orbit testing.
[UPI – 07/18/2012]

Launch of Russia’s “Nauka” multirole laboratory module for International Space Station set back from end of this year to end of next year due to technological and organizational problems at the Khrunichev Space Center.
[SatNews – 07/18/2012]

NASA to launch and deploy large inflatable heat shield aboard rocket travelling at hypersonic speeds to demonstrate lightweight yet strong inflatable structures for entry into atmospheres of Earth or other worlds.
[SatNews – 07/18/2012]

Intelsat announces Panasonic Avionics Corporation has contracted for as much as 1Gbps of capacity on the Intelsat EpicNG satellite platform to be used in delivery of aeronautical consumer broadband and live TV.
[SatNews – 07/18/2012]

Two satellite passengers, HYLAS 2 and Intelsat 20, for Arianespace’s next heavy-lift Ariane 5 mission scheduled for August 2nd, are undergoing final preparations at Spaceport in French Guiana.
[SatNews – 07/17/2012]

ISRO ready to ship GSAT-10 communication satellite to Kourou Spaceport in French Guiana in preparation for September launch.
[Satellite Today – 07/17/2012]

NASA selects SpaceX to launch the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Jason-3 spacecraft in December 2014 aboard a Falcon 9 v1.0 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base.
[SatNews – 07/17/2012]

Globalstar beginning to turn around after resolution of litigation over delayed satellite deliveries which caused  troubles meeting employee count required by agreement to relocate to Louisiana from California.
[WWLT V – 07/17/2012]

Ball Aerospace & Technologies STPSat-3 spacecraft built for U.S. Air Force will host five payloads and a de-orbit module when in launches in 2013.
[SatNews – 07/17/2012]

TeleCommuication Systems receives $11.3 million in additional funding to support deployed communications systems for U.S. Marine Corps.
[Market Watch – 07/17/2012]

Gilat Satcopm establishes new Point of Presence facility in Sierra Leone.
[SatNews – 07/17/2012]

Satellite operators led by Eutelsat, Intelsat and SES, complete process of adapting earth station information tables to implement Carrier ID in time to guarantee quality of DVB satellite transmissions of the London Olympics.
[Sacramento Bee – 07/17/2012]

India’s Isro enhancing capacity in terms of rockets, satellites, and ground-based systems to meet growing demand for enhances services in communications, broadcasting, remote-sensing and navigation.
[First Post – 07/17/2012]

Launch of first Azerbaijani communication satellite is put off for January-February 2013.
[ABC.AZ – 07/17/2012]

NovelSat launches NS3000 modem that can achieve data rates of up to 716Mbps with bandwidth increases of between 20 and 50% over DVB-S2 alternatives.
[SatNews – 07/17/2012]

Barger Corporation announces purchase of one of largest and most expensive non-military communications satellites from the European Space Agency, at 19,000 lbs., of the Envisat class, and costing $2.1 billion.
[rushpr News – 07/16/2012]

Soyuz spacecraft launches from Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan with NASA, Russian, and Japanese astronauts bound for International Space Station.
[SatNews – 07/16/2012]

ESA takes control of MSG-3 satellite following successful series of in-orbit tests.
[SatNews – 07/16/2012]

SES, Northrop Grumman, and NATO join forces for NATO’s Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance  system.
[SatNews – 07/16/2012]

European Broadcasting Union gives more than 70 EBU Members up to eight MPEG 4 decoders each to ensure flawless access to 12 HD multilateral signals for the London Olympic Games, saying goodbye to SD signals.
[SatNews – 07/16/2012]

Canadian Defence Department tests Astrium Services’ AirPatrol satellite communications system for coastal surveillance system.
[Ottawa Citizen – 07/16/2012]

NASA’s Launch Services Program selects United Launch Alliance’s Delta II launch vehicle for three future missions; Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, July 2013; Soil Moisture Active Passive, October 2014, and Joint Polar Satellite System-1, in 2016.
[SatNews – 07/16/2012]

Liberty’s Malone plans to spin off Sirius XM and DirecTV.
[Satellite Today – 07/16/2012]

July-August 2012 issue of Satellite Executive Briefing highlights spirited debate at GVF Conference on Broadband Maritime.
[Satellite Markets – July-August 2012]

WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services

U.K Space Agency launches ‘Civil Space Strategy,’ setting out direction for the U.K. space sector over the next four years. [SatNews – 07/13/2012]

Euroconsult announces findings of its most recent study of fixed satellite services in the 5th edition of its ‘Company Profiles, Analysis of FSS Operators.’
SatNews – 07/13/2012]

50th anniversary of satellite Telstar is celebrated.
[CNN – 07/13/2012]

L-3 Communications will provide U.S. Special Operations Command very small aperture terminal satellite systems.
[Avionics Intelligence – 07/13/2012]

NATO steps up purchase of commercial Ka- and Ku-band satellite capacity under two separate agreements with Avanti Communications of London and SES of Luxembourg.
[Space News – 07/13/2012]

EADS Corporate Technical Office and Russian researcher collaborate on evaluation of new, innovative and efficient propulsion technology for development of new Continuous Detonation Wave Engines for future applications.
[SatNews – 07/12/2012]

SpaceX Dragon crewed version design review is completed.
[SatNews – 07/12/2012]

ARINC and Lemko demonstrate seamless 4G LTE transmission via satellite connection.
[Market Watch – 07/12/2012]

ESA wants to team with industrial partner to launch third data-relay satellite in geostationary orbit over Asia and Americas.
[Space News – 07/12/2012]

ViaSat wins AU$280m contract from NBN to provide ground equipment for NBN’s satellite service to be launched in 2015.
[ZDNet – 07/12/2012]

SES announces that SAT-IP converter by Inverto Digital Labs of Luxembourg that converts satellite-delivered programs into Internet Protocol in the consumer’s home has been tested and certified.
SatNews – 07/12/2012]

DigitalGlobe completes series of upgrades to ground systems, more closely aligning its security capabilities with those used by the U.S. government.
[SatNews – 07/12/2012]

PortVision’s desktop Automatic Identification System vessel-tracking service available in mobile platform optimized for smartphones including BlackBerry, iPhone, and Android devices.
[SatNews – 07/12/2012]

Chinese sailor will attempt to set new record circumnavigating the globe single-handed, making use of satellite communications provided by Inmarsat.
[SatNews – 07/12/2012]

Jordanian biker completes another leg of 60,000 kilometer “goodwill Journey” on his motorbike, raising funds for Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund Pediatric Cancer Center, relying on communications equipment by Thuraya.
[SatNews – 07/12/2012]

Virgin Galactic announces a commercial launch service for small satellites with an air-launched rocket named LauncherOne; four companies have placed deposits as future customers.
[Spaceflight Now – 07/11/2012]

Surrey Satellite Technology signs with OHB for construction of second batch of eight Full Operational Capability Satellites for ESA GALILEO constellation.
[SatNews – 07/11/2012]

Telecommunication Industry Association and Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions announce gathering of top ICT industry groups to launch major global organization focused on advancement and standardization of machine-to-machine (M2M) communications.
[SatNews – 07/11/2012]

Inmarsat to deploy SwiftBroadband service as satellite backbone for in-flight Internet services on two airlines in Asia Pacific region.
[Sattellite Today – 07/11/2012]

TSF communications equipment provided to NGO teams in Sahel region essential for communications of vital food data on situation of people affected by drought.
[SatNews – 07/11/2012]

Raytheon existing AEHF terminals already meet 80% of requirements for FAB-T alternate terminal program, for which it submitted a proposal in June.
[Market Watch – 07/11/2012]

ViaSat antennas and modems selected by Selex for NATO communications.
[Market Watch – 07/11/2012]

Arabsat announces that Dubai Media will launch six free Sport Channels on Arabsat satellite to broadcast games and activities of Olympic Games in London, live.
[SatNews – 07/11/2012]

SES-5 telecommunications satellite equipped with European government navigation terminal as piggyback payload is launched by ILS aboard a Proton rocket from Russia.
[msnbc – 07/10/2012]

Eutelsat and Ariancespace sign launch contract for Eutelsat’s 28th satellite launch.
[Sacramento Bee – 07/10/2012]

MDA signs contract to provide Ka-band communications payload for HYLAS 3 satellite.
[Sacramento Bee – 07/10/2012]

Harris CapRock and Astrium Services sign multi-year multi-channel agreement to offer end-to-end UHF Tactical Satellite solutions to international and U.S. government users.
[SatNews – 07/10/2012]

European Communication Services partners with OH TV to offer joint broadcast and IPTV service to African broadcast market and various regions around the world.
[Satellite Today – 07/10/2012]

Spacecom selection of Israel Aerospace Industries to produce Amos 6 communications satellite saves Israel’s domestic satellite industry.
[Jerusalem Post – 07/09/2012]

NIGCOMSAT invests in iDirect Universal Satellite hub to aid deployment of Evolution-based service to capture growing broadband market in Nigeria.
[Business Day – 07/09/2012]

Russian designers and engineers in the closed Siberian city Zheleznogorsk are creating some of the world’s most advanced satellite systems.
[Telegraph- 07/09/2012]

Russian space agency to create communications satellite for Armenia. [NEWS.am – 07/09/2012]

WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services

Back in 2007, SES and GE worked out a deal that included GE getting back into the satellite operator business. Well, not really an operator — just an owner of an orbiting spacecraft. They called it “GE Satellite” and continued to employ a bunch of people who were selling it. To make that deal work, GE had to have title of the asset (the GE-23 spacecraft) for five years.

Did you do the math? It’s been five years all right. Earlier today, news came out that Eutelsat was buying the asset from GE Capital, which never bothered to list it as part of their many businesses since they knew it was only a matter of time before it went away.

Good day at the office for GE Capital (again) in getting a bunch of cash and good for Eutelsat for getting an asset and an orbital slot over the Pacific Ocean Region (POR). One of the key customers is the U.S. government and Connexion by Boeing, which is still around to provide satcom services to airliners such as Air Force One. Other than that, there’s not much on that bird.

The 20 channels available in the Ku-band is divided among five beams, which was good for the Boeing service, but not really all that workable for standard satellite customers. It was not an easy sell — except for GE Capital.

The Early Space Age – an article published in Fortune Magazine in 1959.
[Fortune Magazine – 06/03/2012]

India’s Navy creates post of assistant chief of naval staff charged with harnessing space-based capabilities.
[The Times of India – 06/03/2012]

Billionaire John Malone’s push to take over Sirius XM Radio creates potential for clash with Sirius CEO Mel Karmazin.
[San Francisco Chronicle – 06/03/2012]

Intelsat 19 fails to deploy one of its two solar arrays.
[Space News – 06/02/2012]

SpaceX’s Dragon splashes down in Pacific after successful re-supply trip to International Space Station.
[SatNews – 06/02/2012]

Dish submits reply comments to FCC on proposed wireless rules.
[EXEC Digital – 06/02/2012]

Al Yah Satellite Communications Company announces successful completion of trials of U.S. DoD compatible Ka-band-capable terminals over the Y1A satellite.
[SatNews – 06/02/2012]

Telesat is awarded contract by Shared Services Canada to facilitate provisioning of X-ban d satellite communications and associated services around the world to SSC partner and client departments.
[SatNews – 06/02/2012]

Inmarsat Government launches new website reflecting image and identity of the business unit that provides global, secure, end-to-end solutions to U.S. government customers.
[SatNews – 06/02/2012]

Capacity on five Eutelsat satellites has been booked for coverage of the UEFA Euro 2012 championship in Poland and the Ukraine.
[Sacramento Bee – 06/01/2012]

Ukrainian Zenit-2SL rocket launches U.S. communications satellite, Intelsat 19, from sea-based launch pad in the Pacific Ocean.
[News Track India – 06/01/2012]

Lockheed Martin is awarded $68 million contract from U.S. Air Force to provide mission readiness, launch, early orbit checkout, and on-orbit operations engineering support for first two GPS-3 satellites.
[Satellite Today – 06/01/2012]

Artemis telecommunications satellite continues to provide services to its users following completion of its official mission, providing communications between ATV shuttle to ISS and the ATV control center,  after almost 11 years in orbit.
[Phys Org – 06/01/2012]

ViaSat pushes to include Loral, parent company of Space Systems Loral (SS/L), into it’s patent lawsuit against SSL, saying the parent company “guides SS/L’s every move.”
[Space News – 06/01/2012]

TCS’ OS-IRIS managed satellite services offering is added to FCSA contract program.
[Market Watch – 05/31/2012]

SpaceX announces first commercial contract for its heavy-lift rocket, still in development, from Intelsat for a future Intelsat satellite launch.
[ABC News – 05/31/2012]

U.S. Air Force and Boeing come to terms on replacing a cost-plus contract for next-generation satellite communications terminals with a fixed-price contract.
[Aviation Week – 05/31/2012]

Liberty Media asks federal regulators to allow it to take over control of Sirius XM Radio.
[Investors.com – 05/31/2012]

NSR’s webinar “The Case for Hosted Payloads” presentation and session recording available for download at NSR website.
[NSR – The Case for Hosted Payloads – 05/30/2012]

CPI International will acquire Codan Satcom.
[Sacramento Bee – 05/30/2012]

Iridium Pilot selected by IMOCA 60′ as satellite communications platform for International Europa and Vendee Globe sailboat race.
[Market Watch – 05/30/2012]

MerlinCryption introduces powerful M2M cryptosystem to overcome security challenges for satellite companiesx and space operators.
[Seattle PI – 05/30/2012]

Kazakhstan reportedly blocks upcoming Russian satellite launches from Baikonur due to dispute over drop zone for rocket debris, but there may be more to this story . . .
[SatNews – 05/29/2012]

GVF VSAT certification training program transitioning to new online learning system using new lesson player software developed by SatProf.
[SatNews – 05/29/2012]

South Korea to launch world’s first satellite for monitoring climate change over Korean Peninsula in 2018.
[SatNews – 05/29/2012]

Chinese Long March 3B rocket successfully delivers Chinese communications satellite to space.
[Spaceflight Now – 05/27/2012]

Affordable satellite bandwidth could change rural access, benefitting, for example, farms and safari lodges.
[BIZ Community – 05/25/2012]

Right behind SpaceX in the commercial race to space are Orbital Sciences, Alliant Techsystems, Boeing, Sierra Nevada Corp., and Blue Origin.
[R&D Magazine – 05/24/2012]

U.S. Navy will deploy 4G LTE on board combat ships to augment existing satellite systems and enhance non-essential communications for sailors.
[IntoMobile – 05/24/2012]

SpaceX makes history as the first company to send a commercial supply ship toward the International Space Station as the Falcon 9 rocket successfully carries the Dragon capsule into orbit.
[R&D Magazine – 05/22/2012]

Space Systems/Loral delivers powerful multi-mission SES-5 satellite to Baikonur Space Center.
[Market Watch – 05/21/2012]

WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services

Great moment in space business: the launch of the Falcon-9 from the Cape. Their press release lead tells it like it is:

Today, Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) successfully launched its Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Dragon spacecraft to orbit in an exciting start to the mission that will make SpaceX the first commercial company in history to attempt to send a spacecraft to the International Space Station — something only a handful of governments have ever accomplished.

At 3:44 a.m. Eastern, the Falcon 9 carrying Dragon launched from SpaceX’s launch pad at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Now Dragon heads toward the International Space Station. On that journey it will be subjected to a series of tests to determine if the vehicle is ready to berth with the station.

Watch the launch videos…

We’re hoping the mission keeps on succeeding!