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Scott Chase

The constant stream of positive news coming out of the worldwide satellite-enabled communications marketplace seems almost counter-intuitive, given the general economic malaise these days affecting nations, companies, and plain folks alike. It’s not that satellites are recession- or inflation-proof, it’s that those of us with long legs in the industry have lived through all this before.

That helps keep the SATELLITE show important, relevant and fresh year after year. With spacecraft manufacturing lead times still counted in years, there’s no such thing as an impulse buy in the satellite industry. There’s no subprime debacle, no quick profit-takers in the mix to muddy the waters.

But there sure is competition! Crammed manifests for the finite number of commercial launchers available today insure that jockeying for rides to orbit is fierce. The capacity of the satellite manufacturers, long felt to be in excess of market needs, has settled into a comfortable availability that keeps the lines running with new innovation and evolving technology while company execs go toe-to-toe for each contract.

Service providers, in fact, may be at the point of change in a pending new economic world order. For those operating in the United States, the fall brings promise of change. Regardless of the outcome of the U.S. presidential election, there will be a new administration. How will things evolve on the regulatory and legislative fronts? Will there be a new FCC chairman? Where will telecommunications issues fit in the agenda of a new president?

Not far behind will be the launch vehicle providers and the spacecraft builders. How will ITAR change under new management? Will steps be taken to secure competitiveness while recognizing that capabilities already existing or emerging in other countries and other regions are not subject to these restrictions? Can safeguards be put in place that permit aggressive competition while limiting the potential for redirecting technology to uses other than those intended?

These are among the questions that will get asked – and answered – at SATELLITE 2009. Competition, technology, new markets, innovative applications, emerging regions . . . these are all grist for the information mill at SATELLITE. Add to that penetrating overviews of the key markets – broadcast, commercial, military, enterprise, mobile, finance – and you have all the reasons to book your passage to Washington, D.C., next March.

By then, we’ll know who the next president is. Maybe things will be looking up a bit on the world economic side. No matter what, however, the experts and the influencers of the global satellite-enabled marketplace from all over the world will be making tracks to SATELLITE 2009. We hope you do, too!

Today is your last chance to submit a topic or nominate a speaker for SATELLITE 2009!
Click here to complete the Call for Presentations form. All submissions must be received by Monday, August 25.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when proposing a session or speaker:

The SATELLITE Conference consists primarily of panel sessions comprised of satellite technology end-users, top-level executives within the satellite marketplace and experts.
The SATELLITE Conference content is presented in focused forums to best serve the markets within the satellite community: enterprise, military, emergency response, broadcast and commercial.
Presentations should be focused on technologies and solutions; case studies are welcome.
Avoid sales pitches or commercial presentations.

Thousands of end-users of satellite-enabled technology will be scouring the exhibit hall at SATELLITE 2009 for customized solutions to meet their unique business challenges. If you’ve waited to secure your exhibit space for the 2009 show, now is the time to lock in the best available location! Please click here to view our current exhibit hall floor plan – booths shown in blue are currently available, and several prime locations are still available.

To get a sneak-peek at the companies displaying their products and services at SATELLITE 2009, log on to www.SATELLITE2009.com today and search our list of current exhibitors. Contact Michael Cassinelli today to be a part of the largest and most important event focused on the global satellite communications marketplace!

SATELLITE 2009 would like to extend a warm welcome to our new exhibitors:

A1 Microwave Ltd.
A.F. Consulting
A-Alpha Waveguide
JSAT Corporation
Sencore, Inc.
TBC Integration
US Monolithics
Verimatrix, Inc.
Wuxi Huaxin Radar Engineering Co., Ltd.

For more information about exhibiting at SATELLITE 2009, or to reserve booth space, contact Michael Cassinelli, Exhibit Sales Manager, at mcassinelli@accessintel.com or by phone at 301-354-1691.

Washington Space Business Roundtable Flagship Lunch and Silent Auction
Noon – 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 25

Washington Space Business Roundtable (WSBR) will hold its heralded Flagship Lunch and Silent Auction during SATELLITE 2009. This lunch is a perfect opportunity to bring colleagues and customers to maximize all that you can learn and experience at SATELLITE 2009.

Tickets: $85 Non-member; $65 Member

You may purchase tickets when registering for SATELLITE 2009 or through WSBR at WSBR@erols.com.

The SATELLITE 2009 Press Room is the one place where you'll find news on the products and services offered at SATELLITE 2009 and the latest updates in the satellite community.
Here is a recent headline:

Harbinger to Provide SkyTerra and MSV with $500 Million in Financing
SkyTerra Communications and the Harbinger Capital Partners Funds Announce Agreement with Respect to a Proposed Offer for Inmarsat
Reston, Va., July 25, 2008 – SkyTerra Communications, Inc. (SkyTerra) and Mobile Satellite Ventures LP (MSV) announced today that the Harbinger Capital Partners Funds (Harbinger) has agreed to provide $500 million of debt financing to fund SkyTerra's business plan through the third quarter of 2010. In addition, SkyTerra and MSV have entered into a Master Contribution and Support Agreement (the "Master Agreement") with affiliates of Harbinger with respect to the possible combination of SkyTerra and Inmarsat plc, a UK public listed company and a leading provider of global mobile satellite communications services. Inmarsat is not a party to the Master Agreement.
Read more

Read all press releases

For the sixth year in a row, SATELLITE 2009 is a proud participant of the U.S. Department of Commerce's International Buyer Program. The International Buyer Program encourages the export of U.S. good and services by matching international buyers with domestic companies.

Visit the U.S. Commercial Service in your local U.S. Embassy or Consulate for information on how to attend SATELLITE 2009 as part of an official delegation. As an international delegate, you will enjoy the following benefits:
- Friendly, local language support
- Free assistance scheduling appointments with SATELLITE exhibitors before and during the show
- Free Matchmaking Service to ensure you meet with the companies who fit your needs
- Access to The Center for Global Commerce, located on the SATELLITE 2009 Exhibit Show Floor
- Free assistance with visa application
- Discounted Conference registration
- Invitation to the Welcome Reception

For more information on the International Buyer Program, an official letter of invitation or tips on obtaining a visa, please visit www.SATELLITE2009.com/international/.

Proton Launch Completes Inmarsat I-4 Constellation
The third of Inmarsat’s I-4 satellites was placed into orbit Aug. 19 by a commercial Proton launch, Inmarsat and International Launch Services announced.
The Proton Breeze M vehicle, built by Khrunichev Space Center, lifted off from Baikonur Cosmodrome at 4:43 a.m. local time (6:43 EDT) and released the satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit nine hours later.
Inmarsat-4 F3, built by EADS Astrium, will deliver mobile broadband services over the United States. The launch completes a $1.5 billion program by Inmarsat to boost its service offerings and provide Broadband Global Area Network coverage around the globe.

Intelsat Posts Record Revenues; Signs Deals with OlympuSat, NPR
Intelsat reported record revenues of $584.9 million in the 2008 second quarter but recorded a loss of $82 million, the company announced Aug. 13. Intelsat reported revenues of $543.2 million and a loss of $31.7 million in the 2007 second quarter.
Intelsat acquired parent company Intelsat Holdings Ltd., an entity controlled by funds advised by BC Partners Holdings Ltd., Silver Lake Partners and certain other equity investors, in February. The satellite operator introduced a new adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization measure based upon the financial results of Intelsat Bermuda Ltd. at $464.8 million, or 79 percent of revenue, for the 2008 second quarter.
Intelsat continues to expect 2008 capital expenditures for its satellite programs to total between $460 million and $500 million.
Separately, Intelsat signed a pair of transponder lease agreements. OlympuSat renewed and expanded a multi-year, multi-transponder deal for capacity on Intelsat’s Galaxy 23 satellite.
National Public Radio signed a multi-transponder, multi-year contract renewal for C- and Ku-band capacity on Intelsat’s Galaxy 16 and Galaxy 17 satellites to support the distribution of public radio programming across the United States.

Hughes Brings AccuWeather Satellite Forecast to Digital Signage Customers
HughesNet digital signage customers will be able to display real-time weather information at their retail sites from AccuWeather Inc., Hughes announced Aug. 18.
The service initially will be available to gas stations and convenience stores. Depending upon the application chosen by the enterprise, a customer watching a display could be presented three forecast choices: current, hourly and five day, according to Hughes,
"Weather is perhaps the most valuable real-time content in keeping a consumer-facing digital signage solution relevant, particularly for those travelling by car," Jeff Bixler, assistant vice president of business development at Hughes, said in a statement.
"Our content significantly enhances the HughesNet Managed Service offering by engaging customers and helping develop an affinity to other content being displayed at the point-of-sale, thereby dramatically improving the overall [return on investment] of the digital signage application,” said Mike Welsh, director of digital signage sales at AccuWeather.

DataPath Unveils High-Bandwidth COTM System
DataPath has introduced easy-to-deploy communications on-the-move (COTM) solution mobile network-centric warfare and first responder capabilities, the company announced Aug. 12.
The MobiLink system incorporates standard communications electronics in a compact package that enables integrated UHF/VHF land mobile radio and satellite COTM. A hub vehicle equipped with MobiLink supports high-bandwidth capability to send and receive video, data and voice communications between many vehicles and users.
"MobiLink enables a mobile command post by providing the increased, on-the-move bandwidth needed to support and process voice, data, short wave infrared, night vision, and [unmanned aerial vehicle] reconnaissance video applications," Dave Helfgott, president and CEO of DataPath, said in a statement. "This empowers frontline fighters and commanders with greater speed, mobility and situational awareness."

iDirect Launches Hub for U.S. Military
VT iDirect Inc. unveiled an industrialized hub that allows network operators to implement and manage a mobile satellite network in the field, the company announced Aug. 19.
The Series 12200 universal four-slot hub will operate using iDirect's enhanced iDS 8.3 software, engineered for use in mobile applications. The software also supports iDirect's SkyMonitor Spectrum Analyzer, a network management tool that allows satellite operators to troubleshoot and monitor network performance.
The equipment is intended for use by military and relief organizations that need to deploy complete satellite networks at a moments notice. The hub is capable of delivering broadband connectivity, including videoconferencing and voice over IP, to thousands of remotes and a range of government, first responder, disaster recovery and communications-on-the-pause applications.