23 July 2000

Satcoms

ATC Teleports and Amzak International Join NAP Of the Americas
Two major telecommunications companies, Amzak International, which has a strong presence in Latin and Central America, and ATC Teleports Inc, an IP network services provider, have agreed to join the Network Access Point (NAP) of the Americas.

With the addition of Amzak International and ATC Teleports, the coalition of telecommunications and Internet-centric companies participating in the downtown Miami NAP initiative now totals 20.

To date, thirteen (13) Request For Proposals (RFPs) for the operator of the Tier 1 Internet Exchange Point have been issued. In addition, seven (7) RFPs have been sent to developers in relation to the site of the NAP. A decision on the operator and site should be made in the next two weeks.

The NAP of the Americas will be a major Internet hub for all of Latin America and the Caribbean with its downtown Miami location and its direct link to undersea cables. The NAP of the Americas group includes companies such as 360networks, EPIK Communications, Global Crossing, Global NAPS, Metromedia Fiber Network and NetRail, Inc.

Amzak International currently offers video, voice and data services to 300,000 homes in Central America and Aruba. In addition, Amzak owns and operates satellite based telecom POPs in South Florida, Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua. Although Amzak's International headquarters is based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the company maintains regional offices in Costa Rica, El Salvador and Guatemala.

ATC Teleports Inc is the leading provider of satellite operated domestic and international voice and IP network services. The company owns and operates 10 teleport gateways in the United States with more than 160 antennas accessing most major satellite systems from locations in Arizona, California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Texas, Washington and the District of Columbia. ATC Teleports supplies terrestrial connections to major points of presence (POPs) in the United States and abroad. Currently, ATC Teleports offers over 2100 Mb/s of international Internet access to many large and small ISPs, including Embratel, Telefonica, Chica Telecom and Telekom South Africa.

Faisat Selects Payload Contractor
Final Analysis has selected General Dynamics/L-3 Communications to provide the communications payload for the Faisat global Little LEO data system being developed by Final Analysis. Concurrently, L-3 has made an equity investment in Final Analysis.

The total value of the contract exceeds US$ 50 million that includes the General Dynamics component, the L-3 Communications component, and the L-3 equity investment in Final Analysis.

The Faisat system will deliver new digital data information and messaging services to mass markets beginning in 2002. Final Analysis is one of only two US firms that have built and operated Little LEO (low-earth orbiting) satellites.

L-3 Communications' Conic division, working with General Dynamics Information Systems, will be responsible for the design and development of portions of the communications payload and the Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers building on the research and development work of Final Analysis.

General Dynamics Information Systems is providing the overall system engineering and integration for the Faisat system and also serves as prime contractor for the ground segment.

Raytheon is building the global ground network infrastructure.

Final Analysis is authorised to launch 26 operating satellites and four on-orbit spares, which it calls the Faisat system. It has applied to the US Federal Communications Commission for authority to expand its system to 32 operational satellites and six on-orbit spares. The global Faisat wireless data system will bring mobile Internet-related capabilities to consumers, industries and governments through low-cost, high-quality data information services such as e-mail and file transfers, mobile asset tracking, remote monitoring and control, and data acquisition.

Focal Communications and Cidera Team to Enhance Internet Content Delivery
Focal Communications Corporation, a leading US communications provider, has announced an agreement with Cidera Inc, the Internet Broadcast Backbone, under which Cidera would install its satellite dishes in Focal's Internet eXchange locations to offer its high-speed Internet content delivery services.

Focal's Internet eXchanges are located at the edge of the Internet, the closest point where users connect to the Internet. The agreement will make it possible for Cidera to extend its full range of content delivery services to Focal's customers, providing improved quality of viewing for rich content and applications.

GE Americom Orders Four Satellites From Alcatel
Alcatel Space has signed a contract to build four satellites for GE American Communications Inc (GE Americom). The contract value was not disclosed.

All four satellites will use the new-generation Spacebus 4000 platform, one of the largest and most powerful commercial satellite platforms available on the market today. Weighing in at approximately 4 to 5 metric tons, the satellites for GE Americom will be built by Alcatel Space in the company's clean rooms in Cannes and Toulouse (France). The spacecraft will feature double redundancy of the satellite management unit to ensure mission reliability.

In addition to manufacturing the four satellites for GE Americom, Alcatel Space will be in charge of the LEOP (Launch and Early Orbit Phase) operations, IOT (In-Orbit Tests) and operator training with an Alcatel Space-supplied dynamic simulator.

Globalstar Price Cuts
Globalstar USA, a subsidiary of has announced promotional satellite phone pricing to allow more people to make and receive calls where cellular service isn't available.

Globalstar-compatible phones from Qualcomm are now available at the promotional price of US$ 699 (with service commitment). Service subscription prices now start at US$ 24.95 per month, with per-minute pricing for satellite service as low as US$ 0.99.

Globalstar customers in the US use the Qualcomm GSP1600, which functions as an analogue or digital cellular phone in addition to working in satellite mode. The phone automatically selects cellular or satellite services, depending on which is available.

The GSP1600 formerly carried a manufacturer's suggested retail price of US$ 1,499; as of July 17, the price is US$ 1,199. In addition, customers who commit to the Freedom 20 or Freedom 120 plan for 24 months receive the phone for only US$ 699.

Globalstar USA Extends Coverage
Globalstar USA, the exclusive provider of Globalstar's satellite-based mobile communications services in the United States, has extended service coverage in both Alaska and the North Atlantic.

As a result of agreements among Globalstar service providers in North America and Europe, calls can be made along the main shipping route between the two continents. Globalstar's expanded coverage also includes virtually the entire state of Alaska, regions of the north Pacific to the International Date Line, portions of Greenland, and all of Iceland.

The expanded coverage area was made possible by upgrades to the gateway earth-stations in both the North America and Europe, which work in conjunction with Globalstar's 48-satellite constellation network.

Pace Sells Satellite Set Top Boxes to BellSouth
BellSouth Entertainment (BLS) and Pace Micro Technology plc have signed an agreement for Pace to provide digital set-top boxes for BellSouth's entrance into the satellite (DTH) business in the US.

With an initial order for 200,000 digital set-top boxes over 12 months, BellSouth Entertainment is planning to offer satellite DTH service throughout its nine-state, 14-million home market.

Pace's DVB digital satellite box will include a new highly-integrated chip with an embedded 175 mips processor, 16-bit graphics capability, and a software telco modem. It will be capable of offering broadcast video, e-mail, and Internet services.

The contract with BellSouth for digital satellite set-top boxes is Pace's first contract to provide satellite services in the U.S. The boxes are expected to be delivered next year.

SES and iBeam Team for European Internet Broadcast Network
iBeam Broadcasting Corporation, a leading global Internet broadcast network, and SES/Astra, the Luxembourg based operator of the Astra satellite broadcasting system, have created iBeam Europe.

The joint venture will combine iBeam's hybrid satellite-fibre Internet broadcast network with SES' multimedia technologies and market presence to bring broadband Internet streaming to 20 countries in Europe via the Astra satellite system. iBeam Europe is headquartered in London and will be operational in the third quarter of this year.

iBeam Europe will be responsible for deploying the iBeam broadcast network by partnering with ISPs, high-speed cable services, DSL services and other access providers throughout its European territory. iBeam Europe's customers are European content providers, corporations and anyone else needing high quality hosting and internet broadcasting services to audiences within Europe and, through peering relationships with iBeam Broadcasting and iBeam Asia, across the world. iBeam Europe received seed funding from iBeam Broadcasting and SES/Astra, but has reserved equity for strategic investors. The strategic round is expected to close in August.

iBeam Europe will use the iBeam platform taking advantage of Astra-NET to stream media to the "edge" of the European Internet. This infrastructure will enable iBeam Europe to deliver Internet content to ISP Points of Presence as close as possible to end-users, thus bypassing the congestion and packet loss associated with the Internet.

Tachyon and AwayMed to Provide Doctors With Broadband Services
Seventy Tachyon Access Points (TAP's) providing satellite delivered broadband connections will be placed in physicians' offices across the United States before the end of September as part of an agreement signed recently between AwayMed.com Inc and Tachyon Inc. AwayMed was designated as a Select Provider of Tachyon.net service in the healthcare industry.

AwayMed has already tested the Tachyon.net service in approximately seven states. The agreement calls for the installation of additional TAP's on a monthly basis following the initial rollout.

Tachyon.net service costs much less than a VSAT terminal and unlike terrestrial high-speed links, Tachyon guarantees installation within 10 business days. Unlike other satellite-based Internet service providers, Tachyon.net service is two-way and does not rely upon terrestrial infrastructure, so that users can both receive and send high-speed data.

AwayMed is an application service provider (ASP) of speciality specific physician services designed to strengthen the physician-patient relationship and improve office efficiency. AwayMed's agreement with Tachyon will increase its ability to penetrate the physician market at a rapid pace regardless of geographical location.

Earth Observation

China and Brazil Will Jointly Develop CBERS-2
China and Brazil have signed an agreement to jointly develop the CBERS-2 Earth resources satellite to be launched in 2001.

The satellite will be assembled in Brazil by engineers from the two countries and launched from China's Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre. CBERS-2 will be the second Earth resources satellite to be jointly developed by Brazil and China.

Military Space

Loral Wins and Loses Security Award
Last Monday the US Defense Department awarded Loral Space and Communications the James S. Cogswell Award for Outstanding Industrial Security Achievement, the DoD's highest award for safeguarding national security information. The following day the Pentagon retracted the award because it had realised that Loral is under investigation for compromising national security by allegedly supplying the Chinese with information on rocket technology. Oops.

The selections for the annual security awards are made mainly from nominations submitted by the firms themselves based on their records during a two-year period. The submissions are reviewed by the Pentagon and other government security agencies, and are approved by the office of Defense Secretary William Cohen.

Loral is accused of supplying a detailed accident report to the Chinese following the loss of a Loral satellite when a Chinese launcher failed in 1996, in violation of export control regulations. A federal grand jury investigation into the allegations is still ongoing.

TRW Completes Second SBIRS Low Milestone
The TRW/Raytheon team continues to make excellent headway on the Space-Based Infrared System Low (SBIRS Low) program with the completion of the program's second major milestone, the Inherent Capabilities Assessment (ICA).

SBIRS Low is the low-Earth orbiting component of the next-generation missile early warning system. In briefings to the Air Force and government agency representatives, the TRW/Raytheon team outlined recommendations for program requirements, including cost, schedule and performance options for missile warning, technical intelligence and battlespace characterisation. ICA follows by two months the program's first major milestone, during which TRW outlined requirements for SBIRS Low's primary mission, missile defence.

The program's next major milestone is the systems requirements review (SRR), which will be held this autumn. Following the SRR and the establishment of a complete set of system requirements, the TRW/Raytheon team will focus its efforts on the design phase of the operational system. Initial satellite launch is targeted for 2006.

The TRW/Raytheon team was awarded a 38-month program definition and risk reduction contract last August to define requirements and complete conceptual designs for an operational SBIRS Low system. As part of PDRR, the team will perform comprehensive ground demonstrations designed to reduce risk and verify system performance.

The TRW/Raytheon team includes Aerojet, Motorola, Agilent, Honeywell, Ball Aerospace & Technologies, Sparta and PRA.

SBIRS Low is the low-Earth orbiting component of the SBIRS system-of-systems. The System of Systems, composed of satellites in geosynchronous orbits, sensors hosted on satellites in highly elliptical orbit and ground data processing and control systems, brings surveillance capabilities to bear against evolving threats.

Science

X Ray Satellite ACSA in a Spin
Japan's Advanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astrophysics (ACSA) has fallen victim to the recent solar storms and is tumbling out of control. The X-ray observatory may not be recoverable.

The satellite lost attitude control and put itself in a safe mode on July 15 or 16 following an intense solar storm. The satellite, which is in a 434 x 473 km orbit is believed to have experienced increased drag as the atmosphere was heated and extended during the storm. The increased drag is thought to have twisted the spacecraft imposing more torque than the attitude control system could compensate for. As ACSA began spinning power output from the solar arrays dropped and safe mode was initiated. Currently the on board batteries are cold and have lost their charge. Recovery attempts are concentrating on warming the batteries to allow them to be recharged.

The X-ray observatory, which had completed its primary mission is due to re-enter the earth's atmosphere next year. In the meantime it was being used for a series of long duration observations of particular cosmic X-ray sources.

ASCA was launched in February 1993 and had a planned lifetime of 5 years. It was due to be replaced by Astro E in February this year but Astro E was lost following a launch failure.

Manned Space

Additional Spacehab Work on STS-107
Spacehab Inc has received US$ 5 million of new business from NASA for additional flight services on an upcoming Space Shuttle mission, STS-107, dedicated to microgravity and life sciences research.

NASA had previously contracted with Spacehab for the use of the company's Research Double Module (RDM) on STS-107, now scheduled to launch in June 2001. However, the agency recently identified a need for additional services in conjunction with the use of the RDM. NASA consequently decided to add a US$ 5 million modification to its Research and Logistics Mission Support (REALMS) contract with the company for additional experiments, process improvements and hardware enhancements to better support STS-107 and future RDM missions. The US$ 5 million addition raises the value of Spacehab's contract for STS-107 so far to a total of US$ 34.9 million.

IEC's Flat Panel Displays for ISS
Interstate Electronics Corporation, a leading manufacturer of intelligent ruggedised display systems, has been selected by MacDonald Dettwiler to supply its Warrior Vision flat panel displays for the Robotic Workstation (RWS) aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Scheduled for launch on flight 5A.1 in 2002, the displays are used as a visual reference to control the station's sophisticated robot arm, also known as the Canadarm used aboard space shuttles. The displays help astronauts accomplish formidable tasks such as manipulating large payloads and satellites and assembling projects that are too big to be launched from Earth. Two RWS systems will be located aboard the space station in the US pressurised Lab Module and one in the Cupola, where they can build and perform maintenance on the space station itself.

IEC's flat panel displays will be integrated into the RWS as visual, real-time image control of the robot arm to manipulate and perform sensitive, difficult and cumbersome tasks in space. Each display will be integrated with special software to provide visual feedback from the Space Station Remote Manipulator System, Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, Mobile Base System and Artificial Vision Unit.

Ruggedised to accommodate the stresses of launch into space, IEC displays are designed to meet the severe operational and environmental requirements of space and ISS exigencies. Critical to the overall mission for absolute no tolerance for breakdowns, the system has a mean time between failure (MTBF) rating of 13,000 hours. IEC's Warrior Vision displays are lightweight active matrix liquid crystal displays (AMLCD) with high quality 640 x 480 resolution. They provide a required viewing angle while meeting critical space and weight limitations. Key features of these displays are their upgradeability path and the ISS's requirement of high quality SVGA AMLCD performance in an orbital environment.

Mir to be Manned Continuously
MirCorp's board of directors has approved the permanently-manned operation of Mir beginning next year.

The schedule of privately-financed MirCorp flights will begin with the launch of an unmanned resupply spacecraft to Mir in the autumn, followed by two long-duration missions with cosmonauts in 2001. Space tourist Dennis Tito will be part of a crew exchange between the two manned missions in mid 2001, and he is to spend approximately 10 days aboard the station.

MirCorp's mission manifest begins with the launch this autumn of a Progress unmanned resupply spacecraft that will bring propellant and other supplies to enable Mir's continuous autonomous operation into early 2001. It will be the third privately funded resupply mission to Mir since MirCorp began its lease of the station.

MirCorp's next manned mission will be launched to Mir in early 2001, with two Russian cosmonauts spending several months aboard the orbital station. In mid-year, they will be joined by a two-man Russian cosmonaut replacement crew that will be joined by Citizen Explorer Tito. Tito will stay on the station for approximately 10 days, returning to Earth with the first crew. The replacement cosmonauts will continue to live and work on the station for a mission that continues into the second half of 2001.

Sirius Comms Uses Terrestrial Technology for Shuttle and ISS Video Links
With CDMA customers in 25 countries on Earth, Sirius Communications' technology will move into space as part of the NASA space shuttle and International Space Station wireless video system.

Sirius provided flight hardware, consulting services, development support and software for the project. Anticipated first flight is for mission build 4A scheduled in late 2000.

Video data from a helmet-mounted camera is provided to crewmembers inside the Space Shuttle Orbiter. The extra vehicular camera video system has three cameras integrated into the astronauts' helmet. These are controlled by a command signal transmitted from the International Space Station or the Orbiter.

The camera technology is provided by Broadcast Sports Technology Inc, utilising technology from the Racecam used in NASCAR and IRL racing.

Broadcast Sports is developing the RF camera system including the payload bay S band antenna arrays, transceivers, and the ERCA RF camera system.

Technology

Litton Power Distribution Unit Working Well on IMAGE Spacecraft
Litton Industries' new Radiation Hardened Power Distribution Unit (PDU), produced by Litton Advanced Systems of College Park, Maryland., is successfully powering Lockheed Martin's IMAGE (Imager for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Exploration) spacecraft, which was launched March 25, 2000, from Vandenberg Air Force Base.

The IMAGE Power Distribution Unit (PDU) is based upon a new generation of space power systems (250 W to 20 kW) developed by Litton Advanced Systems. In addition to managing solar array output, battery charging, and power distribution to the IMAGE spacecraft and science payload, the PDU:

• receives commands from the System Controller Unit (SCU) over a MIL-STD-1553 serial data bus,
• reports Health and Status Telemetry to the SCU over the 1553 bus,
• controls the Torque Rod current for the Attitude Control System (ACS),
• controls power to the Thermal Subsystem heaters, including payload survival heaters
• turns the MagLatch relay drivers on and off.

Earlier versions of this modular and software reconfigurable power system are used on the New Millennium Earth Observing - 1 (EO-1) Spacecraft and the MAP (Microwave Anisotropy Probe) spacecraft, which were co-developed by Litton Advanced Systems and Goddard Space Flight Center under a Space Act Agreement. Litton Advanced Systems was responsible for all of the spacecraft avionics subsystems for EO-1.

Powering Minisatellite Constellations
Global Solar Energy has signed a contract with the US Air Force as part of a US$ 35 million demonstration programme to develop a new generation of low-cost "formation-flying" micro-satellites.

Global Solar Energy will, over three years, supply technical assistance and proprietary thin-film photovoltaic energy systems which are expected to reduce the microsatellite power costs from US$ 1 million per kW to about US$ 100,000 per kW. Global Solar photovoltaic systems weigh 50% less than conventional photovoltaic systems for the same amount of energy produced.

Global Solar's partners in the joint venture to build the TechSat 21 satellites include ITN Energy Systems Inc of Wheat Ridge, Colorado, Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Lockheed Martin Astronautics Operations and Broad Reach Engineering.

Tethering Mir
MirCorp plans to use the exotic and untried technology of electrodynamic tethers to provide orbit raising thrust to its Mir space station. Using a tether for orbit raising will dramatically reduce the cost of operating Mir - a compelling reason for developing a technology that has been, until now, more of a scientific curiosity than a useful technique.

Mir's tether, dubbed Firefly, has been developed on a shoestring by a group of Russian and US engineers under the sponsorship of the Foundation for the International Non-Government Development of Space (FINDS) and with funding from MirCorp. The hardware for Mir has been manufactured and is now awaiting launch to the space station.

Firefly consists of a 5 km long anodised aluminium wire which is attached to the Kvant 2 module at one end and a spare jet backpack (used as ballast) at the other, free flying end which points downward to the Earth. 1 km of wire at the free flying end is bare. Power from Mir is channel down the tether to generate the thrust used for orbit raising.

The 150 kg of Firefly hardware will be installed during a spacewalk on the next manned mission to Mir (probably in November). Following a series of tests and deployment the tether will be powered up and will begin generating a continuous, but very low level of thrust of approximately 0.15 N, which is enough to counter the station's atmospheric drag.

If successful, the tether will save the equivalent of 1500 kg of fuel annually, required for periodic orbit raising. This is virtually a full load for the Progress supply vessel, valued at US$ 30 million. This is in contrast to 3 kg per year of xenon gas required by the hollow system on the tether (used to dump unwanted charge into space). The tether itself probably has a lifetime of only 2 to 3 years, due to micrometeoroid damage, and would need to be replaced periodically.

Just about all of the dozen or so tether experiments that flown to date have had serious problems and so it may take several attempts to iron out all of the problems that Firefly will face, the commercial incentives for MirCorp are so compelling that it must be expected that Firefly will provide an effective solution for counteracting Mir's atmospheric drag.

Launch Vehicles

Launch Quotas - More Info
In an interesting follow on to Russia's announcement last week that the US will end the launch quotas it had imposed on Russia, the White House has issued a statement that this is not the case.

According to the Russian announcement a US/Russian agreement to limit the number of commercial Russian launches of US satellites to 20 launches per year would be allowed to lapse at the end of this year. The White House has now stated that the quotas are still in effect pending Russian co-operation on non-proliferation issues.

Launches

GPS 2R-5

Launched: 16 July 2000
Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Launcher: Delta II
Orbit: LEO
International Number: 2000-040A
Name: GPS 2R-5 (Navstar 48)
Owner: US Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center
Contractor: Lockheed Martin Space Systems

Navigation satellite for US military and commercial users.

Cluster II

Launched: 16 July 2000
Site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Launcher: Soyuz U/Fregat
Orbit: polar, apogee: 127,400 km, perigee: 25,500 km
International Number: 2000-041A/B
Name: Cluster II (2 satellites - FM6 and FM7)
Owner: European Space Agency
Contractor: Dornier Satellite Systems

This is the first of two launches which will each place two Cluster scientific spacecraft in orbit. The satellites will study solar weather and its interaction with the Earth during a two year mission.

Each cylindrical Cluster II spacecraft, measuring 2.9 m in diameter and 1.3 m in height, weighs 1.2 tonnes when it is fully fuelled (spacecraft: 480 kg, fuel: 650 kg, instruments: 70 kg). Most of the science instruments are attached to the main drum-shaped body of the satellite, but the Cluster II spacecraft also carries two 5 m-long experiment booms, four 50 m-long wire booms, and two antenna booms.

Each spacecraft will carry the following complement of 11 identical instruments:

• Active Spacecraft Potential Control (ASPOC) - will reduce the electric charge on the spacecraft, so very low-speed electrons can be measured
• Cluster Ion Spectrometry (CIS) - will measure the relative abundance of protons and helium nuclei and determine their three-dimensional distribution in the solar wind and magnetosphere
• Digital Wave Processor (DWP) - will provide data processing for the plasma wave instruments
• Electron Drift Instrument (EDI) - will determine strength and direction of the ambient electric field
• Electric Fields and Waves (EFW) - will measure fluctuating electric fields in the plasma surrounding the spacecraft
• Fluxgate Magnetometer (FGM) - will measure static and fluctuating magnetic fields at the spacecraft
• Plasma Electron and Current Experiment (PEACE) - will provide three-dimensional measurements of electron distributions in the solar wind and magnetosphere
• Research with Adaptive Particle Imaging Detectors (RAPID) - will measure energetic ions and electrons
• Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Field Fluctuations (STAFF) - will measure high frequency waves in the local plasma
• Wideband (WBD) Plasma Wave Investigation - will detect very high-frequency plasma waves at very high time-resolution
• Waves of High Frequency and Sounder for Probing of Density by Relaxation (WHISPER) - will use high-frequency plasma waves to probe surrounding plasma to determine the local density of charged particles

MightySat II

Launched: 19 July 2000
Site: Vandenberg Air Force Base, California
Launcher: Minotaur
Orbit: LEO: 550 km, circular, inclination 97.6° (sun synchronous)
International Number: 2000-042A
Name: MightySat 2.1
Owner: US Air Force
Contractor: Spectrum Astro

MightySat II is a research satellite for experimental technology. It will test ten technologies including a spectral imager (a Fourier Transform Hyperspectral Imager), a solar array concentrator, and a composite structural material that can change its shape. The 120 kg satellite will operate for one year.

There have also been reports that the Minotaur also launched a picosatellite owned by DARPA.

The Minotaur launcher consists of two stages from Minuteman II missiles retired under a 1991 arms control treaty with the third and fourth stages from a Pegasus rocket.

Launch Schedule

July: Altair on a Proton from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
July: Badr-2, Meteor-3M, Malaysian Tiungsat-1, Maroc-Tubsat on a Zenit-2 from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
July: Cosmos on a Proton/Block-DM from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
July: Ekran on a Proton from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
July: EROS on a Start-1 from Plesetsk Space Centre, Russia
July: GSLV (Indian Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) from Sriharikota, India
July: Kosmos on a Zenit 2 from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
July 16: VCL on an Athena 1 from Kodiak Island, Alaska
July 28: PAS 9 on a Sea Launch Zenit-3SL from the Odyssey launch platform in the Pacific Ocean
End July: PAS-1R on an Ariane from CSG Kourou, French Guiana
August: Tempo 1 on an Atlas
August 1: NRO satellite on a Titan 4B from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California
August 6: Progress M1 supply ship to the ISS on a Soyuz U from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
August 9: Cluster II (2 satellites - FM5 and FM8) on a Soyuz U/Fregat from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
August 17: Brasilsat B4 and Nilesat 102 on an Ariane 44LP from CSG Kourou, French Guiana
Mid August: DM-F3 dummy payload on a Delta 3 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
August 14-20: Anik F1 on an Ariane from CSG Kourou, French Guiana
August 29: NOAA L G-13 on a Titan II from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California
September: Astra 2B and GE-7 on an Ariane 5 from CSG Kourou, French Guiana
September: Eurasiasat 1 and L-Star 1 on an Ariane 5 from CSG Kourou, French Guiana
September 8: ISS 2A.2b (Spacehab Double Module) on the Shuttle Atlantis (STS-106) from the Kennedy Space Center, California
October 5: ICO on a Boeing Delta III

Delayed: Europe*Star 1 on an Ariane from CSG Kourou, French Guiana
Delayed: High Energy Transient Explorer (HETE-2) on a Pegasus XL from Kwajalein Missile Range, Pacific Ocean
Delayed: MLV-11 on an Atlas 2AS from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
Delayed to August/September 2001: NSS-6 on an Ariane 42L from CSG Kourou, French Guiana

Business

Aerojet and Pratt & Whitney Combine Forces
Aerojet-General Corp, the aerospace and defence segment of GenCorp Inc, and Pratt & Whitney (P&W), a unit of United Technologies Corp, have announced their intention to form a new space propulsion company.

Aerojet and P&W Space Propulsion (SP) have signed a letter of intent, subject to execution of a definitive agreement and government agreements and approvals. A definitive agreement is expected to be complete before the end of the calendar year.

Under the agreement currently being negotiated, Pratt & Whitney would have the majority interest in the new company, which would operate out of P&W facilities. P&W SP currently has facilities in California, Alabama and Florida. Most of Aerojet's propulsion programs would be acquired by the new company in exchange for cash and a 20% equity interest in the new company. Aerojet's propulsion business, located in Sacramento, accounted for approximately one-third of its 1999 revenues of US$ 615 million.

P&W SP builds propulsion systems for liquid rockets and hypersonic propulsion systems in West Palm Beach, Florida. and solid rocket propulsion systems in San Jose, California.

American Millennium Corporation Completes Compugraphics Acquisition
American Millennium Corporation Inc has completed the purchase of Florida based Compugraphics Corporation. The closing was completed as scheduled on July 18.

Compugraphics Corporation was founded in 1992 and is a market leader in dispatching and management software for various segments of the transportation industry. Compugraphics has developed and is marketing "Internet BackOffice Solutions" for satellite tracking, monitoring, and messaging to OEMs and VARs for three major satellite companies. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and value added resellers (VARs) using Compugraphics Internet-based solutions provide their customers with instant and worldwide access to fleet management and monitored data from assets without logistical access restrictions.

Compugraphics' Sat-trac "back office" solutions provide the interface between the satellite providers "raw" data and the end-user to enable viewing of their data or fleets worldwide in a form they recognise. Compugraphics partners with satellite giants Orbcomm USA, Vistar Datacom, and TMI, offering back office solutions to their Value Added Resellers and OEM's worldwide.

BSkyB Boosts Open Holding
UK based pay-television broadcasting group, British Sky Broadcasting Group plc, is to increase its shareholding in the interactive TV service company, Open, from 32.5% to 80.1%.

Open has become the largest e-commerce platform in the UK with access to over 9 million people through televisions in over 3.4 million homes.

BSkyB will acquire the 20% of Open held by HSBC for £225 million and the 15% held by Matsushita for £169 million (an aggregate £394 million) in new BSkyB ordinary shares. Under certain conditions an additional £75 million and £56 million (an aggregate £131 million) will be payable to HSBC and Matsushita respectively

Following BSkyB's agreement to meet BiB's future funding requirements, BT's holding is to be diluted from 32.5% to 19.9%.

Building on the initial success of Open, BSkyB is planning to introduce enhanced applications which will increase the range and quantity of e-commerce services available. BSkyB believes that offering more compelling content, betting and interactive services to a rapidly-growing customer base will drive Open's revenues and usage.

British Interactive Broadcasting (BiB) provides interactive TV services on digital satellite direct-to-home (DTH) through Open and is responsible for part of the subsidy of digital DTH set top boxes.

Eurasiasat Financing Completed
Eurasiasat, a joint venture between Turk Telekom (75%) and Alcatel Space (25%), has completed financing of its satellite project with the help of a syndicated bank loan of US$ 166 million. Eurasiasat was incorporated in Monaco for the development and operation of satellite-based TV broadcasting and telecommunications services.

The project financing consists of a US$ 150 million, 7 year loan and a US$ 16 million revolving facility. Both facilities are non-recourse to Alcatel Spacecom and Turk Telekom.

Alcatel Space's manufacturing subsidiary, Alcatel Space Industries, is the prime contractor for the construction of the satellite, to be launched this autumn. Using the Spacebus 3000 platform developed by Alcatel Space Industries, with nearly 9 kW of power at end of life and a lifetime of 15 years, the Eurasiasat satellite will have fixed beams covering a wide region spanning from Western Europe to Central Asia. In addition, steerable beams will enable Eurasiasat to provide telecommunication services according to market opportunities, notably in the Middle East, Asia, Russia, and/or South Africa. The first Eurasiasat satellite is currently undergoing integration in the company's clean rooms in Cannes, France.

Further Financing For iSky
iSKY has announced that it has closed a round of equity funding, raising a total of US$ 137 million. All major existing shareholders participated in this second round, including investors such as Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Liberty Media, TV Guide, and TRW. EchoStar was the lead investor in this round with a US$ 50 million investment.

iSKY has now raised approximately half of the US$ 750 million in debt and equity financing needed for its initial phase of operations. The initial phase will consist of iSKY's first satellite, iSKY 1, and the Ka-band payload on Telesat Anik F2.

iSKY plans to roll out affordable broadband services via satellite direct to US homes and small offices in late 2001.

Globalstar Second Quarter Results
Global mobile satellite telephone service provider Globalstar has reported operating results for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2000, demonstrating a steady increases in usage since the roll-out of service began during the first quarter of the year. Whilst the increase in billable service reported is substantial, growth, usage and hence future revenues are still far below the level required for long term financial security.

During the second quarter, Globalstar recorded 1,137,000 minutes of billable service, more than double the usage in the first quarter. Gross service revenue for the quarter was US$ 483,000 versus US$ 177,000 in service revenue in the first quarter, an increase of 173%. For the quarter, spending on operations and interest expense was US$ 97 million, an improvement on the company s projected run-rate of US$ 125 million. Globalstar reported a net loss for the second quarter of US$ 217 million or US$ 3.50 per partnership interest which converts to US$ 0.98 per share of Globalstar Telecommunications Ltd.

For the first half, billable minutes of use totalled 1,687,000 and gross service revenues totalled US$ 660,000. The net loss for the first six months of the year was US$ 433 million or US$ 7.04 per partnership interest which converts to US$ 1.95 per share of Globalstar Telecommunications Ltd.

Revenue from royalties, which are tied to phone sales by manufacturers, totalled US$ 318,000 for the second quarter and US$ 788,000 for the first half of the year. The stronger first quarter royalties resulted from the initial filling of distribution channels by service providers.

On June 30, 2000, Globalstar had US$ 463 million in cash and expects that it will end the year with a cash balance in excess of US$ 100 million.

Harmonic Acquires Cogent Technology
Harmonic Inc has completed the acquisition of privately-held Cogent Technology Inc of Santa Cruz, California, a developer of advanced MPEG-2 technology for the migration to digital television systems.

Harmonic has acquired Cogent's PCI multiplexing and de-multiplexing platform to augment the development of its Stream Processing solution for the satellite, cable and broadcast markets. A robust Stream Processing solution is another important part of Harmonic's strategy to provide network operators with a wide range of advanced digital services.

Harmonic's Stream Processing solution enables network operators to economically manipulate the MPEG-2 compressed video stream as it passes through the headend, en route to the consumer set-top box. Stream Processing provides a simpler, less expensive method for seamless splicing, bit rate changing, format conversion, and logo insertion. It improves on existing technology by reducing equipment expense at the headend and giving service providers the flexibility to customise the compressed digital stream.

To develop its advanced Stream Processing solution, Harmonic provided the proprietary microcode to enable rate changing capability and the seamless, frame accurate ad insertion technology. The Cogent acquisition adds the DVB/ATSC compliant multiplexing and de-multiplexing platform.

Inmarsat Name Change
Global mobile satellite operator Inmarsat has changed its name to Inmarsat Ventures Ltd from Inmarsat Holdings Ltd.

Inmarsat believes that the relatively minor name change reflects the company's strategy to pursue broader operations and technology developments in the fixed satellite service arena and through content and solution delivery, while continuing to build its established business of global mobile satellite communications.

Since January, the company has broadened its total satellite service portfolio, entering the fixed satellite market by providing VSAT system integration solutions; offering maritime e-mail and automated data communications systems, and investing in setfair.com, an e-commerce maritime venture providing a web portal for on-board supplies & service procurement.

One Stop Solution for Small Satellites
One Stop Satellite Solutions Inc (OSSS) has signed a memorandum of understanding with International Space Company (ISC) Kosmotras, of Moscow, Russia, and Thiokol Propulsion of Brigham City, Utah, outlining the planned co-operation of all three entities in small-satellite integration management.

Under this memorandum of understanding, ISC Kosmotras will provide relatively inexpensive launch opportunities using the Dnepr Launch Vehicle, supported by the government bodies of Russia and the Ukraine. OSSS will provide management and integration of small satellites into a single payload module utilising the OSSS multi-payload adapted.

Thiokol will provide organisational and legal support for the joint program as a marketing agent of ISC Kosmotras.

The first launch is scheduled for March 2001, with payloads that include a satellite to demonstrate the low-cost space technologies developed by OSSS. The agreement calls for ISC Kosmotras to allocate one Dnepr launch per year to OSSS from 2001 through 2007.

OSSS is a four-year old company that has commercialised the technology under development for 15 years at the Center for Aerospace Technology (CAST) at Weber State University. OSSS' mission is to provide its customers with low cost, high-quality small satellites for more effective access to space. OSSS and CAST have successfully designed, engineered and manufactured eight low earth orbit (LEO) satellites in the 100 to 500 pound class. OSSS' proprietary technology provides attitude control that is more precise and less complex to operate than any other small satellite system on the market. Additional patents are pending that will allow this technology to be utilised in other control applications.

Thiokol Propulsion, a business unit of Alcoa Inc, has been the leading US supplier of solid rocket propulsion systems for space launch vehicles since the inception of manned space flight. Thiokol provides Reusable Solid Rocket Motors (RSRMs) for NASA's Space Shuttle program and is a major supplier of propulsion systems launch vehicles used in other government and commercial flights.

ISC Kosmotras was established in 1997 by the national space agencies of Russia and the Ukraine for development and commercial operation of the Dnepr Space Launch System. Located on the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, this launch system is based on SS-18 ICBM technology. The ISC Kosmotras mission is able to put into practice a conversion of the large number of SS-18s from military to peacetime use. This mission was committed to ISC Kosmotras by the governments of Russia and Ukraine.

Orbital Class Action Suit Settled
Orbital Sciences Corporation has reached an agreement with the counsel for the plaintiff class to settle all outstanding securities class- action litigation claims related to the company's prior-year financial restatements.

The settlement, which requires no cash payment by Orbital and is subject to final documentation and Court approval, provides for US$ 11 million to be paid to the shareholder class by the company's insurance carrier, National Union Fire Insurance Company. In addition, Orbital has agreed to issue approximately 2 million shares of common stock at a 10% discount to the market price at the time the settlement is finally approved by the Court. The warrants are designed to have a total value of US$ 11.5 million. Orbital anticipates that final approval of the settlement will occur before year end.

Pratt & Whitney Acquires Space Power Inc
Pratt & Whitney (P&W) Space Propulsion, a unit of United Technologies Corporation, has announced its acquisition of Space Power Incorporated (SPI) in a move which will expand P&W's product line within the space propulsion market. Based in Sunnyvale, California, SPI produces high-performance electric propulsion systems for satellite orbit transfer, orbit raising and stationkeeping.

P&W Space Propulsion's current product line includes solid, liquid, hybrid and hypersonic propulsion systems. With this acquisition, P&W will be able to provide reliable and affordable propulsion for all phases of mission success - from launch to orbital placement and satellite position maintenance. SPI's operation will move to P&W Space Propulsion's facility in south San Jose.

SPI has designed and extensively tested a family of US patented Hall Effect Thrusters (HETs), which offer a broad range of thrust levels at various power levels. Additionally, SPI designs the associated Power Processing Units (PPUs) that convert energy from satellite solar panels into electric power to drive and control the HET propulsion system. Combined with a propellant management system and propellant tanks, these devices will allow P&W to provide spacecraft manufacturers a complete propulsion system exhibiting critical weight savings that will reduce launch costs and increase satellite revenue.

P&W Space Propulsion builds solid rocket propulsion systems in San Jose, California, and liquid and hypersonic propulsion systems in West Palm Beach, Florida.

SES Buys Into NSAB
Société Européenne des Satellites (SES), the Luxembourg based operator of the Astra series of satellites, has entered into a definitive agreement to purchase a 50% interest in Scandinavian satellite operator Nordiska Satellitaktiebolaget (NSAB).

Concurrently with this transaction, Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) is increasing its existing shareholding in NSAB to 50%. SES and SSC are also entering into Shareholder and Strategic Partnership Agreements.

SES will pay a total consideration of 125 million Euros to acquire Teracom AB's existing 37.5% stake in NSAB as well as half of the existing 25% stake of TeleDanmark A/S.

The purchase by SES, funded by available resources, is expected to be broadly neutral in terms of earnings per share in 2000 and 2001 due to the amortisation of goodwill and financing costs resulting from the investment. From 2002, SES believes the transaction will contribute considerably to the Company's continued earnings growth.

SSC, a founding shareholder in NSAB, will increase its shareholding in the company from 37.5% to 50% by purchasing the remaining shares of TeleDanmark (12.5%) for 31.25 million Euros.

Completion of the transactions is subject to approval by relevant competition authorities.

Stockholm based NSAB was founded in 1983 and started operations in 1990. It is a provider of satellite communication solutions for TV and radio broadcasting as well as data transmission, Internet and multimedia services. The company currently operates 3 geostationary spacecraft - Sirius W, Sirius 2 and Sirius 3 - providing broadcast and telecommunications services primarily to customers in the Nordic region. NSAB expects to commission a fourth satellite in the near future, securing additional frequency spectrum and transmission capacity.

Products and Services

Helius Announces Convergence Router for Satellite and Land Line
Helius Inc has announced the new 9000 Series of Helius Satellite Routers for integrated satellite and land-line data access.

The new Helius Convergence Router integrates satellite RF broadband and terrestrial communication interfaces (e.g., dial, ISDN, Frame Relay T-1, etc.) into a single router. For the first time, organisations can get the best of both data access worlds by combining full-featured satellite and terrestrial Internet services. Targeted at broadband service providers and system integrators, the Convergence Router offers flexible routing capabilities to accommodate different application needs. The router includes automatic line failure re-routing, Virtual Technician remote management and high-capacity storage.

The Helius Convergence Router is a natural progression of Helius' Customer Premise Satellite Interface (CPSI) strategy announced in 1999. Helius' CPSI strategy allows customers to use different satellite service providers depending on their service needs. Now, the Convergence Router allows customers to use satellite and land-based services depending on which is best suited for their specific applications.

The Convergence Router delivers a complete access solution for applications such as e-commerce and content distribution. For example, a customer's online training video may be delivered via satellite streaming, but, to avoid latency, IP telephony delivered via land-lines would be used for student feedback. Or, software distributors may order and receive licenses via land-lines, but the large file distribution of the software would be broadcast via satellite.

Sony Introduces HDTV Receiver for DirecTV
Sony Electronics has announced its next generation of digital satellite receivers including its first HDTV-capable receiver in the US.

The new product lineup also includes the SAT-A60 and SAT-B60, which feature Sony's exclusive Media Window guide to preview programs while channel surfing, interactive television features with Wink Enhanced Broadcasting to shop and receive all kinds of information from shows and advertisements instantly, and Caller ID service to view incoming calls right on your TV screen.

The Sony SAT-HD100 delivers over-the-air digital television, over-the-air analogue TV, DirecTV HD and DirecTV standard definition. The SAT-HD100 is one of the first digital satellite receivers flexible enough to accommodate a high-definition source in standard definition resolution for display on today's analogue televisions. The SAT-HD100
DirecTV PLUS receiver includes an output select button that allows you to toggle and select from the following video outputs available - 480I composite and VHF/UHF, 480i component, 1080i component, 1080i VGA. The SAT-HD100 features an integrated program guide which seamlessly displays all standard digital-quality and high definition DirecTV programming, as well as digital terrestrial signals and programming received via off-air antenna.

Unique to the SAT-HD100 is the fluorescent front-panel display that includes a clock and readout of the channel name and number, and output terminal designation (1080i or 480i resolution). Also, when any of more than 30 DirecTV audio channels are selected, the panel display on the front of the receiver shows the name of the artist and song that is playing.

Scheduled for availability in November, the SAT-HD100 is expected to sell for about US$ 700.

For a gateway to interactive programming options, the SAT-A60 and SAT-B60 digital satellite receivers incorporate Wink Enhanced Broadcasting. This feature is a standard component in the set-top and provides a fast and convenient way to interact with television programs and commercials as you continue to watch TV. When the Wink service is available, a small symbol appears on the TV screen, indicating a given show or commercial is Wink Enhanced. You can interact with the show or commercial using your remote control. You can obtain video offers, product coupons, and even make purchases directly on TV.

People

Astrium Management Announced
Astrium, recently created from the merger of Aérospatiale Matra, BAe Systems (Matra Marconi Space) and Daimler-Crysler Aerospace-Dasa space activities has announced its senior management team.

Jean-Jacques Gautier was appointed Deputy General Manager and Chief Financial Officer, Armand Carlier was appointed CEO and Ariane Malzac Communication Manager. All three held the same positions at Matra Marconi Space.

Echostar Appoints Michael McDonnell as CFO
Direct broadcast satellite television company, EchoStar Communications Corporation, has named Michael R. McDonnell as its Chief Financial Officer beginning Aug. 7, 2000.

As CFO, McDonnell will be responsible for all accounting, finance and administrative functions of the company. McDonnell replaces Steven Schaver, who in April was named President of EchoStar International.

iSKY Expands Management Team
In preparation for the launch of its consumer broadband Internet access service in 2001, iSKY has named four new vice presidents and has moved to a larger headquarters.

Joining the company are Vice President of Space Systems, Erwin Hudson, Vice President of Human Resources, Barbara Brannen, Vice President of Program Management, David Bukovinsky, and Vice President of Consumer Marketing, Tony Gonsalves.

At iSKY, Erwin Hudson will be responsible for all aspects of space operations, from procuring and operating satellites to managing gateway systems.

Barbara Brannen and her team will be responsible for all human resource
functions, including the important role of filling hundreds of positions as
iSKY gears up for their consumer launch next year.

David Bukovinsky will be responsible for all major program elements leading up to iSKY's launch, including the development of consumer premise equipment and gateway systems.

At iSKY, Tony Gonsalves will be responsible for developing the company's overall brand and marketing initiatives including advertising, consumer products and services, and retailer support.

iSKY's new 25,000 square foot headquarters is located in the growing Denver Tech Center at 4600 S. Syracuse Street, Suite 500, Denver, Colorado 80237.

iSKY investors include EchoStar, Liberty Media Group, TV Guide, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, TRW and TeleSat.

New President at Arianespace Inc
Arianespace Inc, the Washington DC based office of launch services supplier Arianespace, has appointed Léo Mondale as President.

His role will be to manage the sales and marketing activities, as well as the relationship with clients and manufacturers in the United-States. He is replacing Doug Heydon, the previous President for the last 16 years who will now be President of Arianespace´s Board of Management.

Sirius Satellite Radio Appoints Dr Mircho Davidov
Satellite radio broadcaster Sirius Satellite Radio, has named Dr. Mircho Davidov as Senior Vice President, Engineering.

Dr. Davidov will oversee Sirius' engineering programs, including the implementation of Sirius' terrestrial system and receiver development. In addition, Dr. Davidov will succeed Robert D. Briskman, the company's Co-Founder and Executive Vice President, Engineering, when Mr. Briskman retires following the successful launch of the company's three satellites. Sirius has successfully launched Sirius-1, the first satellite in its three-satellite constellation. The other two satellites are scheduled to be launched by October, and the company is scheduled to begin broadcasting at the end of this year.