30 December 2001
Satcoms
FCC Grants Boeing by Connexion Licence
Radyne Comstream to Build Digital
Uplink in Singapore
Solar Array Failure on Arabsat 3A
Science
FUSE Reaction Wheel Failures
Business
Integral Systems to Acquire Newpoint Technologies
FCC Grants Boeing by Connexion Licence
The
Boeing Company has been granted a license by the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) that will enable passengers on aeroplanes to transmit and
receive broadband data in flight, using its Connexion by Boeing service.
This two-way license will enable operators of commercial
airliners and executive jets, such as private and government aircraft, to offer
real-time, high-speed Internet and intranet access, television and e-mail above
US territory and waters.
The Connexion by Boeing service was going to
be partially funded by American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines
who would become anchor tenants for the new service. In November all three of
these airlines withdrew from their planned participation, blaming the downturn
in the airline industry following the September 11 attacks in the USA.
Boeing still expects to begin installing equipment for the service on Lufthansa
long haul airliners towards the end of 2002 or in early 2003.
Radyne Comstream to Build Digital Uplink in Singapore
Radyne
ComStream's wholly-owned subsidiary Armer Communications Engineering Services
(ACES) has been awarded a US$ 1.1 million contract by ESPN Star Sports to
provide a Digital Television Uplink facility in Singapore.
ESPN Star Sports, a 50:50 joint venture between ESPN Inc and
Star, is Asia's complete sports provider that reaches over 82 million
households for ESPN and over 56 million households for STAR Sports.
Solar Array Failure on Arabsat 3A
The Arabsat 3A communications
satellite has lost half of its electrical power following the failure of one of
its two solar arrays. The failure happened during the week of the 5th
December.
The Alcatel Space built satellite was launched
on 26 February 1999 and is based on the company's Spacebus 3000 platform.
Reports indicate that the satellite was operating normally when power from one
of the solar arrays was suddenly cut off. Together the two solar arrays are
designed to provide 6400 W of power at end of life. With only half its DC power
available, Arabsat, the owners and operators of the satellite, are only
powering those transponders on the satellite which carry TV transmissions.
The cause of the problem is currently a mystery, though it is not expected
that the satellite will be recovered. Arabsat (Arab Satellite Communications
Organisation) will most likely file a claim for the total loss of the satellite
valued at some US$ 180 million.
FUSE Reaction Wheel Failures
NASA's Far Ultraviolet
Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) automatically commanded itself into safe mode on
December 10 when the second of its four reaction wheels failed, leaving the
satellite incapable of independently fixing its orientation in space.
Launched in June 1999, FUSE has experienced a series of
reaction wheel problems in the last eighteen months. Problems began in August
2000 when gas trapped distorted the insulation inside one reaction wheel
housing, making it touch the spinning wheel inside. This problem recurred in
February this year.
The first reaction wheel failed in November 2001,
leaving the spacecraft with the minimum number of three wheels necessary to
orient itself accurately in space. When the second wheel failed earlier this
month the spacecraft was put into a safe mode in which it can survive until a
fix is found.
It may be possible to restart on of the two failed
wheels. An alternative solution is to use the Earth's magnetic field to change
the orientation of the spacecraft along with the two remaining reaction wheels.
This type of solution has been successfully implemented in the past, but will
require new software for attitude control which will take months to write and
test.
Gonets, Strela
Launched: 28 December 2001
Site: Plesetsk
Cosmodrome, Russia
Launcher: Zyklon-3
Orbit: LEO, apogee: 1400 km,
perigee: 1400 km: inclination: 82.5°
International Number: 2001-058A to
058C
Name: Gonets D1-07, Gonets D1-08, Gonets D1-09
Owner:
Rosaviakosmos
Contractor: NPO PM
Orbit: LEO, apogee: 1400 km,
perigee: 1400 km: inclination: 82.5°
International Number: 2001-058D to
058F
Name: Cosmos 2384, Cosmos 2385, Cosmos 2386
Owner: Russian Defence
Ministry
Contractor: NPO PM
These six satellites are believed to
consist of three Gonets civil store and forward communications satellites and
three Strela military store and forward communications satellites (Cosmos 2384
to 2386).
Integral Systems to Acquire Newpoint Technologies
Integral Systems Inc has signed an agreement to
acquire Newpoint Technologies Inc. of Salem, New Hampshire in an all-cash deal,
subject to the approval of Newpoint's shareholders. The company, which is
currently held privately, will continue to operate independently as a
wholly-owned subsidiary.
Newpoint is an industry leader
in Satellite and Terrestrial Network Management Systems for control of data,
internet, broadcast, telecom, and hybrid networks. Newpoint has been the
industry's dominant supplier of software and systems for equipment M&C
(Monitoring And Control). Newpoint's principal customers are commercial
satellite operators, telecommunications companies, and broadband service
providers.
