Technology

The Russian Government referred Comtech Telecommunications’ application for regulatory approval of its acquisition of UHP Networks to its Commission for Supervising Foreign Investments for review under Russia’s Foreign Investment Law.  Comtech said that it now plans to submit its application for regulatory approval to the Commission “as soon as possible.” Comtech entered into an agreement...

Smallspark Space Systems and Leaf Space, an Italian ground segment services provider, revealed on July 17 that they entered into an agreement to offer ground station services to the U.K. government and U.K. private sector clients. Smallspark and Leaf Space plan to deliver joint bids for projects with the U.K. government and other commercial operators...

Arianespace has confirmed that it will launch its next three satellites on an expanded Ariane 5 rocket from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou at approximately 5:29 p.m. Tuesday, July 28. This mission will take three critical spacecraft into orbit. The satellites to be launched are: Japan’s BSAT-4b, built by Maxar; Intelsat‘s Galaxy 30 UHD...

Specialized satellite manufacturer LeoStella will build and integrate satellite buses for space infrastructure-as-a-service company Loft Orbital Solutions under the terms of a new contract announced July 21. LeoStella will produce multiple satellites based on its ESPA-class buses for use in Loft Orbital’s upcoming missions, including its YAM-3 and YAM-5 missions. The Seattle-based manufacturer said that...

Cost concerns first, latency concerns second — that’s how Algerie Telecom Chief Business Development Officer Karim Aberkane outlined his priorities when explaining how LEO and MEO satellites are starting to fit into the company’s medium- to long-term backhaul service plans. Appearing as the opening keynote for Via Satellite Cell Backhaul Digital Week, Aberkane said that...

HawkEye 360 is set for the late-2020 launch of its second batch of satellites after successfully completing environmental tests, the company announced July 17. The HawkEye constellation will provide  RF data insights to domestic and international customers to inform decision-making processes. The satellites are designed to simultaneously collect multiple signals over a single region, identifying...

Airbus is ready to commence operational services on its EDRS-C satellite after completing in-orbit tests and establishing laser communications links to the European Space Agency (ESA) Copernicus Earth observation spacecraft, the manufacturer announced. Launched in August 2019 and located at the 31 degrees East orbital slot, EDRS-C will serve as the second node of Airbus’...

Gilat Satellite Networks has delivered a solution for Telefonica International Wholesale Services (TIWS) for a satellite communication project in Argentina including rural broadband services and cellular backhaul.  The companies announced Thursday that Telefonica chose Gilat’s SkyEdge II-c multi-service platform. Gilat delivered the SkyEdge II-c hub and 1700 VSATs within a couple of weeks, despite obstacles...

“It’s a satellite terminal that behaves like a mobile phone.” This is how Robert Bell, executive director of the World Teleport Association (WTA) describes a successful modern-day Earth Station in Motion, or ESIM. “Nobody has to think about where a cell tower is in relationship to their phone, or about its changing relative position when...

As I write this, we are now just over three months into the COVID-19 pandemic which has changed everyone’s lives significantly. While lockdown conditions are starting to ease, there is now talk of a second wave in many countries. With a vaccine is still a few months away it seems at the earliest, one of...