Archive for April, 2014

WBMSAT News Bits 04/25/2014

Saturday, April 26th, 2014

Speaking in South Korea as satellite images show North Korea may be preparing for another nuclear test, Obama warns of stiffer sanctions. [Yahoo News – 04/25/2014]

U.S. Sanctions putting the brakes on Russia-bound satellite shipments. [Space News – 04/25/2014]

Falcon 9’s first stage – Credit: SpaceX photo – Space News

SpaceX’s latest cargo flight delivers a step toward rocket reusability, as first stage fired back up and successfully performed a test “soft landing” in the Atlantic. [Space News – 04/25/2014]

SpaceX files formal protest in U.S. Court of Federal Claims over multibillion-dollar U.S. Air Force contract to its incumbent launch provider, United Launch Alliance. [Space News – 04/25/2014]

Increasing shift towards satellite TV drives demand for satellite transponders according to new Global Industry Analysts report. [Digital Journal – 04/25/2014]

Government of Canada decides not to proceed with scheduled June, 2014 launch of M3M satellite constructed by COM DEV – launch to be rescheduled.. [Space Ref business – 04/25/2014]

Glonass satellite collage – Space Daily file image

Russia plans to build 50 stations for the global navigation satellite system Glonass in 36 countries, a senior official said. [GPS Daily – 04/25/2014]

Russia’s GLONASS has resumed normal operations after suffering an outage earlier this month caused by a malfunctioning satellite. [GPS Daily – 04/25/2014]

High resolution satellite proposed for Peru –
Credit: Airbus Defence and Space artist’s concept – Space News

Airbus beats a crowded field for the right to build a reconnaissance satellite for Peru. [Space News – 04/25/2014]

Russian startup Yaliny hopes crowdfunding will launch its business — and its 135 satellites. [cnet – 04/25/2014]

M2M specialist Ovinto’s monitoring solution is certified for use with Globalstar Simplex satellite technology, and the company is a Globalstar Value Added Manufacturer. [SatNews – 04/25/2014]

Loral and SSL plan to appeal jury decision in ViaSat lawsuit. [MarketWatch – 04/24/2014]

Thuraya sets its sights on maritime sector, aiming for 10% market share in 2 years. [Business Times – 04/24/2014]

Hispasat is bidding for a majority stake in Israeli satellite operator Space Communication to boost its international exposure. [Reuters – 04/24/2014]

International Maritime Organization to consider Iridium applications to be a global maritime distress and safety system service provider. [CNBC – 04/24/2014]

Globalstar is unlocking the value of its $1 billion investment in the world’s newest, most modern satellite network and challenging customers to experience the best in voice quality, data speeds and affordability. [money.msn.com – 04/24/2014]

AsiaSat of Hong Kong terminates its cooperation agreement with GeoMetWatch to place a hyperspectral meteorological sensor on the AsiaSat 9 telecommunications satellite. [Space News – 04/24/2014]

Sea Launch in Pacific Ocean –
Credit: Sea Launch photo – Space News

Boeing’s petition to a Swedish court to rulke on its attempt to collect $356 million in back bills from its former Russian and Ukranian partners in Sea Launch is rejected. [Space News – 04/24/2014]

Gondwana selects Avanti to power multiple broadband and VOIP services to Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and South Africa via HYLAS 2. [MarketWatch – 04/24/2014]

United States Department of Defense awards Orbcomm partner Savi Technology with a five-year contract as the sole provider to the $204 million RFID-IV program. [Via Satellite – 04/24/2014]

General Services Administration’s Federal Acquisition Service issues combined synopsis/solicitation notice for acquisition of Worldwide Satellite Communication Services (WSCS II). [TMCnet – 04/23/2014]

U.S. Navy awards Harris Corporation potential $133 million broadband satellite communication terminal contract. [Satellite Spotlight – 04/23/2014]

Artist’s rendition of Eutelsat 65 west A. –
Photo: SSL – Via Satellite

All Eutelsat 65 West A Ka-band capacity is scarfed up by Hughes Network Systems do Brazil. [Via Satellite – 04/23/2014]

Critical military satellite systems are vulnerable to hacking. [Defense Sysems – 04/23/2014]

Silversea Cruises renews and extends its relationship with MTN for its eight-ship fleet, substantially increasing broadband connectivity and optimizing WiFi. [SatNews – 04/23/2014]

Effnet licenses its header compression technology to a leading broadband satellite communications companyu. [Globe Newswire – 04/23/2014]

New NSR report finds demand for traditional satellite capacity will remain strong, especially in the energy sector. [Reuters – 04/22/2014]

Third Kazakhstani communications satellite to be launched from Baikonur cosmodrome on April 28. [TMCnet – 04/22/2014]

Express-AT1 was launched jointly with Express-AT2 from
the Baikonur space center by a Russian Proton-M rocket
© ITAR-TASS/Oleg Urusov

[Russia puts into operation 2 new telecoms satellites. [ITAR-TASS – 04/22/20104]

General Dynamics opens new radio testing laboratory for MUOS satellite-ground station communications. [Reuters – 04/22/2014]

SkyWave launches dual satellite-cellular HSPA device. [M2M World News – 04/22/2014]

Comtech EF Data Corp., has received a USD3.1m order for SLM-5650A satellite modems from a government systems integrator. [Financial News – 04/22/2014]

US Finance Inc. commits to lend $24 million to Laser Light Global Limited, UK to build the HALO Center, a laser communications test and evaluation facility. [SatNews – 04/22/2014]

Thuraya Telecommunications Company announces a partnership with Satcom Direct, a US-based provider of voice and data communication services. [TMC News – 04/22/2014]

The satellite industry is at a critical inflection point, poised to expand beyond niche status and play a broader, more vital role in global communications. [Via Satellite – 04/21/2014]

Azerbaijan is finishing a tender procedure for the launch of the first national low-orbit satellite. [ABC.AZ – 04/21/2014]

Intelsat sees African over-capacity situation as temporary. [Via Satellite – 04/21/2014]

Astronauts get Easter treat courtesy of Space X Dragon 9. [R&D Magazine – 04/20/2014]

Handout picture released by the Peruvian Geological
Institute INGEMMET – NDTV

Satellite imagery can be used to predict which volcanoes are most likely to erupt, scientists have found. [NDTV – 04/20/2014]

Challenger Communications acquires assets of former Patriot Antenna Systems. [Press release – 03/19/2014]

 WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services


WBMSAT News Bits 04/18/2014

Thursday, April 24th, 2014

Ukraine’s Yuzhnoye Design Office continues to produce engines and other rocket components for customers in the United States, Brazil, Russia, Europe and elsewhere with no interruptions stemming from the crisis in Ukraine’s relations with Moscow. [Space News – 04/18/2014]

Lockheed Martin engineers in Denver install the Solar Ultraviolet Imager (SUVI)
on the GOES-R Sun Pointing Platform. – Phys Org

New satellite sensor will analyze and predict severe space weather. [Phys Org – 04/18/2014]

India’s Department of Space consulting with telecom department (DoT) on planned overhaul of 17-year old satellite communications policy to allow auctioning of satellite bandwidth. [India Times – 04/18/2014]

Inmarsat will offer airlines free tracking using its satellite communications. [SKIFT – 04/18/2014]

Leading military and industry experts to meet in Rio de Janeiro in August at MilSatCom Latin America Conference. [PR Web – 04/18/2014]

Qualcomm assigned patent for forward link data rate control and rate indication for satellite-enabled communications systems. [TMC News – 04/18/2014]

Power system failure detected on Amazonas 4A likely to reduce transponder capacity- since the problem cannot be fixed, Orbital Sciences will lose millions in incentive payments. [Washington Business Journal – 04/17/2014]

Falcon 9 launch – Space Travel file photo

SpaceX cargo mission launches to International Space Station. [Space Travel – 04/17/2014]

Satellite terminals widely used in transportation, military, and industrial plants contain backdoors, hardcoded credentials, weak encryption algorithms, and other design flaws. [Information Week – 04/17/2014]

German satellite and Internet company Stellar tells GCHQ and NSA “Call me!” – wants answers why it may have been hacked by them. [DW – 04/17/2014]

Atmospheric satellite – Artist’s concept at Angelpub – Wealth Daily

Atmospheric satellites can alleviate most of problems affecting polar and geosynchronous satellites, and do things like provide low-cost, wide-area-effective internet access to people and places that would never have had it before. [Wealth Daily – 04/17/2014]

Africa’s demand for bandwidth is doubling every year, outpacing the laying of terrestrial fiber links and encouraging satellite operators to launch more satellites. [Yahoo News – 04/17/2014]

Lockheed Martin completely renovates its flagship A2100 satellite bus as it moves forward to reengage the commercial satellite market. [Via Satellite – 04/17/2014]

Russian Aerospace Corp. president suspected of office abuse in instructing subsidiary to grant loans to two companies involved in commercial space project Sea Launch. [Space News – 04/17/2014]

exactEarth and SRT release new technology called ABSEA to enable global tracking for small commercial and leisure vessels. [Via Satellite – 04/17/2014]

GlobaFone to offer Iridium GO! personal Wi-Fi hotspot that allows users to connect up to five devices to the Iridium satellite network and use a smart phone to make calls and send data. [Officer.com – 04/17/2014]

Advantech Wireless CEO expects Gallium Nitride (GaN) to be the technology of choice over Traveling Wave Tube Amplifiers (TWTAs) and Klystrons in the future. [Via Satellite – 04/17/2014]

Measat 3b satellite transported to Kourou, French Guiana for a dual launch with the SSL-built Optus 10 by an Arianespace Ariane 5 launcher. [Via Satellite – 04/16/2014]

SpaceX signs 20-year agreement with NASA for use of Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center, the site of numerous Apollo and space shuttle missions. [Via Satellite – 04/16/2014]

Satellite photo of California wildfires in 2013 May 2, 2013 by UK DMC2. Photo: DMCii

Even with current and planned proliferation of Earth Observation satellites, DMC International Imaging CEO advises governments and industry not to get comfortable with the level of coverage just yet. [Via Satellite – 04/16/2014]

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged the air force to adopt an integrated air and space defence capability, in what was called a response to the increasing military use of space by the United States and others. [Space News – 04/16/2014]

Pentagon seeks information on potential launch service providers for ORS-5 satellite. [Space News – 04/16/2014]

IceSat 2 – Credit: NASA artist’s concept – Space News

Science instrument for NACA’s ICESat-2 will be delivered at least nine months late and continues to face development challenges. [Space News – 04/16/2014]

DigitalGlobe and MDA will offer combined optical and synthetic aperture radar satellite solution to their global defense and intelligence customers. [Via Satellite – 04/16/2014]

SSL is selected to provide two communications satellites to SKY Perfect JSAT of Japan, with a fleet currently including 16 satellites. [MarketWatch – 04/16/2014]

Arabsat CEO calls for the satellite industry to up the pace of progress, saying the industry is moving too slow. [Via Satellite – 04/16/2014]

The German Aerospace Center and the Japanese National Institute of Information and Communications Technology sign memorandum of understanding strengthening their cooperation in the crucial research area of optical satellite-Earth communication. [DLR – 04/16/2014]

SES Broadband Services (SBBS) and Gilat expand consumer Ka-band services to Germany and Italy over SES’s ASTRA 2E satellite. [Satellite Spotlight – 04/16/2014]

Harvey Gulf International Marine chooses KVH’s mini-VSAT Broadband network to support onboard applications including crew Internet access, business email, and voice. [MarineLink – 04/16/2014]

DeLorme announces inReach Explorer, the world’s first satellite communicator with built-in navigation. [Yahoo Finance – 04/16/2014]

Shaw Communications will make changes to its operating units as part of its bid to improve efficiency and enhance growth, laying off as many as 400 but making up to 100 new hires. [mediacaster – 04/16/2014]

Global military satellite market expected to experience growth of 3.74% during 2014 – 2024 in new report published by Strategic Defence Intelligence. [Yahoo Finance – 04/15/2014]

Frost and Sullivan report based on a Hughes Network Systems solution posits that satellite backhaul is the best way for 3G/LTE cellular providers to extend their networks in hard-to-reach areas where terrestrial facilities are limited or cost-prohibitive. [Financial News – 04/15/2014]

Second of three new NASA TDRS-L spacecraft arrives at launch pad at Cape Canaveral ready for launch. [Scientific Computing – 04/15/2014]

U.S. intelligence community recommends granting U.S. satellite imagery provider DigitalGlobe’s request for permission to sell high resolution images to non-government customers. [Space News – 04/15/2014]

Reaction Engines’ Skylon – Credit: Reaction Engines artist’s concept – Space News

Two companies take radically different approaches to launcher reusability – Britain’s Reaction Engines and SpaceX of the U.S. [Space News – 04/15/2014]

Acquired by Broadband Satellite Services last year, Satcom Global and the AND group are being unveiled as the unified global brand Satcom Global offering wider portfolio of services. [SatNews – 04/15/2014]

Mario Zucchelli, Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica – Photo courtesy of ESA – SatNews

SES and Milano Teleport have signed a capacity and ground satellite infrastructure deal to provide connectivity to Mario Zucchelli, the Italian research station in Antarctica. [SatNews – 04/15/2014]

Iveriasat to broadcast to Europe and Middle East via Azerspace 1 satellite. [Via Satellite – 04/15/2014]

A model of the Solara 50, Titan Aerospace’s commercial “atmospheric satellite” – arstechnica

Google buys “atmospheric satellite” builder Titan Aerospace, previously identified as a Facebook acquisition. [ars technica – 04/14/2014]

According to recent revelations, Britain’s GCHQ Intelligence agency has been able to hack into German communications and satellite firms. [Acumin – 04/14/2014]

With an impending gap in meteorological satellite coverage looming over the United States, NOAA is being pushed to make greater use of commercial data sources. [Via Satellite – 04/14/2014]

Artist’s concept image of ISEE-3 (ICE) spacecraft. Image Credit: NASA

Launched in 1978 to study solar wind, ISEE-3 returns to make its closest approach to Earth in August 2014 before it heads back out to interplanetary space. [NASA – 04/14/2014]

Turkmenistan plans to launch communications satellite in November 2014. [TMC News – 04/14/2014]

Key companies providing in-flight WiFi include Gogo Inc. of the U.S., Row44 of the U.S., LiveTV, owned by Thales of France, Panasonic Avionics of Japan, and SITA unit OnAir based in Geneva – article includes the satellite providers they work with. [Reuters – 04/14/2014]

RigNet and CPN introduce new packages SCADA solution for oilfield service companies. [The Wall Street Journal – 04/14/2014]

Huawei and Comtech EF Data announce integrated satellite solution platform using Comtech EF Data’s advanced VSAT and Huawei’s routers, communications, and monitoring systems. [WhaTech – 04/12/2014]

WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services


I Got Negative Aura — What Color is Your Aura?

Tuesday, April 15th, 2014

image


Big Bang Monday: Very Strange Object

Monday, April 14th, 2014

According to CERN, the LHCb confirms existence of something strange:

The Large Hadron Collider beauty (LHCb) collaboration today announced results that confirm the existence of exotic hadrons – a type of matter that cannot be classified within the traditional quark model.

Hadrons are subatomic particles that can take part in the strong interaction – the force that binds protons inside the nuclei of atoms. Physicists have theorized since the 1960s, and ample experimental evidence since has confirmed, that hadrons are made up of quarks and antiquarks that determine their properties. A subset of hadrons, called mesons, is formed from quark-antiquark pairs, while the rest – baryons – are made up of three quarks.

But since it was first proposed physicists have found several particles that do not fit into this model of hadron structure. Now the LHCb collaboration has published an unambiguous observation of an exotic particle – the Z(4430) – that does not fit the quark model.

This is like finding a four-leaf clover, but really geeky.


WBMSAT News Bits 04/11/2014

Saturday, April 12th, 2014

An Atlas 5 launched a classified satellite from Cape Canaveral April 10 after a 16-day delay caused by technical issues at the launch range. [Space News – 04/11/2014]

SpaceX and United Launch Alliance more than double lobbying expenses in recent years, as launch competition looms. [Space News – 04/11/2014]

The U.S. commerce secretary says current weather satellite development programs are on track but nonetheless she continues to worry about a future gap in coverage. [Space News – 04/11/2014]

Metop SG – Credit: ESA artist’s concept – Space News

European Space Agency’s Industrial Policy Committee approved 820 million Euros for Airbus Defence and Space to build two to six polar-orbiting METOPS meteorological satellites. [Space News – 04/11/2014]

Telespazio of Rome will provide the operations and maintenance services for the data-access system to manage Europe’s Copernicus network of environment-monitoring satellites. [Space News – 04/11/2014]

Soyuz at European Spaceport – Credit: Arianespace
photo – Space News

Arianespace is negotiating with the Russian space agency on a block buy of Soyuz rockets to be operated from Russia’s Baikonur spaceport. [Space News – 04/11/2014]

Avanti’s HYLAS 2, with 100% coverage over South Africa, is used by Reuters for 24/7 SNG coverage of Oscar Pistorius trial. [SatNews – 04/11/2014]

Ofeq 9 launch – Credit: Israel Aerospace
Industries photo – Space News

Israeli rocket launches Ofeq 10 radar reconnaissance satellite into orbit aboard a Shavit rocket. [Space News – 04/10/2014]

Europe’s just-launched Sentinel-1A dodges dead space weather satellite. [Space News – 04/10/2014]

Ontario Teachers Pension Plan (OTPP) is in the lead to buy Loral Space & Communications Inc’s Canadian satellite communications company Telesat Holdings Inc for about $7 billion. [Bloomberg – 04/10/2014]

SES books SpaceX Falcon 9 for launch of SES-9 and SES10, hybrid satellites carrying a mix of chemical and electric propulsion. [Space News – 04/10/2014]

Recent MarketsandMarkets report projects that M2M satellite communication market will be woprth $4.763 billion by 2019. [infoTECH – 04/10/2014]

Ariane 5 upper stage – Credit: ESA artist
concept by D. Ducros – Space News

A new French space law designed to reduce orbital debris risks posing problems for commercial launch services provider Arianespace of France. [Space News – 04/10/2014]

Globalstar is moving to the NY Stock Exchange. [Washington Examiner – 04/10/2014]

Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC) is building out a fresh fleet of satellites that it hopes will propel the company into the industry’s top five. [Via Satellite – 04/10/2014]

Hispasat expands 4K offerings, prepares for more transatlantic broadcasts. [Via Satellite – 04/10/2014]

SES signs multiple Occasional Use (OU) capacity deals with broadcasters to deliver coverage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. [Via Satellite – 04/10/2014]

Gogo starts its first transatlantic connectivity service with SES satellite capacity, using SES-1, SES-4, and SES-6. [SatNewqs – 04/10/2014]

Ball Aerospace completes a series of environmental tests on its commercial remote-sensing satellite, WorldView 3. [Via Satellite – 04/10/2014]

Canada’s SkyTrac Systems Ltd. has been in the business of flight-following, monitoring flight data, and supporting aviation businesses for over twenty years. [Broadcaster Magazine – 04/10/2014]

Panasonic Avionics provides IcelandAir with its FlightLink solution. [Satellite Evolution Group – 04/10/2014]

SES Broadband Services has signed an agreement with German Internet Service Provider ORBITCOM to market its Astra Connect service. [Satellite Evolution Group – 04/10/2014]

Emerging Markets Communications announces satellite connectivity solution for Star Clippers sailing vessels. [4-Traders – 04/10/2014]

Arqiva obtains C-band capacity on AsiaSat 5 to deliver sports coverage to Asia-Pacific. [Via Satellite – 04/10/2014]

SatLink launches new DVB-S2 platform on Eutelsat’s Hot Bird. [Via Satellite – 04/10/2014]

Skycasters announces its newest and largest Mobile Satellite Trailer (MST) with a 1.8-meter satellite dish and a host of enhancements. [StreetInsider – 04/10/2011]

Global satellite broadband communications market in public safety set to increase by 8.5% CAGR during 2013 to 2018. [pr-inside – 04/09/2014]

Emanuel Fthenakis in 1981 – Credit Gerald Martineau/TWP
– Washington Post

Emanuel Fthenakis, who helped develop early satellite communication systems for military and commercial use, died April 3 at a hospital in Rockville, Md. He was 86. [The Washington Post – 04/09/2014]

Northrop Grumman ships payload module for fourth advanced EHF protected communications satellite two months early. [The Wall Street Journal – 04/09/2014]

KazSat 3 – Photo courtesy of magenta-studio.ru – Tengri News

KazSat-3 delivered to Baikonur, for April 28 launch. [Tengri News – 04/09/2014]

SES is working with over 30 manufacturers to create SAT>IP products that take Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) data and transfers it to IP format, allowing it to be transported over in-home IP networks. [Via Satellite – 04/09/2014]

L-3 and Intelsat demonstrate anti-jam technology for military satellites. [Defense Systems – 04/09/2014]

Gogo to Partner with Air Canada to Bring Wi-Fi to its North American Fleet. [Market Watch – 04/09/2014]

KVH Industries, Inc. has come to an agreement with IMG Media to distribute video content of the 2014 FIFA World Cup ™ to merchant ships. [Market Watch – 04/09/2014]

Inmarsat’s east London control room – New York Times photo

Flight 370 search brings satellite company Inmarsat an unaccustomed bit of fame. [NY Times – 04/09/2014]

The latest Hollywood blockbusters will soon be available to commercial shipping companies across the world, delivered directly to vessels at sea via Inmarsat’s global satellite network. [The Maritime Executive – 04/09/2014]

TechNavio’s analysts forecast the Global Satellite-based Earth Observation market will grow at a CAGR of 11.34 percent over the period 2013-2018. [PR Newswire – 04/08/2014]

The CubeSat revolution of the past decade has placed satellite technology within reach of private companies, universities and even unaffiliated individuals. [PHYS-ORG – 04/08/2014]

Lockheed Martin and NewSat Limited successfully complete a comprehensive technical review of Jabiru-1, Australia’s first commercial Ka-band satellite. [Digital Journal – 04/08/2014]

The Australian Navy ship HMAS Success (front) performs a Replenishment
at Sea evolution with the Royal Malaysian Navy ship KD Lekiu – Reuters pic – The Malay Mail Online

Satellite data analysis suggests MH370 flew inverted to site of acoustic signals. [Malay Mail Online – 04/08/2014]

With questions about the challenge of locating Flight 370, Secure World Foundation will host a panel discussion Thursday, May 8, 2014, that will examine the challenges of combining multiple sources of ground-, air- and space-based data. [SatNews – 04/08/2014]

Gogo’s new “2Ku” technology solution for inflight internet, to be launched on international airlines in 2015, uses two antennas and has achieved 70Mbps download speeds. [Forbes – 04/08/2014]

Through its recent acquisition of ARINC and following a MOU with Inmarsat, Rockwell Collins will bring the newest generation of Ka-band satellite communications to airline customers across the world. [Aviation Media – 04/08/2014]

ThinKom’s ThinSat300 ultra low profile Ka-band antenna transmits at rates in excess of 8 Mbps at sustained speeds in excess of 140 kmph (85 mph) during SNG on-the-move test. [SatNews – 04/08/2014]

Photo courtesy of Intellian Technologies – Marine Link

Intellian wins contract to supply Hanjin Shipping of South Korea, with FleetBroadband FB500 terminals for a fleet of 38 container ships [MarineLink – 04/08/2014]

All of the 24 GLONASS satellites that make up Russia’s equivalent of the GPS system failed at once on April 7, confirming urgent need for terrestrial backup system per Locata. [MarketrWired – 04/07/2014]

Military communications market projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.2% to $30.12B by 2019 in new research report at RnRMarketResearch.com. [PCB Design 007 – 04/07/2014]

Iridium NEXT satellite artist’s conception – Courtesy Iridium – Aviation Week

Iridium aims for increasing share of aviation market, focusing on satcom applications beyond the cabin. [Aviation Week – 04/07/2014]

Arqiva selects Eutelsat satellite capacity to expand DTH broadcasting in the UK. [Satellite Spotlight – 04/07/2014]

SpeedCast to host first product demo of its new ReadyCONNECT(TM)TA12, a mobile VSAT solution that combines portability and rapid deployment equipment, at this year’s APPEA Conference and Exhibition. [TMCnet – 04/07/2014]

CNN adopts newest BGAN terminal from Cobham, improving streaming rates via Inmarsat. [PR.com – 04/07/2014]

Airbus Defence and Space has launched XChange v3 to further improve the flow of operational data between ship and shore through sophisticated voice and connectivity service management. [IIFL – 04/07/2014]

 WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services


WBMSAT News Bits 04/04/2014

Friday, April 4th, 2014

Isro successfully launches navigation satellite IRNSS-1B.
[The Times of India – 04/04/2014]

Sentinel-1 – Credit: ESA/ATG medialab – RedOrbit

Sentinal-1A satellite, successfully launched on Thursday, is expected to provide regular access to key environmental data for European citizens, policymakers and service providers.
[RedOrbit – 04/04/2014]

RD180 engine in Atlas 5 rocket – Credit: NASA photo by Jack Pfaller – Space News

U.S. lawmakers press defense officials on use of Russian-made rocket engine.
[Space News – 04/04/2014]

With much more than the ISS at stake, Europe stays the course on Russian space partnerships.
[Space News – 04/04/2014]

Confrontation between SES and European Commission over a June launch slot on Arianespace seems to have been avoided by delay in delivery of Europe’s next Galileo GPS spacecraft.
[Space News – 04/04/2014]

Avanti and Quortus achieve world first in delivery of 4G over satellite.
[Satellite Spotlight – 04/04/2014]

Metop – Credit: ESA artist’s concept – Space News

Airbus is selected over Thales Alenia-OHB for billion-dollar ESA weather satellite contract.
[Space News – 04/04/2014]

Intelsat, BT, Ericsson, Newtec and Sony demonstrate next steps to make 4K UHDTV a commercial reality.
[Smart Grid – 04/04/2014]

After two-year hiatus following filing of bankruptcy, LightSquared has resumed cash payments to Inmarsat to reactivate an agreement on reorganization of L-band spectrum.
[Space News – 04/04/2014]

Optus signs $19.5 million deal with Australian Department of Defence to continue providing managed satellite services until 2018.
[Delimiter – 04/04/2014]

U.S. Air Force hopes to use Operationally Responsive Space (ORS)-5 mission as space surveillance gap filler and pathfinder for future SBSS satellite technologies.
[Space News – 04/04/2014]

Weather satellite launch, Vandenberg – Fox News

$518 million military weather satellite, Defense Meteorological Satellite Program Flight 19, is successfully launched after 15 year wait.
[Fox News – 04/03/2014]

U.S. Air Force identifies six candidate payloads, half from civilian agencies, that could be matched with commercial host satellites in its soon-to-be -awarded Hosted Payload Solutions contract.
[Space News – 04/03/2014]

Large Iridium shareholder calls for sale of company, saying management has consistently ignored interests of shareholders and cannot estimate cost of second-generation satellite constellation.
[Space News – 04/13/2014]

Avanti Communications is selected by Turkish telecom operator ESEER Telekom to deliver its satellite broadband coverage in the Middle East Region.
[4-traders – 04/03/2014]

Arab States Broadcasting Union picks EUTELSAT 21B as broadcast exchange gateway between North Africa, Middle East and Europe.
[TMCnet – 04/03/2014]

Small eruption of Mount Rinjani in Indonesia. Credit: Oliver Spalt, Wikipedia – PHYS-ORG

Satellite view of volcanoes finds the link between ground deformation and eruption.
[PHYS.ORG – 04/03/2014]

KVH increases its lead in the maritime VSAT market according to latest report from Euroconsult, reaching a 26% share of the industry’s 11,000 activated maritime VSAT terminals.
[SatNews – 04/03/2014]

Comtech Telecommunications receives $3.7 million in orders from an international OEM for High Power Amplifiers to be used for jamming communications.
[Satellite Spotlight – 04/03/2014]

U.S. Air Force requested demonstration by Northrup Grumman shows Global Hawk can used additional satellite link to transfer command and control signals separately from mission data.
[Yahoo Finance – 04/03/2014]

Captain Judy Rice with Think Global Flight students – BlueSky

Inmarsat will provide satcom hardware and airtime to the Think Global Flight mission flying to 25 countries and 31 U.S. states to highlight importance of science, technology, engineering and math education.
[BlueSky Business Aviation News – 04/03/2014]

Australian satellite broadband provider NBN adds capacity for 9000 more users.
[The Sydney Morning Herald – 04/03/2014]

Asianet Satellite Communications expects to grow its broadband subscribers by 50% due to its migration from Docsis 2.0 to Docsis 3.0.
[Television Post – 04/03/2014]

Israel-based NovelSat is offering to provide broadcasters with free bandwidth, per se, through its newest product: FreeBand.
[Via Satellite – 04/03/2014]

GT-SAT  deploys MaxLinear MxL862 SoC in its new DLNB, allowing European and Latin American satellite operators to migrate to digital channel stacking.
[Business Wire – 04/03/2014]

Reference design from MaxLinear and STMicroelectronics to speed multi-channel Ultra HD HEVC satellite STB and gateway deployments.
[Financial Content – 04/03/2014]

Example of hyperspectral satellite imaging that STORM will provide. – Via Satellite

Tempus Global Data to use Utah State University-built STORM instrument to provide space-based weather data to commercial and government customers.
[Via Satellite – 04/03/2014]

Azerspace 1 satellite to broadcast Ukrainian TV channels.
[Via Satellite – 04/03/2014]

Skyline Communications announces new office for the Americas in Miami, Florida.
[Satellite Evolution Group – 04/03/2014]

Euroconsult report “Profiles of Government Space Programs” reveals decline in global budgets for space programs for first time in nearly 20 years.
[Via Satellite – 04/02/2014]

Ultra-secure communications payload on third AEHF satellite activated for first time, and user testing begins.
[4-traders – 04/02/2014]

The launch of Ukraine’s first-ever communications satellite has been delayed by the Russian annexation of Crimea.
[Broadband TV News – 04/02/2014]

China delivers communications satellite project to Bolivia.
[Global Times – 04/02/2014]

As U.S. and coalition forces draw down in Afghanistan, a suitcase-sized satellite communications kit will help keep communications disruptions to a minimum.
[ECN – 04/02/2014]

Goldin Associates acquires communications advisory firm Summit Ridge Group.
[Digital Journal – 04/02/2014]

The global M2M satellite communication market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.8% from 2014 to 2019 in new Research and Markets report.
[Satellite Spotlight – 04/01/2014]

Wikipedia photo – Via Satellite

Recent talks between Charlie Ergen of Dish and Mike White of DirecTV reignite discussions on whether a merger is possible – familiar FCC and DOJ objections likely remain in place.
[Via Satellite – 04/01/2014]

Ball Aerospace and Aerojet Rocketdyne green propellant test results surpass expectations.
[Via Satellite – 04/01/2014]

Emerging Markets Communications establishes new location in Aberdeen, Scotland.
[PR Web – 04/01/2014]

RRsat is selected as key delivery partner of DFH Network for North American distribution in $6 million deal.
[Via Satellite – 04/01/2014]

NASA Data Systems partners with Avanti Communications to deploy satellite broadband in Middle East.
[Yahoo Finance – 04/01/2014]

EM Solutions gets grant from Australian government under the Defence Science and Technology Organisation’s Capability and Technology Demonstrator Program.
[SatNews – 04/01/2014]

NSR’s Energy Markets via Satellite, 4th Edition provides the industry-leading, dedicated analysis on the energy markets – from pipeline SCADA applications to semi-submersible drilling platforms.
[NSR – April 2014]

“NAB 2014 to Highlight the New Multiplatform Media Environment” by Virgil Labrador, “Trends in Broadcasting” by Elisabeth Tweedie, “Direct-to-Home Satellite Trends” by Dmitri Buchs, “Back and Forth with Jorge Villareal, Tomaz Lovsin and Eric Greenberg” by Lou Zacharilla, and “The Road to Sprint/T-Mobile Merger Goes through DISH” by Armand Musey.
[Satellite Exeutive Briefing – April 2014]

Sea Launch advises Eutelsat Communications to postpone the scheduled launch of its Eutelsat 3B satellite on April 15 due to installation discrepancy.
[Wall Street Journal – 03/31/2014]

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISROI) scientists believe the failure of imported components for the satellite power supplies may be the cause of INSAT-4B glitches.
[SatNews – 03/31/2014]

Latest leak from Snowden – the NSA and GCHQ hacked into the systems of three German satellite communication providers.
[The Register – 03/31/2014]

Capacity on nine Eutelsat satellites mobilised for worldwide high definition coverage of canonisation of John XXIII and John Paul II.
[The Wall Street Journal – 03/31/2014]

Image: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center – R&D Magazine

Data on photosynthesis activity teased from current satellite data shows high productivity in U.S. corn belt.
[R&D Magazine – 03/31/2014]

Saft satellite battery. Photo: Saft – Via Satellite

Battery technology company Saft looks to discoveries across multiple industries in order to improve pace of development for space-specific batteries.
[Via Satellite – 03/31/2014]

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation announces it has completed in-orbit delivery of TURKSAT-4A to Turksat.
[Financial Content – 03/30/2014]

WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services


WBMSAT News Bits 03/28/2014

Tuesday, April 1st, 2014

Inmarsat engineers worked out probable path of flight MH370 using Doppler effect of signals from the plane to their satellites.
[asia one Malaysia – 03/28/2014]


An artist’s image of a robotic refueler (left) approaching an orbiting satellite –
Credit: NASA – Space.com

Advocates say robotically refueling and maintaining satellites in Earth orbit will allow government agencies and private companies to dramatically extend their lifetime.
[Space.com – 03/28/2014]

CFOSat – Credit: CNES artist’s concept by Oliver Sattler – Space News

French and Chinese space agencies confirm joint venture to build ocean-surface radar satellite carrying instruments from both nations.
[Space News – 03/28/2014]

Thousands of VSAT operators left in lurch by failure of India’s Insat 3 satellite.
[Space News – 03/28/2014]

Research and Markets has added “Global Satellite Communication in the Oil and Gas Industry 2014-2018″ to their offering, discussing the expected growth of UDW rigs and role of satellite communication for UDW exploration.
[Digital Journal – 03/28/2014]

New Euroconsult research assesses distribution mechanisms within the Earth Observation value chain.
[Satellite Markets & Research – 03/28/2014]

Third AEHF satellite begins transmitting using its protected communications payload, joining two other satellites undergoing system test in orbit with a suite of user terminals.
[AZO Sensors – 03/28/2014]

F-15E – Credit: Boeing artist’s concept – Space News

Boeing Defense Space and Security, targeting 66% reduction in launch cost, wins three way competition for Pentagon contract to build and demonstrate low-cost airborne satellite launching system.
[Space News – 03/28/2014]

New U.S. military weather satellites could launch on Minotaur rockets.
[Space News – 03/28/2014]

Arianespace’s medium-lift Soyuz launch with the Sentinel-1A Earth observation satellite is moving into its final preparations for an April 3 liftoff from French Guiana.
[Space Mart – 03/28/2014]

Sentinel 5 – Credit: ESA artist’s concept – Space News

ESA orders nearly $200 million spectrometer from Airbus for polar-orbiting meteorological satellite to be launched in 2021.
[Space News – 03/28/2014]

Commercial-off-the-shelf consumer components are now just as reliable as hardware specifically developed for satellites, driving the small satellite revolution, according to Surrey founder.
[Space News – 03/28/2014]

Inmarsat is supporting the Think Global Flight mission to highlight the importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.
[Incentive Travel – 03/28/2014]

Image taken by the Thaichote satellite on March 24, 2014 –
Source: Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency – Bloomberg

Thai satellite images of more than 300 objects in the south Indian Ocean produced another lead in the hunt for Malaysian Air Flight 370.
[Bloomberg – 03/27/2014]

Opening new assembly line, Orbital Sciences Technology announces it is manufacturing 81 new satellites for Iridium at its Gilbert Arizona factory.
[Business Wire – 03/27/2014]

Asian satellite fleet operators and service providers are counting on the growth of high-definition (HD) television in the region to offset any drop in prices for C-band capacity due to oversupply.
[Space News – 03/27/2014]

ISRO announces April 4 launch for new Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System 1B satellite.
[Via Satellite – 03/27/2014]

ETL Systems has been chosen by Boeing to support Inmarsat’s GX services for high speed maritime communications.
[Satellite Spotlight – 03/27/2014

Commercial vessel equipped with KVH’s TracPhone V7. Photo: KVH – Via Satellite

RHL Hamburger Lloyd Tanker selects KVH Mini-VSAT broadband to provide global broadband service for tankers.
[Wall Street Journal – 03/27/2014]

Novelsat claims that its newly introduced FreeBand solution gives broadcasters “free” bandwidth for video contribution.
[Satellite Evolution Group – 03/27/2014]

Gogo receives certification for in-flight connectivity in Europe.
[Via Satellite – 03/27/2014]

Japan Airline has selected Panasonic Avionics for an expansion of in-flight Wi-Fi for its international fleet, including 787′s, 777-200ER’s, and 767-300ER’s.
[Via Satellite – 03/27/2014]

According to SVP of marketing and strategic planning at KVH, all the major sectors of the maritime industry are pushing for greater connectivity.
[Via Satellite – 03/27/2014]

Evolve Broadband deploys Globecomm Systems’ hybrid 4G LTE solutions.
[Via Satellite – 03/27/2014]

More than 1,000 satellites are in orbit.
[The Washington Post – 03/27/2014]

LandSat 8 images of mudslide area before (bottom) and after – SatNews

Landsat 8 uses Operational Land Imager (OLI) to observe fatal mudslide in Washington State.
[SatNews – 03/26/2014]

Recent deals may signal that civil government uptake could present tangible opportunities, thus softening the blow from milsatcom decline in most markets in the short/medium term.
[NSR – 03/26/2014]

GPM Image of March 10 cyclone – Photo: NASA/JAXA – Via Satellite

NASA and JAXA release first images from the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory.
[Via Satellite – 03/26/2014]

Singer’s NML Capital, seeking to enforce $1.7 billion in judgments over Argentina’s defaulted bonds, sues SpaceX over Argentina launch contracts
[Space News – 03/26/2014]

The National Broadband Network Company of Australia institutes a “fair use” policy and deploys additional capacity to allow its interim satellite service to function more effectively.
[Delimiter – 03/26/2014]

Yahsat and Thuraya co-host annual satellite industry reception in Washington D.C.
[Zawya – 03/26/2014]

Delta Air Lines will be launching Gogo’s Wi-Fi service on international flights of Ku-band-enabled Boeing 747-400′s.
[Via Satellite – 03/26/2014]

New report by MarketsandMarkets puts value of M2M satellite communication market at $4,763.4 million by 2019.
[TMC News – 03/25/2014

Glonass M satellite – Photo: JSC “Academician M.F. Reshetnev”
Information Satellite Systems – Via Satellite

Russia’s Glonass M satellite successfully separates from “Fregat” stage and reaches orbit.
[Via Satellite – 03/25/2014]

JAXA chooses Mitsubishi Heavy Industries as prime contractor for development of new flagship launcher with greater commercial focus.
[Via Satellite – 03/25/2014]

Communication Technology Satellite – Credit: NASA – Space.cm

Space history photo – Communication Technology Satellite launched in 1976, after five years of cooperation between Canada and the U.S.
[Space.com – 03/25/2014]

Boeing meets key production milestones on initial 702 Small Platform (SP) all-electric propulsion satellites, with late 2014 or early 2015 delivery expected.
[Via Satellite – 03/25/2014]

C-COM increases its sales presence in the Middle East and Africa.
[Reuters – 03/25/2014]

Profen establishes Turkish Gateway Earth Station to manage internet traffic in Turkey provided on Avanti’s HYLAS 2 satellite.
[Satellite Spotlight – 03/25/2014]

F-35A – Credit: Matt Short/Lockheed Martin – Aviation Week

South Korea is likely securing an offset deal that will include a new military communications satellite along with its F-35A purchase.
[Aviation Week – 03/24/2014]

TV5MONDSEW HD chooses MEASAT for Asia-wide distribution.
[Satellite Evolution Group – 03/25/2014]

Federal agencies are learning that with recent developments, the tools of commercial satellite communications (COMSATCOM) are becoming increasingly efficient and effective.
[Federal Times – 03/24/2014]

ViviSat, a satellite-servicing startup developing life-extension vehicles for end-of-life commercial communications satellites in geostationary orbit, has booked two customers for three missions, and expects to start building its specialized spacecraft by the end of 2014.
[Aviation Week – 03/24/2014]

Airbus Defence & Space launches new AuroraGlobal satellite communications package that collates Ka-band, Ku-band and L-band services, integrating offerings from Inmarsat, Iridium, Intelsat, Eutelsat, Telenor, Thuraya and SES.
[Seatrade Global – 03/24/2014]

Inmarsat launches IsatPhone 2, with longest battery life in the industry, capable of receiving incoming call alerts with antenna stowed.
[Morning Star – 03/24/2014]

Kratos has been selected by Turksat Satellite Communication to deliver a full-motion antenna system for installation at its Gölba ?, Turkey site.
[Wall Street Journal – 03/24/2014]

Satcom Direct earns initial STC from the FA for installation of its Satcom Direct Router (SDR) in Lear 60 aircraft.
[Digital Journal – 03/24/2014]

OG2 satellite under construction – Photo: Sierra Nevada Corporation – Via Satellite

With the launch of the first six OG2 satellites coming up at the end of April, Orbcomm is planning to offer two new services that the company hopes will greatly expand its share of the M2M market.
[Via Satellite – 03/24/2014]

Lockheed Martin awards General Dynamics contract for U.S. Air Force GPS 3 satellite program.
[Via Satellite – 03/24/2014]

Ariane 5 ECS launch – NASA photo – NASA Spaceflight.com

Arianespace successfully lofted Astra 5B and Amazonas 4A into orbit via their Ariane 5 ECA rocket on Saturday, March 22.
[NASA Spaceflight.com – 03/22/2014]

At Mobile Deployable Communications Conference adaptability, agility, and scalability seen as key requirements, with a continued extant requirement for bandwidth and operability even as budgets tighten.
[iDirect Blog – 03/22/2014]