15 July 2001

Satcoms

FuelNation and Echosat Team for Oil Business
FuelNation Inc has reached an agreement with Echosat Communications Group to assist with the procurement, installation and management of equipment for pending contract negotiations with several major oil companies.

FuelNation has been providing live beta test sites at major oil companies across the country to prove the effectiveness of the systems. Currently FuelNation has been negotiating to commence a rollout of the Rack to Retail R2R and Petro-Tracking systems to track in excess of 12 billion gallons annually.

FuelNation is a Florida-based developer and provider of real-time e-commerce communications and energy services. FuelNation's operations are conducted through its subsidiaries, affiliates and alliances, which principally are engaged in advanced technology and services solutions for the petroleum marketing industry, i.e., oil companies, marketers, transports, gas stations and convenience stores worldwide, and the development of one of the worlds most integrated communications platform for the petroleum industry. FuelNation delivers data to remote stations at speeds reaching 45 Mb/s, satellite technology, global positioning system (GPS) with real-time tracking and path logging of delivery vehicles. FuelNation developed the R2R and Petro-Tracking communications technology which allows multiple point of sales, tank monitors, global positioning system, VSAT, wireless PDA devices, Internet phones, automated teller machines, back office software, price signs and numerous other equipment manufacturers to integrate and seamlessly exchange data in an open architecture environment.

Echosat is a multifaceted, synergistic, digital communications company. Echosat's broadband satellite technology provides customers with a dedicated, managed network, featuring high-speed Internet access, anywhere, anytime, with download speeds up to 45 Mb/s, the ability to do lightning speed credit/debit card transmission, ATMs, fast POS polling and downloading, POS diagnostics, PC Help Desk support, tank monitoring, HVAC control, security alarm alert, security video, email, customised in-store broadcasting of compact disc quality music, in-store and at the pump commercials, video broadcast and more.

HNS Invests US$ 20 Million in DirecWay Network Management and Operations Center
Hughes Network Systems (HNS) has opened its new Network Management and Operations Center (NMC), a US$ 20 million facility from which HNS will manage, monitor and control its global satellite communications operations.

The investment in the centralised Network Management Center, which consolidates eight distributed locations, enables HNS to streamline its global operations serving consumers and corporate customers. The three-floor, 43,000-square-foot NMC facility will manned by HNS technicians 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

This new management facility is the operational foundation for the recently launched DirecWay service, which offers end-to-end broadband-by-satellite services for enterprises, consumers, small businesses and telecommuters.

New State-of-Art Satellite Repair Center Promises 48-Hour Turnaround
Technical Satellite Repair Inc (TSR) of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, a state-of-the-art satellite repair and refurbishing centre, has begun serving satellite system manufacturers and service centres throughout the US, promising in-house refurbishing and repairs of products, and turnaround within 48 hours of receipt.

TSR currently employs 25 service technicians and administrative staff, with Ron Weaver, Service Manager, and Dan Greenwalt as Operations Manager.

Technical Satellite Repair Inc is headquartered in the Golden Eagle Business Center, 6951-B Allentown Boulevard, Harrisburg, PA 17112, USA. Telephone number +1 (717) 671-8489 and fax number is +1 (717) 671-6959.

PanAmSat Granted Direct Access to Brazil
ANATEL, the government agency that regulates all telecommunications services in Brazil, has authorised PanAmSat Corporation's PAS-1R Atlantic Ocean Region satellite to deliver video, data and Internet services throughout the country.

The authorisation provides PanAmSat with direct access to Latin America's leading economy for these services for the first time ever.

The PAS-1R authorisation permits PanAmSat to offer value-added services throughout Brazil, including the company's global program distribution, Internet backbone connectivity, business communications and data services as well as special event and ad hoc services. PanAmSat's NET-36 Internet broadcast network will also gain access to Latin America's largest Internet market.

PAS-1R, a Boeing 702 spacecraft located at 45 degrees west longitude, is one of the largest and most powerful commercial geostationary satellites ever launched. The spacecraft employs its 72 transponders - 36 C band and 36 Ku band - to offer expanded and enhanced video and data broadcasting as well as broadband Internet services throughout the Americas, the Caribbean, Europe and Africa.

Problems With TDRS-H
NASA is reported to be in dispute with Boeing, the manufacturer of the TDRS-H tracking and data relay satellite, because of a performance shortfall on the satellite's multiple access phased array antenna.

As a result of the fault, which was only discovered after the US$ 200 million satellite was launched on June 30th last year, NASA has refused to accept TDRS-H. In the meantime, the satellite languishes in a temporary orbital slot at 134° E at an inclination of 6.3° and will not be brought into service until the legal dispute over its performance shortfall has been resolved.

TDRS-H was constructed by Hughes Space and Communications (now Boeing Satellite Systems) and was launched on an Atlas 2A from the Kennedy Space Center at the end of June 2000. It is based on a modified BS 601 platform and carries S, Ku and Ka band payloads. TDRS-H is the first of a series of three TDRS satellites being built for NASA by Hughes. The three satellites are being procured by NASA to support the operations of a series of missions including the Space Shuttle, the Hubble Space Telescope, STARlink, the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM), Landsat (LSAT), the Earth Observing System (EOS), Expendable Launch Vehicle tracking, and the International Space Station.

TDRS-H was designed to receive data rates of 300 Mb/s at Ku and Ka band, and 6 Mb/s at S band. It carries the additional capability for Ka band receive rates of up to 800 Mb/s. Transmit data rates are 25 Mb/s for Ku and Ka band, and 300 kb/s for S band. In addition, the S-band phased array antenna can receive signals from five spacecraft at once, while transmitting to one (it is this antenna system that has the performance shortfall).

The spacecraft is equipped with a pair of innovative folding antennas. The 4.6 m diameter, flexible graphite mesh antenna reflectors fold up for launch, then "spring back" into their original cupped circular shape on orbit. These steerable, single-access antennas can simultaneously transmit and receive at S band and either Ku or Ka band, supporting dual independent two-way communication.

The two follow on satellites, TDRS-I and J are being modified to ensure that the problem with the multiple access phased array antenna does not recur. TDRS-I is currently slated for a launch at the end of October.

Eventually, it is likely that TDRS-H will be accepted by NASA and will enter service with the TDRS fleet, but only after the legal dispute has been settled and NASA has been compensated for the reduced performance.

Shiron InterSky System for Nigeria
Shiron Satellite Communications' engineers have set up a complete InterSky system with teleport for Bacom Communications Limited in Nigeria.

This is the first time Shiron has independently installed a system and a teleport. The turnkey project included the teleport, Hub, 6.5 m antenna and redundancy SSPA system. The system consists of a Verestar backbone coming from London and a local InterSky system in Nigeria.

Bacom Communications Limited is a privately owned communications company that provides qualitative and cost-effective information technology solutions to the corporate entity in Nigeria. Bacom serves sectors such as finance, manufacturing, oil, education and medicine.

Bacom purchased an InterSky Hub and 50 Remote Gateways. So far, eight Remote Gateways serving City Express Bank, Bacom's main client, have been installed at several locations throughout Nigeria. The remaining units will be installed in Nigeria and Ghana.

SS/Loral To Build Two New X Band Satellites
Space Systems/Loral is to build two new satellites to provide leased transponder and network communications services to the Spanish Ministry of Defence and government users in the United States, Spain and other friendly nations.

Two new companies have been formed to provide leased satellite services: Hisdesat SA, which includes various Spanish partner companies, notably Hispasat and Xtar, a satellite communications services company in which Loral will hold a 51% interest as managing partner with the newly formed Hisdesat.

Hisdesat and Xtar have both executed ATPs (authorisations to proceed) to SS/L for the manufacture of two satellites.

For Hisdesat, SS/L will build SpainSat, which will primarily provide dedicated communications for the Spanish Ministry of Defence. SpainSat will carry nine specially configured X band transponders and a Ka band payload and will operate from the 30° West, providing coverage of Spain, Europe, Africa and the Americas.

SS/L will also build the Xtar-EUR satellite for Xtar, which will offer leased transponder services to government customers and provide back-up service for the Spanish Ministry of Defence. The Xtar-EUR satellite will carry twelve wideband X band transponders and be located in either an Atlantic or Indian Ocean region orbital slot to be determined by Xtar. The satellite, in conjunction with the SpainSat satellite, will extend the coverage area to include Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Loral Skynet will provide telemetry, tracking and control (TT&C) services for Xtar from its existing ground stations.

Xtar is scheduled to enter service in 2003 and Spainsat in 2004.

Both satellites will be available to provide leased services to government users in the United States and Spain, as well as other friendly and allied nations within the satellites extensive coverage area. Both spacecraft are designed to meet the growing demands of government users and will be able to operate with existing and planned communications infrastructure.

For Xtar, Loral and Hisdesat will provide initial financing of US$ 55 million over the next two years. The remainder of required financing will be arranged by Xtar.

US Federal Government General Services Administration Awards Stratos Contract
Stratos Mobile Networks (USA) has been awarded an information technology (IT) services contract by the United States General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Supply Schedule for Telecommunications Transmission Services.

The contract duration is for a period of up to 20 years, and allows Stratos to offer its Inmarsat and MarineSat/LandSat satellite communications services directly to all civilian and military federal government agencies. As a result, US government customers can now purchase services directly from Stratos, simplifying the procurement process of soliciting vendors and obtaining competitive pricing.

WildBlue to Use Mentat Gateway Technology
WildBlue Communications plans to use SkyX Gateway technology from Mentat to support its two-way satellite broadband Internet service.

Mentat's technology utilises highly efficient, satellite-optimised protocols to overcome the limitations of the Internet protocols when used over satellite networks. By integrating the Mentat technology into WildBlue's satellite modem, the system will require no end user configuration or PC-based software to achieve peak performance.

Mentat, has developed its SkyX Gateway products to overcome the limitations of the Internet protocols when used over satellite networks. By transparently replacing TCP with a highly efficient protocol especially designed for the long latency, asymmetric bandwidth, and high loss conditions typical of satellite networks, the SkyX Gateway makes possible high-performance connectivity over satellite links.

WildBlue plans to roll out two-way broadband services via satellite direct to homes and small offices throughout the contiguous United States in 2002 and subsequently expand service to Canada and Latin America.

Earth Observation

Orthorectifying Ikonos Satellite Imagery
Space Imaging has announced the photogrammetric software companies that will incorporate the ability to orthorectify Ikonos satellite imagery into their software suites. Users of Erdas Imagine OrthoBase, Z/I Imaging's ImageStation OrthoPro, or PCI Geomatics' Geomatica OrthoEngine soon will all be able to orthorectify Ikonos satellite imagery with Space Imaging's Geo Ortho Kit.

Geo Ortho Kit consists of a high-resolution Geo image derived from the Ikonos satellite and an Image Geometry Model (IGM) digital file. The IGM is a mathematical way of expressing the complex sensor geometry of the Ikonos camera, which is necessary to correct the imagery for terrain distortions. By incorporating the IGM and a Geo image into the leading commercial imagery software suites, users will be able to create an accurate ortho image by using their own digital elevation models (DEMs) and ground control points (GCPs). Since IGM provides the complete and accurate sensor geometry, the metric accuracy of the final orthorectified image is limited only by the accuracy of the DEM and GCPs. The product is available as a part of the Geo product suite in 1-meter black-and-white, 1-meter colour, or 4-meter multispectral.

Navigation

Orbital's Vehicle Tracking System to Help Dispatch Snowploughs in Michigan
Southeastern Michigan Snow and Ice Management (SEMSIM Partners) have selected Orbital Sciences Corporation's Orbtrac-100 system to help track and manage a portion of its fleets of road maintenance vehicles.

The company's automatic vehicle location (AVL) and data collection system will be installed on 290 snowploughs, with phased installations of the SEMSIM Partners' entire 500-vehicle fleet over the next two to three years. A significant enhancement to be built into this project will be the ability to distribute data over the Internet through a browser-based system to the various road maintenance agencies that make up the SEMSIM partnership.

The Orbtrac-100 system was designed and developed by Orbital's Transportation Management Systems (TMS) Division, located in Columbia, Maryland. Using Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite technology, the system will track the location and status of road maintenance vehicles, dispatching snowploughs to the most critical areas in need of service during major storms, as well as identifying sections of roadways that have already been serviced. Orbital's system will also capture and store data for post-service analysis to assist in reducing the overall cost of future operations.

Military Space

Harris Corporation Enters First Option Phase of DMSP Support Contract
Harris Corporation has successfully completed the initial task order and entered the first option phase of a US$ 7.48 million contract from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for Ground Systems Engineering and Depot Support (GSEDS) of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP).

The DMSP's Polar-orbiting satellites, along with NOAA's National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System, provide the US with near real-time meteorological and environmental data.

The Ground Systems segment of the DMSP encompasses those subsystems necessary for command and control of the spacecraft and the receipt of data, as well as the real-time telemetry that communicates the "health" of the spacecraft and its subsystems.

Under the current phase of the contract, Harris provides management, maintenance, and repair of DMSP equipment. This work comprises engineering, analysis and problem resolution of ground system equipment interfaces; sustaining engineering support for Command, Control, and Communications; and documentation of the item design and manufacturing processes with Technical Data Packages (TDPs).

The GSEDS contract, awarded to Harris GCSD's Omaha Operation, Omaha, Nebraska, in January 2000, contained an initial task order that ended in January 2001. The first option period began in February 2001 and ends January 31, 2002. Three additional, 12-month option periods will extend the contract through 2005.

Science

ESA and China to Co-operate on Double Star Mission
The European Space Agency and the Chinese National Space Administration (CNSA) have signed an agreement to
develop a joint project known as "Double Star". The agreement will enable European experiments to be flown on Chinese satellites for the first time.

Double Star will compliment ESA's Cluster mission by studying the effects of the Sun on the Earth's environment. Conducting joint studies with Cluster and Double Star should increase the overall scientific return from both missions.

Double Star will be the first mission launched by China to explore the Earth's magnetosphere. The project will involve two satellites - each designed, developed, launched and operated by the CNSA - flying in complementary orbits around the Earth.

This orbital configuration will enable scientists to obtain simultaneous data on the changing magnetic field and population of electrified particles in different regions of the magnetosphere.

The two satellites will be launched by Chinese Long March 2C rockets in December 2002 and March 2003. This schedule may enable them to operate alongside ESA's Cluster mission, four identical spacecraft launched into elliptical orbits around the Earth last summer.

The "equatorial" spacecraft (DSP-1) will be launched into an elliptical orbit of 550 x 60,000 km, inclined at 28.5°. This will enable it to investigate the Earth's huge magnetic tail, the region where particles are accelerated towards the planet's magnetic poles by a process known as reconnection.

The "polar" satellite (DSP-2) will concentrate on physical processes taking place over the magnetic poles and the development of aurorae. It will have a 350 x 25,000 km orbit taking it round the Earth once every 7.3 hours.

A key aspect of ESA's participation in the Double Star project is the inclusion of 10 instruments that are identical to those currently flying on the four Cluster spacecraft. A further eight experiments will be provided by Chinese institutes.

Six of the eleven Cluster principal investigators have agreed to provide flight spares or duplicates of the experiments that are currently revolutionising our understanding of near-Earth space.

ESA has agreed to contribute 8 million Euros to the Double Star programme. The funding will be used for refurbishment and pre-integration of the European instruments, acquisition of data for 4 hours per day and co-ordination of scientific operations.

Launch Services

Ariane 5 Satellites in Wrong Orbit
Following a perfect lift off from its launch site at Kourou, French Guiana, on Thursday Ariane 5 failed to put two comsats in the correct transfer orbit. Initial indications are that the second stage of the rocket shut down prematurely.

The two satellites were intended to be placed in a 35,853 km x 858 km transfer orbit with an inclination of 2.0°. They were actually left in a 17,528 km x 592 km orbit with an inclination of 2.9°.

Early reports are that the second stage, the Astrium manufactured Storable Propellant Stage (EPS), only generated 80% of the intended thrust and cut out 80 seconds early. It should have fired for 16 minutes 20 seconds, but this should have automatically been extended to compensate for the reduced thrust. Telemetry indicated that an anomaly occurred three seconds after ignition. Speculation is that the problem was caused by a propellant leak. The upper stage uses monomethyl hydrazine fuel and nitrogen tetroxide oxidiser, which are fed from pressurised tanks to a single Aestus motor.

In spite of these problems the second stage managed to orient itself correctly and successfully deployed the two satellites, leaving at least the possibility of recovery.

The satellites left in limbo by Ariane 510 are Artemis, an experimental European Space Agency telecommunications satellite, and BSAT-2b, a Japanese TV broadcast satellite.

Artemis, with a price tag of US$ 850 million, is ESA's most expensive satellite ever. It may carry enough fuel to allow it to reach geostationary orbit where it should be able to use ion propulsion thrusters for station keeping.

Japanese Broadcasting Satellite System's BSAT-2b may be a different story - it probably has enough fuel to reach geostationary orbit, but would be left without fuel for station keeping.

This was the tenth launch of an Ariane 5 and the third failure. Ariane 4, by comparison, which is due to be replaced by Ariane 5 in 2003 when the remaining stock of 12 launchers is used up, has had a series of 62 consecutive successful launches.

Before Thursday's launch failure, Arianespace was expecting to have three further Ariane 5 launches and three more Ariane 4 launches before the end of the year. The next Ariane 5 was scheduled to launch Atlantic Bird 2 and Insat 3C in September and the next Ariane 4 was to launch Intelsat 902 on 23 August.

An inquiry board has been appointed to investigate the cause of the launch failure. Preliminary conclusions are due at the beginning of August.

ATK Extends Titan IV Operations Contract
ATK (Alliant Techsystems) has completed negotiations with Lockheed Martin for two contract extensions worth US$ 21.5 million for Titan IV B production and launch operations support, including launch site segment receiving, inspection, assembly and testing, and all launch-related activities.

The first contract extension, which is valued at US$ 1.2 million, will continue ATK launch support activities at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, from March 2002 to September 2002. The second contract extension, worth US$ 20.3 million, will continue the company's Titan IV production and launch operations work at its Utah Propulsion Center in Magna, Utah, Vandenberg Air Force Base, and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, from October 2002 through the last scheduled Titan IV flight in September 2003.

The Titan IV contracts are managed by ATK Aerospace Propulsion Company of Magna, Utah.

In addition to providing launch support services, ATK Aerospace Propulsion Company also produces the Titan IV B vehicle's Solid Rocket Motor Upgrade (SRMU) boosters.

Launches

STS-104

Launched: 12 July 2001
Site: Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Launcher: Shuttle Atlantis (STS-104)
Orbit: LEO: apogee: 226 km, perigee: 226 km: inclination: 51.6°
International Number: 2001-028A
Name: ISS 7A (Joint Airlock and High Pressure Gas Assembly) on the Shuttle Atlantis (STS-104)
Owner: NASA

This Shuttle mission to the International Space Station will deliver and install the Joint Airlock. Atlantis docked with the ISS early on Saturday. Mission duration is to be nearly 11 days.

Crew:

Steven Lindsey, commander
Charles Hobaugh, pilot
Janet Lynn Kavandi, mission specialist
Michael Gernhardt, mission specialist
James Reilly, mission specialist

Artemis, BSAT-2B

Launched: 12 July 2001
Site: CSG Kourou, French Guiana
Launcher: Ariane 5

International Number: 2001-029A
Intended Final Orbit: GEO, 21.5 E°
Current Orbit: GTO, apogee: 17,528 km, perigee: 592 km: inclination: 2.9°
Name: Artemis
Owner: European Space Agency
Contractor: Alenia Spazio

Artemis is an experimental telecommunications satellite designed for voice and data communications between mobile terminals (mainly for cars, trucks and trains of boats), broadcasting accurate navigation information as an element of Europe's EGNOS and sending high-speed data communications directly between satellites.

International Number: 2001-029B
Intended Final Orbit: GEO, 110 E°
Current Orbit: GTO, apogee: 17,528 km, perigee: 592 km: inclination: 2.9°
Name: BSAT-2B
Owner: Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation
Contractor: Orbital Sciences

BSAT-2B is a Japanese Ku band TV broadcast satellite. It was intended to be a flight spare for BSAT-2A.

Both satellites are currently stranded in the wrong orbit. They have been placed in a safe mode and mission analysts are evaluating whether recovery plans are possible. Current information is that Artemis carries enough fuel to achieve geostationary orbit where it will be able to use its ion propulsion system for station keeping. BSAT-2B may have enough fuel to reach geostationary orbit will have little fuel remaining for stationkeeping if it does so.

Business

EBU Admits Serbian and Montenegrin Broadcasters
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the association of Europe's public service broadcasters, has admitted Radio Television of Serbia (RTS) and Radio Television of Crna Gora (RTVCG, Montenegro) with immediate effect.

The two broadcasters serve what remains of Yugoslavia, except for the UN-administered territory of Kosovo, where the public broadcaster RTK is operated by the EBU. They were accepted for joint membership, as EBU members must have national coverage.

Before the break-up of Yugoslavia into separate independent states in 1992, RTS and RTVCG were constituent parts of the Yugoslav Radio Television (JRT), a founder member of the EBU in 1950. RTV Bosnia-Herzegovina, RTV Croatia, RTV Macedonia and RTV Slovenia were admitted to the EBU in 1993, but the remaining components of JRT were not admitted - in particular because Serbia/Montenegro was not recognised by the International Telecommunications Union. (The ITU admitted Serbia/Montenegro on 1 June 2001).

The admission of RTS and RTVCG means that the EBU now has 70 full (or "active") members in 51 countries. With the readmission of MBC Korea and Radiodiffusion Télévision Sénégalaise, the Union also has 47 associate members in 29 countries from outside the European Broadcasting Area.

Echostar Hikes StarBand Stake
EchoStar Communications Corp is to take majority shareholding in StarBand, the satellite Internet access company, for US$ 50 million in cash.

Co-shareholder Gilat Satellite Networks will continue to provide its proprietary VSAT technology for the enterprise.

EchoStar, which currently has a 19% shareholding in the company, will increase this to 32% immediately, and will further increase this to 54.3% when satellite construction begins.

Gilat's stake will be reduced from 45% to 22%.

Ultimately, EchoStar will have four seats on the StarBand board and Gilat will have the other three.

iBeam Broadcasting Completes US$ 40 Million Funding Deal
Streaming communications provider iBeam Broadcasting Corp has completed a strategic partnership and funding transaction with four investors, including Williams Communications, under which the investors have provided iBeam US$ 40 million in cash and services. The other investors are Allen & Company Incorporated, who acted as financial advisor to Williams Communications in the transaction, TouchAmerica Inc, and Lunn iBeam, LLC.

Under the terms of the agreement, iBeam issued and sold 2,400,939 shares of convertible preferred stock for a total purchase price of US$ 30 million in cash, plus an in-kind contribution of services by Williams Communications valued at US$ 10 million, for total consideration of US$ 40 million. The preferred stock votes with the common stock on an as converted basis and is initially convertible into 240,093,900 shares of common stock of iBeam, representing approximately 65% of iBeam's outstanding voting stock. Williams Communications holds preferred stock initially convertible into 49% of iBeam's outstanding voting stock.

iBeam requested and obtained an exception to the shareholder approval requirements and a waiver of the voting rights rules from The Nasdaq Stock Market, citing the company's immediate need for the funds.

Products and Services

High Performance Prescalers for Space and Defence Applications
Peregrine Semiconductor has announced the introduction of its PE9302 and PE9303 rad hard 3.5 GHz prescalers for space and defence applications. Peregrine is currently sampling its PE9302 and PE9303 with mass production available in September.

The PE9302 and PE9303 are high performance monolithic CMOS prescalers with a fixed divide ratio of four and eight respectively. With an operating frequency range of 2.0 to 3.5 GHz, the prescalers are designed for low power operation (14 mA @ 3V across frequency), and operate from a single supply.

Built using Peregrine's Ultra-Thin-Silicon (UTSi(R)) CMOS process, the PE9302 and PE9303 can easily attain 300 Krad(Si) total dose tolerance. They are immune to any latch-up (well known for Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) technologies), and show impressive Single Event Upset (SEU) tolerances (SEU less than 10(-9)/bit-day).

People

ATCi Expands International Sales Division
Antenna Technology Communications Inc (ATCi) is expanding its international sales division to accelerate the presence of its satellite communications products and services worldwide.

Gunnar Light, recently promoted managing director of worldwide sales, will lead ATCi's global expansion into Europe, the Middle East, Africa (EMEA), Latin America and Asia-Pacific. While managing the strategic development and daily operations of ATCi's worldwide sales division, Mr Light will retain his previous responsibilities of developing broadband business in the Asia-Pacific.

ATCi has also appointed Anthony Graves to the position of domestic sales director and product manager of the satellite equipment products and installation services sales division. Anthony will oversee domestic sales, vendor relations, and promotion co-ordination with the marketing department.

Dalen Wilcock joins the corporate sales division, taking over as area manager, southern United States. Bringing his previous experience in Latin America business development from ATCi's broadband team, he will now be responsible for managing domestic sales of the southern domestic and Caribbean region for hardware products and installation services.

PanAmSat Appoints VP, Latin America Operations
PanAmSat Corporation has appointed Eduardo J. Martinez to the position of vice president, Latin America operations.

In the newly created post, Mr Martinez is responsible for overall management of the company's sales efforts in Latin America. In this capacity, he directs the sale of full-time broadcast, business data communications, video and telecommunications services throughout the region. Mr Martinez reports to Tom Eaton, PanAmSat's executive vice president of global sales.

As vice president, Latin America operations, Mr Martinez oversees PanAmSat's sales office in Coral Gables, Florida. Mr Martinez manages the sale of all PanAmSat value-added satellite services to broadcast, cable, Internet and telecommunications customers throughout Mexico, and Central and South America. These offerings include the company's global program distribution, direct-to-home, Internet backbone access, business communications and data services as well as special event and ad hoc services.

Pegasus Appoints New Vice Presidents
Pegasus Communications Corporation has announced key personnel appointments in the area of business development. Macy Summers was named vice president of technology and Chuck Chakravarty was named vice president of business development, effective immediately.

Both Mr Summers and Mr Chakravarty will report directly to John Hane, senior vice president of business development.

Mr Summers will oversee both strategic planning and Pegasus' technical development staff. He will have primary responsibility for key development projects, including the launch of Pegasus' broadband Internet service for enterprises, enhancement of the Pegasus Express platform, Ka band services, and expansion of the Pegasus data network.

Mr Chakravarty will have primary responsibility for negotiating and structuring strategic alliances and business planning for new ventures.

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