Satellite News articles from September 2005

Satellite News archives from September 2005

ILS Launches Telesat's Anik F1R.
September 12, 2005... Telesat Canada's Anik F1R satellite was placed into orbit Sept. 9 by a Russian Proton Breeze M launch vehicle. The Proton lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 3:53 a.m. local time (5:53 p.m. Thursday EDT) and placed the spacecraft into...

Panamsat Acquisition 'Bad News' For Manufacturers If It Goes Through.
September 12, 2005... The announced combination of Intelsat and Panamsat will create a large, financially stable Fixed Satellite Services provider with a combined fleet of 53 satellites but could be bad news for the satellite manufacturing industry, analysts...

Satellite Companies Face Challenges In Hurricane Katrina Recovery Efforts.
September 12, 2005... In a disaster on the magnitude like that of Hurricane Katrina, which made landfall Aug. 29 and damaged a significant portion of the Gulf Coast region of the United States, the benefits of satellite technology take center stage during the...

The Need For ATC.
September 12, 2005... The inventory challenges faced by Mobile Satellite Ventures (MSV) and others underscored the importance of what MSV and other Mobile Satellite Services providers are doing to develop its next generation satellite network with an ancillary...

Spotlight: Aiding In Disaster Recovery In China.
September 12, 2005... Before satellite technology was used to help disaster recovery efforts in the Gulf Coast Region of the United States, it came into play in helping China's Shenyang Water Conservancy Bureau respond to flooding caused by torrential rains in...

Satellite Companies Contribute To Relief Effort.
September 12, 2005... A roundup of what some of satellite companies are doing to help in the disaster recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Telenor Satellite Services Telenor Satellite Services and Global Relief Technologies (GRT) announced...

Satellite Television Continues To Drive Set-Top Box Market.
September 12, 2005... While set-top box manufacturers such as Pace Micro Technology, Thomson and Philips are looking to gain business by expanding into new areas such as Internet protocol TV (ITV), satellite will remain a key revenue driver for set- top box...

Loral Targets Oct. 1 To Emerge From Bankruptcy.
September 12, 2005... PARIS--Loral Space and Communications expects to emerge from bankruptcy Oct. 1, Bernard Schwartz, the company's chairman and CEO, said Sept. 7. The last remaining hurdle for Loral is to file with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to...

Military Use Of Commercial Transponders To Dip In 2006-2007, Reach Record Heights By 2014.
September 12, 2005... PARIS---The number of commercial transponders leased for military satellite communications services will dip slightly beginning in the 2006-2007 timeframe as new U.S. military systems become operational. But the demand will rebound before the...

Sea Launch Inks Second Land Launch Deal With Panamsat.
September 12, 2005... Sea Launch Co. said Sept. 6 it signed an agreement with Panamsat for the launch of the Horizons-2 satellite using the Land Launch system. It is the second Land Launch contract signed by Sea Launch. The contract calls for the Orbital...

ILS Inks New Launch Contract With DirecTV.
September 12, 2005... International Launch Services (ILS) announced Sept. 6 it signed a launch agreement with DirecTV. ILS will launch the satellite on a Proton/Breeze M rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in the second quarter of 2007. The...

Arianespace To Launch Thaicom 5.
September 12, 2005... Arianespace announced Sept. 6 it signed an agreement with Shin Satellite Plc to launch the Thaicom 5 satellite. Thaicom 5 will be launched on an Ariane 5 rocket from Arianespace's launch site in Kourou, French Guiana in 2006. Thaicom 5,...

SES Americom Tapped For Program Delivery.
September 12, 2005... SES Americom announced Sept. 8 that its Washington International Teleport (WIT) earth station and HD-Prime neighborhood aboard the AMC-10 and AMC-11 satellites have been selected to monitor and distribute all U.S. networks for Discovery...

Raytheon Nabs National Weather Service Contract.
September 12, 2005... The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service awarded Raytheon Co. a contract to provide operations and maintenance for the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS), a nationwide operational...

Gilat To Provide Two Skyedge Hubs To Tatanet India.
September 12, 2005... Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. announced earlier this week it was selected by Tatanet India to provide two Skyedge hubs and "thousands" of Skyedge Internet protocol VSAT terminals. The Skyedge systems will operate over Extended C-band and...

EMS Satellite Networks Unveils DVB-RCS Mini Hub.(digital video broadcasting, revision control system)(SatNet Mini)(Brief Article)
September 12, 2005... EMS Satellite Networks, a division of EMS Technologies Inc., unveiled Sept. 8 the SatNet Mini, the company's new mini hub. The SatNet Mini hub is designed to provide full DVB-RCS standards compliance, sufficient capacity for small networks...

GlobeCast WorldTV Boosts Channel Line-Up.
September 12, 2005... GlobeCast WorldTV, an international direct-to-home satellite television provider, is growing the channel line-up of its platform with new channels targeting South Asian residents in the United States with the addition of three new channels...

Nera Satcom Given DVB-RCS Interoperability Certification.
September 12, 2005... Nera Satcom said earlier this week it received the Satlabs Certificate of Compliance, verifying that Nera's broadband satellite terminals comply with the DVB-RCS standard and can interoperate with other DVB-RCS-based satellite equipment. ...

Panamsat To Expand Mexican Broadband VSAT Network.
September 12, 2005... Panamsat said Sept. 7 it signed a multiyear agreement the Mexican Department of Transportation and Communications to expand the e-Mexico program, an initiative aimed at delivering high-speed digital technology and Internet services throughout...

Sky Ready To Bring PVR To New Zealand.
September 12, 2005... Sky Television New Zealand, the satellite pay-TV operator in New Zealand, signed a deal with NDS, which will enable to launch PVR (personal video recorder) services across the country. Sky is upgrading its digital broadcasting system using...

Multiband, DirecTV Ink New Agreement.
September 12, 2005... Multiband Corp. and DirecTV. Inc. announced Sept. 6 a new, exclusive multiyear agreement under which Multiband will offer multi-dwelling unit residents a bundle of services that include voice, data and unlimited access to DirecTV...

Vista Names Jason Land Vice President Of Global Services.(appointment at Vista Satellite Communications Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 12, 2005... Vista Satellite Communications Inc. named Jason Land the company's new vice president of global services. He comes to Vista with more than 10 years of experience in global satellite communications, technical coordination and broadcast...

Dish Network To Broadcast Sports Event Via Interactive TV Mosaic.
September 12, 2005... Echostar Communications Corp. said Sept. 6 it is launching a service that will allow viewers of certain college football games on its Dish Network direct- to-home satellite television service to choose from six different camera angles. ...

Orbiting Wall Street.
September 12, 2005... PA & NSE Intelsat threw the satellite industry a curveball when it announced that it agreed to acquire Panamsat for $3.2 billion to create the world's largest Fixed Satellite Services company. The combined company, which will retain the...

Singapore Technologies Engineering Acquires iDirect For $165 Million.
September 12, 2005... Communication network equipment provider iDirect Technologies Inc. agreed to be acquired by Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd. for $165 million in cash. "This business acquisition will help us in many different ways like moving into...

At Press Time: Orbimage Buys Space Imaging.(Space Imaging LLC)(Brief Article)
September 19, 2005... Orbimage Holdings Inc. agreed to acquire the assets of Space Imaging LLC, Orbimage announced Sept. 16. Dulles, Va.-based Orbimage, which operates the Orbview-3 high-resolution imagery satellite, will pay about $58.5 million for its rival...

Canadian Government Upholds Satellite Radio Licensing Decision.(Canadian Satellite Radio and Sirius Canada got license from the government)
September 19, 2005... With a promise to boost Canadian content, Canadian Satellite Radio and Sirius Canada, the Canadian satellite partners of XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio, respectively, had their licenses to operate in Canada upheld by a...

SES IPTV Platform Arrives At Perfect Time.(new internet protocol television service from SES Americom Inc.)
September 19, 2005... The future for Internet protocol television (IPTV) services distributed by telecommunications service providers received a boost earlier this month when Gov. Rick Perry of Texas signed into law a bill that opens the doors for a more...

No Spectrum Shortage In MSS Market's Future.
September 19, 2005... With the uncertain nature of the Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) market, a concern operators in that segment will not have to worry about is a shortage of spectrum, according to a report prepared by Analysys Consulting Ltd. and Mason...

Spotlight: Prepping For Disaster.(use of emergency management information system during natural disasters)
September 19, 2005... Events such as Hurricane Katrina can reveal the strength of satellite communications and serve as a catalyst for the deployment of satellite networks by emergency management agencies. Those deployments also can be triggered by simple events...

New Satellite DTV Alternatives Emerge.(marketing of digital television service by Premiere Manufacturing Corp. and British Sky Broadcasting Group PLC)
September 19, 2005... In two of Europe's biggest digital television markets, new satellite platforms are emerging to serve the lower end of the market. Operators BSkyB in the United Kingdom and Premiere in Germany have mainly targeted the high-end subscribers...

Sky Italia Signs Deal With Eutelsat For Long-Term Capacity.(Brief Article)
September 19, 2005... Sky Italia and Eutelsat signed a strategic multi-transponder agreement that will provide Sky Italia with transponder capacity for the next 20 years, the companies announced Sept. 15. The agreement renews Sky TV's 16 existing leases and...

RTN Ready To Break Down MPEG-4 Barriers.(new service from Racetrack Television Network)(Brief Article)
September 19, 2005... Racetrack Television Network (RTN) is getting set to launch a MPEG-4 AVC- based standard definition satellite TV service that will allow RTN to add up to 60 channels to its lineup and add new services. The service is being launched with...

Harris Corp. Demonstrates Military Satellite Antenna.(Lightweight High Gain X-band Antenna)(Brief Article)
September 19, 2005... Harris Corp. completed field demonstrations of a high-speed satellite antenna feed prototype, the company announced Sept. 15. The feed prototype achieved data rates up to 105 megabits per second using a modified, Harris-built Lightweight...

Globecomm Receives Contract From Raytheon.
September 19, 2005... Globecomm Systems Inc. will provide satellite communications support to the National Weather Service under a subcontract from Raytheon, Globecomm announced Sept. 15. Under the contract, Globecomm will support the Advanced Weather...

Panamsat To Distribute Content In Latin America.(Venevision International, agreement)(Brief Article)
September 19, 2005... Panamsat received a contract from Venevision Continental to distribute content across Latin America using the Pas-9 satellite, Panamsat announced. The contract expands on an existing relationship between Panamsat and the Cisneros Group,...

SDN Global To Support Disaster Relief Operations.(Disaster Relief and Strategic Telecommunications Infrastructure Co., contract)(Brief Article)
September 19, 2005... SDN Global received a contract from the Disaster Relief and Strategic Telecommunications Infrastructure Co. to provide broadband satellite-delivered voice and data services around the globe, SDN announced. Sites in West Africa are...

BMW Extends Exclusive Agreement With Sirius.(BMW of North America L.L.C., Sirius Satellite Radio Inc., contract)(Brief Article)
September 19, 2005... Sirius Satellite Radio and BMW North America LLC announced an agreement that extends Sirius' exclusive relationship with BMW through August 2008. BMW will continue to offer Sirius receivers as a factory-installed option on the BMW 3...

XM Offers Multiple Play-By-Play Broadcasts For Upcoming Baseball Playoffs.(XM Satellite Radio Inc., Major League Baseball, contract)(Brief Article)
September 19, 2005... XM Satellite Radio said it would offer multiple play-by-play broadcasts for each of Major League Baseball' s league championship series and World Series games, allowing listeners to listen to the broadcasts for either the home or visiting...

NFL Network Added To Dish Programming.(EchoStar Communications Corp., contract)(Brief Article)
September 19, 2005... Echostar Communications Corp. announced earlier this week it added NFL Network as part of the America's Top 120 for its Dish Network direct-to-home satellite television service. NFL Network provides around-the-clock coverage of the National...

Boeing Space And Intelligence Systems Appoints Vice President/General Manager.(Howard Chambers)(Brief Article)
September 19, 2005... Boeing announced Sept. 13 that Howard Chambers was named vice president and general manager of Space And Intelligence Systems (S&IS), an operating division of Integrated Defense Systems. Chambers is responsible for leading the people,...

Mobile Satellite Ventures Appoints Vice President of Corporate Development.(Ali Asghar)(Brief Article)
September 19, 2005... Mobile Satellite Ventures (MSV) appointed Ali Asghar vice president of corporate development. Asghar joins MSV from America Online where he led the company's alternative broadband development. Previously, Asghar was with Morgan Stanley,...

Sirius Goes Mobile On Sprint.(Sirius Satellite Radio Inc., contract)(Brief Article)
September 19, 2005... Sprint announced Sept. 13 that its wireless customers will be able to listen to Sirius Satellite Radio programming via their mobile phones. The offer delivers 20 commercial-free music channels, plus a channel devoted to exclusive artist...

U.S. Air Force Taps Iridium For Meteorological Observing System.(AN/TMQ-53 Tactical Meteorological Observing System)(Iridium Satellite L.L.C., contract)(Brief Article)
September 19, 2005... The U.S. Air Force is completing the worldwide deployment of more than 280 tactical meteorological data collection systems that provide mission- critical weather data to war planners and decision makers via Iridium satellites, Iridium...

Canaldigital Launches Satellite Broadband Via Astra Satellite System.(Canal Digitaal Satellite)(Brief Article)
September 19, 2005... SES Astra and Dutch service provider Canaldigital announced an agreement for the provision of broadband Internet services via the Astra satellite system. Canaldigital, which has than 600,000 homes subscribers to its DTH services, will offer...

BSkyB Extends New Football Rights Deal.(British Sky Broadcasting Group PLC, Union of European Football Associations)(Brief Article)
September 19, 2005... BSkyB extended its agreement to continue coverage of the UEFA Champions League for another three years. BSkyB had a year left on its current deal. The new deal will see BSkyB able to broadcast up to 103 live matches a year through the...

Globecomm Awarded Infrastructure Contract In Afghanistan.
September 19, 2005... Globecomm Systems Inc. said Sept. 12 it received a contract through Dasnet Corp. to provide a telecommunications network for the Afghan National Army. Under the contract, valued at approximately $7.4 million, with another $3.6 million in...

SBCA, Global VSAT Forum Unite To Advance Education, Training Programs.(Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association)(Brief Article)
September 19, 2005... The Satellite Broadcasting & Communications Association (SBCA) and the Global VSAT Forum (GVF) announced Sept. 13 the organizations have launched a global program aimed at strengthening delivery of installation training for direct broadcast...

Swe-Dish Increases Power To Products, Opens Middle East Office.(enhanced product Suitcase from Swe-Dish Satellite Systems AB)(Brief Article)
September 19, 2005... Swe-Dish Satellite Systems announced it upgraded its Suitcase terminal power with a 35-watt amplifier from the previous 25-watt version. According to company executives, the user will benefit from a 30 percent increase in bandwidth, enabling...

Advantech AMT Acquires Microwave Operation.
September 19, 2005... Advantech AMT, a manufacturer of satellite and terrestrial wireless communication equipment, announced Sept. 9 that it reached an agreement with Powerwave Technologies to purchase Powerwave's Microwave operation in Gothenberg, Sweden. The...

Intelsat General Names Richard DalBello Vice President Of Government Relations.(Brief Article)
September 19, 2005... Intelsat General Corp. announced Sept. 12 that Richard DalBello will be the company's new vice president of government relations. DalBello will be responsible for informing and educating policy and decision makers in federal, state, local...

Thomas Tycz Joins Goldberg, Godles, Weiner & Wright.(Brief Article)
September 19, 2005... Goldberg, Godles, Wiener & Wright announced that Thomas Tycz would become the firm's senior policy advisor, effective Sept. 19. He will be advising clients on a wide variety of domestic and international regulatory issues. Tycz recently...

Orbiting Wall Street.(contract between XM Satellite Radio Inc. and National Hockey League)(Orbimage Holdings LLC acqisition deal with Space Imaging Co.)
September 19, 2005... ORBM.PK With a relatively quiet week in the satellite industry, Orbimage's agreement to purchase rival Space Imaging takes center stage. Media outlets broke news of the transaction Sept. 15, with Orbimage confirming the deal Sept. 16...

NDS, WiNetworks Unite For Integrated WiMAX Solution For DBS Operators.(NDS Group PLC, direct-to-home)
September 19, 2005... With the Internet protocol television market (IPTV) gaining additional traction in the United States, direct-to-home satellite television service providers may be forced to find new partners to help them compete in the triple- play market....

Boeing, Lockheed Martin Plan ULA Refiling.(formation of United Launch Alliance)(Brief Article)
September 26, 2005... Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp. announced Sept. 21 they withdrew their filing with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regarding the formation of the United Launch Alliance. The companies said they plan to resubmit the filing,...

Orbimage Boosts International Presence With Acquisition.(takeover by Space Imaging Co.)
September 26, 2005... When the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) awarded contracts to build next-generation imagery satellites to Digitalglobe and Orbimage, many industry observers thought it was a foregone conclusion that Space Imaging, which...

Canal Digitaal Has Modest Expectations for Internet Service.(service launch plans of Canal Digitaal Satellite)
September 26, 2005... Canal Digitaal, a satellite pay-TV operator in the Netherlands, is looking to make broadband market inroads but has modest initial expectations for its satellite broadband Internet service, a company official said. The pay-TV operator,...

Spotlight: Katrina Aftermath Creates Field Testing Opportunity.(use of Nera DVB-RCS SatLink System)
September 26, 2005... Nera's DVB-RCS Satlink System is undergoing an unexpected field test in Mississippi, helping provide satellite communications for relief operations related to Hurricane Katrina. Engineers from Telenor Satellite Service's teleport in...

Optus Enjoying Success In Australian Satellite Broadband Market.(Warren Hardy)(Optus Communications Proprietary Ltd.)(Interview)
September 26, 2005... While many countries around the world discuss the best way to bridge the so-called digital divide, the Australian government has taken the steps to subsidize the rollout of satellite broadband services to help those who are not able to gain...

Telenor Taps Orbital For Thor 2-R Satellite.(contract with Orbital Sciences Corp.)(Brief Article)
September 26, 2005... Telenor ASA and Orbital Sciences Corp. announced Sept. 20 that they signed a satellite manufacturing contract for a satellite that will replace Telenor's Thor 2 spacecraft. It is the third satellite manufacturing contract awarded to Orbital...

Polish TV Broadcaster Signs Deal With SES Astra.(SES Global's contract with Telewizja Polska SA)(Brief Article)
September 26, 2005... SES Global will broadcast five digital TV channels provided by Polish public broadcaster TVP (Telewizja Polska SA), SES announced Sept. 22. TVP is one of the biggest public television broadcasters in Central and Eastern Europe with 52...

Navy Orders Additional Terminals From Viasat.(contracts)(Brief Article)
September 26, 2005... Viasat Inc. received an add-on order from the U.S. Navy for the company's Multifunctional Information Distribution System terminals. The $5.2 million order from the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command in San Diego, augments a $60...

Globalstar Breaks Ground On Alaska Gateway.(Brief Article)
September 26, 2005... Globalstar LLC has begun construction of a satellite gateway in Wasilla, Alaska, the company announced. The gateway, which is scheduled to become fully operational in mid 2006, is intended to enhance satellite voice and data services,...

Satellite Lynx Expands Presence With SES Americom.(contracts)(Brief Article)
September 26, 2005... Satellite Lynx added another radio network broadcast by SES Americom's AMC-1 satellite, SES Americom announced. Satellite Lynx delivers transmitter-ready programming to FM radio stations throughout America. The company provides content to...

Noorsat CEO Bullish Over Satellite Prospects.
September 26, 2005... Noorsat, a new entrant on the Middle East satellite communications landscape, is expecting strong growth in the satellite broadcast market. The company predicts the number of television channels broadcasting to the Middle East region to...

EMS Delivers DVB-RCS System For Analyzing Surveillance Data.(EMS Technologies Inc.'s contract with Marshall Communications)(Brief Article)
September 26, 2005... EMS Technologies Inc. said Sept. 21 that the U.S. Department of Defense is equipping ground operators of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in Southeastern Asia with video capabilities from EMS DVB-RCS systems. The two-way, open standard...

Israel Aircraft Industries To Build Amos 3.(contract with Spacecom)(Brief Article)
September 26, 2005... Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) received a $170 million contract from Spacecom to build the Amos 3 communications satellite, IAI announced. The satellite will be manufactured at IAI's Systems Missiles & Space Group and is scheduled to...

Glowlink Unveils Web-Based Spectrum Monitoring System.(Glowlink Communications Technology)(Brief Article)
September 26, 2005... Glowlink introduced its Webaccess product, which uses Internet browser technology to provide a web-based access overlay to the company's spectrum monitoring system, the company announced. Customers using Webaccess will have access to...

Tachyon Helps In Katrina Relief.(donations of Tachyon Networks Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 26, 2005... Tachyon Networks Inc. said Sept. 21 it is donating secure, carrier-grade broadband satellite services system to the Naval Postgraduate School arm of Joint Task Force Katrina. The system will help facilitate communications between shore-based...

Airwaves Media Inks Lease Deal With Asiasat.(Asia Satellite Telecommunicat-ions Co. Ltd.)(Brief Article)
September 26, 2005... Asia Satellite Telecommunicat-ions Co. Ltd. (Asiasat) announced Sept. 20 that it signed an agreement with Airwaves Media (Pvt) Ltd. of Pakistan for the lease of C-band capacity on the Asiasat 3S satellite for the digital free-to-air...

Finnair, SAS Taps Arinc For Satcom Services.(contract with Scandinavian Airlines System)(Brief Article)
September 26, 2005... Arinc Inc. announced Sept. 20 that Finnair, the national carrier of Finland, has selected Arinc to provide a full suite of satellite communications services. Arinc will provide passenger and cockpit voice service, single-number secure...

Globecomm Nabs Digicel Contracts.
September 26, 2005... Globecomm Systems Inc. announced Sept. 20 it won multiple contracts from Digicel Group (Digicel), a mobile telecommunications company in the Caribbean. Globecomm will design and install satellite infrastructure in Trinidad and Tobago in...

Orbiting Wall Street.(securities of satellite communications services industry)
September 26, 2005... DISH The big news coming from the direct-to-home sector that sent Wall Street analysts buzzing was the announced restructuring of the deal between Echostar Communications Corp. and SBC Communications. SBC currently resells Echostar's...

HNS Boosts Direcway Performance, Pushes For Increased Recognition.(Hughes Network Systems Inc.)
September 26, 2005... Hughes Network Systems (HNS) recently boosted the performance of its Direcway satellite broadband service as part in the company's efforts to bring more recognition to satellite technology's role as a viable alternative to bridging the...