30 January 2000

Satcoms

Gilat's VSAT News
Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd provides an overview of its 1999 results and has announced two new contracts.

Gilat has announced that its 1999 year end backlog for equipment sales and revenues from multi-year service contracts for its VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) products was over US$300 million, an increase of more than 70% from the 1998 backlog of US$175 million.

The backlog figure reflects the rapid growth of Gilat orders in 1999 and the overall expansion of the worldwide interactive VSAT data marketplace. In 1999, Gilat received orders for over 75,000 interactive units, which in addition to Skystar Advantage and SkyBlaster units included 8,500 migration/upgrade units and 7,000 DialAway units. Gilat's interactive VSAT orders for 1999 are more than twice the orders received for interactive VSATs in 1998.

Gilat's Spacenet subsidiary has signed two new contracts.

The first contract, with Retail Media Systems Inc (RMS Networks), is for a 2,000-site point-of-sale network, expected to deliver network quality programming and advertisements in retail locations throughout the US. The contract provides for network growth to 6,000 locations, and features Gilat's PC-based SkyBlaster terminals integrated with RMS Networks' proprietary video server.

Gilat also signed a contract with Santa Monica, California-based Interactive Light Inc, a developer and marketer of interactive and immersive sports simulation games for the digital entertainment and retail entertainment markets. Under the terms of the agreement, Interactive Light will deploy 4,000 sites worldwide, of which Spacenet will deploy and operate a nationwide 2,500-site interactive network in the US. Interactive Light intends to use the network in order to monitor remote sites, to enhance and update sites with new games, provide online sports tournaments and competitions as well as targeted advertising and e-services. The network will also be used to multicast software updates and sponsored promotions, broadcast online sports news, and enable trouble-shooting and maintenance applications for Interactive Light products at remote locations.

International Datacasting and StarBurst Software Team for Broadband Distribution
International Datacasting Corporation has announced it has teamed with StarBurst Software, a leading developer of e-business content distribution solutions, enabling network operators and service providers to distribute broadband content, such as large data, video and audio files for Internet-via-satellite, intranet and multimedia applications.

Under the agreement, IDC will integrate StarBurst's OmniCast content distribution software into its SuperFlex satellite data broadcast system, providing users with a complete digital satellite datacasting solution for content management and distribution.

Internet-via-satellite and point-to-multipoint datacasting technologies are becoming an increasingly large part of the communications landscape. Using datacasting technologies, operators and providers can avoid the logjam that exists on the terrestrial networks, enabling effective business models based on the broadband distribution of content. As content continues to increase in complexity, network operators and service providers are adopting network tools such as SuperFlex and StarBurst OmniCast as a means of simultaneously delivering content to their customers faster and more efficiently.

IDC, a leading provider of broadband satellite datacasting equipment, has combined its SuperFlex networking product with StarBurst OmniCast to provide operators and service providers with a more reliable and efficient way to distribute content across any network. With StarBurst OmniCast, users can easily set the amount of bandwidth used for each transmission, enabling them to maximize existing network resources.

StarBurst's OmniCast is a content management and distribution software program that provides guaranteed, one-to-many distribution of multi-platform content to remote sites. It is used by nearly 200,000 enterprise and Internet-based receiving devices around the world.

SuperFlex allows broadcasters to harness the power of satellite communications to distribute digital data via satellite at high speed in point-to-multipoint applications. It has already enabled such notable clients as Loral CyberStar, Kingston TLI, Telefonica, GTE, the Virtual University of ITESM, Telesat, the Mexican Government and Interlink to establish high-speed, highly flexible satellite IP networks.

NetSat 28 Orders Broadband Satellite
Future broadband satellite operator NetSat 28 has ordered its first satellite from space Systems/Loral.

The Ka-band geostationary satellite is scheduled to be fully operational by October 2002 and will be used to provide the usual mix of broadband services to small businesses and residential users in the continental United States. The satellite payload will be provided by EMS Technologies' Space and Technology group in Montreal, Canada.

The NetSat28 system will provide Internet access up to approximately 30 Mb/s, for incoming data, and up to 2 Mb/s for outgoing data.

Netsat Express in South America
NetSat Express signs US$3 million in contracts to provide service into South America.

NetSat Express, a provider of satellite-based Internet services, announced today that it has been awarded three service contracts with an aggregate value of approximately US$3 million to provide service into parts of South America. NetSat Express is a subsidiary of Globecomm Systems.

Two of the contracts are the result of a new strategic partnership with Brazil-based LinkSat Sistemas de Comunicacao Ltda ("LinkSat"). The third contract is with a telecommunications operator in South America.

Currently, LinkSat and NetSat Express are jointly building a teleport facility in Sao Paulo, Brazil that will support Internet, data, and voice traffic between Brazil and the United States and take advantage of NetSat Express' long-term agreement for use of the Satmex 5 satellite.

Tracsat Manufacturing Deal for Phoenix
Orbcomm Global LP has announced that Phoenix International Corporation has signed an agreement with Tracsat, an Orbcomm business unit, to manufacture Tracsat's TracCom subscriber communicator.

The TracCom subscriber communicator is a small communications device that can be attached to heavy equipment to transmit and receive status information from any point on the globe.

Under the Assembly Services Agreement, Phoenix will provide complete turnkey manufacturing and assembly for the Tracsat SC, including assembly of all components, electrical and functional testing, packaging, warehousing and shipping. The first units are expected to be available for shipment to Tracsat customers in March 2000.

The TracCom SC sends information from a piece of heavy equipment through the Orbcomm network to a customer's location via direct connections to the customer's MIS systems and/or a dedicated Web site. Tracsat's back-office software receives the data and incorporates it into a status report delivered to the customer's desktop. Tracsat enables customers to monitor equipment usage, location, unauthorised use, operating parameters, performance data and other critical information that was previously difficult and expensive to collect.

Earth Observation

Earth Search Sciences Hits NEMO Milestones
Earth Search Sciences meets key funding milestones for development of the NEMO hyperspectral imaging satellite.

Earth Search Sciences Inc has met three key funding milestones to advance development of the first commercial and military hyperspectral imaging satellite.

In December 1999, ESSI paid US$2.0 million to meet three key short-term investment milestones. The company has in escrow the funds to meet a fourth funding requirement of US$1.0 million, due January 31, 2000.

Earth Search Sciences assumed the role of prime contractor and commercial partner in the Naval EarthMap Observer (NEMO) satellite program through its acquisition of Space Technology Development Corporation (STDC). STDC has been developing NEMO under a program with the Office of Naval Research (ONR). The agreement through which ESSI met these funding milestones ensures the further progress of the NEMO program and demonstrates the continued support of ESSI and the Navy.

Earth Search Sciences holds commercial rights to all data collected by the NEMO satellite, which is currently under construction at the Naval Research Lab, Washington D.C. ESSI is planning for a launch in 2001. The agreement with the Office of Naval Research (ONR) under which STDC has been developing NEMO provides that the commercial partner in the project will hold title to the satellite. Through the acquisition of STDC, Earth Search Sciences Inc assumes these ownership rights.

The NEMO satellite project is a joint program with the Office of Naval Research under a dual use application program in which 75% of the satellite's imagery tasking capacity is used for commercial purposes and 25% is reserved for the Navy.

Science

Hubble Working Again
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope is back in business after the Christmas repair visit by Shuttle astronauts.

The Space Shuttle servicing mission (STS-103) last December, restored the optical space observatory to full capability beefed-up with new electronics and critically needed replacement gyroscopes. Hubble has now resumed observations.

Spacecraft operators report that all the new equipment installed on the telescope in December is working perfectly, including the new computer, solid state recorder, and fine guidance sensor. In particular the new gyroscopes are allowing Hubble to reliably point with exquisite precision at celestial objects.

Two key science instruments, the Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 and the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph, are now being used for routine science observations by astronomers worldwide to probe everything from planets, to black holes, to far flung galaxies.

The Space Telescope Science Institute is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. for NASA, under contract with NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD. The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between NASA and the European Space Agency.

Mars Polar Lander Phones Home?
Mission managers have sent another set of commands to Mars to investigate the possibility that a signal detected by a radio dish at California's Stanford University came from Mars Polar Lander.

The commands instructed the lander, if it is operating, to send a signal directly to Earth to the antenna at Stanford last Wednesday. The Stanford receiving station listened again during the window on Wednesday to see if it could pick up a signal that could originate from Mars. The results of this test will not be immediate and it will take the team several days to process the data.

Mission managers sent commands several times in December and January instructing the Mars Polar Lander to send a radio signal to the 45 m antenna at Stanford. Although no signal was detected in real-time, the team in charge of the Stanford antenna says that after additional processing of the data they may have detected a signal that could have come from Mars during tests on December 18 and January 4. Because the signal was so weak, it took several weeks for the Stanford team to process their data and reach this conclusion.

This week's test is a real long-shot, and I wouldn't want to get anyone too excited about it," said Richard Cook, Polar Lander project manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA. "The signal that the Stanford team detected is definitely artificial, but there are any one of a number of places it could have originated on or near Earth. Still, we need to conduct this test to rule out the possibility that the signal could be coming from Polar Lander."

Although the Stanford data from the previous tests took several weeks to process, the team expects to have results within several days now that they know what they are looking for.

Even if the signal were coming from the lander, there is little hope that any science could be returned. However, it would give the team a few more clues in trying to eliminate possible failure modes. Whatever the outcome, the cold of the deepening Martian winter will destroy the lander in a few weeks time.

Manned Space

More Shuttle Tanks from Ducommun
Ducommun Incorporated has announced contracts totalling US$93 million for the External Fuel Tank for the Space Shuttle

Ducommun Inc's AHF-Ducommun and Aerochem subsidiaries have signed follow-on contracts on Lockheed Martin's External Fuel Tank program to continue producing external and internal components and exterior skins for the Space Shuttle's External Fuel Tank. The contracts, valued in excess of US$85 million, extend Ducommun's scope of work through 2006.

In addition, AHF signed a new contract with Lockheed Martin to produce hydrogen panels through 2006 for the Space Shuttle External Fuel Tank. This new work is valued at more than US$8 million, and represents AHF's effort to transfer the technical expertise of numerically controlled manufacturing to the External Fuel Tank program.

This is the sixth in a series of contracts awarded to AHF and Aerochem for the production of large components for the Space Shuttle.

Founded in 1849, Ducommun Inc. manufactures components and assemblies for the aerospace industry.

Possible Additional Shuttle Flight
Shuttle and International Space Station managers have decided to review the content of Shuttle mission STS-101 so that it will be possible to fly an additional mission to perform maintenance on the Station.

This will allow the Atlantis to visit the Station in April if needed, ahead of the arrival of the Russian Zvezda service module, to perform maintenance. However, managers could decide as late as March to return to the original planned content for STS-101 and eliminate the added mission based on the launch date selected for the Russian Zvezda service module by the Station program.

The option including a Station maintenance flight would distribute the original content of STS-101 between two Shuttle missions. The first mission, now targeted for launch no earlier than April 13 aboard Atlantis, will retain the STS-101 designation but be a 10-day long flight to perform maintenance on the International Space Station's Zarya and Unity modules. This mission will be flown if Russia, as now looks likely, cannot deliver the service module to orbit by early summer. Russia has already indicated that a launch befor the end of July is not possible.

The second mission, which would be designated STS-106 and remains under review by managers, would be a Zvezda module outfitting mission that would dock with the Station about one month after Zvezda's launch.

Launch Vehicles

Baikonour Launches to Resume
Kazakhstan has partially lifted its launch ban from the Baikonur cosmodrome allowing Russia to commence commercial launches. The launch ban still applies to Protons.

In spite of this Moscow is predicting 12 to 14 Proton launches this year starting in the second half of February. Proton launches were suspended last October after a launch failure which scattered debris over a wide area. This followed a similar failure in July.

Recently the failure review board into the Proton losses has reported that the Proton failures were due to low manufacturing standards.

Russia pays Kazakhstan an annual rental of US$115 million for the use of the Baikonur launch facilities which, this year, will be paid in equipment and services.

On February 1 Russia will launch a Soyuz booster from Baikonur to the Mir space station with a cargo craft to ferry oxygen and equipment to Mir in preparation for the arrival of crew on March 30. The oxygen will be used to boost the internal pressure in the station to compensate for the drop in pressure over recent months due to a slow leak. Mir will also be boosted approximately 80 km higher in altitude to a more stable 400 km orbit.

Launches

Galaxy XR

Launched: 25 January 2000
Site: CSG Kourou, French Guiana
Launcher: Ariane 42L
Orbit: Geostationary 123° W
International Number: 2000-002A
Name: Galaxy XR
Owner: PanAmSat
Contractor: Hughes Space and Communications

The 3,500 kg Galaxy XR communications satellite is based on a Hughes HS 601 HP bus and carries 48 active transponders, 24 each at C-band and Ku-band. Galaxy XR is the replacement satellite for Galaxy X which was destroyed during a failed launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida in August 1998.

It will deliver cable television programming, premium Internet and telecommunications services to customers throughout North America.

A major user of capacity on Galaxy XR will be GCI, which will lease 6 C band and 1 Ku band transponder for the provision of telecommunications services to Alaska. GCI is an Alaska-based and operated company that provides local, wireless, and long distance telephone, cable television, Internet and data communication services to more than 180,000 customers throughout Alaska. Other customers include Disney, Hughes Network Systems, TVN Entertainment, University of Southern California and Viacom.

Following this launch, PanAmSat will begin preparations for the launch of Galaxy IVR in late March 2000. Galaxy IVR, will operate from 99° W, will allow Galaxy XI to be relocated to its permanent slot at 91° W, where it will serve as the long-term replacement for Galaxy VII. Galaxy VI, which is the short-term backup for Galaxy VII, will also move to a new orbital location and continue to serve as the in-orbit spare for the Galaxy cable neighbourhood. On completion of this orbital shuffle, PanAmSat will operate five satellites in its Galaxy cable neighbourhood and an in-orbit spare for comprehensive services.

PanAmSat will also launch four additional spacecraft, intended to provide expansion and backup services to the company's international customers. The PAS-1R and PAS-9 Atlantic Ocean Region satellites will follow Galaxy IVR in rapid succession during the second quarter 2000, followed by the PAS-10 Indian Ocean Region and Galaxy IIIC satellites in the fourth quarter 2000 and the second quarter 2001 respectively.

Zhongxing 22

Launched: 25 January 2000
Site: Xi Chang Satellite Launching Centre, Sichuan Province, China
Launcher: Long March 3A
Orbit: Geostationary 98 E
International Number: 2000-003A
Name: Zhongxing 22

Zhongxing 22 is a 2,300 kg telecommunications satellite which will be operated by the China Telecommunications and Broadcasting Satellite Corporation. It has an operational life of 8 years.

It may also carry an additional military communications payload.

Jawsat

Launched: 27 January 2000
Site: Vandenberg Air Force Base, California
Launcher: Minotaur
Orbit: low earth orbit, 100.2° inclination, apogee 790 km, perigee 740 km

International Number: 2000-004A
Name: ASUSAT-1

International Number: 2000-004B
Name: OPAL

International Number: 2000-004C
Name: OCS

International Number: 2000-004D
Name: FALCONSAT

International Number: 2000-004E
Name: JAWSAT

This is the first launch to orbit for the Minotaur booster which consists of refurbished Minuteman II ICBM first and second stages with the upper stages from the Taurus booster. It is also the first launch at Spaceport Systems International's Commercial Spaceport on Vandenberg AFB.

The satellites were built by students from the US Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado; Weber State University, Ogden, Utah; Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona.; and Stanford University, Stanford, California

Spaceport Systems International (SSI) was formed through a limited partnership between ITT Industries and California Commercial Spaceport.

JAWSAT consists of a Multi-Payload Adapter (MPA), which supports four free-flying sub-satellites to be released after attaining orbit. Additionally, it carries an Imaging system, Attitude Control Platform and a NASA scientific experiment that will stay attached to the MPA.

Business

Columbia Deal With Americom Off
Columbia Communications Corporation has announced that it has terminated negotiations for its acquisition by GE American Communications Inc.

GE Americom had announced the reaching of agreement in principle with Columbia on October 1, 1999. Negotiations had commenced during the latter part of June, 1999.

In making the announcement, Clifford Laughton, Columbia's Chairman and CEO stated, "After months of protracted negotiations and agreed upon terms, GE retracted previously agreed upon provisions in a manner unacceptable to Columbia."

Laughton added, "We fully intend to build out the Columbia system as planned and we will immediately begin negotiations with spacecraft manufacturers and other potential joint venture partners which have been waiting in the wings."

Columbia Communications Corporation is a US telecommunications company providing domestic and international voice, data and video services. Operational since Jan. 1992, the Columbia Satellite System today covers a geographic area stretching from the Asian Pacific Rim, throughout the Americas, to Europe, including Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

European Investment for SkyOnline
STM Wireless affiliate, SkyOnline is to receive US$45 million new investment from two European investors. The investment will be used for broadband wireless services in Latin America.

Stm Wireless Inc has announced that its 45% owned affiliate, SkyOnline Inc (formerly named Direc-to-Phone International Inc), has signed definitive agreements to receive US$45 million in new equity from Telfin SA and Nouvel Investissement en Technologie SA (NIT).

SkyOnline, based in Washington DC, is a provider of voice, data and Internet communications services internationally and will use the new investment to continue its expansion into Latin American broadband wireless services. Telfin is a wholly owned subsidiary of Brussels-based Tractebel, a global energy and services business, including communications. NIT is a Luxemburg-based technology investment group.

In addition, the existing SkyOnline Inc stockholders, STM Wireless Inc, Pequot Capital Management, a private equity funds investment group, and Remec Inc, have agreed to contribute US$13.75 million in equity into SkyOnline. Taken together, upon receipt of regulatory approval, the above transactions will provide a total of US$58.75 million in additional equity investment in SkyOnline.

SkyOnline Inc provides wireless (terrestrial and satellite-based) telecommunications solutions for cost-effective, high quality data, voice and Internet services around the globe. SkyOnline is a leading provider of fixed-station satellite-based telephony services with current operations in Venezuela, Mexico and Guatemala.

France Telecom Buys Out Global One Partners
France Telecom has announced that it has reached definitive agreements with Sprint and Deutsche Telekom to buy their respective stakes in Global One for a total equity value of US$ 3.882 billion. France Telecom will thus become the sole owner of Global One.

Sprint will receive US$ 1.127 billion in cash and repayment of US$ 276 million in debt for its entire stake in Global One.

The agreement reached between France Telecom, Deutsche Telekom and Sprint also includes provisions related to France Telecom's and Deutsche Telekom's financial investment in Sprint. Currently, France Telecom holds approximately a 10% stake in the Sprint FON stock and 5.8% in the Sprint PCS stock.

Deutsche Telekom will receive US$ 2.755 billion in cash for its entire stake in Global One and repayment of US$ 188.5 millions in debt.

Although virtually all of Global One's business is terrestrially based, it has been the vehicle by which France Telecom, Deutsche Telekom and Sprint market some of their international VSAT services.

Globalstar Offering
Globalstar Telecommunications Limited has announced that it has priced the public offering of seven million shares of its common stock at US$ 35.00 per share. The net proceeds of the offering will be US$ 234 million, before the potential exercise of an over allotment option of up to 1,050,000 shares.

Globalstar management believes it already has the resources necessary to complete the deployment of its global mobile telephony system. Accordingly, the company will use the proceeds of the offering for general corporate purposes which may include accelerating the roll-out of service beyond planned efforts through increased support of service provider marketing activities and the funding of promotional discounts; the development of new service features; or potential repayment of debt.

Intelsat's Pending Privatisation Issues
Intelsat is seeking the resolution of three key issues by the US government if the organisation is to remain in the United States after its privatisation, currently scheduled to have taken place by April 2001.

Intelsat LLC, the precursor to the privatised Intelsat, has filed an application with the FCC requesting US operating licenses for the 17 satellites already in orbit, 10 replacement satellites and 13 redeployments. Interestingly, this is the first time the FCC has had to deal with the initial licensing of an existing satellite system.

The second problem facing Intelsat is that about 200 of its staff, including the Director General, Conny Kullman, are not US citizens and only hold visas which allow them to work in the United States for an intergovernmental organisation.

Thirdly, the land where Intelsat currently has its Washington headquarters is restricted to use by intergovernmental organisations, international agencies or the US government.

Intelsat has already had initial meetings with officials from several US agencies and government officials and is currently hopeful that solutions can be found. As a fall back, Intelsat is looking at other potential bases for it business in the US as well as in Europe and Asia.

Teleglobe Takes Control of Orbcomm
Teleglobe Inc and Orbital Sciences Corporation have agreed to restructure their partnership governing the financing and ownership of Orbcomm Global LP.

As a result of this agreement and previous capital infusions, Orbcomm's equity will increase by over US$100 million, mostly due to the conversion of certain payables to Orbital and Teleglobe. Also as a result of this agreement, which has been approved by the companies' respective Boards of Directors, Teleglobe becomes the majority owner and sole general partner of Orbcomm.

Orbcomm provides two-way monitoring, tracking and messaging services through a low Earth orbit satellite-based data communications system. Applications include tracking of mobile assets such as trailers, containers, rail cars, heavy equipment, fishing vessels, barges and government assets; monitoring of fixed assets such as electric utility meters, oil and gas storage tanks, wells and pipelines and environmental projects; and messaging services for consumers and commercial and government entities.

Products and Services

Datron's New Tracking DBS Dish for People on the Move
Datron/Transco Inc, a wholly owned subsidiary of Datron System Inc has released the third-generation of "CruiseTV", an all-new portable in-motion satellite television reception system for vans and SUVs.

The new 'CruiseTV' (model DBS-4500) Portable In-Motion Satellite Television System combines satellite television tracking capabilities with an easy-to-use, easy-to-install, plug-n-play feature.

Since pioneering in-motion satellite tracking technology for over-the-road use nearly fours ago, Datron has continued to improve upon and introduce new variations of the technology. The new "plug-n-play" enclosure was designed specifically to meet the ever-increasing demand for mobile entertainment solutions in the fastest-growing segment of the mobile market, SUV and van conversions.

Hi-Res Images for Utilities
Space Imaging's Carterra satellite images demonstrate utility for utilities and telecommunications planning, analysis and mapping.

Space Imaging has announced the availability of high-resolution satellite imagery designed for the utilities and telecommunications industry. This high-quality satellite-based information has never before been available to the commercial marketplace and will revolutionise the way utility and telecommunications companies do business and make decisions.

Space Imaging's high-resolution satellite images, marketed under the company's Caterra brand name, are state-of-the-art products for utilities and telecommunications planners and managers. The one-meter resolution panchromatic (black-and-white) images, collected by the Ikonos satellite, have clarity that is the first of its kind in the commercial market. The four-meter resolution multispectral (colour) images are invaluable for land use and land cover studies. Ikonos images show detailed features such as houses, urban growth boundaries, trees, utility towers, utility corridors, right-of ways, and building facilities.

Ikonos image products are sold according to customer requirements. Prices range from US$ 30 to US$ 45/sq.mi (US$ 12 to US$ 17/sq.km) for North America (with a minimum order of US$ 1000) or US$ 75 to US$ 112/sq.mi (US$ 29 to US$ 44/sq.km) for regions outside of North America (with a minimum order of US$ 2000).

Revolutionary GPS Antenna from NovAtel
NovAtel Inc has announced its new GPS 600 Series Antenna. This is the first dual frequency GPS antenna to achieve less than 1mm offset between L1 and L2 phase centres without the aid of a choke ring.

The new 600 Series Antenna achieves this performance by replacing conventional patch antenna designs with NovAtel's patent pending Pinwheel Technology -- a unique aperture coupled slot array configuration.

The design of this antenna eliminates horizontal phase centre variation while coinciding with the geometrical centre of the antenna, delivering choke ring level performance and accuracy without the need for a choke ring. The antenna is also compact, measuring only 16.5 cms and weighing 600 grams, making it suitable for portable applications such as surveying. Other advantages include low power consumption (200 mW) and a rugged, sturdy housing.

The GPS 600 Series Antenna is priced at US$ 995 and is currently in full production. Future product releases in this series include a combined GPS/GLONASS L1/L2 model.

NovAtel designs, markets, and supports a broad range of products that determine precise geographic locations using GPS. NovAtel's GPS products are used principally for applications in high-end markets such as surveying, geographic information systems, aviation, marine, and mining and machine control.

Worldspace Enters Multimedia Market
Radio broadcast satellite operator WorldSpace Corporation has unveiled WorldScape, a brand new multimedia service it will offer to its audiences throughout Africa and the Middle East within the next few months. The service will also be available in Asia later this year.

With the new WorldScape multimedia service, programmers can up link their existing content to a WorldSpace satellite where it is down linked to inexpensive transportable receivers containing small built-in 4-inch dish antennas. The receivers, designed and mass-produced expressly for the WorldSpace system by Hitachi, JVC, Matsushita (Panasonic) and Sanyo, contain data ports that enable direct transmission of programming to computers.

The new multimedia service is in beta test mode now and is expected to begin official operation in March of 2000.

People

Changes at Cyberstar

Loral CyberStar has announced that Patrick K. Brant has been named president of enterprise services and that Jeffrey J. Guzy will serve as general manager for broadband deployment.

Mr. Brant will be responsible for the day-to-day sales, marketing, operations and product development activities of Loral CyberStar, while Mr. Guzy will oversee the development of new two-way, high-speed broadband applications for individuals and organizations who use the services of the company's Internet Service Provider (ISP) customers. Both report to W. Neil Bauer, president of Loral CyberStar.

New COO for eSat

ESAT Inc, a global broadband service provider and creator of satellite-based information delivery systems for businesses, governments and educational institutions, has named Terry Herbeck as its new Chief Operating Officer. Herbeck will oversee all aspects of day-to-day operations for the company.

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