October 2014

Artist’s rendition of an SBIRS satellite. Photo: Lockheed Martin. [Via Satellite 10-09-2014] Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman have shipped the payload for the United States Air Force’s fourth Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) satellite to Lockheed Martin’s Sunnyvale, Calif. facility. After receiving the payload on Sept. 30, engineers are completing its integration to have it ready…

[Via Satellite 10-09-2014] Comtech PST, a subsidiary of Comtech Telecommunications, has signed a purchase agreement worth $6 million from a major domestic Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). Pursuant to the agreement, the company received multiple orders collectively valued at roughly $3.7 million for solid-state high-power amplifiers. The new order follows an installed base of Comtech IFF…

Panasonic and Boeing’s phased array antenna. Photo: Panasonic [Via Satellite 10-08-2014] Boeing Network and Space Systems (N&SS) and Panasonic Avionics have partnered to develop a broadband, electronically steered phased array antenna for commercial airliners. The antenna will deliver in-flight Wi-Fi through Panasonic’s eXconnect broadband service while reducing fuel burn and emissions through a reported 65…

Upper composite headed to the launch zone in August for the VS09 mission. Photo: ESA [Via Satellite 10-08-2014] Independent inquiry boards established by Arianespace and Roscosmos have come to the same conclusion regarding the root cause of the Fregat anomaly that occurred 35 minutes into the Soyuz mission VS09. The culprit was found to be…

JAXA’s Himawari 8 satellite on its way to orbit. Photo: JAXA. [Via Satellite 10-08-2014] On Oct. 7, the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) launched the Himawari 8 geostationary weather satellite from Tanegashima Space Center. An H2A rocket, built by MHI, carried the satellite. Mitsubishi Electric was the prime contractor for…

Eutelsat 3B prior to launch. Photo: Eutelsat [Via Satellite 10-08-2014] Eutelsat Communications and Orange have signed a multi-year agreement for C-band capacity on the Eutelsat 3B satellite that broadens Orange’s satellite capabilities across Africa. The capacity will support and enhance Orange Business Services as well as serve Orange’s own internal requirements. From Eutelsat 3B’s orbital…

Arsenal Midfielder Mesut Ozil as seen on Setanta Sports. Photo: Setanta Sports [Via Satellite 10-08-2014] International sports broadcaster Setanta Sports has selected the SES’ Astra 5B satellite at the 31.5 degrees east orbital position to broadcast two sports channels in High Definition (HD) to 13 countries in the Central Asian region. The countries served under…

The Ka-5000 satcom antenna system. Photo: Tecom [Via Satellite 10-08-2014] Inmarsat and TECOM, designer and manufacturer of antenna systems, have established a Memorandum of Arrangement (MOA) to manufacture Global Xpress aviation terminals for the government market. TECOM’s initial offering for the government aviation market is the recently developed Ka-5000 SATCOM antenna system. This terminal will…

Mark Daniels, VP of engineering and operations for Intelsat General. Photo: Intelsat General [Via Satellite 10-07-2014] As Intelsat prepares for EpicNG, its next generation High Throughput Satellites (HTS), a key focus will be on gaining strength in the military market. This sector has presented a challenge to Intelsat recently, as sequestration and contract consolidation led…

Inmarsat 5 F1 and Inmarsat 5 F2 in a Boeing facility. Photo: Inmarsat [Via Satellite 10-07-2014] Inmarsat, in partnership with its Value Added Resellers, has started providing wideband communications capability to U.S. government customers through its Global Xpress service carried over the first Inmarsat 5 satellite. Using 72 fixed beams in commercial Ka-band, along with…