News & Events

Radomes at Buckley Air Force Base. Photo: Airman Emily E. Amyotte/USAF [Via Satellite 03-02-2015] The United States Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) completed a three-day test of the Increment 2 ground system for the Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS). SMC and the 460 Space Wing, operator of the SBIRS missile warning satellites demonstrated…

SpaceX’s 16th Falcon 9 mission carrying satellites for Eutelsat and ABs/ Photo: SpaceX [Via Satellite 03-02-2015] At 10:50 p.m. EST March 1, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying the ABS 3A satellite for Asia Broadcast Satellite (ABS) and the Eutelsat 115 West B satellite for Eutelsat. The two Boeing-built, all-electric spacecraft launched as a…

NovelSat chart comparing the NovelSat NS4 waveform to DVB-S2. Photo: NovelSat [Via Satellite 02-03-2015] NovelSat announced plans to demonstrate its new NS4 waveform at SATELLITE 2015 and NAB this year. According to the company, NovelSat NS4 offers 45 percent higher spectral efficiency than Digital Video Broadcasting-Satellite Second Generation (DVB-S2). NovelSat intends to commercially release the…

Superyacht’s are typically the frontrunners of maritime connectivity. Photo: Wikipedia [Via Satellite 02-27-2015] Noting an uptick in expectation for faster bandwidth in the satellite communications market, NSSLGlobal recently ran a study that found nearly half of all superyacht crewmembers expect to receive the same connectivity speeds at sea as they do on land. With superyachts…

The Saphir Robotics Project. Photo: Thales Alenia Space [Via Satellite 02-27-2015] As part of the company’s “Tomorrow’s Factory” initiative, Thales Alenia Space is deploying the Saphir Robotics Project in clean rooms tentatively starting the second half of this year. The project, developed collaboratively with KUKA and AKEO+, creates a workstation with two robotic arms: one…

WorldView 3 image of Sao Paulo Brazil at 30 cm resolution. Photo: DigitalGlobe [Via Satellite 02-27-2015] DigitalGlobe signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) to collaborate on applications of Earth observation (EO) technologies for economic, social, and scientific benefits, with an emphasis on developing countries. Together…

Extreme racers from the 2014 Marathon Des Sables. Photo: Cimbaly/E. Sampers/MDS [Via Satellite 02-27-2015] The Marathon Des Sables (MDS) Organizing Committee has decided to use Spot Gen3 safety devices from Globalstar Europe Satellite Services for this year’s race, as well as the MDS 2016 and 2017. The multi-stage race takes places in the Sahara desert,…

Testing green propellant technologyPhoto: Aerojet Rocketdyne [Via Satellite 02-27-2015] The Department of Defense (DOD) Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program awarded Aerojet Rocketdyne a three-year contract for Research and Development (R&D) into green monopropellants and gas generators. The company has joined forces with the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center; the U.S.…

London, U.K., is considered one of the world’s emerging smart cities. Photo: James Offer (Flickr) [Via Satellite 02-26-2015] The “connected car” and “smart cities” are two potentially new and exciting markets the satellite industry could play in over the coming years, particularly the former as the potential for “always-on” connectivity could be a big draw for…

MDA offices. Photo: MDA [Via Satellite 02-26-2015] MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) has signed a contract valued at more than $23 million with Aselsan Electronic Industries to provide Ku-band payload equipment for a communications satellite subsystem. This award is in addition to the existing contract announced in April 2014 for the provision of a X-band…