Industry News: Contracts (Dec. 2007)

HNS Europe Provides Broadband Internet For Libraries In Czech Republic

HNS Europe, a European operating company of Hughes Network Systems LLC, will supply Czech telecommunications provider GiTy with its latest generation broadband satellite system, Hughes announced.
    HNS Europe will be providing GiTy with a broadband satellite system, comprising a network operations center and more than 500 terminals. Installation began in September and is expected to be completed in early November.   
    The system will be used to provide broadband Internet/intranet access for public libraries in the Czech Republic.

MDA Signs Radarsat Contract With Pemex

MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA) has signed a five-year, multi-million dollar contract with Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) to continue monitoring natural oil seeps and oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico, MDA announced.
    The contract allows Pemex to use Radarsat satellite data to establish a maritime monitoring program to increase its environmental performance in oil spill prevention and response. The company is also interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the behavior of natural oil seeps and oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico.

NDS Secures Indian DTH Deal

NDS received a contract from Bharti Airtel, one of India’s main cellular operators, to provide services for a digital satellite service in India, NDS announced.
    NDS will provide Bharti Airtel with its VideoGuard solution, MediaHighway middleware as well as a customized electronic program guide.

ProtoStar Leases Capacity To PlanetSky

PlanetSky Ltd. signed an agreement with ProtoStar Ltd. for C-band capacity on ProtoStar’s first satellite, ProtoStar announced.
    The agreement provides PlanetSky with five transponders for its global satellite systems that support GPRS and GSM broadband services, wireless, Voice Over Internet Protocol, broadcasting and radio transmissions. The agreement allows PlanetSky to extend the reach of its services into Asia, while ProtoStar will be able to bring its services into Europe and the Middle East.
    ProtoStar 1 is being manufactured by Space Systems/Loral, which is modifying the ChinaSat-8 satellite. The spacecraft is scheduled to be launched in 2008. ProtoStar acquired the satellite from China Telecommunications Broadcast Satellite Corp. and China National Postal and Telecommunications Appliances Corp. in a 2006 agreement.

Radyne Receives GMT, Troposcatter Orders

Radyne Corp. has received $1.6 million in orders for modems in support of the Ground Multi-band Terminal (GMT) project as well as another military communications program, the company announced.
    The orders were from a major military communications integrator and will ship during the next four months.
    The GMT program is a multi-year program for the U.S. Air Force designed to operate in X- and Ka-bands as well as with commercial C- and Ku-band satellites. Each GMT satellite system is contained in transit cases and is capable of repeated tactical deployments worldwide.
    Radyne also received two orders for its advanced high-capacity troposcatter modem.
    The orders, one from an international oil and gas firm, and one from a U.S. government customer, are worth about $800,000. One of the orders also included companion amplifiers from Radyne’s Xicom business unit.

SpaceDev Receives SBIR Contract

SpaceDev has been awarded a $100,000 contract to develop a new radiator technology for satellite thermal control, the company announced.
    SpaceDev will collaborate with the Space Dynamics Laboratory of Utah State University for the year-long Small Business Innovative Research contract. The partners will build and test a validation prototype of a lightweight, high-performance radiator technology for space applications.

Xicom Receives WGS Order

Radyne Corp. business unit Xicom Technology has received two orders for millimeter-wave power amplifiers for use in military terminals, Radyne announced.
    The contract, worth more than $8 million, will be used to uplink the amplifiers with the U.S. Air Force’s Wideband Global System constellation of satellites.
    The first satellite was launched in October is expected to begin service during the first quarter of 2008.
    Boeing is under contract to build three Block 1 and two Block 2 satellites, and the Australian government plans to fund a sixth spacecraft under an agreement to have access to the satellite communications system.