February 2015

A rendering of Turksat 4A in orbit. Photo: Mitsubishi Electric [Via Satellite 02-03-2015] Hughes Europe has signed an agreement with Turksat to deliver its Jupiter High-Throughput Satellite (HTS) ground system to the Turkish operator. The deal aims to enhance Turksat’s services across Turkey and neighboring countries in Europe and the Middle East. Using Jupiter’s ground system,…

Mark Rawlins, SDA chairman. Photo: Radical Moves PR [Via Satellite 02-03-2015] Mark Rawlins, director of communication system operations at Eutelsat, has been elected as the new chairman of the Space Data Association (SDA), an international non-profit association of satellite operators that supports the controlled, reliable and efficient sharing of space environment and RF spectrum data.…

Gearbulk shipping vessel at sea. Photo: Gearbulk [Via Satellite 02-03-2015] Telecommunications provider SpeedCast International has been awarded a multi-year communications contract from shipping services company, Gearbulk. The new Ku-band satellite service will provide broadband connectivity on 50 cargo vessels across the world, bringing the fleets’ communication capabilities up to speed. The vessels will benefit from…

[Via Satellite 02-03-2015] The latest edition of NSR’s Energy Markets via Satellite report has found that, although near-term challenges exist for some segments of the energy market, the long term opportunities remain strong. At more than $3.8 billion in retail revenues split between the oil and gas, mining and utility markets by 2024, new capacity,…

KLAA uplink install at Angels stadium [Via Satellite 02-03-2015] Ka You Systems, a satellite services company headquartered in Maryland, has installed a satellite uplink and downlink for KLAA-AM, a 24/7 sports station that broadcasts from the baseball stadium in Anaheim, Calif. Having outgrown its existing terrestrial transmission system, the KLAA technical team worked with Ka…

Aarti Holla-Maini, secretary general, European Satellite Operators Association (ESOA). Photo: ESOA [Via Satellite 2-2-2015] The satellite industry has been ramping up its efforts in Africa over the last few days as it looks to persuade governments and key stakeholders about the benefits of keeping key C-band spectrum for satellite industry use instead of giving it…

An ILS Proton carrying the Inmarsat 5 F2 satellite. Photo: Inmarsat. [Via Satellite 02-02-2015] Inmarsat’s second Global Xpress (GX) High Throughput Satellite (HTS) Inmarsat 5 F2 launched Feb. 1 aboard a Proton rocket from International Launch Services (ILS). The operator acquired the first signals at its Paumalu, Hawaii, ground station and ILS confirmed the spacecraft…

NASA’s Deep Space 1 with NSTAR ion thruster. Photo: NASA [Via Satellite 02-02-2015] Thales Alenia Space and Airbus Defence and Space have contracted European Space Propulsion (ESP) for the initial development of a new electronic controller for the XR-5 Hall thruster. The companies issued the contract as part of the European Space Agency (ESA)-sponsored Neosat…

Manila, Philippines. Photo: Storm Crypt (Flickr) [Via Satellite 02-02-2015] Philippine telecommunications solutions provider Delnet International has selected Gilat Satellite Networks’ SkyEdge 2 network for 3G and Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) cellular backhaul. The Ku-band network will support 2G and 3G Base Transceiver Station (BTS)/Node B sites for Smart Communications, a wholly-owned cellular network…

A Delta 2 rocket carrying NASA’s SMAP satellite. Photo: ULA [Via Satellite 02-02-2015] The Boeing–Lockheed Martin joint venture United Launch Alliance (ULA) successfully launched NASA’s Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite on Jan. 31 aboard a Delta 2 rocket. The launch also delivered four CubeSats for the agency’s Educational Launch of Nanosatellite (ELANA) initiative. ULA…