9 September 2001

Satcoms

BSS To Build Horizon-1 Satellite
PanAmSat Corporation and JSAT Corporation have selected Boeing Satellite Systems (BSS) to build a new spacecraft for the two companies' recent joint venture, Horizons, as well as PanAmSat's domestic US cable program distribution offerings.

From its orbital slot at 127° W, between the Hawaiian Islands and the US West Coast, the new Boeing 601HP satellite will have coverage over North America, Central America, Alaska and Hawaii. The spacecraft will carry a total of 48 active transponders, 24 in Ku band and 24 in C band. The contract calls for launch in the 4th Quarter of 2002 aboard a Sea Launch booster. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The spacecraft's Ku band payload, which will be known as Horizons 1, is being constructed for the Horizons partnership and will be jointly owned by PanAmSat and JSAT. It will be used to offer a variety of digital video, Internet and data services. Using a Hawaii-based relay station, the satellite's Ku band payload also will be able to deliver content and services between the United States and Asia.

The C band portion of the new spacecraft will be known as Galaxy XIII and will be operated separately as part of PanAmSat's Galaxy cable neighbourhood, which serves the domestic US cable industry. Galaxy XIII will be used to replace capacity on Galaxy IX, which is a Boeing 376 model that will move to a new orbital position and continue to provide services.

Horizons 1's 24 Ku-band transponders will each be powered by 108 W linear travelling wave tube amplifiers (LTWTAs). Galaxy XIII's 24 C band transponders will each be powered by 40 W LTWTAs. The spacecraft's solar wings will feature dual-junction gallium arsenide solar cells manufactured by Spectrolab Inc, a Boeing subsidiary. These cells will deliver 9.9 kW of power at the beginning of the satellite's 15-year design life.

Comtech Provides Bandwidth on Demand System to Chinese Bank
Comtech Telecommunications Corp has received an order to provide its MIDAS satellite bandwidth on demand system to one of China's largest banking organisations, the Everbright Bank.

Everbright will be the third Chinese bank to use the MIDAS system, developed and produced by Comtech EF Data, an Arizona-based subsidiary of Comtech Telecommunications.

The order was received through Datacom Enterprises, Comtech's distributor for China. The first phase of the project will involve initial installation of the system and is expected to generate revenue in excess of US$ 1 million.

The Everbright Bank's MIDAS system will provide automatic emergency backup via satellite for a terrestrial data and voice network plus on-demand video conferencing services for selected bank branches. The Comtech EF Data system was chosen after extensive evaluation of its technical features and price and performance advantages.

The Everbright Bank was founded in China in 1992 to provide emerging enterprises with funding. It has since expanded to become a full-service national and international bank. Its new system will bring the total number of nodes under MIDAS control to over 400 with planned expansion to an additional 600 nodes. Other MIDAS users in China include the Agricultural Bank Of China (ABOC) and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC).

Lockheed Martin to Build Three Satellites for GE Americom
Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems (LMCSS) has been awarded a contract to build three A2100 geosynchronous satellites for GE American Communications Inc (GE Americom). The next generation cable television satellites, designated GE-10, GE-11, and GE-18, will provide distribution of premium cable programming across North America.

All three spacecraft will carry twenty-four, 36 MHz C band transponders and be used to provide cable television services to the 50 United States, Mexico and the Caribbean. GE-10 will take the place of GE Satcom C-4 and GE-11 will replace GE Satcom C-3, which currently operate from their orbital locations at 135° W and 131° W, respectively. GE-18 is being developed as a ground spare that could operate from either 131 or 135 W. The satellites will expand GE Americom's global fleet of satellites, which provide global distribution of cable, broadcast television and radio, telecommunications services, business television and broadband data.

The new satellites will be the ninth, tenth and eleventh A2100 series spacecraft designed and built for GE Americom by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems.

NeTrue Announces China Telemedicine Project First Phase Contract
NeTrue Communications Vipersat Networks (Vipersat) division has signed a contract with Shanghai Telemedicinet for the sale and installation of a satellite telemedicine network.

The US$ 500,000 contract is for the initial phase of a multi-million dollar network.

Shanghai Telemedicinet and NeTrue's Vipersat also signed a Memorandum of Understanding stating that Vipersat will be the hardware and software provider for the entire network, which is valued at more than US$ 3.2 million. The network will ultimately link 200 hospitals throughout China with complete installation expected within 18 months.

The first phase of the project, connecting 20 sites with a hub in Shanghai, is intended to be shipped in September 2001 and is expected to be in operation by the end of October 2001.

Shanghai Telemedicinet is to use NeTrue's Vipersat IP VSAT network to carry video and data traffic. The goal of the telemedicine network is to bring the expertise resident in China's major medical centres to remote medical facilities throughout the country by enabling distant review of patient records, x-rays, and charts and by facilitating direct tele-video consultation and diagnosis.

The Vipersat network will utilise both star and mesh topologies to allow remote to remote communications, ensuring a high level of quality for video transmissions. In addition, Vipersat provides industry-leading technology to guarantee video quality through dynamic bandwidth management and switching. Guarantees of video quality for tele-consultation and diagnosis are essential to the operation of a telemedicine network.

SS/Loral to Build DirecTV Satellite
Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) is to build a new high-power spot beam satellite that will enable DirecTV to serve additional markets with local channels and add new services.

The new satellite, named DirecTV-7S, will be delivered in the second half of 2003, and will be the second spot beam satellite in the DirecTV fleet following the launch of DirecTV-4S later this year. DirecTV expects to have DirecTV-7S in service by the end of 2003.

DirecTV-7S will generate more than 13 kW of total satellite power at the beginning of its life and is designed to operate from orbital locations at 101° W, the primary orbital slot for DirecTV, or 119° W.

In one operating mode, the new satellite will be capable of providing up to 54 transponders for high-quality local and national digital video service broadcast into 27 beams. In its other configuration, the satellite will be capable of providing up to 44 transponders broadcast into 30 beams.

The spacecraft is a version of SS/L's 1300 geostationary satellite platform. It has a designed service life of 15 years and maintains station-keeping and orbital stability by using bipropellant propulsion and momentum-bias systems. A system of high efficiency solar arrays and lightweight batteries provides uninterrupted electrical power.

Earth Observation

Space Imaging Granted California Multiple Award Schedule Contract
Space Imaging's Sacramento, California office has been awarded a California Multiple Award Schedule (CMAS) contract by the State of California. The contract allows state and local agencies in California to easily purchase consulting services from Space Imaging at prices assessed to be fair, reasonable and competitive.

The CMAS program enables agencies to evaluate information technology consulting services offered by Space Imaging Services, also known as Pacific Meridian Resources, and establish contracts through an efficient system that eliminates the costly and time-consuming bid process. Through the CMAS program, Space Imaging provides services and prices from an already existing, competitively assessed contract.

GIS and remote sensing consulting services offered under the Space Imaging CMAS contract include: project planning; IT requirement analysis; database design and development; application design and development, land cover mapping; satellite and airborne image acquisition; programming and documentation; systems integration; quality assurance/quality control; and on-site support.

Military Space

Advanced EHF Passes PDR
The Advanced Extremely High Frequency (Advanced EHF) National Team of Lockheed Martin Space Systems, TRW Space & Electronics and Boeing Satellite Systems has successfully completed the system Preliminary Design Review (PDR) with its customer, the MILSATCOM Joint Program Office, US Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center.

The PDR demonstrated that the Advanced EHF design meets or exceeds the customer's requirements for the next-generation highly secure military satellite system, which will employ the world's most complex and sophisticated communication satellites.

More than 400 people from the Air Force, Army, Navy, Department of Defense agencies, as well as industry teammates TRW and Boeing and other system engineering and technical assistance support contractors, participated in the three-day review held recently at Lockheed Martin's Sunnyvale facility. The PDR validated that the Advanced EHF architecture supports the Air Force concept of operations and provides backward compatibility with Milstar ground and space assets.

The review of the system verified that the design would satisfy global and worldwide continuous coverage at ten times the capacity of the heritage Milstar system. It will provide electronic jamming protection for military forces and the ability to support joint communications among all military EHF terminals.

Now that the system PDR has been successfully completed, the team has quickly turned its focus to the execution of the ground and satellite segment PDRs, which will be conducted through mid-September. As the design matures, the team will conduct additional lower level element and component reviews, before the system level critical design review in July 2003, prior to production start.

The fully operational Advanced EHF constellation will consist of four cross-linked satellites providing Earth coverage. These satellites will provide secure data throughput capability and coverage flexibility to regional and global military operations and will also be backward compatible with the Milstar system. The first of the four satellites is scheduled for launch in December 2005.

OHB-System to Build German Spy Satellites
OHB-System has been awarded the contract for the development, construction and operation of five German radar spy satellites, to be known as SAR-Lupe.

The contract between OHB and the German Federal Office of Defence, Technology and Procurement (BWB) is expected to be completed by the end of September 2001 which must then be approved by the budget committee of the German parliament. The cost of the satellites is expected to be about 250 million Euros, but unofficial estimates have been as high as 400 million Euros.

The consortium, lead by OHB-System, includes several other European space contractors including Alcatel Space, Bosch Satcom, Saab Ericsson and EADS Dornier.

The satellites will be launched into low earth orbit from Baikonur in Kazakhstan, starting in 2004. The system is to be completed by 2006 and will be operational for more than ten years.

The SAR-Lupe system will consist of up to five small satellites of approximately 700 kg weight as well as a ground segment for controlling the satellites and receiving and processing image data. The satellites will placed in two polar orbits at an altitude of approximately 500 km, with two satellites in each orbit. The fifth satellite will be held as a ground spare. Each satellite will carry a synthetic aperture radar payload capable of generating high resolution radar images.

USAF Loses Interest in X Vehicles
Reports indicate that the US Air Force does not intend to invest in the X-33 and X-34 experimental vehicles or to increase its involvement in NASA's X-37 experimental space manoeuvring vehicle.

NASA pulled out of both the X-33 and X-34 projects in March following a series of technical problems, leaving both vehicles in limbo.

Lockheed Martin has spent the last few months trying to interest the USAF in taking over funding of the project to use the X-33 as a demonstrator single stage reusable launch vehicle. Orbital Sciences, the prime contractor for the X-34 program, was also hopeful that the USAF would also fund their experimental launcher.

US Army Awards Harris Contract for Lightweight Multiband Satellite Terminals
Harris Corporation has been awarded a US$ 222 million production contract by the US Army Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM) for 205 Lightweight Multiband Satellite Terminals (LMST).

Harris has received US$ 66 million since 1995 for the design, development, and low rate initial production of 36 LMST systems. As previously announced by the US Army, production orders for the 205 additional systems could increase the total LMST contract value for Harris to $288 million by 2006.

The highly mobile LMST provides deployed military forces with military X and Ka band, and commercial C and Ku band access for satellite-based, voice, video, and data communications connectivity with headquarters operations.

Under terms of the production contract, Harris is responsible for program management and production of up to 205 LMSTs including associated documentation and equipment. Work will begin immediately on new orders from the US Marine Corps and US Air Force for 25- and 14-transit case systems respectively.

Through technology enhancements such as a six-spoke hub with a reach-back spoke, LMST now offers significantly greater capability and flexibility than previous generations of the terminals, as well as six-times the communications capacity. The modular design of the LMST makes it configurable to either a transit case or trailer design in order to support various missions such as humanitarian, disaster relief, and regional conflicts.

Manned Space

MirCorp Plans Private Space Station
MirCorp has announced plans to develop a private space station as a destination for space tourists.

Although MirCorp announced it has reached an agreement for the design, development, launch and operation of the world's first private space station, Russian officials revealed that the agreement is for Russian space company Energia to perform a feasibility study for the space station.

MirCorp's planned orbital facility, to be named Mini Station 1, will accommodate three visitors for stays of up to 20 days at a time. It is to have a lifetime of more than 15 years, and will be serviced by both Soyuz manned transports and unmanned Progress cargo re-supply spacecraft. MirCorp predicts the start-up of commercial operations is expected in 2004.

Detailed definition of the MirCorp station is to be completed in October.

Under the planned scenario, MirCorp Soyuz manned transportation vehicles will visit both Mini Station 1 and the International Space Station. On a typical flight, the Soyuz would go first to Mini Station 1, where it will be docked for the two-week commercial mission. It then would fly to the ISS, where the Soyuz crew will transfer to the older Soyuz already docked to the international station. The crew would return in this Soyuz, leaving a newer spacecraft for the next space transportation cycle.

Business

International Datacasting to Acquire BroadLogic's Satellite Express Products Business
International Datacasting and BroadLogic Network Technologies have signed a letter of intent for IDC to acquire BroadLogic's Satellite Express products business.

Financial terms of the transaction, which is expected to be concluded in approximately four weeks, were not disclosed.

BroadLogic - which is based in Milpitas, California with sales and service offices in Paris and Singapore - offers a line of DVB-compliant satellite receivers including the Satellite Express PCI+ satellite-to-PCI broadband receiver and the Satellite Express USB satellite-to-USB broadband receiver.

Following IDC's acquisition of the Satellite Express products, BroadLogic will focus its business to become a fabless semiconductor company with silicon products targeted at satellite, cable and terrestrial applications.

The acquisition is subject to Board and regulatory approvals as well as the finalising of definitive agreements.

Transcendent Technologies to be Reintegrated Into Applied Signal Technology
Applied Signal Technology Inc announced today that its wholly owned subsidiary, Transcendent Technologies Inc, would be reintegrated into the parent corporation. The reintegration will achieve cost savings with respect to the pursuit of the commercial satellite marketplace.

Transcendent Technologies builds products for bandwidth management and efficient bandwidth utilisation.

Applied Signal Technology Inc plans to continue to manufacture the Model 2010 Satellite Carrier Monitoring System and to complete the prototype development of the Doubletalk bandwidth enhancement product. The reintegration will reduce duplicative general and administrative costs incurred by Transcendent. In addition, this reintegration provides greater operational flexibility in the development and manufacture of Transcendent's products through the use of existing Applied Signal Technology Inc resources.

Products and Services

Worldspace Launches Low-Cost Satellite Receivers From BPL
WorldSpace Corporation has launched a new digital audio satellite receiver through a tie-up with Indian electronics manufacturing giant BPL Ltd. The receivers will be sold under the brand name "Celeste" and will be available in retail outlets soon.

BPL has upgraded its manufacturing capacity to produce units capable of meeting demand from both the Indian and international markets. The sets will be manufactured at its plant at Bangalore and will have an ex-factory cost of less
than US$ 100.00. The receivers are FM, AM, MW, SW, cassette, and WorldSpace accessible. BPL plans to introduce new variants of the receiver by the year-end.

WorldSpace will supplement the BPL distribution pipeline through its arrangement with various marketing partnerships including its exclusive tie-up with 57 Food World outlets across the cities of Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Coimbatore and Pune. Consumers can experience WorldSpace music and purchase receivers at each of the kiosks set up at these stores.

Currently four of the worlds leading consumer electronics manufacturers - Hitachi, JVC, Panasonic and Sanyo - have designed and manufactured the special receivers needed to receive the WorldSpace service. These receivers are being sold through BPL retail outlets, as well as through additional distribution channels arranged by WorldSpace.

People

Lockheed Martin Announces New Appointments
Lockheed Martin Space Operations (LMSO) has announced three new executive appointments.

Ken Reightler has been named LMSO senior vice president; Richard (Rick) Hieb replaces Reightler as vice president, Science, Engineering, Analysis and Test (SEAT) Operation and SEAT program manager; and Ted Bilke has joined the company as vice president, Enterprise Solutions.

Reightler assumes his new position after successfully leading the company's engineering and scientific support of Johnson Space Center during a period of intense activity in the space program as NASA and its international partners have successfully established a permanent human presence in space.

Before joining Lockheed Martin in 1995, he spent eight years with NASA as an astronaut. A veteran of two Space Shuttle flights, he logged over 327 hours in space and made 212 orbits of the Earth. Prior to joining NASA, he served as a naval officer, aviator and test pilot.

Hieb, a former astronaut, joins LMSO from Orbital Sciences Corporation, where he was vice president, new business, and Crew Return Vehicle (CRV) program manager. In that position, he was responsible for new business in Orbital's Advanced Programs Group, which included the CRV for the space station and the Second Generation Reusable Launch Vehicle Risk Reduction Program, which is part of NASA's Space Launch Initiative. Prior to joining Orbital, he served from 1995 to 1999 as director, commercial space, for AlliedSignal Technical Services Corp.

Hieb retired from NASA in 1995 after six years in the Mission Operations Directorate at Johnson Space Center and almost 10 years in the Astronaut Corps. He flew three Space Shuttle missions, serving as payload commander for the second International Microgravity Laboratory mission on STS-65 and as a mission specialist on STS-49 and STS-39. He has logged over 750 hours in space, including more than 17 hours of EVA.

Bilke joins Lockheed Martin after most recently serving as chief operating officer for Ascendant Solutions, a business-to-business solutions provider based in Dallas. He also has served as director, LAN management services, for MCI Systemhouse and vice president, integration services, for Bell & Howell. He spent ten years at EDS where he built a strong foundation of commercial IT experience.

Web spacenewsfeed.co.uk