Really Rocket Science

Countdown To Launch – webcast of EUTELSAT 3D launch will begin at 11:00 am EDT on May 14th, with the live launch at 12:02 pm EDT / 10:02 pm Baikonur.
[ILS – Countdown to Launch]

EchoStar returns to International Launch Services to contract for launch of the heaviest commercial satellite to date.
[Space News – 05/13/2013]

Air Force expects to shave $1 billion from its space acquisition portfolio over the next five years, primarily through efficiencies that include reduced oversight of key programs.
[Space News – 05/10/2013]

Boeing wins contract from undisclosed customer for small classified satellite.
[Space News – 05/10/2013]

FCC committee votes 4-0 to advance Qualcomm plan for 150 – 200 ground stations using 500 MHz of spectrum in the 14.0 to 14.5 GHz band to provide broadband to aircraft.
[Fierce Broadband Wireless – 05/10/2013]

Intelsat adds its name to the list of commercial satellite owners whose business is feeling the effects of Sequestration.
[Space News – 05/10/2013]

DigitalGlobe’s NGA contract is protected from Sequestration.
[Space News – 5/10/2013]

On the sidelines at Milsatcom Middle East, regional governments are warned to beef up protection of military and government satellite communications in the face of increasing cyberattacks.
[The National- 05/10/2013]

Singapore Army is enhancing battlefield communications through its Wide Area Communications (WAC) system that includes the Ku-Band Satellite Communications system.
[asiaone – 05/10/2013]

Intelsat buying four more Epic satellites from Boeing.
[Space News – 05/09/2013]

Astrium to sell Yahsat military Ka-band capacity on Yahsat 1B to the U.S. military.
[Space News – 05/09/2013]

Canadian space hardware and service provider MDA, which recently acquired Space Systems/Loral, is investing in SS/L’s California campus to pursue U.S. government business.
[Space News – 05/09/2013]

Inmarsat acquires TC Communications of Australia, a satellite communications specialist, to support Inmarsat’s expanding Global Government and Enterprise Business Units.
[telecompaper – 05/09/2013]

TCS (TeleCommunication Systems) receives $2 million in incremental funding to deliver communications systems support for U.S. Marine Corps.
[Satellite Spotlight – 05/09/2013]

SatADSL, a Belgian company providing satellite Internet access and communications service in SubSaharan Africa completes capital increase aimed at financing its development over the next 5 years.
[Satellite Evolution Group – 05/09/20132]

DISA looks for new, secure capability to replace some Iridium satellite phones that are over 15 years old and going out of production.
[Defence Systems – 05/08/2013]

Telesat’s new Anik G1 satellite begins commercial service.
[NASDAQ – 05/08/2013]

New Kazakh satellite to offer paid telecommunication services to neighboring countries.
[Satellite Spotlight – 05/08/2013]

Astrium enhances it hybrid communications network offering for mining companies in remote areas with an extension of MPLS capabilities through a new POP in Paris.
[Satellite Today – 05/08/2013]

NavigationArts creates application to view and manage satellite beam information on moving military aircraft for iDirect Government Technologies.
[EON – 05/08/2013]

More than 400 space and satellite experts attend fourth edition of the Global Space & Satellite Forum and Milsatcom Middle East in Abu Dhabi.
[TradeArabia – 05/08/2013]

Startup partners with Russian firm to stream earth observation video from the International Space Station.
[Quartz – 05/07/2013]

Pentagon launches “long overdue” effort to safeguard U.S. national security satellites and develop ways to counter the space capabilities of potential adversaries.
[Reuters – 05/07/2013]

Texas House Bill supporting construction of rocket launch site in South Texas by SpaceX is blocked by longest-serving member of the Senate.
[Chron – 05/07/2013]

Berg Insight report cites ORBCOMM as the largest vendor of intermodal container tracking solutions.
[EON – 05/07/2013]

By Light is awarded a five year contract to provide a global broadband, two-way, IP data services capability in support of the Defense Logistics Agency worldwide logistical mission.
[Business Wire – 05/06/2013]

Armada’s associate CMSCG achieves swift distribution of Thuraya mobile satellite phones for fast-growing China market.
[4-traders – 05/05/2013]

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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]

Second launch of Vega rocket is scrubbed by Arianespace due to high altitude winds.
[NASA Spaceflight – 05/03/2013]

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]

NASA pays Russia $70 million per astronaut to ISS; blames Congress for expense.
[R&D Magazine – 05/01/2013]

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]

ViaSat Exede Internet receives 2013 Edison Award for Innovation.
[Yahoo Finance – 04/29/2013]

Is space junk a market waiting to be exploited?
[Quartz – 04/25/2013]

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Are all electric satellites a revolution in the manufacture of satellites, or a natural evolution? [Satellite Today – 05/01/2013]

Spanish/Norwegian cooperation programme HISNORSAT is put on hold. [The Norway Post – 04/28/2013]

NSR believes new technological choices will accelerate the split of satellite design into two categories: one driven by payload maximization and the other driven by savings. [SatNews – 04/25/2013]

Walton announces new fabric for its Snow Shield covers that outperforms that of its competitors, while half the price of the Gore-Tex now used. [SatNews – 04/26/2013

Turkey launches new satellite from China’s Zhiuguan base. [Satellite Spotlight – 04/26/2013]

Russian cargo spacecraft which failed to deploy one of its antennas after Wednesday launch docks with International Space Station. [Space News – 04/26/2013]

Eumetsat’s Metop-B replaces Metop-A as its prime operational polar-orbiting satellite following its commissioning period. [SatNews – 04/25/2013]

Iridium’s hosted payload with Harris represents a landmark for the company. [Satellite Today – 04/26/2013]

SES announces increased satellite penetration in Ukraine, to 22 percent of all TV households, or 3.7 million households. [Satellite Today – 04/25/2013]

Eutelsat Broadband helps workers from Ross-Shire Engineering stay in touch whilst constructing water treatment plants in some of the remotest parts of Scotland. [Satellite Evolution Group – 04/25/2013]

Orbital Sciences Corporation selected by NASA to design, manufacture, integrate and test a new astrophysics satellite that will perform full-sky search for exoplanets around nearby stars. [Satellite Evolution Group – 04/25/2013]

Hughes launches new HughesON managed network and digital media solutions for the enterprise and government markets. [Satellite Evolution Group – 04/25/2013]

Earth observation data sales continue to grow globally – a Euroconsult report. [Satellite Evolution Group – 04/25/2013]

Hughes 9502 BGAN M2M ‘integrated antenna’ terminal receives Inmarsat type approval. [Yahoo Finance – 04/24/2013]

Kymeta is the first to close a Ka-band link with a passive phased array antenna using metamaterials. [EON – 04/23/2013]

iDirect to host its third annual Global Partner Summit, where industry leaders from around the world will discuss market trends, insights, and best practices, in Istanbul May 6 – 8. [Wall Street Journal 04/23/2013]

Speedcast acquires Australian satellite communications service provider Pactel International. [Satellite Today – 04/23/2013]

KVH’s TracPhone V3-IP and mini-VSAT satellite broadband ideal for remote oil and gas applications including on moving vehicles. [Wall Street Journal – 04/23/2013]

Israel Defense Forces select Gilat SatTrooper 1000 to provide Israeli soldiers with dependable data, video and telephony at broadband speeds. [NBC News – 04/23/2013]

SES, Inverto, Abilis, and MaxLinear develop the first low-noise block down-converter to incorporae eight-channel satellite-to-IP bridging technology. [Business Wire – 04/22/2013]

UniSA develops low-cost satellite system for sending and receiving sensor information collected in Australia’s vast unpopulated areas. [Spatial Source – 04/23/2013]

Telecom reform proposed by new Mexican President features important opportunities for foreign investors and satellite communications service providers. [Satellite Today – 05/01/2013]

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The 6th European Conference on Space Debris will be held at ESOC, ESA’s European Space Operations Center, Darmstadt, Germany, 22 – 25 April. [Space Daily – 04/19/2013]

Orbital now plans April 20 launch for Antares rocket. [Space News – 04/19/2013]

Galileo In-Orbit Verification In Orbit Test Review Board held at European Space Agency facility in Noordwijk, Netherlands, is declared a full success. [SatNews – 04/19/2013]\

Capacity on Azerbaijan’s first communications satellite, with Ku- and C-band transponders but no Ka-band, may be too expensive for internet providers. [ABC.AZ – 04/19/20103]

NASA seeks proposals for suborbital technology payloads and spacecraft capability enhancements that could be used on future space missions. [Space Travel – 04/18/2013]

Intelsat raises $347.8 million in IPO, less than hoped for, but stocks rise 7% in first day after offering. [Bloomberg – 04/18/2013]

Libya participates in Arabsat’s General Assembly Meeting. [Libya Herald – 04/18/2013]

COM DEV built multiplexers and switches populate Telesat’s Anik G1 satellite successfully launched April 15. [SatNews – 04/18/2013]

Responder to Superstorm Sandy disaster in Breezy Point, NY turns to Global VSAT Forum to put him in touch with satellite communications companies that are helping the community recover. [Urgent Communications – 04/18/2013]

TSF brings satellite broadband communications to Syrian refugee camps. [SatNews – 04/18/2013]

Beam Communications provides satellite communication solution to Australian charity organization Just 4 Kids. [Satellite Today – 04/18/2013]

General Dynamics PRC-155 manpack radio is successfully tested through on-orbit MUOS satellite network. [Wall Street Journal – 04/18/2013]

GMPCS introduces new line of Ka-band uplink field kits for satellite newsgathering applications. [Broadcast Engineering – 04/18/2013]

The Saturno project, centering on distribution of satellite content to all domestic devices (television, laptops, tablets, or smartphones) using current infrastructure, led by HIspasat, successfully concludes its work  with a meeting in Madrid. [Satellite Evolution Group – 04/18/2013]

Digiturk and Eutelsat partner on Turkey’s first Ultra HD channel. [Satellite Evolution Group – 04/18/2013]

Comtech EF Data gets a $1.1 million equipment order from an Asian telecommunications operator to support high-speed trunking links transporting 880 Mbps of data traffic, software upgradeable to over 3 Gbps. [Satellite Evolution Group – 04/18/2013]

SES announces that IN DEMAND has renewed an integral part of its cornerstone capacity agreement with SES for delivery of Pay-Per-View and Video ON Demand sports and entertainment television content .. [Satellite Evolution Group – 04/18/2013]

British firm unveils a sat-nav system that warns lorry drivers when they are approaching roads where they are at high risk of hitting a cyclist. [GPS Daily – 04/18/2013]

Proba-3 mission will be first in which two spacecraft will fly through space as a single unit – relative position accuracy to within less than one millimeter. [SatNews – 04/17/2013]

Eutelsat satellite Eutelsat 3D is undergoing final preparations for May 14 launch aboard an ILS Proton Breeze M rocket at Baikonour. [Satellte Today – 04/17/2013]

Astrium study, under contract with French space agency CNES, will analyze existing concepts and technologies and determine which can be used to successfully tackle large items of space debris. [SatNews – 04/17/2013]

MilSatCom Asia-Pacific 2013 – the largest SatCom event within the APAC region, to take place in Singapore May 9th and 10th. [Yahoo News – 04/17/2013]

Canadian company Norsat acquires US-based satellite communications business. [Wall Street Journal – 04/17/2013]

French company Astrium approaches near-global X-band satellite communications for government and military customers with entry into service of its Skynet 5D and the launch of its hosted payload on Telesat’s Anik G1. [UPI – 04/17/2013]

Thuraya expands GSM roaming coverage across 11 additional countries in the Americas. [Wall Street Journal – 04/17/2013]

Eastern Africa regional conference on satellite communication is held in Uganda. [UN-SPIDER – 04/17/2013]

Honeywell’s Sky Connect Tracker III combines voice, text and flight-tracking technologies into single system designed for helicopters, using the Iridium satellite network. [AIN online – 04/17/2013]

Wireless Innovation provides satellite communications solution for the British Antarctic Survey’s “Project Javelin.” [Satellite Spotlight – 04/17/2013]

Anik G1, successfully launched from Baikonur, Kazakhstan; aims to ease overcrowded communications networks in Latin America and add capacity to DTH services in Canada, and government and military users across the Americas. [Universe Today – 04/16/2013]

U.S. State Department eases export rules on aerospace parts. [Space Daily – 04/16/2013]

Air Force Space Command developed database that was turned over to Stratcom maintains a registry of tens of thousands of man-made objects in space and shares the information freely with anyone who seeks it through a command-run website. [SatNews – 04/16/2013]

New Nigerian Permanent Secretary to the Communications Technology Ministry, on tour of NIGCOMSAT facility, expresses regret that the government has not properly harnessed the facilities for nation building. [allAfrica – 04/16/2013]

Spacecom of Israel wins three-year contract with one of Africa’s largest Internet Communications Service Providers for VSAT services on AMOS-5. [SatNews – 04/16/2013]

NSSLGlobal opens new Singapore office. [Satellite Today – 04/16/2013]

Charlie Ergen’s company bids $25.5 billion for Sprint. [Multichannel News – 04/15/2013]

Ecuador is scheduled to launch its first satellite, a nanosatellite named Pegasa, from China April 26. [SatNews – 04/16/2013]

The U.S. Air Force is requesting a space program budget for fiscal year 2014 that is nearly one-third smaller than the 2013 request, at $6.4 billion. [SatNews – 04/15/2013]

Arianespace hopes to equal its 2012 performance in 2013. [Satellite Today – 04/15/2013]

ABI Research reports the Over The Top (OTT) video market is now worth over $8 billion, but does not yet see it as a threat to satellite. [Satellite Today – 04/12/2013]

Northrup Grumman Aerospace Systems Business Development Director discusses need for protected MILSATCOM and an affordable solution. [MILSATMAGAZINE – April issue]

Satellite Short Burst Data is cost-effective Beyond-Line-of-Sight transmission for multiple military units in the field. [MILSATMAGAZINE – April issue]

iDirect VP of Technology feels High Throughput Satellites can help solve biggest challenges of using satellite communications in the military – bandwidth and cost. [MILSATMAGAZINE – April issue]

Delivery of two state-of-the-art Ka-band Satellite On-The-Move terminals to the Japanese National Institute of Information and Communications Technology by Australian company EM Solutions represents key milestone for the firm for a partnership project with Tokyo-based Jepico Corporation. [MILSATMAGAZINE – April edition]

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Eight satellite builders group themselves into seven separate bids for Brazil’s dual-use X- and Ka-band telecommunications satellite. [Space News – 04/12/2013]

Belarus plans for a communications satellite to be constructed by China Great Wall Industry Corporation. [Belarusian Telegraph Agency – 04/12/2013]

Satellite tracking with single STMicroelectronics Teseo II chip successfully tested using Europe’s independent Galileo satellite navigation system. [SatNews – 04/12/2013]

NSSLGlobal opens new office in Singapore. [SatNews – 04/12/2013]

University of Hawaii faculty and students designed satellite that will be launched in October 2013 in the first space launch from the State of Hawaii, from the U.S. Navy’s missile range on Kauai. [SatNews – 04/11/2013]

NASA’s Aqua satellite captures images of Mediterranean obscured by thick plumes of dust. [SatNews – 04/11/2013]

Honeywell and Boeing sign technical services agreement, seeking to develop next generation of high-speed in-flight connectivity services on passenger devices such as iPads, smartphones, tablets, and laptops. [Satellite Today – 04/11/2013]

NOAA-17 Polar-Orbiting Environmental Satellite turned off after 11 years of successful operation. [SatNews – 04/11/2013]

SES announces launch of SES Ultra HD Experience initiative inviting content providers and broadcasters to work with SES to support the development of the Ultra HD value chain. [Satellite Evolution Group – 04/11/2013]

DeLorme launches next generation inReach satellite communicator with GPS; inReach keeps users connected when out of cell phone range. [Herald online – 04/11/2013]

Cobham EXPLORER 710 BGAN terminal unveiled at NAB2013 features fastest ever BGAN streaming. [Satellite Evolution Group – 04/11/2013]

C-COM’s iNetVu antenna is first to be deployed on Yahsat’s YahClick network. [Satellite Evolution Group – 04/11/2013]

Globecomm and TodoCast partner to combine TodoCast’s live Internet broadcast capabilities with Globecomm’s global satellite network and broadcast infrastructure to provide direct-to-consumer content distribution. [Satellite Evolution Group – 04/11/2013]

Row 44 announces completion of installation of in-flight entertainment solution on 60 Norwegian Air Shuttle Boeing 737-800s. [Satellite Evolution Group – 04/11/2013]

Bahrain’s NOORSAT deploys multiple Telairity quad-channel BE9400 high-compression SD encoders in a complete end-to-end redundant encoding system for new Middle East video installations. [Satellite Evolution Group – 04/11/2013]

Commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific says U.S. can intercept North Korean missile. [Space Mews – 04/10/2013]

Canada’s Radarsat 1 satellite feared lost for good as prospects for reviving it are not promising. [Spaceflight Now – 04/10/2013]

Next Vega to be launched from French Guiana is delivered to Arianespace – is slated for May 2 mission to carry aloft Proba-V for the ESA, VNREDSat-1 for Vietnam, and an Estonian student nanosatellite ESTCube-1. [SatNews – 04/10/2013]

Aireon, a commercial venture that will leverage the Iridium Next satellite communications constellation to provide navigation and flight safety communications to airlines, waits for FAA funding commitment. [Space News – 04/10/2013]

United Airlines discusses plans to use both Ka-band and Ku-band technology for in-flight connectivity. Satellite Today – 04/10/2013]

SES and SkyStream renew multi-year NSS-6 capacity deal to expand VSAT networks in the Middle East. [itWeb Business Wire – 04/10/2013]

Antares rocket rolled out at NASA’s Wallops Island Flight Facility for launch set for April 17. [Space News – 04/09/2013]

New Australian space coordination office to be created under new space policy that will provide strategic direction for Australian users of satellite technology. [Yahoo 7 news – 04/09/2013]

Fourth MUOS satellite, with communication module and multi-beam antenna installed, enters system test. [Sacramento Bee – 04/09/2013]

Panasonic leases full transponder of Ku-band satellite capacity on Eutelsat 172A  from Australian Satellite Communications. [PR Newswire – 04/09/2013]

NSSLGlobal to be reseller for Inmarsat Global Xpress. [4-traders – 04/09/2013]

RRsat to launch new content management and distribution solution for Russia and the CIS that includes RRsat’s Ku-band MCPC platform on the new Yamal-300K satellite. [RRSAT Press Release – 04/09/2013]

NAB – International Association of Broadcasting Manufacturers (IABM) conference session saw data on recent market growth of 4.7% per annum, though profits down 12.7%; discussed strategies for reinvention of industry. [Satellite Markets – 04/09/2013]

ITT Exelis to fabricate composite-based bus structures for Orbital Sciences Corporation’s GEOStar-3 communications satellite. [EON – 04/09/2013]

New report in Reportlinker.com catalogue discusses the Global Military Communications and COTS Market for 2012-2013. [Yahoo Finance – 04/08/2013]

Euroconsult predicts strong performance for Ka-band in in-flight connectivity; overall take-up rate of connectivity services is lower than expected. [Satellite Today – 04/08/2013]

Telecommunications ministers from nine major Arab states, including Qatar, look into the prospects of acquiring next generation satellite technology to boost services across the region. [Gulf Times – 04/08/2013]

Iridium endeavors to re-enter India with Indian partners Bhgarat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) and MTNL. [afaqs – 04/08/2013]

Boeing developing family of small satellite prototypes called Phantom Phoenix sharing a common architecture that can quickly and affordably be manufactured and configured for specific missions. [SatNews – 04/08/2013]

Abbot-led coalition Australian government would keep the fixed-wireless and satellite components of Australia’s National Broadband Network project. [ZDNet – 04/08/2013]

ATCi displays low cost flyaway antenna package at NAB 2013. [Sacramento Bee – 04/08/2013]

Telesat Anik G1 to launch on Proton rocket from Baikonur Cosmodrome on April 15. [Spaceflight 101 – 04/07/2013]

KVH announces availability of integrated service package pairing its mini-VSAT Broadbandsm service with Iridium OpenPort broadband services for seamless, fully global connectivity. [Daily Herald – 04/07/2013]

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NASA selects 295 research and technology proposals from 216 American small business for negotiations that could lead to contract awards worth up to a combined $38.7 million. [Space Travel – 04/05/2013]

GVF-EMP Conference Partnership to hold its 17th conference in its global Oil & Gas Communications Series in Rio de Janeiro, for the third year in succession. [SatNews – 04/05/2013]

KVH more than doubles mini-VSAT satellite broadband network capacity in Brazil and Africa. [Space Daily – 04/05/2013]

Cobham SATCOM to unveil EXPLORER 710 BGAN terminal, capable of streaming rates of over 650 kbps when using new high data rate streaming service to be introduced in September, at NAB 2013. [SatNews – 04/05/2013]

Crystal Solutions to demo its Spectrum Monitoring & Recording solution at NAB 2013, which will enable broadcasters to defend the 2GHz Broadcast Auxiliary Service. [SatNews – 04/05/2013]

Astrium to present several new products and services at the LAAD Defence & Security 2013 exhibition. [SatNews – 04/05/2013]

Globecomm CEO David Hershberg to appear on Fox Business Network Saturday, April 6th, and Bloomberg Telivision International Sunday, April 7th. [laserpostal.com – 04/05/2013]

Euroconsult strategic review expects global in-flight connectivity market to grow at a CGR of ~42% over the next 10 years. [SatNews – 04/04/2013]

Pacific Telecommunications Council (PTC) is accepting project proposals for 2013 from members and non-members for projects that promote the use of telecommunications to improve quality of life in the Pacific. [SatNews – 04/04/2013]

AsiaSat signs partnership deal with GeoMetWatch, under which the satellite operator will host the first of six Sounding & Tracking Observatory for Regional Meteorology (STORMTM) instruments on board a new satellite. [Satellite Today – 04/04/2013]

L-3 EDD 50-watt NanoMPM Ka-band power amplifier is the world’s smallest commercially available millimeter wave power amplifier module at just 6.5 in. x 4 in. by 1 in.. [SatNews – 04/04/2013]

NASA celebrates 30th anniversary of the deployment of the first Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, TDRS-A, launched on space shuttle Challenger’s maiden voyage. [redOrbit – 04/04/2013]

ETL to display latest V-series RF Matrix at NAB 2013. [SatNews – 04/04/2013]

Spanish satellite communications operator HISPASAT to provide broadband connections for the Mars Spanish Mission. [Satellite Evolution Group – 04/04/2013]

Advantech Wireless releases new Millennium series VSAT hub for High Throughput Satellites. [Satellite Today – 04/04/2013]

Gilat to showcase new lightweight integrated airborne satellite communications solution for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) at LAAD 2013 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil April 9 – 12. [Aviation Pros – 04/04/2013]

ORBCOMM completes acquisition of GlobalTrak and MobileNet. [Satellite Evolution Group – 04/04/2013]

Intelsat plans scaled-back IPO in New York, seeking to raise up to $710 million. [Google Hosted News – 04/03/2013]

OnAir targets slew of in-flight connectivity deals in emerging markets. [Satellite Today – 04/03/2013]

China’s second female astronaut, Wang Yaping, to fly in space aboard the Shenzhou 10 spacecraft later this year. [Space Daily – 04/03/2013]

China to launch dual purpose satellite in 2013 to be used in weather forecasting and satellite disaster warning, and the BDS system will begin operations for the first time outside China, in Thailand. [SatNews – 04/03/2013]

Cobham SATCOM and LiveU, a leader in portable live video-over-cellular solutions, announce alliance to offer broadcasters a robust, high performance hybrid solution for live video transmission in diverse locations. [Screen Africa – 04/03/2013]

Satcom Direct holds 9th annual conference to answer satellite questions in the airborne arena; its growth is evidence that steady pace of satcom development has led to greater variety of services and lower prices. [AIN online – 04/03/2013]

China says its Beidou GPS System will soon be available to civilians on public mobile phone services. [GPS Daily – 04/02/2013]

Hughes expands managed network services for African Development Bank. [Sacramento Bee – 04/02/2013]

Viasat CTO describes ViaPlay, with video streaming apps for the Apple iOS, Google Android platforms, Sony PlayStation 3, and Microsoft Xbox 360, as a complement to satellite pay-TV and DTH. [Satellite Today – 04/01/2013]

Norsat receives $13.3 million (CAD) research and development contract from Canada’s Strategic Aerospace and Defense Initiative. [Satellite Today – 04/01/2013]

Acoustic time delay device could reduce size and cost of phased-array antennas. [R&D Magazine – 04/01/2013]

Turkish Armed Forces plans to send five military reconnaissance and Earth observation satellites into space. [Satellite Today – 04/03/2013]

British companies aim for 10% of projected £400bn 2030 global satellite services market. [Financial Times – 03/31/2013

Independent studies commissioned by satellite operators give them plenty of room to boast. [Satellite Today – 03/29/2013]

Experiments in Saharan Desert prepare for manned missions to Mars, supported by satellite link provided by BusinessCom Networks and Constellation Networks Corp. [PR.com – 03/29/2013]

Intelsat and Digital Networks sign deal to improve VSAT communications in North America. [Satellite Today – 03/29/2013]

April 2013 issue of Satellite Executive Briefing magazine available. [Satellite Markets – April 2013]

Could a satellite company decongest American Wi-Fi and save itself in the process?  Globalstar’s “terrestrial Low Power Service” (TLPS) plans. [Quartz – 03/05/2013]

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XCOR Aerospace announces firing of full piston pump-powered rocket engine, a first in aviation and space history – the engines will be reusable several times a day. [Satellite Evolution Group – 03/28/2013]

ILS and Intelsat sign contract for two firm ILS Proton launch missions. [SatNews – 03/28/2013]

Space Systems/Loral will study options for low-cost U.S. military weather satellite replacement system. [Space News – 03/28/2013]

China to launch the first satellite for its high-resolution Earth observation system in April. [SatNews – 03/28/2013]

Harris Corporation and NOAA develop and deploy new tool that will help track and report anomalies in critical weather satellite information. [Satellite Evolution Group – 03/28/2013]

Reinventing Space – dramatically reducing space mission cost with advanced spacecraft technology. [Space News – 03/28/2013]

Cobham to introduce MediaMesh, a new IP-based platform for lightweight, rapid set-up field newsrooms, at NAB 2013. [Satellite Evolution Group – 03/28/2013]

Gilat Satellite Networks gets three year contract from Peruvian Ministry of Education to provide SkyEdge II-c hub and Aries VSAT equipment, installation, maintenance and technical support for 2,600 schools nationwide. [SatNews – 03/28/2013]

C-COM to show new, rugged, lightweight iNetVu line of Ka- and Ku-band auto-pointing antenna systems at NAB 2013. [SatNews – 03/28/2013]

XipLink’s wireless link optimization solutions are successfully tested and implemented at Maritime Communications Partner, assisting MCP in servicing a higher number of internet subscribers on maritime vessels while reducing operating expenses. [SatNews – 03/28/2013]

Satcom Direct releases new mobile application, GetORT+, allowing users of their Satcom Direct Unity product kit to interface with their satcom equipment using Apple devices. [SatNews – 03/28/2013]

On Call chooses Romantis Universal Hardware Platform for second generation of QuickSPOT on demand satellite network, saying it should just take moments to book satellite space online and then access it. [SatNews – 03/28/2013]

First Search and Rescue payload on U.S. satellite, NOAA-E, was launched 30 years ago; more than 33,000 lives have been saved to date. [SatNews – 03/28/2013]

Canada receives part of the ground segment of its military’s first dedicated operation military satellite from Denmark’s Terma A/S. [SatNews – 03/28/2013]

Mitsubishi Electric delivers world’s first helicopter satellite communication system, expected to gather information on disaster areas to support rapid deployment of first response measures. [Yahoo Finance – 03/27/2013]

Satmex 8, launched March 26, successfully performs post-launch maneuvers. [Yahoo Finance – 03/27/2013]

Proton successfully launches Satmex 8 in return to flight. [Space News – 03/27/2013]

Italy and France put aside conflicts to partner in manufacture of new Sicral 2 communications satellite. [Defense News – 03/27/2013]

Cassidian and Astrium Services provide access to satellite communications to French fire and rescue services. [Satellite Spotlight – 03/27/2013]

Dutch broadcaster NOS selects GlobeCast and Eutelsat resources for SNG operations. [Yahoo Finance – 03/27/2013

Soviet MIR EVA spacesuit auctioned for 112,000 euros. [Space Daily – 03/27/2013]

Spacenet announces addition of a range of new communications services and products to the GSA schedule. [Satellite Spotlight – 03/26/2013]

Hughes announces first Inmarsat BGAN M2M terminal to receive hazardous locations accreditation. [Yahoo Finance – 03/27/2013]

VSAT provider Maju Nusa of Malaysia to use Hughes Network Systems Network Operations Center and 130 HXb roadband satellite terminals to deliver cellular backhaul services. [SatNews – 03/27/2013]

Exinda announces that Satcom Direct has selected its Exinda Mobile platform to be integrated into the Satcom Direct Router, to act as a Wi-Fi access point on an airplane. [Yahoo News – 03/26/2013]

ViaSat CEO speaks optimistically about ViaSat-2 satellite at 2013, saying it is expected to be a dramatic improvement over ViaSat-1; a realistic time frame for the satellite may be 2016. [Satellite Today – 03/25/2013]

NSR report ‘Aeronautical Satcom Markets’ due out in April answers critical questions affecting the in-flight connectivity business. [NSR – Apritl 2013]

NSR report ‘Energy Markets Via Satellite’ builds on legacy of NSR’s detailed analysis of the Oil & Gas markets, adding detailed view into the O&G, mining, and utility verticals. [NSR – March 2013]

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Financing no longer expected to be an issue for U.S. satellite exporters as Export-Import Bank plans to maintain aggressive satellite financing position. [Space News – 03/22/2013]

Arianespace announces contract to launch three satellites for Intelsat S.A. [Space Daily – 03/22/2013]

Orbit Communications systems launches new VSAT product line for the maritime market called OceanTRx. [Satellite Spotlight – 03/22/2013]

Intelsat S.A. gets multi-year extension agreement with ART/International Network Distribution of Lebanon for capacity on Intelsat 21 and Intelsat 805, [SatNews – 03/22/2013]

Estonia’s student cubesat satellite is ready for the next Vega launch. [Space Travel – 03/22/2013]

PolarSat receives order for VSATPlus3 from Guangdong Dapeng LNG Company of China to be used for real time SCADA, voice, and corporate services. [SatNews – 03/22/20103]

U.S. Air Force launches second satellite for SBIRS, GEO-2, from Vandenberg AFB. [Satellite Today – 03/21/2013]

High-Throughput dominates Satellite 2013 discussion as NovelSat CEO predicts demand for international satellite bandwidth services will have increased 2,000% in a 10-year timespan between 2002 and 2020. [Satellite Today – 03/21/2013]

Yahsat system is certified for use with the U.S. Air Force’s Wideband Global Satcom (WGS) – WGS terminals will be interoperable with Yahsat’s Ka-band military satellite frequencies. [Space News – 03/21/2013]

Echostar subsidiary Hughes Network Systems announces that it has selected Space Systems/Loral to build the world’s highest capacity broadband satellite, JUPITER2/EchoStar XIX, with over 150 Gbps throughput. [SatNews – 03/21/2013]

ViaSat executive says the company’s refusal to decide on a builder for its ViaSat-2 Ka-band satellite has nothing to do with its lawsuit against Space Systems Loral. [Space News – 03/21/2013]

Sea Launch and EchoStar reach preliminary agreement for launch services in 2015. [Space Travel – 03/21/2013]

Astrium Services expects to partner with MDA on Earth Observation satellite network. [Space News – 03/21/2013]

Apollo-era rocket engine parts are recovered from beyond 3 miles deep in the Atlantic by an expedition funded by Rick Bezos of Amazon. [R&D Magazine – 03/21/2013]

SES reach in 2012, driven by strong gains in India and Germany, extends to 276 million TV homes worldwide. [Satellite Evolution Group – 03/21/2013]

ESA’s Planck satellite telescope data used to map the Universe’s most ancient light. [BBC – 03/21/2013]

Space Exploration Technologies’ Merlin 1D engine achieves flight qualification and is now fully qualified to fly on the Falcon 9 rocket. [Satellite Evolution Group – 03/21/20103]

Mitsubishi Electric completes expansion of satellite production facility at its Kamakura Works in Kamakura, Japan. [Daily Herald – 03/21/2013]

Armarda Group subsidiary China Mobile Satellite Communications Group (CMSCG) and Thuraya Telecommunications announce distributorship arrangement with China Telecom Satellite (CTS) for the Thuraya SatSleeve, a module that transforms an iPhone into a dual mode satellite phone. [The Business Times – 03/21/2013]

C-COM Satellite Systems introduces new generation of Ka-band flyaway antennas at Satellite 2013. [Satellite Evolution Group – 03/21/2013]

SingTel’s ConnectPortal allows shore side professionals to have total control over their shipboard crews’ internet usage by implementing a flexi-time allowance. [Satellite Evolution Group – 03/21/2013]

Spacecom adds eighth DTH platform on AMOS-5 over Nigeria. [Satellite Evolution Group – 03/21/2013]

Signalhorn has completed the rollout of over 400 point of sale (PoS) sites which service a global fuel retailer’s South African network. [Satellite Evolution Group – 03/21/2013]

Free ESA iPhone app allows quadcopter owners to attempt simulated dockings with International Space Station while flying their drones for real. [Space Daily – 03/21/2013]

Voyager 1 leaves our solar systems after traveling 11 billion miles. [R&D Magazine – 03/20/2013]

Radio Frequency Interference-End Users Initiative and Global VSAT Forum collaborate, with support and commitment from World Broadcasting Unions – International Satellite Operations Group, to launch training of satellite newsgathering operators to reduce interference. [SatNews – 03/20/2013]

NSR report grades the financial performance of the big four satellite operators. [SatNews – 03/20/20013]

Newtec wins WTA Teleport Technology of the Year award, presented at WTA luncheon at Satellite 2013. [Newtec Press Release – 03/19/2013]

Launch Services Panel at Satellite 2013 recognizes common challenges while examining cooperative approch to increase business and profitability for the sector. [Satellite Today – 03/20/2013]

Kratos introduces new SATCOM Cybersecurity Assessment service addressing increasing threats and unique requirements of the satellite industry. [Satellite Spotlight – 03/19/2013]

Chinese collaboration with neighbouring countries’ space-related programmes sparks off a fresh scare in India’s national security establishment. [The Economic Times – 03/19/2013]

Nupoint Systems selects Globalstar Data Services for M2M satellite connectivity. [Daily Herald – 03/18/2013]

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Italy blocks completion of controversial U.S. military satellite station in Sicily pending results of a health and environmental study. [Space News – 03/15/2013]

NASA’s first laser-based space communications system, for the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) spacecraft, has been integrated into the spacecraft and is ready for launch. [R&D Magazine – 03/15/2013]

Swiss company announces plans to develop reusable air-launched suborbital vehicle to launch small satellites into orbit for around $10 million per launch. [Space News – 03/15/2013]

Newest U.S. missile warning satellite encapsulated into payload fairing for March 19 launch from Cape Canaveral. [Space Daily – 03/15/2013]

Preparations for the second Vega launch from French Guiana are underway, with VNREDSat-1A and Proba-V undergoing initial checkout. [SatNews – 03/15/2013]

Idaho Department of Water Resources eagerly awaiting data from recently launched Landsat 8 for use in developing hydrologic models and reaching legal decisions on water rights. [SatNews – 03/15/2013]

ESA and Roscosmos sign ExoMars deal after NASA bows out mainly due to funding restrictions. [NASA Spaceflight – 03/14/2013]

ResearchMoz report on Global Military Satellites Market provides detailed analysis of the current industry size and growth expectations from 2012 – 2022, including key growth stimulators. [Satellite Spotlight – 03/14/2013]

Reinventing Space – dramatically reducing space mission cost for traditional large spacecraft missions. [Space News – 03/14/2013]

ViviSat opens ATK Robotic Rendezvous and Proximity (RPO) testing facility to its clients for tours of the facility during Satellite 2013. [SatNews – 03/14/2013]

Prodea Systems, Inc. Residential Operating System, a comprehensive distributed cloud-based platform, has been integrated into satellite hybrid set-top boxes destined for My-HD subscribers across Middle East and North Africa. [equities.com – 03/14/2013]

Gilat to introduce new revenue-enhancing satellite broadband solutions at Satellite 2013. [4-traders – 03/14/2013]

Telenor Satellite Broadcasting signs agreement with Neterra, a new direct-to-home shared platform that offers pay-tv services in Bulgaria. [Satellite Evolution Group – 03/14/2013]

Editors of Satellite Today and Via Satellite publish “2012 Satellite Industry Financial Breakdown.” summarizing satellite industry’s top companies’ financial performance in 2012 and forecasting expectations for 2013. [Satellite Today – 03/14/2013]

Foxcomm will mark 20 years of serving the Satcom industry at Satellite 2013. [Satellite Evolution Group – 03/14/2013]

Glowlink introduces GS380, a breakthrough product dramatically improving performance and effectiveness of satellite interference geolocation systems. [Satellite Evolution Group – 03/13/2013]

Harris CapRock expands collaboration with O3b to deliver advance communications solution for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd cruise ships Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas. [SatNews – 03/13/2013]

Thuraya, in partnership with Rory Peck Trust, sponsors freelance journalist with the IP+ satellite terminal. [Yahoo! Finance – 03/13/2013]

Newtec’s latest broadband equipment helps expand SES Ka-band Broadband Services offering. [Satellite Evolution Group – 03/13/2013]

Service provider IsNet successfully deploys satellite-based backup network for a major Oil and Gas company in Turkey employing PolarSat system. [Satellite Evolution Group – 03/13/2013]

The fifth WGS satellite for the Air Force, WGS-5, arrives at Shuttle Landing Facility in Florida, from where it will be transported to Cape Canaveral for launch. [Los Angeles Air Force Base News – 03/12/2013]

ITC Global agrees to acquire NewSat, expanding its position in worldwide energy markets. [Yahoo! Finance – 03/12/2013]

Eutelsat and OneAccess develop first performance-enhanced platform for businesses designed to deliver services on Eutelsat’s KA-SAT Hight Throughput Satellite in a secure VPN environment. [msn MONEY – 03/12/2013]

Talia and Newtec provide new satellite communications backbone infrastructure for AGSM.MOBI in Somalia. [Satellite Spotlight – 03/12/2013]

Sumitomo of Japan will use ORBCOMM’s global satellite communications network to track and monitor the location, status and performance of their equipment anywhere in the world. [Yahoo! Finance – 03/12/2013]

DigitalGlobe contracts MDA to build a satellite ground station which it will use ton enable access to imagery and data from the WorldView satellites for an unnamed international customer. [Satellite Today – 03/12/2013]

Active Russian satellite collides with what is thought to be remnants of a destroyed Chinese satellite. [Satellite Today – 03/11/2013]

Satellites built by Orbital Sciences Corporation exceed 1,000 years of cumulative in-orbit operational experience. [Stockhouse – 03/11/2013]

GE Aviation to provide inertial reference units for Boeing’s wideband phased array satellite communications systems for airborne mobile communications. [Satellite Spotlight – 03/11/2013]

C-band use again to take stage at World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-07), with satellite operators challenging use of C-band by mobile operators. [International Telecommuinication Union – ITU News Magazine]

Satellite communications enable government agencies, emergency response, and military organizations to maintain continuity of operations during and after an event when network outages can be life threatening. [MILSAT Magazine – March 2013 edition}

NSR Energy Markets via Satellite report adds coverage into the mining and utilities verticals, in the midst of a bandwidth revolution that may affect satellite companies over the next decade. [NSR – March 2013]

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Satellite Interference Reduction Group announces approval of the DVB Carrier ID specification which will now be submitted to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute for formal standardization. [SatNews – 03/08/2013]

SES signs contract with BT to provide satellite communications services for the Galileo Data Dissemination Network (GDDN) to support the Galileo Operator Spaceopal. [equities.com – 03/08/2013]

TCS gets $16 million in incremental funding to provide Deployed Engineering Services to the U.S. Marine Corp for its Wireless Point to Point Link systems. [msn MONEY – 03/08/2013]

Glowlink to unveil a technology that can remove interferences from broadband communications signals, including those occurring in satellite communications, at Satellite 2013. [SatNews – 03/07/2013]

China’s fourth launch center, located on tropical island of Hainan, to be ready for space launches in two years. [Space Daily – 03/07/2013]

Harris is awarded contract to study and make recommendations to help modernize the U.S. Defense Meteorological Satellite Program. [SatNews – 03/07/2013]

U.S. Air Force unit’s mission is to defend and protect operability of the Air Force’s communications satellites, combating intentional and accidently jamming. [U.S.A.F. – 03/07/2013]

New NSR report examines the launch services industry in midst of environment that has raised questions about launch services reliability. [SatNews – 03/07/2013]

Russian GLONASS orbital navigation group is again at full strength. [GPS Daily – 03/07/2013]

China targeting global coverage for its BeiDou navigation system by 2020. [GPS Daily – 03/07/2013]

ViaSat HTS ViaSat-1, the Ka-band satellite used for Exede Internet, earns Guinness World Records title as highest-capacity satellite in the world – 100 times typical Ku-band satellite and 10 times any Ka-band satellite. [SatNews – 03/07/2013]

U.S. House of Representatives approves legislation funding next generation of NOAA weather satellites. [SatNews – 03/07/2013]

MacDonald Dettwiler stock has room to rise as it taps U.S. government satellite market through its Space Systems/Loral acquisition. [Bloomberg Businessweek – 03/07/2013]

Spacenet’s new ECSConnectTM solution offers affordable emergency broadband communications and eliminates upfront capital expenditure. [Satellite Spotlight – 03/07/2013]

Inmarsat and Kymeta sign agreement to develop revolutionary satellite antenna to enable business jets of any size to access high-speed broadband connectivity globally. {Satellite Evolution Group – 03/07/2013]

Indian Space Research Organisation plans construction of high-resolution remote sensing Earth satellite, Cartosat-3, capable of 0.25 metre resolution. [Space News – 03/06/22013}

Inmarsat certifies Boeing to provide 3G, Voice over IP, streaming video, direct dialing, secure communications, and other capabilities through Inmarsat-4 L-band service. [Satellite Evolution Group – 03/07/2013]

Thuraya signs Service Partner agreement with Pivotel Group Pty Limited of Australia, enabling licensed mobile carrier Pivotel to provide Thuraya’s products and services across Australia and Southern Asia. [Satellite Evolution Group – 03/07/2013]

News Corporation announces that its News Limited subsidiary will divest its 44% stake in SKY Network Television Limited of New Zealand. [SatNews – 03/07/2013]

EM Solutions delivers two Australian-made Ka-Band ‘Satellite on the Move’ systems to partner Jepico Corporation in Japan. [WBMSAT Press Releases – 03/06/2013]

ITC Global signs a long term agreement to provide Kinross Gold Corporation with a comprehensive satellite communications network and bandwidth service for its mining sites in Russia. [Satellite Evolution Group – 03/06/2013]

ViaSat demonstrates high-performance Ka-band satellite communication system providing sustained data rates of 4Mbps from helicopter to ground station and 8 Mbps from ground station to helicopter. [SatNews – 03/06/2013]

Eutelsat and Alterie Telecom complete renewal of three long-term satellite capacity contracts on EUTELSAT 5. [Satellite Evolution Group – 03/06/2013]

Romantis releases new software for UHP VSAT platform. [Satellite Evolution Group – 03/06/2013]

Surrey Satellite Technology Limited signs agreement with Glavkosmos/NPO Lavotchkin for the launch of the UK technology demonstration mission TechDemoSat-1 in Q3 of 2013. [Satellite Evolution Group – 03/05/2013]

SpaceX flight controllers succeed in recovery of Dragon, getting it to the International Space Station a day late. [R&D Magazine – 03/04/2013]

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