Archive for May, 2010

Moving Museums

Thursday, May 27th, 2010

 

 

Think the world of top-flight museums is a calm, respectable place to work? Like most workplaces, there’s some behind-the-scenes posturing and socially-awkward behavior going on. Comes with the territory, especially where people tend to stay at their jobs longer.

As we climb out of The Great Recession, museums and other cultural institutions are fighting for more revenue and scarce development dollars and it’s getting rough out there. Case-in-point: getting the old space shuttles from NASA after retirement. The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Dayton, Ohio, has the Wilmington News Journal on its side

 Throughout the shuttle program, the Air Force has played an essential role in its success. Besides infrastructure and operational support, the Air Force provided NASA with many highly skilled astronauts. The cooperation between NASA and the Department of Defense on the shuttle program dates back to 1969. The Air Force’s satellite launch requirements largely determined the shuttle’s design, and the Air Force saved the shuttle program in lean budget years during development. Recognizing that long partnership, the Secretary of the Air Force has requested a shuttle orbiter be added to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.

The museum already receives more than one million visitors each year. The addition of a shuttle is a rare opportunity for the museum which would significantly increase that attendance and be a substantial boost to the economy of Dayton and the region. Museum officials are planning for what we hope will be a favorable decision by NASA. The Air Force Museum Foundation is supporting a major construction program that would expand the museum’s current one million square feet of exhibit space by another 200,000 square feet. That building would also house other impressive related exhibits.

Many who have visited the National Museum of the Air Force regard it as an unforgettable experience. There are aircraft from the early years of flight — such as the Wright 1909 Military Flyer and the Curtiss 1911 Model D — and aircraft used in the modern era. There also is an Air Force One display, including the Boeing VC-137C that served as Air Force One on the day President Kennedy was assassinated. The public can also enter presidential aircraft of Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower. These are only a few of the many aircraft and educational exhibits on display. The addition of a shuttle orbiter would enhance the significant investment that has already been made in the National Museum of the Air Force.

The reality of manned fight was born from the minds of Wilbur and Orville Wright, two Ohioans who worked in Dayton and developed and tested their aircraft at Huffman Prairie, near what today is Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the National Museum of the Air Force. Fast forward to today and the shuttle Atlantis is orbiting the Earth on a mission to support the international space station. It is the last scheduled flight of Atlantis. The orbiter is closing in on flying 120 million miles throughout its career. It is appropriate that Atlantis or Endeavour spend their retirement in Dayton for current and future generations of local residents and visitors to see at the place where aviation was born.

 Any others out there? You bet! Vik Saini put together a great list. Sorry, the Space Farms Museum & Zoo in Beemerville, NJ, is not on the list — nothing to do with space; it’s the dude’s name.

The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, the world’s most popular, always get the best space stuff. You can’t beat the actual back-up lunar module…

 

 

 

 

 

Absolute Military Control of Space

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010

 

So what’s all this then? The X-37B is a "spy plane?" That’s what Mr. Broad reports in the New York Times

A team of amateur sky watchers has pierced the veil of secrecy surrounding the debut flight of the nation’s first robotic spaceplane, finding clues that suggest the military craft is engaged in the development of spy satellites rather than space weapons, which some experts have suspected but the Pentagon strongly denies.

Last month, the unmanned successor to the space shuttle blasted off from Florida on its debut mission but attracted little public notice because no one knew where it was going or what it was doing. The spaceship, known as the X-37B, was shrouded in operational secrecy, even as civilian specialists reported that it might go on mysterious errands for as long as nine months before zooming back to earth and touching down on a California runway.

In interviews and statements, Pentagon leaders strongly denied that the winged plane had anything to do with space weapons, even while conceding that its ultimate goal was to aid terrestrial war fighters with a variety of ancillary missions.

The secretive effort seeks “no offensive capabilities,” Gary E. Payton, under secretary of the Air Force for space programs, emphasized on Friday. “The program supports technology risk reduction, experimentation and operational concept development.”

The secretive flight, civilian specialists said in recent weeks, probably centers at least partly on testing powerful sensors for a new generation of spy satellites.

Now, the amateur sky watchers have succeeded in tracking the stealthy object for the first time and uncovering clues that could back up the surveillance theory. Ted Molczan, a team member in Toronto, said the military spacecraft was passing over the same region on the ground once every four days, a pattern he called “a common feature of U.S. imaging reconnaissance satellites.”

In six sightings, the team has found that the craft orbits as far north as 40 degrees latitude, just below New York City. In theory, on a clear night, an observer in the suburbs might see the X-37B as a bright star moving across the southern sky.

“This looks very, very good,” Mr. Molczan said of the identification. “We got it.”

In moving from as far as 40 degrees north latitude to 40 degrees south latitude, the military spacecraft passes over many global trouble spots, including Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and North Korea.

Mr. Molczan said team members in Canada and South Africa made independent observations of the X-37B on Thursday and, as it turned out, caught an earlier glimpse of the orbiting spaceship late last month from the United States. Weeks of sky surveys paid off when the team members Kevin Fetter and Greg Roberts managed to observe the craft from Brockville, Ontario, and Cape Town. 

 Russia Today was quick to jump on it, "interviewing" Lt. Col. Robert Bowman (ret.) soon after its launch from Cape Canaveral

 

Dancing With The Satellites

Tuesday, May 25th, 2010

 

Typically well-done rendering by AGI of how SES and Intelsat plan to mitigate interference between Galaxy-15 and AMC-11.

WBMSAT Satellite Industry News Bits for 05/21/2010

Monday, May 24th, 2010

Courtesy of Bill McDonald

Bryan McGuirk, senior vice president of media services at SES World Skies, will be leaving the company at the end of May to form a new venture in the media and entertainment sector.
[Satellite Today – 05/21/2010]

 

Arianespace’s delayed opening launch of 2010, with the Astra 3B and COMSATBw 2 satellites, has launched from the European Spaceport in French Guiana  via the Ariane 5 ECA.
[NASASpaceFlight – 05/21/2010]

Harris agrees to acquire satellite-communications provider CapRock for about $525M in move to expand international presence and customer base.
[Wall Street Journal – 05/21/2010]

FCC frees up 25 megahertz of spectrum in the Wireless Communications Services band by allowing satellite radio operators to use digital repeaters.
[RCR Wireless – 05/21/2010]

Ohio cable company executive echoes concern of many that rogue satellite Galaxy 15 may cause interference to AMC-11 "Despite these best efforts" of SES WorldSkies and Intelsat.
[Columbus Dispatch – 05/21/2010]

DBSD North America, a telecommunications satellite operator owned by ICO Global Communications, asks judge to preserve its bankruptcy restructuring plan pending approval by the FCC.
[Business Week – 05/21/2010]

At the SES World Skies’ site you can view an amazing CGI rendering created by AGI that reveals the AMC-11 orbital maneuvers to hopefully avoid having their cable broadcasts interrupted by Intelsat’s Galaxy 15, aka Zombie satellite.
[SatNews – 05/20/2010]

Intelsat relocates IS-709 for World Cup Broadcasting.
[Satellite Today – 05/20/2010]

International Datacasting receives series of new orders for its 3D Live solution, prompted by the upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa.
[SatNews – 05/20/2010]

Israel’s Yes satellite TV provider launches video-on-demand and broadband services by satellite.
[Satellite Today – 05/20/2010]

MEASAT Satellite Systems signs agreement with GlobeCast Asia to provide transponder capacity for the FIFA World Cup 2010.
[SatNews – 05/20/2010]

Google and DISH Network L.L.C. launched Google TV, an open platform that seamlessly integrates multichannel television with rich web media content.

Indian Navy will receive naval communication and surveillance satellite by year-end.
[SatNews – 05/20/2010]

Boeing completes on-orbit handover of DirecTV 12 satellite to DirecTV.
[Satellite Today – 05/20/2010]

Global MilSatCom 2010, a gathering of satellite communication professionals, will be held at the Millennium Conference Centre, London, United Kingdom this November 8-10.
[SatNews – 05/20/2010]

MTN reports a positive reception in international cruise industry, with seven cruise lines already signed up for the at-sea telecasts.
[SatNews – 05/20/2010]

Iridium’s OpenPort terminal provides reliable, high-quality voice and data links throughout voyage of sailboat Ocean Watch on its Around the Americas  expedition.
[SatNews – 05/20/2010]

Rapideye confirms partnership of several years with S2Bvisio in development and distribution of expert agricultural services based on RapidEye imagery.
[SatNews – 05/20/2010]

Cambridge Conltans achieve breakthrough in collaboration with Iridium Communications to develop new transceiver 70% smaller than previous model.
[SatNews – 05/20/2010]

Glowlink has releases GEO4, the manufacturer’s next-generation Model 8000 interference detection solution.
[Satellite Today – 05/20/2010]

World’s largest airship, as long as a 23-floor skyscraper is tall, is intended to serve as a stratospheric satellite, or "stratellite," according to its developers.
[Space.com – 05/20/2010]

Lockheed Martin realigns structure of commercial space systems division.
[PR Newswire – 05/20/2010]

New commercial space rocket Falcon 9 to make first test launch as early as May 28.
[Space.com – 05/20/2010]

Iridium Communications enters Russian market.
[Benzinga – 05/20/2010]

Globalstar receives regulatory approval for mobile satellite service in Korea.
Market Watch – 05/20/2010]

Researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute develop new nanotechnology-based “microlens” using gold, which could lead to a new generation of ultra-powerful satellite cameras.
[R&D Magazine – 05/19/2010]

Arianspace announces signing of contract with Astrium to launch Skynet 5D satellite in first half of 2013.
[SatNews – 05/19/2010]

LiveTV and Iridium Communications Inc. enter into agreement to develop aviation antenna based on the Iridium OpenPort(r) high-speed communications service.
[SatNews – 05/19/2010]

Schlumberger launches SeaConnect(tm) VSAT service, providing high-performance VSAT services using an innovative portable marine 60-cm C-band antenna and related technologies, for the offshore industry.
[SatNews – 05/19/2010]

Marlink announces an extension to its VSAT Ku-band service which will now cover sea routes around Australia for the first time.
[SatNews – 05/19/2010]

Iridium Communications Inc. receives orders for more than 100 Iridium OpenPort broadband satellite terminals for installation on Spanish commercial fishing vessels.
[SatNews – 05/19/2010]

MTN Satellite Communications and its Spanish joint-venture partner, ERZIA, are selected to provide VSAT products and services for Empressa Naviera Elcano.
[SatNews – 05/19/2010]

FCC taps satellite communications company ICO executive to manage review of proposed joint venture between cable companies Comcast and
NBC Universal.
[Reuters – 05/19/2010]

Caprock wins $50m GSA 70 contract to provide complete solution of technical design, field services, and program support to FBI for emergency restoration communications network.
[Satellite Today – 05/19/2010]

Experiments conducted by Sandia National Laboratories at the International Space Station preliminarily indicate that orbiting more complex computer chips to pre-reduce large data streams could facilitate transfer of greater amounts of information from space.
[R&D Magazine – 05/19/2010]

French Polynesian Office of Post and Telecommunications (OPT) has launched a high-speed satellite broadband network based on iDirect’s Evolution platform.
[Satellite Today – 05/19/2010]

SES WORLD SKIES signs an agreement with Astrium for the procurement of a new satellite to be named SES-6.
[SatNews – 05/18/2010]

Intelsat selects Arianespace to launch Intelsat 17 satellite at end of 2010.
[Satellite Today – 05/18/2010]

Hughes Network Systems forms Hughes Network Systems Australia Pty. Ltd. to serve the Ka-band satellite technology and services market in Australia.
[Satellite Today – 05/18/2010]

Globalstar receives regulatory approval for new mobile satellite service in Korea.
[MarketWatch – 05/18/2010]

SES World Skies plans to maneuver AMC-11 to match the eastward drift of zombie satellite Galaxy to avoid interference, bringing in AMC-1 on opposite side of orbital "box."
[Space.com – 05/17/2010]

Russian Satellite Communications Company reports it is no longer possible to maintain the orbital incline of the Express-AM1 satellite.
[SatNews – 05/17/2010]

WBMSAT PS services

DIY Friday: MakerFaire 2010

Friday, May 21st, 2010

 

 

This weekend, at the San Mateo County Event Center,  it’s Maker Faire 2010, the world’s largest DIY festival. A brilliant idea from the publishers of Make: — one of the very few successful new media properties in the new millennium.

Just check out this preview for what to expect.

 

 

The big fun event ought to be the EepyBird.com guys, originators of the Diet Coke/Mentos phenomenon a few years back. 

 

 

They’ve refined their "science entertainment" to produce Bellagio-style fountain art. Check out these videos…

 

Can’t make it out to California? Maker Faire is coming to Michigan (Detroit and Ann Arbor) and New York.

It’s Big in Japan Today

Thursday, May 20th, 2010

 

Excellent launch campaign by JAXA and Mitsubishi in getting AKATSUKI and IKAROS up. Check it out

日本初の金星探査機「あかつき(Akatsuki)」を載せたH2Aロケットが21日午前6時58分、鹿児島県の種子島宇宙センター(Tanegashima space centre)から打ち上げられた。当初18日の打ち上げ予定だったが、悪天候で延期されていた。

 あかつきは約半年かけて金星に到達する。5台の観測カメラを搭載し、金星から300~8万キロ離れた楕円(だえん)軌道上を周回して硫酸の雲などを観測する。

 同ロケットにはあかつきのほか、太陽光の圧力で宇宙空間を進む「宇宙帆船」、イカロス(Interplanetary Kite-craft Accelerated by Radiation of the SunIKAROS)や小型衛星などが搭載されている。

What, can read Japanese? 日本語を読むことを学ぶ (Nihongo o yomu koto o manabu).

Read it on Universe Today

Japan’s first robotic mission to Venus and an experimental solar sail launched successfully from the Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan. The Venus Climate Orbiter, or Akatsuki, the IKAROS solar sail and several smaller payloads launched aboard an H-IIA rocket at 6:58 local time May 21 (21:58 UTC May 20). The video shows a very smooth-looking launch, and 27 minutes later, JAXA confirmed the successful separation of Akatsuki. Then, about 15 minutes after that, the solar sail canister separated.

"We would like to express our profound appreciation for the cooperation and support of all related personnel and organizations that helped contribute to the successful launch of the H-IIA F17," JAXA said in a press release.

Akatsuki should arrive at Venus in December. The IKAROS solar sail will be checked out before being deployed in a few weeks.

Cluster Launch

Thursday, May 20th, 2010

 

 

We’ve got three launches coming up in the next few days.

From Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, an Ariane 5 will launch a dual-payload: ASTRA 3B and COMSATBw-2.

Ariane-V194 Launch window…

From 7:01 p.m. to 7:44 p.m., local time in Kourou, French Guiana
From 6:01 p.m. to 6:44 p.m. in Washington, D.C.
From 10:01 p.m. to 10:44 p.m. UTC, on May 21.
From 12:01 a.m. to 12:44 a.m. in Paris, on May 22. 

Watch it live here.

 

 

On 20 May 2010 21:58:22 UTC, JAXA’s H-IIA rocket will launch (H-IIA F17) AKATSUKI to explore Venus and the IKAROS solar sail. You can watch that one live, too. That will be from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan.

 

 

 

Friday night, live from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, a Delta IV will launch GPS 2-F1 for the U.S. Air Force. Launch window: 11:25 – 11:43 p.m. EDT (22 May 2010 03:25 UTC). Noteworthy…

The GPS IIF system brings next-generation performance to the constellation. The GPS IIF vehicle is critical to U.S. national security and sustaining GPS constellation availability for global civil, commercial and defense applications. Besides sustaining the GPS constellation, IIF features increased capability and improved mission performance and longevity.

This is a mission of several important firsts. Not only is it the first IIF to be launched, this will be the first GPS satellite to ride on the Delta IV launch vehicle. 

Watch it live on the ULA site, or downlink the C-band broadcast…

 

SATELLITE – Galaxy 19
TRANSPONDER – G19C-08
BAND – C-band Analog
ORBITAL POSITION – 97 degrees
CARRIER – INTELSAT
BANDWIDTH – 36 MHz
DOWNLINK FREQ – 3860 MHz Horizontal
BARS AND TONE: 10:30 p.m.
BROADCAST START: 11:04 p.m.

 

  Go Ariane! Go H-IIA! Go Delta IV!

DISH Credit Rating

Tuesday, May 18th, 2010

 

 

Is TiVo toast? Maybe, at the hands of the full panel of judges at the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals (rehearing the case en banc). Which is pretty good news…

Dish Network won a full-court review from a federal appeals court for its ruling in the case involving TiVo. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington granted an en banc review to Dish, which it ruled against in March. Friday’s ruling vacates the one issued in March that left Dish owing TiVo damages of around $303 million.

TiVo sued the Dish Network six years ago over using digital video recording technology for which TiVo said it possessed the patents. TiVo won damages of $103 million in that round, and Dish was told to stop using the DVR technology. The satellite TV provider claimed to have created a work-around technology, but TiVo went after Dish again, saying the work-around still violated TiVo patents. A federal court agreed last year, granted TiVo another $105 million and told Dish to disable the DVR function in its set-top boxes. At the time, an estimated 4 million Dish subscribers had DVR-enabled set-tops.

Professional handicappers are chiming in, with Moody’s thinking a win would lift Dish Network’s credit rating

In March 2010, Dish ended up on the losing side of a patent infringement case with TiVo Inc. Dish faced a $400 million judgment and the prospect of either paying TiVo for licensing or turning off its DVR service until it is able to replace its boxes or software at great cost. It appeared as though an en banc hearing was remote, however, the U.S. Federal Circuit Court of Appeals has granted their petition for rehearing en banc which means that the entire 16 member court will rehear the case, effectively appealing the March decision made by only three judges. We believe that the consequences of a more favorable ruling by the larger court could have positive credit ramifications for Dish Network in the near term by virtue of the cash judgment and over the longer-term if it results in Dish being able to continue offering its DVR service without paying a significant licensing fee to TiVo. Dish’s rating outlook is stable.

 With Sling’s technology, Dish Network’s DVRs very competitive. A little more time to find a workaround is good for Charlie.

 

 

WBMSAT Satellite Industry News Bits for 05/14/2010

Friday, May 14th, 2010

 Courtesy of Bill McDonald

 

Picture perfect last launch for Space Shuttle Atlantis.
[SatNews – 05/14/2010]

Solaris Mobile Ltd, the Dublin based operator of new hybrid satellite and terrestrial wireless networks, Is Licensed For Mobile Satellite Services In Europe.
[SatNews – 05/14/2010]

The European Space Agency (ESA) and Interoute have signed an agreement with the latter to provide a new IP Wide Area Network (WAN) connecting the Earth Observation (EO) Payload Data Systems sites across Europe and Canada.
[SatNews – 05/14/2010]

Comtech Mobile Datacom Corporation receives a $140.5 million ceiling increase to its existing Blue Force Tracking ("BFT") program contract with the U.S. Army.
[SatNews – 05/14/2010]

While ESA’s Proba-2 keeps its main instruments trained on the Sun, it is also looking back to its homeworld.
[SatNews – 05/14/2010]

Severe floods struck Kentucky on May 1–2, 2010, causing statewide damage estimated at more than $30 million, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader.
[SatNews – 05/14/2010]

 

 

 

ESPN to use Globecast for live Cricket broadcasts.
[Satellite Today – 05/14/2010]

Drifting satellite threatens U.S. cable programming as Intelsat’s Galaxy 15 continues to receive and transmit signals as it drifts toward SES WORLDSKIES’ AMC-11 satellite.
[CED Magazine – 05/13/2010]

 Intelligent Communication Enterprise Corporation (ICE) to acquire satellite communication terminals and systems developer THISS Technologioes Ltd.
[TMCnet – 05/13/2010]

Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. to launch toe NigeriaSat-2 and NigeriaSat-X satellites for Nigerian National Space Research and Development Agency on October 29.
[Satellite Today – 05/13/2010]

Germany to test new SHarp Edge Flight EXperiment (Shefex) spacecraft, launching from Australia in early 2011.
[Space Travel – 05/13/2010]

DirecTV wins 7th Circuit Appellate court decision against defendants David Barczewski and Jonathan Wisler, who were accused of decrypting and stealing DirecTV signals.
[Leagle – 05/13/2010]

Congress renews satellite TV authorization to extend through Dec. 31, 2014 compulsory license programs that satellite providers use to carry broadcast TV signals without having to negotiate with individual providers.
[CQ Politics – 05/12/2010]

Intelsat gets favorable GAO decision as it dismisses protests of Artel, CapRock, and Segovia over U.S. Navy’s Commercial Broadband Satellite Program award to Intelsat earlier this year.
[Satellite Today – 05/12/2010]

Hughes Network Systems announces sale of its HX System to Rostelecom, Russia’s largest international and long-distance operator, to provide satellite broadband services in Russia.
[PR News wire – 05/12/2010]

 

 

 

Qatar set to launch first satellite at the end of 2012 to provide superior coverage across Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia, in deal with Eutelsat.
[SatNews – 05/12/2010]

Thrane & Thrane ships 10,000th SAILOR FleetBroadband terminal to Certified Partner Telemar.
[SatNews – 05/12/2010]

Iridium announces important advancement in quest to reach regulatory compliance in Russia.
[SatNews – 05/12/2010]

EMS Aviation technology on stage with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger May 3 as he watched real-time demonstration of the state’s new aircraft tracking system technology.
[SatNews – 05/12/2010]

Sea Launch files plan of reorganization.
[SatNews – 05/12/2010]

Microwave Filter Company announces model 17140 C-band interference filter with 80% better rejection of unwanted signals without compromising the C-band passband.
[SatNews – 05/12/2010]

PolarSat announces receipt of multiple orders for major expansion of an existing Air Traffric Network.
[SatNews – 05/12/2010]

Dish Network’s CEO Charlie Ergen warns that the company may shut down millions of digital video recorders if a court sides with TiVo in a patent dispute.
[CED Magazine – 05/11/2010]

Lockheed to sell second telecommunications satellite to Vietnam in contract worth $215m.
[Reuters – 05/11/2010]

Loral hires investment banks to manage initial public stock offering of up to 19.9% of its satellite manufacturing division.
[Space News – 05/11/2010]

Eutelsat may raise dividend as sales climb in emerging markets.
[Bloomberg Businessweek – 05/11/2010]

Hughes Communications India recognized as best VSAT operator in India.
[TMCnet – 05/11/2010]

Organa releasing "Hidden Sky," an application that lets iPhone users track any of the thousands of satellites that orbit the Earth, as well as the planets and other objects in the sky.
[SatNews – 05/11/2010]

"Johannes Kepler", the second European spacecraft for the International Space Station (ISS), is on its way to the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
[SatNews – 05/11/2010]

SIS LIVE provided 70 satellite uplink vehicles to main UK broadcasters for coverage of UK general election.
[SatNews – 05/11/2010]

Marlink launches @SEAdirect, a new entry-level maritime VSAT service with internet, email, and voice capability.
[SatNews – 05/11/2010]

Initial launch of Soyuz to take place during 4th quarter of 2010.
[SatNews – 05/11/2010]

India asks satellite service providers to seek OK for buying equipment.
[Wall Street Journal – 05/10/2010]

Ericcson is commissioned by Indosat to modernize network and launch Asia’s fastest mobile network, capable of up to 42Mbps.
[SatNews – 05/10/2010]

Space Systems/Loral is selected to provide Satmex 8 for Satelites Mexicanos, a high-power C- and Ku-band satellite replacing Satmex 5, with North and South American FSS coverage.
[SatNews – 05/10/2010]

Insurance company Aon to launch new policy for space investors which aims to enhance satellite operator’s initial credit rating by reducing the financial risk of commercial launches.
[Satellite Today – 05/10/2010]

GlobalPartnersUnited and Global VSAT Form join to promote state-of-the-art telepractice solutions for education and health services.
[SatNews – 05/10/2010]

Satellite Today poll reveals most readers believe the MSS market is not big enough for the amount of companies.
[Satellite Today – 05/10/2010]

Eutelsat signs 3-D content deal with Euro1080 for additional content for Eutelsat’s 3-D channel on the Eurobird 9A satellite.
[Satellite Today – 05/10/2010]

Telespazio, Thales win $375m contract from Italian Ministry of Defense and French Defense Procurement Agency for development of Sicral 2 satellite and ground segment for military communications.
[Satellite Today – 05/10/2010]

VIASAT completes around the world coverage with addition of service over the Indian Ocean, Guam, and waters north of Australia for its Yonder(r) mobile broadband network.
[SatNews – 05/10/2010]

Comtech Telecommunications to buy Communications & Power Industries Inc. (CPI) for $427m.
[San Francisco Business Times – 05/10/2010]

Dish Network’s net income dropped 26% in first quarter due to stepped-up promotions to attract customers; net subscribers increased by 237,000.
[CED Magazine – 05/10/2010]

International Datacasting contracts with large pan-European content distribution company to expand customer’s network to deliver 3D live content and digital cinema content.
[SatNews – 05/10/2010]

TeleCommunication Systems gets $1.8m contract to provide managed satellite bandwidth services for U.S. Government.
[TMCnet – 05/08/2010]

NSR examines SES ‘low risk approach to European Satellite Broadband Access – will the position that the broadband market does not justify the expense of building Ka-band satellites turn out to be right or wrong?
[NSR Industry Briefing – May 2010]

WBMSAT PS services

STS-132 Launch

Friday, May 14th, 2010

 

Likely the last mission for Atlantis. Beautiful launch this afternoon; working it already…

After a successful launch Friday at 2:20 p.m. EDT, the STS-132 crew of space shuttle Atlantis began on-orbit operations. Saturday, the six astronauts will survey the shuttle’s heat shield, checkout the spacesuits for the upcoming spacewalks and prepare for docking to the International Space Station on Sunday.

After reaching orbit the crew also was told that a preliminary debris assessment looks good. The assessment looks at debris that can shake loose and hit the shuttle’s heat shield during its ascent to space.