Satellite Today back issues from January 2005:
ViaSat Awarded $60 Million Military Contract.
Jan 03, 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 Information Distribution System terminal. The Space ...
Sirius, XM Hit Subscriber Goals For 2004.
Jan 03, 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. Likewise, Sirius said it eclipsed ...
PSSI, Spaceconnection For skIP Broadband LLC.
Jan 03, 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 enterprise arranges instant telephony and data ...
Gilat Breaks Into Two Business Units.
Jan 03, 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 ...
ISRO Developing Satellite Terminals For IGNOU.
Jan 03, 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 ...
Russian Observation Satellite Dropped In Wrong Slot.
Jan 03, 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, Sich-1M, was launched on a Russian Tsiklon-3 ...
FCC Denies DirecTV Request For Launch Authority.
Jan 04, 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 had requested authority to launch and ...
BSkyB Technology Blocks Ads On Satellite TV.
Jan 04, 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 percent of its revenues from subscribers, ...
Georgia Latest State To Track Felons Via Satellite.
Jan 04, 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 felons will be outfitted with GPS-based ...
SES Global Listed On SBF 120 Index On Euronext Paris.
Jan 04, 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 market. "Inclusion in the SBF 120 ...
Sir Arthur C. Clarke Doing Well.
Jan 05, 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 ...
Zeus Names Dave McGlade CEO Of Intelsat.
Jan 05, 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 termination of his current commitments to O2 UK ....
Arianespace Begins 2005 With New Launch Contracts.
Jan 05, 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 Arianespace to launch the Corot stellar ...
Comtech EF Data Awarded Satellite Communications Equipment Contract.
Jan 05, 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 equipment will augment ...
SES Astra Completes DPC Acquisition.
Jan 05, 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 and satellite uplinks to private as well as ...
Two Prime U.S. Government Contractors Tap Globecomm For Satellite Solution, Services.
Jan 05, 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 for an unnamed government agency, which ...
Ford To Boost Factory Installs Of Sirius Receivers.
Jan 05, 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 generate one million subscribers throughout ...
Clear Channel Taps EMS For XtremeSat Satellite Services.
Jan 05, 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 the Clear Channel family of ...
Clarification.
Jan 05, 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 Spaceway-1, respectively. The ...
XM, Sirius Make Splash at CES.
Jan 06, 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 play" satellite radio, named Star Mate ....
Sirius, Microsoft To Develop Video Service Primarily For Children.
Jan 06, 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 executives said it plans to offer a video ...
TPS Reveals Subscriber Numbers.
Jan 06, 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 operator added 209,000 subscribers to its DTH ...
EchoStar to Raise Rates.
Jan 06, 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 be paying $2 to $4 a month more for satellite ...
DataPath Taps Radyne For Satellite Modems.
Jan 06, 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 worldwide connectivity via satellite to ...
Audiovox Markets Mobile Satellite TV Antenna For RaySat.
Jan 06, 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" ultra low-profile antenna that mounts on the ...
Ball Completes NPP Assembly And Integration.
Jan 06, 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 data continually between the Earth Observing ...
Arthur C. Clarke Foundation Helps In Tsunami Relief Effort.
Jan 06, 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. "We've had hundreds of direct inquiries ...
AsiaSat Confirms TAS Digital Launch.
Jan 07, 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 Australasia beam. The service currently has three ...
Telesat Acquires Spaceconnection.
Jan 07, 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 Telesat said Robert Patterson will remain ...
Telenor Doubles Regional BGAN Subscribers In 20004.
Jan 07, 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 markets of regional BGAN usage were in ...
ABI: Satellite Radio To Dominate Real-Time Traffic Info Market.
Jan 07, 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, but for navigation systems as well. ...
DirecTV Launches Mobile-Specific Package.
Jan 07, 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 subscribers using KVH Industries Inc.'s ...
Bell President Talks Up Competitive Advantages.
Jan 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 have an excellent brand. I think we have far ...
General Dynamics Nabs $830 Million Defense Contract.
Jan 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 network-centric communications initiative and will hire ...
iPSTAR-1 Satellite Tests Complete.
Jan 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 series of tests to complete the qualification of ...
RaySat Brings Internet Access To In-Motion Vehicles.
Jan 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 technology. The system provides Internet ...
TU Media Corp. To Begin Satellite Broadcasts To Mobile Phones.
Jan 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 deliver up to 39 channels--11 video, 25 audio and ...
SES Astra Ready To Attack Croatian TV And Broadband Market.
Jan 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 will offer TV via its eTV brand and aims to ...
MDA Offers Satellite Imagery For Tsunami Relief Effort.
Jan 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 kilometers of ...
SIA Names New Board Members, Moves Offices.
Jan 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 Panamsat Corp. The SIA board also elected Joslyn ...
Norsat CFO Resigns.
Jan 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, ...
EMS Appoints New Account Manager For Eastern U.S. Sales.
Jan 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. EMS' ...
Japan To Shrink Size Of Spy Satellites.
Jan 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. Researchers will be looking to trim about .8 tons ...
Pace Increases Profits.
Jan 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 ($1.9 million). Revenues also increased during ...
AMC-12 Arrives In Kazakhstan For Feb. 3 Launch.
Jan 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 Americom, is a Spacebus 4000 spacecraft ...
MDA Nabs Canadian Space Surveillance System Contract.
Jan 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 mission. The system will be known as Sapphire ...
MediaSat To Launch New Satellite Broadband Uplink Facility.
Jan 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, ...
Delphi To Supply Ford With Sirius Radios.
Jan 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 ...
DirecTV Offers GolTV In Programming Packages.
Jan 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 ...
Nordic Satellite Awards Sirius-4 Contract.
Jan 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 company was chosen to design and manufacture ...
Hughes Launches New NOC In Germany.
Jan 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 mid-December to satisfy customer ...
C4 Systems Demonstrates Its Vehicle-Mounted Ku-band Terminal.
Jan 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 Communications Commission for use in the U.S., is ...
Motient Increases Stake In Mobile Satellite Ventures.
Jan 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 roughly 5.9 percent to about 44.5 percent. ...
NASA To Discontinue TRMM Satellite.
Jan 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 meteorologists at the National Hurricane Center ...
Stratos Announces Two Acquisitions.
Jan 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 (collectively referred to as Navarino), Stratos' ...
More Tsunami Relief From The Satellite Industry.
Jan 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 the areas affected by the Dec. 26, 2004 ...
Eumetsat Ready To Help Tsunami Prevention Effort.
Jan 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 available to the international community for use in ...
Vyvx Expands Virtual Teleport Services.
Jan 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 ...
Surrey Satellite Technology Sells Stake To SpaceX.
Jan 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 ...
Microsatellite To Be Launched From Plesetsk Jan. 20.
Jan 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 ...
Andrew Names New Satcom Group President.
Jan 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 his position at Andrew to become the president ...
Intelsat Suffers Second Satellite Failure In Less Than Two Months.
Jan 18, 2005 ... Intelsat suffered the second satellite failure when its IS-804 satellite went dark on Jan. 14 at 5:32 p.m. Intelsat Spokeswoman Jodi Katz told Satellite Today that the satellite, which offered telecommunications and media delivery services in the South Pacific, was used by about 80 ...
Advantech AMT Acquires SpaceBridge.
Jan 18, 2005 ... Advantech AMT, a manufacturer of satellite and terrestrial wireless communication equipment with corporate headquarters in Montreal, Canada, today announced the completion of its acquisition of SpaceBridge Semiconductor Corporation, a supplier of wireless broadband terminal technology. ...
Arianespace CEO Ready For Launch.
Jan 18, 2005 ... Arianespace CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall admits the upcoming launch of the Ariane 5 ECA vehicle will be a key exclamation point for the company in 2005. Le Gall told Satellite Today, "We are preparing the next launch of the Ariane 5 ECA, which will be the biggest challenge for us at the beginning ...
India To Launch Remote Sensing Satellite.
Jan 18, 2005 ... According to a Jan. 14 report on ExpressIndia.com, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) will launch a remote sensing satellite, named Cartosat-1, with a 2.5 meter resolution in March or April; an official from the organization was quoted as saying. The report stated the satellite ...