23 February 2003

Satcoms
HNS Provides Broadband Solution for Amazon Basin Preservation Project
Intelsat and TVB Announce Hong Kong Pay-TV Service
Mainstream Data to Provide European Pressphoto Agency with Turnkey Platform

Earth Observation
Thailand Ground Station Begins Direct Tasking of Ikonos Satellite

Military Space
Comtech Wins US$ 23.5 Million Contract for Satellite-based Tracking and Messaging Systems
DRS Technologies Receives US$ 4 Million US Navy Contract

Science
QinetiQ To Go To "Asteroids Near You" Soon

Manned Space
Columbia Disaster Update
Initial Requirements Set For Orbital Space Plane

Launch Services
Atlas V to Launch Wideband Gapfiller as ILS' 1st EELV Mission
WildBlue Communications Chooses Arianespace

Launches
Launch Schedule

Business
Globalstar Debtor-in-Possession Financing Approved
Loral to Seek Shareholder Approval of Reverse Stock Split
SoundWorks International Acquires White Springs Media

Products and Services
Intelsat Broadband Service Expands to Mexico

People
SpaceDev Names New Chief Financial Officer

Previous News

Satcoms

HNS Provides Broadband Solution for Amazon Basin Preservation Project
(18 February 2003) Hughes Network Systems Inc (HNS) has signed a contract with AmazonTech, a US subsidiary of ATECH, a Brazilian foundation specialising in critical information management systems development and technology integration, to provide a comprehensive satellite solution for the SIVAM (System for the Vigilance of the Amazon) program.

The ATECH Group will deploy HNS' DW1000 series broadband satellite terminals along with HNS' PES5000 VSATs, to expand the current PES satellite network for SIVAM. SIVAM is a communication infrastructure established by the Brazilian government, which collects data from satellite, aerial sensing and surveillance, fixed and mobile radar, radio-localisation, meteorological stations and altitude weather balloons. The data collected helps detect environmental changes in the Amazon Basin, such as deforestation and illegal airstrips.

This contract expands the size of the network and adds new broadband applications, including file transfer, Voice over IP (VoIP), fax and video broadcasting. Given the delicate ecosystem and variegated terrain of the Basin, satellite technology is the only viable solution to deploy for the project.

Installation of the new equipment began in early 2003 and will be completed within the year.

Intelsat and TVB Announce Hong Kong Pay-TV Service
(19 February 2003) Intelsat and Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) have announced an agreement to provide a new pay-television service for Hong Kong. Through the agreement, Intelsat owns a 51% stake in Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting Limited (Galaxy), which is licensed to provide pay-TV services in Hong Kong as well as teleport services.

Intelsat and TVB are contributing cash, transponder capacity and programming valued at over US$ 136 million to launch the venture. The contribution commitments between the two companies are broken down as follows: Intelsat HK$ 413.3 million (US$ 53 million) in cash over three years (HK$ 173.9 million, HK$ 158.3 million, HK$ 81.1 million) and transponder capacity of HK$ 128.7 million (US$ 16.5 million); TVB HK$ 196.6 million (US$ 25.2 million) in cash over three years (HK$ 138.1 million, HK$ 45.2 million, HK$ 13.3 million) and programming valued at HK$ 324.15 million (US$ 41.6 million).

The all-digital, multi-channel service will feature a range of premium Cantonese and other Chinese language programming exclusively supplied by TVB, including a 24-hour news program. The high-quality Cantonese programming is targeted to the more than 90% of the Hong Kong population who speaks the language. Galaxy subscribers will also receive a full spectrum of international news, documentary, information, movie and other entertainment channels.

Intelsat will move an Intelsat VII series satellite to the 85º E orbital location to transmit the Galaxy service via a high-powered Ku band beam. Service is expected to begin within 12 months. Additionally, Intelsat will work with TVB to support the global distribution of its programming.

Mainstream Data to Provide European Pressphoto Agency with Turnkey Platform
(18 February 2003) Mainstream Data Inc and European Pressphoto Agency (epa) have signed an agreement for Mainstream to provide epa with state of the art communication solutions for delivery of epa's picture service to customers in Europe and world-wide. The epa picture service provides world-wide real-time newsphoto coverage as it happens, 24-hours a day, 7 days a week.

Mainstream's turnkey satellite, Internet, and wireless networks can be combined with the Medias multimedia platform to deliver content to end users instantly and at low cost. Medias also lets users create custom profiles that filter incoming information and allow viewing with a web browser. Because end users are increasingly mobile, Medias makes it easy for users to define alerts that notify them of critical information via email, cell phone, and other wireless devices.

The European Pressphoto Agency (epa) started in 1985 as a consortium of Europe's largest photo and news providers. Today, epa serves either directly or through its members' networks nearly one thousand newspaper clients with complete newsphoto coverage from Iberia to Siberia, from the Irish Sea to the Bosporus. From epa's editorial centre in Frankfurt, epa directs the picture operation involving its staff photographers throughout Europe. On the 1st of May 2003, epa will launch its new global picture service, based on a dense network of staff photographers, stringers, freelancers and strategic partners on all continents to serve clients around the globe.

Earth Observation

Thailand Ground Station Begins Direct Tasking of Ikonos Satellite
(20 February 2003) Space Imaging's newest Regional Affiliate, Space Imaging Southeast Asia has begun direct tasking and data collection of high-resolution imagery from the Ikonos satellite.

Space Imaging signed an agreement with Loxbit Co Ltd on August 29, 2002 for the formation of Space Imaging Southeast Asia. The operations as well as the receiving antenna and processing facility are located at GISTDA's (Geo-informatics and Space Technology Development Agency) Lat Krabang Satellite Receiving Station in Bangkok, Thailand. In order to ensure an efficient operation and quality service to the customers in the region, Loxbit has contracted MappointAsia, a well-known regional mapping/remote sensing company, as the operator of the ground station.

Space Imaging Southeast Asia will have exclusive sales and distribution rights of Ikonos satellite imagery in Thailand. Customers in other countries that fall within the 4,600 km diameter communications cone centred on Bangkok may also buy Ikonos imagery directly from Space Imaging Southeast Asia.

Space Imaging Southeast Asia represents the latest step forward in the development of a global network of commercial independent companies dedicated to directly supplying high-resolution Earth imagery and geospatial products to customers around the world. Other Regional Affiliates include Space Imaging Middle East (Dubai), Japan Space Imaging (Tokyo), Space Imaging Eurasia (Seoul) and Space Imaging Eurasia (Ankara), and European Space Imaging (Munich).

Military Space

Comtech Wins US$ 23.5 Million Contract for Satellite-based Tracking and Messaging Systems
(18 February 2003) Comtech Telecommunications Corp has won a contract with a major US prime contractor for satellite-based location tracking and messaging systems and services. The US$ 23.5 million contract, which was awarded to the Company's Maryland-based subsidiary, Comtech Mobile Datacom Corp, involves the integration of Comtech's mobile terminal transceivers into the prime's command and control systems that will provide terrestrial line-of-sight and satellite capability for messaging and position reporting to the US. Army.

Comtech's efforts include the supply of mobile terminal transceivers, the lease of satellite capacity, operation of the satellite packet data network, and associated systems support and maintenance. Comtech has been working on this project since October 2002 pursuant to a letter subcontract. Performance will continue through February 2004.

The terminals used in this application are similar to those that Comtech provides to the Army Logistics Command pursuant to its multi-year Movement Tracking Systems (MTS) contract which has a potential value of US$ 418 million. The network to be used for the application will engage similar hub and switch systems as are deployed for the MTS program. Contracts for satellite capacity have been placed with commercial satellite operators to secure the necessary geographic coverage to complement Comtech's existing coverage of North America, and the services over these systems are up and operating.

DRS Technologies Receives US$ 4 Million US Navy Contract
(19 February 2003) DRS Technologies Inc has received a contract to design and develop state-of-the-art active and passive infrared sensing systems for the Vertical Integrated Sensor Arrays (VISA) program of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Microsystems Technology Office (MTO), for future advanced military and space surveillance applications.

The program will focus on massively parallel signal processing in focal plane array (FPA) technology, considered necessary to address future strategic and tactical system needs of multi-function active and passive thermal imaging and laser jamming avoidance not addressed with current FPA technology.

The contract, valued at US$ 10.5 million including options, was awarded to DRS by the Navy's Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center (SSC) San Diego in San Diego, California. For the initial US$ 4 million award, the company's DRS Infrared Technologies unit in Dallas, Texas, will lead the effort to develop processes and circuit concepts and demonstrate prototype infrared VISA FPAs for Department of Defense military applications. The company's DRS Sensors & Targeting Systems in Anaheim, California, also will contribute to the effort. The initial award has a duration of 18 months.

For this award, DRS Infrared Technologies will develop techniques to stack and interconnect multiple silicon wafers to form massively parallel electrical connections between wafer layers. The approach will be based on years of DRS's experience in thinning, laminating and interconnecting infrared materials to silicon signal processors implementing the company's High-Density Vertically Integrated Photodiode (HDVIP(R)) infrared detector technology. DRS Sensors & Targeting Systems will design and develop a process to cut high-aspect ratio holes in silicon wafers containing FPA Read Out Integrated Circuits (ROIC) and electrically interconnect multiple ROIC layers using thin film metallisation techniques.

Under separate awards, DRS provides advanced FPAs for several significant US military programs and is a market leader in long-range, advanced infrared sighting and weapons systems technology for day and night target detection under harsh environmental conditions. It is anticipated that this and other DRS-developed multicolour infrared FPA technologies will continue to be utilised for theatre missile defence and other key future military applications involving threat warning.

Science

QinetiQ To Go To "Asteroids Near You" Soon
(17 February 2003) Near Earth Objects (NEOs) such as asteroids and comets are natural hazards, and many have collided with our planet throughout its 4.5 billion-year history. As part of a European Space Agency (ESA) project to consider future space missions related to NEOs, QinetiQ has submitted a study that proves the feasibility of sending a fleet of microsatellites (weighing 120kg each) to rendezvous with a number of different NEOs and collect vital data about them. Funded by the Agency's General Studies Programme, QinetiQ's study is one of several proposals ESA will evaluate over the next few months to decide whether they merit further development.

Named SIMONE (Smallsat Intercept Missions to Objects Near Earth), the study is a unique interplanetary mission concept comprising a fleet of low-cost microsatellites that will individually rendezvous with a different Near Earth Object (NEO), each of a distinct physical type. Using microsatellite technology, SIMONE will be a world-first for interplanetary missions, and over the next 10 years will look specifically at targets between 400 metres to 1300 metres in diameter similar to those that could impact the Earth in the future.

Leading a consortium of organisations, QinetiQ's role is both in spacecraft design/development and co-ordinating the implementation of the entire system. Other parties involved in this programme comprise the Planetary and Space Sciences Research Institute of the Open University which is providing key asteroid science support and definition of the on-board scientific instruments; SciSys (UK) is involved with the ground segment design, operations and scientific data distribution; and two Italy-based companies, Politecnico di Milano, which is involved with the trajectory design; and Telespazio, which is involved with Open University in selection of the NEO targets.

The SIMONE microsatellites are based around a single spacecraft system design, configuration and payload, and share a single ground segment - thereby significantly lowering recurring costs. With a mass of 120 kg and a body size of 60 cm on a side, there are two critical, advanced QinetiQ technologies, which make the SIMONE mission feasible using such a small satellite design. These are the ion propulsion system (using QinetiQ's T5 ion engines) and ultra-lightweight high power solar arrays (two steerable array wings being developed, that are required to power the T5 ion engine).

Using a piggyback ride on an Ariane 5 launch vehicle, each SIMONE spacecraft will be placed into a highly elliptical Earth orbit, at very low cost. The ion propulsion engine will then be used to enable the spacecraft to escape Earth's gravity field and rendezvous with a target NEO.

In-situ science measurements taken by instruments on-board each SIMONE spacecraft will, together, enable the wide diversity in the physical and compositional properties of the NEO population to be characterised in a highly cost-effective manner. The missions will provide valuable scientific knowledge on the nature, origin and processing of NEOs, and the critical physical/compositional information needed for the accurate prediction of impact risk posed by NEOs, and the development of effective NEO threat response strategies specifically tailored for each NEO type. As such, the data is crucial in providing the first steps towards an Earth defence against these objects.

Manned Space

Columbia Disaster Update
(22 February 2003) The third week of the investigation into the loss of the shuttle Columbia along with the seven crew members aboard during re-entry has revealed that Columbia's destruction was probably caused by plasma breaking into the left wing. The reason why this happened is still a mystery and may remain so.

Thermal analysis by NASA has shown that the temperatures indicated by sensors in the left wing well shortly before Columbia disintegrated could only have been caused by plasma ingress through a breach in the leading edge of the left wing, the landing gear door or the seals around the door. Loss of a few tiles would not have resulted in the observed temperature signature.

A lot of attention continues to be focussed on a large piece of debris which broke away from the external tank some eighty seconds after lift-off and which struck the left wing. NASA contends that this debris was insulating foam though there are concerns that this is a valid interpretation. When the debris hit the left wing it disintegrated into a white cloud. Insulating foam is orange-brown in colour. During Columbia's flight NASA commissioned an analysis of potential damage caused by the impact which made a range of assumptions in concluding that the risk of damage which would affect flight safety was not an issue. This however assumed that the debris was foam, that CRATER, the computer model used to perform the analysis, was conservative and that results could be extrapolated from impacts which were two orders of magnitude smaller.

Emails from NASA staff and contractors are also now emerging that indicate at least a certain level of concern about potential damage. There have also been complaints from those expressing concern that were sidelined by the NASA bureaucracy which did not want to know about problems. NASA's response is that this is all part of the normal what-iffing that goes on during any mission and was not in any way indicative of a real problem. Critics are now asking to see examples of comparable "what-iffing" from other shuttle flights. This line of discussion probably has a long way to go yet over the coming weeks.

Analysis of 32 seconds of corrupted data that never made it to Mission Control just before Columbia's break-up has shown that the fuselage was intact for the 32 seconds after Mission Control lost contact with the shuttle. Telemetry indicated that either the shuttle's left wing had already broken off or was so severely damaged that the triply redundant hydraulic lines to the elevons and landing gear had been destroyed with sensors showing no hydraulic pressure.

Initial Requirements Set For Orbital Space Plane
(18 February 2003) NASA has released the top level requirements for the Orbital Space Plane (OSP), a next generation system of space vehicles designed to provide a crew rescue and crew transport capability to and from the International Space Station. These requirements set the foundation for the design of the vehicle and its associated systems.

The Level I requirements for an OSP system were developed based on NASA's missions, as defined in the Integrated Space Transportation Plan, input from industry and Department of Defense partners participating in the program. The requirements were reviewed at multiple levels within NASA. The final review and approval process included the NASA Administrator, Deputy Administrator, Associate Administrator for the Office of Aerospace Technology, and the Associate Administrator, Office of Space Flight.

Any future changes to the Level I Requirements would be considered by the Orbital Space Plane Program Office and require approval from the NASA Executive Council.

The program is in the process of developing Level II Requirements for the OSP system. Unlike the Level I requirements, which were defined by NASA, Level II requirements will be defined at the program level and will be detailed in a document referred to as the Systems Requirements Document (SRD) planned for release no later than late 2003.

Orbital Space Plane Program Level ­ One Requirements

Mission Needs Statement: The vehicle(s) and associated systems will support US International Space Station requirements for crew rescue, crew transport, and cargo.

Requirements

Operations Concepts

* Rescue includes medical evacuation and emergency evacuation.

Launch Services

Atlas V to Launch Wideband Gapfiller as ILS' 1st EELV Mission
(21 February 2003) International Launch Services (ILS) will launch a US Air Force communications satellite on an Atlas V rocket as its first government mission under the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program.

The mission is the launch of Wideband Gapfiller Satellite #2 (WGS-2), scheduled for no earlier than December 2004 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. This is the first of seven Atlas V launches awarded to ILS by the Air Force under the EELV program. The Air Force authorised ILS this month to begin work to integrate the Atlas V vehicle with the spacecraft.

The Atlas V is produced by Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co, the latest generation in a long line of reliable rockets. It was developed both to meet Air Force EELV requirements and for ILS commercial missions. Atlas V's successful first flight was last August 21 with a commercial payload. The Atlas family of II, III and V series rockets has a record of 63 consecutive successful launches.

The Wideband Gapfiller Satellites are designed to augment defence communications services currently provided by the Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) and the Global Broadcasting Service (GBS), as well as provide a new high-capacity two-way Ka band service in support of the USA's deployed forces.

WildBlue Communications Chooses Arianespace
(15 February 2003) Arianespace has signed a launch contract with US operator WildBlue Communications Inc, which follows the resumption of the WildBlue program.

The WildBlue 1 satellite is schedule to be launched by Ariane from the Guiana Space Center in early 2005.

WildBlue 1 is one of the first fully dedicated Ka band satellites to offer consumer high-speed Internet service.

WildBlue Communications Inc - which will be owned by Intelsat, Liberty Media and NRTC - will provide broadband service to rural and remote areas in the United States.

Built by Space Systems/Loral the WildBlue 1 satellite is to weigh approximately 4,735 kg at launch.

Business

Globalstar Debtor-in-Possession Financing Approved
(21 February 2003) Globalstar LP's debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing motion, filed last week with the US Bankruptcy Court in Delaware, was granted on an interim basis by the court on February 20. The court also granted the company's motion to establish a process for soliciting and evaluating final investment proposals from potential outside investors.

Under the terms of the agreement, the consortium of five lenders will make a total of US$ 10 million available to Globalstar, giving the company necessary working capital while it moves toward a final restructuring plan that would allow it to emerge from Chapter 11 protection later this year. The five lenders providing the DIP financing are: Blue River Capital LLC; Columbia Ventures Corporation; ICO Investment Corp; Iridium Investors, LLC; and Loeb Partners Corp. Three of the lenders are members of the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Globalstar.

Blue River Capital LLC is an investment company based in New York, NY. Columbia Ventures Corporation is an international investment company, based in Vancouver, WA, with interests in aluminium smelting and recycling. ICO Investment Corp is a subsidiary of ICO Global Communications (Holdings) Limited, a global telecommunications company. Iridium Investments LLC is a private investment company that represents some of the current investors in Iridium Satellite LLC, another mobile satellite service company. Loeb Partners Corp is a member of a family of privately owned financial service companies, based in New York, NY.

Under the order, the Court authorised Globalstar to borrow up to US$ 4 million on an interim basis, with a final hearing to consider the entire US$ 10 million DIP facility on March 6.

As part of the approved bidding procedures, investors must qualify by March 7, with investment proposals due to be submitted by March 21. The company expects to announce its selection of the winning bidder on or about April 2 and to seek court approval of its selection on April 9.

Loral to Seek Shareholder Approval of Reverse Stock Split
(19 February 2003) Loral Space & Communications is to seek shareholder approval to implement a reverse stock split at its annual meeting on May 29, 2003, in order to, among other things, restore the company's compliance with New York Stock Exchange share price requirements. Loral meets all other criteria for continued listing on the Exchange, including having a market capitalisation well in excess of the minimum required.

The reverse stock split ratio of new shares to existing shares will be established and detailed in a proxy statement to be mailed to shareholders several weeks before the annual meeting. The date for determining shareholders of record entitled to receive notice of, and to vote at, the annual meeting is April 1, 2003. The reverse stock split transaction will be promptly enacted upon shareholder approval.

As of January 31, 2003, there were 430,798,402 million shares of Loral Space & Communications common shares outstanding. Loral's average daily trading volume in January was 2.3 million shares.

SoundWorks International Acquires White Springs Media
(18 February 2003) SoundWorks International Inc has acquired White Springs Media Inc., a company formed to own and operate an existing earth station satellite up-link facility located in White Springs, Florida.

The Company intends to complete a total video, audio and data build-out of the earth station facility in Phase I of its operations. In Phase II, the Company intends to acquire a representative group of radio stations and in Phase III to acquire a representative group of television stations.

The Company intends to raise a total of US$ 1,500,000 within 90 days after acquisition to complete its video, audio and data build-out of the earth station facility. Subsequent to completing its build-out, the Company intends to raise additional funds to acquire a representative group of radio stations and thereafter in Phase III a representative group of television stations.

White Springs Media Inc is a newly formed media company created by experienced and highly respected professionals, both from within and without the media industry. The heart of the Company's management team consists of successful senior executives from all areas of the media industry, specifically including satellite up-link facility management, media acquisition expertise, station and network management, advertising and sales, programming creation, production and distribution, and all phases of satellite up-link and earth station operations.

The new officers and directors of SoundWorks International Inc are: Victor Ives, Chairman and Director; Gerald B Dennon, President and Director; Bob Laman, Corporate Secretary and Director; and Robert L Wikstrom, Treasurer and Director.

The Company's mission is to establish a multi-media company to vertically integrate company owned and/or controlled audio and video content with a delivery system comprised of an FCC licensed satellite earth station up-link with access to all of the satellites covering North America and those over the Atlantic providing service to Western Europe, therefore being capable of reaching virtually every radio station, television station, cable system and satellite network in the USA and Western Europe.

Products and Services

Intelsat Broadband Service Expands to Mexico
(20 February 2003) The Intelsat Broadband Service has expanded into Mexico offering satellite delivered, high-speed, high-quality Internet. Globalsat, a Mexican service provider, is the first in the country to offer the Intelsat Broadband Service.

Globalsat is offering the service to businesses via Intelsat's 706 satellite at 307º E. In addition, Globalsat is using the Gilat 360E platform, a proven technology that supports broadband applications world-wide. With the Intelsat Broadband Service, Globalsat will be able to provide Internet backbone connectivity to the entire country and provide access to businesses located throughout Mexico that have not yet had the opportunity to connect into a reliable network to access the Internet.

Intelsat Broadband Service provides direct "always on" Internet access via satellite that is up to 10 times faster than dial-up, and supports e-mail, web browsing, e-commerce, e-learning and other applications. It is offered to service providers on a wholesale basis, and is then distributed through in-country and regional service providers to end-users, including small-office-home-office users (SOHOs), small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), corporations, institutions and organisations. In addition to Mexico, the service is now available in the Andean region and Europe.

People

SpaceDev Names New Chief Financial Officer
(19 February 2003) SpaceDev has announced that Richard B Slansky has joined the Company as its chief financial officer and corporate secretary.

Slansky brings two decades of experience as a chief financial officer to SpaceDev, with a track record of proven success in financial management, operations, human resources and information technology at emerging growth, high-tech companies.

In his role as chief financial officer, Slansky will assume responsibility for SpaceDev's financial management including SEC reporting, strategic financial planning, investor relations, accounting management, banking relationships and cash flow management.

Slansky holds a bachelor's degree in economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a master's degree in business administration from the University of Arizona.

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