Satellite News articles from December 2006

Satellite News archives from December 2006

Boeing, Lockheed Martin Complete ULA Transaction.(United Launch Alliance LLC )(Brief article)
December 4, 2006... Lockheed Martin Corp. and Boeing Co. have completed the transaction that combines their respective government launch vehicle businesses under the United Launch Alliance LLC (ULA) joint venture, the companies announced Dec. 1. ULA,...

Arqiva Targets 'Challenging' U.S. Market.(British Telecommunications PLC's Satellite Broadcast Services )
December 4, 2006... Arqiva, which recently reached an agreement to acquire BT's satellite broadcast business for 25 million British pounds ($47.9 million), hopes the acquisition will provide a springboard to a stronger position in the U.S. market. BT's...

DTH Operator Looks At New Strategic Options.(direct-to-home)(Hellas Satellit's Kostas Vrionis plans)
December 4, 2006... Multichoice Hellas is one of the leading pay-TV operators in Greece and the direct-to-home (DTH) operator is playing a key role in bringing new digital services to Greek customers through its digital satellite platform, Nova. The operator...

African TIGER Initiative Tries To Squeeze Water Via Satellites.(Technology Informatics Guiding Educational Reform)
December 4, 2006... European scientists are finding that Earth observation satellites not only can lead policymakers to water but can also make them think. Four years after the European Space Agency's (ESA) Committee on Earth Observation Satellites launched...

Executive Q&A: Georghiou Seeks To Raise Spacenet's Profile, Revenues.(Andreas Georghiou)(Interview)
December 4, 2006... With demand for satellite services growing, Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. would like to see better performance from its Spacenet Inc. services group. To accomplish this, Gilat has completed a makeover of Spacenet's executive team and placed...

IDC Wins ESA Deal.(International Datacasting Corp., European Space Agency )(Brief article)
December 4, 2006... The European Space Agency (ESA) has awarded a contract for the development of next-generation DVB-S2 satellite multicasting products to the International Datacasting Corp. (IDC) as part of ESA's Telecom Start-up Project Initiative. Under...

Honda To Make XM Radio Standard In 2007.(American Honda Motor Company Inc., XM Satellite Radio Inc.)(Brief article)
December 4, 2006... XM Satellite Radio announced Nov. 30 that American Honda Motor Co. will install XM radios in more than 650,000 of Honda's 2007 model year vehicles. Honda was an original strategic partner in the launch of XM and introduced vehicles with...

Emcore Wins Solar Cell Order.(Brief article)
December 4, 2006... Emcore Corp. received a multi-year order for solar cells from an unnamed satellite manufacturer, Emcore announced Nov. 28. Under the three-year, $41 million extension to an existing purchase order, Emcore's Photovoltaics Division will...

TCS To Provide Satellite Communications Network To U.S. Government Agency.(Telecommunication Systems Inc.)(Brief article)
December 4, 2006... Telecommunication Systems Inc. (TCS) received a contract from an unnamed U.S. government agency to supply a secure satellite communications network, the company announced Nov. 29. TCS will provide its Swiftlink deployable communications...

Uplit Renews Contract For Satellite Uplink Services For Cox Sports TV.(Cox Communications Inc.)(Brief article)
December 4, 2006... Uplit and Cox Communications renewed a two-year agreement to provide satellite uplink services for Cox Sports Television (CST), according to a Nov. 29 statement. Since 2002, Uplit has transmitted CST, a regional sports network, to cable...

Alcatel Demonstrates S-Band Over Handheld In Europe.(satellite services for handhelds)(Brief article)
December 4, 2006... Alcatel announced Nov. 28 the demonstration of Europe's first broadcast of live TV channels on mobile handsets in S-band. Using the new satellite services for handhelds (DVB-SH) standard currently being drafted by the DVB Project, Alcatel...

Echostar To Provide Ku Bandwidth to Sprint Nextel.(Echostar Fixed Satellite Services Corp.)(Brief article)
December 4, 2006... Echostar Communications Corp. announced Nov. 27 that its subsidiary, Echostar Fixed Satellite Services Corp. has entered into a long-term contract with Sprint Nextel to provide domestic Ku-band Fixed Satellite Services (FSS) capacity. ...

DirecTV Activates HD Local Channels In Four States.(high definition television)(Brief article)
December 4, 2006... DirecTV Inc. has added local high-definition (HD) service for customers in the Green Bay, Wisc.; Greensboro, N.C.; Grand Rapids, Mich., and Providence, R.I., markets. The additions mean that DirecTV offers local HD broadcast channels in 49...

Andrew Introduces 2.4-meter Transportable Antenna.(Brief article)
December 4, 2006... Andrew Corp. expanded its military satellite communications offerings Nov. 28 with a new 2.4-meter transportable antenna intended to serve military and large commercial customers. The lightweight 2.4-meter Rugged Quick Deploy Transportable...

Euro1080 Strikes STB Deal.(with Topfield)(set top boxes)(Brief article)
December 4, 2006... Euro1080, a provider of high-definition (HD) content to satellite platforms throughout Europe, has announced a distribution deal with set-top box manufacturer Topfield. Under the agreement, Topfield HDTV satellite receivers will be...

Terrasar-X Scheduled For Launch In February.(German Aerospace Center partnered with EADS Astrium)(Brief article)
December 4, 2006... Germany's Terrasar-X radar satellite is scheduled to be launched Feb. 27 launch aboard a Russian Dnepr-1 rocket, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) announced. The mission had been planned for Oct. 31 but was rescheduled following the...

Hispasat Launches Advanced Broadband With Amerhis.(Brief article)
December 4, 2006... Satellite operator Hispasat is offering advanced broadband services via its onboard processing system housed on the Amazon satellite. The company's advanced multimedia-enhanced regenerative Hispasat (Amerhis) system is an advanced...

Batelco To Offer IP Satellite Services.(Bahrain Telecommunications Co.)(Brief article)
December 4, 2006... Batelco, an integrated communications provider in Bahrain offering telecommunications in the Middle East, plans to expand its global reach through satellite-based IP (Internet Protocol) services. Batelco is expanding its Ras Abu...

Boeing Ships Measat-3 Satellite To Kazakhstan For Launch.(contracts with International Launch Services)(Brief article)
December 4, 2006... Boeing Co. has shipped the Measat-3 communications satellite to the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a scheduled Dec. 11 launch aboard an International Launch Services (ILS) Proton rocket, Boeing announced Nov. 24. The 601 HP...

Thrane & Thrane Airtime Signs BGAN Customers.(Brief article)
December 4, 2006... Thrane & Thrane Airtime A/S has signed the first customers for Inmarsat's Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) service. Thrane & Thrane Airtime, a BGAN distributor for Inmarsat, will provide Explorer Terminals and BGAN airtime to...

Techstart Chosen As Distributor For International Communications Group.
December 4, 2006... International Communications Group announced Nov. 20 its appointment of Techstart LLC as authorized distributor for its Iridium-based satellite communication products in the defense and aerospace sector. [Copyright 2006 Access...

Report Finds Germany Falling Behind in Broadband.(Brief article)
December 4, 2006... Germany "runs the risk of losing touch with the U.S. and Asian rivals when it comes to innovative developments based on the broadband society," according to a report by Deutsche Telekom (DT) and German media professors. The report,...

GVF, iDirect To Produce On-Line Training Courses.(Global VSAT Forum, iDirect Technologies)(Brief article)
December 4, 2006... The Global VSAT Forum (GVF) and iDirect Technologies have entered into an agreement to produce Web-based training courses for iDirect's VSAT terminal installations, the organizations announced Nov. 29. The courses, available at...

Spacedev President Resigns.(Robert Vacek )(Brief article)
December 4, 2006... Robert Vacek has resigned as president of Spacedev Inc.'s Starsys division to pursue an opportunity outside of the aerospace industry, Spacedev announced Nov. 24. Vacek was appointed president of Starsys in January when Spacedev completed...

Futron Appoints Slye To Lead Space And Telecommunications.(Peggy Slye )(Brief article)
December 4, 2006... Futron Corp. announced Nov. 30 its appointment of Peggy Slye as director of its space and telecommunications division. Slye will lead the division providing market forecasts and analyses, technology assessments, launch and satellite...

Balkcom Appointed To Datapath Board.(James Balkcom)(Brief article)
December 4, 2006... Datapath Inc. announced Nov. 28 its appointment of James Balkcom to the company's board of directors. Balkcom, chairman of Corporate Psychology Resources, a leadership consultancy, has more than 30 years of experience in corporate governance...

Orbiting Wall Street.(Datapath Inc. acquiring ILC)(Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. planning to sell its ordinary shares)(British Sky Broadcasting Group PLC acquiring ITV PLC)
December 4, 2006... Datapath Completes ILC Acquisition Datapath Inc. has completed its acquisition of ILC, a privately held provider of network management software for monitoring, controlling and automating hybrid communications networks, Datapath announced...

SBIRS High Sensors Performing Well In Early Checkout Phase, Says Air Force Space Czar.(Space Based Infrared Systems)
December 4, 2006... The first of the U.S. Air Force's new missile-warning sensor payloads is performing well after completing an initial round of performance checkouts, the Air Force's space czar said Nov. 29. The Space Based Infrared Systems (SBIRS) High...

Aerojet To Market Russian-Built Thrusters.(Aerojet General Corp. marketing agreement with Fakel Experimental Design Bureau of Kaliningrad)(Brief article)
December 11, 2006... Aerojet has signed an agreement to market 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...

Eutelsat Ownership Changes Bring New Players Into Satellite Market.(shares acquired by Abertis Infraestructuras S.A. and Caisse des depots et Consignations)
December 11, 2006... The controlling interests in European satellite operator Eutelsat changed significantly during the first week of December, as a number of key shareholders announced plans to sell their stakes of the satellite operator to two new major...

ProSiebenSat Ends Entavio Interest.(SES Astra's Entavio, ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG)
December 11, 2006... SES Astra's Entavio initiative has suffered a blow with the news that ProSiebenSat.1 will not bring its free-to-air channels to Entavio due to antitrust concerns raised by the German government. Entavio is SES Astra's digital satellite...

DirecTV, NDS Reach Piracy Lawsuit Settlement.
December 11, 2006... 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 Dec. 8. DirecTV and NDS, the creator of...

No Holiday Dreidel? No Problem: Spin The XM Dial Instead.(XM Satellite Radio broadcasting "Radio Hanukkah" during Jewish Festival of Light)
December 11, 2006... Historically speaking, it may have been more than 2,100 years in coming, but XM Satellite Radio has nevertheless managed another programming first over its terrestrial cousins with the company's announcement to broadcast "Radio Hanukkah"...

Launch Of BT's IPTV Offering Could Slow BSkyB Subscriber Growth.(British Telecommunications PLC, internet protocol television)(British Sky Broadcasting Group PLC)
December 11, 2006... The launch of BT's Internet protocol (IP) TV service, BT Vision, brings another strong competitor for satellite operator BSkyB in the U.K. pay-TV market. BT has set a subscriber goal of 2 million to 3 million customers within three...

BSkyB Goes With Google To Make Broadband Impact.(British Sky Broadcasting Group PLC)(Brief article)
December 11, 2006... BSkyB has made a deal with Google to bring a number of Web-based services to BSkyB's broadband BSkyB, which has more than 8 million direct-to-home subscribers, is targeting the broadband market with three offerings unveiled in July. At the...

Alcatel Alenia Space To Build Globalstar Constellation.(Brief article)
December 11, 2006... Alcatel Alenia Space signed a contract to design, manufacture and deliver Globalstar Inc.'s second-generation constellation of 48 satellites, the companies announced Dec. 4. The deal is worth about 661 million euros ($880.9 million),...

Arianespace To Launch South Korean Satellite.(Korea Aerospace Research Institute)(Brief article)
December 11, 2006... The Korea Aerospace Research Institute has chosen Arianespace to launch the Communication, Ocean and Meteorological Satellite-1 (COMS-1), Arianespace announced Dec. 4. COMS-1 will be placed into geostationary transfer orbit by an Ariane 5 in...

Northrop Grumman Begins Second Phase Of Air Force Polar Communications Payload Study.
December 11, 2006... 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, the company announced. The study is...

High School To Build Satellite.(Orbital Sciences Corp. partnership with Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology)(Brief article)
December 11, 2006... 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 high school students, Orbital announced Dec. 6. ...

More Than 50 Percent Of Amos-3 Capacity Sold.(Space Communications Ltd.)(Brief article)
December 11, 2006... 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 announced. Some existing and new customers on Amos-1 and Amos-2,...

Leoterra, Terrestar Networks Looking To Link Up.(global mobile broadband communication services )(Brief article)
December 11, 2006... Leoterra LLC, a low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications company, and Terrestar Networks Inc., a subsidiary of Motient Corp., announced Dec. 5 they will perform a joint feasibility study toward providing interoperable, advanced global...

Gilat To Provide VSAT Network To Mexican School Initiative.(Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. contracts with Mexico's Ministry of Education)(Brief article)
December 11, 2006... Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. has been selected by Alef Soluciones Integrales and Corporative Lanix to provide a Skyedge VSAT network to more than 7,700 Mexican public-school classrooms, Gilat announced Dec. 4. Deployment of the network...

EMC To Supply Service To South African ISP.(Emerging Markets Communications Inc., Internet Solutions)(Internet service providers)(Brief article)
December 11, 2006... Emerging Markets Communica-tions (EMC) has been contracted to provide Internet protocol (IP) capacity via satellite to South Africa-based Internet Solutions, EMC announced. Internet Solutions, owned by Dimension Data, is the largest Cisco...

GM To Factory-Install XM In More Than 1.8 Million 2007 Vehicles.(General Motors Corp., XM Satellite Radio Inc.)(Brief article)
December 11, 2006... XM Satellite Radio and General Motors (GM) announced Dec. 5 that the automaker will build more than 1.8 million 2007 vehicles with factory-installed XM Radio. GM was the first automaker to offer satellite radio when it introduced XM as...

Intelsat Renews China TV Contract For Global Programming Distribution.
December 11, 2006... China Central Television (CCTV), the national broadcaster of the People's Republic of China, has renewed a multiyear contract with Intelsat for global distribution of programming, Intelsat announced. Intelsat provides program distribution...

Arabsat, Nilesat Create Media Gateway.(Arabsat Media Gateway from Cairo, Egypt)(Brief article)
December 11, 2006... Two of the Middle East's leading satellite operators, Arabsat and Nilesat, have joined forces in the Middle East to establish a media gateway. The agreement will enable Arabsat to establish a new Arabsat Media Gateway from Cairo that will...

Quake Satellite Modems To Be Standard Equipment On Volvo Trucks.(Quake Global, Volvo Trucks North America Inc.)(Brief article)
December 11, 2006... 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+ and the Volvo Link Sentry remote...

SES Sirius Orders Interference Detection Analyzer From SAT.(Brief article)
December 11, 2006... 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 SAT-DSA allows users to automatically...

Corot Launch Postponed.(European Space Agency)(Brief article)
December 11, 2006... 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 mission, which will take place from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan,...

Dominion Video Satellite Offers HughesNet Broadband.(contracts with Hughes Network Systems)(Brief article)
December 11, 2006... 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 30 Christian...

Northrop Grumman Appoints Space Technology Vice Presidents.(Timothy Frei, Brian Chappel and Steve Hixson)(Brief article)
December 11, 2006... 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 organization, which was established to...

Orbiting Wall Street.(Sirius Satellite Radio updating subscriber guidance)(Orbital Sciences Corp. earnings per share)(Tampa Microwave acquires Morrow Technologies Corp.)
December 11, 2006... SIRI Sirius Satellite Radio announced Dec. 4 that it was updating its year-end 2006 subscriber guidance in light of lagging holiday retail sales. "While strong, this year's retail sales results since the Thanksgiving weekend have...

General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman Receive Contracts To Develop SBIRS High Alternatives.
December 11, 2006... The U.S. Air Force announced has tasked General Dynamics and Northrop Grumman Corp. to develop potential alternatives over the next 18 months to the Space Based Infrared Systems (SBIRS) High missile launch warning satellite. Under...

ULA Lofts NRO Satellite Into Orbit In First Launch.(United Launch Alliance, National Reconnaissance Office)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... A Delta 2 rocket placed a classified payload into orbit for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office, the first mission for the newly formed United Launch Alliance. The Delta 2 lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., 4 p.m....

WildBlue Aiming High After Launch Of First Satellite.(Wildblue Communications Inc.)
December 18, 2006... Denver-based WildBlue Communi-cations, a broadband Internet provider to small cities and rural America, is riding a high after the launch of its WildBlue-1 satellite Dec. 8. Slated to become fully operational at 111.1 degrees West in...

No Arms Race Emerging In Space, Says U.S. State Dept. Official.(Robert Joseph)
December 18, 2006... Despite a growing threat posed by some nations and non-state actors, the United States does not believe that space is becoming the next realm for an arms race, a senior State Department official said Dec. 13. "There is no arms race in...

Mammogram Via Satellite Helps Rural Women.(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... Satellite technology is allowing digital mammograms of rural Native American women in North Dakota and South Dakota to be examined by radiologists in Michigan. A pilot program by University of Michigan (UM) researchers was designed as an...

Executive Q&A: Inmarsat CEO Outlines BGAN Ambitions.(Andy Sukawaty, Broadband Global Area Network)(Interview)
December 18, 2006... Inmarsat is a major player on the global satellite landscape, and last year was a key campaign for the the mobile satellite services operator. There was a successful IPO in 2005, and the company also announced the launch of Broadband Global...

Measat-3 Satellite Launched By ILS.(International Launch Services)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... 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, built for Measat Satellite Systems by...

Telenor Issues RFP For New Satellite.(Telenor Satellite Broadcasting, request for proposal)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... 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, will be positioned at 1[degrees] West to cover the Nordic...

Boeing To Launch Two Cosmo-SkyMed Satellites.(contracts with Alcatel Alenia Space Italia and Italian Space Agency)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... 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 Alenia Space Italia, the prime contractor for the Italian...

IPStar Launches Mobile Broadband Offering.(Shin Satellite Public Co. has partnered with RaySat Antenna System LLC)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... 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 mobile broadband system for vehicles...

Partnership Delivers Broadband To Remote Areas Of Canada.(Saskatchewan Communications Network and OmniGlobe Networks Inc. will provide wireless broadband Internet)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... The Saskatchewan Communica-tions Network (SCN) and OmniGlobe Networks Inc. (OGN) have formed a strategic alliance to deliver satellite-based wireless broadband Internet to rural and remote communities across Canada, the companies announced....

ViaSat To Supply VSAT DVB-S2 Broadband Network.(Unete Telecomunicaciones S.A.)(very small aperture terminals)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... ViaSat Inc. will supply its LinkStar DVB-S2 satellite networking system to Unete Telecomunicaciones S.A. of Bolivia, ViaSat announced Dec. 13. The contract, valued at about $6 million, includes installation and integration of a satellite...

TV-Novosti Leases Satellite Capacity From Intersputnik.(Intersputnik International Organization of Space Communications)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... The Intersputnik International Organization of Space Communica-tions signed a contract with TV-Novosti for the lease of capacity aboard the Intelsat 904 satellite, Intersputnik announced Dec. 13. The capacity will be used for on-site TV...

Integral Systems To Add EchoStar 11 To Satellite Control System.(EchoStar Communications Corp.)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... 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 is operated by the...

Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman Establish TSAT Test Bed.(Transformational Satellite Communications)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... 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...

Raytheon's Delivers First ARTEMIS Payload.(Advanced Responsive Tactically Effective Military Imaging Spectrometer)(contracts with Air Force Research Laboratory)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... 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)...

Orbiting Wall Street.(COM DEV International Ltd. financial revenues for 2006 fiscal year)(Integral Systems Inc. financial revenues for 2006 fiscal year)(Satellite television industry increasingly challenging competitive environment)
December 18, 2006... TSX:CDV Com Dev International Ltd. earned 21.2 million Canadian dollars ($18.3 million) in its 2006 fiscal year on revenues of 153.8 million Canadian dollars ($133 million), the company announced Dec. 14. In 2005, Com Dev reported...

Public-Private Partnerships Makes High-Resolution Satellite Imagery Available To Universities.(Terra Image USA and University of California at Santa Barbara)
December 18, 2006... High-resolution satellite images of the United States and Canada, which mostly have been too expensive for use by academic researchers, are being made available at more affordable prices through a new private-public partnership program...

To Our Readers:.
December 18, 2006... Due to the Christmas and New Year's holidays in the United States, Satellite News will not publish on Dec. 25 or Jan. 1, 2007. The next issue will appear on Jan. 8, 2007 [Copyright 2006 Access Intelligence, LLC. All rights reserved.]