TECHNOLOGY

ATCi INTRODUCES FLYAWAY ANTENNA PACKAGE FOR SOUTHEAST ASIA

ATCi has introduced a specialized two-channel flyaway broadcast system geared towards specific applications in Southeast Asia.

The new package will be part of a lease business model tailored for teleports and other commercial users who can purchase their own system and then lease the equipment to other entities. The system is intended to create recurring revenue for the system owner and allow commercial users to transmit events, news, disaster, sporting events, and distance learning from their own facility.

ATK SMALL SATELLITES HELP NASA SOLVE SCIENTIFIC MYSTERY

ATK completed a mission demonstrating how clusters of small satellites can work together to collect data.

A constellation of five microsatellites ATK built for NASA’s Themis (Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms) mission, was lined up Feb. 28 along the sun-Earth line. Using data collected by the satellites, NASA scientists were able to determine the process by which the northern lights suddenly brighten and break into spectacular formations moving towards the poles.

Encore RECEIVES PATENT FOR ENCRYPTION TECHNOLOGY

Encore Networks has been granted a patent by the U.S. Patent and Trademarks Office related to the company’s method for securely connecting satellite networks with terrestrial links.

Encore’s selective layer encryption technology maximizes the speed of the network connection and can be used as part of an end-to-end virtual private network solution. The architecture of the technology interoperates with satellite modems from leading vendors and supports high-speed connectivity over TCP and UDP-based applications.

General Dynamics COMPLETES MUOS MILESTONE

In preparation for the deployment of the Mobile User Objective System (MUOS), General Dynamics mounted three 18.4-meter satellite antennas on 53-foot-tall pedestals in Wahiawa, Hawaii.

MUOS is the U.S. military’s next-generation narrowband global mobile satellite communications system and will enable users to communicate directly with each other and their commanders virtually anywhere around the globe.

The Wahiawa ground station is the first of four that will be equipped with MUOS satellite antenna systems.

SkyWave INTRODUCES DUAL-MODE TERMINAL FOR FLEET TRACKING APPLICATIONS

Sky Wave Mobile Communications introduced a dual-mode satellite/GPRS terminal that will provide transportation and logistics managers a means for communicating in urban and remote locations.

The SureLinx 8100c terminal combines SkyWave’s IsatM2M satellite technology and Inmarsat’s global satellite service, providing a dual-mode package without the need to deal with multiple vendors and costs of integrating and installing multiple hardware boxes.

TASI DEVELOPS PAIR OF IMAGERY SATELLITES FOR 4C CONTROLS

4C Controls selected Thales Alenia Space Italia (TASI) as prime contractor for the delivery of two high-resolution imagery satellites, 4C announced.

The contract will be for the first two satellites and related ground segment for 4C’s planned Earth Observation Multi Satellite Program.

The two satellites are expected to be equipped with a very high-resolution synthetic aperture radar. The first satellite is planned to be in orbit by the end of 2011.

Telecomunicaciones Bantel INSTALLS IDIRECT NETWORK

Telecommunicaciones Bantel has installed a network of iDirect remote satellite routers to expand cellular access within Venezuela.

Bantel installed the network of Series 3000 routers on its existing iDirect Series 15000 universal satellite hub, allowing Corporacion Digitel to expand its service by backhauling GSM traffic over satellite.

Digitel will leverage the network to extend the reach of its voice and data services and bolster capacity for existing customers.

SERVICES

BSkyB MOVES INTO DIGITAL MUSIC

BSkyB signed an innovative deal with one of the world’s biggest music companies to offer digital music services.

The satellite pay-TV operator announced a partnership with Universal Music to launch a service which will offer customers the opportunity to access music, as BSkyB continues moving beyond its traditional direct-to-home roots and becomes a more all round media provider. For a monthly subscription fee, customers will be able to choose to stream songs on-demand for immediate listening or download tracks for playback at any time.

Crawford Communications LEASES CAPACITY ABOARD NSS-7

Crawford Communications will use capacity on SES New Skies’ NSS-7 satellite to provide content aggregation, media, Internet and satellite services for the U.S. military’s Digital Video and Imagery Distribution System (DVIDS).

Crawford will lease a total of 20 megahertz of bandwidth on the satellite, located at 338 degrees East, for five years. This will provide a connection between the global media and the U.S. military, which will use a network of 106 portable Ku-band transmitters located with deployed military units to send video, audio and still imagery back to the United States.

Crawford will support the DVIDS program, providing content aggregation, media relations, Internet and satellite services for the military.

DigitalGlobe SUPPLIES IMAGERY TO COLUMBUS GEOGRAPHIC

Columbus Geographic Systems Ltd. reached an agreement with DigitalGlobe for access to the satellite operator’s digital image bank for use in navigation systems.

Columbus’ main product, Ranger, provides location-based GPS as well as mapping, navigation, and information solutions for the off-road environment.

Echo Satellite Communications PROVIDES NAVY WITH IRIDIUM REPEATER SYSTEMS

Echo Satellite Communications Inc. has supplied U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (Navair) with the first order for HeliSat3 Iridium repeater systems.

HeliSat3 was developed for Navair and will provide users of Iridium satellite telephones with the ability to connect to an Iridium satellite while in transit in a helicopter.

The repeater creates a local hotspot within the helicopter which then relays calls to the satellite.

Harmonic Inc. UPGRADES DIGITAL HEADEND FOR ASTRA PLATFORM SERVICES

Harmonic Inc. will provide Astra Platform Services with high-definition encoders and statistical multiplexing for a network upgrade.

Astra will install Harmonic’s DiviCom Electra 7000 encoders and DiviTrackIP statistical multiplexing to enhanced and expand Astra’s HD MPEG-4 AVC service. Astra transmits more than 200 television and audio channels to subscribers throughout Europe from its headend in Germany.

Spot EXPANDS SATELLITE MESSAGING COVERAGE IN ALASKA

Spot LLC has expanded satellite coverage of its satellite messenger service to include all of Alaska, the Aleutian Islands and the surrounding maritime regions.

Spot enables users to send their GPS location and status update message to friends, family or an emergency response center. The expanded data coverage is the result of applique hardware and software upgrades at a satellite ground station located in Wasilla, Alaska.

CONTRACTS

Arianespace WINS FURTHER EUMETSAT BUSINESS

Arianespace won a launch services contract from Eumetsat (the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites) for the launch of the MSG-4 meteorological observation satellite.

The MSG-4 satellite is scheduled for launch in the first half of 2013 by an Ariane 5 or Soyuz launcher from the Guiana Space Center.

Thales Alenia Space is building MSG-4, which is intended to ensure the continuity of European meteorological services and provide data for weather forecasting and climate/environment monitoring in Europe and neighboring continents.

Com Dev WINS SAPPHIRE CONTRACT

Com Dev International Ltd. has been awarded a contract by MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates, Ltd. to deliver a payload for Project Sapphire, the first dedicated space mission for Canada’s Department of National Defence.

Under the contract, valued at 12.3 million Canadian dollars ($12.1 million), Com Dev will develop the satellite’s optical payload, comprised of a telescope for the imaging of distant objects and a radiation-resistant electronics subsystem that digitizes the images, performs computations and transmits the compressed data to a DND ground station.

Sapphire will provide surveillance of man-made and natural objects in medium to high Earth orbit. The data collected will be used to update the U.S. Satellite Catalogue, used by North American Aerospace Defense Command and Canada to provide space situational awareness.

DataPath AWARDED SEAPORT-ENHANCED CONTRACT FROM U.S. NAVY

DataPath Inc. has been awarded a contract under the SeaPort-Enhanced contract vehicle.

The award by the U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center will allow DataPath to submit bids and receive task orders to provide satellite and wireless communications, network solutions, services and software to the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. The multiple-award contract includes more than 1,000 contractors that deliver products and services for the Naval Sea Systems Command, Naval Air Systems Command, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, Naval Supply Systems Command, Military Sealift Command, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Strategic Systems Programs, Office of Naval Research, Defense Threat Reduction Agency and Marines.

The award has a one-year base period and includes terms for up to 10 years. The government expects that at least $5.3 billion of services will be secured each year through the contracting vehicle.

Hughes SIGNS BROADBAND DEAL WITH AEN

Hughes Communications Inc. will provide the broadband satellite backbone America’s Emergency Network Inc. (AEN)’s video-Internet emergency communications network.

Hughes’ Spaceway 3 satellite will allow AEN to transmit up to three simultaneous video streams from any location in the United States, southern Canada, Puerto Rico and several major Latin American cities. The video can be delivered to TV outlets or to publicly available Web pages. In the future, these side-by-side video streams will be sent directly to cell phone, PDAs and other mobile devices. This will enable emergency managers and other officials to transmit to the public real-time emergency information through a variety of delivery platforms.

Inmarsat WINS GALILEO TEST CONTRACT

Inmarsat was selected by the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) to provide payload in-orbit test services for the four satellites that will form the Galileo In-Orbit Validation phase.

Over the next two years, Inmarsat will manage the deployment and operations of a test facility at the European Space Agency’s (ESA) ground station in Redu, Belgium. The results obtained during in-orbit tests will create a benchmark throughout the satellites’ operational life and will be used as a reference across the entire Galileo constellation.

DLR manages the Galileo validation phase activities for ESA.

Pace RECEIVES SKY ITALIA PVR DEAL

Pace received a contract to develop a new high-definition (HD) personal video recorder (PVR) for Sky Italia, one of Europe’s biggest satellite pay-TV providers.

Pace will supply its HD PVR model TDS850NS, which comes with dual DVB-S2 (digital video broadcasting-satellite-second generation) tuners, H.264 compression and a 250-gigabyte hard drive to store up to 60 hours of HD programming. The model uses OpenTV middleware and NDS conditional access.

SES Astra CAPTURES GERMAN CABLE BUSINESS

SES Astra signed a capacity deal intended to boost a number of independent cable operators in Germany.

The long-term agreement with KabelDienstLeistungsgesellschaft (KDL), a company representing independent German cable operators, provide two transponders at SES Astra’s new orbital position at 31.5 degrees East to transmit digital free-to-air TV to their networks. KDL is the first customer using transponder capacity at this position.

The independent cable operators provide TV signals from their own headends to several million German households. The cooperation with SES Astra enables KDL to offer the cable operators an optimized access package to digital TV channels, called the transponder optimized program package. The service, scheduled for launch in October, allows a simple and efficient feed of 22 digital free-to-air TV channels into the networks. Astra Platform Services also will provide technical services to KDL via its playout center in Unterföhring, near Munich.

EXECUTIVE MOVES

eroAstro NAMES COO

 

AeroAstro, a business unit of Radyne Corp., named Paul Lithgow COO.

Lithgow will supervise upper management and oversee current programs and new business development. Lithgow also will serve as the primary interface between Radyne and AeroAstro.

Lithgow previously served as the director of advanced concepts at Radyne. Prior to Radyne, he led the advanced programs division at Spectrum Astro.

Integral Systems NAMES CEO

Integral Systems Inc. named John Higginbotham CEO.

Higginbotham founded private equity firm SpaceVest Capital (now RedShift Ventures) and also serves on the board of ProtoStar Ltd. He previously served as a director of Analytical Graphics Inc., Novariant Inc. and Imaginova Inc. and also co-founded Intec (now AXASpace) and was a former chairman and director emeritus of the Space Foundation.

Interim CEO Alan Baldwin will return to his role on Integral’s board.

MSV NAMES VICE PRESIDENT FOR SATELLITE SERVICES

Mobile Satellite Ventures (MSV) appointed Susan Miller senior vice president for satellite services.

Miller, who previously served as president and chairman for Intelsat General Corp., in a variety of leadership positions at Comsat Corp. and at Lockheed Martin World Systems, will manage and direct MSV’s satellite services business.

John Mattingly, previously head of MSV Satellite Services, will work on MSV’s satellite transition projects, strategic initiatives and international spectrum negotiations.

RigNet NAMES DIRECTOR OF GLOBAL OPERATIONS; ELECTS CHAIRMAN

RigNet shareholders elected Tom Matthews chairman, and Brian Keefover was named director of global operations.

Matthews, a former CEO of four Fortune 500 utility companies, has been serving as managing trustee of Link Energy Trust since 2002. Prior to Link, he was chairman and CEO of Avista Corp. and Washington Water Power Corp.

Keefover, who will be responsible for global operations, formerly was the director of operations at CapRock Communications, North America.

AWARDS

 

Northrop Grumman EMPLOYEE HONORED BY NASA

Jerry Stuart, a structural design engineer at Northrop Grumman’s Integrated Systems sector in El Segundo, Calif., received an Engineering Excellence Award from the NASA Engineering Safety Center.

Stuart developed a method to adapt a software code that defines how graphite composite material is cut and formed into complex shapes, a key to ensuring manufacturing quality. His work contributed to NASA’s Composite Crew Module program, an effort to increase the agency’s experience in designing and building habitable space structures made from composites.

Northrop Grumman also assisted NASA in maturing the use of composite materials to manufacture large, cryogenic fuel tanks — which could become a critical enabler for future lunar and Mars exploration missions.

OBITUARY

 

Globecomm Systems PRESIDENT DIES

Kenneth Miller, president and one of the founders of Globecomm Systems Inc., died July 20.

Miller helped found Globecomm Systems in October 1994 as a satellite systems integrator and led the company’s expansion into communications services through its Globecomm Network Services subsidiary, which provides IP and data services, video transmission and mobile telephony backhaul and network services via satellite. Most recently, he led the company’s growth in business with the U.S. Department of Defense and civilian agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Miller was a satellite communications staff officer in the U.S. Army, where he conducted the first experiments using digital satellite communications over military satellites. He began his commercial career at Comtech Telecommunications and held several positions at Satellite Transmission Systems before helping found Globecomm Systems.

In February, the World Teleport Association named Miller its Teleport Executive of the Year for his effort to transform Globecomm into a global provider of teleport services. Globecomm renamed its satellite communications hub the Kenneth A. Miller International Teleport.

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