13 January 2008
Satcoms
Astrium To Build
New-Generation Ka-Band Satellite For Eutelsat
C2SAT Enters Into Satellite Communications
Equipment Marketing And Sales Agreement With DRS Technologies, Inc.
Eutelsat To Drive Satellite Broadband To New
Frontiers With First Full Ka-Band Satellite Infrastructure
Globecomm Systems Awarded Infrastructure Contract
Valued At US$ 2.1 Million From A Mobile Telecommunications Operator
Globecomm Systems Awarded Service Contract
Renewals From Computer Sciences Corporation Valued At US$ 3.3 Million
Space Systems/Loral Selected To Provide High
Capacity Broadband Satellite For ViaSat Inc.
Broadcast
ICO Mobile Television To Feature NBC Universal
Content At International Consumer Electronics Show
PBLSat Selects Two Eutelsat Satellites To Increase
Capacity For Professional Video Transmissions Across Europe
SatLink Communications Brings TV
Canção Nova To Asia On Its AsiaSat 2 Platform
TRACE Selects AsiaSat 2 To Expand Distribution
Network In Asia Pacific
Navigation
NOAA To Ensure Global Navigation Satellite System
Accuracy
Tracking
Digital Angel Personal Location Beacon Aids Rescue
Of Lone British Sailor
Astrophysics
Hubble Finds Double Einstein Ring
NASA And Gemini Probe Mysterious Explosion In The
Distant Past
UO Plays Key Role In LIGO's
New View Of A Cosmic Event
Astronomy
Dark Energy, The Milky Way Galaxy And Giant
Planets: Sloan Digital Sky Survey Continues
Stars
Hubble Finds That "Blue Blobs" In Space Are
Orphaned Clusters Of Stars
Galaxies
Integral Discovers The Galaxy's Antimatter Cloud
Is Lopsided
The Violent Lives Of
Galaxies: Caught In The Cosmic Dark Matter Web
UA Astronomers On Team Describing New Evidence Of
'Inconvenient' Galaxy
Black
Holes
Even Thin Galaxies Can Grow Fat Black
Holes
Galaxy May Hold Hundreds Of Rogue
Black Holes
NASA Scientists Predict
Black Hole Light Echo Show
SDSS Reveals
Hidden Population Of Powerful Black Holes
Moon
Europe's Next Ride To The Moon:
Chandrayaan-1
NASA's Next Moon Mission
Spacecraft Undergoing Critical Tests
Scientists Detect Lowest Frequency Radar Echo From
The Moon
Mercury
NASA Messenger Spacecraft Is Only One Week From
Mercury
NASA Spacecraft To Make Historic
Flyby Of Mercury
Earth
Earth: A Borderline Planet for
Life?
Extra-Solar
Planets
2 Unusual Older Stars Giving Birth To Second Wave
Of Planets
Astronomers Are First To
Successfully Predict Extra-Solar Planet
Exoplanet Reflected Light Detected For The First
Time
When Worlds Collide: Have
Astronomers Observed The Aftermath Of A Distant Planetary
Collision?
Manned
Space
ASRC Aerospace Contributes To NASA's Constellation
System
ATK Selected By Lockheed Martin
To Design And Build Solar Arrays For NASA's Orion Crew Exploration
Vehicle
Columbus Launch Targeted For 7
February
Fuelling Of Automated Transfer
Vehicle Begins In The S5 Facility At Europe's Spaceport
Lockheed Martin And United Space Alliance Agree To
Team For Johnson Space Center Support Contract Competition
NASA Announces Details Of Hubble Servicing
Mission
NASA Announces Space Shuttle
Launch Targets
NASA Updates
International Space Station Crew Assignments
SpaceDev Completes Second Milestone Under NASA
Space Act Agreement For Development Of Commercial Access To
Space
Launch
Services
ILS Marks First Year As Independent Company With
US$ 1.5 Billion In New Proton Business
Quality And Performance Counts: Arianespace To
Build On The Success Of 2007
In Orbit
Boosting Capability: Santa Maria Station To Join
ESTRACK
Launches
Launch
Schedule
Business
ATK To Acquire Information Systems And Geospatial
Businesses Of MacDonald Dettwiler And Associates
Hughes Signs CVS Systems As Distributor For
HughesNet Broadband Satellite Internet Service
Hughes Signs Dow Electronics As Distributor For
HughesNet Satellite Broadband Internet Service
Mobile Satellite Ventures And SkyTerra
Communications Close US$ 150 Million Financing
Agreement
Products and
Services
ATCi Introduces Warrior Satellite Monitoring
System
Global Commercial Satellite Leader
Provides Live Pay-Per-View Webcasts And Streaming Video
Services
People
ATK Selects Carl A. Marchetto To Lead The
Company's New Space Systems Group
EchoStar Holding Corporation Appoints Dean
Olmstead President -- Satellite Services
Iridium Satellite Names New Chief Legal And
Administrative Officer
SAT-GE Appoints
New VP Engineering
Satcoms
Astrium To Build
New-Generation Ka-Band Satellite For Eutelsat
(8 January 2008)
Astrium has been selected by Eutelsat Communications, one of the world's
leading satellite operators, to deliver a satellite, currently designated as
KA-SAT, the first European multi-beam satellite to operate exclusively in the
Ka-band and dedicated to providing broadband and broadcast services across the
wider Europe.
C2SAT Enters Into Satellite
Communications Equipment Marketing And Sales Agreement With DRS Technologies,
Inc.
(11 January 2008) C2SAT, an international provider of advanced
shipboard stabilised Satellite communications terminals has entered into a
technology licensing agreement with DRS Technologies, Inc., headquartered in
Parsippany, New Jersey.
Eutelsat To Drive
Satellite Broadband To New Frontiers With First Full Ka-Band Satellite
Infrastructure
(7 January 2008) Eutelsat Communications, one of the
world's leading satellite operators, today announced it has selected EADS
Astrium to deliver its first satellite operating exclusively in Ka-band
frequencies.
Globecomm Systems Awarded
Infrastructure Contract Valued At US$ 2.1 Million From A Mobile
Telecommunications Operator
(10 January 2008) Globecomm Systems
Inc., a leading provider of satellite-based communications infrastructure
solutions and services on a global basis, today announced that the Company has
been awarded an infrastructure contract from a telecommunications operator
valued at US$ 2.1 million.
Globecomm
Systems Awarded Service Contract Renewals From Computer Sciences Corporation
Valued At US$ 3.3 Million
(8 January 2008) Globecomm Systems Inc., a
leading provider of satellite-based communications infrastructure solutions and
services on a global basis, today announced that the Company's wholly-owned
subsidiary, Globecomm Services Maryland (GSM), has been awarded service
contract renewals from Computer Sciences Corporation valued at US$ 3.3
million.
Space Systems/Loral Selected To
Provide High Capacity Broadband Satellite For ViaSat Inc.
(7 January
2008) Loral Space & Communications today announced that its subsidiary,
Space Systems/Loral, was selected to provide a high capacity broadband
satellite for ViaSat Inc.
Broadcast
ICO Mobile Television To Feature NBC Universal
Content At International Consumer Electronics Show
(8 January 2008)
ICO Global Communications (Holdings) Limited today announced that it has
entered into an agreement to utilise content from NBC Universal for the
demonstration of its mobile television offering at the International Consumer
Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week.
PBLSat Selects Two Eutelsat Satellites To Increase
Capacity For Professional Video Transmissions Across Europe
(10
January 2008) PBLSat, specialists in Occasional Use satellite services for the
broadcasting community, today announced the confirmation of long-term contracts
for capacity on two satellites operated by Eutelsat Communications
SatLink Communications Brings TV
Canção Nova To Asia On Its AsiaSat 2 Platform
(7
January 2008) TV Canção Nova, the renowned Brazilian Catholic
channel, together with SatLink Communications, the fastest growing teleport in
2007, announced today the TV channel's launch into the Asian market on
SatLink's AsiaSat 2 MCPC platform..
TRACE
Selects AsiaSat 2 To Expand Distribution Network In Asia Pacific
(9
January 2008) Asia's leading satellite operator, Asia Satellite
Telecommunications Company Limited (AsiaSat) and TRACE today announced the
signing of a lease agreement to distribute the leading international urban
music and culture television channel to Asian cable and satellite networks and
pay TV platforms through AsiaSat 2's powerful pan Asian C-band
platform.
Navigation
NOAA To Ensure Global Navigation
Satellite System Accuracy
(5 January 2008) NOAA will lead an
international effort to pinpoint the locations of more than 40 global
positioning satellites in Earth orbit, which is vital to ensuring the accuracy
of GPS data that millions world-wide rely upon every day for safe navigation
and commerce.
Tracking
Digital Angel Personal Location Beacon Aids Rescue
Of Lone British Sailor
(11 January 2008) Digital Angel, an advanced
technology company in the field of rapid and accurate identification, location
tracking and condition monitoring of high-value assets, announced today its
McMurdo FastFind Plus GPS Personal Location Beacon (PLB) aided in the rescue of
a yachtsman on January 4 who activated his PLB off the coast of Africa when his
yacht ran into difficulties in severe storms.
Astrophysics
Hubble Finds Double Einstein
Ring
(10 January 2008) NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has revealed a
never-before-seen optical alignment in space: a pair of glowing rings, one
nestled inside the other like a bull's-eye pattern.
NASA And Gemini Probe Mysterious Explosion In The
Distant Past
(8 January 2008) Using the powerful one-two combo of
NASA's Swift satellite and the Gemini Observatory, astronomers have detected a
mysterious type of cosmic explosion farther back in time than ever
before.
UO Plays Key Role In LIGO's New
View Of A Cosmic Event
(6 January 2008) An international team of
physicists, including University of Oregon scientists, has concluded that last
February's intense burst of gamma rays possibly coming from the Andromeda
Galaxy lacked a gravitational wave.
Astronomy
Dark Energy, The Milky Way Galaxy And Giant
Planets: Sloan Digital Sky Survey Continues
(11 January 2008)
Building on eight years of extraordinary discoveries by the Sloan Digital Sky
Survey (SDSS and SDSS-II), a new program of four co-ordinated surveys will
revolutionise the study of the distant universe, the Milky Way galaxy, and
giant planets orbiting other stars.
Stars
Hubble Finds That "Blue Blobs" In Space Are
Orphaned Clusters Of Stars
(8 January 2008) Finding blue blobs in
space sounds like an encounter with an alien out of a science fiction
movie.
Galaxies
Integral Discovers The Galaxy's Antimatter Cloud
Is Lopsided
(9 January 2008) The shape of the mysterious cloud of
antimatter in the central regions of the Milky Way has been revealed by ESA's
orbiting gamma-ray observatory Integral.
The Violent Lives Of Galaxies: Caught In The
Cosmic Dark Matter Web
(10 January 2008) Astronomers are using
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope to dissect one of the largest structures in the
universe as part of a quest to understand the violent lives of
galaxies.
UA Astronomers On Team
Describing New Evidence Of 'Inconvenient' Galaxy
(10 January 2008)
Discovery of two new components within a puzzling spiral galaxy confirm it must
have a pair of arms winding in the opposite direction from most galaxies,
according to results being presented today to the American Astronomical Society
meeting in Austin, Texas.
Black
Holes
Even Thin Galaxies Can Grow Fat Black
Holes
(10 January 2008) NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has detected
plump black holes where least expected -- skinny galaxies.
Galaxy May Hold Hundreds Of Rogue Black
Holes
(10 January 2008) If the latest simulation of what happens
when black holes merge is correct, there could be hundreds of rogue black
holes, each weighing several thousand times the mass of the sun, roaming around
the Milky Way galaxy.
NASA Scientists
Predict Black Hole Light Echo Show
(10 January 2008) It's well known
that black holes can slow time to a crawl and tidally stretch large objects
into spaghetti-like strands.
SDSS Reveals
Hidden Population Of Powerful Black Holes
(11 January 2008) Powered
by glowing, super-heated gas as it swirls into black holes a billion times more
massive than the sun, quasars are the most brilliantly luminous objects in the
universe.
Moon
Europe's Next Ride To
The Moon: Chandrayaan-1
(11 January 2008) Excitement is rising as
ESA is in the final stages of preparation for the first collaborative space
mission with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
NASA's Next Moon Mission Spacecraft Undergoing
Critical Tests
(10 January 2008) NASA's next mission to Earth's
closest astronomical body is in the midst of integration and testing at NASA's
Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.
Scientists Detect Lowest Frequency Radar Echo From
The Moon
(9 January 2008) A team of scientists from the Naval
Research Laboratory, the Air Force Research Laboratory's (AFRL's) Research
Vehicles Directorate, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., and the University of New
Mexico (UNM) has detected the lowest frequency radar echo from the moon ever
seen with earth-based receivers.
Mercury
NASA Messenger Spacecraft Is Only One Week From
Mercury
(8 January 2008) Messenger's mid-December trajectory
correction maneuver (TCM-19) went so well that the mission design and
navigation teams have decided that a TCM scheduled for January 10 will not be
needed.
NASA Spacecraft To Make Historic
Flyby Of Mercury
(10 January 2008) On Monday, Jan. 14, a pioneering
NASA spacecraft will be the first to visit Mercury in almost 33 years when it
soars over the planet to explore and snap close-up images of never-before-seen
terrain.
Earth
Earth: A Borderline
Planet for Life?
(11 January 2008) Our planet is changing before our
eyes, and as a result, many species are living on the edge.
Extra-Solar Planets
2 Unusual Older Stars Giving
Birth To Second Wave Of Planets
(9 January 2008) Hundreds of
millions - or even billions - of years after planets would have initially
formed around two unusual stars, a second wave of planetesimal and planet
formation appears to be taking place, UCLA astronomers and colleagues
believe.
Astronomers Are First To
Successfully Predict Extra-Solar Planet
(10 January 2008)
Astronomers, including one at The University of Arizona, have successfully
predicted the existence of an unknown planet, the first since Neptune was
predicted in the 1840s.
Exoplanet
Reflected Light Detected For The First Time
(7 January 2008) The
ability to explore remote worlds in space has been enhanced through a
polarisation technique that allows the first ever detection of light reflected
by extrasolar (exoplanet) planets.
When
Worlds Collide: Have Astronomers Observed The Aftermath Of A Distant Planetary
Collision?
(11 January 2008) Astronomers announced today that a
mystery object orbiting a star 170 light-years from Earth might have formed
from the collision and merger of two protoplanets.
Manned Space
ASRC Aerospace Contributes To NASA's Constellation
System
(8 January 2008) ASRC Aerospace Corporation is providing
design and development engineering, systems engineering, configuration
management, three dimensional modelling and visualisation, and project
management services to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's
(NASA) Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD), Constellation Program
(CxP) Ground Operations (GO) Project for processing the Ares 1/Orion vehicles
at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC).
ATK
Selected By Lockheed Martin To Design And Build Solar Arrays For NASA's Orion
Crew Exploration Vehicle
(11 January 2008) Alliant Techsystems has
been selected by Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, a division of Lockheed
Martin Corporation to design, develop and build UltraFlex solar arrays for
NASA's next generation Orion crew exploration vehicle.
Columbus Launch Targeted For 7
February
(11 January 2008) NASA has announced 7 February 2008 as the
target launch date for Space Shuttle Atlantis' STS-122 mission to carry the
European Columbus laboratory into space.
Fuelling Of Automated Transfer Vehicle Begins In
The S5 Facility At Europe's Spaceport
(10 January 2008) A new
milestone in the preparation campaign for Ariane 5's first human-rated
spacecraft passenger has been achieved with the start-up of fuelling for the
Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV).
Lockheed Martin And United Space Alliance Agree To
Team For Johnson Space Center Support Contract Competition
(8
January 2008) Lockheed Martin has signed a memorandum of understanding with
United Space Alliance to support Lockheed Martin's pursuit of the Facilities
Development and Operations Contract (FDOC) at NASA's Johnson Space
Center.
NASA Announces Details Of Hubble
Servicing Mission
(8 January 2008) NASA scientists and a space
shuttle astronaut today outlined details of a challenging mission that will
repair and upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope in 2008.
NASA Announces Space Shuttle Launch
Targets
(11 January 2008) NASA Friday announced Feb. 7 as the target
launch date for shuttle Atlantis' STS-122 mission to the International Space
Station and mid-March for the launch of Endeavour on STS-123.
NASA Updates International Space Station Crew
Assignments
(11 January 2008) NASA has updated assignments for
International Space Station expedition crews.
SpaceDev Completes Second Milestone Under NASA
Space Act Agreement For Development Of Commercial Access To Space
(7
January 2008) SpaceDev, Inc. recently completed its second milestone under the
Space Act Agreement that was signed with NASA in June 2007.
Launch Services
ILS Marks First Year As
Independent Company With US$ 1.5 Billion In New Proton Business
(8
January 2008) International Launch Services (ILS) brought in US$ 1.5 billion in
new launch orders in 2007, its first year as an independent company marketing
the Proton Breeze M vehicle.
Quality And
Performance Counts: Arianespace To Build On The Success Of 2007
(8
January 2008) Arianespace will retain its industry leadership in 2008, relying
on a three-pronged strategy of meeting the company's on-time mission
commitments to customers, utilising Ariane 5 launchers that are built to a
standardised configuration, and maintaining a clearly defined
commercial/industrial organisation for its Service & Solutions
offer.
In
Orbit
Boosting Capability: Santa Maria Station To Join
ESTRACK
(10 January 2008) A new station will join ESA's tracking
network on 17 January 2008.
Launches
Launch
Schedule
Business
ATK To Acquire Information Systems And Geospatial
Businesses Of MacDonald Dettwiler And Associates
(8 January 2008)
Alliant Techsystems announced today that it has negotiated definitive
agreements with Canadian-based MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates, to acquire
its Information Systems and Geospatial Information Services businesses for US$
1.325 billion (CDN).
Hughes Signs CVS
Systems As Distributor For HughesNet Broadband Satellite Internet
Service
(8 January 2008) Hughes Network Systems, the global leader
in broadband satellite networks and services, announced today that it has
signed a distribution agreement with CVS Systems, Inc. to be a distributor of
HughesNet satellite broadband Internet service in the Midwest and Great Lakes
region of the country, home to many consumers who are not served by high-speed
landline Internet providers.
Hughes Signs
Dow Electronics As Distributor For HughesNet Satellite Broadband Internet
Service
(7 January 2008) Hughes Network Systems, LLC, the global
leader in broadband satellite networks and services, announced today that it
recently signed Dow Electronics to be a distributor of HughesNet satellite
broadband Internet service in the southeastern United States, home to many
consumers who are not served by high-speed landline Internet
providers.
Mobile Satellite Ventures And
SkyTerra Communications Close US$ 150 Million Financing Agreement
(7
January 2008) Mobile Satellite Ventures ("MSV") and SkyTerra Communications,
Inc. ("SkyTerra") announced that today they closed on the previously announced
definitive agreement to sell to Harbinger Capital Partners Master Fund I, Ltd,
and Harbinger Capital Partners Special Situations Fund, LP (together,
"Harbinger") US$ 150 million of MSV's Senior Unsecured Notes due 2013 (the
"Notes") and ten year warrants (the "Warrants") to purchase 7.5% of the
Company's common stock ("Common Stock"), on a fully diluted basis
(approximately 9.1 million shares), with an exercise price of US$ 10.00 per
share.
Products and
Services
ATCi Introduces Warrior Satellite Monitoring
System
(8 January 2008) Antenna Technology Communications Inc., a
provider of commercial satellite communications systems, today announced the
introduction of its complete all-inclusive Warrior Satellite Monitoring
System.
Global Commercial Satellite Leader
Provides Live Pay-Per-View Webcasts And Streaming Video Services
(4
January 2008) IP Access International (IPA), a global satellite service
provider, today announced that the company has broadened its satellite service
offerings to include live streaming video services connecting professional
videographers to an online viewing community.
People
ATK Selects Carl A. Marchetto To Lead The
Company's New Space Systems Group
(8 January 2008) Alliant
Techsystems announced today that Carl A. Marchetto has joined the company to
lead the formation of ATK Space Systems, a fourth business group for the
company which will be established on April 1, 2008.
EchoStar Holding Corporation Appoints Dean
Olmstead President -- Satellite Services
(10 January 2008) EchoStar
Holding Corporation announced today that Dean Olmstead, a recognised leader in
the satellite industry, will join the company as President -- Satellite
Services.
Iridium Satellite Names New
Chief Legal And Administrative Officer
(7 January 2008) Iridium
Satellite has appointed John S. Brunette as the company's new chief legal and
administrative officer.
SAT-GE Appoints
New VP Engineering
(8 January 2008) SAT-GE, a provider of unique C
and Ku-band satellite coverage spanning the Pacific Ocean Region from
coast-to-coast, today announced the appointment of Vince Walisko to the
position of VP Engineering.