Really Rocket Science

Featured Article

Federal Communications Commission proposes to comprehensively revamp filing procedures to cut costs and complexity in licensing new satellite systems.
[Space News – 10/03/2014]

Industry Reports

A new market research publication announced by Reportstack, ‘Global Enterprise VSAT Market 2014-2018,’ projects market growth at CAGR of 10.49% for the period.
[Whatech – 10/01/2014]

New NSR report finds satellite operators driving efficiencies via HTS and acquisitions.
[SYS-CON Media – 09/30/2014]

Fixed Satellite Service (FSS) Market 2018: managed and wholesale services analyzed and forecasts in new research report at Sandlerresearch.org.
[University Chronicle – 09/28/2014]

The October issue of Satellite Executive Briefing Magazine includes “Change and Challenges Ahead in the  Satellite Industry” by  Elisabeth Tweedie, “Satellite Communications Networks and Cyber-Security” by Martin Jarrold, and “Case Study on Globalstar’s SPOT Lifesaving Rescues” by Virgil Labrador.
[Satellite Markets & Research – October 2014]

Industry Groups, Trade Shows

SES TechCom has been given the prestigious Changing Lives Award at the VSAT 2014 conference in London for emergency.lu.
[Satellite Evolution Group – 10/02/2014]

Work Microwave addresses broadcast, satellite, and telco industry challenges at IBC 2014.
[The IABM – 10/01/2014]

Mitsubishi Electric to exhibit at CEATEC Japan 2014 October 7 to 11.
[Business Wire – 09/29/2014]

Blue Sky Network to unveil new SATCOM solution at separate aviation industry events in October.
[Aviation Pros – 09/29/2014]

Airbus announced to present at SMi’sGlobal MilSatCom 2014 conference and exhibition.
[PRWeb – 09/29/2014]

The 15th International Exhibition of Telecommunications, Information Technology & Solutions (Iran Telecom 2014) is to be held in Tehran during October 6-9.
[Zawya – 09/28/2014]

Launch Activity

Midterm elections could shape the U.S. launch debate.
[Space News – 10/03/2014]

The Canadian satellite M3M will be launched by India instead of Russia, after long delays amid tension with Russia.
[CBC News – 10/03/2014]

Nanorack identifies root cause of ISS cubesat deployment failures.
[Space News – 10/02/2014]

Returning Proton rocket faces challenges in the market.
[Via Satellite – 09/30/2014]

China successfully completes launch of experimental scientific satellite.
[Via Satellite – 09/29/2014]

Small satellite launch company Firefly Space Systems is moving from California to Cedar Park, Texas.
[Via Satellite – 09/29/2014]

Russian Proton places Russian military satellite into geostationary orbit in 1st launch since May failure.
[Space News – 09/28/2014]

Swiss Space Systems meets with Russia’s JSC Kuznetsov to evaluate the NK-39 engines planned to power the unmanned suborbital shuttle SOAR SmallSat launch vehicle.
[Via Satellite – 09/26/2014]

Satellite Construction

U.S. restrictions on supplies to Russia lead to an increase in time of satellite construction of 8 or 10 months.
[ITAR-TASS – 10/01/2014]

Romania plans to have its own communications satellite.
[telecompaper – 09/29/2014]

COM DEV gets $7.5 million contract from undisclosed customer to manufacture components for a High Throughput Satellite.
[Via Satellite – 09/29/2014]

Satellite Operations

Cubesat revolution and spotty compliance with debris rules fuel dangerous congestion in low earth orbit.
[Space News – 10/03/2014]

Russian satellite communications operator hopes to triple capabilities of orbital group by 2020.
[Interfax – 10/03/2014]

Satellite Technology

India seeks outside help on High Throughput Satellite.
[Space News – 10/02/2014]

Ground Systems Technology

Rockwell Collins ARC-210 radio becomes first airborne radio to operate over the U.S. government’s MUOS constellation.
[Satnews – 10/03/2014]

Orbit Communications Systems gets contract to upgrade ground station in Alaska for U.S.-based system integrator.
[Via Satellite – 09/30/2014]

SatixFy integrates IP cores for advanced satellite modem SoC using Sonics on-chip networks.
[Design & Reuse – 09/30/2014]

Macom releases new set of surface mount S-Band GaN power amplifiers.
[Via Satellite – 09/30/2014]

M2M Connectivity announces the distribution of SkyWave terminals for the Inmarsat satellite network in Australia and New Zealand.
[CSO – 09/29/2014]

Government, Military & Defense

Spanish Ministry of Defence approves Globalstar GSP-1700 satellite phone for use by its personnel
[Satnews – 10/03/2014]

France proceeding with planned electronic-intelligences satellite and next-generation military telecommunications satellite systems.
[Space News – 10/02/2014]

Germany joins EDA’s program to pool and share purchases of commercial satellite bandwidth for military and government use.
[Space News – 10/01/2014]

Canadian government contracts with Com Dev subsidiary exactEarth to extend the availability of AIS to the entire government.
[Via Satellite – 10/01/2014]

U.S. DoD effort launched in early 2013 to reform the way it buys commercial satellite communication bandwidth appears stalled, frustrating lawmakers.
[Space News – 09/29/2014]

Army’s new Joint Incident Site Communication Capability’s (JISCC’s) Delta Package radio-bridging and voice cross-banding capability with satellite terminal supports National Guard/First Responder communications during emergencies.
[army.mil – 09/29/2014]

Lockheed to buy European-built satellite for South Korea as part of $7 billion deal to provide 40 F-35 fighter jets to South Korea.
[Reuters – 09/26/2014]

IDC receives US government contract for broadcast network equipment.
[Via Satellite – 09/26/2014]

Regulatory

One-day Space and Satellite Regulatory Colloquium to be focused on emerging space law and myriad regulatory issues facing global government administrations.
[Satnews – 10/03/2014]

AT&T commitment to bid $45 billion for 5 blocks of 20 MHz of spectrum dependent upon success of DirecTV acquisition.
[TVTechnology – 10/02/2014]

Satellite industry backs the importance of C-band in Africa, citing new research, and claims wireless industry efforts to claim spectrum would undercut African economies.
[IT News Africa – 09/29/2014]

Aeronautical

Inmarsat sees an Air-to-Ground network serving as the centerpiece for its in-Flight Connectivity plans in high traffic areas.
[Via Satellite – 09/29/2014]

Broadband

E-Networks of Guyana becomes first Latin American customer of O3b.
[Via Satellite – 10/02/2014]

Xplorenet ramps up satellite side of its business to cover all of Canada, and plans eventual broadband speed of 100 Mbps using HTS.
[Via Satellite – 10/02/2014]

SES and Swisscom will launch Astra Connect in Switzerland.
[Via Satellite – 10/01/2014]

YahSat intiates two-month promotional offer for satellite broadband through Yahclick in select African countries.
[Via Satellite – 10/01/2014]

Orbitcom to deliver Astra Connect service from SES in Germany.
[Via Satellite – 09/26/2014]

Earth Observation

National Geographic, in partnership with Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, intends to develop new imagery from ISS for educational purposes.
[Via Satellite – 09/29/2014]

Enterprise

SkyVision VPN to connect Unity Bank branch offices in Africa.
[Via Satellite – 10/01/2014]

NSSLGlobal adds two new satellite beams to improve quality and geographical reach of its global VSAT network.
[The Maritime Executive – 09/30/2014]

M2M (Machine to Machine)

M2M Connectivity to distribute SkyWave terminals for Inmarsat satellite network in Australia and New Zealand.
[Ferret – 10/03/2014]

Maritime

MTN announces that the number of TBN –connected cruise ships has doubled and covered regions have tripled in the past year.
[Satnews – 10/02/2014]

Mobile

Gilat successfully demonstrates maximum 4G handheld device performance over satellite at tier-one operator in Asia.
[Satellite Evolution Group – 10/02/2014]

Video

Thomson Reuters, partnering with Avanti, Sematron, and BIPS, successfully broadcast the entire Oscar Pistorius trial in live HD.
[Market Watch – 10/03/2014]

Pi Telecom’s partnership with SatLink expands into IP delivery . . . immediate TV everywhere . . . ready to launch managed service via the cloud within days.
[Satnews – 09/30/2014]

Sky Perfect JSAT to launch dedicated 4K Ultra-HD channels on March 1, 2015.
[Via Satellite – 09/26/2014]

Space

NASA and ISRO of India sign two new documents for future joint missions in space.
[Via Satellite – 10/02/2014]

Thales Alenia says funding commitment for ExoMars is needed in December to complete the agreed-to funding package.
[Space News – 10/01/2014]

Sierra Nevada Corp partners with Stratolaunch for Dream Chaser derivative, looking for commercial uses for the space vehicle.
[Via Satellite – 10/01/2014]

Why a refrigerator-sized spacecraft could be humanity’s best hope against solar storms.
[Nextgov – 10/01/.2014]

Capacity Agreements

Eutelsat signs two satellite beams on Eutelsat 21B to Vizocom for its AfricAsia Satellite Services.
[Via Satellite – 10/02/2014]

Market Strategy & Revenues

Australian operator NewSat and partner ITC Global have tightened their partnership to focus on opportunities in the energy sector.
[Via Satellite – 10/01/2014]

Gilat Satcom provides additional satellite route between Africa and the United States.
[Satellite Spotlight – 10/01/2014]

ITC Global announces another record quarter, with $100 million in new bookings year to date.
[San Antonio Business Journal – 09/30/2014]

Globalstar seeks to build up its presence in Southern Africa with new gateway station in Botswana for simplex services.
[Via Satellite – 09/30/2014]

Armada Group proposes acquisition of up to 45.95% of equity interest in China Satellite Mobile Communications Group.
[Reuters – 09/30/2014]

Airbus is divesting its commercial satcoms business, including its maritime satcoms division and subsidiary Marlink.
[Satnews – 09/29/2014]

History

Globecomm mentioned in Global Satellite Industry Campaign, with projects in Afghanistan and Caribbean highlighted.
[Business Wire – 10/02/2014]

Russia is a stalwart of the satellite industry but, as a market, has seen challenges.
[Via Satellite – 09/26/2014]

The Human Aspect

Group claiming to be independent experts says the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) should be searching further south in the Indian Ocean for missing Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370.
[malaysiakini – 09/30/2014]

WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services

You will go and plant Russian flag. Rename it “Mootin.”

With all the sanctions in place against major industries in Putin’s Russian Empire, it’s become increasingly difficult to sell $65 million Proton launches. Add that to illusion of “Russian quality” in manufacturing, and you’ve got a direct route to failure.

So what’s psycho dickhead’s master plan for his space industry? Plan a manned mission to the Moon! Via ITAR-TASS, the drunk derelicts who can’t get a decent translator for their site…

Russia’s Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) plans to begin full-scale exploration of the Moon in late 2020s-early 2030s, Roscosmos chief Oleg Ostapenko said on Tuesday.

“At the end of the next decade, we plan to complete tests of a super-heavy-class carries rocket and begin full-scale exploration of the Moon,” he said at a government meeting chaired by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin. “By that time, based on the results of lunar surface exploration by unmanned space probes, we will designate most promising places for lunar expeditions and lunar bases,” Ostapenko added.

Let’s hope it’s not another Foton-M 1 launch. That was “bloody hell.”

It’s probably a reaction to plug holes in the Russian brain bucket, which is leaking journalists and middle-class professionals. Pussy Riot confirmed this while visiting Harvard.

Featured Article

World’s largest satellite fleet operators propose that global regulators not extend current radio spectrum allocations for air-to-ground communications links to satellite services.
[Space News – 09/26/2014]

Industry Reports

Global Fixed Satellite Service (FSS) research report at ReportsnReports.com projects the market to grow at 5.48% by 2018.
[TMCnet – 09/26/2014]

Africa’s socio-economic development depends on satellite services delivered via C-band spectrum according to Euroconsult report.
[GVF.org – 09/26/2014]

Technavio report forecasts the Global Mobile Satellite Services market to grow at a CAGR of 7.39% over the period 2013 to 2018.
[PR Newswire – 09/23/2014]

Industry Groups, Trade Shows

SMi Group’s 16th Annual Global MilSatCom conference and exhibition will occur from November 4th to 6th, 2014, in London.
[SatNews – 09/25/2014]

The power of the satellite communication and navigation technology industries is being celebrated in World Space Week in October.
[Global Trader – 09/2014]

Launch Activity

Khrunichev, Roscosmos prepare Proton for launch of Loutch SC built by ISS-Reshetnev.
[Via Satellite – 09/25/2014]

ESA’s Ariane 6 cost estimate rises with addition of new launch pad.
[Space News – 09/24/2014]

ATK offers U.S. Air Force a solid rocket alternative to the Russian-built RD-180.
[Via Satellite – 09/23/2014]

Satellite Construction

Romania may have its own communications satellite in 3 – 4 years.
[actmedia – 09/26/2014]

COM DEV wins contract to deliver multiplexer equipment, waveguide, coaxial switches and microwave components for construction of a High Throughput Satellite (HTS).
[Your Communications News – 09/26/2014]

Macdonald Dettwiler & Associates to build a Ka band data relay terminal flight model for use on the ESA Columbus module of the ISS.
[4-traders – 09/25/2014]

Azerbaijan’s blueprint for a domestic space industry includes global competition for optical satellite.
[Space News – 09/25/2014]

Laser Light Communications selects Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. to be prime contractor for the first global, all optical commercial satellite system.
[Hispanic Business – 09/24/2014]

With negotiations to lease an orbital slot from an Intersputnik member nearly complete, Bangladesh plans to request bids for its Bangabandnu 1 satellite.
[Space News – 09/23/2014]

Satellite Technology

Airbus sees greater promise in all-electric satellite sales, and expects fierce competition ahead.
[Via Satellite – 09/24/2014]

Boeing announced it is has received a new six-month contract to evaluate a scientific hosted payload named Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO).
[Via Satellite – 09/24/2014]

Iridium announces completion of extensive testing program for qualification of its new solar panel design for Iridium NEXT.
[Space Ref – 09/23/2014]

Ground Systems

MDA to build ground station for DigitalGlobe.
[Via Satellite – 09/25/2014]

Macom unveils new up-converter for 28 to 34 GHz.
[Via Satellite – 09/24/2014]

C-Com files patent application for a low cost phase shifter for in-motion Ka-band antennas.
[Market Wired – 09/23/2014]

European broadcasters embrace revolutionary low-cost satellite flyaway system from ATCi.
[EFY Times – 09/23/2014]

Comtech Telecommunications Corp. is awarded $6.7 million in orders for communications jamming High-Power Amplifier systems.
[Market Watch – 09/23/2014]

Government, Military & Defense

Colombian government shelves its plans for a satellite due to insufficient funds.
[SatNews – 09/25/2014]

Comtech Telecommunications subsidiaries receive new or follow-on contracts for different satellite products which will support the military.
[Via Satellite – 09/24/2014]

Upgrade to iDirect Evolution helps Telefonica Peru win bid for telemedicine network.
[Market Watch – 09/24/2014]

L-3 wins $23 million contract to provide satellite terminals and communications equipment to the U.S. Air Force.
[SatNews – 09/23/2014]

New UK company Spacepath Communications joins with Silicon Valley-based Tango Wave to market new range of high efficiency HPAs for global market.
[SatNews – 09/23/2014]

Canadian Space Agency grants MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates three projects to apply satellite data to national interest: tracking ships, geo-hazard monitoring, and logging and deforestation.
[Via Satellite – 09/23/2014]

The Canadian DND  announced it will be sharing space data from a satellite launched last year to keep watch on space junk with defence departments in the U.S., U.K. and Australia.
[CBC – 09/22/2014]

Russian Federal Space Agency presents President Vladimir Putin a draft resolution that would allow for public use of sub-meter satellite imagery.
[Via Satellite – 09/23/2014]

Aeronautical

Honeywell Aerospace and Thales partner to create a joint In-Flight Connectivity service using Ka-band Global Xpress capacity.
[Via Satellite – 09/22/2014]

Broadband

SES expands partnership with ORBITCOM to include delivery of Astra Connect for communities in Germany.
[Satellite Evolution Group- 09/25/2014]

Maritime

KVH brings Dish ‘Pay As You Go’ service to maritime.
[Via Satellite – 09/25/2014]

Oil & Gas

Increasing Oil & Gas activity in Papua New Guinea drives EMC’s expanding satellite communications service in the area.
[Market Wired – 09/23/2014]

Video

DirecTV is actively looking into supporting Ultra-HD content in 2014.
[Via Satellite – 09/22/2014]

Space

NASA requests proposals for follow-on ISS cargo contract.
[Space News – 09/26/2014]

DARPA, industry study how to commercialize experimental spaceplane.
[Space News – 09/26/2014]

UK joins list of U.S. allies agreeing to strengthen space surveillance sharing.
[Space News – 09/25/2014]

FAA says safety report does not infer any intention to regulate human spaceflight, but is intended to support industry development of standards.
[Space News – 09/25/2014]

After losing a NASA commercial crew competition, Sierra Nevada lays off its Dream Chaser staff.
[Space News – 09/25/2014]

Long delayed award of the US Air Force’s Launch and Test Range System Integrated Support Contract now expected in October.
[Space News – 09/24/2014]

India triumphs in its first interplanetary mission, placing a satellite into orbit around Mars.
[R&D Magazine – 09/24/2014]

Capacity Agreements

Gazprom Space Systems leases capacity on the Yamal 402 satellite to iSAT Africa.
[Via Satellite – 09/22/2014]

Market Strategy & Revenues

As U.S. sales soften, Inmarsat’s growth plan hinges on emerging markets.
[Space News – 09/26/2014]

NSSLGlobal adds two new satellite beams to improve the quality and geographical reach of its global VSAT network.
[MarineLink – 09/26/2014]

Cipriot company Kypros teams with Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. of Britain to offer turnkey systems to small nations entering the market.
[Space News – 09/26/2014]

DirecTV shareholders vote overwhelmingly to approve merger with AT&T.
[The Hill – 09/25/2014]

Applied Satellite Technology (AST), launched its new brand logo at its Annual European Customer Event.
[Satellite Evolution Group – 09/24/2014]

SatLink Communications expands its Asian coverage with a new PoP in Hong Kong.
[Satellite Evolution Group – 09/24/2014]

The Human Aspect

SES joins Clinton Global Initiative and unveils an electronic health, or e-health platform named SATMED.
[Via Satellite – 09/25/2014]

Devastating floods marooned everything in Kashmir, including the fibre-optic based and mobile telephone communication system, but officials from Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) ensured that the Valley was reconnected to the outside world for coordinating relief work.
[Zee News – 09/23/2014]

WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services

“One can only guess about the condition representatives of the so-called American Meteor Society were in when they identified a luminescent phenomenon high up in the sky as a Russian military satellite,” said the spokesman, Igor Konashenkov.

NBC News reported a fireball over Colorado was actually a Russian spy satellite (Kosmos 2495, a Kobalt-M spacecraft) used for reconnaissance.

Russian propaganda is speculating it was actually a threatening “flying Nazi wing” or something and the Kosmos 2495 did some counter-measures and shot the bitch down with a laser beam.

The technology is astounding: it weighs 6,700 kg, uses film to record images, then sends canisters back by dropping them somewhere over Russian territory. This particular one was launch in May, so it coincides with its end-of-life. However, instead of burning up upon re-entry over Orenburg, Russia, parts or all of it burned up over Colorado. Just another case of “Russian precision?” Yeah, right.

Anatoly Zak presented a balanced account of what may have happened:

According to a space flight historian Jonathan McDowell, Kosmos-2495 was deorbited on Sept. 2, 2014, and its descent module landed around 18:18 GMT after a 119-day mission. The reentry was confirmed by a likely sighting of the spacecraft over Kazakhstan, not far from the border with the Russian region of Orenburg, where Russian military satellites would normally land. However a yet another reentry was observed by multiple witnesses the following evening over the western United States. According to McDowell, the ground track of the mysterious object over the US closely matched that of Kosmos-2495, if only the satellite or its fragment was able to make additional six revolutions around the Earth after its projected landing in Russia and then reenter over the US state of Colorado around 04:33 GMT on September 3.

The sightings over the US could be explained by an aborted firing of the braking engine onboard the spacecraft that caused one of its parts, such as the descent module, to reenter over Russia, while another part, such as the service module to stay in orbit for several hours and then make an uncontrolled plunge into the atmosphere over the US due to air friction, McDowell said.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise the Russian military is using space technology first used in the early 1980’s, with alleged 0.3m resolution, however.

Putin’s Russia is run by criminals, drunks and KGB-bred barbarians who have no regard for human life or for telling the truth.

Here’s a more-recent follow-up from the Daily Camera in Boulder:

Witnesses across the Front Range and in several neighboring states reported the object streaking across the sky and breaking into several pieces around 10:30 p.m. on Sept. 2.

While some initially speculated it was a meteor, a meteor would have burned too quickly to be seen over such a vast area, said Mike Hankey, the American Meteor Society’s operations manager.

He added that fragments from the object were even big enough to show up as a weather event on radar just east of Cheyenne, Wyo.

The object probably was a piece of Russia’s Cosmos 2495 reconnaissance satellite, launched in May, said Charles Vick, an aerospace analyst with military information website Globalsecurity.org.

Cosmos 2495 was designed to shoot reconnaissance photos and send the film back to Earth in capsules.

It delivered film to Russia as intended, but some pieces of the craft remained in orbit until falling over the Rockies, Vick said.

The U.S. Strategic Command, responsible for American nuclear warfighting forces, confirmed that Cosmos 2495 re-entered the atmosphere and was removed from the U.S. satellite catalog Sept. 3.

Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer with the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, estimates that there are 98 operating spy satellites in orbit, launched by at least six nations.

Of those, 37 are from the United States, 30 from China and just three from Russia, he said. Many of those satellites are old, and probably half are in full operation, McDowell said.

A Russian Defense Ministry spokesman told the ITAR-TASS news agency Sept. 9 their military satellites were operating normally,

Featured Article

United Launch Alliance (ULA) has selected Jeff Bezos’ aerospace company Blue Origin to build the Blue Engine 4 (BE-4) to replace the Russian-built RD-180.
[Via Satellite – 09/18/2014]

Industry Reports

New ReportnReports Global mobile satellite services report projects that market segment to grow at a CAGR of 7.39% to 2018.
[WhaTech – 09/19/2014]

NSR sees mobile video as key satellite opportunity, with mobile subscriptions on track to outpace human population soon according to Ericsson.
[Via Satellite – 09/15/2014]

HTS revenues to overtake FSS in battleground applications per NSR’s Global Satellite Capacity Supply & Demand, 1th edition.
[Satellite Markets & Research – 09/12/2014]

iDirect white paper discusses how satellite operators, infrastructure providers and small cell manufacturers are working together to help mobile operators expand their reach.
[telecoms – iDirect October 2013 whitepaper]

Launch Activity

Next generation Ariane rocket expected to take priority over International Space Station as European space ministers meet in Zurich.
[Space News – 09/22/2014]

ORS-4 launch, first flight of experimental low-cost launch system for small satellites and based in Hawaii, delayed to early next year.
[Space News – 09/19/2014]

Atlas V launches from Cape Canaveral carrying the secretive CLIO satellite built by Lockheed-Martin.
[ABC News – 09/16/2014]

Satellite Construction

Lockheed Martin successfully mates large system and propulsion modules of NOAA’s GOES-R next-gen weather satellite.
[Via Satellite – 09/19/2014]

MDA to build satellite communications subsystem for ESA’s Columbus module on the international space station.
[Market Watch – 09/18/2014]

China Academy of Space Technology completes Final Design Review of the China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite 4 (CBERS 4).
[Via Satelllite – 09/18/2014]

Qatari Es’hail 2 satellite will include AMSAT-DL Phase 4 ameteur radion transponders.
[eHam.net – 09/18/2014]

Orbital Sciences selected by Yahsat to build Al Yah 3 communications satellite.
[Satellite Spotlight – 09/15/2014]

Brazil orders hybrid satellite from Thales Alenia Space.
[Via Satellite – 09/16/2014]

Japanese firm Mitsubishi selected to build new Qatar satellite.
[Arabian Business – 09/13/2014]

MDA subsidiary Space Systems/Loral wins contract to build Hispasat 1F satellite.
[Canadian Manufacturing – 09/12/2014]

Satellite Operations

FCC greenlights Iridium plan for deorbiting its 1^st-generation constellation.
[Space News – 09/17/2014]

All six of Orbcomm’s OG2 satellites enter commercial service.
[Via Satellite – 09/15/2014]

Satellite Technology

Israeli startup hopes to stop satellites from getting lost in space.
[Haaretz – 09/21/2014]

Future SES satellites to focus heavily on in-flight connectivity.
[Via Satellite – 09/116/2014]

Ground Systems Technology

Paradigm Communictions and Skyware Technologies successfully complete factory acceptance testing of Global Xpress terminals.
[SatNews – 09/17/2014]

NBN of Australia nears completion of satellite ground station network.
[Via Satellite – 09/17/2014]

European Broadcasters embrace revolutionary low-cost satellite flyaway system from ATCi.
[The Street – 09/15/2014]

Government, Military & Defense

U.S. Air Force Space Command general excited but cautious on new ULA-Blue Origin partnership.
[Space News – 09/22/2014]

U.S. Air Force selects Harris Corporation for hosted payload solutions contract.
[Satellite Spotlight – 09/19/2014]

Using technology similar to that of average smarthones, the U.S. Navy’s MUOS satellites provide long-distance military communications to manpack terminals.
[TMCnet – 09/18/2014]

United States Rep. Jim Bridenstine calls for the NOAA to make use of commercial weather data to mitigate risk from both pending and potential future weather data gaps.
[Via Satellite – 09/17/2014]

Fireball spotted over U.S. likely part of a Russian spy satellite.
[The Blaze – 09/17/20147]

German satellite communications company Stellar has servers hacked by government security agencies according to Snowden leaked documents.
[softpedia – 09/15/2014]

DARPA wants to test satellite repair droids in orbit.
[Space.com  – 09/12/2014]

Regulatory

U.N. body to discuss radio frequency spectrum for satellite tracking of airplanes.
[Yonhap News – 09/17/2014]

The Senate commerce committee releases a version of the satellite distant-signal reauthorization bill that eliminates the “Local Choice” proposal, and broadcasters appear to drop opposition.
[The Hill – 09/15/2014]

Aeronautical

Globalstar, in collaboration with ADS-B Technologies, completes a four-day 7,000-mile flight test of a dual-link Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) system.
[Via Satellite – 09/19/2014]

CPI provides novel quad-band radome to support successful flight demonstrations of ViaSat, Inc.’s first integrated Ku-band and Ka-band airborne satellite terminal.
[pcb007 – 09/19/2014]

UK inflight entertainment solutions brand roKKi and Inmarsat launch first low-cost inflight connectivity service in the Asia-Pacific region.
[Hispanic Business – 09/18/2014]

Virgin Atlantic to offer new Gogo satellite-Internet service as it becomes the first European customer for a new in-glight connectivity system being sold by Gogo.
[The Wall Street Journal – 09/17/2014]

Gogo wins bidding to provide in-flight connectivity services for Vietnam Airlines, expected to be the first Gogo commercial airline to use Inmarsat’s Global Xpress Ka-band technology.
[TMCnet – 09/17/2014].

Panasonic Avionics providing in-flight connectivity for Spain-based Air Europa.
[Via Satellite – 09/16/2014]

Hawaiian Airlines to be first commercial airline to install new Inmarsat communications system.
[Pacific Business News – 09/16/2014]

Maritime

VSAT provider OmniAccess has partnered with US antenna manufacturer Phasor to launch what they claim is the world’s first maritime Ku-band digital phased array antenna.
[Digital Ship – 09/19/2014]

GVF launches maritime satellite communications glossary of terms.
[MarineLink -09/18/2014]

MTN delivers yachts the first dual Ku/Ka-band ultra-high speed satellite solution to further enhance its powerful Maestro service.
[PR News wire – 09/17/2014]

Mobile

Global connectivity for smartphones and tablets is today a reality with the ITU to boost communication capacity and emergency communication solutions for small island developing states.
[Satellite Spotlight – 09/16/2014]

Global connectivity for smartphones and tablets is today a reality with the worldwide launch of IsatHub from Inmarsat.
[4GWE – 09/16/2014]

Video

Eutelsat and Cisco partner on cloud video via satellite.
[Via Satellite – 09/16/2014]

Space

NASA’s Maven spacecraft enters Mars orbit.
[R&D Magazine – 09/22/2014]

SpaceX breaks ground on Texas spaceport.
[Space News – 09/22/2014]

Inmarsat is helping to extend global awareness of the international celebration of science and technology, World Space Week 2014.
[WebWire – 09/22/2014]

SpaceX supply load for space station includes first 3-D printer bound for orbit.
[R&D Magazine – 09/22/2014]

NASA awards a $4.2 billion contract to Boeing and a $2.6 billion contract to SpaceX to build rockets and spacecraft capable of taking astronauts into orbit.
[Nextgov – 09/17/2014]

Capacity Agreements

Globecast, KTsat choose AsiaSat to broadcast the 2014 Asian Games.
[Via Satellite – 09/19/2014]

Telmex wins contract to provide satellite communications network to the country’s Health Secretary.
[TMCnet – 09/19/2014]

Bentley Walker purchases capacity on Yamal 402 satellite to be used for services in Africa.
[Via Satellite – 09/17/2014]

Eutelsat inks contract with Nilesat on Eutelsat 8 West B satellite.
[Reuters – 09/15/2014]

Onlime has entered an agreement with Gazprom Space Systems (GSS) for capacity on the upcoming Yamal 402 satellite.
[Via Satellite – 09/15/2014]

SES signs capacity deal for Astra 3B with EuroSkyPark.
[telecompaper – 09/13/2014]

Market Strategy & Revenues

Aireon to offer satellite tracking free to help search for missing planes.
[Reuters – 09/22/2014]

Singtel extends Glopbal Xpress VAR relationship with Inmarsat.
[twst.com – 09/22/2014]

Inmarsat and Thales condlude GX Aviation reseller agreement.
[Satellite Spotlight – 09/22/2014]

Thales Alenia steps up efforts to sell Earth-observation satellites abroad.
[Space News – 09/19/2014]

ViaSat eyes urban markets, touts aviation broadband service.
[Space News – 09/19/2014]

Globalstar makes satellite communications available to everyone throughout EMENA with the lowest-cost pre-paid service in the industry.
[FIS – 09/17/2014]

Airbus Defence and Space to sell suite of assets including its commercial satellite communications services division.
[Space News – 09/16/2014]

Apllied Satellite Technology joins the VT iDirect Distribution Program.
[SatNews – 09/16/2014]

Rockwell Collins Satellite Communications Systems, recently acquired by Atlanta-based private investment group, re-emerges as well-known Datapath brand.
[PR Newswire – 09/15/2014]

WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services

The winning image by James Woodend was of a green aurora pictured in Iceland’s Vatnajokull National Park. The light reflected almost symetrically in Jokulsrlon Glacier lagoon. A complete lack of wind and currrent combine in this sheltered lagoon scene to create an arresting mirror effect giving the image a sensation of utter stillness. © James Woodend

As reported by The Daily Mail…

From clouds dancing across the Milky Way to a stunning solar eclipse over Kenya, the annual competition showcasing the mysterious depths of our universe has revealed some incredible images.

West Midlands-based photographer James Woodend beat over a thousand amateur and professional photographers from around the world to win the title of Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2014.

As well as securing the £1,500 ($2,440) top prize, his image takes pride of place in the exhibition of winning photographs opening today at the Royal Observatory Greenwich.
The judges were mesmerised by Woodend’s shot portraying a vivid green aurora dancing across the Icelandic night sky and reflected symmetrically in the glacial Jökulsarlon lagoon of Vatnajökull National Park.

Competition judge and Royal Observatory Public Astronomer, Dr Marek Kukula said: ‘I love the combination of whites and blue in the glacier with the chilly green of the aurora in this wonderfully icy picture.

‘We’ve had some amazing aurora pictures in the competition over the last six years, but this is the first time a photo of the Northern Lights has actually won the Astronomy Photographer of the Year prize.

‘We were all completely in awe of the colours and symmetry of James’ shot.’

That really is a stunning image! Some of the others receiving commendation include the Horsehead Nebula, IC 1340 (part of the Veil Nebula), Helix Nebula, NGC 1999 and the surface of the Sun.

They’re on display now at the Royal Observatory’s Astronomy Centre in Greenwich (18 September 2014 to 22 February 2015).

Scotland’s vote for independence on 18 September 2014 is an interesting proposition. Although Sir Paul is in favor of “staying together, it is an immensely complicated proposition (defense, currency/banking, oil rights, etc.). Contrary to what you may remember from Trainspotting, Scotland was not “colonized by wankers.”

Let’s move on to the other spectacle in Scotland recently: the aurora borealis! You’ve got to see Maciej Winiarczyk’s beautiful photos!

Aurora Panorama from Noss Head

Loch Killimster, Caithness, Scotland

Featured Article

Ariane 5 launch – NASA photo

Ariane 5 ECA launches Optus 10 and MEASAT-3b satellites from French Guiana.
[NASA Spaceflight – 09/11/2014]

Industry Reports

HTS revenues to overtake FSS I battleground applications, with GEO-HTS revenues to grow from $250 million in 2013 and exceed $3.5 billion by 2023,  per NSR report.
[Market Wired – 09/12/2014]

Military Market Research Reports provides market forecast and analysis for the global military communications market up to 2019.
[WhaTech – 09/09/2014]

Industry Groups, Trade Shows

Frost & Sullivan recognizes Advantech Wireless with 2014 North American Frost & Sullivan Award for New Product Innovation Leadership for new series of GaN-based SSPAs.
[PR Newswire – 09/12/2014]

Orbital Sciences CEO expresses disappointment in potential for hosted payload market during panel discussion at World Satellite Business Week in Paris.
[Via Satellite – 09/11/2014]

Euroconsult announces recipients of its 11^th Annual Awards for Excellence in Satellite Communications at World Satellite Business Week in Paris.
[SpaceRef – 09/10/2014]

CEOs from the “Big Four” FSS operators engaged in a lively debate about the future of the satellite industry at Euroconsult’s World Satellite Business Week.
[Via Satellite – 09/09/2014]

Launch Activity

A Falcon 9 leaving the hangar. Photo: SpaceX – Via Satellite

Sky Perfect JSAT chooses SpaceX for JCSAT 16 launch.
[Via Satellite – 09/11/2014]

Falcon 9 lifts off from Cape Canaveral with Asiasat 6. Photo: SpaceX – Via Satellite

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off successfully from Cape Canaveral with AsiaSat 6/Thaicom 7 aboard.
[Via Satellite – 09/08/2014]

An Ariane 5 rocket in flight. (Credit: Arianespace) – Forbes

Arianespace selected to launch Al Yah 3 satellite in fourth quarter of 2016; Arianespace claims to now hold 60% of the commercial launch market.
[Forbes – 09/08/2014]

Satellite Construction

Al Yah 3 – Artist’s conception published at Space Ref

Orbital Sciences to build Al Yah 3 communications satellite for Yahsat.
[Space Ref – 09/10/2014]

Airbus Defence and Space will built EchoStar 105 with 24 C-band transponders known as SES 11 under agreement between SES and Echostar.
[Aerospace Manufacturing and Design – 09/10/2014]

Ball Aerospace selected by Laser Light Communications to be prime contractor for the first global, all-optical commercial satellite system.
[PR Newswire – 09/10/2014]

Boeing receives first order for 502 Phoenix small satellite from HySpecIQ of Washington, D.C.
[Space Ref – 09/10/2014]

Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) and Kypros Satellites (Kyprosat) have teamed up to provide a turnkey telecommunications SmallSat for Geostationary Earth Orbit.
[Via Satellite – 09/10/2014]

Space Syustems/Loral selected to provide a communications satellite for Bulgaria Sat.
[Balkans Business News – 09/09/2014]

Ghosts of satellite constellations from the past? Flurry of announcements and projects under the radar hitting fever pitch.
[NSR – 09/08/2014]

Artistic rendition of Es’hailSat 2 courtesy of Mitsubishi – SatNews

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation gets a new contract to deliver the Es’hail 2 communications satellite to operator Qatar Satellite Company (Es’hailSat) in Doha.
[SatNews – 09/08/2014]

Artist’s concept of BulgariaSat 1. Credit: Space Systems/Loral – Spaceflight Now

Bulgaria’s first satellite to be built by Loral and launched by SpaceX, with financing by the Export-Import Bank.
[Spaceflight Now – 09/08/2014]

Satellite Operations

NIGCOMSAT leases out DTH platform to PPTV.
[Vanguard – 096/10/2014]

Satellite Technology

Lockheed Martin unveils reprogrammable A2100 satellite bus with dual launch capability.
[Via Satellite – 09/09/2014]

Ground Systems Technology

Kratos brings Big Data analysis to satellite operations for Es’hailSat to better manage service levels and optimize satellite operations.
[CNN Money – 09/11/2014]

Avanti demos Google Glassware satellite application that optimizes Ka-band field site installation process at IBC.
[Market Watch – 09/11/2014]

Cobham SATCOM launches latest innovation in EXPLORER satellite terminal range, with new, compact design and focus on wireless connectivity, at IBC 2014.
[SatNews – 09/11/2014]

MaxLinear to showcase 4K satellite Full-Spectrum Capture technology at IBC.
[TMCnet – 09/11/2014]

C-COM mobile antenna receives Eutelsat type approval for NewsSpotter newsgathering service.
[Market Wired – 09/11/2014]

Newtec first to deliver full DVB-S2X solution across entire product line, showcased at IBC.
[realwire – 09/10/2014]

C-COM is exhibiting its next generation Eutelsat approved antennas at IBC in Amsterdam.
[Market Wired – 09/09/2014]

Spacepath Communications, a new company behind family of high power outdoor amplifiers, debuts at IBC.
[SatNews – 09/09/2014]

Satellite earth station antenna options work to mitigate Ka-band losses due to weather effects.
[Satmagazine article]

Government, Military & Defense

TeleCommunication Systems awarded $13.7 million to supply managed satellite services to the U.S. Marine Corps.
[Market Watch – 09/11/2014]

Space Daily file image

Intelsat General extends contract with DRS Technologies to provide satellite capacity to forces in Afghanistan.
[Space Daily – 09/10/2014]

SES is awarded contract to provide satellite capacity to support the Army Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T).
[Business Wire – 09/09/2014]

ViaSat and Data Link Solutions win multimillion dollar military contracts.
[Via Satellite – 09/09/2014]

Regulatory

Export-Import bank’s approval of $4.8 billion in satellite deals since 2002 – almost all of that in the last three years – complicates its fight for survival.
[Reuters – 09/09/2014]

Aeronautical

ORBIT Communication Systems receives order to supply its comprehensive airborene satellite communications solution to a leading UAV manufacturer.
[SatNews – 09/11/2014]

Broadband

Timor Telecom goes live on O3b Network’s “Fiber in the Sky” satellite network.
[Via Satellite – 09/08/2014]

Maritime

SpeedCast selected by Jan De Nul Group for satellite communications for fleet of offshore & dredging vessels.
[Satellite Spotlight – 09/09/2014]

Video

CinecolorSat chooses satellite receiver equipment from International Datacasting to support expansion of their digital cinema distribution network across Latin America.
[PRWeb – 09/11/2014]

Eutelsat, in partnership with MStar Semiconductor, Aston and Quadrille Ingénierie, are working together to validate push Video-On-Demand (VOD) using the Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV) 2.0 standard.
[Via Satellite – 09/09/2014]

IDC ‘s TITAN 3 high definition contribution encoder selected for deployment in Latin America by Grimsat.
[Market Watch – 09/08/2014]

Space

Solar Dynamics Observatory/ESA/NASA – Time Magazine

Strong solar flare headed toward Earth but scientists say its worst effects will likely bypass the planet when it arrives this weekend.
[Time Magazine – 09/11/2014]

Understanding how objects in space spin and where centers of mass are crucial to potential space missions to clean up space debris.
[R&D Magazine – 09/10/2014]

Legal

ViaSat settles claim against Loral Space & Communications.
[Bloomberg – 09/07/2014]

Capacity Agreements

Amos 6 to broadcast Ukraine’s 1+1 Media’s entire network.
[Via Satellite – 09/11/2014]

Services Contracts

Kacific  signs agreement with International Telecommunication Union for development of satellite communications capacity and emergency communications solutions for the Pacific region.
[Voxy – 09/08/2014]

Market Strategy & Revenues

RRSat’s (RRmedia’s) Hawley Teleport. Photo: RRSat – Via Satellite

Hispasat signs new international teleports and expends broadcasting services over its orbital position at 30 degrees west.
[Via Satellite – 09/11/2014]

Inmarsat signs Rockwell Collins as Value Added Reseller for Global Xpress.
[Via Satellite – 09/10/2014]

Senior executives from space programs across the world discuss ambitious satellite projects in key emerging markets during Euroconsult’s World Satellite Business Week in Paris.
[Via Satellite – 09/08/2014]

Russian DTH operators are unsure about the prospects of satellite broadband in Russian, and are unlikely to get involved in the market.
[Via Satellite – 09/08/2014]

NSSLGlobal announces merger with the ESL group of companies, a satellite solution provider and system integrator.
[Via Satellite – 09/08/2014]

The Human Aspect

Malaysian Defence Ministry dismisses as “absolute gossip” reports that Malaysian Navy was secretly deployed to location close to Langkawi Island to retrieve Flight 370 debris and bodies.
[International Business Times – 09/07/2014]

WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services

360-895-0478   email:  [email protected]

Nice job by Arianespace for Measat and Optus. Glad to see something positive happen for Malaysia’s aerospace endeavors.