Author: Rachel Scharmann

The past 12 months in broadcast journalism have seen high profile events in remote and far-ranging locations: Typhoon Haiyan, which carved a path of destruction through the Philippines and parts of Southeast

[Via Satellite 07-01-2014] The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) obtained images from the second Phased Array Type L-band Aperture Radar (PALSAR 2) instrument, aboard the second Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS 2), also called DAICHI 2. The satellite was launched on May 24, 2014 and is currently undergoing initial functional verification. These first images were...

[Via Satellite 06-30-2014] Inmarsat’s first Global Xpress satellite, Inmarsat 5, achieved Commercial Service Introduction (CSI) starting with U.S. government customers in the Indian Ocean coverage area. “The unique combination of global coverage and military satellite communications (Milsatcom) interoperability makes Global Xpress an ideal complementary solution for government users,” said Peter Hadinger, president of the U.S....

[Via Satellite 06-30-2014] Lockheed Martin will acquire Zeta Associates, a company that provides systems for efficient collection, processing, safeguarding and dissemination of critical information for intelligence and defense applications. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2014, and upon closing, Zeta Associates will be a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, reporting...

[Via Satellite 06-30-2014] Aireon, the joint venture between Iridium Communications and three European Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs), completed all the requirements for its third tranche investment from Nav Canada totaling $65 million, of which $32.5 million was funded on June 19, 2014. The second half of the tranche will be allocated in the first...

[Via Satellite 06-27-2014] International Rectifier (IR) introduced its D series of low power radiation-tolerant two output Direct Current-to-Direct Current (DC-DC) converters for satellite power systems. The new series offers low output noise, guaranteed End-of-Life (EOL) output voltage drift with notable output cross regulation. Each converter output is independently regulated with 5-Watt maximum rated output power...

[Via Satellite 06-27-2014] Satellite Internet, a British Internet Service Provider (ISP), released a project for a new broadband solution for remote homes and businesses. The project just received funding from the U.K. Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Broadband Delivery U.K. Innovation Fund, and will be carried out in partnership with Connecting Devon and Somerset....

[Via Satellite 06-27-2014] Boeing reached the halfway mark in delivering the current series of Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites to the U.S. Air Force, with on-orbit checkout and validation of the sixth GPS 2F satellite. The latest satellite is the fourth generation of Boeing-manufactured GPS space vehicles designed to improve GPS signal capability and performance...

[Via Satellite 06-27-2014] Inmarsat and Spectra Group U.K. launched a new low-cost Tactical (L-TAC) Very High Frequency (VHF) service for the civil government market. The service will extend Inmarsat’s range for VHF radio use by the emergency services and allow full interoperability between civilian and defense force radios during an emergency situation. Inmarsat launched its...

[Via Satellite 06-27-2014] Hispasat held its annual shareholder’s meeting on June 25, 2014 to approve the annual accounts for the 2013 tax year, which were unanimously passed by the shareholders. The company’s net profit was just under $74 million for 2013, a 5.5 percent increase from 2012 profits. Revenues reached $274.2 million in 2013, a...