MacDonald Dettwiler

MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA) has taken a controlling interest in Orbital Optics Ltd., MDA announced March 20.

MDA will pay 900,000 British pounds ($1.7 million) to Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL), which established Obital Optics in April 2006 to commercialize high-resolution optical data collection technology developed by Rutherford.

"This acquisition not only improves MDA’s ability to offer unique highly competitive solutions for small satellite mission opportunities around the world, but it also increases our content on these bids," Steve Oldham, director of business development at MDA, said in a statement. "In addition, this U.K. presence and the associated strong relationship with RAL is expected to increase our market access to European opportunities for small satellite missions."

GeoEye

Imagery satellite operator GeoEye has acquired M.J. Harden Associates Inc., a Mission, Kansas-based provider of digital aerial imagery and geospatial information products, GeoEye announced March 15.

M.J. Harden, acquired from General Electric Co. (GE), will be operated as a wholly owned subsidiary of GeoEye and will give customers access to digital aerial imagery where higher resolution imagery than what is available from GeoEye’s satellites is required.

As part of the agreement, GE will continue to own and operate the pipeline GIS consulting, software and data management business under GE’s PII Integrity Services Division. M.J. Harden will provide photogrammetry and geospatial services to support PII’s Pipeline Integrity Services business.

DigiCurve

DigiCurve Inc., a multimedia online content provider, has signed a letter of intent to purchase the assets of Global Satellite Broadcasting Corp. of Thailand, DigiCurve announced March 20.

Global Satellite provides message, information and digital signage systems for a range of uses, including retail point of sale and casinos. "This acquisition will provide our firm with a complementary mix of multimedia products and technologies that will enable us to broaden our global markets, product offerings and customer demographics," John Paul Erickson, DigiCurve’s president and CEO, said in a statement.

Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.

Modern Times Group

Modern Times Group (MTG), owner of the Viasat direct-to-home platform, has completed its acquisition of 50 percent of Balkan Media Group, boosting MTG’s position in Central and Eastern Europe, MTG announced March 21.

The deal gives MTG popular channels in markets such as Bulgaria and Macedonia. In particular, Balkan Media is strong in the Bulgarian market, where it has some of the top-rated channels, including Diema+, Diema 2, Diema Family, Diema Extra, MM TV, and M2.

Loral Space & Communications

Loral Space & Communications Inc. cut its net loss to $23 million in 2006, as revenues improved 27 percent to $797 million, the company announced March 15. In 2005, the company lost $74 million on revenues of $626 million. Loral emerged from bankruptcy in November 2005.

Loral credited the improvements to a strong performance at satellite manufacturing unit, Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) as well as continued steady performance at Loral Skynet, the company’s Fixed Satellite Services business.

SS/L reported revenues of $697 million in 2006, compared to $491 million in 2005. Operating profit more than doubled from $27 million in 2005 to $66 million in 2006. SS/L won seven contracts in 2006, and the manufacturing unit’s backlog stood at $1.1 billion at the end of 2006, up from $815 million at the end of 2005.

Loral Skynet had 2006 revenues of $164 million, up from $152 million in 2005. The gains were attributed primarily to $10 million of one-time items in the third quarter. Operating profit grew from $51 million in 2005 to $68 million in 2006.

Fleet utilization stood at 68 percent at the end of 2006, and the unit’s backlog was $355 million at the end of the year, down from $453 million at the end of 2005. The backlog was hurt by the third quarter cancellation of a $37 million contract to provide capacity for the Connexion by Boeing service.

Globecomm

Globecomm Systems Inc. filed a shelf registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission which would allow Globecomm to issue up to $50 million of its common stock, the company announced March 21.

No current offering is contemplated, but Globecomm may use the shelf in the future to raise capital for general corporate purposes and working capital requirements as well as to fund acquisitions of businesses, technologies, products or assets that complement current business.

The terms of any offering would be established at the time of the offering.

Sirius, XM

The attitudes of satellite radio subscribers and non-subscribers have changed little throughout the past year, according to a Web survey conducted by Jacobs Media.

About 12 percent of the more than 25,000 listeners surveyed subscribe to XM Satellite Radio, Sirius Satellite Radio or both services, with men and women in their 30s most likely to be subscribers. That number is essentially unchanged from the 2006 study, Jacobs said.

Only 9 percent of non-subscribers say they are very likely to subscribe to XM or Sirius in 2007, down 12 percent from the 2006 study. "Of the two services, Sirius clearly has the greater momentum and overall satisfaction scores," the study said.

"While satellite radio continues to be a hot topic of conversation, growth for both XM and Sirius appears to have greatly slowed," Fred Jacobs, president of Jacobs Media, said in a statement. "Our findings also show that potential interest among non-subscribers has also diminished from our survey last year."

About a third feel of those surveyed said the proposed merger will not have an impact on their views of satellite radio. About 23 percent are optimistic about the potential combination, while 10 percent expressed concern.