MICROCOM'S SPACE NEWSFEED 23 June 2002<br />Space Industry News from Around the World<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Brought to you by Microcom Systems Ltd, consultants in satellite communications since 1985. http://www.microcomsystems.co.uk<br /><br />Publishers of the Handbook of Satellite Services in Europe, the definitive guide to European satellite communications and broadcast services, providing extensive data on operators, services and service providers, satellites, technology, regulators and regulations in more than forty European countries. The most comprehensive sourcebook available on European satellite communications and broadcasting. http://www.microcomsystems.co.uk/pubs/ssie.html<br /><br />For the most extensive directory of space industry links on the web visit http://www.satellite-links.co.uk<br /><br />White papers covering some of the key networking technologies in satellite communications today, including: interactive hubbed VSATs, meshed VSATs, telephony VSATs, Internet connectivity and broadband satellites available free on Microcom's website at http://www.satelliteonthenet.co.uk/white.html<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />CONTENTS<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />SATCOMS:<br />Alcatel and EMS Technologies Partner to Develop DVB-RCS Two-way Solutions<br />China-Based Broadcaster Expands Service With Harmonic's Digital Headend Systems<br />Connexion by Boeing Selects AT&T Digital Media Centers to Provide High-Speed Internet Connectivity<br />Connexion by Boeing Selects Mitsubishi Electric Corporation As Strategic Supplier for Next-Generation Antenna<br />Gilat Announces New Customers in Korea, Mongolia, the Philippines and India<br />Iridium Satellite Signs Service Providers<br />Norsat Signs New Contract With Globecomm Systems<br />Tandberg Television Provides Solutions for Digital Cinema Delivery in China<br /><br />EARTH OBSERVATION:<br />PEMEX Signs Multi-Year, Multi-Satellite Monitoring Contract with RSI<br /><br />SCIENCE:<br />Next Generation Space Telescope Primary Camera to be Built by University of Arizona/Lockheed Martin Team<br /><br />TECHNOLOGY:<br />Diagnostic Software to Keep Launch Vehicles Healthy<br />ESA's First 35m Deep Space Ground Station Successfully Tracks Spacecraft<br /><br />LAUNCH SERVICES:<br />SES Americom Orders Four Launches<br />Thuraya Plans Launch of Second Satellite and Orders Third Bird<br /><br />LAUNCHES:<br />Iridium<br />Launch Schedule<br /><br />BUSINESS:<br />StarBand and EchoStar Reach Settlement<br /><br />PRODUCTS AND SERVICES:<br />Helius IPadlock Lowers Cost of Conditional Access While Offering Superior Security<br /><br />PEOPLE:<br />EMS Technologies' Space & Technology Group Appoints Ron Miyakawa Vice President, Business Development<br />Graham Cradock to Lead Asia-Pacific Team at Tandberg Television<br />SpaceDev Announces Two New Strategic Appointments<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Bolton Associates - Corporate Strategies applies 21st. Century thinking for the Earth Observation, SatCom and Environment Industries that penetrate new markets using creative commercial Risk models and innovation.<br /><br />Visit us at http://www.BoltonAssociates.com and/or download our Power Point presentation http://www.microcomsystems.co.uk/ads/EOConsult.ppt [131Kb]<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />SATCOMS<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Alcatel and EMS Technologies Partner to Develop DVB-RCS Two-way Solutions<br /><br />(19 June 2002) Alcatel Space and EMS Technologies Inc have signed a preliminary co-operation agreement for the development of broadband satellite access solutions compliant with the DVB-RCS open standard. This agreement is complementary to the strategic partnership announced early April, 2002, among Alcatel, SES Global SA and Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd.<br /><br />Under the agreement, EMS Technologies will provide its DVB-RCS Return Link Sub-System (RLSS) hubs, user terminals, and system engineering support. Alcatel will design and integrate the complete DVB-RCS system with its networking and service management solutions, and market them through its world-wide commercial network.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />China-Based Broadcaster Expands Service With Harmonic's Digital Headend Systems<br /><br />(19 June 2002) Harmonic Inc has completed an expansion of the headend facility for China Broadcasting Film Television Satellite Co Ltd (CBSat) which offers service throughout China.<br /><br />CBSat is using DiviCom MV50 encoders, featuring advanced video compression and noise reduction capabilities, and multiplexing systems to deliver up to 30 additional channels of digital television. Harmonic also provided integration services for the headend expansion project.<br /><br />Headquartered in Beijing and partially owned by CCTV China Central Television, China's state-run television system, CBSat is China's only Direct-to-Home broadcasting service. CBSat and Harmonic established a strong relationship in 1999 when CBSat selected DiviCom encoders and multiplexers for its initial satellite broadcast service.<br /><br />The DiviCom MV50 encoder is optimised for bandwidth-constrained or low bandwidth environments such as satellite broadcast networks. The encoder's unique combination of advanced compression algorithms, superior noise management capabilities and processing power allows operators to maximise their effective network bandwidth and deliver more channels of television. The noise reduction features eliminate many of the imperfections in the video as well as prevent blurring effects caused by rapid movement to provide a consistently high level of video quality.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Connexion by Boeing Selects AT&T Digital Media Centers to Provide High-Speed Internet Connectivity<br /><br />(18 June 2002) AT&T Digital Media Centers (ADMC) has contracted with Connexion by Boeing to provide on-the-ground earth station satellite service for the two-way mobile information service. Scheduled for introduction on commercial airliners in late 2002/early 2003, Connexion by Boeing will provide airline passengers with high-speed Internet, e-mail and data connectivity, as well as streaming audio and video services during flight.<br /><br />ADMC will provide earth-to-satellite uplink and downlink connections necessary for aircraft passengers using the Connexion by Boeing service above US territories and waters. Additional terms of the contract were not announced.<br /><br />AT&T Digital Media Centers, a division of AT&T Broadband, provides network origination services, global transmission via satellite and terrestrial fibre optics, broadcast quality studio, mobile and post production services, interactive television applications and streaming distribution capabilities. AT&T Digital Media Centers is based in Englewood, Colorado, with additional production and distribution facilities in Los Angeles, New York and Hong Kong. The ADMC's Headend in the Sky (HITS) unit, founded in 1994, delivers 150 digital services to more than 2,000 cable system headends.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Connexion by Boeing Selects Mitsubishi Electric Corporation As Strategic Supplier for Next-Generation Antenna<br /><br />(21 June 2002) Connexion by Boeing has announced the selection of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation to design and produce the next-generation antenna for the Boeing business unit's high- speed data and Internet service. Once completed, the antenna will be optimised to provide commercial airlines and business jet operators with high- speed access to data, the Internet and streaming entertainment content during flight.<br /><br />Under the terms of the agreement, Connexion by Boeing and Mitsubishi Electric will work together to design the antenna and supporting subsystem, and to ensure its suitability for retrofit and in-line installation on Boeing aircraft, as well as other industry models. Mitsubishi Electric also will assist Connexion by Boeing to ensure the first antenna production unit is installation-ready when it rolls off the assembly line in late 2003.<br /><br />Mitsubishi Electric representatives actively participated in the Connexion Working Together meetings with representatives from 15 leading global airlines. At those sessions, designed to ensure the Connexion by Boeing service meets the requirements from those who know air travel best, Mitsubishi Electric received direct industry inputs on performance, weight and power requirements necessary for the next-generation antenna to meet both passenger and airline operational connectivity objectives. The decision to move forward with the next-generation antenna design was mutually agreed upon between Connexion by Boeing and the airlines after conducting an extensive trade study of the necessary performance and communication requirements.<br /><br />Connexion by Boeing will use the Boeing phased array antenna for the commencement of commercial airline service demonstrations and migrate to the enhanced next-generation antenna once production, testing and certification are complete. The next-generation antenna will incorporate a single aperture design that will provide enhanced satellite-to-aircraft scan angles and also use leading-edge beam pointing technology with enhanced electronics capabilities to precisely detect and track satellites from the aircraft during flight.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Gilat Announces New Customers in Korea, Mongolia, the Philippines and India<br /><br />(18 June 2002) Gilat Satellite Networks has signed contracts with five Asian companies for the deployment of broadband satellite communications networks at more than 560 sites.<br /><br />Gilat is providing Korea Telecom International (KTI) with 345 units of its Skystar Advantage VSAT product. The two-way, Internet Protocol (IP)-optimised VSAT equipment is expected to enable KTI to deploy a wide range of interactive data and web-based applications for the education and corporate markets. As a shared-hub operator, KTI expects to use the Skystar Advantage network initially to provide private education centres with interactive distance learning services that will enable transmission of educational materials and lectures from a central location to hundreds of remote sites. KTI also expects to use the VSAT network to provide corporations with enterprise-wide Internet access, IP-based interactive data and corporate training applications. KTI, based in Seoul, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Korea Telecom.<br /><br />Radio Communications of the Philippines Inc (RCPI) - in partnership with First VSAT and LAN Resource Inc - has selected Gilat for a 159-site DialAw@y IP fixed rural satellite telephony network for use in public call offices (PCOs) throughout the Philippines. The VSAT network also includes the provision of high-speed Internet connectivity.<br /><br />Gilat was also selected by Incomnet LLC to provide a two-way, DialAw@y IP network for use throughout independent Mongolia. The network, which includes a hub station and an initial order of 60 VSAT terminals, is expected to be used by Incomnet to provide consumers and businesses with telephony and high-speed Internet service in the financial services, mining, tourism, retail petroleum and government markets.<br /><br />Gilat has been selected by its long-time customer HCL Comnet Ltd to provide a 360E satellite hub station and 500 VSAT terminals. HCL Comnet has also completed the deployment of a nationwide, 600-site broadband satellite communications network for the State Bank of India (SBI). SBI, India's largest bank, is using Gilat's Skystar Advantage and 360E VSATs for automatic teller machine (ATM) applications, as well as other interactive data applications.<br /><br />Bharti Broadband Networks Ltd. was the first company in India to choose the 360E platform and eventually established for its client Sahara India one of the largest shared hub systems in Indian VSAT history. Within the past several months, Bharti Broadband Networks has secured orders for more than 3,000 360E VSATs - including 1,420 sites for Sahara India alone. Sahara India is using this two-way VSAT network for its parabanking applications and later expects to expand the scope of applications to Internet access, tele-education and news gathering. Earlier this year, Bharti Broadband launched its Skymantra-Power Internet service - based on the 360E platform - for the corporate, small-to-medium enterprise (SME) and small office-home office (SOHO) markets.<br /><br />Comsat Max Ltd., another long-standing customer of Gilat in India, chose the 360E platform in October 2001 and has already purchased 1,000 units. Comsat Max has successfully installed new systems in leading organisations such as Punjab National Bank, ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Iridium Satellite Signs Service Providers<br /><br />(17 June 2002) Iridium Satellite LLC has signed distribution agreement to market and sell Iridium services with Telenor Satellite Services and France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications, a fully-owned subsidiary of France Telecom.<br /><br />Under the agreements, Telenor and France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications will offer Iridium's voice and data services through their extensive world-wide dealer networks.<br /><br />Iridium already had an existing relationship with Marlink, a leading provider of satellite communications for the maritime community, launched by Telenor Satellite Services in March 2002. As part of the agreement, Iridium will work with all of Telenor Satellite Services' business units including Telenor Satellite Services Inc in the United States and Marlink.<br /><br />France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications will develop through its fully-owned subsidiary Glocall (a distributor of mobile communications via satellite located in Netherlands), an international Iridium competence centre that will provide product marketing and support to France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications' sales outlets.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Norsat Signs New Contract With Globecomm Systems<br /><br />(18 June 2002) Norsat International Inc has signed a contract with Globecomm Systems Inc (GSI) for its open standard Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) forward link satellite network and services.<br /><br />GSI will integrate Norsat's established DVB forward link sub-system with a return channel product to provide an interactive DVB-RCS system. This integrated network will be used by a large satellite service provider to supply broadband services to its customers.<br /><br />There are only a handful of DVB-RCS systems in operation around the world. Including this new contract, Norsat will have participated in three DVB-RCS systems world-wide, establishing an early market position in this emerging open standard technology. <br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Tandberg Television Provides Solutions for Digital Cinema Delivery in China<br /><br />(18 June 2002) Tandberg Television today is providing key transmission and delivery systems for a cutting edge digital cinema project in China. The project will see 11 cinemas in 7 cities across China gain the capability to show live high-definition digital television coverage of news or sports games on the big screen.<br /><br />Tandberg Television's Beijing team and its China business partner NDT are working closely with SARFT (State Administration of Radio, Film and Television) to deliver this digital cinema footage across China.<br /><br />The new D-Cinema network uses Tandberg Television high definition satellite encoders, descramblers and HD receivers to deliver the HD signal from other countries to Beijing, where CCTV will decode it. CCTV will then compress the HD source using Tandberg Television's E5821 HD encoders with BISS and QPSK options and then re-transmit the footage via satellite to the 11 cinemas. Locally, the cinemas will receive the signal using Tandberg<br />Television TT1220 receivers with BISS descrambling and decode the transport streams with PMRX HD decoders, then play the action using digital projectors.<br /><br />Tandberg Television is a key partner in helping to develop China's digital broadcasting infrastructure. The company also supplies state-of-the-art digital broadcasting equipment to customers such as China Telecom to support its satellite contribution and distribution (C&D) system. China Telecom's system uses Tandberg Television equipment to allow television broadcasters such as CCTV and INC to distribute video and data throughout the country via satellite.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />EARTH OBSERVATION<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />PEMEX Signs Multi-Year, Multi-Satellite Monitoring Contract with RSI<br /><br />(19 June 2002) Radarsat International (RSI) has signed a 5-year, multi-satellite oil spill and oil seep monitoring contract with the Marine North East Region (MNE) of PEMEX Exploration and Production (PEP) of Mexico. PEMEX is the national company responsible for most of the activities related to hydrocarbon products in Mexico.<br /><br />The contract includes imagery acquisition, processing, interpretation and services designed for oil spill and seep detection. It will use Radarsat-1 and Envisat imagery as well as Radarsat-2 imagery when it becomes available. Using this multi-satellite program, PEP-MNE will be able to maximise imaging opportunities over their area of interest.<br /><br />This contract follows a successful pilot project in 2000 and a one-year contract in 2001 through which PEP-MNE established a maritime surveillance strategy for the Gulf of Mexico using Radarsat-1.<br /><br />The PEP-MNE contract continues to support a successful collaboration between RSI, PEMEX and Centro Brasilero de Recursos Radarsat (CBRR) of Rio de Janeiro. CBRR provides technical management of the project and image interpretation.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />SCIENCE<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Next Generation Space Telescope Primary Camera to be Built by University of Arizona/Lockheed Martin Team<br /><br />(19 June 2002) The primary Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) for NASA's Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST) will be designed and built by a team headed by the University of Arizona (UofAz), including the Lockheed Martin Space Systems Advanced Technology Center (ATC) in Palo Alto as the principal partner. NGST is a key mission in NASA's Origins Program. The new space observatory, slated for launch in 2010, will help NASA observe the first stars and galaxies formed in the Universe.<br /><br />NIRCam will be the keystone instrument on NGST, discovering the first light in the Universe, the principles of star formation and planets around other stars. NIRCam is essential to NGST objectives, providing near infrared and low resolution imaging spectroscopy to unlock the secrets and origins of the Universe. The NIRCam team is comprised of U of Az, the ATC, EMS Technologies, COMDEV Ltd and co-investigators. The team's NIRCam will achieve these goals through a compact modular refractive design with exceptionally high observing efficiency, in a volume only one-third the size of the allotment. In addition, built-in self-test features will significantly lower integration risk and provide on-orbit calibration.<br /><br />The science program, which demonstrates the full potential of NGST to revolutionise our understanding of Origins in the Universe - from the detection of the earliest objects to characterising newly discovered planetary systems - is organised around three major themes:<br /><br />* Formation of galaxies, from the first luminous massive condensations<br /> of material through the reionisation of the Universe, to the assembly<br /> of galaxies and clusters and development of morphological types.<br /><br />* Formation of stars and brown dwarfs, from twice the mass of Jupiter to<br /> the mass of the Sun. NIRCam will probe the collapse of pre-stellar cores<br /> and test current theories about stellar birth.<br /><br />* Planetary systems from birth to maturity. NIRCam will use coronagraphy<br /> to image and obtain spectra of debris disks and compare their properties<br /> with those of our own counterpart, the Kuiper Belt. It will image and<br /> obtain spectra of massive giant planets around nearby stars, to<br /> determine their atmospheric properties and their relation to debris<br /> disk structure.<br /><br />The NGST will be a space observatory optimised for infrared imaging and spectroscopy of astronomical objects. It will be launched to a location about a million miles from Earth opposite the Sun where it will conduct its observations in the cold of deep space. To accomplish the ambitious science goals outlined for it, the NGST will be equipped with extremely sensitive infrared instruments - NIRCam, a near-infrared spectrograph, and a mid-infrared instrument. Its large aperture and IR detectors will allow NGST to see objects 400 times fainter than those currently studied with large ground-based infrared telescopes or the current generation of space-based infrared telescopes. NGST will do this while equalling or surpassing the spatial resolution (image sharpness) of the Hubble Space Telescope.<br /><br />The NGST is a NASA-led project being undertaken by an international team comprising government, European Space Agency, Canadian Space Agency, industry and academia. The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is managing the project. Principal Investigators under contract to NASA, ESA, and CSA will develop scientific instruments for the observatory. The Space Telescope Science Institute will be responsible for the ground system, observatory operations, and science program management.<br /><br />NASA's Origins Program follows the chain of events that began with the birth of the Universe at the Big Bang. It seeks to understand the entire process of cosmic evolution from the formation of chemical elements, galaxies, stars and planets, through the mixing of chemicals and energy that cradles life on Earth, to the earliest self-replicating organisms and the proliferation of life. In short, Origins hopes to answer the fundamental question: Are we alone in the Universe?<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />TECHNOLOGY<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Diagnostic Software to Keep Launch Vehicles Healthy<br /><br />(17 June 2002) As launch vehicles become more and more complex, ensuring crew safety and mission success becomes increasingly difficult but, according to a recent technologies demonstration, help is on the way.<br /><br />Identifying minor system errors before they become critical is one key to developing safer, more reliable and less expensive space vehicles. As part of NASA's Space Launch Initiative (SLI), Honeywell and NASA Ames Research Center recently demonstrated a suite of advanced diagnostic tools known collectively as Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM). The milestone demonstration showed that separate technologies could be integrated into a cohesive package that can handle realistic problem scenarios that might be encountered in space.<br /><br />For the demonstration, realism was a must, so engineers looked at various types of failures. Along with key subsystem failures, cross-subsystem 'sympathetic' failures were tested. 'Sympathetic' failures occur when problems in one system affect the performance in an unrelated system. To handle these types of failures and to build system flexibility, the engineers used a variety of techniques.<br /><br />To ensure realism, NASA Ames and Honeywell collaborated to develop scenarios and select component technologies that will provide relevant and significant results for the next generation of RLVs. In one scenario, the IVHM systems were able to determine that an indicated pressure-system failure in a propulsion subsystem actually was caused by a failure in a power system control module.<br /><br />NASA Ames, which leads the IVHM effort for the agency's Space Launch Initiative, also has developed other diagnostic and simulation tools. Livingstone, a model-based reasoner, was selected to emulate the propulsion health management system while TEAMS (Testability Engineering and Maintenance System), a product of Ames' Small Business Innovative Research program, provided model-based reasoning for the power system and provided vehicle level diagnoses. Spacecraft Control Language was used to develop expert systems and the architectural infrastructure that integrated these technologies. They cover a wide range of capabilities necessary to satisfy the health management needs for RLVs.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />ESA's First 35m Deep Space Ground Station Successfully Tracks Spacecraft<br /><br />(17 June 2002) ESA has achieved a major milestone towards the operational readiness of its first 35m deep space ground station at New Norcia (in W Australia, 140 km north of Perth). As part of the final system testing, antenna pointing tests were carried out with the Stardust spacecraft (on route to Comet Wild 2) on June 07 and June 11, 2002. The 630-ton antenna dish successfully acquired the signal from the spacecraft currently 2.1 AU away from the Earth. The New Norcia station will provide prime support to ESA's Rosetta and Mars Express scientific missions as of 2003.<br /><br />Stardust, controlled by NASA/JPL, was chosen as a candidate for tracking tests with ESA's new 35m deep space ground station at New Norcia (W Australia), because it is on an interplanetary trajectory (currently 2.1 AU from the Earth), transmits a downlink signal in X band, and reaches a high maximum elevation of over 70° as seen from New Norcia.<br /><br />For spacecraft power reasons, routine NASA/DSN tracking passes from Canberra are limited in duration to two hours. During the pass in the evening (UTC) of 7th June (early morning local time on 8th June) the New Norcia ground station was driven to follow the spacecraft and received the spacecraft signal.<br /><br />The first track test was on Friday 7 June and lasted for two hours. The main objective from this first attempt was to see the downlink signal on a spectrum analyser, and confirm the quality of the pointing of ESA's new antenna. The ESOC acquisition team on site prepared a spectrum analyser at the output of the antenna downlink chain, configured for catching the low signal coming from the spacecraft.<br /><br />Using preliminary information provided by JPL it was possible to localise the spacecraft spectrum approximately half an hour after the nominal downlink switch-on, following a short search.<br /><br />Most of the remaining one and a half hours tracking time was used to check the accuracy of the pointing, which confirmed good results.<br /><br />The second track was on Tuesday 11 June. The nominal start was supposed to be at 18:00 UTC, but the signal was acquired 6 minutes before, around the expected frequency position. The objective during this track was to confirm the pointing with additional tests, and to confirm the capability of the Intermediate Frequency Modem System (IFMS) to precisely track the downlink carrier for orbit determination purposes.<br /><br />Both objectives were achieved, the pointing was quite accurate and the IFMS was able to track the downlink carrier for the entire pass.<br /><br />ESA's new 35-metre telemetry, tracking and command antenna has a pointing accuracy of 0.01 degrees and will be a vital link in ESA's Rosetta mission to the comet Wirtanen. This is one of the most ambitious scientific missions ever to be launched and is scheduled to take place early in 2003.<br /><br />The 630-tonne antenna will be the main communications link between Rosetta and Mission Control at ESA's European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Germany. It will also be used to transmit and receive data from other space missions sent to explore the Universe beyond the Moon, such as ESA's Mars Express, also scheduled for launch in 2003.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />LAUNCH SERVICES<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />SES Americom Orders Four Launches<br /><br />(18 June 2002) SES Americom has signed two launch services contracts, one with International Launch Services (ILS) for AMC-10 and AMC-11, and the other with Arianespace for AMC-13 and AMC-15.<br /><br />AMC-10 and AMC-11 are all C band spacecraft are designed for the delivery of cable programming from their orbital positions of 135° W and 131° W. respectively. Based on the A2100 platform and being built by Lockheed Martin, both “next generation” satellites will be launched from ILS’ Cape Canaveral Station in Florida on Atlas IIAS launch vehicles. Planned for operation in 2004, AMC-10 and AMC-11 will replace Satcom C3 and C4. Major cable programmers have signed contracts to use these cable neighbourhood partners to reach over 80 million US homes. Already committed to AMC-10 and AMC-11 are Viacom, C-SPAN, CourtTV, Hallmark/Crown Media, iN DEMAND, Lifetime Entertainment, Scripps and The Weather Channel.<br /><br />AMC-13 is being built by Alcatel on the Spacebus 4000 platform. The all C band satellite will offer regional and transoceanic services and will be launched from the Kourou Spaceport in the 2nd Half 2003 on the Ariane 5 launch vehicle. The satellite will deliver superior trans-Pacific services from its 172° E orbital position as well as connections into the Americas, Australia and Asia Pacific networks.<br /><br />AMC-15 is based on the A2100 bus and is being built by Lockheed Martin. AMC-15 will feature America’s first operating Ka band payload along with 24 transponders of Ku band capacity operating from 105° W. To be launched aboard an Ariane 5 vehicle from Kourou in the 2nd Half 2004, the spacecraft has been designated to complement the DBS spacecraft proposed by SES Americom to be located at 105.5° and provide Americom2Home service.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Thuraya Plans Launch of Second Satellite and Orders Third Bird<br /><br />(18 June 2002) Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications Company has authorised Boeing to launch the Thuraya-2 satellite in January 2003 and has contracted with Boeing to build Thuraya-3.<br /><br />Sea Launch will launch Thuraya-2, which is expected to join Thuraya-1 at an orbital slot 44° E. Thuraya-1, the first Boeing-built GEO-Mobile (GEM) model spacecraft, was launched by Sea Launch in October 2000. Thuraya-2 will be based on the same technology but will be enhanced by approximately 10% more electrical power over its predecessor, resulting in a longer lifespan for the satellite. Boeing will also build Thuraya-3.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />LAUNCHES<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Iridium<br /><br />Launched: 19 June 2002<br />Site: Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia<br />Launcher: Rockot<br />Orbit: LEO, apogee: 656 km, perigee: 646 km: inclination: 86.6°<br />International Number: 2002-031A/B<br />Name: Iridium (2 satellites)<br />Owner: Iridium Satellite LLC<br /><br />Iridium is a constellation of 66 operational LEO commercial communication satellites. This launch added 2 further spare satellites to he 12 spares already stored in orbit as a contingency against future satellite failures.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Launch Schedule<br /><br />June 23: EchoStar 8 on a Proton K from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan<br />June 24: NOAA-M on a Titan 2 from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California<br />June 26: Progress M-46 (8P) on a Soyuz-U from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan<br />July: N-Star c, Stellat 5 on an Ariane 5 from CSG Kourou, French Guiana<br />July 1: Contour on a Delta 2 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida<br />July 19: Spacehab research laboratory (Freestar) on the Shuttle Columbia (STS-107) from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida<br />July 29: Hot Bird 6 on an Atlas 5 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida<br />August: MSG-1 on an Ariane from CSG Kourou, French Guiana<br />August 1: Data Relay Test Satellite W on an H-2A from Tanegashima Space Center, Japan<br />August 6: classified NRO satellite on a Titan 4 (B-36) from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida<br />August 11: GPS 2R-8 on a Delta 2 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida<br />August 14: GALEX on a Pegasus XL from Canaveral Spaceport, Florida<br />August 15: Astra 1K on a Proton from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan<br />August 22: ISS 9A/BA, ITS S1 on the Shuttle Atlantis (STS-112) from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida<br />August 31: Eutelsat W5 on a Delta 4 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida<br />August 31: Kypros Sat 1 on an Ariane from CSG Kourou, French Guiana<br />September: classified NRO satellite on an Atlas 2AS from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California<br />September 10: Progress M-47 (9P) on a Soyuz-U from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan<br />September 18: Hispasat 1D on an Atlas 2AS from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida<br />September 22: Orbview 3 on a Pegasus XL from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />BUSINESS<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />StarBand and EchoStar Reach Settlement<br /><br />(21 June 2002) StarBand has reached an amicable settlement with EchoStar Communications to resolve customer base transition, billing and payment issues.<br /><br />The settlement requires US Bankruptcy Court approval scheduled within the next 30 days. Once approved, EchoStar will begin to transition billing and customer service responsibilities of StarBand's retail customer base to StarBand. EchoStar will continue billing and supporting its StarBand wholesale subscribers.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />PRODUCTS AND SERVICES<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Helius IPadlock Lowers Cost of Conditional Access While Offering Superior Security<br /><br />(18 June 2002) Helius Inc has announced the world's first conditional access software that allows confidential business content to be securely broadcast in IP (Internet Protocol) format to numerous recipients without the high expense of traditional encryption hardware. Unlike hardware-based systems, IPadlock enables receivers' decryption algorithms to be changed via satellite without human intervention at receiver sites.<br /><br />Examples of hardware-based encryption equipment are found in millions of homes equipped to receive satellite television. Each home has a receiver located between the satellite dish and the television. A smart card tells the receiver if a person is authorised to watch an encrypted broadcast. It is common to hear reports of hackers breaking the receiver's encryption and selling illegal cards or decoders that enable unlimited access for a fraction of the legal cost. With IPadlock, new encryption algorithms can be updated automatically on a scheduled basis, or the system administrator can immediately broadcast updates if unauthorised access is even suspected. For corporate users, IPadlock eliminates the threat of any person intercepting broadcasts or files that contain company financial statements, new product descriptions or other critical information.<br /><br />Installing IPadlock is far less expensive than using traditional encryption hardware. In addition to a smart card and smart card reader necessary for every receiver, the initial encoding hardware typically costs between US$ 50,000 and US$ 200,000. With IPadlock, the encoding cost is substantially reduced, allowing more companies to afford encryption.<br /><br />IPadlock uses Helius MediaWrite technology to give system administrators the ability to quickly select any combination of recipients and grant access to a specific broadcast. The software offers 192-bit encryption and incorporates public/private key 3DES data encryption standards. IPadlock is designed for use with TCP/IP and satellite networks and provides administrators with a remote management interface.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />PEOPLE<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />EMS Technologies' Space & Technology Group Appoints Ron Miyakawa Vice President, Business Development<br /><br />(20 June 2002) Miyakawa will be responsible for marketing and account management efforts with North American satellite prime contractors, and joins EMS' existing marketing staff. He will market products and sub-systems associated with the Space & Technology Group, including antennas, microwave & power products, ferrite-based subsystems, and digital and optical products for satellite application.<br /><br />Miyakawa joins EMS after 29 years with Boeing Satellite Systems, formerly Hughes Space & Communications, where he most recently held the position of Operations Manager, Commercial RF, with direct responsibilities as the Campaign Manager for the Anik F2 satellite program. Previously he held various positions in operations and program management.<br /><br />Miyakawa will report to Gareth Lewis, vice president, Sales and Marketing for the Space & Technology Group.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Graham Cradock to Lead Asia-Pacific Team at Tandberg Television<br /><br />(18 June 2002) Tandberg Television has appointed Mr Graham Cradock, a digital broadcasting authority and leading expert in digital broadcasting networks, to the role of General Manager of Tandberg Television Asia-Pacific. He will take up the position in August of this year.<br /><br />Graham Cradock will be responsible for all commercial operations of Tandberg Television in the region, including Northeast and Southeast Asia, Japan and Australia. During the past few years at Tandberg Television, he has been instrumental in developing technology and business opportunities in the areas of Broadband Media, Digital Television Compression Technologies, Data Broadcasting, Mobile Digital Television and the use of wireless networks.<br /><br />Graham Cradock joined Tandberg Television's Asia-Pacific team when he was appointed director of Business Development, Asia-Pacific in late 2001. Prior to this, he played a key trailblazing role in bringing digital terrestrial solutions to the marketplace. .<br /><br />Cradock first graduated with a Master of Engineering degree in Electronics and previously worked with Mitsubishi Electric in Japan, where he developed ASIC solutions for video compression for use in digital video recorders. Later, at NTL in the UK, he led the team that created the first digital terrestrial receiver.<br /><br />In 1997, Cradock joined NDS Ltd as New Business Development Manager in the sales and marketing department. In 1999, when Tandberg Television acquired the digital broadcasting business of NDS, Cradock took on the leadership of the New Business Development Group.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />SpaceDev Announces Two New Strategic Appointments<br /><br />(20 June 2002) SpaceDev has announced the appointment of two new senior-level employees. Stuart E Schaffer takes the position of vice president of product development and marketing and Emery E Skarupa the position of vice president of operations.<br /><br />Schaffer brings nearly two decades of sales and marketing experience to the table, boasting a track record of proven success at companies such as Infocus Corporation and Hewlett-Packard Company<br /><br />Schaffer will focus both on marketing SpaceDev’s existing small and affordable space products and solutions to government and commercial enterprises as well as a strategic roadmap of new affordable high performance space products into the future.<br /><br />Skarupa brings more than a decade of senior-level executive leadership in all aspects of materials, purchasing and manufacturing elements of operations. Skarupa most recently served as senior vice president and general manager of Anacomp Corporation, a US$ 450M document imaging equipment and services provider. During his tenure at Anacomp, he decreased inventories by 50% and fostered the development of a new service offering that resulted in revenues of US$ 11 million within 18 months of deployment.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Press releases should be sent to: newsfeed@microcomsystems.co.uk<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Microcom makes no charge for this service and makes no payments for the use of material. Microcom makes no warranties about the quality of this free service and accepts no liability for mistakes and errors. Use of this service is taken as confirmation of acceptance of these conditions.<br /><br />If you require further information contact Microcom by email: info@microcomsystems.co.uk<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />This newsletter, and archives dating back to January 2000, can be viewed on the web at http://www.spacenewsfeed.co.uk<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />To subscribe and unsubscribe go to: http://www.spacenewsfeed.co.uk/subscribe.html<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Copyright 2002 Microcom Systems Ltd. All rights reserved.<br /><br />Microcom's Space Newsfeed may be freely distributed on condition that it is distributed complete, not edited in any way, and that no fee is charged. All copies must contain this copyright notice.<br /><br />Microcom Systems Ltd<br />PO Box 21<br />Haverhill<br />Suffolk CB9 0NZ<br />United Kingdom<br /><br />info@microcomsystems.co.uk<br />http://www.microcomsystems.co.uk