Arianespace Enjoyed A 'Remarkable' Year In 2012

The French satellite launch company, Arianespace, announced its net income of €1.7 million for 2012 on sales of €1,329 million.

Despite the contrasted market conditions, according to the company, Arianespace enjoyed a remarkable year in 2012 in  terms of both number of launches and orders booked.

Retaining its world leader status in terms of satellite launching, Arianespace currently has seven Ariane 5 launches orbiting 12 commercial satellites plus the ATV3 Edoardo Amaldi supply vessel for the International Space Station. They have three Soyuz launches, as well, and the first launch of Vega, And having signed 13 launch contracts out of 18 open to competition is not that bad.

In 2013, it looks as though Arianespace is up for even a better year since Eutelsat (for two satellites launches), Australian operator NBN (two satellites launches), and Intelsat (one Vega launch) all signed contracts with the company.

With one Ariane 5 already launched this year, Arianespace still has five more launches planned for this year and a couple more with Soyuz, and Vega launch.

See also: Hawaii To Launch Its First Satellite On October 2013

Azerspace-1/Africasat-1a now offers full commercial service

Azerbaijan’s first satellite, Azerspace-1/Africasat-1a, is finally done with all in-orbit testing and has entered full commercial service, this according to Azercosmos and MEASAT.

Launched on February 7 aboard the Ariane 5 vehicle, the Azerbaijani communications satellite will deliver services to customers residing in Azerbaijan, Africa, Central Asia, Europe and the Middle East. The satellite offers C-band capacity in Africa, Central Asia, Europe and the Middle East, and Ku-band capacity over Europe and Central Asia.

Azerspace-1/Africasat-1a is based on the platform of Orbital Science Corporation’s GEOStar-2 and has a life expectancy rate of more than 15 years. The satellite generates about five kilowatts of payload power, carries 36 active transponders and operates from 46 degrees east longitude orbital location.

Norsat Awarded Repayable Government Contribution For Research & Development

A $13.3 million repayable contribution from the Strategic Aerospace and Defence Initiative (SADI) was awarded to Norsat International Inc. One of the leading innovation communication solutions provider, Norsat said that the contribution will enhance Norsat’s strategic research and development program and enable the company to maintain a leadership position in the development of innovative new or improved communications products, services and processes.

According to a statement Norsat released, the company's research and development program focuses on communications technologies that provide militaries, governments, and commercial customers around the world with connectivity in locations or applications in which infrastructure is unreliable, damaged, insufficient or non-existent.

Norsat President and CEO, Dr. Amiee Chan, said, "Norsat has a long history of excellence in research and development, and the contribution from SADI ensures we remain at the forefront of communications technology development. Through a 2008 contribution from SADI, we have developed over 20 products for the satellite and wireless markets, including our industry leading GLOBETrekker 2.0 fly-away satellite terminal, and we anticipate making further advances through this new contribution.   The relationship with SADI has been a major benefit to our R&D program, and we look forward to using this funding to collaborate with universities and channel partners as we continue to develop technology that enables our customers to remain connected wherever they go."

The contribution from SADI will further six major projects, including the development of:

• Microwave products with improved technical specifications and performance.  Norsat’s microwave components are used worldwide for satellite signal transmission and reception.
• Fly-away satellite terminals with improved ease-of use and technical performance
• Communications-on-the-Move (COTM) technologies that provide connectivity throughout moving deployments.
• Wireless communications technologies for Land Mobile Radio (LMR)
• Novel antennas that deliver high performance, reliability, and durability
• Complementary Communications solutions, providing end to end solutions for applications such as monitoring, surveillance and emergency communications.

See also: Harris Corporation & NOAA Partnered At Launching New Tracking Tool For Weather Satellite Operations 

ORBCOMM, KCM team up to provide global telematics solution

M2M communications and solutions provider ORBCOMM Inc. has collaborated with Kobelco Construction Machinery Co. Ltd., to deliver global telematics application.

Kobelco will use the global satellite communications network of ORBCOMM to keep track and monitor the location, status and performance of equipment they use for construction. The powerful on-board system of the KCM will allow their customers to gain essential operating advantages and cost savings through improved visibility and better asset management of their machinery.

In a company statement, ORBCOMM CEO Marc Eisenberg said: “KCM’s agreement with ORBCOMM further demonstrates our market leadership as the top choice for wireless M2M network service among the largest global manufacturers in the heavy equipment industry. With the growing importance of cost-effective, reliable connectivity in powering M2M applications, ORBCOMM will play a pivotal role in the successful implementation of KCM’s high-performance asset monitoring solution in key international markets.”

Thuraya introduces satellite adaptor for iPhones

Thuraya Telecommunications, an international mobile satellite services provider, has just introduced its adaptor called Thuraya SatSleeve designed to deliver satellite connectivity to Apple’s iPhone.

A little bigger than the iPhone, Thuraya SatSleeve is intended to be a compact adaptor that aims to provide easy and affordable access to mobile satellite communications over the Thuraya satellite network. As such, it will enable users to keep in touch via voice and text, something that terrestrial networks that have limited coverage cannot do.

Speaking about the recent launch, Thuraya CEO Samer Halawi noted, “The launch of Thuraya SatSleeve represents a major milestone and a game-changing innovation in the satellite industry. This is the first consumer friendly mobile satellite phone ever launched, which dramatically increases the reach to satellite telephony for enterprise, government, and everyday consumers alike. It provides iPhone users with a versatile and highly affordable means of conducting phone calls and sending SMS via satellite from the world’s most remote locations."

Four Of The World's Largest Fixed Satellite Operators Announce A Few Surprises At Satellite 2013

Named as the "big four" at the last SATELLITE 2013, the FSS panel, Intelsat, Eutelsat, SES, and Telesat, dropped a few surprises and came out worry-free despite centered on financing and the diminishing ability to raise capital in the industry on the account of the recession in the past few years.

David McGlade, Intelsat Chairman and CEO, singled out ULA’s Delta 5 rocket as an excellent, but pricey choice to launch his satellites.

Eutelsat's CEO, Michael de Rose, on the other hand, told the audience that the most significant moment for the satellite industry last year was the death of Apple Founder and CEO Steve Jobs, who he called “the true pioneer of mobility and an innovator that made, and will continue to make, a considerable impact on our industry.”

Praising technological developments from O3b Systems, SES CEO, Romain Bausch, talked about it going so far as to call it the most significant development of the past year. It is important to note that SES has a considerable financial investment in the worldwide satellite broadband provider.

Giving two of the more surprising answers of the panel session was Telesat's CEO, Dan Goldberg. The first was when he was asked how long it would take for Ultra HD to really make an impact on the bandwidth markets. While the three other panelists said that this would most likely happen in the 2015 to 2016 timeframe, Goldberg didn’t think Ultra HD would make its presence known for at least another five years – in 2018 – despite the upcoming 2016 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympic Games, both happening in Brazil.

He also praised McGlade and Intelsat for the operator’s Epic NG offering, saying, "Most likely emulate Intelsat’s approach with another high-throughput-style offering. The EpicNG development just makes sense for our market and that’s the direction we may take in the future.”

However, with McGlade and de Rosen expressed excitement over the new capability, and Bausch and Goldberg said that they didn’t believe these solutions would make much of a difference, the panelists didn't agree on the potential impact of in-orbit servicing and satellite re-purposing on the operator business.

Avanti Communications To Help In Bringing Ka-Band To Libya

With the help of Europe's pioneer in Ka-band satellite technology, Avanti Communications Group PLC's Hylas 2 satellite, the Libyan satellite provider, Sana, is planning to offer broadband services to businesses and government organizations that are helping rebuild Libya.

Sana's spokesman, Aimen Sabkha, said in a statement, “Thanks to the flexibility of Avanti’s Ka-band technology, we can optimize our services to create high speed resilient and secure networks for large enterprises and domestic consumers. By using satellite, consumers can get connected and businesses can operate effectively which supports the economic growth of the country.”

Sabkha also adds that satellite broadband is expected to play an essential role in the re-emergence of Libya after recent political instability.

With only 5.5% of Libyans who have access to the internet, Libya currently holds one of the lowest rates in terms in the Middle East and North Africa, connecting at the lowest internet speeds in the region at that. This new tie-up between the two companies may be successful as the demand from the consumers in the region is predicted to continuously rise. Also, Sana expects to provide backhaul support services in the future.


See also: Glowlink To Monitor Satellite Links for NOAA

Boeing taps GE Aviation to provide Inertial Navigation Technology for its next-gen satcom system

GE Aviation, a subsidiary of General Electric, recently won a contract with Boeing to install inertial reference units for its wideband phased array satellite communications systems designed for airborne mobile communications.

The state-of-the-art units will provide the technology to deliver orientation and position using data from Global Positioning System (GPS) for next-generation satellite communications systems. The system can be used for surveillance, target acquisition and satellite antenna pointing purposes in land vehicles and airborne and seaborne applications. The reference units combine GPS and inertial data to deliver high-accuracy continuous location, heading, pitch and roll data in moving and stationary vehicles.

“Tactical inertial navigation is an area of expertise for our team,” GE Aviation VP and General Manager of Avionics George Kiefer said in a statement. “The inertial reference unit delivers continuous navigation data required for next-generation satellite communication systems in stationary and moving vehicles and aircraft.”

The cutting-edge Ka-band phased array satcom antenna system of Boeing enables customers to enjoy and take advantage of the significant increase in bandwidth provided by next-generation Ka-band satellites to deliver data between aircraft in-flight and the ground network. Boeing developed these communications antenna technologies to enhance platform capabilities to remain connected even when mobile.

Wireless Matrix extends satellite deal with LightSquared until February 2016

Real-time GPS fleet management provider Wireless Matrix Corporation has performed an extension of its existing service deal with LightSquared -- a provider of wholesale mobile satellite data, voice and bandwidth leasing services. Under the agreement, LightSquared will continue to deliver satellite communication service to Wireless Matrix until the middle of February 2016. The company will be using its SkyTerra-1 satellite, known as the most powerful commercial satellite ever constructed. The satellite provides reliable, ubiquitous coverage across North America.

The contract allows Wireless Matrix to deliver service continuity for customers who use satellite service as an important part of their business. Some of these customers include energy companies that must be able to connect with their mobile workers for outage management and other unscheduled tasks, railroad operators that utilize satellite for mission-critical locomotive communications, and energy companies that require always-on monitoring of the status of fixed-site asset operations in distant locations.

In a company statement, Wireless Matrix CEO and Executive Chairman Rick Myers said: “ This service extension provides operational security for our existing satellite customers. It also provides a foundation for development of next generation satellite service offerings for the businesses we serve.”

KazSat-3 to be sent into space during first quarter of 2014

Telecommunications satellite KazSat-3 is scheduled to be launched on the first quarter of 2014 together with Russia’s Luch space vehicle -- this according to President of the National Center for Satellite-assisted Communications Viktor Lefter.

During a sitting of the KazKosmos National Space on February 13, Mr. Lefter said that the launch will rely on a Proton carrier rocket, and that work is underway within the contract signed with Russia’s OJSC.

"Academician M.F. Reshetnev Information Satellite Systems" (ISS). “All the design works are completed”, Lefter is quoted as saying.

Kairat Kelimbetov, Kazakhstan’s Vice PM who took control of the sitting, assigned the Space Agency and the country’s Ministry of Transport and Communications to guarantee that 70% of KazSat-2 satellite’s capacities are used by the end of this year. Moreover, Mr. Kelimbetov also asked the Space Agency to launch the backup ground-based spacecraft control complex based in Almaty oblast by first of July 2013.

Designed by Russia’s Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, communication satellite KazSat 2 was sent into space on July 16, 2011 and reached its orbital position late August of the same year. The satellite features 12 Ku-band transponders used for fixed communications, and 4 Ku-band transponders for TV transmissions intended for telecast, fixed satellite communication and data transmission for Kazakhstan and Central Asia. The spacecraft, which has a lifespan of 12 years, weighs about 1,330 kg. KazKosmos Vice Chairman Meirbek Moldabekov said that KazSat-2 is worth $115 million and will be recouped in a matter of four years, if the satellite is exploited at 80% of the capacities.

Inmarsat introduces new Galaxy1 satellite communications technology

Inmarsat, a leading British satellite telecommunication company, is launching a new solution called Remote Terminal Manager, which aims to provide control and management over unmanned M2M terminals in the field.

With this new development, users of Inmarsat’s M2M portfolio services -- including BGAN M2M -- will now be able to control their devices remotely without the need to send teams for troubleshooting or manually rebooting terminals.

Using a map interface, the Remote Terminal Manager shows Inmarsat M2M users where their assets are located across the globe, as well as the status of those terminals. The tool also enables users to have control over the terminals.

The new solution makes use of technology licensed from Galaxy1, an independent satellite communications services provider and member of the Inmarsat partner community.

Orbital Science’s SORCE Satellite celebrates ten years in space

Orbital Sciences, a premier American company specializing in the manufacturing and launch of satellites, celebrated the tenth anniversary of Solar and Radiation Climate Experiment (SORCE) satellite’s successful operation.

In 2003, SORCE satellite was sent into orbit aboard the Pegasus rocket of Orbital, in a mission that originated from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The initial plan for the satellite’s mission was to supply continuous solar climate science and Earth atmospheric data for a span of five years. Ten years after that, the program’s Mission Operations Center at the University of Colorado’s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) is still receiving data that is shared with the science community all over the world.

“The SORCE mission is an ideal example of how academia, government and industry can partner to advance science investigations and our understanding of the world around us. The Principal Investigator model for developing and operating high-value science missions has proven to be very successful on programs like SORCE and NASA-funded Explorer-class missions,” Orbital Sciences Vice President of Business Development Rob Fulton said in a statement. “The SORCE program is an excellent example of this model, with the spacecraft and overall mission doubling the duration originally planned for the program.”

Recommended additional reading: 

• Eutelsat announces Air Access in-flight Ka-band satellite Internet services

Yamal 402 satellite reaches geostationary orbit

The Russian communications satellite, Yamal 402, has finally reached its geostationary Earth orbit and is now ready for operation, Thales Alenia Space said in a statement. The satellite was sent into space on December 8 by the International Launch Services (ILS) from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan, but due to some technical glitches, it detached from its upper stage four minutes earlier because of a failure on the rocket’s Breeze-M booster, currently under investigation.

The 4,463kg (9,840lb) satellite built by Thales Alenia Space was subjected to a recovery operation using the satellite’s own fuel reserves and engine to take the spacecraft to its exact geostationary orbit and slot. The Russian satellite arrived at its designated orbit on December 15, but it was not until Wednesday, January 9, that it reached its final location.

Insured up to a value of €310 million ($406 million, the satellite carries a huge fuel reserve, but life-loss is anticipated to be four years.

Thales Alenia Space created the satellite for Russia’s Gazprom Space Systems to provide communication links over Russia, the Middle East, the Commonwealth of Independent States, Europe and Africa. It is equipped with 46 Ku-band transponders to perform its mission.

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• NETC telehealth clinics tap Hughes for satellite broadband access

Lockheed Martin Delivers Core Structure for Next-Gen GOES Satellite

Lockheed Martin has just delivered the core structure of the first next-generation geostationary weather satellite of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) at NASA’s Stennis Space Center, where it will be subject to propulsion system integration.

The satellite, named Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R Series (GOES-R), will be outfitted with state-of-the-art instruments and technology to enhance the quality and timeliness in weather forecasting for the U.S and Western Hemisphere. The development of the spacecraft is reported to be moving on schedule for its planned launch in 2015.

The rigid core structure of the first GOES-R Series which will enclose the satellite’s propulsion systems and support the payloads, was designed by Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Newtown, Pennsylvania, and manufactured by ATK Aerospace Group’s Space and Components Division in San Diego. The device weighs only 400 pounds, but it can support loads of more than 95,000 pounds in the thrust direction, and 1.8 million in-pounds in a bending moment.

The integration of the propulsion system in the GOES-R Series will last almost a year. During that period, the team will integrate GOES-R’s fuel tanks, lines, thermal controls, and other systems within the core structure. When the integration process is finished, the structure will be matched with the GOES-R system module, where the satellite’s advanced instruments live.

Aside from the spacecraft, Lockheed Martin is also building and designing the Solar ultraviolet Imager and Geostationary Lighting Mapper for the GOES-R satellite.

Recommended additional reading:

• Blue Sky gets EASA certification for Iridium SATCOM service aboard military aircraft

Orbcomm settles $45 million term loan financing with AIG

Orbcomm, a company that offers global asset monitoring and cellular data communications, has recently completed a five-year loan agreement with AIG Asset Management worth $45 million that could diminish concerns on whether it could finance the OG2 constellation.

The loan has a fixed interest rate of 9.5 percent, which is payable on a quarterly basis over the duration of the loan. The expanded capital will build on Orbcomm’s unfunded capital expenditure commitment in the principal amount of $33 million for its OG2 satellite constellation that the company could cover with expected money generation through 2014. With the new term loan of Orbcomm, the company decided to cut off its $20 million vendor financing agreement with Sierra Nevada that was originally secured as part of Orbcomm’s $117 million satellite manufacturing contract with the company, due to expire this year.

Raymond James Analyst Chris Quilty said that aside from funding capital expenditures, the loan should allow Orbcomm to fund the creation of new products and services, grow its distribution, expand geographically and pursue potential acquisitions.

“While not exactly in T-bill territory, the interest rate nonetheless appears appropriate given Orbcomm’s operational risk profile with two high-profile launches on the horizon and the absence of meaningful covenants,” Quilty said in a statement.

With AIG’s loan agreement, it enables Orbcomm to acquire additional financing through a revolving working capital facility with other lenders for up to $15 million in the form of inventory and accounts receivable borrowing based loans.

“We applaud Orbcomm management’s effort to shore up the balance sheet and increase financial flexibility,” added Quilty. “Orbcomm’s borrowing costs should decline substantially over time, but the company should have plenty of opportunities to refinance its debt as the company becomes operationally and financially self-sustaining and levers up the balance sheet to an appropriate leverage ratio over time.”

In other news, Orbcomm said that the company had collected a payout worth $10 million from its insurance agent as compensation for the company’s loss of OG2 prototype satellite during a failed launch attempt last October 2012 by SpaceX -- the same mission that sent the launcher’s Dragon capsule to the International Space Station. The company said that the insurance payout was anticipated.

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