Satellite Today articles from January 2005

Satellite Today archives from January 2005

ViaSat Awarded $60 Million Military Contract.
January 3, 2005... ViaSat Inc. said it won an Engineering Change Proposal modification and corresponding delivery order valued at approximately $60 million for the development of a Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) complaint version of the Multifunctional...

Sirius, XM Hit Subscriber Goals For 2004.
January 3, 2005... Both Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio reached their respective subscriber goals for 2004, each company announced last week. XM said Dec. 27 that it recently surpassed 3.1 million subscribers, the company's year-end goal. ...

PSSI, Spaceconnection For skIP Broadband LLC.
January 3, 2005... PSSI and Spaceconnection last week announced the formation of skIP Broadband LLC, a communications solutions company that specializes in providing dedicated phone lines, Internet connectivity and high speed data and video streaming. The new...

Gilat Breaks Into Two Business Units.
January 3, 2005... Gilat Satellite Newtorks Ltd. said that beginning Jan. 1, the company will operate under two business units: Gilat Network Solutions and Gilat Network Operations. The company said the division is part of Gilat's new growth strategy aimed at...

ISRO Developing Satellite Terminals For IGNOU.
January 3, 2005... The Times of India reported on Jan. 2 that the Indian Satellite Research Organization has started developing 100 satellite interactive terminals and a sub-hub for Edusat for the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). The sub-hub and...

Russian Observation Satellite Dropped In Wrong Slot.
January 3, 2005... According to a Dec. 26 posting on the Web site www.iol.co.za, a Russian-Ukrainian Earth survey satellite launched Dec. 24 from Plesetsk cosmodrome, located 800 kilometers north of Moscow, failed to reach its planned orbit. The satellite,...

FCC Denies DirecTV Request For Launch Authority.
January 4, 2005... The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) denied The DirecTV Group Inc.'s request to launch and operate two geostationary satellites in the Kaband. In a Dec. 30, 2004 letter to DirecTV that was made public Jan. 3, FCC said that DirecTV...

BSkyB Technology Blocks Ads On Satellite TV.
January 4, 2005... According to a Jan. 3 article on The Scotsman's Web site, BSkyB could deploy some new technology in its satellite television set-top boxes that would allow viewers to screen out commercials. According to the article, BSkyB receives more than 80...

Georgia Latest State To Track Felons Via Satellite.
January 4, 2005... Georgia has joined a growing list of states and municipalities that are turning to satellite technology to track felons. According to a Jan. 1 Associated Press report, the state launched a pilot program this year, under which 178 paroled...

SES Global Listed On SBF 120 Index On Euronext Paris.
January 4, 2005... SES Global said that as of Jan. 3, the company's shares would be listed on the Euronext Paris SBF 120 Index. SES Global has a weighting of .38 percent of the SBF 120 Index, which comprises the 120 most actively traded stocks on the French stock...

Sir Arthur C. Clarke Doing Well.
January 5, 2005... The editorial staff at Access Intelligence received word last week that Arthur C. Clarke and his household escaped any major damage or loss and all are doing well in the wake of the Dec. 26 devastating tsunami that hit Southeast Asia. ...

Zeus Names Dave McGlade CEO Of Intelsat.
January 5, 2005... Zeus Holdings Ltd. said Dave McGlade, the CEO of cellular operator O2 UK, has agreed to become the CEO of Intelsat following the closing of the acquisition, which is expected to occur during the first quarter. McGlade will join Intelsat upon...

Arianespace Begins 2005 With New Launch Contracts.
January 5, 2005... The French space agency CNES awarded Arianespace a contract to launch two Pleiades Earth observation satellites. The satellite will be launched on board Soyuz rockets from Kourou, French Guiana in 2008 and 2009. CNES also contracted...

Comtech EF Data Awarded Satellite Communications Equipment Contract.
January 5, 2005... Comtech Communications Corp. said its subsidiary Comtech EF Data Corp. has been awarded a $2.8 million contract to provide satellite communications equipment to an unnamed CMDA network operator in India. Comtech said that its data and RF...

SES Astra Completes DPC Acquisition.
January 5, 2005... SES Astra has completed the 100 percent acquisition of DPC Digital Playout Center from Premiere, the German pay-TV operator. DPC operates a broadcasting center in Unterfohring and offers services comprising play-out, multiplexing, encryption...

Two Prime U.S. Government Contractors Tap Globecomm For Satellite Solution, Services.
January 5, 2005... Globecomm Systems Inc. announced it has been awarded multiple contracts valued at approximately $4.2 million from two U.S. government prime contractors. Under the terms of the contracts, Globecomm will provide a turnkey network solution...

Ford To Boost Factory Installs Of Sirius Receivers.
January 5, 2005... Ford Motor Co. and Sirius Satellite Radio said that Ford and Lincoln Mercury will be offering Sirius satellite radio receivers as a factory installed option this summer. Ford said it is targeting up to 21 vehicle lines. Ford said it expects to...

Clear Channel Taps EMS For XtremeSat Satellite Services.
January 5, 2005... EMS Satellite Networks, a division of EMS Technologies Inc., said it has delivered a DVB-RCS hub to Clear Channel Satellite Services of Centennial, CL. Clear Channel will use the hub and terminals to serve satellite communications needs within...

Clarification.
January 5, 2005... In yesterday's Satellite Today, it was reported the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) denied a request by The DirecTV Group Inc. to launch and operate two geostationary satellites (DIRECTV 10 and 11) as replacements for Spaceway-2 and...

XM, Sirius Make Splash at CES.
January 6, 2005... With the Consumer Electronics Showcase opening yesterday in Las Vegas, Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio took the opportunity to launch a variety of new products. Sirius introduced what it described as its smallest "plug and...

Sirius, Microsoft To Develop Video Service Primarily For Children.
January 6, 2005... Sirius Satellite Radio said it has reached an agreement with Microsoft to collaborate in the further development of video applications and added that it will use Microsoft's Windows Media Video 9 for its mobile video platforms. Sirius...

TPS Reveals Subscriber Numbers.
January 6, 2005... French satellite pay-TV operator TPS enjoyed a record month in December for adding new subscribers. In December 2004, it added close to 66,000 subscribers, an increase of more than 100 percent compared to December 2003. For 2004 as a whole, the...

EchoStar to Raise Rates.
January 6, 2005... EchoStar Communications Corp. will be raising the rates subscribers pay for its Dish Network direct-to-home satellite television service, according to a Jan. 5 article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. According to the report, subscribers will...

DataPath Taps Radyne For Satellite Modems.
January 6, 2005... Radyne ComStream said it received last month an order for $2.3 million to supply DataPath Inc. with its satellite modem. DataPath will use the modems in its DKET and TRACKX products. DKET and TRACKX terminals are designed to provide...

Audiovox Markets Mobile Satellite TV Antenna For RaySat.
January 6, 2005... Audiovox Corp. yesterday launched its SkyBox satellite television antenna designed for vehicles such as SUVs, minivans and recreational vehicles. The antenna, designed by RaySat, is described by the company as "a sleek-looking 5.7-inch high"...

Ball Completes NPP Assembly And Integration.
January 6, 2005... Ball Aerospace & Technology Corp. said it has completed assembly and integration of the spacecraft for the National Polar-orbiting Operational Satellite System (NPOESS) Preparatory Project. Ball said the project has two purposes: to provide...

Arthur C. Clarke Foundation Helps In Tsunami Relief Effort.
January 6, 2005... The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation is referring interested parties wanting to contribute to the disaster relief efforts for those affected by the recent tsunami to several different organizations on its Web site www.clarkefoundation.org. ...

AsiaSat Confirms TAS Digital Launch.
January 7, 2005... Teleport Access Services (TAS) launched a digital television and radio platform aiming to cater to the needs of multicultural audiences in Australia and New Zealand. The DTH platform is being launched on the AsiaSat 4 satellite's Ku-band...

Telesat Acquires Spaceconnection.
January 7, 2005... Telesat said yesterday that it acquired The Spaceconnection Inc., a provider of programming-related satellite transmission services to U.S. television networks and cable programmers. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed, but...

Telenor Doubles Regional BGAN Subscribers In 20004.
January 7, 2005... Telenor Satellite Services said it has more than doubled its customer base of regional broadband global area network (BGAN) service in 2004, but the company did not release specific subscriber numbers. Company officials said the strongest...

ABI: Satellite Radio To Dominate Real-Time Traffic Info Market.
January 7, 2005... According to a new report, "Real-Time Traffic Systems," published by research firm ABI Research, the advent of satellite radio to deliver real-time traffic data will not only spur adoption of real-time traffic data services in North America,...

DirecTV Launches Mobile-Specific Package.
January 7, 2005... Recognizing the upstart but growing market for satellite television services delivered to vehicles such as recreational vehicles, SUVs and minivans, DirecTV Inc. announced a new DirecTV Total Choice Mobile package. The package is available to...

Bell President Talks Up Competitive Advantages.
January 10, 2005... Robert Odendaal, president of the Bell Video Group, which owns digital satellite TV service provider Bell ExpressVu, believes the operator has a number of competitive advantages over its cable competition. Odendaal told Satellite Today, "We...

General Dynamics Nabs $830 Million Defense Contract.
January 10, 2005... The East Valley Tribune (Arizona) reported on its Web site on Jan. 7 that General Dynamics' C4 Systems division won an $830 million contract from Lockheed Martin to help develop a satellite-based system to support the U.S. military's...

iPSTAR-1 Satellite Tests Complete.
January 10, 2005... Shin Satellite PLC said Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) informed the company that it successfully concluded its antenna patterns and end-to-end payload tests in compact antenna test range (CATR) for the iPSTAR-1 satellite. It was the last of a...

RaySat Brings Internet Access To In-Motion Vehicles.
January 10, 2005... RaySat Inc. on Jan. 7 unveiled its SpeedRay 3000 antenna at the Consumer Electronics Showcase in Las Vegas that will deliver high-speed Internet services to in-motion vehicles and distributes the connection to users via Wi-Fi wireless LAN...

TU Media Corp. To Begin Satellite Broadcasts To Mobile Phones.
January 10, 2005... TU Media Corp., a joint venture between SK Telecom and Toshiba Corp., is to begin trials of its new service to deliver satellite broadcasts to mobile phones. According to a Jan. 7 report on the Information Week Web site, the service will...

SES Astra Ready To Attack Croatian TV And Broadband Market.
January 11, 2005... SES Astra is aiming to play a key role in the Croatian pay-TV and Internet market. It is teaming up with local operator Vodatel, which intends to offer broadband, Video-on-Demand (VoD) and television services via satellite. Zagreb-based Vodatel...

MDA Offers Satellite Imagery For Tsunami Relief Effort.
January 11, 2005... MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) said its space-based imagery is being used to help direct relief efforts and assess the damage caused by the Dec. 26, 2004 tsunamis. The company said it has donated more than 15 million square...

SIA Names New Board Members, Moves Offices.
January 11, 2005... The Satellite Industry Association (SIA) named Tony Trujillo, vice president and chief administrative officer for Intelsat Ltd., as its new chairman for 2005. He replaces Kalpak Gude, vice president of government and regulatory affairs at...

Norsat CFO Resigns.
January 11, 2005... The board of directors at Norsat International Inc. said that the company's chief financial officer, Troy Bullock, tendered his resignation effective Feb. 28. According to the company, he is leaving Norsat to accept a position at an unnamed...

EMS Appoints New Account Manager For Eastern U.S. Sales.
January 11, 2005... EMS Technologies Inc. appointed Clark Gordon as account manager for commercial sales in the Eastern United States for the company's Satcom division. EMS said Gordon has more than 24 years of avionics technical, marketing and sales experience....

Japan To Shrink Size Of Spy Satellites.
January 11, 2005... According to a Jan. 10 report on Kyodo News, Japan will begin research efforts aimed at scaling down the size of its spy satellites beginning in fiscal year 2005, with a target launch date of these fourth generation spy satellites in 2010....

Pace Increases Profits.
January 12, 2005... U.K.-based set-top-box (STB) vendor Pace Micro Technology announced that in the 27 weeks ending Dec. 7, 2004, it increased its profits to GBP3.1 million ($5.1 million). At the corresponding stage last year, its profits were under GBP1 million...

AMC-12 Arrives In Kazakhstan For Feb. 3 Launch.
January 12, 2005... SES Americom said its Americom-12 (AMC-12) satellite arrived in Baikonur, Kazakhstan and will be undergoing final preparations for its Feb. 3 launch by International Launch Services on a Proton/Breeze M rocket. AMC-12, according to SES...

MDA Nabs Canadian Space Surveillance System Contract.
January 12, 2005... MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA) won a Cdn. $1 million (U.S. $821,693) contract from Canada's Department of National Defense (DND) for the design of a Canadian Space Surveillance System in support of DND's surveillance of space...

MediaSat To Launch New Satellite Broadband Uplink Facility.
January 12, 2005... According to a Jan. 11 report on ElectricNews.Net, MediaSat will launch a new satellite uplink facility that will allow the Ireland-based company to become more of a player in the satellite broadband market. According to the report, MediaSat is...

Delphi To Supply Ford With Sirius Radios.
January 12, 2005... Delphi Corp. said that it will supply Ford Motor Co. with the Sirius Satellite Radio receivers that will be offered to consumers as a factoryinstalled option beginning with select 2006 model year vehicle lines. Financial terms of the deal were...

DirecTV Offers GolTV In Programming Packages.
January 12, 2005... DirecTV Inc. said it has signed an agreement with 24-hour soccer network GolTV, allowing the channel to be available to customers who subscribe to either the DirecTV Para Todos Spanish language programming package or the Sports Pack line-up. No...

Nordic Satellite Awards Sirius-4 Contract.
January 13, 2005... Lockheed Martin won a satellite manufacturing contract with European satellite operator Nordic Satellite AB (NSAB). With satellite contracts likely to be at a premium this year, Lockheed will be delighted to have this deal under its belt. The...

Hughes Launches New NOC In Germany.
January 13, 2005... Hughes Network Systems said it launched a new dedicated network operations center (NOC) to be hosted at its European teleport in Griesheim, Germany. The new NOC will support additional satellite transponder capacity, which was brought online in...

C4 Systems Demonstrates Its Vehicle-Mounted Ku-band Terminal.
January 13, 2005... General Dynamics C4 Systems said it demonstrated its Satcom-On-The-Move terminal, a vehicle-mounted Ku-band satellite terminal for the U.S. Army. The terminal, which C4 Systems said is the first such system to be licensed by the Federal...

Motient Increases Stake In Mobile Satellite Ventures.
January 13, 2005... Motient Corp. said it signed a binding agreement with Telecom Satellite Ventures to acquire its stake in Mobile Satellite Ventures LP and its general partner, MSV GP Inc. The result of the transaction will increase Motient's ownership in MSV by...

NASA To Discontinue TRMM Satellite.
January 13, 2005... The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said it will discontinue operation of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite after the Spring following the latest extension of its in-orbit life. The move has...

Stratos Announces Two Acquisitions.
January 14, 2005... Stratos Global Corp. executed a definitive agreement to acquire 100 percent of Plenexis from private equity and venture capital company 3i. Stratos also announced the acquisition of a 49 percent stake in Navarino Telecom SA and NTS Maritime...

More Tsunami Relief From The Satellite Industry.
January 14, 2005... Telenor Satellite Services and Global Relief Technologies LLC are working together with International Medical Corps (IMC) to provide an integrated support system for immediate collection and dissemination of in-the-field data information around...

Eumetsat Ready To Help Tsunami Prevention Effort.
January 14, 2005... Eumetsat, the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites, is making a satellite available to help in the future detection of Tsunamis in Asia. It will make access to its satellite that covers the Indian Ocean...

Vyvx Expands Virtual Teleport Services.
January 14, 2005... Vyvx said that is expanded its virtual teleport services to New Orleans, Minneapolis and Pittsburgh. The virtual teleport service extends the uplink and downlink services provided by Vyvx's three physical teleports in Atlanta, Denver and Los...

Surrey Satellite Technology Sells Stake To SpaceX.
January 14, 2005... Small satellite manufacturer Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. (SSTL) said it sold a 10 percent stake in itself to commercial rocket company SpaceX. The transaction enables the two companies to work together to achieve a shared vision of...

Microsatellite To Be Launched From Plesetsk Jan. 20.
January 14, 2005... According to a Jan 13 report by RIA Novosti, a microsatellite belonging to Moscow Lomonosov State University will be delivered to the Plesetsk space center on Jan. 15 and will be launched into orbit on a Kosmos-3M rocket on Jan. 20. ...

Andrew Names New Satcom Group President.
January 14, 2005... Andrew Corp. named Jude Panetta the president of the company's satellite communications group. Panetta was formerly the vice president and general manager for Andrew's base station subsystems group, and he replaces Paul Cox, who resigned from...