October 2015

Digital rendering of OneWeb satellites. Photo: OneWeb [Via Satellite 10-15-2015] OneWeb has appointed Matthew M. O’Connell, the former president and CEO of GeoEye, as it’s CEO. O’Connell will be responsible for steering and scaling OneWeb from where it is today through its subsequent phases of construction, launch and operation. In this role he will work…

Apstar 9 completes its journey to China’s Xichang Satellite Launch Center. Photo: APT Satellite [Via Satellite 10-14-2015] Hong Kong-based satellite operator APT Satellite wants to include more high throughput payloads on future satellites and sees mobility markets growing in importance. The company currently operates a fleet of five satellites, and has a sixth, Apstar 9,…

Spaceflight Networks’ SmallSat‬ ground station in New Zealand is now fully operational. Photo: Spaceflight Networks [Via Satellite 10-14-2015] Orbit Communications Systems has completed Spaceflight Networks’ third ground station for small satellites. Located in Invercargill, New Zealand, the station is now fully operational, and joins two other operational stations located in Fairbanks, Ark. and Tukwila, Wash.…

Artist’s rendition of Eutelsat 115 West B. Photo: Eutelsat [Via Satellite 10-14-2015] Elara Comunicaciones, a leading telecommunications provider in Mexico, has increased its supply of capacity from Eutelsat Americas. Based on a new agreement, Elara will have access to capacity on the Eutelsat 115 West B satellite, set to enter service this week, as well…

Artist rendition of the AMOS E satellite. Photo: Israel Aerospace Industries [Via Satellite 10-14-2015] Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) reports it is currently in the advanced stages of a new lightweight communications satellite, Amos E. The spacecraft has a projected weight of 1.5 to 2 tons, and is designed to provide a range of communication services…

[Via Satellite 10-14-2015] The U.S. Army has issued a delivery order to TeleCommunication Systems (TCS) for Micro Satellite (Microsat) Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSATs), baseband networking equipment, and associated engineering services. The order has a total value of $223.4 million, if all options are exercised through September 2020. The initial funding on this order is $9.9 million for the…

Yves Bigot CEO, TV5Monde. Photo: Christophe Guibbaud/TV5Monde [Via Satellite 10-13-2015] TV5Monde, a leading global French-language broadcaster, is watching developments in Ultra-HD but has no plans to implement such broadcasts until it meets its goals with High Definition (HD). The company reaches nearly 300 million homes in 197 countries and, according to CEO Yves Bigot, has…

Oberried, Germany. Photo: Axel Drainville [Via Satellite 10-13-2015] German satellite broadband company Eusanet and Eutelsat have joined forces to deliver a new broadband solution that combines satellite Internet with Wi-Fi networks. The new solution enables broadband without large-scale construction work in regions with limited or no Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) infrastructure. Eusanet and Eutelsat…

Royal Navy Type 23 Frigate HMS Northumberland. Photo: Crown Copyright 2015 [Via Satellite 10-13-2015] The British Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary are trialing Wi-Fi service from satellite communications provider NSSLGlobal on a select number of ships. The service uses technology augmented from NSSLGlobal’s commercial shipping sector for the Royal Navy, and enables crew to…

DLR’s Augsburg facility. Photo: DLR [Via Satellite 10-13-2015] The German Aerospace Center, Deutsche Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) has joined the Space Data Association (SDA), an international group of satellite operators that promote the sharing of space environment and RF spectrum data in a controlled, safe and reliable manner. DLR conducts Research and Development…