E-letter: Briefs

Integral Systems Inc. announced Dec. 13 that it has added EchoStar Communications Corp.’s EchoStar-11 satellite to the satellite operator’s existing Epoch IPS satellite control system. EchoStar’s entire fleet of satellites […]

Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman Corp. have established a test bed intended to demonstrate network-centric missions that will be enabled by the Transformational Satellite Communications (TSAT) system, Northrop Grumman announced. […]

The Measat-3 satellite was placed into orbit Dec. 12 by a Proton launch vehicle, marking the final 2006 mission for International Launch Services (ILS), the launch provider announced. The satellite […]

Telenor Satellite Broadcasting announced details Dec. 12 of a request for proposal (RFP) for a new satellite to replace Thor 3. The new satellite, scheduled to be launched in 2009, […]

Academic researchers can now scan the United States and Canada via a newly available, high-resolution satellite image catalog developed under a deal between the University of California at Santa Barbara […]

Raytheon Co. delivered the first rapid-development, space-optical payload to the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, the company announced. The $14 million ARTEMIS (Advanced Responsive Tactically Effective Military Imaging Spectrometer) program […]

Comtech Telecommunications Corp. announced Dec. 12 that its Maryland-based subsidiary, Comtech Mobile Datacom Corp., has received orders totaling $1.9 million for its mobile satellite data communications transceivers. The orders are […]

Mobile Satellite Ventures (MSV) announced Dec. 11 that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office awarded MSV its 16th patent relating to ancillary terrestrial component (ATC) technology. The latest patent identifies […]

Shin Satellite Public Co., operator of the IPStar satellite system, has partnered with RaySat Antenna System LLC, a provider of satellite antenna technology for two-way mobile applications, to offer a […]

Intelsat announced Dec. 11 that it has renewed and expanded its agreement with the National Basketball Association (NBA) for international distribution of the league’s games. The NBA’s distribution network will […]

The mobile unit of RTL Interactive has signed a contract to use SES Astra’s Blucom service, which allows broadcasters to provide interactive services, SES Astra announced Dec. 11. The Blucom […]

Archetype Corp. of Birmingham, Ala., has appointed Alva Wright as director of West Coast sales, the company announced Dec. 11. Wright will manage operations at Archetype’s satellite offices in San […]

Arianespace performed the fifth and final Ariane 5 mission of 2006, placing the WildBlue-1 and AMC-18 spacecraft into orbit Dec. 8, Arianespace announced. WildBlue-1, manufactured by Space Systems/Loral, will triple […]

Boeing Co. has been awarded a contract to launch a pair of commercial satellites in 2007 for the Italian Space Agency, Boeing announced Dec. 11. Under the contract from Alcatel […]

A Chicago man accused of developing and distributing software designed to steal DirecTV programming has agreed to a $1 million settlement with DirecTV Inc. and NDS Americas Inc., DirecTV announced […]

Orbital Sciences Corp. updated its 2007 earnings per share and free cash flow guidance following the pricing of a $143.8 million debt offering, Orbital announced Dec. 8. Orbital intends to […]

Aerojet has signed an agreement to integrate Russian-built thrusters into Aerojet’s satellite propulsion systems, GenCorp Inc. announced Dec. 6. Aerojet will integrate Russian-built Hall-effect thrusters built by Fakel Experimental Design […]

Euro1080, a leading European high-definition (HD) channel and content provider, will broadcast all of its channels using MPEG-4 beginning in 2007, the company announced. In order to facilitate the transition, […]

China placed the Fengyun-2D meteorological satellite into orbit Dec. 8, Xinhua announced. The Long March-3 rocket lifted off from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan Province at 8:53 a.m. local […]

The launch of the Corot satellite has been postponed due to a leak in the fuel circuit of the Soyuz rocket’s Fregat upper stage, the European Space Agency announced. The […]

France’s Caisse des D�pots et Consignations will acquire a 25.5 percent stake in Eutelsat from French investment firm Eurazeo, the companies announced Dec. 7. This is the second major transfer […]

Dominion Video Satellite Inc. has signed an agreement to offer HughesNet high-speed satellite Internet service, Hughes Network Systems LLC announced. Dominion provides the Sky Angel service, which delivers more than […]

Northrop Grumman Corp. has appointed three new vice presidents in its Space Technology sector, the company announced. Steve Hixson has been named vice president of the newly created Advanced Concepts […]

BSkyB has made a deal with Google to bring a number of Web-based services to BSkyB’s broadband customer base, the companies announced. BSkyB will deploy Google’s suite of search, advertising, […]

SAT Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of Integral Systems Inc., will provide a carrier monitoring and interference detection system to SES Sirius for the company’s Stockholm teleport, SAT announced. The […]

Northrop Grumman Corp. has been awarded a 14-month, $8.4 million phase-two study contract by the U.S. Air Force for further work on the Enhanced Polar System (EPS) satellite communications program, […]

Orbital Sciences Corp. has formed a partnership with Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology of Alexandria, Va., to develop a small satellite that will be built entirely by […]

Space Communications Ltd. has sold more than 50 percent of the total capacity on its Amos-3 satellite, which is slated for launch in the third quarter of 2007, the company […]

Quake Global announced Dec. 6 that Volvo Trucks North America will install Quake Global’s Q2000+ satellite communicator as standard equipment in all Volvo trucks manufactured with US’07 engines. The Q2000+ […]

Spanish industrial group Abertis will pay more than 1 billion euros ($1.4 billion) to become the single largest shareholder in European satellite operator Eutelsat, Abertis announced Dec. 5. Abertis, through […]