19 January 2003
Satcoms
Connexion by Boeing Selects XACCT Software
Globecomm Systems Receives US$ 15
Million European Infrastructure Contract
Mexico and Satmex Negotiating Satellite Co-ordination
with Canada
PanAmSat Files for Nine Australian Ka Band Orbital
Slots
Earth
Observation
Space Imaging Signs Raytheon Australia as a Master
Reseller
Military
Space
Lockheed
Martin/General Dynamics Add Boeing Satellite Systems to (MUOS) Team
Rainbow Mykotronx
Receives US$ 15.3 Million Contract Modification
Space Imaging
Receives Multi-Million Dollar Pentagon Contract
Science
Rosetta Launch Postponed
Manned
Space
LaBarge Wins US$ 3.8 Million Contract for Space Shuttle
Cables
Technology
ESA
Awards Space Exploration Study to QinetiQ
Boeing Rocketdyne to Provide Crew
Escape Propulsion System
NASA Tests Environmentally Friendly Rocket Fuel
Launches
CHIPSat/ICESat
STS-107 - Spacehab/Freestar Research Mission
Launch
Schedule
Business
Employees Buy Conus Communications' Satellite Services
Division
FCC Approves
Sirius' Application Relating To Recapitalisation
New Valley Offers US$ 55 Million
for Control of Globalstar
XM Announces Additional $25 Million Funding
Commitment
Products and Services
Conexant Introduces Low-Power, Cost-Reduced Satellite
Demodulator
International Rectifier Introduces Hermetically-Sealed, DC-DC
Converters
People
NASA Names Associate Deputy Administrator for Technical
Programs
Connexion by Boeing Selects XACCT Software
(16 January 2003)
Connexion by Boeing has adopted XACCT Technologies Inc's Network-to-Business
(N2B) platform for its mobile information service.
The
XACCT N2B platform allows Connexion by Boeing to create, deliver and bill for
its broadband, high-speed data and connectivity services, including e-mail,
Internet and firewall-protected intranet access and audio/video streaming
applications for commercial aircraft. Using the XACCT technology, airlines will
be able to implement multiple pricing and billing options for their services
based on duration, events, volume and quality of service.
The XACCT
software will be installed as part of Connexion by Boeing's onboard equipment
to enable real-time in-flight communications and will interface with the
onboard application or portal server and capture relevant data, including
service usage and content for billing purposes. In addition, the XACCT software
also will monitor key service parameters such as latency, jitter and packet
loss to help ensure and maintain the quality of service necessary for streaming
media applications.
XACCT N2B Platform provides a real-time link
between the physical network infrastructure and the back-office
Business/Operations Support Systems (BSS/OSS). Its multi-source, multi-layer
architecture, and business policy-based record synthesis capabilities enable
carriers to extract comprehensive usage information from a multitude of network
devices from all layers of the network -- from physical layer to the
application layer, in real-time and synthesise it to produce meaningful billing
records, analogous to the Call Detail Records (CDRs) generated by the telephone
switches. This information is used by a variety of back-office applications,
such as billing, CRM and traffic engineering applications.
Globecomm Systems Receives US$ 15 Million European Infrastructure
Contract
(13
January 2003) Globecomm Systems Inc has received a US$ 15 million contract to
provide satellite infrastructure to one of its European customers.
Under the terms of the contract, Globecomm will modernise an
existing facility enabling its customer to provide state of the art services in
the region, including Internet access via satellite and international voice
with countrywide distribution. The modernisation of the facility includes
upgrades of existing ground infrastructure equipment, supplying new ground
systems, microwave distribution capabilities, and training and support
services.
The project is estimated to start during the Company's
fiscal fourth quarter, which ends June 30, 2003. Globecomm expects that all
required financing arrangements will be completed and funding received by that
time. The Company is currently in the process of negotiating a separate
agreement for provisioning voice and Internet services.
Mexico and Satmex Negotiating Satellite Co-ordination with
Canada
(16 January
2003) The Mexican Secretary of Communications and Transportation (Secretaria de
Comunicaciones y Transportes (SCT)), The Mexican Federal Telecommunications
Commission (Comision Federal de Telecomunicaciones (Cofetel)) and Satelites
Mexicanos SA de CV (Satmex) have initiated a new round of negotiations with
Industry Canada and the Canadian satellite operator, Telesat. The negotiations
are directed toward a new co-ordination agreement for fixed satellite services
between the two countries.
Meetings being held on the
16th and 17th of January in Mexico are a continuation of the negotiation
process that has taken place between the Mexican government, Satmex and the two
Canadian institutions for more than a year. The objective of the discussions is
to arrive at an agreement that replaces the one signed in May of 2000. These
negotiations have accelerated as a result of the premature and unexpected
failure, in August 2000, of Satmex's Solidaridad I satellite, which will soon
be replaced by the new Satmex 6 satellite.
Renegotiation of satellite
co-ordination agreements is a common practice in the industry when a satellite
reaches its end of life and is replaced by a more modern one. It is also a
common industry practice that the respective governments are involved in these
negotiations, as well as the operators, because the governments ultimately
ratify the agreements.
In June, 2002, the administrations of Mexico
and Canada established that the process to arrive at a new co-ordination
agreement would be carried out by the Mexican and Canadian satellite operators,
under the direction and with the participation of their respective
administrations.
Satmex 6 is in the final phases of construction and
is currently undergoing testing to guarantee its operational capabilities. The
launch is expected to take place in the third quarter of this year. This date,
however, is subject to change depending upon the satisfactory completion of
final testing and construction details.
PanAmSat Files for Nine Australian Ka Band Orbital Slots
(15 January 2003)
PanAmSat Corporation has filed for nine Ka band orbital slots through the
Australian Communications Authority (ACA), the country's telecommunications
commission. The ACA has forwarded the filings to the International
Telecommunications Union (ITU) for final approval.
The
Australian Ka band filings replace all except one of the US Ka band orbital
filings that PanAmSat had previously held until today. PanAmSat intends to
pursue Ka band opportunities in the latter half of this decade when the market
is more likely to develop. In addition, the company is designing a system that
will optimally meet the needs of customers currently served by co-locating with
existing PanAmSat satellites where appropriate.
This is the second
time PanAmSat has approached the ACA for an orbital location. In 2000, PanAmSat
successfully secured a C/Ku band slot through the ACA. PanAmSat has had a
presence in Australia since 1994, when the company opened its Asia-Pacific
headquarters in Sydney.
Space
Imaging Signs Raytheon
Australia as a Master Reseller
(14 January 2003) Raytheon Australia has become a
master reseller of Space Imaging's products and services including imagery from
Ikonos. The agreement allows Raytheon Australia to exclusively sell
high-resolution, high-accuracy satellite data from Ikonos to customers
throughout Australasia, which includes Australia, New Zealand and Papua New
Guinea.
Space Imaging has imaged most of Australia
during the past three years - ever since the launch of Ikonos. This 5.5 million
sq km of nearly-cloud-free- imagery of the continent is currently available to
customers around the world. Beginning this year, customers in Australasia will
buy imagery from either Raytheon Australia or one of its resellers. Customers
can also select from the more than 900,000 images in Space Imaging's Ikonos
archive for imagery elsewhere around the globe. Imagery from Ikonos can be
taken at a resolution of 0.82 meters and is the most map-accurate satellite
imagery in the world.
Raytheon Australia is a wholly owned subsidiary
of Raytheon Company, which globally has several decades of experience in the
geospatial industry. The company is a world leader in geospatial technology,
and employs over 400 staff in Australia. Raytheon Australia has been providing
technical services since 1994.
Lockheed Martin/General Dynamics Add Boeing Satellite Systems to
(MUOS) Team
(15
January 2003) Boeing Satellite Systems has joined Lockheed Martin's team in the
competition to develop the US Navy's next generation narrowband tactical
satellite communications system, known as the Mobile User Objective System
(MUOS).
The team, composed of Lockheed Martin Space
& Strategic Missiles, General Dynamics Decision Systems, and Boeing
Satellite Systems will compete for the multi-billion dollar Pre-Acquisition
System Definition and Risk Reduction/Acquisition and Operations phases of the
MUOS contract, scheduled to be awarded by the US Navy Space and Naval Warfare
Systems Command in first quarter 2004. The Lockheed Martin-led team is
currently conducting architecture and risk reduction activities as part of a
14-month Component Advanced Development contract awarded in September 2002.
MUOS is an element of the DoD's Advanced Narrowband Communications system
and will replace the current Ultra High Frequency Follow-On (UFO) system over
the next two decades. The Navy's UFO system currently provides narrowband
tactical satellite communications to Joint Forces and Coalition partners and
was initially launched in 1993.
Rainbow Mykotronx Receives US$ 15.3 Million Contract
Modification
(13
January 2003) Rainbow Technologies' Mykotronx Inc subsidiary has received a
modification to its contract to develop a custom ASIC which is part of a system
that provides cryptographic capabilities for a new military satellite
communication network.
The modification's value to
Mykotronx, a subcontractor to L3 Communications for the program, is US$ 15.3
million. The award brings the Mykotronx contract's total current value to US$
25.5 million.
This modification provides for further development to
ensure proper interfacing and enhanced security of state-of-the-art space,
ground and embeddable cryptographic technology that supplies both
communications security (COMSEC) and transmission security (TRANSEC)
capabilities for the new Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite
system. Known as ACTS, for Advanced Extremely High Frequency Communications
Security and Transmission Security System, the new system will replace the
existing MILSTAR network, which provides survivable, world-wide secure
satellite communication connectivity, increased communication capacity, and
cryptographic algorithm capabilities. The new system will also offer
programming flexibility to adapt to future requirements.
Space Imaging Receives Multi-Million Dollar Pentagon Contract
(17 January 2003) Space
Imaging has been awarded a multi-year satellite imagery capacity contract by
the US National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA). Under terms of the contract,
NIMA would acquire imagery world-wide from Space Imaging's Ikonos satellite -
the world's first commercial high-resolution commercial imaging satellite.
Ikonos satellite imagery provides access to any location on the earth's surface
every one to two days and collects up to 200,000 square kilometres of imagery
per day. As of January there are more than 40 million square kilometres of
imagery in the Ikonos digital archive.
For the first
three years, the contract has a minimum value of US$ 120 million with a
five-year ceiling of US$ 500 million. The contract performance period is five
years.
Map accurate, high-resolution imagery from the Ikonos satellite
has been used to develop up-to-date maps for military users, support
intelligence activities, military planning and operations, damage assessments,
public diplomacy and humanitarian assistance. Space Imaging was the only
company to supply high-resolution satellite imagery to NIMA during the early
months of Operation Enduring Freedom. The imagery was used to help build
databases of the region to support quick turnaround requests for new geospatial
products.
Rosetta Launch Postponed
(14 January 2003) Following the recent failure of an
Ariane 5 launch which resulted in the total loss of the two communications
satellites being carried into orbit, ESA has elected to postpone the planned
launch of its Rosetta comet rendezvous mission.
This
delay will have a major impact on the project. Rosetta will now no longer be
able to rendezvous with Comet Wirtanen as intended and the project team and
researchers are currently trying to identify an alternative target and to
develop a flight plan.
Rosetta's intended ten-year mission was
extremely ambitious. Beginning with a launch this month from Kourou, French
Guiana, Rosetta was to have flown first out to Mars and then back to Earth,
using the gravitational momentum from both planets to slingshot it farther into
space. It would then have passed by asteroid Otawara in July 2006 and complete
another Earth gravity assist in November 2007. Rosetta would then have flown by
asteroid Siwa in July 2008 and finally reach comet Wirtanen in November 2011.
The spacecraft was to have spent two years mapping and examining the surface
using remote sensing, analysing dust and vapours, and finally releasing a
lander.
Delaying the launch now means that the alignments between
planets and targets will no longer be available and the whole mission will have
to be redesigned. Rosetta will now have to be delayed something between six
months and a few years depending on the new target comet and the flight
plan.
LaBarge Wins US$ 3.8 Million Contract for Space Shuttle
Cables
(14 January
2003) LaBarge Inc has secured a US$ 3.8 million contract with United Space
Alliance (USA) to produce cables for space shuttle launches.
For more than two decades, LaBarge has supplied cables that
transmit steering command feedback, separation commands and performance data
from the space shuttle computer to its solid rocket boosters. The boosters
provide the main propulsion system that launches the shuttle into orbit.
Production on the two-and-a-half-year contract is expected to begin in May
2003 at LaBarge's Joplin, Missouri., facility.
ESA
Awards Space
Exploration Study to QinetiQ
(14 January 2003) As part of the European Space
Agency’s (ESA) Aurora Programme, a study to identify power generation and
storage technologies for use in the harsh environment of Mars has just been
awarded to QinetiQ.
Mars is the primary target for
future human missions and in 2000, ESA began a technology development project
to outline a long-term strategy for humans going to the red planet. In
preparation of those missions many issues of survivability have to be tackled,
including advanced life support systems for astronauts during the long journey
there and whilst on the surface.
A key part of this technology
development is the power systems needed when on the surface of Mars. The
astronauts need electricity to carry out experiments, explore the surface in
rovers and other mobile units, and to run the critically important life support
systems. This development involves linking exploration infrastructure and
technology development to a mission scenario.
QinetiQ will provide
specialist space knowledge as well as outline a clear technology development
roadmap for ESA. Other members of the consortium which is led by QinetiQ
include Surrey Satellites Technology Limited (a world-leading pioneer of small
satellite applications and technology) and nuclear technology experts Serco
Assurance (a leading provider of independent safety, risk management and
engineering services), Technicatome (experts in the safety, reliability and
availability of nuclear propulsion systems) and AEA Technology (one of the
world's leading innovation businesses).
Potential future applications
include power generation and storage in space (to allow interplanetary missions
to get a larger quantity of "science mass" to the surface of the planet, so
scientists can learn more about those planets).
ESA’s Aurora
Programme is examining possible robotic and human exploration missions to the
solar system. It is also looking at proposals from European industry and
institutes for new and improved technology and tying these in with possible
exploratory missions.
Boeing Rocketdyne to Provide Crew Escape Propulsion System
(15 January 2003) The
Rocketdyne Propulsion & Power unit of The Boeing Company has been selected
to provide the liquid propulsion system for Lockheed Martin's Pad Abort
Demonstration (PAD) for NASA's Orbital Space Plane program.
Boeing Rocketdyne's 200,000-pound-thrust propulsion system
will be used to launch the PAD vehicle and demonstrate key escape and recovery
systems applicable to future manned Orbital Space Plane (OSP) needs. NASA
recently awarded Lockheed Martin a contract of up to US$ 53 million, including
options, for the work as part of the space agency's OSP project that is part of
the Space Launch Initiative Cycle 2 TA-10 program.
A liquid propulsion
system offers flexibility in economically accomplishing Lockheed Martin's
planned test program of up to seven launches. It could ultimately offer a
significant weight savings to an integrated propulsion system that incorporates
the CESP, Orbital Maneuvering System, and Reaction Control System by using
common propellants for all needs.
Rocketdyne plans initial hot-fire
testing of the developmental thrust chamber at NASA's Stennis Space Center in
the autumn of 2003, acceptance testing of the PAD engines at Stennis in early
2004, and testing of the integrated propulsion module beginning in late 2004 at
White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.
Boeing is helping NASA
develop the OSP as a reliable and economical way to transfer crew and cargo to
the International Space Station and possibly serve as a rescue vehicle. Current
plans call for the OSP to launch aboard a Boeing Delta IV, but it could also be
launched aboard reusable vehicles under development.
NASA
Tests Environmentally
Friendly Rocket Fuel
(13 January 2003) NASA has successfully tested an
alternative rocket fuel that may increase operational safety and reduce costs
over current solid fuels. The new paraffin-based fuel could eventually be used
in Space Shuttle booster rockets.
Two years of
collaboration between Stanford University and NASA's Ames Research Center have
led to the development of a non-toxic, easily handled fuel made from a
substance similar to what is used in common candles. The by-products of
combustion of the new fuel are carbon dioxide and water; unlike conventional
rocket fuel that produces aluminium oxide and acidic gasses, such as hydrogen
chloride.
The main goal of the NASA test program is to determine if
the promising results of earlier bench-top experiments conducted at Stanford
will scale up to the combustion chamber conditions required for space launch
operational systems.
A hybrid rocket uses a liquefied oxidiser that is
gasified before being injected into the combustion chamber containing the solid
fuel. Upon ignition, a flame develops over the fuel surface causing the solid
to evaporate, thereby sustaining the combustion. Because current hybrid fuels,
other than paraffin-based fuels, cannot sustain a high combustion rate, they
have found only limited application and are not commercially viable for space
applications. Tests at Stanford and Ames have shown the new paraffin-based fuel
has a burn rate that is three times greater than that of other hybrid
fuels.
Scientists are testing the new fuel at the Ames Hybrid
Combustion Facility. The first successful test in the series took place on
September 24, 2001. The heavy-duty test chamber can accommodate pressures up to
60 atmospheres.
The first phase of the program included approximately
40 runs. A new combustion chamber with sapphire windows will soon be installed
to allow researchers to observe the combustion process using optical
instruments. Scientists will study the underlying physical processes that
produce the fuel's high performance.
NASA engineers will conduct
roughly 200 test runs during the lifetime of the project. A maximum of one test
will take place per day, each lasting 20 seconds or less.
CHIPSat/ICESat
Launched: 13 January 2003
Site: Vandenberg Air Force Base, California
Launcher: Delta 2
International Number: 2003-002A
Orbit: LEO,
apogee: 582 km, perigee: 573 km: inclination: 94.0°
Name: ICESat
Owner: NASA
Contractor: Ball Aerospace and Technologies
International Number: 2003-002B
Orbit: LEO, apogee: 581 km, perigee: 564
km: inclination: 94.0°
Name: CHIPSat
Owner: University of
California, NASA
Contractor: SpaceDev
ICESat (Ice, Cloud and land
Elevation Satellite) is designed to detect the height of the Earth's polar ice
masses, and from this determine changes in the amount of water stored in the
polar deep freeze. These changes are major factors in global sea level change
and understanding them is key to predicting future changes in the Earth's
climate. The payload consists of the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS)
and a precision on-board GPS. GLAS, a next-generation space-lidar.
The
Geoscience Laser Altimeter System, or "GLAS" instrument, will use a laser to
measure the time it takes for light to travel to the reflecting object and
return to the satellite. The data on the distance to the surface, the position
of the satellite in space, and the pointing of the laser are all combined to
calculate the elevation and position of each point measurement on the Earth.
The laser will perform these measurements 40 times each second.
CHIPSat (Cosmic Hot Interstellar Spectrometer satellite) is designed for one
year of operations and will carry out all-sky spectroscopy of the diffuse
interstellar background at wavelengths from 90 to 260 angstroms. CHIPSat weighs
45 kg. It will be the first mission ever to use end-to-end satellite operations
over the Internet with TCP/IP and FTP as the only means of satellite
communication.
STS-107 - Spacehab/Freestar Research Mission
Launched: 16 January 2003
Site: Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Launcher: Shuttle Columbia
(STS-107)
Orbit: LEO, apogee: 277 km, perigee: 261 km: inclination:
39.0°
International Number: 2003-003A
Name: Spacehab research
laboratory (Freestar)
Owner: NASA
Contractor: Spacehab
This is
NASA's first shuttle mission for some time which is not an International Space
Station assembly mission. It carries some 80 experiments into medicine,
technology and science carried in 31 payloads.
Seven of the 31
payloads are sponsored by ESA and carry experiments covering astronaut health
and safety, advanced technology development, and life and physical sciences.
Six of the seven ESA payloads will perform life or physical science experiments
- the Advanced Protein Crystallisation Facility (APCF), the Advanced
Respiratory Monitoring System (ARMS), Biobox, Biopack, the European Research in
Space and Terrestrial Osteoporosis (ERISTO) facility, and the Facility for
Adsorption and Surface Tension studies (FAST). The seventh is a technology
demonstration called the Combined 2 Phase Loop Experiment (COM2PLEX), which
will test three new heat transfer systems for thermal control of instruments on
satellites.
NASA Ames is sponsoring four experiments. Three
Fundamental Rodent Experiments Supporting Health (FRESH) experiments are
designed to examine the body's adaptation to microgravity. This includes
cerebral spinal fluid and body fluid imbalance, central nervous system
adaptation, and changes in blood vessels that affect the regulation of blood
pressure. A fourth experiment will investigate how a common soil and water
bacterium grows in microgravity.
A number of experiments into various
aspects of osteoporosis will also be performed during the mission.
Crew:
Commander: Rick Husband
Pilot: Willie McCool
Mission
Specialists: Dave Brown, Kalpana Chawla and Laurel Clark
Payload Commander:
Mike Anderson
Payload Specialist: Ilan Ramon
The expected duration
of the mission is 16 days.
Employees Buy Conus Communications' Satellite Services Division
(17 January 2003) Three
former employees of Conus Communications Company have purchased the satellite
services division of Conus and will offer similar services as Arctek Satellite
Productions.
The employees are Todd Hanks, former Conus
Vice President of Satellite Services, Brian Stanley, former Conus Operations
Manager and Shawn Erickson, former Conus Project Manager for Satellite
Services
The management team of Hanks, Stanley and Erickson has worked
on projects ranging from co-ordinating satellite media tours and video news
releases for companies across the USA to covering breaking news for national
networks, and broadcasting large scale events such as pay-per-view heavy weight
fights and hotel grand openings in Las Vegas. Arctek Satellite Productions will
continue to operate two satellite production trucks and will offer mobile
uplinks, Web Casting, single and multiple camera productions, production
management and satellite media tours, video news releases, field producing and
directing, planning and covering broadcast events, shooting b-roll and editing.
Stanley will serve as Vice President of Sales and Operations for Arctek and
Erickson as Vice President of Production.
FCC Approves Sirius' Application Relating To
Recapitalisation
(15 January 2003) The Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) has approved the Sirius' application to transfer control of
its operating licenses in connection with its recapitalisation.
In its order approving the application, the FCC indicated
that "the proposed restructuring will benefit the public interest," and that
approval of the application will allow Sirius "to access financial resources
necessary to maintain and expand its service to the public." Sirius filed the
transfer application because of the significant amount of common stock expected
to be issued to its debt holders and preferred stockholders in connection with
the restructuring.
New
Valley Offers US$ 55
Million for Control of Globalstar
(16 January 2003) Globalstar and New Valley
Corporation have signed an agreement under which New Valley will provide
Globalstar with debtor-in-possession financing as the first step toward
assuming majority ownership of a new, reorganised Globalstar company.
Subject to approval by the US Bankruptcy Court in Delaware,
the agreement calls for New Valley to make a total investment of US$ 55 million
in Globalstar. Analyst estimate that Globalstar's original shareholders
invested some US$ 4 billion in the company before its bankruptcy.
Under the terms of the purchase and reorganisation plan, New Valley will assume
majority ownership of the new Globalstar company, with the remainder of the
equity to be held by the company's creditors, which include Loral Space &
Communications, Qualcomm Incorporated and holders of Globalstar LP bonds.
Creditors will also receive preferred shares in the new company, along
with warrants to buy additional equity. At the conclusion of the restructuring
process and assuming full dilution of all outstanding warrants, this plan would
provide New Valley with a controlling interest in the new company.
Holders of Globalstar Telecommunications Ltd (GTL) shares may have a limited
opportunity to purchase shares in the new company, though this would be subject
to review by the Bankruptcy Court. The terms of the plan announced today
include no other compensation for GTL shares.
Upon approval by the
Bankruptcy Court, New Valley will provide DIP financing of US$ 20 million over
the course of the Chapter 11 and FCC approval process, subject to certain
conditions.
Under the terms of the agreement, New Valley would provide
an additional US$ 35 million at the conclusion of the restructuring later this
year. Upon Court approval of the DIP financing, Globalstar and its creditors
committee will not be able to either seek or accept a better offer.
The new, reorganised Globalstar will retain ownership of existing sales and
technical operations in North America and Europe, and expects to finalise new
business agreements with its service provider partners in all other parts of
the world to provide seamless service and support to customers in all
locations, particularly businesses with requirements across multiple
geographies.
Globalstar now intends to accelerate its program of new
product development and service offerings in the months ahead. This work will
include particular emphasis on developing next-generation products for
maritime, aviation and other specialised markets, building on Globalstar's
technical strengths such as multi-channel capabilities and high-quality CDMA
signals.
Globalstar will also restart its program of gateway
deployment, allowing the company to further improve its coverage and service
quality.
XM
Announces Additional $25 Million Funding Commitment
(17 January 2003) XM Satellite Radio has
increased its financing commitments to U$ 475 million with an additional US$ 25
million commitment from investors spearheaded by Everest Capital Limited in the
Company's proposed 10 percent Senior Secured Convertible Discount Notes due
2009.
The Company had previously announced a set of
definitive financing agreements totalling US$ 450 million - consisting of US$
200 million in new funds from strategic and financial investors and US$ 250
million in payment deferrals and related credit facilities from General Motors.
The new funds component will be increased to US$ 225 million.
Everest
Capital has committed US$ 15 million of the additional US$ 25 million
investment commitment. Everest also holds an investment position in XM's
outstanding Existing Notes, and has indicated its intent to participate in the
proposed Notes Exchange by tendering its total noteholdings in the Existing
Notes.
XM has also received the necessary consents from an investor
group and General Motors, which together are providing the original US$ 450
million in new financial investment and financing support (now totalling US$
475 million with the additional US$ 25 million in commitments) in conjunction
with the proposed Notes Exchange, to reduce their closing condition for the
minimum Notes Exchange participation threshold from 90% to 75%.
XM
also amended the Notes Exchange to reduce the minimum participation condition
to 50.1%. However, as described above, the General Motors and investor group
financing transactions are currently conditioned upon 75% participation by
existing noteholders in the exchange offer, and XM will close on the exchange
offer only if the minimum participation condition of the financing transactions
are satisfied or otherwise waived. This condition to the financing transactions
can be amended only if agreed to by both General Motors and two-thirds of the
investor group including the additional commitments.
The deadline for
acceptance of the Notes Exchange and consent solicitation remains unchanged and
is scheduled for expiration midnight, January 23, 2003. All tendering
noteholders must have tendered their notes by that time. Tendering noteholders
should contact D. F. King, the Information Agent, at 800-714-3306 for copies of
the offering documents and transmittal instructions.
XM announced last
week it had more than 360,000 subscribers.
Conexant Introduces Low-Power, Cost-Reduced Satellite
Demodulator
(13
January 2003) Conexant Systems Inc has introduced a new low-power, cost-reduced
demodulator and forward error correction (FEC) decoder for world-wide satellite
set-top box, PC receiver, personal video recorder and residential gateway
applications.
A satellite demodulator's main function is
to take the incoming analogue signal from the tuner, convert it to a digital
signal, check it for any errors, and then output a digital data transport
stream to an audio/video decoder chip.
The single-stream CX24123
supports symbol rates of 1-45 Megasymbols per second (Msps), and requires only
0.5 W of power to operate. When used in conjunction with Conexant's CX24109
satellite tuner, it forms a complete satellite front-end system. The device is
compliant with international DVB/DSS/DCII industry standards.
The
CX24123 is DiSEcC 2.x compliant, which enables two-way communication between
the set-top box and peripheral satellite equipment, providing operators with
equipment monitoring and diagnostic capabilities. Additional diagnostic
features include an integrated signal-to-noise ratio and bit error rate
monitors, which allow basic channel performance measurements.
The
device also includes several advanced features that reduce system cost. For
example, the automatic acquisition state machine searches for and acquires the
carrier within a +/-10 MHz range during tracking and initial acquisition, which
enables carriers to use a lower cost low noise block (LNB) to track and capture
satellite broadcast signals.
The CX24123 QPSK demodulator and FEC
decoder is sampling now with volume production scheduled for the second quarter
of calendar 2003. The device will be available in a 64-pin thin-quad flat pack
(TQFP). It will also be offered in an 80-pin TQFP, which is pin-compatible with
the company's CX24121 1-32 Msps solution. A complete reference design package
is also available.
International Rectifier Introduces Hermetically-Sealed, DC-DC
Converters
(13
January 2003) The International Rectifier Advanced Analog group has introduced
two hermetically sealed, 120V input DC-DC converters designed for military and
other high reliability systems, including instrumentation and experiments
aboard Space Station Freedom.
The new AFL12005S delivers
16A at 5V output, up to 25% more power at 5V than the closest competing device.
The AFL1203R3S delivers 20A at 3.3V output, and is the industry's first
hermetically sealed 120V input, 3.3V output DC-DC converter made available in a
0.38-inch package. The new power converters handle up to 84W per cubic inch
power density, and deliver up to 80% efficiency.
The AFL120 series
converters are fully functional, self-contained DC-DC converters with an input
range from 80V to 160V, characterised and rated over the full military
temperature range of -55 degrees Celsius to +125 degrees Celsius. The new
devices expand the IR high-reliability (hi-rel) line of single- and dual-output
voltage DC-DC converters operating from 28V to 270V input with output power
ranging from 66W to 120W.
These devices are available with one of four
screening levels to satisfy a wide range of requirements. The CH grade is fully
compliant to the requirements of MIL-PRF-38534 for class H and is tested to
meet the complete group A test specification over the full military temperature
range without output power de-rating.
The new converters incorporate
proprietary magnetic pulse feedback technology, providing optimum dynamic line
and load regulation response. This feedback system samples the output voltage
at 550 kHz, the nominal pulse width modulator fixed clock frequency.
Manufactured in a facility fully qualified to MIL-PRF-38534, the converters are
available in four screening grades. Variations in electrical, mechanical and
screening can be accommodated.
The new devices are available
immediately. Pricing begins at US$ 970 each for the AFL12005SX/ES or
AFL1203R3SX/ES in 100-unit quantities.
NASA
Names Associate Deputy
Administrator for Technical Programs
(14 January 2003) NASA's Deputy Administrator Fred
Gregory announced the appointment of Dr Michael A. Greenfield as Associate
Deputy Administrator for Technical Programs, effective immediately. Greenfield
was formerly Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety and Mission Assurance at
NASA Headquarters.
In his new position, Greenfield will
be the corporate and strategic advocate for NASA's technical programs and
projects.
Greenfield has served as Deputy Associate Administrator for
the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance (OSMA) since December 1993. OSMA has
functional responsibility for the safety, reliability, maintainability and
quality assurance of all NASA programs. Greenfield provided technical program
guidance and assessment, as well as management and organisational leadership
while in OSMA.
From October 1992 to December 1993, Greenfield was
Director, Quality Management (Payloads) Division, in OSMA. He led the division
in developing and implementing effective and efficient safety and mission
assurance programs to ensure the success of robotic spacecraft missions. He
joined OSMA in 1986 and was instrumental in organising the Systems Assessment
and Trend Analysis Division.
Greenfield began his NASA career in 1979
as Program Manager for Materials in the Office of Aeronautics and Space
Technology at Headquarters. He was responsible for NASA's overall research and
technology activity in materials and processes, life prediction and
non-destructive evaluation.
From 1976 to 1979, Greenfield was
Materials Liaison Officer and later Technical Director, European Office of
Aerospace Research and Development in London. From 1971 to 1976, he headed the
Joining Technology section of the US Air Force Materials Laboratory, Dayton,
Ohio.
He received his Ph.D. in Metallurgy and Material Science from
New York University and a Master's in Engineering Management from the Catholic
University of America in Washington.
