19 October 2003
Satcoms
EBU Renews Long-term Leases on AsiaSat 2
Net2Phone Partners with Afsat to
Provide African VoIP Services
Proxim Access Points
Selected by HNS for Wi-Fi Access Solution
Satellite Broadband to
Boost Rural Economies
Space Systems/Loral Selected by PanAmSat to Build New
Satellite
Science
Contour Mishap Board Completes Investigation
Manned
Space
Lockheed Martin's Orbital Space Plane Team Now Includes Orbital
Sciences
New NASA Facility Will Help Protect Space Crews From
Radiation
Space Dynamics
Laboratory Completes Floating Potential Measurement Unit
Technology
HyShot Soars
Into Next Phase
Launch
Services
Globecomm Systems Awarded US$ 3.5 M Thuraya TT&C
Contract
Launches
Shenzhou 5
IRS-P6 (Resourcesat-1)
Soyuz TMA-3 (ISS 7S)
DMSP Block 5D-3
Launch Schedule
Business
Gilat Announces Commencement of Exchange Offer
iSECUREtrac Receives Investment
From MicroCapital Fund LLC
Products and Services
Quake Global Strengthens Position in Low-Earth Orbit
Communications
WISeKey Partners With
WorldSpace.com to Deploy Global Secure Direct Delivery System
People
Northrop Grumman Elects Corporate VP and CFO
Spectrum Astro
Names New Director of Missile Defense Programs
EBU Renews Long-term Leases on AsiaSat 2
(16 October 2003) Asia
Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited (AsiaSat) and the European
Broadcasting Union (EBU) have announced the renewal of lease agreements for the
use of C band capacity on AsiaSat 2.
The EBU uses the
AsiaSat 2 capacity to transmit regular and ad hoc live video contribution feeds
for its members and customers between Asia, Australasia and Europe through the
Union’s Eurovision Network. This includes premium sports events such as
the Olympic games, European national and international football and news feeds
from major world political and chronicle venues, such as the G8 meetings, the
Iraqi war, etc.
The Eurovision network is managed by the EBU’s
Department of Eurovision Operations, and offers permanent coverage of Europe,
the Americas, the Middle East, North Africa, Asia Pacific as well as ad-hoc
coverage of the African continent and the Pacific Rim. Eurovision’s Asian
service offers broadcasters and cable operators fully digital MPEG-2 channels,
linking Asia and Europe via AsiaSat 2 C-band capacity. Eurovision is the
world’s largest dedicated television contribution network and recognised
as the most reliable communication network for live video transmissions.
AsiaSat 2, launched in November 1995, has a 13-year operational life. The
satellite is a Lockheed Martin Series 7000 model and carries twenty 36 MHz and
four 72 MHz C band, as well as nine 54 MHz Ku band linearised transponders. Its
C band footprint covers 53 countries embracing Asia, the Middle East,
Australasia and the CIS. AsiaSat 2 also has a high-power Ku beam serving the
Greater China region, Korea and Japan.
(source: AsiaSat)
Net2Phone Partners with Afsat to Provide African VoIP Services
(13 October 2003)
Retail Voice over IP (VoIP) services provider Net2Phone Global Services (NGS)
has partnered with Afsat Communications Ltd, the largest provider of satellite
IP in sub-Saharan Africa, to provide Afsat customers, such as businesses and
calling centres, with low-cost VoIP phone calls utilising satellite
broadband.
Under this exclusive relationship, Afsat is
offering its 200 local operators and 300 corporate customers a complete
satellite VoIP package. This offering is based on Hughes Network Systems'
DirecWay broadband satellite service, together with its DW6000 broadband
satellite terminal and the DW6040 Voice Appliance. Net2Phone's VoIP interface
is integrated into the DW6040, optimising voice quality when operating over
Net2Phone's system. The service offering is tailored to the corporate market
with a suite of applications, including but not limited to calling cards and
solutions for call centres. The quality of these phone calls is superior to
traditional satellite telephony due to a bandwidth reservation system
implemented by Net2Phone and HNS, which allocates prioritisation to voice
packets over Internet data.
This partnership builds on Net2Phone
Global Services' strategy to offer value-added hosted telecommunications
solutions to partners like Afsat, enabling them to offer low-cost VoIP services
to their corporate customers quickly, easily and at a low incremental cost.
(source: Net2Phone)
Proxim Access Points Selected by HNS for Wi-Fi Access
Solution
(15
October 2003) Proxim Corporation, a global leader in wireless networking
equipment for Wi-Fi and wide area networks, will provide its ORiNOCO Access
Points to Hughes Network Systems Inc (HNS).
HNS has
selected Proxim's ORiNOCO Access Points as an integral part of its DirecWay
Wi-Fi Access solution. Each Wi-Fi Access Hot Spot includes at least one Proxim
Access Point integrated with an HNS-manufactured, two-way broadband satellite
terminal, which provides high-speed Internet access using the US-wide DirecWay
service. HNS is offering its fully managed solution to Wireless Internet
Service Providers (WISPs) and other value-added resellers interested in
expanding public Wi-Fi Internet access.
Proxim's ORiNOCO Access Points
are designed to handle the unique requirements of public hot spot deployments.
Their dual-slot architecture enables multi-standard support, higher user
density and the option of using one slot to extend the wireless network to
other access points for larger locations. Additionally, Proxim's ORiNOCO
products offer advanced security and remote management capabilities to make
deployments more robust and simple.
(source: Proxim)
Satellite Broadband to Boost Rural Economies
(15 October 2003) The
so-called digital divide that excludes rural communities from the benefits of
broadband access could be overcome by using a combination of wireless networks
and satellite receivers.
A new project aims to bring
high-speed internet connections to rural areas of England and Scotland. The
system could benefit rural economies and the market for satellite technologies.
The disparity between rural and urban areas with regard to internet
accessibility still affects most European countries. What is commonly known as
the digital divide can considerably hamper economic development.
Enterprises wishing to relocate to the countryside are currently hindered in
continuing their business due to the fact that broadband access - ADSL or fibre
- is often simply unavailable.
As a potential solution, the European
Space Agency (ESA) has sponsored Avanti Communications of the UK, France’s
Eutelsat and Rural Solutions, also from the UK to develop ‘Broadband
Access for Rural Regeneration with DVB-RCS’ (BARRD).
The project
began last June and is currently in a planning phase. A trial is about to take
place involving 24 UK business parks, each averaging five end-users.
In practical terms, a two-way satellite connection and Wireless Local Area
Network (LAN) need to be seamlessly combined. The fact that both technologies
are standard platforms adds enormously to the low cost. Wireless LAN hardware
is cheap and generally available for installation at computer stores. Benefits
are quick and easy installation with no need for a physical cable
connection.
The end result will be that instead of each end-user
purchasing their own digital video receiver, BARRD makes it possible for one
terminal to be shared among a group of users, making the system cost effective.
Connection is possible within a range of 2 km.
(source:
ESA)
Space
Systems/Loral Selected
by PanAmSat to Build New Satellite
(15 October 2003) PanAmSat Corporation has agreed to
issue Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) an authorisation to proceed (ATP) with the
design and construction of a new satellite. Revenue for the construction of the
satellite will be in excess of US$ 100 million. In addition, PanAmSat has
agreed to enter into an option for an in-orbit spare for one of its existing
satellites on terms and conditions to be agreed to.
The
ATP from PanAmSat is for the Galaxy 16 program, a C and Ku band satellite with
48 transponders to be delivered December 31, 2005.
At the same time,
Hughes Electronics Corporation, majority owner of PanAmSat and parent of
DirecTV, notified Loral that the ATPs for two satellites previously issued to
SS/L by DirecTV are now fully enforceable and binding. Further, Hughes advised
that DirecTV will make advance payments of US$ 25 million on each of those two
satellite orders and PanAmSat will make an advance payment of US$ 25 million on
its new satellite order, for a combined total advance of US$ 75 million.
Proceeding with the construction of the satellite for PanAmSat and the two
satellites for DirecTV is subject to the approval of the Bankruptcy Court at a
hearing scheduled for October 21, 2003.
In connection with this
matter, on October 9, 2003, Loral received a proposal from EchoStar
Communications Corporation to acquire the DirecTV 7S satellite (now under
construction) for US$ 100 million and to provide ATPs for two additional
satellites. Loral, however, has indicated that it intends to proceed with the
DirecTV and PanAmSat agreements rather than the EchoStar proposal.
(source: Loral Space and Communications)
Contour Mishap Board Completes Investigation
(15 October 2003)
NASA's Comet Nucleus Tour (Contour) Mishap Investigation Board (MIB) identified
four possible causes for the failure of the comet-rendezvous mission launched
in July 2002. The Board concluded the probable proximate cause for this
accident was structural failure of the spacecraft due to plume heating during
the embedded solid-rocket motor burn.
However, the lack
of telemetry and observational data, immediately prior to and during the burn,
and the lack of recoverable debris, leave open the possibility that one of
several other problems could have led to the accident. The alternate possible
causes are catastrophic failure of the solid rocket motor; collision with space
debris or meteoroids; and loss of dynamic control of the spacecraft.
NASA was not able to re-establish contact with the spacecraft on August 15,
2002, following a propulsive manoeuvre involving the solid rocket motor. On
August 22, 2002, the Associate Administrator for Space Science established the
NASA Contour Mishap Investigation Board with Theron Bradley Jr., NASA Chief
Engineer, as chair. The purpose of the Board was to examine the processes, data
and actions surrounding the events of August 15; to search for proximate and
root causes; and develop recommendations that may be applicable to future
missions.
Based on various facts and data, the MIB concluded the
alternate possible causes were less likely than the identified proximate cause.
Nonetheless, in the spirit of constructively improving future mission
reliability, the Board drew conclusions, identified lessons learned, and made
recommendations based on the broader range of possible causes.
Launched on July 3, 2002, Contour was intended to encounter at least two comets
and perform a variety of investigations and analyses of the comet material. It
remained in Earth orbit until August 15, 2002, when an integral Alliant
Techsystems STAR 30BP solid rocket motor was fired to leave orbit and begin the
transit to the comet Encke.
Contour was programmed to re-establish
telemetry contact with the ground following the burn, however, no signal was
received. The mission design did not provide for telemetry coverage during the
solid rocket motor burn and no provision was made to optically observe the
burn.
Active attempts to contact Contour were unsuccessful. On August
16, 2002, limited ground observations identified what appeared to be three
separate objects on slightly divergent trajectories near, but behind,
Contour’s expected position. Further attempts to contact Contour were made
through December 20, 2002, when NASA and Johns Hopkins University/Applied
Physics Laboratory (APL) concluded the spacecraft was lost. The project manager
at APL oversaw the technical implementation of the project and was responsible
for the design, development, test and mission operations.
(source:
NASA)
Lockheed
Martin's Orbital Space
Plane Team Now Includes Orbital Sciences
(14 October 2003) Lockheed Martin Corporation has
announced that Orbital Sciences Corporation will join the Lockheed
Martin/Northrop Grumman team that is competing for full-scale development of
NASA's Orbital Space Plane (OSP).
Lockheed Martin will
lead the team as the system prime contractor. Northrop Grumman's role will be
as principal team-mate while Orbital Sciences Corporation will serve as
team-mate and subcontractor. NASA is expected to choose a prime contractor team
by August 2004 for full-scale development of an OSP.
The Orbital Space
Plane system will provide a crew rescue capability for the International Space
Station by 2008 and two-way crew transfer capability by 2012. The OSP will be
launched into space aboard an Atlas V or Delta IV launch vehicle system.
(source: Lockheed Martin)
New NASA
Facility Will Help
Protect Space Crews From Radiation
(14 October 2003) To ensure the safety of spacecraft
crews, NASA biologists and physicists will perform thousands of experiments at
the new US$ 34 million NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) at the Department
of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, New York. The
laboratory, built in co-operation between NASA and DOE, is one of the few
facilities that can simulate the harsh space radiation environment.
Space radiation produced by the sun and other galactic
sources is more dangerous and hundreds of times more intense than radiation
sources, such as medical X-rays or normal cosmic radiation, usually experienced
on Earth. When the intensely ionising particles found in space strike human
tissue, it can result in cell damage and may eventually lead to cancer.
Approximately 80 investigators will conduct research annually at the new
facility.
For each experiment, an accelerator produces beams of
protons or heavy ions. These ions are typical of those accelerated in cosmic
sources and by the sun. The beams of ions move through a 328-foot transport
tunnel to the 400-square-foot, shielded target hall. There, they hit the
target, which may be a biological sample or shielding material.
At
NSRL, the radiation health team will perform extensive tests with biological
samples placed in the path of the radiation. They will use the information to
understand mechanisms of radiation damage to cells, predict risks, and develop
countermeasures that mitigate radiation effects.
Since the 1970s, NASA
has been using particle accelerators to understand and mitigate the risks of
space radiation. The NSRL will take advantage of the high-energy particle
accelerators at Brookhaven National Laboratory, a DOE facility established in
1947. Construction of the new facility began in 1998, and was funded in part by
NASA's Office of Biological and Physical Research.
(source:
NASA)
Space Dynamics Laboratory Completes Floating Potential Measurement
Unit
(15 October
2003) Utah State University’s Space Dynamics Laboratory Floating Potential
Measurement Unit (FPMU), designed to monitor safety when astronauts are outside
of the International Space Station (ISS), was completed and accepted by NASA on
Friday, October 10, 2003.
The FPMU is designed to
enhance crew safety with regard to a plasma arcing hazard,” said Marybeth
Edeen, Flight Projects Office deputy manager at NASA’s Johnson Space
Center (JSC). “That is a catastrophic hazard to the crew.”
FMPU is composed of four sensors that will monitor the electrostatic charging
of the ISS as well as the surrounding ionospheric plasma density and
temperature. This instrument is vital to ensure the safety of the astronauts
during their space walks, known as Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA).
Astronauts charge to a potential different from the Space Station as they
perform their EVA. This creates a voltage difference between them and the
Station. If the differential charging becomes severe enough, it may discharge,
upsetting spacecraft electronics, damaging surface coatings, burning holes in
thermal blanketing or causing failure of an astronaut’s space suit or even
the death of an astronaut.
Within two years, SDL developed, built,
integrated, tested and delivered four FPMU units and a ground station. One unit
has already been delivered to NASA; the last three flight-ready FPMUs and the
ground station will be delivered to NASA this month. One of the instruments is
scheduled to launch on the second Space Shuttle once NASA resumes shuttle
missions.
JSC awarded SDL a US$ 2.5 million contract in 2001 to build
FPMU for the ISS. The SDL team included scientists from Utah State, engineers,
technicians, designers, contamination control scientists, quality assurance
personnel, technical writers, a program co-ordinator and management.
(source: Space Dynamics Laboratory)
HyShot Soars Into Next Phase
(16 October 2003) The University of Queensland’s
HyShot program has been given an Australian Research Council (ARC) grant of
almost Aus$ 2 million announced this week.
As part of
the ARC’s Discovery-Project funding announced by Federal Minister for
Education, Science and Training Dr Brendan Nelson, the HyShot program, was
awarded Aus$ 1.805 million over five years.
It was one of the biggest
grants awarded nationally and part of the almost Aus$ 19 million received by
the University.
The HyShot team was the first in the world to
successfully flight test a supersonic air-breathing scramjet engine in August
2002.
Scramjets are air breathing supersonic combustion ramjet
engines. They are set to revolutionise the launch of small space payloads, such
as communications satellites, by substantially lowering costs.
Led by
Professor Allan Paull from UQ’s Centre for Hypersonics, and joined by
Professor Richard Morgan, Dr David Mee and Dr Tim McIntyre, the ARC funding
will be used to develop the scramjet as a satellite launching system. The
flights are aiming for speeds of Mach 10 to 12, or 12 times the speed of
sound.
(source: University of Queensland)
Globecomm Systems Awarded US$ 3.5 M Thuraya TT&C Contract
(13 October 2003)
Globecomm Systems Inc has been awarded a US$ 3.5 million turnkey Telemetry,
Tracking and Control (TT&C) system contract from Thuraya Satellite
Telecommunications Company.
Under the terms of the
contract, the Globecomm will provide a TT&C system to be installed at
Thuraya's primary satellite gateway in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, which
serves more than 100 countries throughout Europe, the Middle East, North and
Central Africa, and Central and South Asia. The system will comprise two
13-meter antennas, TT&C baseband equipment, monitoring and control
software, automatic carrier monitoring, a calibration and carrier control
system and other required equipment. Globecomm will also be responsible for
turnkey installation, project management and commissioning.
(source:
Globecomm Systems)
Shenzhou
5
Launched: 15 October 2003
Site: Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre, China
Launcher: Long March 2F
Orbit: LEO, apogee: 343 km, perigee: 343 km: inclination: 42.4°
International Number: 2003-045A
Name: Shenzhou 5
This was
China’s first manned launch. The manned capsule orbited the earth 14 times
and remained in space for some 21 hours before re-entering and landing safely
in Inner Mongolia.
Shenzhou 5 carried Yang Liwei, China’s first
taikonaut, into orbit. The spacecraft consisted of three components – a
descent module, a service module and an orbital module. The descent module was
manned during the flight and was used for the re-entry. The service module
carried equipment and was destroyed as planned during re-entry at the same time
as the descent module re-entered – the descent and service modules only
separated about a minute before re-entry. The service module will probably
remain in orbit for several months.
IRS-P6 (Resourcesat-1)
Launched: 17 October 2003
Site: Satish Dhawan Space
Centre, India
Launcher: PSLV
Orbit: LEO, apogee: 821 km, perigee: 821
km: inclination: 98.7°
International Number: 2003-046A
Name: IRS-P6
(Resourcesat)
Owner: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
Contractor: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
IRS-P6
(Resourcesat) is an Indian remote sensing satellite. It will monitor natural
resources, water, agriculture, and gather land management data.
Soyuz TMA-3 (ISS 7S)
Launched: 18 October 2003
Site: Baikonur Cosmodrome,
Kazakhstan
Launcher: Soyuz
Orbit: LEO
International Number:
2003-047A
Name: Soyuz TMA-3 (ISS 7S)
Owner: Russian Space Agency
This Soyuz mission carries a caretaker crew (expedition 8) of one Russian
and one American to the International Space Station (ISS) as well as an ESA
astronaut. It will dock with the ISS on 20 October where it will replace the
Soyuz TMA-02 lifeboat which is currently docked to the ISS. After about a week
Soyuz TMA-02 will return to Earth carrying the current ISS expedition 7 crew
and the ESA astronaut.
Crew: Aleksandr Y Kaleri (Rosaviakosmos), Dr C
Michael Foale (NASA) and Pedro Duque (ESA).
DMSP Block 5D-3
Launched: 18 October 2003
Site: Vandenberg Air Force
Base, California
Launcher: Titan II
International Number: 2003-048A
Name: DMSP-16 (5D-3-F16)
Owner: USAF
Contractor: Lockheed Martin Space
Systems
The Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Block 5D-3
satellite is a US military meteorological satellite.
The Block 5D-3
series accommodates larger sensor payloads than earlier generations. They also
feature a larger capability power subsystem; a more powerful on-board computer
with increased memory - allowing greater spacecraft autonomy -- and increased
battery capacity that extends the mean mission duration.
When the
spacecraft is declared operational, the satellite will be turned over to the
National Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Integrated
Program Office (IPO). The IPO Assistant Director of Operations (ADO) will then
officially delegate operational responsibility to the NOAA Office of Satellite
Operations.
DMSP, operated by NOAA, is used for strategic and tactical
weather prediction to aid the US military in planning operations at sea, on
land and in the air. Equipped with a sophisticated sensor suite that can image
visible and infrared cloud cover, the satellite collects specialised
meteorological, oceanographic, and solar-geophysical information in all weather
conditions. The DMSP constellation comprises two spacecraft in near-polar
orbits, C3 (command, control and communications), user terminals and weather
centres.
Gilat
Announces Commencement
of Exchange Offer
(14 October 2003) Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd has
commenced an offer to exchange its outstanding 4% Convertible Subordinated
Notes due 2012 for its Ordinary Shares, par value NIS 0.20 per share. Gilat is
offering 125 of its Ordinary Shares for each US$ 1,000 principal amount of the
Notes and interest accrued thereon. The exchange offer is not subject to any
minimum or maximum amount of Notes being exchanged.
Gilat will accept for exchange any and all Notes validly tendered and not
withdrawn prior to the expiration date. The expiration date for the exchange
offer is 12:00 midnight, New York City time, on Monday, November 10, 2003,
unless extended.
The Exchange Offer is expected to result in a
significant improvement in Gilat's balance sheet, increased shareholders'
equity, reduced debt and improved financial ratios.
(source: Gilat
Satellite Networks)
iSECUREtrac Receives Investment From MicroCapital Fund LLC
(16 October 2003)
iSECUREtrac Corp, an industry leader in the development of global positioning
systems (GPS) for tracking and monitoring, has entered into a US$ 1.0 million
subordinated convertible promissory note with the MicroCapital Funds managed by
MicroCapital LLC of San Francisco.
The promissory note
receives an interest rate of 10% per annum with quarterly interest payments and
matures in October 2008. The promissory note can be converted into 2.0 million
shares of iSECUREtrac Corp common stock and the note carries piggyback
registration rights for the common stock attached to the note. MicroCapital may
convert the note in whole or in part into common stock 90 days after
closing.
iSECUREtrac is an information services and technology company
providing advanced solutions for the mobile tracking of individuals and assets,
including real time data collection, secure remote reporting, and data
warehousing. iSECUREtrac's products are designed to improve security, enhance
overall management information, and provide faster analysis and response for
targeted government and commercial applications.
(source:
iSecuretrac)
Quake
Global Strengthens
Position in Low-Earth Orbit Communications
(10 October 2003) Quake Global Inc has announced that
a significantly smaller and less expensive Orbcomm modem, the Q1000, is
scheduled for release early in the second quarter of 2004. Quake utilised the
company’s universal DSP code and integrated its proprietary RF technology
into its new Q1375 RF ASIC. This technology enables the Q1000 to function as a
one-piece modem, and makes it the simplest form and least expensive of any
Orbcomm satellite modem on the market.
Quake also
announced the introduction of its Q1375 RF module in the second quarter of
2004. The Q1375 RF module, which is designed around the new Q1375 RF ASIC, can
be integrated by other Orbcomm manufacturers and VARs into their own Orbcomm
satellite communicators and other mobile and fixed-site solutions.
Quake has already entered into an agreement to license its technology and sell
RF modules to one Orbcomm manufacturer. Quake will be the exclusive
manufacturer of the RF modules, and the company is actively seeking other
customers who may be interested in this new RF module concept.
In
addition, Quake enhanced its product line-up in 2003 by introducing three new
fixed-site compact satellite modems: the Q1200-SG, the Q1200-SM and the
Q1400.
(source: Quake Global)
WISeKey Partners With WorldSpace.com to Deploy Global Secure
Direct Delivery System
(15 October 2003) WISeKey, provider of root
certification authority services and digital Ids world-wide and WorldSpace
corporation, launched World Internet Secure Space - WiseSpace - dedicated to
meet the growing demand of satellite of the e.services market.
The WISeSpace system will enable agencies and around the
world to extend secure communication into markets with reliable, limited or not
present telecommunication infrastructures and provide WISeKey and WorldSpace an
additional revenue for their subscription based services.
The new
system will be of particular interest to expand business transactions carried
out via satellite connection using certified procedures to confirm the identity
of business partners and protect data exchange amongst the business partners
are essential. Certified digital identification and digital encryption are
standard requirements for international business co-operation. Most SMEs in
developing countries, however, are not yet aware of secure e-business
procedures or do not have access to the e-services that are required to make
use of secure procedures. Support services offering these e- services may also
be lacking. As a consequence, SMEs in developing countries, and particularly in
the least-developed countries, are restricted or even excluded from
participating in global e-business.
The combined technologies and
know-how of WISeKey and WorldSpace will radically change the way organisations
promote e-business world-wide. The deployment of the WISeSpace Technology will
be jointly undertaken with the WISeKey network of registration authorities, and
the WorldSpace Services Distribution Network, making use of the company's
successful deployment of a Global Secure PKI infrastructure launched by WISeKey
in 1999 and ratified by more than 100 countries during the WISeWorld 2000
Symposium organised by WISeKey in Geneva in November 2000.
WISeKey
already supports interoperability between a global network of Registration
Authorities from both the private and public sector. This network continues to
grow in more than 120 countries in a peer-to-peer fashion. The project will
make use of the experience gained by other organisations, such as the ITU (ECDC
programme and World e-Trust), ITC (Trade Information).
With a multiple
satellite system serving Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Europe, WorldSpace
and WISekey are uniquely positioned to leverage its satellite assets, wide
reaching spectrum licenses and secure communications to serve international
organisations, multinationals, and users needing communications coverage in
those areas of the world. Through its subscription-based business model,
WISeSpace's will focus on delivering solutions based on the specific secure
communication requirements and procedures and assist the global deployment of
Digital ID projects such as e-government, e-voting, e-health, etc.
WISeKey has supported several major UN related organisations projects, such as
the International Telecommunication Union Electronic Commerce for Developing
Country project ECDC with cash and in-kind contributions amounting to over 7
million dollars. Also WISeKey jointly organised with ITU the WISeWorld 2000
conference.
(source: WISeKey)
Northrop
Grumman Elects
Corporate VP and CFO
(16 October 2003) Northrop Grumman Corporation’s
board of directors has elected Charles H. Noski, 51, corporate vice president
and chief financial officer, effective December 1, 2003, succeeding Richard B.
Waugh Jr., 60, who has elected to retire.
The company
stated that Noski will remain a member of Northrop Grumman's board of
directors.
Noski retired from AT&T in November 2002 having joined
the company in December 1999 as senior executive vice president and chief
financial officer. He was elected vice chairman of the board of AT&T in
early 2002 and was responsible for broad aspects of the company's strategy and
operations. Prior to joining AT&T, Noski was president and chief operating
officer and a member of the board of directors of Hughes Electronics
Corporation. Noski joined Hughes in 1990 as corporate vice president and
controller and in 1992 was appointed corporate senior vice president and chief
financial officer. He assumed the additional responsibilities of vice chairman
of Hughes in 1996. Previously, Noski was a partner of Deloitte & Touche,
where he was national industry director for services to the aerospace and
defence industry.
Noski currently serves on the boards of directors of
Air Products & Chemicals Inc and Teledyne Technologies Inc, and last month
was nominated to the board of directors of Microsoft Corporation.
Noski received his bachelor's degree in business administration and his
master's in accounting from California State University.
(source:
Northrop Grumman)
Spectrum
Astro Names New
Director of Missile Defense Programs
(16 October 2003) Spectrum Astro has announced the
appointment of Joseph Pizzicaroli as Director of Missile Defense Programs. In
this position, Mr Pizzicaroli is responsible for the execution of programs
including Space Tracking and Surveillance System and Near Field Infrared
Experiment as well as the development of future programs within this specific
business area.
Mr Pizzicaroli has 25 years of
progressively responsible systems engineering and program management
experience. His experience within the aerospace industry is extensive and
diverse, spanning scientific, commercial, civil, international, and national
security space programs.
Mr Pizzicaroli has been with Spectrum Astro
since 1999, where he has held the positions of both Program Manager and Capture
Lead for the Kinetic Energy Boost Phase Intercept Space-Based Test Bed and
Targets and Countermeasures programs. In addition, Mr Pizzicaroli held the
position of Program Manager for the Complementary Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle
program and Deputy Program Manager for the Space Based Infrared System Low
program.
Before joining Spectrum Astro, Mr Pizzicaroli served for six
years as the Manager of Space Systems Engineering for the Iridium Space Segment
of Motorola Satellite Communications Group. Pizzicaroli also served for six
years as Systems Engineering Manager and Deputy Program Manager for Ball
Aerospace, five years as Project Manager of Advanced Projects for Rockwell
International, and five years as Senior Systems Engineer for Martin Marietta
Aerospace.
Mr Pizzicaroli holds a Bachelor of Science degree in
Systems Engineering from the University of Arizona, a Master of Business
Administration degree in Technology Management from the University of Phoenix,
and a Master of Science degree in Systems Architecture and Engineering from the
University of Southern California.
(source: Spectrum Astro)
