WBMSAT Talking Satellite

Satellite Industry News Bits March 5, 2010

Orbital Sciences reaches agreement to acquire spacecraft development and manufacturing business of General Dynamic’s subsidiary GD Advanced Information Systems.
[SatNews - 03/05/2010]

Air Force accepts WGS-3 from Boeing.
[UPI - 03/05/2010]

RRsat Global Communications Network signs agreement with ISG Media of India to provide fiber connectivity, playout and distribution for satellite broadcast in Europe and North America.
[SatNews - 03/05/2010]

SatMAX and TLC  Engineering offer SatMAX repeaters to aid Chile.
[CNN Money - 03/05/2010]

GlobecCast’s new Content Acquisition and Distribution division signs agreement with Chinese content provider ZN Animation to deliver content to Video on Demand viewers throughout Europe.
[SatNews - 03/05/2010]

GOES-P satellite, NASA and NOAA’s environmental satellite completing the N -O series,  is successfully launched from Cape Canaveral.
[NASA web site - 03/04/2010]

OmniGlobe Networks EMEA signs Letter of Intent to acquire entire issued share capital and assets of privately-held Sat-Comm Ltd.
[SatNews - 03/04/2010]

Telesat expresses support for Canadian government’s commitment to remove foreign ownership restrictions on Canadian satellite operators.
[SatNews - 03/04/2010]

Iridium provides satellite voice and data communications for 2010 Iditarod sled dog race.
[Market Watch - 03/04/2010]

European Satellite Operators Association representative takes part in  Commercial Satellite Critical Infrastructure Protection workshop with experts working on critical national security and emergency programmes from the European Commission, the US Department of State, and Department of Defense and others.
[SatNews - 03/04/2010]

TiVo wins court ruling against Dish Network and EchoStar for patent infringement with Digital Video Recorder software.
[Business Week - 03/04/2010]

Global VSAT Forum called upon to expand reach of the GVF VSAT Installation & Maintenance Training Programme.
[SatNews - 03/04/2010]

Texas senator proposes bill to extend space shuttle program.
[Space.com - 03/04/2010]

U.S. Air Force investigates electrical mini-thrusters for possible use in satellite propulsion.
[PHYSORG - 03/03/2010]

Secretary of State Clinton delivers satellite phones in Chile following earthquake and tsumani.
[Kaiser Family Foundation - 03/03/2010]

Gilat is chosen by Satcom Systems to deliver SkyEdge II network for broadband internet connectivity in Africa.
[Market Watch - 03/03/2010]

iDirect announces launch of Talia Home by Talia Limited, providing consumer-focused internet and telephone communications service in MENA, using iDirect Evolution technology.
[SatNews - 03/03/2010]

Tachyon Networks announces availability of new end-to-en d fixed and mobile broadband satellit solutions for Southwest Asia using ultra-small aperture terminals.
[SatNews - 03/03/2010].

Earth’s day is shortened by earthquake in Chile.
[Time - 03/02/2010]

UN and Iridium rush satellite phones to Chili to help restore vital communications links.
[PC World - 03/02/2010]

MTN supplies satellite communications system for Oasis Of The Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship.
[Space Daily - 03/02/2010]

Upstar Comunicacoes selects Eutelsat to broadcast ZAP, the new satellite TV bouquet of Angola.
[PR Newswire - 03/02/2010]

New satellite mobile broadband service OverHorizon, based in Arlington, VA, selects Arianespace to launch its first satellite.
[Space News Examiner - 03/01/2010]

Millions of tons of water ice found at North Pole of Moon.
[Space.com - 03/01/2010]

Russia launches 3 navigation satellites.
[Space Daily - 03/01/2010]

NASA announces plans to launch small cube-shaped satellites for educational and not-for-profit organizations.
[Space Daily - 03/01/2010]

SES WORLD SKIES announces plans to join leading broadcaster, programmers, TV makers, and technology providers in series of extensive tests aimed at accelerating delivery of 3DTV.
[SatNews - 03/01/2010]

Soldiers provide communications support in Haiti, working with a variety of networks and satellite links.
[DVIDS - 03/01/2010]

SatMAX receives 2nd U.S. Navy order for its satellite communications repeater system.
[CNN Money - 03/01/2010]

EchoStar to purchase SatMex.
[Multichannel News - 02/28/2010]

TRA grants Al Yah Satellite Communications Company a Satellite Services License.
[WAM - 02/28/2010]

Antarctic satellite broadband project wins funding under Australian Space Research Program.
[Computer World - 03/01/2010]

Satellite Industry News Bits February 26, 2010

SkyTerra considers acquisition by a new corporation formed and indirectly owned by Harbinger Capital Partners.
[Business Wire - 02/26/2010]

KVH announces distribution agreement with Japan Radio.
[Trading Markets - 02/26/2010]

The Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC) teams up with Romantis to offer satellite solutions in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA).
[Space Daily - 02/26/2010]

GAO denies SpaceX protest of launch contract with Orbital Sciences for scientific satellite for NASA in 2012.
[Satellite Today - 02/26/2010]

Orbital Sciences and Aerojet initiate engine tests of Aj26 liquid-fuel rocket for Orbital’s Taurus 2 medium-class launch vehicle.
[Satellite Today - 02/26/2010]

Thales Alenia signs with French Space Agency to build the Jason-3 oceanographic satellite.
[Space Daily - 02/25/2010]

Globecomm Systems wins 3-year maritime managed services contract for Singapore based FACC Ship Managers Pte Ltd.
[Trak.in - 02/25/2010]

Thales Alenia Space delivers YahSat 1A communication module to EADS Astrium for integration on their platform.
[WebWire - 02/25/2010]

Among a series of satellites launched by NASA over the last decade to monitor the health of our planet, ICESat has provided a consistent big picture look at polar icecaps.
[Space Daily - 02/25/2010]

Both payloads for the first launch of the year by Ariane 5 are in Kourou, French Guiana undergoing initial checkout for a March 24 liftoff.
[Space Travel - 02/25/2010]

South Africa’s second satellite, Sumgandia, delivers its first live images.
ITWeb - 02/24/2010]

Boeing gets NASA approval to build new TDRS satellites series K and L..
[Satellite Today - 02/24/2010]

Government Space Programs spend $68 billion in 2009.
[Satellite Today - 02/24/2010]

UPC Broadband consolidates its European DTH businesses to create a new company, UPC DTH.
[Satellite Today - 02/24/2010]

The Arab States Broadcasting Union, Arabsat, and Newtec will provide expanded services to additional customers on their TV/Radio contribution and exchange network.
[SatNews - 02/24/2010]

NDS selected by On Digital Media as technology provider and prime integrator to support the launch of its DTH platform in South Africa.
[SatNews - 02/24/2010] 

Space junk mess gets messier as head-on collision between the European Space Agency’s Envisat Earth remote-sensing spacecraft and upper stage of a Chinese rocket is averted.
[Space - 02/23/2010]

U.S. broadband stimulus funds of $100 million set aside for satellite projects in U.S. Rural Utilities Services and National Telecommunications and Information Administration notice falls short of expectations.
[Satellite Today - 02/23/2010]

SatMAX announces joint marketing plan with TLC Engineering for efficient disaster recovery.
[CNN Money - 02/23/2010]

Expand Networks help optimize Global Satellite Services with Inmarsat.
[EON - 02/23/2010]

NASA, NOAA GOES-P meteorological satellite is lifted into the mobile service tower at Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 37 for March 2 launch.
(Physorg - 02/23/2010]

India plans to send two astronauts into space in 6 or 7 years.
[Space Travel - 02/23/2010]

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 two-stage rocket hoisted into vertical launch position at Cape Canaveral in preparation for maiden flight later this year.
[Space - 02/23/2010]

TerreStar announces successful testing of Ground Based Beam Forming (GBBF); the system provides the flexibility to deploy over 500 spot beams and manage power and capacity; Terrestar to launch commercial service in first half of this year.
[Space Daily - 02/23/2010]

Space Systems Loral ships communications satellite built for Dish Network to Baikonur Space Center for launch later this year.
[SatNews - 02/22/2010]

Cobham SATCOM’s USAT 24 60 cm (24 in) Marine Stabilized Antenna for the Sea Tel range of Ultra Small Aperture Terminals receives full accreditation FCC license as ESV.
[SatNews - 02/22/2010]

DISA and DoD award two contracts to Marshall Communications Corp for maintenance and support at Landstuhl, Germany, and Skyline, Falls Church DVB-RS hubs.
[SatNews - 02/22/2010]

Hughes announces availability of SCADA IP satellite terminal.
[PR Newswire - 02/22/2010]

Satellite Industry News Bits February 5, 2010

The Army’s planned satellite frequency changeover from Ku- to Ka-band may seem insignificant; however, this small change represents a multibillion dollar transition.
[Satellite PR News - 02/05/2010]

Astrium has been awarded a follow-on contract for the delivery of a second set of subsystems to the Turkish Navy’s Milgem satellite communications program…
[Satellite Today - 02/05/2010]

Solaris Mobile signed a corporate partnership with European car rental company Europcar
[Satellite Today - 02/05/2010]

EADS North America has received a five-year contract to provide commercial radar satellite data to the U.S. government’s National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) for use in intelligence, military and homeland security applications.
[SatNews - 02/04/2010]

International Launch Services gets ready to launch the Intelsat-16 satellite aboard a Proton M/Breeze M rocket on February 11th at 7:30 p.m., EST.
[SatNewa - 02/04/2010]

Harris, prime contractor and systems integrator for the 10 year $736M Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite - Series R Ground Segment, expands its Washington DC presence with new 24,000 sqaure foot facility for the contract.
[SatNews - 02/04/2010]

White House plans to dismantle the National Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) program and split it between separate projects.
[Satellite Today - 02/04/2010]

Space X’s Dragon Program completes testing, demonstration.
[Satellite Today - 02/04/2010]

Eutelsat firmly denies Georgian Public Broadcaster’s claims that its offer of W2A capacity instead of W7 capacity will inconvenience GPB’s Russian customers, since Russian customers would have to purchase linear antennas for either spacecraft.
[PR Newswire - 02/04/2010]

ViaSat receives additional orders for its LinkWayS2 satellite modem systems to support U.S. government networks.
[SatNews - 02/04/2010]

Northrop Grumman Corporation selected by ITT Corporation to provide flight cryocoolers for the sensor payloads for two international weather satellites to reduce thermal noise in the space-based sensors.
[SatNews - 02/04/2010]

Technical problems on the W2A satellite have been a major setback for Solaris Mobile.
[Satellite Today - 02/04/2010]

SIRIUS XM Radio (Nasdaq: SIRI) has announced the availability of a free application for BlackBerry(R) smartphones,
[SatNews - 02/04/2010]

Orbital Sciences Corporation announces strong support for the Obama Administration’s new direction for the country’s civil space programs.
SatNews - 02/03/2010]

TechniSat, known in Germany for digital receivers and a provider of IDTVs, is expanding into the French market and has set up TechniSat Digital France E.U.R.L. in the French capital, Paris.
[SatNews - 02/03/2010]

Stratos Global Corporation is supplying Inmarsat BGAN mobile satellite communications service to University of California San Diego (UCSD) researchers to support their ambitious archaeological survey in remote Mongolia.
[SatNews  - 02/03/2010]

Orbital Sciences Corporation announces strong support for the Obama Administration’s new direction for the country’s civil space programs.
[SatNews - 02/03/2010]

Reportlinker.com has a new market research report available in its catalogue — Satellite Transponders - International Technology & Market Trends.
[SatNews - 02/03/2010]

Iran successfully launches a home-produced satellite on the Kavoshgar 3 (Explorer) satellite launcher.
[SatNews - 02/03/2010]

TechniSat, known in Germany for digital receivers and a provider of IDTVs, is expanding into the French market and has set up TechniSat Digital France E.U.R.L. in the French capital, Paris.
[SatNews - 02/03/2010]

Stratos Global Corporation is supplying Inmarsat BGAN mobile satellite communications service to University of California San Diego (UCSD) researchers to support their ambitious archaeological survey in remote Mongolia.
[SatNews - 02/03/2010]

ViaSat on new trajectory following deal to create satellite-based high speed internet.
[Xconomy - San Diego - 02/03/2010]

Iran unveils three new satellites and satellite carrier.
[Al Bawaba - 02/03/2010]

It’s not going to be business as usual — that is perhaps the only definitive thing the Space Foundation can say about President Obama’s FY 2011 NASA proposal, released on February 1st.
[SatNews - 02/02/2010]

Dan Losada, Senior Director of the Defense & Intelligence Systems Division at Hughes, will discuss ]ow shipboard satellite communications are critical to maintaining net-centric operations during missions at the SIA SATCOM User’s Workshop.
[SatNews - 02/02/2010]

NASA streams video from International Space Station.
[Information Week - 02/02/2010]

KVH opens Singapore office to support growing Asia region and commercial sales.
[PR Newswire - 02/03/2010]

In an effort to recover and reinvest in our nation’s businesses, NASA has awarded $50 million through funded agreements to further the commercial sector’s capability to support transport of crew to and from low Earth orbit.
[SatNews - 02/02/2010]

Mega Hertz, Inc. joins the ViP-TV™ Reseller Program of EchoStar Satellite Services L.L.C.
[SatNews - 02/02/2010]

International Datacasting Corporation receives a $2.8 million CDN contract from the Canadian Department of National Defence, (DND) for the continued operation of Canadian Forces Radio and Television, (CFRT).
[SatNews - 02/02/2010]

EchoStar Satellite Services L.L.C.to deliver its ViP-TV(TM) video transport service to BTC Broadband, a provider of whole home telecommunications services in Oklahoma.
[SatNews - 02/02/2010]

atrexx offers to restore the services of Intelsat-4 customers after the satellite experienced an anomaly resulting in the switching off of the communication payload to conserve battery power.
[SatNews - 02/02/2010]

Russia is preparing to launch a Progress cargo spaceship on a resupply mission to the International Space Station.
[Space Travel - 02/02/2010]

Intense public debate on how rapidly Himalayan glaciers are shrinking highlights importance of satellites in monitoring glaciers worldwide.
[Space Mart - 02/02/2010]

India is building a spacecraft for mobile applications that will enable satellite phone use without depending on foreign companies.
[Space Mart - 02/02/2010]

Gilat Satellite Networks, Ltd.’s Bandwidth Optimizer (BWO) solution has been successfully deployed at hub sites in Asia.
[Satnews - 02/01/2010]

White House proposed budget cuts NPOESS program in half; directs NOAA and Air Force to continue developing their own weather observatories.
[Spaceflight Now - 02/01/2010]

Rascomstar-Qaf will launch a new satellite in May, two years after launching their Rascomstar-QAF1 that is expected to cease functioning by the close of 2010.
[SatNews - 02/01/2010]

Intelsat 4 experiences anomaly; Intelsat and Boeing work together to identify cause; Intelsat works with customers to identify restoration capacity.
[Business Wire - 02/01/2010]

Obama budget extends U.S. involvement in the International Space Station to 2020 or beyond.
[Space Travel - 02/01/2010]

Shuttle Endeavour to deliver a new technological module, Tranquility, to the International Space Station for its U.S. segment.
[Space Travel - 02/01/2010]

Next generation weather environmental satellite marks significant milestone with delivery and beginning of integration for a key science instrument.
[Space Mart - 02/01/2010]

Strong bipartisan congressional rebuke against Obama plan to kill NASA’s moon-bound Constellation program.
[Space.com - 02/01/2010]

Obama kills moon program; endorses NASA support for the commercial space program.
[NASA - 01/31/2010]

ORBCOMM AIS data used to help rescue two yachters in distress, and in detecting low power search and rescue transponders from space.
[TMCnet - 02/01/2010]

Thuraya helps rural communities to improve communications, often facilitating access to satellite services in areas usually not penetrated by traditional terrestrial networks.
[AME Info - 01/31/2010]

Pentagon’s recent announcement that it will buy 50 more extended range UAVs sends signal that more Communications-on-the-Move (COTM) for UAVs will be needed in the coming years.
[NSR Report - February 2010]

U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) awards two of three contracts for radar data to foreign companies; data for all three awards came from foreign satellites.
[NSR Report - February, 2010]

Supporting the Warfighter: Adapting to the Changing Paradigm of the Defense Market This article discusses how businesses will need to change the way they do business with the military under the mounting budget pressures on the military.
[Microwave Journal - January 2010]

Satellite Industry News Bits January 29, 2010

Eutelsat confirms full restoration of services from W2 satellite on capacity on three satellites at 16 degrees East including EUROBIRD(TM) 16 and SESAT 1, as W2 is placed in secure standby mode for investigation of anomaly.
[Street Insider - 01/29/2010]

Arianespace and European Space Agency executives sign contract defining Arianespace’s support services for the qualification campaign and testing of the Vega light launcher.
[SatNews - 01/29/2010]

Israeli satellite fleet operator Spacecom leases Amos 5i, formerly Asiasat 2, and signs with SpaceX to launch a satellite, probably Amos 4.
[Space News - 01/29/2010]

Newtec FlexACM is used by Gateway Communications’ Aftrica-wide Internet backbone service to double satellite link capacity.
[SatNews - 01/29/2010]

Telesat sells Telstar 18 broadband capacity over Mongolia.
[Satellite Today - 01/29/2010]

Sirius XM to broadcast Super Bowl in 10 languages, with 14 different live broadcasts plus live talk programming from South Florida throughout Super Bowl Week.
[SatNews - 01/29/2010]

U.S. Air Force is concerned about vulnerability of satellites, especially GPS satellites, to threats like the capability it believes China is developing, to attack American military satellites.  It is proposing to use high flying aircraft, UAVs, or blimps to take over communications duties.
[Strategypage.com - 01/28/2010]

Eutelsat confirms that its W2 satellite suffered a technical anomaly on January 27, and is proposing alternative capacity to all customers affected by the anomaly.
[PRNewswire - 01/28/2010]

Intelsat General is awarded five-year contract to provide C-, Ku, and X-band capacity, earth stations, terrestrial backhaul, and bandwidth management services to U.S. Space and Naval Warfare System Command division.
[Satellite Today - 01/28/2010]

Globecomm Systems announces that rural Pennsylvania and Nebraska wireless operator Indigo Wireless is latest carrier to use Globecomm’s 3G switch platform.
[SatNews - 01/28/2010]

Hughes Network Systems announces successful demonstration of SPACEWAY 3 broadband capabilities during Coalition Warrior Interoperability Demonstration, including successful demonstration of HD video teleconferencing.
[SatNews - 01/28/2010]

SES WORLD SKIES reaches new DVB service deal wiith Microspace to deliver global retailer’s digital signage campaign to clothing stores throughout Europe.
[SatNews - 01/28/2010]

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) receives several proposals from the international community for payloads to be carried on its Chandrayaan-II moon mission.
[Moon Daily - 01/28/2010]

America’s first commercial spaceport, Spaceport America, starts to take shape in New Mexico’s desert.
[Space.com - 01/28/2010]

University of Colorado at Boulder is selected along with Montana State University and Kentucky Space as universities to have research satellites launched in November as part of NASA’s space-education initiative.
[Denver Post - 01/28/2010]

RRSat launches new platform for Iberian market on Hispasat satellite.
[PRNewswire - 01/28/2010]

Program support for first ever International Conference on Orbital Debris Removal, co-sponsored by DARPA and NASA, bringing together 300 scientists and researchers from around the world, is provided by Agilex.
[SatNews - 01/27/2010]

India plans manned space mission in 2016.
[Space Travel - 01/27/2010]

Proton carries Russian defense ministry satellite aloft; satellite will relay communications between troops and military commanders.
[Spaceflight Now - 01/27/2010]

NASA’s plans to return astronauts to the moon, along with rockets designed to take them there; may be dead if Obama gets his way.
[Orlando Sentinel - 01/27/2010]

Anianespace to launch first ten Galileo satellites.
[Space Travel - 01/27/2010]

SES ASTRA signs with Italian public broadcaster Rai to provide satellite capacity for the broadcast of Rai’s new theme-based channel throughout Europe.
[SatNews - 01/27/2010]

Russia working on new booster rocket; said it should be completed by August.
[Space Travel - 01/27/2010]

Russia set to launch manned spacecraft in 2017; will start building its new space center, Vostochny, in the country’s Far East in 2011 for completion by 2018.
Space Travel - 01/27/2010]

Iridium offers satellite data links for management and recovery with remote communication network sites.
[Globe Newswire - 01/26/2010]

Telecomes San Frontiers, supported by the European’s Commission Humanitarian Aid Department, provides high speed connections and services to over 200 humanitarian organizations in Haiti.
[SatNews - 01/26/2010]

Looming China challenge to America includes capability to disable American military satellites.
[NY Post - 01/26/2010]

Thales Alenia Space is awarded contract to provide ESA Galileo system support services from 2010 through 2016.
[SatNews - 01/26/2010]

Satellite Industry Association finds that during the Iraq invasion over 80% of all military satellite communication was over commercial satellites; U.S. Navy plans to deploy 200 high capacity terminals designed to communicate over commercial satellites.
[Defense Industry Daily - 01/26/2010]

India’s new cryogenic rocket engine develops problems, delaying the debut of India’s most powerful rocket for launching geosynchronous satellites.
[Spaceflight Now - 01/26/2010]

Inmarsat global phone, the new IsatPhone, successfully makes its first call.
[GEARlog - 01/26/2010]

RapidEye announces completion of baseline image campaign covering Helmand river basin in Afghanistan to assist U.N. and U.S. efforts to suppress production of opium.
[SatNews - 01/26/2010]

Americom Government Services works with MTN to provide additional satellite capacity to U.S. Navy to improve communications into Haiti within hours after earthquake.
[Wireless Design Online – 01/25/2010]

Satellite communications providers experience dramatic increase in demand from agencies and organizations deploying to Haiti.
[Urgent Communications - 01/25/2010]

GATR Technologies sets up internet cafe in Port au Prince, Haiti.
[Huntsville Times - 01/25/2010]

Harris selects Telesat’s new Telstar 11N to provide Atlantic Ocean region coverage for Harris Maritime Communications Services maritime broadband product using iDirect platform.
[SatNews - 01/25/2010]

SES building three new satellites, to be named SES-1, SES-2, and SES-3, and will rename other satellites in the SES fleet using the same convention.
[SatNews - 01/25/2010]

Rockwell Collins, through its recent acquisition of DataPath, wins three-year $9.2M contract to provide maintenance and field service for Air Force’s Ramstein Air Force Base teleport.
[Military & Aerospace Electronics - 01/23/2010]

NASA extends the World Wide Web into space, as astronauts gain direct personal access to the Web via the ultimate wireless connection; astronauts make first direct space twitter.
[NASA.gov - 01/22/2010]

NASA plans to boost speed of deep space communications by fusing together three old networks into a single, much faster, more efficient data network 50 times faster.
[Space.com - 01/22/2010]

European Space Agency expects to finalize plans for proposed data relay satellite system and get it funded in 2010.
[Spaceflight Now - 01/22/2010]

Iridium unveils smaller, lower-cost data transceiver, a full-duplex short-burst Data (SBD) transceiver for growing asset tracking and monitoring market.
[Space Mart – 01/21/2010]

KVH makes an iPhone app available to boat owners to interface with the TracVision Antenna Control Unit for status of their KVH TracVision DirecTV HD downlink system.
[SatNews - 01/18/2009]

Satellite Industry News Bits January 22, 2010

Viasat Home Page

ViaSat is awarded limited order valued at $14.4M for 41 MIDS JTRS terminals for F/A-18E/F and E-8C Joint STARS aircraft and spares.
[SatNews - 01/22/2010]

Gilat is awarded a one-year contract extension from the Columbian Ministry of Communications to support certain rural communications projects in the country.
[Satellite Today - 01/22/2010]

Broadcast Facilities, Inc., a media services company, acquires the Satellite Services Division of Crawford Communications. Inc.
[SatNews - 01/22/2010]

Blue Sky Network receives GPS tracking contract from Peruvian oil company Pluspetrol.
[Satellite Today - 01/22/2010]

Comtech EF Data introduces CDM-750 high-speed trunking modem combining DVB-S2, Adaptive Coding and Modulation (ACM), and DoubleTalk carrier-in-carrier technology.
.[Satellite Today - 01/22/2010]

Israel Defense Forces team in Haiti sets up $2M satellite-based communications system.
[JTA - 01/21/2010]

SpaceX and Orbital Sciences Corp. do not meet required safety standards to transport NASA personnel for the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (SOTS) program according to the U.S. Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel.
[Satellite Today - 01/21/2010]

Cisco successfully tests IP router in orbit, part of the DoD’s Internet Routing in Space (IRIS)
program to route IP traffic between satellites instead of relaying it through ground stations (double hopping).
[engadget - 01/21/2010]

FCC order gives telephone and satellite companies a victory in the pay television market, preventing cable operators from blocking access to some sports programming.
[Reuters - 01/21/2010]

Group is formed in attempt to save NASA’s Australian satellite antenna which was used to communicate with astronauts on the moon during the Apollo program.
[Echos of Apollo Space News - 01/21/2010]

COMSYS announces release of eleventh edition of The COMSYS VSAT Report, a product or 12 months of research and site visits with companies from the world over.
[SatNews - 01/21/2010]

Vizada Networks and SES World Skies donate satellite and service capacity to allow the World Health Organization’s VSAT site in Port au Prince to cover for increased communications needs in Haiti.
[SatNews - 01/20/2010]

Mission Aviation Fellowship (MFA) missionaries set up GATR VSAT satellite communications system donated by GATR Technologies in Haiti to provide high-bandwidth communications to workers from over 16 international aid groups.
[7th Space Interactive - 01/20/2010]

SES World Skies announces that NSS-12, at 57 degrees East has entered into commercial service.
[Satellite Today - 01/20/2010]

Norsat’s GlobeTrekker and NewsLink satellite communications terminals deployed in Haiti to offer immediate communications solutions on the ground.
[Trading Markets - 01/20/2010]

China’s Tiangong-1 space laboratory

Satellite Industry News Bits January 15, 2010

London based IPp news team is using a satellite link to report on Haiti disaster, as are most news teams.
[IPf - 01/16/2010]

China orbits a navigation satellite via a Chang Zheng-3C (CZ-3C) launch vehicle from the Xi Chang Satellite Launch Center to open  their 2010 launch campaign.
[NASA Space Flight - 01/16/2010]

Inmarsat and Sky Terra collaborate to ensure that relieve and recovery efforts in Haiti have access to essential satellite communications.
[Earth Times - 01/15/2010]

Google and Skype offer free Haiti calls but United Nations Foundation worker says communications systems in Haiti unusable; only staff with satellite phones were able to communicate with outside world.
[ReadWriteWeb - 01/15/2010]

IT companies in Haiti rush to re-build - Satellite phones are most needed technology.
[Computer World - 01/15/2010]

Quake in Haiti knocks out submarine cable system, leaving it to rely largely on satellite communications and damaged mobile networks for international communications.
[GiGa om - 01/15/2010]

Chinese satellite broadcaster forms acquisition partnership with ITV Studios of the U.K.
[Satellite Today - 01/05/2010]

Globecomm Systems receives $9.1M contract extension from NATO to extend communication services and onsite support for Globecomm’s previously deployed GPS-Base Force Tracking System.
[TMCnet - 01/15/2010]

ITU works on roadmap for implementing 3D TV.
[SatNews - 01/15/2010]

ViaSat receives $4.8M order from the U.S. Department of Defense for Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS-LTV) terminals.
[Satellite Today - 01/14/2010]

Destruction in Haiti causes array of communications difficulties; water is scarce, cellular and satellite capability spotty at best.
[Broadcasting and Cable - 01/14/2010]

Satellite image of destruction in Haiti

Satellite imagery helps rescuers pinpoint where need is the greatest in Haiti.
[cosmiclog.msnbc - 01/14/2010]

Satellite image shows earthquake damage in Haiti 

Satellite images show destruction in Haiti earthquake.
[Spaceflight Now - 01/14/2010]

Haiti Destruction - Communications Urgently Needed

Some of first personnel deployed to Haiti included communications specialists from the 1st Special Operations Communications Squadron who included satellite link as part of communications systems set up.
[NextGov.com - 01/14/2010]

Intelsat S.A. announces that within hours of first customer request for assistance after earthquake, Intelsat established two communications networks - one C-band and one Ku-band - to provide critical communications links.
[Enhanced Online News - 01/14/2010]

Jacksonville Aviation Authority (JAA) is granted a license by the U.S. FAA to operate a commercial, horizontal launch spaceport at Cecil Field, FL.
[Satellite Today - 01/14/2010]

Sanswire Corp official describes how lighter-than-air UAV STS-111 could hover over stricken region carrying payload to operate as a relay for cell and satellite phones and provide internet service to relief agencies.
[CNN - 01/14/2010]

Dangerous asteroid safely bypasses Earth by distance of 80,796 miles.
[Space Daily - 01/14/2010]

Russian modules on the International Space Station will realize uninterrupted communications with the ground by 2013.
[Space Travel - 01/14/2010]

Russian spacewalkers start up new docking port on roof in International Space Station lab.
[space.com - 01/14/2010]

China’s Lunar Probe Project features early guiding satellite, Change-2, whose camera resolution can reach 1 meter as it closes in on the moon.
[SpaceMart - 01/14/2010]

Gilat SkyEdge II VST receives latest DVB-RCS compliance certification; first vendor to receive version 1.3 certification which includes DVB-S2 in forward link and Quality of Service for voice, video, and data.
[CNN Money - 01/14/2010]

MEASAT announces commencement of service across Africa, Southern Europe, and the Middle East on AFRICASAT-2, in inclined orbit.
[SatNews - 01/14/2010]

Hybrid cellular companies could enhance AT&T with satellite service this year, as Terrestar gets FCC clearance to integrate its 20 MHz “S” band spectrum with cellular networks.
[Beta News - 01/14/2010]

SkyTrac selected by United Arab Emirates based Aquiline International Corporation to supply SATCOM/flights following solutions for its fleet of ANTONOV-24, ANTONOV-26, and ILUSHIN-76 aircraft.
[SatNews - 01/14/2010]

atrexx, a satellite service provider based in Germany, is offering African end-users access to satellite communications via iDirect iNFINITI service after their iDirect5 iNFINITI service on Intelsat-14 was discontinued.
[SatNews - 01/14/2010]

TS2 Satellite Technologies introduces new broadband services on Eutelsat EB4 and W6 satellites to soldiers in Afghanistan.
[SatNews - 01/14/2010]

Euroconsult announces that growth in the satellite pay-TV market remained strong in 2009 is spite of the economic downturn.
[SatNews - 01/14/2010]

Inmarsat announces that its mobile satellite communications services are being deployed to support emergency relief efforts in Haiti.
[TMCnews - 01/13/2010]

Globecomm Systems installs 3G core switch to expand its managed wireless business to offer affordable, 3G hosted mobile services to under-serviced areas worldwide.
[SatNews - 01/13/2010]

NewCom teams with Hispamar to deploy one-hop in-satellite hub services to Latin American on Hispamar’s Amazonas 2 satellite with on-board intelligent processor.
[PR Web - 01/13/2010]

Space Systems/Loral announces that the GOES-10 satellite, originally planned for a 5-year mission tracking storms, hurricanes, and cyclones, has been retired after 12 years.
[SatNews - 01/13/2010]

SES Astra 5B, to be launched in 2013, will host a second SES hosted navigation payload for Europe’s Egnos service; the first will be on the SES Sirius 5 satellite to launch in 2011.
[Space News - 01/13/2010]

Data Technology Solutions launches low-cost, integrated satellite broadband offering for the maritime market built on iDirect’s Evolution DVB-S2 platform using 24 inch Ku-band antenna.
[SatNews - 01/13/2010]

China’s Space Intentions Questioned

U.S. defense official questions China’s space intentions.
[Space Daily - 01/13/2010]

Russia activates 1 of 3 new Glonass navigation satellites.
[GPS Daily - 01/13/2010]

India’s first manned space flight planned for 2013, with two Indian astronauts riding into space aboard a Russian spaceship.
[Space Travel - 01/13/2010]

Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) reserves site in Amur Province for 7 years for construction of Vostochny spaceport to begin in 2011.
[Space Travel - 01/13/2010]

Southwest Airlines bringing WiFi hot spots to its 737 aircraft powered by Hughes Communications satellite broadband and Row 44 equipment.
[Barron’s - 01/13/2010]

Unusual space object resembling something man-made, perhaps a rocket booster, will fly by earth at distance of at least 80,000 miles.
[Space Daily - 01/13/2010]

Landsat 5, 26 years old, cheats death once again as a radio declared dead 23 years ago is revived to take over for a radio lost last December; a replacement satellite is at least 3 years away.
[Spaceflight Now - 01/13/2010]

Artist’s Conception of TESS Satellite 

Team predicts TESS satellite could locate hundreds of Earth-size planets.
[Physorg - 01/12/2010]

SIRIUS Canada reaches 1 million subscriber mark.
[SatNews - 01/11/2010]

C-COM Satellite Systems Inc. delivers iNetVu Mobile antenna systems to New Zealand for government agency emergency communications.
[Market Wire - 01/12/2010]

Surrey Satellite Technology scientists are awarded part of contract to build new global satellite navigation system.
[get Surrey - 01/12/2010]

ISRO of India plans special third launch pad at its Satish Dhawan Space Center capable of accommodating the proposed Re-useable Launch Vehicle an all future programs of ISRO including manned space flight.
[Space Travel - 01/11/2010]

Russia explores nuclear-propelled spacecraft to maintain a competitive edge in the global space race.
[Space Travel - 01/11/2010]

India is developing anti-satellite spacecraft employing laser guidance system for kill vehicle.
[Space.com - 01/11/2010]

China to build and launch a communications satellite for Bolivia.
[Space Daily - 01/11/2009]

KVH names Harris Electric of Seattle its 2009 Commercial Fishing Dealer of the Year. for exceptional performance in bringing mini-VSAT satellite service to commercial fishing vessels in the Northwest.
[PR Newswire - 01/11/2010]

Spacenet selected to provide managed network services by satellite to over 7,000 Regis Corporations locations.
[Business Wire - 01/11/2010]

Dish Network, EchoStar, and NagraStar secure another anti-piracy victory as Florida federal court issues a $51M dollar judgment against Robert Ward for posting software on the internet allowing individuals to illegally receive Dish programming.
[CED Magazine - 01/11/2010]

DirecTV, Samsung, DreamWorks, and Technicolor teaming to deliver 3D HD movies by satellite to DirecTV customers.
[SatNews - 01/11/2010]

V2GO, an international satellite transmission and video production company, unveils its 31-foot uplink mobile truck featuring the FOR-A HVS-300HS compact HD/SD switcher and the MV-410HS HD/SD hiigh-resolution quad multi-viewer.
[SatNews - 01/11/2010]

Space Travel File Image 

ISRO reviews sophisticated cryogenic engine planned for use in test launch of Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-D3 later this year.
[Space Travel - 01/08/2010]

NSR Industry Briefing - Is Growing Government Capacity Demand Driving Down Commercial Leases?
[NSR Report - Government and Military Satellite Communications, 6th Edition]

While HDTV now enjoys wide acceptance among watchers, with 24 million DTH subscribers moving to premium packages to get HD, the coming move to 3D is unlikely to materialize soon for several reasons.
[NSR Report - Global Direct to Home (DTH) Markets, 2nd Edition]

Spot LLC, a Globalstar Inc. subsidiary, and DeLorme unveil first handheld GPS with satellite communicator for custom messaging and emergency notification.
[CNN Money - 01/07/2010]

Artist’s conception of satellite

Australia set to launch new satellite to help deliver digital TV to remote blackspots.
[Computer World - 01/07/2010]

 SSTL has been selected by ESA to supply 14 navigation payloads for the deployment phase of the Galileo satellite navigation system.
[SpaceRef - 01/07/2010]  

 Newtec set to supply Ka-band ready Sat3Play terminals and hub equipment.
[SatNews - 01/07/2010

Landsat 5 unable to send image data to the ground since December 18; anomaly under investigation by U.S. Geological Survey Landsat Operations Team.
[SatNews - 01/07/2010]

NASA’s Terra satellite image of snow over England 

Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer on NASA’s Terra satellite captures image of Snow covering most of England.
[SatNews - 01/07/2010]

 ESPN plans launch of 3D channel on June 11; channel to broadcast minimum of 85 live sporting events, the first to be the 2010 FIFA World Cup match in South Africa.
[KWTX - 01/07/2010]

OmniGlobe Networks intends to procure, launch, and operate a Ka-band Fixed Satellite Service satellite (CANUK-1) over Canada in 2013.
[SatNews - 01/06/2010]

Top Cuban official says U.S. contractor detained last month in Cuba for distributing satellite communications equipment to dissidents worked for American “secret services.”
[Reuters - 01/06/2010]

Indian test flight of a geo-synchronous satellite launch vehicle with a cryogenic engine rocket engine is put on hold to undergo final evaluation,
[Space Travel - 01/06/2010]  

NASA WISE image of starry sky 

NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer captures first look at starry sky that it will sonn begin surveying in infrared light.
[SatNews - 01/06/2010]Dish Network unveils TV Everywhere suite, which gives customers access to all of their live and recorded programming on a laptop, mobile device, or anywhere in the home wirelessly, at CES.
[CED Magazine - 01/06/2010]

Test Firing of Falcon 9 Engine

SpaceX completes successful full duration orbit insertion test firing of the Falcon 9 second stage at Texas test site.
[SatNews - 01/05/2010]

 While EchoStar and affiliate Sling Media are serving as the backbone of Dish Network’s TV Everywhere suite of services, they’re also offering four products for use by other video service providers.
[CED Magazine - 01/06/2010] SatMAX, a leading global provider of wireless, non-line-of-sight equipment to extend satellite links, restructures debt in anticipation of expanding globally.
[CNN Money - 01/05/2010] Globecomm Systems receives $9m contract extension from NATO for communications services and on-site support for the previously deployed BPS-based Blue Force Tracking System.
[Defense Industry Daily - 01/05/2010]

The United Launch Alliance receives a contract modification from U.S. Air Force for launch services for the WGS-4 satellite expected to launch between December 2011 and February 2012..
[UPI - 01/05/2010] Discover, Sony, and IMAX to partner to create a 24-hour 3D television network in the U.S.
[Broadcasting Cable - 01/05/2010]

GulfMark Offshore selects CapRock’s always-on VSAT communications with 24/7 global support to deploy its broadband maritime service in the North Sea.
[Business Wire - 01/05/2010]

20 people on board sinking vessel 1200 nautical miles west of Chilean coast rescued with help of Falmouth, UK Coastguard, Chilean Coastguard, and U.S. Coastguard using satellite to relay distress signal.
[Falmouth Packet - 01/05/2009]  

Vinasat Que Duong Satellite Control Center  

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung of Viet Nam okays second communications satellite for the country.
[Vietnam News - 01/05/2010]

DigitalGlobe announces full operational status of WorldView-2 satellite, with imagery now available to global resellers, partners, and customers.
[SatNews - 01/04/2010] Sri Lanka invites two top Malaysian telco operators, Maxis Communications Berhad, and Telekom Malaysia, to invest in Sri Lanka’s first satellite project.
[The Star - 01/04/2010] iDirect acquires UK-based Parallel Limited, the developer of award-winning SatManage network management software suite.
[SatNews - 01/04/2010]

AsiaSat signes a capacity deal with Vietnam Multimedia Corp. (VTC) for multiple Ku-band transponders on AsiaSat 5.
[Satellite Today - 01/04/2010]  

Image from Geoiff Forden’s MIT report “A Preliminary Analysis of the Chinese ASAT Test” 

India initiates development of lasers and exoatmospheric kill vehicle that could be combined to produce weapon capable of destroying enemy satellites in orbit.
[SatNews - 01/04/2010]

 O3b has a good year in spite of the economy7, with SES investing a total of $75m in the company, but the road ahead is not smooth.
[NSR report - January 2010]

More and more, developing countries turn to Earth Observation satellites to solve problems, meet new missions, and reach goals (example: success of NigeriaSat-1 and plans for NigeriaSat-2) though not all developing nations have the desire or political will to do it.
[NSR Report - January 2010] WBMSAT PS - Satellite Communications Consulting Services

U.S. Air Force will pay to place its Space Based Space Surveillance satellite built by Orbital Sciences in storage because of continued technical difficulties with the Monotaur 5 rocket that was to have launched the satellite in October 2009,
[Space News - 01/04/2010]

MTN Satellite Communications expands its maritime VSAT business, opening sales and engineering support offices in Hamburg, Germany.
[SatNews - 01/06/2010]

DISH network and NewLion partner to distribute certain DISH Network international channels using NewLion’s IPTV service.
[SatNews - 01/07/2010]

DIRECTV and Panasonic partner to bring 3D TV to the largest audience nationwide for the first time.
[SatNews - 01/07/2010]

Loral and Barrett Xplore to deliver high thoughput satellite Ka-bans capacity for broadband services in Canada.
[SatNews - 01/07/2010]

Satellite Industry News Bits December 31, 2009

U.S. government 20-year program to combine all government and military acquisitions of commercial satellite services, the Future Comsatcom Services Acquisition, may be worth up to $700m a year.
[Aviation Week - 12/31/2009]

Intelsat-704 replacement satellite, Intelsat-17, will be built by Space Systems/Loral.
[SatNews - 12/31/2009]

U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency awards three indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contracts for Commercial Satellite Synthetic Aperture Radar (COMSAR) imagery, data products, and direct downlink services.
[Satellite Today - 12/31/2009]

Telesat reportedly will purchase a new direct broadcast satellite, Nimiq 6, from Space Systems/Loral.
[TMCnet - 12/31/2009]

Artist’s conception of Protostar 2 

SES bids successfully for Protostar 2 at U.S.$185m; satellite will be integrated into its fleet to provide incremental capacity over Asia.
[SatNews - 12/30/2009]

Congress extends government indemnification of U.S. commercial launches for another three years.
[Satellite Today - 12/30/2009]

Broadcasters in the United States and Britain say the Iranian government has been jamming international satellite transmissions into the country.
[VOA News - 12/30/2009]

Majority of satellite companies responding to Satellite Today Quick Poll claim their businesses broke even in 2009, compared to 2008.
[Satellite Today - 12/30/2009]

Ariane 5 with Helios 2B 

Second attempt to launch French military satellite Helios 2B on Ariane 5 after 24 hour delay is successful.
{SatNews - 12/30/2009]

DirecTV 12 satellite built by Boeing, launched December 28, delivers its first signals from space.
[SpaceMart - 12/30/2009]

Russian scientists to meet in secret to work on plan to save Earth from collision with giant asteroid in 26 years.
[PHYSORG - 12/30/2009]

TLC, the winner of a U.S. GSA contract, will sell the SatMAX line of satellite communications extenders to U.S. government agencies and departments.
[TMCnet - 12/30/2009]

Bolivia, in cooperative project with China, expects to launch its first telecommunications satellite, Tupac Katari, in March 2010.
[Satellite Today - 12/29/2009]

Iran plans to unveil its second homemade satellite, national satellite Toloo, in February.
[Satellite Today - 12/29/2009]

ViaSat CEO Mark Dankberg interview lays out the ViaSat plan to become a satellite broadband provider with ViaSat 1 and the Wild Blue acquisition.
[San Diego Union-Tribune - 12/28/2009]

ORBCOMM settles insurance claims related to failures of a Coast Guard Demonstration satellite and three of five quick launch satellites which were all launched in June,2008; two quick launch satellites are still operating.
[TMCnet - 12/28/2009]

Orbital Sciences receives contract to build second high throughput satellite, HYLAS 2, for Avanti.
[Manufacturing & Technology - 12/27/2009]

The following headlines are among those you can read at WBMSAT News Bits for 12/24/2009.

Space Debris Graphic

Space debris cause a lot of problems in launching new satellites.
[Space Mart - 12/23/2009]
Related - NASA and DARPA sponsor first ever international conference on orbital debris removal, seen as a new business area - the big question, who will pay?
[Space Mart - 12/14/2009]

Artist’s Conception of DIRECTV 12

International Launch Services prepares DIRECTV 12 for launch on December 29.
[SatNews - 12/23/2009]

Artist’s Imagery of GOES-R

GOES-R gets thumbs up for go-ahead under Lockheed Martin’s contract with NASA.
[SatNews - 12/23/2009]

This week’s WBMSAT News Bits includes the following bits among a comprehensive summary of the week’s headlines in the satellite communications industry, with links to the sources.

First GOES 14 Visible Image July 27, 2009

GOES-14 enters full service.  GOES-14 enters full service; will be used to predict storms and monitor weather over 60% of the planet.

Artist’s Rendering of System F6

Orbital Sciences is awarded a Phase 2 contract by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for “Future Fast, Flexible, Fractionated, Free-Flying” (System F6) spacecraft.

Long March Launch at Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center

China launches first public-welfare mini satellite from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern Shanxi Province.