15 April 2001

Satcoms

Eutelsat Looking for Open-Sky Partners
Eutelsat has introduced the "Open-Sky" open standard service platform for streamed video and audio content, high-speed Internet and fast file delivery.

The service is already running from the Eutelsat's W3 satellite at 7° E and carrying 20 unencrypted international video services that are generally being streamed at speeds from 256 to 700 kb/s using MPEG-4 encapsulated over IP. This is expected to grow to nearer 50 videostreaming services by the end of April.

Users need a satellite dish and PC equipped with an add-in card to receive these new services and can select between accessing content on-line or retrieving content delivered by satellite and stored in their PC in off-line mode.

Eutelsat is negotiating with multiple content and service providers who have imaginative and experimental concepts to contribute to Open-Sky. The baseline is that services should be of interest to the general public and conform to a common IP broadcast format over satellite.

Eutelsat will expand the capacity available for Open-Sky using the W3A satellite, which will be launched in the second quarter of 2003 and co-positioned at 7° E with W3. W3A will also include a Skyplex payload that will permit decentralised access to satellite capacity for local content providers.

GlobeCast Picks ND SatCom as Technology Partner
GlobeCast has chosen ND SatCom GmbH as technology partner for its new MCast Events streaming service.

MCast Events is the first mobile webcasting service enabling live reporting and on-demand video streaming to the Internet from anywhere in the world. The IP data stream is uploaded via satellite onto the Internet by a specially equipped, fully automated webcasting vehicle, the ND SatCom web.SNG. The vehicle is integrated in a satellite-based IP Network, so that the team can monitor the webstream host directly from the vehicle, as well as handle all their other routine business.

Clients can book and request the service by phone. GlobeCast then makes the web.SNG vehicle and satellite capacity available and takes care of the entire transmission. The whole makes a full-service package for fast reporting to the Internet.

The service is especially attractive for Internet Service Providers (ISPs), broadcasters, web portals, news services and agencies, media and multimedia production firms, corporate and SNG service providers.

The web.SNG broadcast vehicle is built by ND SatCom, and was specially designed for fast Internet reporting. It features a highly ergonomic interior and has space for all the equipment needed for live reporting and web video editing. The journalists must make only minimal compromises in comparison to a normal studio.

The web.SNG is the world's only vehicle allowing fully automatic satellite transmissions. The press of a single button extends the antenna and points it at the satellite. Data, speech and video transmission is equally simple. The combination of IP and SNG technology ensures total Internet interconnectivity and permits interactive chatting with the Internet audience.

Satellite Patent for DG Systems
DG Systems Inc has announced that its StarGuide Digital Networks division, an innovative provider of satellite transmission technology, has been issued US Patent Number 6,212,201, entitled "Method and Apparatus for Dynamic Allocation of Transmission Bandwidth Resources and for Transmission of Multiple Audio Signals with a Video Signal."

This new patent covers multiplexing methods for the transmission of digital media via satellites and other transmission mediums in a uniquely powerful, bandwidth efficient, and flexible manner.

Since its inception, StarGuide has procured eight patents in the field of satellite transmission technology, with additional patents allowed and pending domestically and abroad.

The latest patented technology enhances satellite, terrestrial, and Internet distribution for broadcasters such as Westwood One, Infinity Broadcasting, Bloomberg, and Osaka Yusen Broadcasting who are currently using the proprietary StarGuide II satellite transmission system, as well as broadcasters who are deploying the StarGuide III system, including Clear Channel, Premiere, ABC Radio, Jones Broadcast Programming, and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in China. Broadcasters will enjoy increased flexibility, reliability, and bandwidth efficiency when delivering audio, data, or video signals via the StarGuide system.

SSET Demonstrates Broadband Gateway in China
SSE Telecom Inc has installed a system demonstrating its iP3 Gateways at China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) in Gu'An, China, near Beijing.

SSET iP3 Gateways are being used to provide high-speed broadband communication over satellite via Internet Protocol (IP) packets. A live demonstration with iP3 gives CNPC the opportunity to understand IP traffic over satellite.

The iP3 allows easy configuration and monitor & control from anywhere on the network. The iP3 is able to deliver mixed-traffic via communication on single carrier at high speed and route the traffic to different remotes by IP address in the sky. The single platform has the ability to establish point-to-point link, star network, or full mesh network using the same hardware.

CNPC currently has many VSATs deployed across China. The iP3 provides much higher bandwidth and more flexibility than VSATs, since the iP3 Gateways can be configured with asymmetric links depending on the traffic patterns, which use the satellite bandwidth more efficiently.

STM Wireless Receives US$ 7 Million from SkyOnline
STM Wireless Inc (STM) has been selected by SkyOnline Inc for the supply of over 1,000 VSATs for use in Latin America.

The order also includes equipment for several hubs, which will be used with SpaceWeb VSATs to expand SkyOnline's satellite-based data and Internet service offerings, which complement its extensive telephony services.

The order from SkyOnline for approximately US$ 7.7 million will further increase STM's backlog and sales in its line of SpaceWeb VSATs and the new multi-channel DAMA VSATs, that are based on its popular SES terminals. The SpaceWeb Online VSAT is designed as a platform for commercial and multi-user applications as opposed to single user and consumer applications. The system is currently in use by a growing number of service providers and Enterprise networking customers, particularly in the banking sector.

Strategic Alliance Between Xantic and ICTI
Xantic (former Station 12 and SpecTec) and Innovative Communications Technologies Inc (ICTI), a subsidiary of Advanced Remote Communication Solutions Inc (ARCOMS) have entered into a strategic alliance agreement to offer a suite of broadband solutions to the mobile satellite community on a global basis.

Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.

The agreement initially focuses on introduction and launch of ICTI's patent-pending Inmarsat Capacity Expander (ICE) technology to maritime, land and aeronautical users requiring very high speed (64 to 256 kb/s) point-to-point connections via Xantic's Land Earth Stations.

ICTI's ICE technology enables an extensively enhanced means of point-to-point full duplex digital mobile satellite connections. ICE significantly increases the data rate achievable within a standard Inmarsat 100 KHz channel allocation. An ICE-enabled Inmarsat terminal can presently double the data rate of a standard terminal in a 100 KHz slot by providing 128 kb/s of throughput instead of 64 kb/s. Alternatively, the same terminal can achieve 256 kb/s in a 200 kHz channel allocation.

The ICE service will be provided by Xantic as a brand new offering, delivering both higher data rate connections as well as multiple concurrent (lower data rate) connections. The ICE technology will be used to arm end users with applications possibilities previously unattainable over mobile satellite. For the first time over the Inmarsat system, users will have the opportunity to enjoy truly broadband connections, enabling applications such as remote LAN access, streaming video content and high-speed Internet access to/from mobiles on vessels, aircraft, offshore production rigs or temporary office sites. The ICE technology itself is commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) and can be added in the form of a retrofit kit to standard Inmarsat-A, -B and Aero-H terminals.

Earth Observation

L-3 Comms to Build Antenna System for Australian Surveying and Land Information Group
L-3 Communications' EMP Systems division has received an award to supply an X band satellite tracking antenna system to the Australian Surveying and Land Information Group (AUSLIG) for its Australian Centre for Remote Sensing (ACRES) ground station.

EMP Systems will deliver this new antenna for installation at the ACRES Data Acquisition Facility located in the Australian Outback, near Alice Springs. Delivery is scheduled for December of 2001.

L-3's Model 150 X band antenna is 5.0 meters in diameter and provides the ability to track and receive image data signals from a wide array of satellites including RADARSAT-1, LANDSAT, SPOT, ERS, and IRS-1C/D. This antenna system features an EMP Systems dual-drive, 3-axis positioner with a 5.0 meter antenna reflector, subreflector, and an X band radio frequency feed mounted in a Cassegrain configuration. Provided with the system is a microprocessor-based Antenna Control Unit (ACU), Model ACU-21. The ACU-21 permits system operation in Manual, Program Track, and Standby modes, as well as other sub-modes of operation.

AUSLIG is Australia's National Mapping Agency and provides fundamental geographic information to support the mining, agricultural, transport, tourism, and communications industries, and defence, education, surveillance and emergency services activities. The goal of ACRES, Australia's principal earth resource satellite ground station and data processing facility, is to maintain and periodically refresh a comprehensive archive of satellite remotely sensed data over Australia to help ensure that fundamental geographic information is available for the benefit of the Australian community. ACRES' primary functions are to acquire, catalogue, archive, process and distribute remotely sensed data acquired from earth observation satellites for both scientific and operational applications.

Technology

Solar Sail Flight Delayed
The Planetary Society's Cosmos 1 test flight of a solar sail will be delayed due to a pre-launch testing accident that damaged the spacecraft.

The sub-orbital test flight was scheduled to launch from a Russian Delta III Class submarine in the Barents Sea on April 26.

The accident occurred during a ground test at Severmosk, the launch port and preparation area near Murmansk, Russia. The test craft arrived there from the Babakin Space Center located near Moscow. The Babakin Center is developing the craft for The Planetary Society.

Preliminary information indicates that the accident occurred when the actual operation sequence of the spacecraft was initiated while the craft was mounted for testing.

The spacecraft will be returned to the Babakin Space Center where it will undergo checks, repairs, re-assembly and tests. The test flight will then be re-scheduled.

Launch Services

ATV to Use General Dynamics Engines
Astrium GmbH, of Bremen, Germany has awarded a US$ 7.9 million contract to General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics. The contract calls for the purchase, over the next two years, of bipropellant Model R-4D-11 rocket engines to support the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV).

The ATV is a human-rated vehicle which will provide supplies and services to the International Space Station. Each ATV vehicle will be equipped with four R-4D-11 engines used for orbit-changing (delta-V) manoeuvres during the ATV's approach and descent from the International Space Station. The R-4D-11 engines can also be used to re-boost the Space Station to higher orbits when the ATV is docked.

The R-4D-11 bipropellant rocket engine has been the "work-horse" of the satellite industry for decades. It has been used on several human-rated vehicles, and has provided apogee insertion for most geostationary satellites currently on orbit.

GSLV Launch Abort Analysis
The maiden flight of India's GSLV launcher has been rescheduled for next week following an abortive launch on 28 March.

The new launch window for the Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) extends from Wednesday, April 18 until April 25. The launch will be from the SHAR Centre, Sriharikota, India.

The original launch attempt of GSLV was aborted one second before the lift-off by the Automatic Launch Processing System (ALS) which detected that one of the liquid fuel strap-on boosters did not develop the required thrust.

Based on a detailed analysis of the data obtained during the five seconds' operation of the four strap-on motors during the count down sequence, examination of the records of engines, tear down analysis of the disassembled engine and the extensive simulations carried out, it has been now established that the reason for one of the strap-on boosters not developing the required thrust was due to a defective plumbing in the oxidiser flow line of the engine, which had escaped detection during testing. This resulted in reduced flow of oxidiser to the engine.

During the launch attempt one of the strap on boosters also caught fire. Based on review of the video pictures and other data, it was concluded that the fire spreading over one of the strap-on boosters was only due to the burning of foam insulation pads and was incidental and did not cause any damage to the vehicle. It has been decided to provide additional flame protection for these insulation pads.

Pratt & Whitney Developing New Upper Stage Engine
Pratt & Whitney (P&W) Space Propulsion operations have announced plans to begin development of a full-scale engine demonstrator for a next generation high-performance liquid-hydrogen-fueled 60,000 pound-thrust-class rocket engine, designated the RL60.

The RL60's performance increase will come in a package approximately the same size as P&W's RL10, currently the industry's workhorse upper-stage engine for Atlas, Titan and Delta launch vehicles. The new engine will offer throttling capability ranging from 50,000 to 65,000 pounds of thrust.

P&W has initiated the first phase of the development program, which includes major component fabrication and demonstration testing later this year, leading to a full-scale engine demonstrator test planned for the end of 2002. Following a successful demonstrator engine program, the RL60 could proceed into full-scale development and be ready for service by the end of 2005.

The P&W-sponsored program calls for the RL60 to be built and tested domestically with key components to be provided by three international industry strategic suppliers; Volvo Aero of Sweden, Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) of Japan and Chemical Automatics Design Bureau (CADB) of Russia. Volvo Aero will provide a regeneratively cooled nozzle, IHI will provide the main hydrogen (fuel) turbopump, and CADB will produce the liquid oxygen (oxidiser) turbopump.

The RL60 engine is being developed to provide lift capability growth for domestic vehicles, such as Atlas and Delta, and also international launch vehicles.

P&W has a proven success track record with international collaborations with the Russian built RD-180 booster engine and the RL10B-2 carbon-carbon composite nozzle produced by Snecma, in France.

Last year, P&W pursued a teaming arrangement with Snecma to jointly develop the SPW2000 engine for use on the Ariane 5 as well as future Delta and Atlas vehicles. In June, the European Space Agency decided instead to pursue its own engine program, designated Vinci.

A key component in the RL60 is Volvo's new sandwich nozzle, a completely new, patented production technology, which the company began developing in 1997. Volvo Aero has previously tested a sandwich nozzle in smaller scale, but the RL60 represents the first full-scale testing.

The patented sandwich technology involves forming a cone from 3-5 mm thick sheet metal and then milling out hundreds of cooling channels. An outer jacket is mounted over this cone and is welded to the underlying sheet metal using laser-welding.

The sandwich cone is then formed into its final bell-shape. Thereafter, as needed, several cones can be welded together to form a nozzle, which is often 1.5 to 3 meters in height and diameter.

The thin metal must withstand enormous stresses: liquid hydrogen flows through the channels (-230 C) to cool the nozzle walls from the heat of the combustion chamber flame at 3,300 C. The outer surface of the nozzle holds a temperature of minus 170 C, while the inside wall is heated to plus 600 C.

Business

Alcatel Sues Loral
Alcatel has confirmed that it is suing Loral Space and Communications which is pulling out of their EuropeStar joint venture.

Alcatel Spacecom hold 51% of EuropeStar whilst Loral Space and Communications holds 49%. Alcatel itself holds 3.4% of Loral.

EuropeStar currently operates two satellites, EuropeStar B and EuropeStar 1, with a third satellite, EuropeStar 2, on order and due for launch in 2002.

Although denying that other joint projects are at risk, further doubt must now be placed on the joint Alcatel/Loral SkyBridge project which recently decided to offer services later this year using geostationary satellites before starting its much publicised LEO service. The new SkyBridge will be in direct competition with Loral Cyberstar, something Loral surely does not want.

Troubled Loral Space and Communications is struggling to cope with financial problems after being weighed down by its financial obligations to near bankrupt Globalstar. It is trying to refocus its business towards selling satellites and bulk transponder capacity rather that being user oriented.

Integral Systems Opens Colorado Springs Office
Integral Systems Inc has opened an office in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The new office will serve as the focal point for the support of Integral's US Air Force business.

Peterson and Schriever Air Force Bases are major centres of satellite command and control activity for the US Air Force and are both located in Colorado Springs.

Contact information for the Colorado Springs facility is as follows:

Integral Systems, Inc.
One Gateway Plaza
Suite 500
1330 Iverness Drive
Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903
USA

Phone: +1 (719) 550-3430
Fax: +1 (719) 550-3431
Email: [email protected]

Security Worries May Halt SingTel's Optus Acquisition
A take over bid by Singapore Telecom for Australian carrier Cable and Wireless Optus may be ruled as unacceptable because of conflicts of interest.

Privately owned Optus provides satellite communications for the Australian security and defence agencies. It is also currently procuring its next generation of satellites which will carry dedicated payloads for governmental and military communications. Typical applications supported by the new satellites include secure links to Australian embassies across the Asia Pacific region and to Australian Navy vessels.

Concerns have been voiced on two counts.

Firstly, Singapore is not a democracy, a fact which rankles some members of the Australian government.

Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, is the association between SingTel and the Singapore military. The CEO of SingTel, Lee Hsien Yang, is a Brigadier General in the Singapore defence forces. Some Australian commentators do not think it is prudent to entrust critical military and governmental communications to a foreign company with such links.

Products and Services

Carrier Monitor from Transcendental
Transcendent Technologies Inc has introduced the Monarch carrier monitoring system (CMS), which provides advanced bandwidth management capabilities for teleports and telecommunications companies who offer satellite services to their customers.

The Monarch CMS offers automated, cyclic monitoring and alarming for any number of carriers. The system will automatically cycle through all activity on designated bandwidths and generate alarms when problems arise. Users define the upper and lower limits on parameters of interest (centre frequency, bandwidth, C/kT, EIRP, and Eb/No) and any out-of-bounds condition triggers an alarm and captures the information users need to troubleshoot and correct the problem.

Demodulator Chips From Mitel
Mitel Corporation has announced two demodulator ICs that boost performance in satellite and terrestrial set-top boxes (STB), integrated television sets, and PC applications.

The MT312 for satellite applications, and the MT351 for terrestrial receivers, provide ultra-fast auto-scan capability, which enables systems to rapidly detect and tune digital television channels delivered by satellite and terrestrial links. The devices also support interactive services such as two-way television, e-commerce, video-on-demand and digital video encoding.

The MT312 and MT351 demodulators have also been combined with Mitel's tuners in two new reference designs that offer complete front-end solutions. Building on Mitel's expertise in RF, tuner, and STB integrated circuit design, the solutions speed time-to-market for equipment manufacturers by reducing hardware and software design-in cycles. The reference designs reduce manufacturing costs by eliminating the need for production alignment and RF screening.

The MT312 is a single-chip variable rate digital Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) satellite demodulator. The device integrates two 6-bit ADC converters and a unique controller for acquisition and tracking modes that ensure minimal interaction, maximum flexibility, and the fastest auto-scan capability of any chip on the market today. With the ability to scan across the complete Astra band in under 10 seconds, the device enhances performance by enabling channels to be quickly acquired and tuned.

The demodulator ICs have been integrated into reference designs that provide complete front-end solutions. The satellite network interface module (SNIM) integrates Mitel's SL1935 satellite tuner and the new MT312 demodulator. The module complies to the digital satellite system (DSS) specification used for DirectTV in the United States, as well as the digital video broadcast for satellite (DVB-S) standard deployed in Europe and around the world.

The SL1935 is available to order, supplied in a 36-pin SSOP with tape and reel option, for under US$ 2.20 in 100K volumes. Packaged in an 80-pin MQFP, the MT312 is sampling now, and will be available for US$ 3.90 in 100K volumes.

Loral CyberStar Launches Enhanced Video-To-The-Desktop Services
Loral CyberStar, a global provider of data, video, content, and Internet services, has introduced ClearStream Live to the ClearStream product line, an IP-based suite of products that enables high-quality, full-screen distribution and delivery of bandwidth-intensive applications and video through existing intranets to desktop PCs.

ClearStream gives enterprises a simple and cost-effective way to implement global video-to-the-desktop solutions for live, scheduled, and on-demand e-learning and corporate communications applications by taking advantage of CyberStar's global IP multicast network. Using this satellite-based network allows enterprises to bypass the Internet and avoid wide area network (WAN) congestion to deliver broadband applications to multiple, geographically dispersed sites without the congestion and delays usually associated with Web-based video streaming.

Using open standards digital video broadcast (DVB) technology, a standard Web browser, and the Windows Media Player, ClearStream Live delivers high-quality video and CD-quality audio communications live to the desktop or conference room monitor. By multicasting 300 kb/s video streams onto the LAN, ClearStream Live offers a bandwidth-efficient method of viewing live video and enables enterprises to reliably deliver high-impact, time-sensitive live communications to multiple sites without fear of unpredictable video performance due to Internet congestion or LAN.

People

TRW's CFO to Retire
TRW Inc has announced that Carl G Miller, executive vice president and chief financial officer, has elected to retire from the company.

His retirement will be effective upon completion of an internal and external search for his replacement. In the interim, Miller will be fully engaged in managing TRW's finance function, the company said.

Miller, 58, has served in his current capacity since February 1996. He joined TRW in 1990 as vice president and controller.

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