E-letter: Briefs

Motient Corp. has appointed William Freeman to its board of directors, the company announced Feb. 5. Freeman is chairman of TerreStar Networks Inc., a majority-owned subsidiary of Motient.  He previously […]

The first Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) geosynchronous orbit spacecraft platform has completed engineering thermal vacuum testing, Lockheed Martin announced Feb. 5. SBIRS will provide early warning of missile launches and […]

Advantech Satellite Networks Inc. has been awarded a contract to provide a VSAT communications network for Saudi Aramco in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Advantech announced. The contract includes the […]

Integral Systems Inc. has been awarded a U.S. Air Force contract to support the Wideband Global Satcom (WGS) program, the company announced Feb. 5. The contract, valued at $4.5 million, […]

The Odyssey Launch Platform and the Sea Launch Commander are in transit from Sea Launch’s launch site at the equator, the company announced Feb. 5, six days after the explosion […]

The second satellite for Arianespace’s initial heavy-lift Ariane 5 flight of 2007 has arrived at the Spaceport in French Guiana. India’s Insat-4B landed Jan. 31 at Rochambeau International Airport near […]

BSkyB has reached a two-year agreement with the Rugby Football League (RFL) to screen live National League One and Two rugby leagues. Live coverage will begin in April. In Germany, […]

SES Americom’s AMC-18 satellite completed in-orbit tests and has begun operations, the company announced Feb. 1. Built by Lockheed Martin and placed into orbit in December by an Arianespace Ariane […]

NASA signed Space Act agreements with PlanetSpace Inc. and Transformational Space Corp. to support the companies’ development of commercial systems that could transport humans and cargo to low-Earth orbit, the […]

SpaceDev has completed a series of three hot-fire tests of its hybrid upper stage motor, the company announced Feb. 1. The tests, conducted at the company’s test site in Orange […]

Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. has been awarded a development contract from the European Space Agency (ESA) to continue work on a geostationary small satellite platform, the company announced Jan. 31. […]

MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA) received two advanced technology contracts from EADS Astrium to provide a pair of data reception and transmission subsystems, MDA announced. One of the advanced […]

Telenor Satellite Services has added Inmarsat’s Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) service as well as other satellite services to its offerings under its U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Technology […]

Harris Corp. completed a pair of milestones for the U.S. Navy’s Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) program, Harris announced. Harris logged onto a Milstar satellite using an AEHF Navy Multiband […]

See World Satellites Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of FTS Group Inc., expects to post an increase of 35 percent to 38 percent in year-over-year top line sales for the […]

French direct-to-home operator Canalsat ended 2006, its final year of competition with rival TPS, with nearly 3.5 million subscribers, a net increase of 272,000 compared with 2005, parent company Vivendi […]

Hughes Aids Broadband Schools Program In Mexico Hughes Network Systems announced the next phase of a contract with Enlaces Integra and Globalstar de México to deliver an additional 10,860 broadband […]

Audiovox Introduces portable XM Satellite Radio, GPS units Audiovox Corp. unveiled its first portable XM Satellite Radio product. The X2G100B Portable Satellite Radio and MP3 Player allows the user to […]

ProtoStar Ltd. has appointed Paul Froelich as CFO, the Bermuda-based company announced Jan. 31. Froelich previously served as CFO for WildBlue Communications and prior to that was involved in infrastructure […]

Entertainment news and picture agency Splash News and Picture has chosen Mainstream Data’s MediasFTP service to deliver the agency’s content worldwide, Mainstream Data announced Jan. 29. Splash News provides its […]

GlobeCast has struck a deal to carry North African channel Nessma, GlobeCast announced. The channel is available for direct-to-home satellite reception throughout North Africa and the Middle East via Arabsat’s […]

Cathay Pacific Airways of Hong Kong will be the first commercial airline customer to adopt an Iridium-based global satellite voice service developed by ARINC and International Communications Group (ICG), Iridium […]

General Dynamics C4 Systems will supply tactical antennas and radio support equipment to the German Armed Forces for the SATCOMBw Step 2 Program, General Dynamics announced Jan. 31. SATCOMBw Step […]

BSkyB’s reported strong subscriber growth but an increased churn rate in the company’s second quarter, which closed Dec. 31. BSkyB closed the period with nearly 8.4 million subscribers. During the […]

TeleCommunication Systems Inc. (TCS) has been awarded a 12-month contract by the U.S. Army to support the Wideband Gapfiller Satellite (WGS) system, TCS announced Jan. 31. Under the contract, valued […]

The schedule for the remainder of Sea Launch’s 2007 manifest remains uncertain following the loss of a Zenit-3SL vehicle and the SES New Skies NSS-8 satellite Jan. 30. A live […]

Arrowhead Wins $20 Million DISA Task Order Arrowhead Global Solutions Inc. received an order from the U.S. Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) to provide the U.S. Marine Corps with expanded […]

DigitalGlobe Names VP Of Software And Systems DigitalGlobe has appointed Steve Milton as vice president of software and systems.     Milton will direct DigitalGlobe’s software and systems business office, leading […]

XM Satellite Radio has extended its exclusive relationship with American Honda Motor Co. through 2016, XM announced Jan. 30. American Honda, which markets Honda and Acura vehicles, has produced more […]

The latest Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) spacecraft has been turned over to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for operational use, manufacturer Lockheed Martin announced. DMSP F-17 […]