VSAT

ViaSat Inc. acquired Enerdyne Technologies Inc., a provider of video data link equipment and digital video systems primarily for unmanned aerial vehicles, ViaSat announced June 21. The acquisition will expand ViaSat’s offering for the military and intelligence markets, the company said. Enerdyne government programs include contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense and subcontracts with companies such as Lockheed Martin, L3 and DRS as well as international firms. "The acquisition represents a unique opportunity to complement their products with our technology and deliver additional video products to our defense clients," Mark Dankberg, ViaSat chairman and CEO, said in a statement. ViaSat will pay about $17 million in cash and stock for Enerdyne and could pay an additional $8.7 million based on meeting financial performance goals throughout the next four years.

ISAT.L

Inmarsat, which took its Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) service global by expanding the service into North and South America in May, is looking to make a different kind of expansion in Asia with the acquisition of Asia Cellular Satellite (ACeS), according to industry sources. ACeS, a regional satellite communications company, launched service in Asia in early 2001 using the Garuda 1 Global Mobile Personal Communications Systems satellite. The company was founded by PT Pasifik Satelit Nusantara of Indonesia, Philippine Long Distance Co., Jasmine International Public Co. Ltd. of Thailand and the former Lockheed Martin Global Telecommunications.

Intelsat, PA

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved Intelsat Ltd.‘s acquisition of Panamsat Holding Corp., and Intelsat expects to close the deal July 3, the company announced. "The transaction will be in the public interest," the FCC said, as it granted Intelsat’s application for a transfer of control of Panamsat’s FCC licenses. Under the agreement, announced in August, Intelsat will pay about $3.2 billion for Panamsat as well as assume $3.2 billion in debt.

SIRI, XMSR

Satellite rivals Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio split the retail sales market in the 2006 second quarter, as the boost Sirius got from the addition of Howard Stern to its lineup appears to be fading, Bridge Ratings announced.

Bridge, which interviewed satellite radio buyers at retail outlets between Jan. 1 and June 12, projects that throughout the last 15 weeks the two satellite radio providers added 1.7 million subscribers combined, with XM having a 50.2 percent share and Sirius 49.8 percent.

Based on the sales trend, Bridge now projects XM will end 2006 with 8.4 million subscribers, while Sirius will have 6.5 million.

Bridge estimates 1.3 million of Stern’s terrestrial fans, or about 11 percent, have migrated to Sirius and found "an apparent apathy regarding future Sirius subscriptions."