WBMSAT Satellite Industry News Bits April 1, 2011

Australian satellite services provider NewSat wins $4.4 million contract with U.S. military to provide communications to troops in Afghanistan.
[ARN – 04/01/2011]

Network structure designed by SPAWAR engineers piggybacks chat and secure data information on Iridium low data rate channels, and is assisting responders to Japan’s earthquake disaster.
[SatNews – 04/01/2011]

Chunghwa Telecom and Singapore Telecommunications to launch joint-venture communication satellite, ST-2, in mid-May 2011 to replace ST-1.
[DigiTimes – 04/01/2011]

Venezuela and Uruguay sign series of strategic agreements to advance satellite communications.
[venezuelanalysis – 04/01/2011]

South African National Space Agency and Russian counterpart Roscosmos expect to cooperate in Radioastron space telescope programme.
[SatNews – 04/01/2011]

Ariane launch of Abu Dhabi’s first satellite Yahsat Y1A and Intelsat satellite New Dawn is postponed due to technical problems.
[Reuters – 03/31/2011]

Inmarsat buys Norway’s Ship Equip for $159 million Euros.
[City A.M. – 03/31/2011]


Telesat Holdings said to be entertaining takeover offers from EchoStar Corp. and Carlyle Group, with decision possible within days.
[Bloomberg – 03/31/2011]

 Pentagon and Transportation Department officials write FCC, concerned about possible interference with GPS devices by LightSquared mobile broadband service.
[Wall Street Journal – 03/31/2011]

GeoEye supports relief efforts in Japan by providing satellite imagery of areas of devastation vie its online web services platform, EyeQ.
[SatNews – 03/31/2011]

KVH is presented 2011 MSUA Innovation Award for its revolutionary approach to satellite communications with its mini-VSAT Broadband SM network and TracPhone V7 hardware.
[Space Daily – 03/31/2011]

Earth observation satellite company RapidEye signs distribution agreement with Ramani Geosystems of Kenya for the entire continent of Africa.
[SatNews – 03/31/2011]

Vizada lands General Services Administration Schedule 70 Future COMSATCOM Services Acquisition contract to provide mobile satellite services to U.S. Government.
[TMCnet – 03/31/2011]

International spacecraft that will take NASA’s first space-based measurements of ocean surface salinity arrives at Vandenberg AFB launch site.
[SatNews – 03/31/2011]

Libyan opposition launches satellite television channel, Ahrar TV, with help of Qatari government, to counterbalance state-controlled media.
[SatNews and Really Rocket Science – 03/30/2011]

F4W’s technology improves quality, increases VoIP connections via satellite and cellular by 500%.
[PR Newswire – 03/30/2011]

Seven satellite industry companies agree to form alliance to increase awareness of benefits of hosted government payloads on commercial satellites.
[SatNews – 03/30/2011]

Distribution agreement between NextAlarm and Hughes will bring NextAlarm’s products and services to subscribers of HughesNet service.
[PR Newswire – 03/30/2011]

Vizada renews sponsorship contract with TSF, pledging to continue mobile satellite communications support in 2011, including current mission in Libya.
[SatNews – 03/30/2011]

Japanese spaceship loaded with garbage from International Space Station burns up in Earth’s atmosphere.
[Fox News – 03/30/2011]

Thuraya selected by Spanish mountaineer as satellite communications partner for forthcoming climb of Mount Everest.
[SatNews – 03/30/2011]

Earth Observation market includes two extremes – free availability and distribution by agencies like NOAA, and large, lucrative military contracts.
[NSR – 03/30/2011]


MDA receives contract from Canada’s Department of National Defense to operate and maintain Sapphire System monitoring space objects around the clock.
[SatNews – 03/30/2011]

Applied Satellite Technology makes available onsatmail, a free compressed email service on IsatPhone Pro handheld satellite phones.
[SatNews – 03/30/2011]

L-3 introduces high-power density Microwave Power Module capable of 110 watts of saturated power in 20 to 21 GHz band in small form factor suitable for airborne applications.
[SatNews – 03/30/2011]

UN telecommunications agency reaches agreement with Intelsat and the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization to expedite restoration of vital telecommunications services following natural disasters.
[UN News Centre – 03/29/2011]

Skylogic and SkyDSL Global extend partnership and raise level of performance with new-generation broadband service using KA-SAT satellite.
[TMCnet – 03/29/2011]

iDirect improves security and enhances mobility for Defense and Government customers in its iDX 2.3 software and advanced hardware.
[PR Newswire – 03/29/2011]

JAXA sets up satellite communications at disaster-struck areas in Japan.
[Satellite Spotlight – 03/28/2011]

Telecoms Sans Frontieres provides more than 28,000 international calls in one month to Libyan refugees in La Chucha transit camp.
[SatNews – 03/28/2011]

Comet-hunting spacecraft is sent command to burn remaining fuel and shut down after 12 years in operation.
[R&D Magazine – 03/28/2011]

Japanese satellites in clean rooms survived quake.
[Spaceflight Now – 03/28/2011]

Eutelsat gets ‘Crystal Antenna of the World of Media’ award for spearheading Poland’s first live satellite transmission in 3D (football match).
[SatNews – 03/28/2011]

SkyTraq introduces GLONASS/GPS receiver that offers drop-in upgrade for existing GPS equipment.
[SatNews – 03/28/2011]

Integral Systems adds two satellite interference monitoring, detection, and geolocation sites in Republic of Cyprus and Republic of South Korea.
[SatNews – 03/28/2011]

MTN Government Services added to FCSA government contract.
[PR Newswire – 03/28/2011]

Comtech wins orders worth $1.7 million from domestic prime contractor supplying Electronic Warfare Systems.
[TMCnet – 03/28/2011]

Yahsat launches “A Nation’s Pride in the Sky’ school program in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Education Council to educate students about satellite technology.
[Khaleej Times – 03/28/2011]

RRsat’s Station711 and Inmarsat’s FleetBroadband chosen by Swire Pacific Offshore as next-generation communications platform.
[PR Newswire – 03/28/2011]


Gilat awarded new contract for broadband services in rural Peru.
[Globe Newswire – 03/28/2011]

ViaSat expands Yonder high-speed satellite internet service in Brazil via StarOne C1 satellite.
[Satellite Today – 03/28/2011]

Transponders for India’s DTH: “Open Skies” behind closed doors.
[NSR – 03/28/2011]

The oil and gas trifecta:  voice, data, and video via satellite.
[NSR – 03/21/2011]

Irish start-up technology company Mandac signs East African deal bringing Internet access to rural East Africa.
[talk Satellite – EMEA – 03/21/2011]

WBMSAT PS satellite communications systems services