Up In The Air

Eutelsat 3D satellite preparing for launch on May

australiansatellites — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 10:14:50 +0430

The 3D satellite of Eutelsat Communication is now in its final stage for the scheduled launch aboard an ILS Proton Breeze M rocket, which will blast off at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Built by Thales Alenia Space using the company’s Spacebus 4000 platform, Eutelsat 3D satellite weighs 5.4 tons and is designed to operate in orbit for a span of 15 years,

The satellite will be initially located at three degrees east orbital position to address high-growth video, data, telecom and broadband markets. Eutelsat’s new satellite will be able to serve customers in Europe, Central Asia, North Africa and the Middle East via the configuration of Ku and Ka transponders connected to three footprints. Meanwhile, a fourth Ku-band service area will provide for markets in sub-Saharan Africa.

Once Eutelsat 3B is launched, the Eutelsat 3D satellite will change its orbital position to 7 degrees East. The upcoming Eutelsat 3B is scheduled to be launched next year to deliver spectrum growth and high levels of operational flexibility in C, Ku and Ka band.

KSAT, DMCii aim for greater downlink capacity at Svalbard

australiansatellites — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 06:17:01 +0430

KSAT, DMCii aim for greater downlink capacity at Svalbard:

Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT) and DMC International Imaging (DMCii) have signed a new agreement that will increase the volume and the speed at which KSAT delivers satellite imagery to DMCii…

Telesat Successfully Launched Anik G1

brandonleesatellite — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 05:32:11 +0430

The powerful Anik G1 satellite of Telesat has been successfully launched by ILS Proton, Telesat announced. Anik G1, according to the statement released by the satellite services operator, will be located at 107.3 degrees West providing a range of communications services, including direct-to-home (DTH) video for Canada, X-band for government applications in the Americas and Pacific Ocean Region, and C-band and Ku-band services in South America.

Anik G1 is the newest addition to Telesat’s global fleet and carries 16 extended Ku-band transponders fully contracted to Shaw Direct for 15 years. Anik G1 will bring new capacity to meet the growing demand for satellite communications services in South America, as well.

Telesat President and CEO, Dan Goldberg, said, “Anik G1 will add meaningful incremental capacity to Telesat’s fleet that will contribute to our anticipated growth in 2013 and beyond. We are pleased that a significant portion of Anik G1’s capacity is pre-sold for 15 years to blue chip customers like Shaw Direct and Astrium Services. We look forward to delivering to them the outstanding quality and reliability they have come to expect from Telesat and to expanding the C-band and Ku-band services we provide to the rapidly growing South American market.”

First ever Ecuadoran nanosatellite set for launch from China

edhopperfirst — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 06:35:56 +0430

Ecuador will soon be joining the community of nations that operate satellites when Pegaso, its first ever nanosatellite, launches from a Chinese spaceport in two weeks time.

The “Pegaso” nanosatellite is a homegrown design built in Ecuador. Its onboard camera will broadcast live video images back to Earth.

“It’s not a satellite bought in another country,” President Rafael Correa told the Ecuadoran engineering team, “It’s a satellite made in Ecuador.”

The Ecuadoran Space Agency has set plans for a second satellite launch in July 2013.

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University of Hawaii plans first ever satellite launch from Kauai

edhopperfirst — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 11:44:04 +0430

The University of Hawaii has enlisted the help of the Pacific Missile Range Facility of the U.S. Navy for the first ever launch of a satellite from the island of Kauai.

The Pacific Missile Range Facility has previously test-launched missiles on behalf of the U.S. military. But if the University of Hawaii pulls through with its plan, then the Kauai facility will get to host its first ever satellite launch.

The HiiakaSat satellite was designed by faculty and students of the University of Hawaii for a two-year operational lifespan in low-Earth orbit. It will be operated by students from the Kauai Community College. The KCC students will also perform command and control duties at the satellite’s ground station.

The Hawaii Space Flight Lab envisioned the HiiakaSat program to be the first step in creating a small satellite launch venture based in Kauai. Such a venture would potentially be attractive to companies that wish to test satellite-related space technology.

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Belarus prepares new satellites, meteor watch system

Canada’s Radarsat-1 experiences anomaly, may not recover

australiansatellites — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 05:44:29 +0430

Canada’s Radarsat-1 experiences anomaly, may not recover

CET Teleport, MEASAT sign capacity deal on Africasat-1a

australiansatellites — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 05:43:45 +0430

CET Teleport, MEASAT sign capacity deal on Africasat-1a:

Canada's First Earth Observation Satellite Experienced Malfunction

brandonleesatellite — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 05:25:37 +0430

Canadian Space Agency (CSA) reports a technical anomaly on the nation’s first Earth Observation satellite, RADARSAT-1, just recently. Due to such malfunction, the spacecraft has to enter the ‘safe mode,’ a semi-dormant state by which the spacecraft conserves energy.

Fortunately, the dilemma shows no impact in the security of Canadian borders, coasts and northern territories for RADARSAT-2 still operates and continuously provide critical, high-quality data. RADARSAT-1 users, though, were advised that no new orders for imagery are being accepted, but that requests for archival images will continue to be processed.

Both developed by the CSA, RADATSAT-1 (launched 1995), and RADARSAT-2 (launched 2007) are part of the RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM) the Government is ensuring Canada continues to have the tools necessary to assert its sovereignty, monitor and manage its resources, and keep watch over its vast territory and coastal areas.

Azercosmos says Azerspace-1 Ku-band satellite ready for business

australiansatellites — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 05:53:21 +0430

Azercosmos says Azerspace-1 Ku-band satellite ready for business

Turkey to launch military reconnaissance, Earth observation satellites

australiansatellites — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 05:52:28 +0430

Turkey to launch military reconnaissance, Earth observation satellites

AsiaSat collaborates with GeoMetWatch to launch advanced severe weather payload

australiansatellites — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 05:51:39 +0430

AsiaSat collaborates with GeoMetWatch to launch advanced severe weather payload:

Thailand taps China BDS for weather forecasting, disaster prevention

edhopperfirst — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 12:29:34 +0430

The dual-purpose BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) will be serving its first non-Chinese customer, Thailand, for purposes of forecasting weather and preventing disasters.

A satellite receiving station, a peripheral system, and an industrial park will be built in Thailand. The project will cost 2 billion yuan (US$322 million.)

The Chinese-built dual purpose satellite will keep an eye on the growing electricity, environmental, and transport infrastructure of Thailand. It will also issue warnings regarding disasters.

This is the first instance of BDS seeing service outside China.

BDIS is a homegrown Chinese engineering project. It started offering its services in the Asia-Pacific region in December 2012. The satellite network is expected to be completed in 2014, and its global navigation system should be ready by 2020.

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Intelsat secures two future launch missions with International Launch Services

australiansatellites — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 06:06:31 +0430

Intelsat secures two future launch missions with International Launch Services

Satmex 8 finishes post-launch maneuvers, moves to orbital slot

australiansatellites — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 06:05:47 +0430

Satmex 8 finishes post-launch maneuvers, moves to orbital slot

SSL’s Satmex 8 satellite carries out post-launch maneuvers

australiansatellites — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 08:17:25 +0430

Space Systems/Loral is happy to announce that the Satmex 8 satellite, designed and built for Satélites Mexicanos, is functioning properly and successfully performed post-launch maneuvers after its launch on Tuesday. The spacecraft has already deployed its solar arrays right on schedule after its launch aboard a Proton Breeze M launch vehicle, which was provided for by the International Launch Services. Satmex 8 has also began firing its main thruster to help maneuver into geosynchronous orbit.

SSL President John Celli noted that the company shares the goal of Satmex to provide quality service to its customers, as well as the use of satellite communications to connect with the rest of the world. He added, “We are pleased to see Satmex 8 performing on orbit where it joins Satmex 6, also built by SSL, which continues to provide reliable service over the Americas.”

As a Fixed Satellite Services (FSS) spacecraft, Satmex 8 aims to deliver broadband services, cellular backhaul, and video content and distribution to North, South and Central America. With this new development, people living in distant locations of these American regions will soon enjoy connectivity for telemedicine, distance learning, as well as emergency communications. Once Satmex 8 completes its in-orbit testing, the spacecraft will take the place of Satmex 5 at 116.8 degrees West longitude.

“SSL has been an important contributor to our fleet expansion,” said Satmex program manager and director of engineering Jesus Gutierrez. “We would like to thank everyone at SSL, ILS, and Satmex who dedicated their time to this satellite and made this launch a success.”

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Intelsat, Digital Networks collaborate to enhance VSAT communications in North America

Harris, NOAA launch PATRON weather satellite tool

australiansatellites — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 06:29:12 +0430

Harris, NOAA launch PATRON weather satellite tool

Intelsat extends capacity agreement with Lebanese distributor ART/IND

australiansatellites — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 06:28:44 +0430

Intelsat extends capacity agreement with Lebanese distributor ART/IND

Cubesat Satellite Ready For The New Vega Launch

brandonleesatellite — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 10:52:40 +0430

The tiny spacecraft, Cubesat Satellite, is a passenger for Vega’s upcoming Flight VV02. Such satellite is said to be getting the same “white glove” treatment as the launch’s two larger payloads, with Estonia’s ESTCube-1 student satellite now mission-ready at the Spaceport in French Guiana.

Built by students from Tartu University, Estonian Aviation Academy, Tallinn University of Technology and University of Life Sciences, ESTCube-1 was developed in conjunction with the Finnish Meteorological Institute and the German Space Center (DLR) and is the first Estonian satellite.

Cubesat Satellite, according to some reports, is a 1U-category cubesat sized 10x10x10 cm, the smallest of the nanosatellite types typically used for educational purposes and technology-proving applications. The satellite weights 1.33 kg. to be launched with Vega Flight VV02 as the second for Arianespace’s lightweight vehicle.

According to Space-Travel, the VNREDSat-1A primary passenger for this mission will have a mass of approximately 120 kg. at liftoff, and is to support the Vietnamese government’s initiative to create an infrastructure enabling better studies of climate change effects, improving predictions for natural disasters and optimizing the country’s natural resource management. VNREDSat-1A was built by Astrium on behalf of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology.

As the Vega flight’s other primary passenger, Proba-V is to monitor global vegetation growth, equipped with a newer version of the Vegetation imaging instrument that previously was flown on the Spot series of Earth observation satellites - which also were orbited by Arianespace. The 160-kg. Proba-V spacecraft was produced by prime contractor QinetiQ Space Belgium for the European Space Agency.

ViviSat unveils hosted payload capability on MEV

australiansatellites — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:54:12 +0330

ViviSat, a company that provides in-orbit service, has introduced its highly agile hosted payload capability that aims on increasing its life extension services. Using the Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) produced by ATK, the vehicle’s primary mission is to dock with an orbiting satellite and serve as the propulsion and attitude control systems. With this, it will allow mission extension for satellites that have already run out of fuel, but still have a healthy payload and power system.

In a company statement, ViviSat COO Bryan McGuirk said: “Life extension is the founding mission for the MEV. However, we have an increasing interest by customers and the scientific community in our unique agility and the large Space, Weight and Power (SWAP) that we can accommodate.”

Joe Anderson, ATK Chief Engineer and Director of MEV noted that the vehicle has the ability to host payloads more than 200 kg and even accommodate power demands greater than 2kW. He added that the differentiating feature of the Mission Extension Vehicle capability compared to other GEO Commsat hosts is its ability to be located at any orbital slot or even multiple slots temporarily, as arranged for by the payload provider.

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Sat-Comm To Launch A New 75-Ka Portable Newsgathering Flyaway Antenna

brandonleesatellite — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 05:59:00 +0330

In the CABSAT show last week in Dubai, the UK-based broadcast system integrator, Sat-Comm announced the upcoming launch of its new 75-Ka portable newsgathering Flyaway Antenna.

Sat-Comm’s new technology, 75-Ka terminal, will provide high-bandwidth Ka-Band satellite connectivity from remote locations. The antenna has a built-in satellite modem which broadcasters and other first responders can deploy quickly in the field to uplink contribution quality HD video without being tied into a long bandwidth commitment.

Also, the new antenna can be transported and operated by a single person, according to Sat-Comm.

“The geographic footprint of the HYLAS 2 satellite in particular was very attractive to us,” said Sat-Comm’s Broadcast Director Of Business Development. “We see a huge potential for our products in the emerging markets that this satellite covers, where there is enormous demand for live news coverage but a less developed communications infrastructure.”