October 2015

Advantech Wireless’ 1.2m-flyaway VSAT terminal, Engage class. Photo: Advantech Wireless [Via Satellite 10-13-2015] Advantech Wireless has completed the delivery of a multi-million-dollar order of 1.2m Engage-class high-performance VSAT flyaway terminals. The terminals were for a military customer in Latin America. Advantech Wireless’ 1.2m Engage VSAT solution is a fully integrated tri-band system. The terminal is…

The Hosted Payload and SmallSat Summit’s weather forecasting and environmental research panel. Photo: Access Intelligence [Via Satellite 10-12-2015] Weather Analytics, a commercial weather data company, has invested in remote sensing startup OmniEarth, and also intends to become a customer of PlanetiQ when its constellation is active. Bill Pardue, chairman and CEO of Weather Analytics, said Oct.…

Sierra Nevada Corp. (SNC) technicians inspect the Dream Chaser ETA. Photo: SNC. [Via Satellite 10-12-2015] Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) is preparing two Dream Chaser spacecraft, the atmospheric Engineering Test Article (ETA) and the advanced composite orbital vehicle, for suborbital and orbital flight regimen, respectively. Dream Chaser is a reusable multi-mission space vehicle for manned and…

Satellite-tracked cows. Photo: Globalstar/MOOnitor [Via Satellite 10-12-2015] Globalstar subsidiary Globalstar Europe Satellite Services is supplying its STX3 chipset for integration into an upcoming cattle-monitoring solution called MOOnitor. Scheduled for production in 2016, the device uses neck-mounted collars to measure cattle activity and convert it to herd management information, allowing ranchers to quickly react to developing…

NASA/the Aerospace Corporation’s Optical Communications and Sensor Demonstration (OCSD) CubeSat. Photo: NASA Ames [Via Satellite 10-12-2015] NASA and The Aerospace Corporation have received confirmation the Optical Communications and Sensor Demonstration (OCSD) CubeSat, launched Oct. 8 by an Atlas 5 rocket, is in orbit and operational. The OCSD is testing a unique space-based laser communications system.…

[Via Satellite 10-12-2015] Gilat Satellite Networks is implementing structural changes to focus on five primary growth drivers: High Throughput Satellites (HTS), In-Flight Connectivity (IFC), rural Internet broadband, turnkey solutions, and the Chinese market. The company is making two main changes: it’s commercial division will focus on creating broader solutions while continuing to focus on HTS,…

The launch panel at the 2015 Hosted Payload and SmallSat Summit. Photo: Via Satellite. [Via Satellite 10-09-2015] Emerging small satellite launch providers are eager to speed up the production of rockets and introduce reusability in new launch systems. Speaking at the Hosted Payload and SmallSat Summit in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 8, executives from Virgin…

The Polarcus Naila. Photo: Polarcus. [Via Satellite 10-09-2015] Marlink customer Polarcus, a Dubai-based geophysical services company has extended its global VSAT contract for an additional three years. The renewed agreement includes ongoing provision of voice and data connectivity through Sealink, Marlink’s C-band VSAT solution for Polarcus’ fleet of seismic vessels. Polarcus and Marlink will also…

An offshore wind farm in the North Sea. Photo: Archangel12 (Flickr) [Via Satellite 10-09-2015] RigNet’s Telecom systems Integration (TSI) business has received a multi-million dollar contract to deliver communications systems and infrastructure for a high-voltage transmission platform in an offshore wind farm. A U.K.-based offshore contractor issued the contract award for a wind farm in…

An Atlas V rocket carrying the NROL-55 mission lifts off from Space Launch Complex 3. Photo: ULA [Via Satellite 10-09-2015] United Launch Alliance (ULA) orbited a defense satellite for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) along with 13 CubeSats on Oct. 8 using an Atlas 5 rocket. The 13 Government Rideshare Advanced Concepts Experiment (GRACE)…