22 October 2000

Satcoms

Array Microsystems' MPEG-1 Encoder Selected by EchoStar for Streaming Video
EchoStar Communications Corporation has selected Array Microsystems' Recorder MPEG-1 Encoder PCI board for use in the DishLINK VR, an intranet appliance that offers an affordable and convenient means to stream video from EchoStar's satellite network to the office desktop.

DishLINK VR is an intranet appliance that provides an easy way to distribute live streaming video via EchoStar's high-powered satellites to thousands of PCs in remote locations using a small dish at each subscriber's location. The DishLINK VR intranet appliance uses the Array Recorder MPEG-1 Encoder to convert the MPEG-2 video signal that is received from the satellite to a lower bit-rate MPEG-1 video signal that is a optimised for streaming over corporate LANs. With DishLINK, both large and small companies have the capability to send video, such as corporate communications or training seminars, to all employees in a timely and cost-effective manner.

BroadLogic and Telematica Join Forces on Distance Learning Project
Telematica Interactive Communications, Latin America's premier interactive communications company has selected BroadLogic to supply its Satellite Express PCI desktop receiver for use in a newly expanded Distance Learning Program, which offers real-time PC satellite interaction for corporate training and research.

Telematica's Distance Learning Program currently has 27 downlink station participants and 31 remote sites, with 405 active users. The Brazilian company expects to expand its training program to 2000 downlink stations in the next 18 months, and to 5,000 within three years. BroadLogic's Satellite Express PCI, a highly integrated satellite-to-PCI broadband receiver designed for large-scale deployments of DVB-compliant satellite networks and operating systems, will help integrate Telematica's network with clients and manufacturers.

Datron Receives Two Antenna Contracts
Datron Systems Incorporated has received two contracts for antenna systems totalling US$ 4 million.

The first contract is to supply a remote sensing satellite ground station to a customer in the Middle East. Installation is expected to be completed in the fall of 2001.

The second contract is to provide two transportable tactical receiving antenna systems to Matra Systems & Information of France, a subsidiary of EADS Group. These antennas will be part of a satellite communications solution to be delivered to the US military. Delivery is scheduled for the spring of 2001.

Excite@Home and NET-36 Team Up
Excite@Home Corp has formed a strategic relationship with PanAmSat subsidiary NET-36 designed to deliver "rich-media" content over its national high-speed backbone.

Under terms of the agreement, NET-36 will purchase multiple high-speed Internet connections that will link its satellite-based Internet-broadcast network to a number of locations within Excite@Home's network, which currently serves more than 2 million subscribers.

By combining NET-36's content-delivery system with Excite@Home's broadband-access grid, the companies expect to deliver high-quality audio and video via the Internet in a reliable fashion.

Helius Granted Satellite Internet Patent
Helius Inc, a leading innovator in satellite-to-local area network (LAN) connectivity, has received a Notice of Allowability from the US Patent and Trademark Office.

Helius' technology relates to communications between computers making use of digital satellite communications channels and computer local area networks, to provide access to the Internet, to facilitate data and software distribution, and/or to enhance the capabilities of Intranet systems for computers with connections to local area networks.

Helius Inc develops customer interface solutions for broadband satellite applications such as IP multicasting, content streaming and interactive Internet. Helius has worked with leading companies like Philips, Fujitsu, Motorola and Telesat Canada. The company is pioneering the Customer Premise Satellite Interface (CPSI) concept to improve the usability and management of satellite for large-scale deployment by OEMs and service providers.

Komatsu Selects Orbcomm to Track and Monitor Construction Equipment
Komatsu Ltd has selected the Orbcomm system to track and monitor its fleet of construction equipment worldwide.

The Komtrax system, a Web-based solution developed by Komatsu, conveys vital information, including equipment location and engine hours, to its dealers' rental fleet and service managers via Orbcomm's global wireless network. Komatsu has already introduced the Komtrax system in the United States and Japan and plans to make the system broadly available to its extensive network of affiliated rental companies.

STM and Harmonic Team to Supply Broadband Marketplace
STM Wireless Inc has signed an agreement with the Harmonic Data Systems subsidiary of Harmonic Inc to target sales of broadband satellite networks to service providers and enterprise customers via a joint network system called Cyberstream SpaceWeb.

This system enables corporations and service providers to offer two-way fast Internet access, virtual private networking, multicast video streaming and large volume data/file transfer.

Under the terms of the new agreement, Harmonic placed a firm order to purchase an undisclosed amount of STM's SpaceWeb products over the next 12 months, while STM committed to purchase Harmonic's Cyberstream products. The purchases will be used to satisfy existing and new orders from a variety of carriers and broadcasters who have successfully tested and used the new system within the past year.

The Cyberstream SpaceWeb system allows satellite broadcasters to use their existing facilities and transponder resources for offering broadband Internet access and a variety of other services, initially to business users and later to consumers. Cable broadcasters can also use this system as part of a network for enhancing their head-ends for on-the-spot programming and ad insertion. The new integrated system is the only two-way DVB satellite platform offering the carrier-class reliability and scalability required by service providers.

Cyberstream SpaceWeb is the result of a collaboration between the two companies that started over a year ago to develop a carrier class network solution to meet the demand of broadcasters and broadband service providers who are now offering two-way satellite solutions.

WorldSpace and JS Info Sign Manufacturing Agreement
WorldSpace has licensed JS Info of Korea to manufacture high quality, digital satellite receivers that will receive the WorldSpace digital audio and multimedia signal.

JS Info, founded in May 1999, designs and manufactures satellite receiver antennas, satellite tracking antennas, special-purpose vehicles, and is also the only provider of digital satellite audio services in Korea.

The receivers feature flat antennas and use chipsets that consist of two micro-integrated circuits that process the satellite transmissions. The receivers can be powered by a direct electrical connection or by battery.

XM Radio Custom Chipsets Delivered to Radio Manufacturers
XM Satellite Radio Inc and STMicroelectronics have successfully completed fabrication and initial testing of XM's first pass custom chips; these chips are now being delivered to XM radio partners for integration into the manufacturing process of XM satellite-capable radios.

Delivery of these custom integrated circuits is a major technical milestone in the production of XM's radios.

The XM chipset consists of two custom integrated circuits designed by STMicroelectronics for XM Satellite Radio, which are capable of processing XM's digital satellite signal transmitted by its two high-powered satellites as well as the signal transmitted from XM's terrestrial repeater network. The signal contains up to 100 channels of digital audio programming in addition to text information relating to the song title, artist and genre of music that will be shown on the radio display. Custom integrated circuits enable radio manufacturers to mass-produce XM radios at attractive retail price points.

Last month, XM demonstrated its first working prototype radio developed by XM as well as a radio developed by Delphi-Delco. The XM chipsets are being delivered to the company's radio manufacturing partners, which include Delphi- Delco, Sony, Alpine, Pioneer Electronics Corporation and Clarion among others. The XM chipset development is the result of a co-operative integration effort between XM's key receiver technology partners including STMicroelectronics, Fraunhofer Institute, Lucent Digital Radio, Certicom and Digital Voice Systems.

Military Space

Batteries for USAF XSS Microsatellite
ATK/Valence Alliance, a joint venture between ATK Power Sources and Valence Technology Inc, has completed delivery of a series of lithium ion polymer batteries and automatic chargers to Boeing Space Systems, Canoga, Park, California, for use in the US Air Force's XSS micro-satellite series program.

Managed by the Air Force Research Laboratory, the XSS (Experimental Spacecraft System series) program involves the development and demonstration of a new class of micro-satellites that will provide space logistics and servicing capabilities, including on-orbit inspections, maintenance, and repair, as well as surveillance, communications, and navigation. The first mission, named XSS-10, is scheduled for launch October 2001 aboard a Delta II. Boeing Space Systems is part of a government and industry team that is integrating the XSS micro-satellite.

Weighing only 2 kg, the lithium ion polymer batteries for the XSS 10 program provide power for the micro-satellite. As part of the development process, they were subjected to a series of acceleration, vibration, and pyrotechnic shock, and thermal vacuum tests to ensure they could be safely launch aboard the NASA Space Shuttle.

Northrop Grumman Awarded US Army Contract for Additional TES Earth Stations
Northrop Grumman Corporation's Electronic Sensors and Systems Sector (ES3) has been awarded a US$ 122.8 million contract from the US Army's Space and Missile Defense Command, Army Space Program Office, at Fort Belvoir, Virginia., for up to 12 Tactical Exploitation Systems (TES) in various configurations (TES Main, TES Forward and Division TES) for use by corps, divisions and selected warfighting organisations.

TES is a modular, downsized, scalable ground station developed by Northrop Grumman that provides deployed tactical commanders with assured receipt of all-weather, day/night intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) information from national, theatre and tactical platforms. TES receives, processes, exploits and disseminates intelligence through all phases of military operations. Mounted on high-mobility, multipurpose wheeled vehicles (HMMWV's) or 30-foot shelters, and transportable via C-130 or larger aircraft, TES is capable of supporting joint and combined operations to include early entry operations.

As the flagship system within the Army's Tactical Exploitation of National Capabilities program, TES replaces three legacy Army ISR ground stations: the Enhanced Tactical Radar Correlator, the Advanced Electronic Processing and Dissemination System, and the Modernized Imagery Exploitation System.

TES is the only multi-intelligence ground/surface system in the US armed forces certified and validated as Common Imagery Ground/Surface Standards Level 3 compliant by the DoD's Joint Interoperability Test Command and the National Imagery and Mapping Agency. TES is also Defense Information Infrastructure Common Operating Environment compliant.

At the heart of TES is the Northrop Grumman-designed and -developed common imagery processor, which has become the US defence community standard for processing imagery for real-time exploitation and targeting.

TES provides extensive communication capabilities and supports full data and voice circuits via tactical, national line-of-sight and satellite communications systems. TES also serves as the raw data "preprocessor" for the Army's All Source Analysis System, which is the service's "finished" intelligence production system in the Army Battle Command System. TES also interfaces with the Guardrail Common Sensor System, the Army's Joint STARS Common Ground Station and the Digital Topographical Support System.

The TES system is an integral part of the Army's Distributed Common Ground System architecture currently being defined for use in projecting the best and most comprehensive ISR capability for the Army's "Objective Force."
Northrop Grumman delivered the first TES system (forward configuration) to the Army's XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg, North Carolina., last autumn, following an unprecedented 32-month "contract-to-fielding" schedule. A second van-based unit was delivered to Fort Bragg this summer. Late this spring, the XVIII Airborne Corps' TES received synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) data directly from a U-2 platform, and also was able to receive, process and exploit SAR imagery from the Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle via a direct downlink. In June, the same deployed HMMWV-based TES system also demonstrated direct receipt of IR imagery from a US Navy F-14 aircraft. Imagery and SIGINT targeting products were then transmitted to the F-14 cockpit for real-time targeting.

TES will ultimately be delivered in a smaller configuration to all 10 of the Army's active component divisions beginning in 2002.

Both the Navy and US Air Force have expressed interest in TES, following the successful demonstration of the ground station's capabilities - including joint service interoperability - during two joint military exercises last year. The Navy has acquired a HMMWV-based TES as part of its Littoral Surveillance System and is currently installing a rack-mounted variant called TES-N on the Coronado as part of the Naval Fires Network. The Air Force has indicated an interest in acquiring a TES in transit cases to support its time critical targeting mission.

Sensor Contract for BFGoodrich
BFGoodrich Aerospace has been awarded a US$ 2 million contract by Boeing Satellite Systems (was Hughes Space and Communications) of El Segundo, California.

BFGoodrich will be producing an infrared Earth Sensor Assembly (ESA) for application on the US Navy's Ultra High Frequency Follow-On (UHF) F-11 satellite. The ESA will be manufactured by the company's Space Flight Systems division in Shelton, Connecticut and integrated by Boeing on its 601 spacecraft platform.

The UHF satellite will provide global communications for the armed forces.

TRW's Digital Processor Prototype Passes Tests
The prototype of a powerful spaceborne digital processor, developed by TRW for the US Department of Defense Advanced EHF satellite program, has successfully passed functional tests verifying that the processor meets government requirements for the next-generation system.

The month-long series of tests culminates a three-year effort to lower the technical risk for the processor - the heart of the Advanced EHF satellites, which will function as high-speed switchboards in space bringing broadband data, such as maps and video, to US forces worldwide.

The processor consists of digital hardware and software to process and route the military communications. The tests demonstrated the spaceborne processor's compatibility with the ground terminals that Advanced EHF system users will employ.

A team consisting of TRW, Lockheed Martin and Boeing Satellite Systems is developing the Advanced EHF system under contract to the US Air Force. The production phase of the program is scheduled to begin in April 2001, with the first of five satellites to be launched late in 2004.

The TRW-developed processor prototype is an engineering model matching the form, fit and function of the actual flight hardware. Testing for the Air Force took place during September at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, Massachusetts, using terminal emulators.

The tests verified that the processor is capable of processing new uplink and downlink protocols being developed for Advanced EHF ground terminals and that it is also "backward-compatible" with terminals of today's Milstar satellite system. During the month of testing at Lincoln Lab and three months of prior testing at TRW, the engineering model underwent hundreds of separate tests and the results showed that TRW is ready to build the flight processor for the AEHF system.

Compatibility testing centred on verifying the processor's ability to process various waveforms that the Advanced EHF systems will use and verifying that the processor's software protocols are compatible with those of the terminals. Tests also measured the processor's ability to meet functional requirements and specified data rates. TRW developed the processor engineering model under a 40-month risk reduction contract with the US Air Force.

In May, the Air Force announced the formation of the Advanced EHF national team, consisting of TRW, Lockheed Martin and Boeing, to develop the new system on an accelerated schedule. TRW's role is to supply the satellites' digital processing subsystem, a nulling antenna subsystem that prevents adversaries from jamming signals to and from the satellite, and the intersatellite crosslinks.

The crosslink subsystem enables Advanced EHF satellites to globally route messages directly to each other and on to user terminals around the globe, without the need for ground stations.

Manned Space

Spacehab and Energia Team on Commercial Space Station Project
Spacehab Inc and its strategic partner SP Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation (RSC) Energia have formed a Space Station Enterprise (SSE) LLC under which the two companies will build and own the Enterprise commercial space station habitat.

Enterprise is a commercial space station habitat module that will be attached to the Russian segment of the ISS and scheduled to launch in early 2003. Spacehab and RSC-Energia initially agreed to develop Enterprise as a joint endeavour in December 1999. The Enterprise LLC formalises this partnership.

In August, Space Media formed a partnership with RSC-Energia, called Enermedia LLC, to develop and market space-based multimedia content for television broadcast and Internet distribution first from the Russian service module Zvezda (which is now attached to the ISS) and later from Enterprise, also using materials from Russian space program archives.

Officials of Spacehab, its subsidiary Space Media and RSC Energia have also ways in which their companies might help MirCorp meet its contractual obligations aboard the International Space Station (ISS) if the Russian space station Mir is de-orbited as expected. Mir may have to be brought back to Earth in February 2000.

Launches

Progress M-43

Launched: 16 October 2000
Site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Launcher: Soyuz
Orbit: LEO
International Number: 2000-064A
Name: Progress M-43

This Progress M-43 supply ship took mainly fuel to the Mir space station. It also carried food for a crew scheduled to arrive in January/February next year. It docked with Mir of 20 October.

DSCS III B11

Launched: 20 October 2000
Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
Launcher: Atlas 2A
Orbit: LEO/GEO, apogee: km, perigee: km: inclination: °
International Number: 2000-065A
Name: DSCS B11 (USA 153)
Owner: US Air Force
Contractor: Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Missiles & Space

DSCS B11 is a military communications satellite. It is the second of a series of four SHF communications satellites to feature Service Life Enhancement Program (SLEP) upgrades. The satellite cost US$ 200 million.

Thuraya 1

Launched: 21 October 2000
Site: Odyssey launch platform in the Pacific Ocean
Launcher: Sea Launch Zenit-3SL
Orbit: GSO, 44° E, inclination 6.3°
International Number: 2000-066A
Name: Thuraya 1A
Owner: Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications
Contractor: Boeing Satellite Systems

Thuraya 1 is a mobile communications satellite and is the first Boeing GEM (geomobile) satellite and is based on the Boeing 702 platform. It has a design life of 12 years.

The communications payload uses an enhanced active phased-array antenna design in combination with a digital signal processor for beam forming, channel formation and switching. Digital signal processing is used to create more than 200 spot beams that can be re-directed on orbit, allowing Thuraya to immediately adapt to user demands. The system can handle 13,750 simultaneous calls and allows calls to be routed handset to handset, or to a terrestrial network.

Thuraya transmits and receives calls through a single 12.25 m reflector with an L band feed array. The reflector weighs 78 kg which, in its launch configuration folds to only 1.3 m diameter by 3.8 m. Power is generated by two solar arrays of four panels each with dual-junction gallium arsenide solar cells. In orbit, the satellite measures 34.5 m in length and 17 m in width, and weighs 3,200 kg. Launch mass was 5,108 kg.

The ground segment includes terrestrial gateways plus a co-located network operations centre and a satellite control facility in the United Arab Emirates.

When the satellite becomes operational in 2001, Thuraya will offer regional mobile coverage to 99 countries spanning the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, central Asia, north and central Africa and Europe. Services will include dual-mode (satellite and GSM) handsets, as well as fixed, vehicular and payphone terminals

Business

Norsat Receives Investment from Canadian Government
Norsat International Inc has signed an agreement for a conditionally repayable investment of Can$ 9.4 million from the Government of Canada to further the development of its next generation satellite interactive terminal technology.

Satellite interactive terminals are devices that enable high-speed, two-way Internet access via satellite, and will find application in broadband multimedia with both consumers and SOHO and B2B enterprises.

The support is provided under the auspices of the Federal Government's Technology Partnerships Canada (TPC) program, and will allow the company to accelerate development in an area where technology is evolving rapidly.

Qualcomm Joins SkyBridge
Qualcomm has become a SkyBridge shareholder and limited partner.

The deal will give SkyBridge access to important Qualcomm Intellectual Property. SkyBridge's industrial partners will be able to enter into licenses with Qualcomm for its Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) technology for use in both user terminals and gateways.

SkyBridge is planning an 80 satellite LEO constellation operating in the Ku band which will deliver broadband services through a network of regional operators. Operation is planned for 2002.

There have been reports for some considerable time that the SkyBridge project had stalled and that little progress was being made with either the space or ground segments. Perhaps the addition of Qualcomm, with its expertise in CDMA (on which the SkyBridge system is based) will give the project new impetus.

Products and Services

Datron Introduces 8200 Value Series of Telemetry Antenna Systems
Datron/Transco Inc has introduced the 8200 Value Series of antenna systems, designed to provide the ideal solution for a wide range of telemetry applications.

Offered in three models - 8220, 8240 and 8260 - the Datron Value Series combines proven reliability and functionality with a modular design approach to deliver a low cost, high performance antenna system that meets the requirements for a wide spectrum of missions, from tracking high dynamic targets to low earth orbit satellites.

The Value Series positioners host a variety of standard reflectors, ranging in size from 1.2 to 7.3 meters, and support L band through Ka band satellite operations. Incorporating Datron's rugged construction for continuous operation under extreme temperature conditions in arctic, tropic or desert regions, the Value Series positioners are appropriate for shipboard, land based, mobile and transportable applications, with all critical components internally mounted for environmental protection.

The modular design of the Value Series offers maximum flexibility, as the positioners can be configured in specific combinations to cost-effectively meet particular applications. Available options include a selection of motor sizes, output torque and velocities, a variety of transducer combinations, continuous azimuth rotation using slip rings and rotary joints, and dual opposed anti-backlash drives for increased pointing accuracy.

The Value Series provides ease of operation and maintenance, and a low total cost of ownership. Standard features include a three-axis configuration for superior low angle performance and full hemispherical coverage without any keyholes, automatic alignment for seamless installation and check-out, NT-based Ground Station Controller for automated acquisition planning, scheduling, equipment configuration and mission execution, and autotrack receive and transmit capability for concurrent functionality.

iacto Launches the iacto II Marketplace
iacto has launched iacto II which provides expanded B2B (business to business) commerce capabilities and new services on its Internet marketplace.

The enhanced marketplace enables buyers and sellers of broadcast facilities to trade on-line via the iacto site and to find each other quickly and easily. The iacto marketplace was launched in August this year and has, until now, employed a combination of Internet search and telephone support. With this new move, buyers and sellers can benefit from the speed and efficiency of using iacto's on-line Internet B2B commerce service.

iacto II increases the services offered on the iacto marketplace and includes:

• Mobile uplinks
• Fixed uplinks
• Downlinks
• Production services
• Fibre capacity
• Space segment capacity
• End-to-end broadcast solutions

iacto was created to address inefficiency in the broadcasting industry which often sees users not being able to find services quickly enough to address their needs and results in providers suffering from unprofitable down-time.

KVH Introduces TracVision G6, DVB-compatible Satellite TV Antenna
KVH Industries has introduced the latest in its line of satellite television antennas, the new KVH TracVision G6.

Using integrated DVB technology for positive satellite identification, TracVision G6 has a 60 cm antenna enabling it to receive satellite television signals in a wider coverage area than smaller 45 cm antennas. Housed in a 66 cm radome, it is the smallest fully stabilised 24" antenna available.

TracVision G6 uses the same advanced technology as TracVision G4, including the GyroTrac compass and 3-axis vessel motion sensor system. KVH's unique integrated DVB technology enables the antenna to positively identify satellites, thereby eliminating the need for adjusting complex controls. The antenna can even change automatically between favourite satellites such as those carrying local programming as simply as changing stations on the remote control.

The new high-gain TracVision G6 also includes KVH's GyroTrac sensor, which provides earth reference data for faster satellite acquisition and reacquisition. GyroTrac's patented three-axis gyro sensor delivers stabilised heading output that can be integrated with all onboard electronics. The antenna control unit incorporates a universal interface to all other marine electronics onboard that require a heading device. ARPA radars, autopilots, charting systems and all other onboard electronics receive the same accurate, stable heading information used by the TracVision.

People

HNS Hires New Vice President Of Strategic Planning
Mahesh Bhave has been named vice president of business development for Hughes Network Systems' (HNS) San Diego division.

Mr. Behave will head the new business development group at Hughes Network Systems' Sorrento Mesa location.

L-3 Communications Names Acting President of Space and Navigation Business
L-3 Communications has named Paul Wengen as acting president of its Space and Navigation business.

L-3 Space and Navigation, based in Teterboro, New Jersey, designs, develops, produces and integrates systems that guide, position, navigate and control satellites, launch vehicles and tactical artillery. Also included are products in support of critical classified programs to the US government, as well as avionics plus attitude control products for NASA's Space Shuttle, Space Station and the Hubble Space Telescope programs. L-3 Space and Navigation is a division of L-3 Communications.

Lockheed Martin President Resigns
Lockheed Martin Corporation has announced that Louis R Hughes, the company's President and Chief Operating Officer, would leave the Corporation effective October 31.

Hughes, who has been in the position since April 27, 2000, cited personal and family reasons for this decision.

Robert J Stevens, the Corporation's Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, has been named to succeed Hughes. Stevens will assume the title of President and Chief Operating Officer and will continue as CFO until a replacement is named. Stevens has also been elected to the Corporation's Board of Directors.

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