SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches NOAA’s Deep Space Climate Observatory mission – Credit: SpaceX – Space News
SES agrees to be the inaugural customer aboard an enhanced version of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket following careful review of its more powerful first stage engine block. [Space News – 02/202015]
China nears launch of hack-proof ‘quantum communications’ link, plans satellite launch in 2016 as first step towards quantum network in the sky. [Market Watch – 02/09/2015]
Cygnus berthing with ISS – NASA Photo – Space News
Orbital Sciences Corp.’s Cygnus space capsule berths with International Space Station on re-supply mission. [Space News – 01/13/2013]
China’s space policy is open to the world, according to the new chief of China’s space industry. [Space Mart – 01/13/2013]
Iran is preparing to orbit three new home-made satellites in the future, according to Vice-President for Executive Affairs Mohammad Shariatmadari. [Space News – 01/13/2013]
Boeing completes first of two 702HP geomobile satellites, Centenario. for government of Mexico. [Space Daily – 01/10/2014]
Sky Perfect JSat selects SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket to launch JCSat-14 communications satellite in 2015. [Space News – 01/10/2013]
KVH surpasses 100-vessel mark in 10-year contract to supply next-generation satellite communications to U.S. Coast Guard cutter fleet, with 29.2 terabytes of data and over 835,000 VOIP minutes provided thus far. [SatNews – 01/10/2014]
SpaceShipTwo – Space News
Virgin Galactic’s SpaceshipTwo reaches highest altitude to date in rocket-powered test flight over Mojave desert. [Space News – 01/10/2013]
Falcon 9 v1.1 appears to have met U.S. Air Force’s requirements to bid for national security launches and challenge the market incumbent, United Launch Alliance. [Space News – 01/09/2013]
Nextgov file photo
Obama administration extends International Space Station support another four years. [Nextgov – 01/09/2013]
Launch of Orbital Science’s Antares mission following one-day delay raises awareness of space weather-induced flight risks. [Via Satellite – 01/09/2014]
Sea Launch Launch – Space News
Energia chooses Sea Launch to launch the AngolaSat telecommunications satellite and the Energia 100 broadband satelli8te in 2016 in a dual-satellite mission. [Space News – 01/09/2013]
Huge solar flare causes Orbital Science’s Antares team to scrub ISS resupply mission. [NBC News – 01/08/2013]
Zinwell Corp is developing a new satellite digital outdoor unit (D-ODU) using MaxLinear’s channel stacking system on chip (SoC). [Via Satellite – 01/09/2014]
Use of satellite imagery is strongly related to economic growth – Asia good example as one of the most dynamic regional EO markets over the past five years. [NSR – 01/08/2014]
GATR Technologies wins $440 million contract with U.S. Army for inflatable satellite communications antennas. [BusinessWire – 01/08/2014]
Dish withdraws $2.2 billion bid to buy bankrupt LightSquared, as trial got underway over whether Dish’s Charles Ergen had unlawfully bought LightSquared’s debt in effort to take over the company. [Reuters – 01/08/2013]
Arianespace postpones launch of Ariane 5 ECA mission, citing need to change-out unspecified equipment on the VA217 Ariane 5 ECA launcher. [Via Satellite – 01/07/2014]
Computer Security firm analysis states that VSAT terminals may pose a soft target for hackers, finding more than 10,000 terminals of 3 million investigated to be using default passwords or having open ports. [Computer World – 01/07/2014]
Broadcom announces new Outdoor Unit (ODU) satellite chipset that enables wider range of services to more subscribers without additional dish installations. [Market Watch – 01/07/2014]
West African mining company uses satellite/cellular terminals to track mine vehicles where no other means of communications are available. [Directions Magazine – 01/07/2014]
United Launch Alliance launch of Delta IV carrying the fifth Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS-5) satellite is rescheduled for Thursday, May 23. [SatNews – 05/20/2013]
European Space Agency’s Proba-V earth observation satellite is in good health following last week’s launch. [SatNews – 05/20/2013]
Indian Space Research Organization ready to launch the Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System on June 12th. [SatNews – 05/20/2013]
Pakistan is set to become the fifth Asian country to use China’s domestic satellite navigation system. [GPS Daily – 05/18/2013]
ViaSat-2, to be built by Boeing, will employ a design that has never been seen before to enable broad geographic reach and 2.5 times the capacity of ViaSat-1. [Space News – 05/17/2013]
Europe’s billion-dollar Alphasat I-XL satellite, with 400 spot beams, is being readied for a launch that may be the program’s last. [Space News – 05/17/2013]
International SunSat design competition launched to design next-generation of Solar Power Satellites with supportive infrastructure. [indiegogo – May 2013]
Gogo gets FCC blanket license to operate up to 1,000 Ku-band satellite aircraft for international and domestic service. [Satellite Evolution Group – 05/16/2013]
Skybox announces strategic partnership with Japan Space Imaging to prov ide high-resolution imagery and full motion commercial video to the Japanese market. [Satellite Evolution Group – 05/16/2013]
Pentagon renews lease of Chinese satellite for another year, stating that Apstar-7 remained to only satellite solution available that meets AFRICOM’s satellite communications requirements. [Bloomberg Businessweek – 05/15/2013]
Senator McCain’s Televisions Consumer Freedom Act woul eliminate regulatory barriers ranging from blacking out sports games to how cable plans are priced, and would allow satellite providers to provide “a la carte” programming. [Satellite Today – 05/15/2013]
Planet-hunting Kepler spacecraft loses second momentum wheel, of four, and it’s planet-hunting days may be over. [Space News – 05/15/2013]
Astrium is selected to build Express-AMU1/EUTELSAT 36C satellite to be launched in 2015 to provide broadcast services in European part of Russian Federation in Ku and Ka bands. [Yahoo Finance – 05/15/2013]
Dish gets four banks to finance $9 billion of its $25.5 billion bid for Sprint [Reuters – 05/15/2013]
Viasat and the L-3 Platform Integration Division sign memorandum of agreement to collaborate on complete broadband satellite communication system for airline-sized planes. [financial news – 05/15/2013]
CASBAA’s annual Satellite Industry Forum to take place June 17 at Shangri-La, Singapore. [Media Mughals – 05/14/2013]
By Light gets task order to provide satellite bandwidth and terrestrial services to the Missile Defense Agency. [Satellite Spotlight – 05/14/2013]
The U.S. Navy and Lockheed Martin deliver the second Mobile User Objective System satellite to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station for a launch scheduled in July. [4-traders – 05/13/2013]
Cobham purchases Axell Wireless Ltd., a privately-owned supplier of wireless communications for commercial and public safety markets. [Microwave Journal – 05/13/2013]
Hughes signs Morsviazsputnik in Russia, the licensed operator of Inmarsat’s mobile satellite services sector in Russia, as a distribution partner for Hughes BGAN mobile satellite products. [Yahoo Finance – 05/13/2013]
Global satellite and terrestrial connectivity provider Emerging Markets Communications commits to join the Global VSAT Form’s Satellite Spectrum Initiative Campaign, combating satellite interference. [Satellite Spotlight – 05/13/2013]
NSR publishes 3rd edition of its Satellite Manufacturing & Launch Services report as a guide for opportunities within the sector over the next 10 – 15 years. [NSR – May 2013]
NSR publishes Aeronautical Satcom Markets report to answer critical questions affecting the in-flight connectivity business. [NSR – May 2013]
Khathmandu government forms committee to study feasibility of launching Nepal’s first satellite to a slot assigned the the ITU in 1984. [The Himalayan – 05/05/2013]
U.S. Air Force has been quietly developing and has finally fielded measures to counter interference and electronic attacks directed against satellite communications. [Defence Update – 05/03/2013]
China launches state-owned communications satellite to transmit TV and data to commercial customers across Asia, Africa and Australia for the next 5 years. [RapidTV news- 05/03/2013]
Pentagon indirectly leases capacity on a Chinese satellite, leading to criticism from Capitol Hill – situation could become commonplace without reform in the way the military procures commercial satellite capacity. [SpaceNews – 05/03/2013]
Steve Birnbaum of the Global VSAT Forum (GVF) is honored by the White House for expertise and innovative HTS satellite solutions that enabled locally-driven community response during Hurricane Sandy relief operations. [SatNews – 05/03/2013]
Inmarsat and Honeywell partner with Ka-band; as Inmarsat prepares to launch first Global Xpress Ka-band satellite, Honeywell completes preliminary design review of satcom hardware for aircraft. [AIN online – 05/03/2013]
A top line-up of global satellite communications experts to meet in Abu Dhabi and discuss next steps forward in global military telecom market expected to reach $7.4 billion in 2013. [TradeArabia – 05/02/2013]
Iridium joint venture Aireon, developer of world’s first satellite-based global air traffic surveillance system, signs long-term commercial. data services contract with NAV CANADA. [Satellite Evolution Group – 05/02/2013]
Harris Caprock completes installation of advanced communications solutions onboard 33 Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. vessels that will improve crew morale, guest experiences, and company operational efficiencies. [Harris Caprock – 05/02/2013]
Comtech Xicom gets $1.2 million contract from a leading European integrator for antenna-mount Ku-band ampliviers to be used in transportable uplink systems for a TV broadcast network. [Satellite Evolution Group – 05/02/2013]
Chinese launch Chinasat-ll (Zhongxing-1) aboard a Long March 3B/E (Chang Zheng-3B/E) rocket form the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. [NASA Spaceflight – 05/01/2013]
Militaries worldwide forced to face same questions as businesses and demand for satellite capacity increases – is Ka-band the way forward, and can they modernize while cutting costs? [Satellite Today – 05/01/2013]
Sea Launch failure identified as hydraulic oil pump not built to specifications, company aims to return to flight by year’s end. [Space News – 05/01/2013]
TeleCommunicaton Systems receives $4 million funded order for satellite modems from U.S. Army. [Sacramento Bee – 05/01/2013]
Hiltron products to be showcased at Broadcast Asia 2013 include advanced motorized antenna mount. control system, and SNG satellite link monitor and controller that allow SNG uplinks to be operated on inclined orbit satellites. [4rfv.co.uk – 05/01/2013]
Advantech Wireless releases new Sapphire Series 600W Ku-band UltraLinearTM GaiN SSPA/BUC, the ultimate solution for Direct to Home TV. [Satellite Evolution Group – 05/01/2013]
May Satellite Executive Briefing magazine includes: ‘Update on the African Satellite Market’ by Virgil Labrador, ‘The Lack of Consensus on Spectrum Demand’ by Armand Musey, and ‘Back and Forth with O3b Networks CEO Steve Collar’ by Lou Zacharilla. [Satellite Markets – May 2013]
Russia wins, SpaceX loses, as NASA budget cuts force choice for manned space missions. [Quartz – 04/30/2013]
SES hopes for strong impact in the UK satellite broadband market, signing a deal with BeyonDSL for the distribution of SES Broadband in the U.K. and Ireland. [Satellite Today – 04/30/2013]
NordNet deploys Gilat’s SkyEdge II-c VSATs for high-end broadband-over-satellite service in France. [Yahoo Finance – 04/30/2013]
Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo makes its first powered flight, breaking the sound barrier in a test over the Mojave Desert. [R&D Magazine – 04/29/2013]
As O3b’s first satellites arrive in French Guiana, the Exploration & Production, and Mining operations segment represents a small but high-end market awaiting the availability of fiber speeds by satellite. [NSR – 04/29/2013]
Orbital sciences will design and build a new satellite for NASA that will investigate the connection between space weather and Earth’s terrestrial weather. [R&D Magazine – 04/29/2013]
Intelsat 27 plunges into Pacific as Zenit-3SL Sea Launch rocket fails 50 seconds after launch, possibly veering off course due to heavy waves. [Space Travel – 02/01/2013]
DigitalGlobe enters GeoEye into United Arab Emirates competition by proposing to sell the nearly completed GeoEye-2 satellite to the UAE. [Space News – 02/01/2013]
NASA successfully launches a Terrier-Improved Orion suborbital rocket from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. [Space Travel – 02/01/2013]
Iran’s claims to have launched a Pioneer Explorer Satellite with a monkey aboard, and to have safely recovered the monkey, called into question as photos appear to show two different monkeys. [Space News – 02/01/2013]
Inmarsat, with partners AnsuR Technologies and SingTel, showcase portfolio of voice and data solutions at Asia Pacific Aid and International Development Forum in Thailand. [SatNews – 02/01/2013]
Yahsat partners with turIT Uganda to begin operating its Yahclick satellite broadband service in Uganda. [Satellite Today – 01/31/2013]
Eutelsat announces it will deliver the fastest satellite-based consumer broadband speeds in the United Kingdom with a new range of Tooway packages with unlimited data download usage day and night, at competitive prices. [Satellite Today – 01/31/2013]
PolarSat receives multiple orders from General Administration of Civil Aviation of China for equipment supply and technical services for additional VSATPlus II satellite communications equipment. [SatNews – 01/31/2013]
NASA program will use spare parts from a retired wind-measurement satellite to build a new hosted observatory that will be launched to the International Space Station in 2014. [Space News – 01/30/2013]
South Korea successfully launches its first satellite, an Earth observation satellite launched aboard the Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1 (KSLV-1). [Satellite Today – 01/30/2013]
Inmarsat introduces Remote Terminal Manager, which provides management and control over unmanned M2M terminals in the field. [Satellite Today – 01/30/2013]
New NASA TDRS-K satellite is first of three to launch between now and 2014 to upgrade the TDRS satellite network for tracking spacecraft and satellites orbiting Earth. [Space.com – 01/29/2013]
Boeing completes software qualification and systems integration tests on U.S. Air Force Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminal (FAB-T) program which will provide protected wideband satellite communications for command and control of U.S. nuclear forces. [Satellite Spotlight – 01/29/2013]
Satellite-Based Augmentation Systems Interoperability Working Group meets in France, welcoming for the first time Russian and Indian representatives. [Satellite Today – 01/29/2013]
Hughes satellite broadband internet and voice supports Habitat for Humanity in Superstorm Sandy recovery efforts. [msn MONEY – 01/29/2013]
Swedish based satellite broadband supplier Ancylus enters strategic partnership with Net1 to offer Scandinavian and Nordic maritime market a cost effective Hybrid broadband solution. [WBMSAT – 01/29/2013]
Skywave’s IsatData Pro satellite network and ILS Technology’s deviceWISE M2M platform are teamed to enable Oil & Gas, Utilities, and Industrial Automation industries to implement SCADA applications in less time at lower cost. [Satellite Spotlight – 01/29/2013]
Gilat announces its subsidiary Wavestream has exclusive contract to provide Ka-band tranceivers to Honeywell to provide in-flight connectivity to Inmarsat Global Xpress network. [MarketWatch – 01/29/2013]
Singapore’s MediaCorp selects Pay-OTT platform provider Tvinci to power its new cross device service, Toggle, available as a subscription or pay per view service offering both linear and video on-demand. [Satellite Today – 01/29/2013]
NATO’s protected satellite communications capability to be upgraded by Thales to enhance performance and reduce operational costs. [UPI – 01/28/2013]
ViaSat signs contracts that increase Ku-band satellite capacity of Global Mobility Satellite Network by more than 60 percent. [4-traders – 01/28/2013]
Hughes is contracted by government of Punjab to provide India’s largest ever satellite-based education network, for over 2900 schools. [msn MONEY – 01/28/2013]
Japan plans to offer 4K satellite video broadcasts starting in July 2014; also, NHK expects to bring 8K on line by 2016 (8K is understood to be at the limit of what the human eye can process). [Satellite Today – 01/28/2013]
Rusat, a Russian satellite service provider for enterprise, ISPs, and government agencies, launches new satellite broadband service using Newtec’s latest VSAT hub and end-user terminal technology. [Satellite Today – 01/28/2013]
Japan successfully launches two intelligence satellites, amid concerns over North Korean plans for additional long-range rocket tests and nuclear tests. [Satellite Today – 01/27/2013]