3 March 2002
Satcoms
Alpha Spacecom Plans 2003 Launch
BASF Selects Spacenet for 3000 Site
Agricultural Retailer Network
Tachyon's Transportable Broadband Prototype Expedites
Firefighting Effort in California
Earth
Observation
GeoAnalytic
Enhances Mapping Capabilities with RSI
Space Imaging Signs Spot Asia
as a Reseller
Military
Space
Paradigm Wins
UK's Skynet Contract
Technology
Contacting Pioneer 10
Desert Expedition Finds Missing HyShot
Scramjet
Launch
Services
ViaSat Wins
Kodiak Range Safety Contract
Launches
Kosmos 2387
Envisat
STS-109 - HST Servicing Mission 3B
Business
Arbitration Panel Upholds Loral's Termination of Alliance with
Alcatel
Globalstar Receives Court Approval to Conduct Business as
Usual
PanAmSat
Raises US$ 2 Billion in New Debt Financing
SNPE and Snecma Plan to Consolidate Solid Propulsion
Operations
Products and Services
Andrew Introduces Type Approved 3.7-m C Band Earth
Station Antenna
Aramiska Launches Broadband Internet for SMEs
Paradise Datacom Integrates SkyX
Gateway into Satellite Modem
People
ATK Announces Business Structure and Leadership Changes
Space Imaging Announces
Executive Management Appointments
Alpha Spacecom Plans 2003 Launch
Alpha Spacecom has announced
hat it is planning to launch its first communications satellite in late 2003
providing interactive and on demand services from its specialised Alpha Systems
Platform.
The Alphacom System is a hybrid Ka/Ku band
satellite system consisting of a Ka band platform and a Ku band platform with
interoperability between the two. The system can support "Star" network(s) to
provide unicast, multicast or broadcast connectivity, as well as "Mesh"
network(s) to provide point-to point connectivity. The "Star" networks and the
"Mesh" networks are the two basic network configurations for any broadband
systems to adopt. With additional capability in reconfiguring the connectivity,
the system offers highly efficient utilisation of the frequency resources; thus
making it cost competitive against any other broadband platforms.
Alpha Spacecom is responsible for the overall planning of the Alphacom System
and the construction and management of the space segment of the Alphacom
system. Alpha Spacecom is responsible for the development of the ground
application systems and equipment. Lockheed Martin Corporation, is the
investing contractor responsible for the design and construction of the
Alphacom System including the satellites, the Network Operations Center (NOC),
the Regional Operations Centers (ROC) and the Satellite Operations Center
(SOC). Alpha Spacecom will work with Alpha Satnet on the development and
applications of the ground networks.
BASF Selects Spacenet for 3000 Site Agricultural Retailer
Network
Spacenet Inc has been selected by BASF Corporation to
provide a two-way, broadband satellite communications network to serve up to
3,000 agricultural retailers and distributors across the USA.
The satellite network, based on Gilat's 360E VSAT platform,
will power a new BASF service to be called Harvest Partners Network, which will
bring high-speed Internet access to rural locations that until now have had
limited access to broadband connectivity. Harvest Partners Network will be
available to agricultural retailers in the second quarter of this year.
Harvest Partners Network subscribers will have nearly immediate access to
in-depth market, weather, news and agronomy information on the Harvest Partners
Network web site. The web site will also include content such as full-motion
video, Internet-based training, and digital images. Those subscribers will also
be able to use the satellite network for a wide range of retail back-office
applications, such as credit authorisation and inventory management.
Tachyon's Transportable Broadband Prototype Expedites
Firefighting Effort in California
When a devastating fire broke out in
Fallbrook, California in February, San Diego-based Tachyon Inc supplied
critical support by equipping firefighters with a complimentary prototype of a
new mobile broadband satellite system that makes high-speed Internet and
network access communications possible in even the most remote locations.
The prototype of Tachyon's new Mobile Network Access
product, which will be introduced in March, helped the California Department of
Forestry (CDF) co-ordinate their firefighting efforts across the 5,700 acres
that burned in this rural San Diego County community over a course of several
days.
The Fallbrook blaze caused millions of dollars in damage,
injuring 14 residents and three firefighters. At one point, about 1,000
firefighters from throughout the state joined in the effort to contain it.
Through the use of Mobile Network Access, the CDF gained field access - just
steps from the fire's edge - to important Web applications that aided in
planning logistics and operational strategies across the many firefighting
teams.
Providing high data rates of up to 2 Mb/s, Tachyon's Mobile
Network Access is the first cost-effective Internet or network connectivity
service for organisations that need transportable broadband network access for
conducting field operations. The system combines Tachyon's broadband satellite
service with its Mobile Customer Premise Equipment (Mobile CPE), which consists
of a modular satellite dish and industrial shipping cases that make it possible
to transport the Mobile CPE to any location. In approximately 30 minutes, the
Mobile CPE can be assembled to deliver high-speed access to an enterprise
network or the Internet via Tachyon's broadband satellite
infrastructure.
GeoAnalytic Enhances Mapping Capabilities with RSI
Radarsat International (RSI) and GeoAnalytic Inc have
renewed a purchase agreement for the supply of Radarsat-1, Landsat 5, Landsat
7, and ERS-1 and -2 Earth-observation (EO) satellite images by RSI to
GeoAnalytic over the next two years.
GeoAnalytic will
utilise the images as part of the value-added mapping services it provides to
clients for digital mapping, exploration, and environmental applications. The
renewal represents a 50% increase in mutual business for the companies from the
last contract signed.
Space Imaging Signs Spot Asia as a Reseller
Space
Imaging announced today that it has signed a reseller agreement with Spot Asia.
Spot Asia, based in Singapore, is a subsidiary of Spot Image of Toulouse,
France.
Under the terms of this reseller agreement, Spot
Asia will gain access to Space Imaging's portfolio of digital Earth products
and services, including high-resolution Ikonos satellite imagery. Spot Asia
will sell to the Southeast Asian region.
Spot Asia, a subsidiary of
Spot Image France, created in 1991 has a long experience in marketing
multi-source satellite imagery in Asian countries. Spot Asia distributes a wide
range of geographic information products and services derived from data
acquired by SPOT, ERS, Radarsat and VHR satellites. With the launches of
Envisat and SPOT 5 scheduled early in 2002, the company will further extend its
multi-sensor and multi-resolution offering and strengthen its market
position.
Paradigm
Wins UK's Skynet Contract
The UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) has selected Paradigm
Secure Communications to build and operate a new Skynet 5 military
communications system in a contract valued at approximately £2
billion.
Paradigm will build and operate both the
satellites and earth stations for the system and will sell communications
services to the MOD for use by the UK's military. Paradigm will be permitted to
sell unused satellite capacity to commercial customers. Skynet 5 will begin
offering services in 2005 for a period of twenty years. Paradigm will build at
least two satellites for the contract which will take the orbital locations
currently occupied by Skynet 4 satellites when they come to the end of their
operational lifetimes.
The Paradigm Secure Communications consortium
is led by Astrium and includes Cogent Defence & Security Networks, General
Dynamics' Decision Systems, Logica, Serco Group, Cable & Wireless, Systems
Engineering & Assessment, Motorola and TRW.
The losing bidder for
the contract was Rosetta Global Communications, a consortium consisting of BT,
Lockheed Martin and BAe Systems.
Contacting Pioneer 10
NASA scientists will try to
contact Pioneer 10 this week to see if the spacecraft's signal can still be
heard - 30 years after its launch.
On March 2, 2002,
scientists operating a radio telescope at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Deep
Space Network (DSN) in Madrid, Spain, will attempt to duplicate the feat they
accomplished last spring, when they successfully established contact with the
spacecraft after a silence of eight months.
NASA made contact with the
spacecraft in April of last year. It was the first time the spacecraft had been
heard from since the previous summer. The scientists had been listening for
signals from Pioneer 10 without success, so they sent a signal to it and
received a reply. Since then, the scientists have successfully contacted the
spacecraft twice more, most recently on July 9, 2001.
Launched on
March 2, 1972, Pioneer 10, built by TRW is now at a distance of 7.4 billion
miles from Earth.
Desert Expedition Finds Missing HyShot Scramjet
University of Queensland researchers have found the
missing HyShot payload and rocket in the South Australian desert. The scramjet
was wrecked by its crash into the desert, but the research team hope they can
eliminate many of the factors which may have caused the rocket carrying the
scramjet to veer off course.
The researchers also hope
to launch an identical HyShot scramjet in the next few months, possibly as
early as April.
An aerial team comprising kangaroo researchers
Professor Gordon Grigg, Dr Tony Pople and Lyn Beard of University of
Queensland's School of Life Sciences discovered the scramjet and its launcher
in the Australian Defence Department's Woomera Prohibited Area, more than 500
km north of Adelaide. The rocket was positively identified by a ground team of
Dr Allan Paull, Dr Ross Paull and Myles Frost from University of Queensland's
Centre for Hypersonics. The University of Queensland recovery expedition is
unique and interdisciplinary - zoologists searched from above, while rocket
scientists searched on the ground. The zoologists conduct one of the world's
longest running aerial wildlife surveys and have volunteered their expertise to
assist the HyShot team.
Scramjets are air breathing supersonic
combustion ramjet engines which could revolutionise the launch of small space
payloads such as communication satellites by substantially lowering costs. The
international HyShot consortium aims to provide the world's first in-flight
tests of the technology, validating experiments held in ground test facilities
using scramjets. Last October a flight anomaly meant the HyShot experiment
could not proceed. While the first stage Terrier rocket fell 2 km down range
and was recovered, the scramjet and second stage Orion booster disappeared into
the desert. The payload continued to transmit data throughout the 10-minute
flight and survived the impact. A Blackhawk helicopter on a training exercise
was unable to locate it during an eight-hour search.
ViaSat Wins Kodiak Range Safety Contract
ViaSat
Satellite Ground Systems has received a contract in excess of US$ 3 million
from Honeywell Space Systems for four mobile S band Tracking and
Telemetry/UHF-Band Command Destruct integrated antenna systems. The Range
Safety System (RSS) for the Alaska Aerospace Development Corporation (AADC)
Kodiak Launch Complex tracks launch vehicle data, and provides ground
controllers with the ability to terminate the flight should problems arise.
The Kodiak location launches all types of commercial launch
vehicles and military rockets. The AADC requires range data and command control
equipment to provide real time information to range users and to perform range
safety operations. The primary responsibility of the RSS is to provide positive
control of the launch vehicle for public safety.
These tracking and
telemetry systems combine the ability to receive an S band telemetry data
signal with the ability to transmit high-power UHF Command Destruct tones. Each
of the four antenna systems consists of a 5.4-meter reflector, elevation over
azimuth pedestal, and a specialised Telemetry Tracking/UHF feed. The complete
system includes a uniquely designed trailer/mounting base that provides full
roadworthy towing as well as a stable tracking platform.
The AADC was
established in 1991 to develop Alaska based economic and technical
opportunities in the aerospace industry. The Kodiak Launch Complex is a dual
use spaceport for commercial and government vehicles for sub-orbital and
orbital trajectories over a wide range of launch azimuths. The missions being
flown from this spaceport cover a range from remote sensing and communications
to missile defence technology demonstrators and testing.
Kosmos 2387
Launched: 25 February 2002
Site: Plesetsk
Cosmodrome, Russia
Launcher: Soyuz-U
Orbit: LEO
International
Number: 2002-008A
Name: Kosmos 2387
Kosmos 2387 is a Russian
military optical surveillance satellite. It is a fourth generation film return
satellite and is expected to have completed its mission by May this
year.
Envisat
Launched: 1 March 2002
Site: CSG
Kourou, French Guiana
Launcher: Ariane 5
Orbit: LEO, apogee: 772 km,
perigee: 770 km: inclination: 98.5°
International Number: 2002-009A
Name: Envisat 1
Owner: ESA
Contractor: Astrium
Envisat 1 is a
massive remote sensing satellite weighing in at 8,111 kg. It measures 25 meters
high by ten meters wide and carries a 14 x 14.5 m solar array which generates
6.6 kW of electrical power.
The payload consists of a set of ten
instruments:
1 ASAR (Advanced Synthetic-Aperture Radar)
2. MERIS
(Medium-Resolution Imaging Spectrometer)
3. AATSR (Advanced Along-Track
Scanning Radiometer)
4. RA-2 (Radar Altimeter 2) supported by :
4a MWR
(Microwave Radiometer)
4b DORIS (Doppler Orbitography and Radio-positioning
Integrated by Satellite)
4c LRR (Laser Retro Reflector)
5. MIPAS
(Michelson Interferometic Passive Atmospheric Sounder)
6. GOMOS (Global
Ozone Monitoring by Occultation of Stars)
7. SCIAMACHY (Scanning Imaging
Absorption Spectrometer for Atmospheric Cartography)
Envisat 1 cost
2.3 billion Euros.
STS-109 - HST Servicing Mission 3B
Launched: 2 March 2002
Site:
Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Launcher: Shuttle Columbia (STS-109)
Orbit: LEO, apogee: 571 km, perigee: 554 km: inclination: 28.5°
International Number: 2002-010A
Name: HST Servicing Mission 3B
Owner:
NASA
This mission will repair and upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope
(HST). Five spacewalks will be conducted during the STS-109 mission to install
an advanced new camera system on Hubble, attempt to reactivate its existing
infrared instrumentation system, and install new solar arrays and a new power
controller to extend the telescope's lifetime and capabilities.
Crew:
Scott Altman, Commander
Duane Carey, Pilot
John Grunsfeld,
Mission Specialist 1, Payload Commander
Nancy Currie, Mission Specialist
2
Rick Linnehan, Mission Specialist 3
Jim Newman, Mission Specialist
4
Mike Massimino, Mission Specialist 5
A problem was identified
with a coolant line shortly after launch. The coolant loop is used to remove
heat from the Shuttle's electronics systems. The problem, reduced coolant flow
rate through the loop, may not be serious, but flight rules require two
functional coolant loops for the mission to continue. If the coolant loop
fails, the mission will have to be ended early.
Arbitration Panel Upholds Loral's Termination of Alliance
with Alcatel
Loral Space & Communications has been notified by
an International Chamber of Commerce arbitration panel in Geneva, Switzerland,
that the panel has affirmed the validity of Space System/Loral's termination of
its agreements with Alcatel Space concerning the satellite manufacturing
business, effective February 22, 2002.
The agreements
between Alcatel and SS/L were terminable on one year's notice and, on February
22, 2001, Loral gave notice to Alcatel that they would expire on February 22,
2002. While Alcatel maintained that the notice was not effective, the panel
ruled in Loral's favour on this matter. The agreements are therefore
terminated.
The agreements with Alcatel date back to 1991 and have
outlived their usefulness due to the evolution of the space industry and the
emergence of Alcatel as a direct competitor of Loral's.
In the
arbitration, Alcatel's assertion that there were various breaches of the
agreements was upheld. Alcatel claimed that certain provisions of the agreement
s relating to the exchange of information, along with certain procedural or
administrative provisions, were violated by Loral. Loral believes that
Alcatel's claims for damages are completely without merit. The panel will
decide whether those breaches gave rise to damages at a later date.
Globalstar Receives Court Approval to Conduct Business as
Usual
The US Bankruptcy Court in Delaware has approved all
of the Globalstar's first day motions, allowing Globalstar to continue normal
course operations and, with the support of the Company's service providers,
assure uninterrupted telecommunications service for its customers.
The Court approval, which was granted on February 21,
follows Globalstar's filing on February 15 of a voluntary petition under
Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code with the same court.
Globalstar
will conduct business as usual with respect to customers, employees and most
suppliers. This includes payment of employee salaries and benefits and payment
for goods and services provided after February 15, 2002.
Globalstar
will continue its work on finalising and implementing its new business plan and
expects to file a complete plan of restructuring with the Court in the coming
weeks.
PanAmSat Raises US$ 2 Billion in New Debt Financing
PanAmSat Corporation has successfully raised US$ 2.05
billion in new bank debt and long-term notes. The major financing includes US$
1.25 billion in bank debt, including a revolving credit facility, and US$ 800
million in 10-year senior notes that were sold in a 144a private placement.
Originally expected to raise US$ 500 million, the 10-year
senior notes offering was oversubscribed and was increased to US$ 800 million
to meet the strong demand for the offering. The senior notes, rated Ba3 by
Moody's and Single-B by Standard & Poors, will carry a coupon of
8.5%.
SNPE and Snecma Plan to Consolidate Solid Propulsion
Operations
SNPE and Snecma have agreed a plan for the creation of
an equally owned joint venture which would combine their solid propulsion
operations.
The joint venture, to be named Herakles,
would become the European leader in both the defence and space sectors.
The agreement calls for the implementation of the joint venture in three
phases beginning this month and continuing until June 2005. The first phase
calls for the creation of Herakles and for SNPE and Snecma to transfer minority
stakes in their solid propulsion divisions to the new organisation.
The agreement requires consultation with employee representative bodies and the
approval of the companies Boards of Directors.
Andrew Introduces Type Approved 3.7-m C Band Earth Station
Antenna
Andrew Corporation has introduced a new 3.7-meter
Intelsat F-1 type approved C band earth station antenna. The new antenna
features advanced dual-reflector technology with a 12-piece precision formed
aluminium reflector assembly. The main reflector is self-aligning, eliminating
the requirement for field alignment.
The 3.7-meter earth
station antenna gives high gain and has closely controlled radiation pattern
characteristics. Intelsat type approval ensures that the antenna can be field
deployed, with minimal testing of G/T performance, to become fully certified as
an Intelsat standard F-1 station.
For high durability and low upkeep,
the 3.7-meter earth station antenna is constructed from precision-formed
aluminium with a hot-dipped galvanised steel backstructure. For additional
assurance, Andrew Corporation provides a 3-year warranty as a standard on the
antenna's structural components.
Aramiska Launches Broadband Internet for SMEs
Aramiska has launched a complete range of
satellite-based broadband business packages for SMEs (Small/Medium
Enterprises). The service became commercially available in the UK on the 1st
March 2002.
Aramiska will extend its coverage to
additional countries in the near future with service being available in Spain,
Italy and Ireland by the end of this year, with Eastern European countries like
the Czech Republic and Poland follow in 2003. Aramiska's solution is the first
to use the open DVB-RCS standard to provide business broadband.
Paradise Datacom Integrates SkyX Gateway into Satellite Modem
Paradise Datacom and Mentat Inc have announced that
Paradise Datacom has integrated Mentat's SkyX Gateway Internet-over-satellite
performance enhancement technology into their P300i satellite modem.
Mentat's SkyX Gateway is a unique, patent-pending system for
overcoming the limitations of 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
terrestrial-like performance over satellite links. The SkyX Gateway enhances
the performance of both Internet and private network links and is entirely
transparent to end clients and servers.
The P300i is the
Internet-enabled version of Paradise Datacom's popular P300 satellite modem. In
addition to the integrated SkyX Gateway functionality, the P300i modem includes
IP routing functionality and a 10/100 BaseT Ethernet interface, allowing the
modem to be connected directly to any Local Area Network or Wide Area Network.
It includes options for features such as IBS/SMS and IDR operation (with IP
traffic), and the latest techniques for efficient use of satellite bandwidth
and power with 8PSK/TCM and Turbo coded operation. Advanced features such as
Automatic Uplink Power Control (AUPC), to preserve a given quality of service
are also available, and an L band version is due imminently. The P300i is ideal
for Internet backbone connectivity, corporate LAN connectivity, terrestrial
backup and disaster recovery.
ATK Announces Business Structure and Leadership
Changes
ATK (Alliant Techsystems) has announced that it will
undertake a number of steps to ensure that the right business structure and the
strongest leadership team are in place to ensure that the company continues to
grow and deliver on its earnings growth commitment.
The
business structure and leadership team changes, which are effective at the
start of Fiscal Year 2003 on April 1, are as follows:
Paul Ross,
senior group vice president, Aerospace, will become president.
Nick
Vlahakis, group vice president, Defense, will become senior vice president and
chief operating officer.
Jeff Foote will take over leadership of the
Aerospace Group from Ross. Foote is a long-time propulsion engineer with 20
years of ATK/Hercules Aerospace experience who is currently executive vice
president, ATK Thiokol Propulsion.
The Aerospace Group will have two
operating units - ATK Thiokol Propulsion, Promontory, Utah, and ATK Aerospace
Composite Structures, Clearfield, Utah and annual sales of approximately US$
850 million.
Dan Murphy will lead the newly created Precision Systems
Group, which will have annual sales of approximately US$ 575 million. Murphy
joined ATK in January 2001 after retiring from the US Navy with the rank of
Vice Admiral. The group will contain the majority of ATK's precision and
tactical propulsion capabilities, and will comprise four operating units: ATK
Tactical Systems, Rocket Center, West Virginia and Elkton, Maryland, previously
led by Murphy; ATK Integrated Defense, Plymouth, Minnesota; ATK Ammunition
Systems; Arden Hills, Minnesota; and ATK Precision Fuze, Janesville, Wisconsin.
This group will be located at ATK corporate headquarters in Edina,
Minnesota.
Eric Rangen, vice president and chief financial officer,
will add acquisition responsibilities to his current duties.
In
addition, Scott S Meyers, president of the company and a member of the board of
directors, will resign from both positions effective April 1. Meyers will be
transitioning his responsibilities and assisting in business development
activities through Jan. 31, 2003.
Space Imaging Announces Executive Management Appointments
Space
Imaging has announced the promotion of Jeff Young to vice president of Global
Solutions, Sales and Marketing. Merry Ann Vernon has been named vice president,
General Counsel. Both appointments are effective immediately.
In his new role, Jeff Young assumes management
responsibility for the worldwide sales and marketing of Earth imagery products
and services and oversees six organisations including: Corporate Marketing,
Partner Programs, United States and Canada Sales, Latin America Sales, Asia
Pacific Sales, and EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) Sales.
Young
has more than 12 years of experience in geographic information systems (GIS)
senior management positions, most recently as Space Imaging's executive
director of Sales, Global Products & Services. Before joining Space
Imaging, Young worked for Bentley Transportation as account manager for their
government and transportation programs. Prior to that Young held various
program management and business development positions in geospatial technology.
Young holds a master of arts in Geography from Arizona State University.
Merry Ann Vernon joins Space Imaging with more than 16 years of legal
counselling experience to both corporate and government clients. Her expertise
encompasses a wide variety of legal areas including communications law;
regulatory affairs and compliance; contract negotiation and review; litigation
management; and settlement agreements.
Prior to joining Space Imaging,
Vernon worked 11 years for The Gates Corporation, most recently as Assistant
General Counsel. Prior to that she was an associate attorney for Gorsuch
Kirgis, LLP, and during law school Vernon worked as a legal intern for the
Denver District Attorney's Office.
Vernon holds a Juris Doctor from
the College of Law at The University of Denver and a master of arts in Library
Science from the University of Wisconsin.
