MICROCOM'S SPACE NEWSFEED 7 July 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 />EchoStar to Challenge FCC Ka Band Ruling<br />Inmarsat Contract for Nera in China<br /><br />NAVIGATION:<br />First Galileo Contract Awarded<br />iSECUREtrac Receives GPS Antenna Technology Patent<br /><br />MILITARY SPACE:<br />NATO Affiliate to Use STM's VSAT System for Broadband Connectivity in Central Asia<br /><br />SCIENCE:<br />NASA Selects Two Small Explorer Missions<br /><br />LAUNCH SERVICES:<br />NASA Extends ATK Thiokol Reusable Solid Rocket Motor Contract<br />Pratt & Whitney Tests First RL60 Upper-Stage Rocket Engine Component<br /><br />LAUNCHES:<br />Contour<br />N-Star c, Stellat 5<br />Launch Schedule<br /><br />BUSINESS:<br />Mentergy Announces Spin-off Communications Services Business<br />Northrop Grumman to Acquire TRW for US$ 60 Per Share in Stock<br /><br />PRODUCTS AND SERVICES:<br />Skycasters Releases New Satellite-Powered Broadband Solution For Hosted Applications<br /><br />PEOPLE:<br />UBS Warburg Names Aryeh Bourkoff Cable and Satellite Analyst for Equity and High Yield Research<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 />EchoStar to Challenge FCC Ka Band Ruling<br /><br />(2 July 2002) EchoStar Communications Corporation has stated that it strongly believes the decision by the International Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) cancelling EchoStar's Ka-band license is wrong and should be reversed.<br /><br />According to EchoStar, the FCC’s decision is based on the inaccurate premise that EchoStar has not commenced construction of its first Ka-band satellite. EchoStar claim the FCC based its decision on an incorrect reading of EchoStar's satellite contract documents.<br /><br />The FCC cancelled EchoStar’s licence because it did not consider that EchoStar was making adequate progress towards developing and launching a Ka band satellite to utilise the Ka band spectrum and orbital slot that EchoStar had been previously allocated.<br /><br />EchoStar is, however, well on the way towards implementing its first Ka band satellite, EchoStar IX, which is due for launch later this year some three years, EchoStar claim, in advance of the launch date specified by the FCC.<br /><br />EchoStar intends to vigorously challenge the FCC staff decision and to supply the FCC with exhaustive additional documentation confirming that construction of the satellite is in fact complete. EchoStar is optimistic that once the FCC has the opportunity to evaluate the facts thoroughly, it will reinstate EchoStar's license.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Inmarsat Contract for Nera in China<br /><br />(1 July 2002) Beijing Marine Communication & Navigation Co (and also known as CTTC) and Norwegian Satellite equipment provider Nera SatCom AS, have signed a contract for a turn key delivery of a Land Earth Station in China. The delivery will enable the existing land station gateway to provide Inmarsat M4 & F Services. Nera SatCom won the 28 MNOK contract in an open tender.<br /><br />MCN a state-owned Telecommunication Company has provided Inmarsat services to the Chinese market for more than 20 years. The Chinese telecom market is highly developed with regards to the use of modern Satellite Communications, a market most likely to see continued growth - especially in the maritime sector.<br /><br />Nera SatCom and MCN have co-operated in the field of Inmarsat equipment and services since 1987.<br /><br />Nera has been present with a Representative office in Beijing since 1995, and has worked with a long-term strategy of increased supply of telecommunication equipment and services to the Chinese market.<br /><br />MCN is the exclusive Inmarsat Service Provider (ISP) for the Inmarsat market in China. MCN is the shareholder of Inmarsat Ventures. MCN operates the land earth stations and is in control of some 70% of the sales of Satellite terminals in the Chinese market. MCN is one of the operational business units under the Ministry of Communication (MoC), in control of the Chinese sector of the Inmarsat satellite services.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />NAVIGATION<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />First Galileo Contract Awarded<br /><br />(1 July 2002) Galileo Industries, a joint venture between Alcatel Space of France, Alenia of Italy, Astrium of the UK and of Germany and the GSS Spanish consortium, has been awarded the first development contract for the European satellite navigation programme, Galileo, by the European Space Agency. The contract is for the development of the first version of the Galileo System Test Bed (GSTB-V1).<br /><br />The Galileo System Test Bed will contribute to the validation of the Galileo system concepts such as the main navigation processing algorithms and integrity solutions. It will use the existing EGNOS ground infrastructure of 30 grounds stations to collect existing satellite data, evaluate the current available performance and extrapolate what will be the ultimate performance of Galileo.<br /><br />This contracts will involve staff from, Alcatel Space, Astrium, Alenia, GMV and Indra over a period of 30 months.<br /><br />Galileo Industries SA is a company registered in Belgium. Its headquarters are in Brussels and its main industrial facilities are in Rome. Its permanent staff (about 40 experts covering a wide variety of specialisations) are seconded from Galileo Industries shareholders: Alcatel Space, Alenia, Astrium UK, Astrium GmbH, and Galileo Systemas y Servicios, an industrial Spanish joint venture.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />iSECUREtrac Receives GPS Antenna Technology Patent<br /><br />(1 July 2002) iSECUREtrac Corp has announced the approval and receipt of US Patent 6,337,665 for its antenna and mounting systems used in the remote unit of a GPS device used when monitoring and tracking individuals from a central control station.<br /><br />Founded in 1995 to develop tracking and monitoring applications utilising global positioning systems (GPS) and new communications technologies, iSECUREtrac has developed the most advanced patented tracking and monitoring systems available for criminal justice.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />MILITARY SPACE<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />NATO Affiliate to Use STM's VSAT System for Broadband Connectivity in Central Asia<br /><br />(2 July 2002) STM Wireless Inc (STM) has been awarded a contract for the supply of a broadband network for high-speed Internet connectivity in Central Asia. The project, which is being sponsored by NATO's Science Program, provides for the delivery of a DVB-based broadband system, in collaboration with Eurasiasat (a satellite operator based in Monaco) and Kalitel (a global telecom solutions provider).<br /><br />The system will provide eight countries in Southern Caucasus and Central Asia with Internet connectivity via a hub in Hamburg, Germany, operated by DESY (Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron), a NATO affiliate.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />SCIENCE<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />NASA Selects Two Small Explorer Missions<br /><br />(2 July 2002) Spacecraft that will observe the Earth's highest clouds and detect hidden matter in the universe have been chosen as the next two missions in NASA's Small Explorer (SMEX) program.<br /><br />The first mission, to be launched in 2005, is the Explorer for Spectroscopy and Photometry of the Intergalactic Medium's Diffuse Radiation (SPIDR), a mission to map the "cosmic web" of hot gas that spans the universe. Half of the normal matter in the nearby universe is in filaments of hot gas, and SPIDR will observe its emission and distribution for the first time.<br /><br />SPIDR's data will answer fundamental questions concerning the formation and evolution of galaxies, clusters of galaxies, and other large structures in the universe as well as address a number of questions related to hot gas in our own galaxy. An innovative and sensitive spectrograph design will be placed into a high earth orbit to observe emission lines from important atomic tracers of mass in the intergalactic medium. Supriya Chakrabarti of Boston University will lead SPIDR at a total cost to NASA of US$ 89 million.<br /><br />The second mission, to be launched in 2006, is the Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM) Explorer, which will determine the causes of the highest altitude clouds in the Earth's atmosphere. There are indications that the number of clouds in the upper atmosphere (mesosphere) over the Earth's poles has been increasing over the past couple decades, and it is hypothesised that this results from increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases at high altitudes.<br /><br />AIM will measure atmospheric temperatures and water vapour concentrations in the cloud forming region, as well as the properties of the clouds themselves. This will help determine the connection between the clouds and their environment and serve as a baseline for the study of long-term changes in the upper atmosphere. James Russell III of Hampton University will lead AIM at a total mission cost to NASA of US$ 92 million.<br /><br />The Explorer Program is designed to provide frequent, low-cost access to space for physics and astronomy missions with small to mid-sized spacecraft. Six SMEX missions have been launched since 1992, and five of them are still operating and returning science data. The Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) will be the seventh SMEX mission and is scheduled for launch in September 2002. GALEX will study the history of star formation in the universe by measuring the ultraviolet light from newly formed stars in galaxies out to a distance of 10 billion light years.<br /><br />The selected proposals were among 33 SMEX and 13 mission-of-opportunity proposals originally submitted to NASA in February 2000 in response to an Explorer Program Announcement of Opportunity issued in November 1999. NASA selected seven proposals in September 2000 for detailed feasibility studies. Funded by NASA at US$ 450,000 each, these studies focused on cost, management and technical plans, including small business involvement and educational outreach.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />LAUNCH SERVICES<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />NASA Extends ATK Thiokol Reusable Solid Rocket Motor Contract<br /><br />(1 July 2002) NASA has extended to May 2007 its six-and-a-half-year US$ 2.4 billion contract with ATK Thiokol Propulsion for the production and refurbishment of 70 Reusable Solid Rocket Motors for the Space Shuttle Program.<br /><br />Under the modified contract, Thiokol will produce and refurbish 35 Reusable Solid Rocket Motor flight sets (70 motors) and three flight support motors. The modification adds US$ 429 million to the contract.<br /><br />The contract, issued in October 1998, is the sixth in a series of contracts for the design, development, production and refurbishment of Solid Rocket Motors for the Space Shuttle Program.<br /><br />At launch, the three Space Shuttle Main Engines and the two Reusable Solid Rocket Motors provide enough thrust to lift the 2 million kg-pound shuttle vehicle - the propellant weighs 1.6 million kg - into orbit.<br /><br />The Shuttle's Reusable Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) is the largest solid motor ever flown and the first designed for reuse. Each motor consists of four segments lined with 0.5 million kg of solid fuel propellant. The forward segment holds an igniter.<br /><br />Two motors, each producing an average thrust of 2.6 million pounds during their 124-second burn, are used on each space shuttle flight. At burnout the shuttle has reached an altitude of 44 km and a velocity of 5000 km/hr. After the propellant is depleted, the Solid Rocket Boosters, which house the motors, separate from the shuttle's orbiter and land in the ocean.<br /><br />The Solid Rocket Boosters are recovered and disassembled and the motors are returned to Thiokol. At Thiokol, the cases are cleaned, inspected and reassembled for propellant casting, and a new nozzle and igniter are installed. The motor's steel case components can be used as many as 20 times.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Pratt & Whitney Tests First RL60 Upper-Stage Rocket Engine Component<br /><br />(1 July 2002) Pratt & Whitney (P&W) Space Propulsion has successfully hot fire tested its first RL60 engine component. A full-scale thrust chamber injector was tested at the company's West Palm Beach, Florida facility at full-power conditions (equivalent to 65,0000 pounds of thrust).<br /><br />Following a successful demonstrator engine program, the RL60 could proceed into full-scale development and be ready for service by the end of 2006. In addition, P&W plans to use the robust RL60 expander cycle technology for even higher thrust applications for reusable launch vehicles (RLV).<br /><br />This effort supports second-generation RLV trade studies for NASA's Space Launch Initiative and the utilisation of the RLX second-stage expander cycle engine for that system.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />LAUNCHES<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Contour<br /><br />Launched: 3 July 2002<br />Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida<br />Launcher: Delta 2<br />Orbit: interplanetary<br />International Number: 2002-034A<br />Name: Contour<br />Owner: NASA<br />Contractor: Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL)<br /><br />Contour, the Comet Nucleus Tour, is a scientific probe. It will orbit Earth until August 15 when it will be injected into a new orbit to intercept comet 2P/Encke.<br /><br />Contour’s flexible four-year mission plan includes encounters with comets Encke (Nov. 12, 2003) and Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 (June 19, 2006), though it can add a study of a "new" comet from the outer solar system should one be discovered in time for Contour to catch it. Contour will examine each comet's nucleus which scientists believe is a chunk of ice and rock, often just a few km across and hidden from Earth-based telescopes beneath a dusty atmosphere and long tail.<br /><br />The 8-sided solar-powered craft will fly as close as 100 km to each nucleus. A 5-layer dust shield of heavy Nextel and Kevlar fabric protects the compact probe from comet dust and debris.<br /><br />Contour’s four scientific instruments will take pictures and measure the chemical makeup of the nuclei while analysing the surrounding gases and dust. Its main camera, the Contour Remote Imager/Spectrograph (CRISP), will snap high-resolution digital images showing car-sized rocks and other features on the nucleus as small as 4 m across. CRISP will also search for chemical "fingerprints" on the surface, which would provide the first hard evidence of comet nuclei composition.<br /><br />The targets were selected because of their diversity and relative closeness to Earth during encounter time - less than 50 million km - allowing astronomers to observe the comets during the encounters. Encke has been seen from Earth more than any other comet; it's an "old" body that gives off relatively little gas and dust but remains more active than scientists expect for a comet that has passed close to the sun thousands of times. Schwassmann-Wachmann 3, on the other hand, was discovered just 70 years ago and recently split into several pieces, intriguing scientists with hopes that they might see fresh, unaltered surfaces and materials from inside the comet.<br /><br />Contour’s orbit loops around the sun and back to Earth for annual "gravity swings" toward its targets; these manoeuvres bend Contour’s trajectory and help it reach several comets without using much fuel. Contour will cruise unattended between comet encounters and Earth swingbys in a spin-stabilised "hibernation" mode, helping the mission reduce operations and communications costs.<br /><br />The US$ 159 million Contour is the sixth mission in NASA's Discovery Program of lower cost, scientifically focused exploration projects. APL manages the mission, built the spacecraft and its two cameras, and will operate Contour during flight. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, provided Contour’s neutral gas/ion mass spectrometer and von Hoerner & Sulger GmbH built the dust analyser. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory will provide navigation and Deep Space Network (DSN) support.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />N-Star c, Stellat 5<br /><br />Launched: 5 July 2002<br />Site: CSG Kourou, French Guiana<br />Launcher: Ariane 5<br /><br />International Number: 2002-035A<br />Orbit: GEO, 5° W<br />Name: Stellat 5<br />Owner: Stellat<br />Contractor: Alcatel Space<br /><br />International Number: 2002-035B<br />Orbit: GEO, 136° E<br />Name: N-Star c<br />Owner: NTT DoCoMo<br />Contractor: Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems<br /><br />Both Stellat 5 and N-Star c are commercial communications satellites.<br /><br />Stellat is based on Alcatel’s Spacebus 3000B3 platform and will have a footprint which includes Europe, Africa, the Middle East, near Asia and the east coast of the Americas. In addition to providing continuity of service for current users of the Telecom 2 satellite, including French analogue television broadcasts, Stellat 5 will allow for the development of a number of additional applications: digital radio and television; high-speed two-way Internet access via dishes as small as just 60 cm in diameter; and business and telecommunications networks.<br /><br />Stellat 5 carries 45 high power transponders: thirty five 36 MHz Ku band transponders and ten 36-72 MHz C band transponders capable of reaching Europe, Africa, the Middle East, near Asia and the Americas from a single uplink. In addition, six steerable Ku transponders allow Stellat 5 to supply bandwidth as needed anywhere within its coverage area.<br /><br />Stellat is a joint venture between France Telecom (70%) and Europe*Star (30%), created to develop, operate and commercialise the next-generation Stellat 5 satellite at the 5º W position.<br /><br />N-Star c will operate at S band with a C band feeder link. It is optimised for a 10-year life on-orbit, and will provide mobile telephony and data transfer services to Japan and its surrounding waters. N-Star c carries 20 S band transponders and one C band transponder.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Launch Schedule<br /><br />delayed: EchoStar 8 on a Proton K from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan: delayed indefinitely - spacecraft problems<br />delayed: Spacehab research laboratory (Freestar) on the Shuttle Columbia (STS-107) from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida: delayed following discovery of cracks in fuel line liner<br />August 1: Data Relay Test Satellite W on an H-2A from Tanegashima Space Center, Japan <br />August 12: Hot Bird 6 on an Atlas 5 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida: maiden flight of Atlas 5<br />delayed: GALEX on a Pegasus XL from Canaveral Spaceport, Florida <br />August 15: Astra 1K on a Proton from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan <br />Q3: Intelsat 906 on an Ariane from CSG Kourou, French Guiana <br />Q3: Telstar 8 on a Zenit 3SL from Sea Launch's Odyssey platform in the Pacific Ocean <br />August 22: ISS 9A/BA, ITS S1 on the Shuttle Atlantis (STS-112) from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida: under review<br />August 27: Atlantic Bird 1, MSG-1 on an Ariane from CSG Kourou, French Guiana <br />August 31: Eutelsat W5 on a Delta 4 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida: first EELV launch<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: GPS 2R-8 on a Delta 2 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida <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 />delayed: Orbview 3 on a Pegasus XL from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California <br />October 1: Helios 2A on an Ariane from CSG Kourou, French Guiana <br />October 6: DMSP-16 (5D-3-F16) on a Titan II from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California <br />October 6: ISS 11A, ITS, P1 on the Shuttle Endeavour (STS-113) from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida <br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />BUSINESS<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Mentergy Announces Spin-off Communications Services Business<br /><br />(1 July 2002) Mentergy Ltd has announced the closing of the sale of two wholly owned subsidiaries, Gilat Satcom Ltd, and Israsat International Communications Ltd., which comprise its satellite-based communications services business (together, “Gilat Satcom”).<br /><br />The shares of Gilat Satcom were purchased by Lito Ofsset "Ziv" Ltd, an Israeli company (Ziv), whose shares are traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, in exchange for the issuance to Mentergy of new shares of Ziv, such that Mentergy holds 70% of the outstanding ordinary shares of Ziv on a fully diluted basis. Ziv is expected to change its name to "Gilat Satcom Systems Ltd."<br /><br />Gilat Satcom and Israsat Communications (together - "Gilat Satcom") was established approximately 10 years ago, and today is a leading provider of satellite based communication services in Israel. Gilat Satcom offers its customers private network communication services in Israel, international communication services and Internet access services to companies and organisations world-wide, based on satellite technologies. Today, Gilat Satcom maintains approximately 2,500 sites in private communication networks for leading organisations in Israel, including among others health services organisations, National Sports betting and Lottery, universities, financial institutes and government institutions. Gilat Satcom also operates international communication services, point to point satellite links and Internet backbone connectivity over satellite for information carriers, financial institutes and more, as well as satellite infrastructure for the e-Learning industry.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Northrop Grumman to Acquire TRW for US$ 60 Per Share in Stock<br /><br />(1 July 2002) Northrop Grumman Corporation and TRW Inc have entered into a definitive merger agreement. The combination will position Northrop Grumman as the USA's second largest defence contractor with projected annual revenues of more than US$ 26 billion and approximately 123,000 employees.<br /><br />Under the terms of the agreement, unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies, Northrop Grumman will acquire TRW for US$ 60 per share in common stock in a transaction valued at approximately US$ 7.8 billion, plus the assumption of TRW's net debt at the time of closing.<br /><br />The exact exchange ratio will be determined by dividing US$ 60 by the average of the reported closing sale prices per share of Northrop Grumman common stock on the New York Stock Exchange for the five consecutive trading days ending on and including the second trading day prior to the closing of the merger. The exchange ratio will not be less than 0.4348 or more than 0.5357 of a Northrop Grumman share.<br /><br />After completion of the merger, Northrop Grumman plans to separate TRW's automotive business, either through a sale or a spin-off of the business to shareholders. TRW's previously announced agreement to sell its Aeronautical Systems business to Goodrich Corporation for US$ 1.5 billion continue unaffected by the merger announcement.<br /><br />Following the close of the transaction, TRW's defence business, similar to the Litton and Newport News businesses, will be initially operated as a separate Northrop Grumman sector, reporting to the office of the chairman. Northrop Grumman will work to quickly integrate the operations of TRW's defence business operations. Northrop Grumman foresees little change in employment levels in the defence business as a result of this transaction.<br /><br />The transaction is subject to the approval of shareholders of both companies and to review under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act as well as other governmental and regulatory agencies in the US and Europe. The companies expect to complete the transaction in the fourth quarter of 2002.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />PRODUCTS AND SERVICES<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Skycasters Releases New Satellite-Powered Broadband Solution For Hosted Applications<br /><br />(1 July 2002) Skycasters LLC and Satellite-ASP.com have announced immediate availability of a new cost-effective broadband service supporting Application Service Provider products, that allows an always-on high-speed satellite internet connection to be delivered anywhere in the USA regardless of location and does not rely on local telephone company lines.<br /><br />The solution was developed to assist the Application Service Provider (ASP) industry in creating new opportunities with customers who have locations outside of the reach of DSL or Cable Modem service. It is available through ASP organisations who establish partnering relationships with Satellite-ASP.com and can also be provided directly to end users. The broadband satellite service includes full Internet access.<br /><br />The service enables broadband satellite delivery of thin-client solutions, VPNs, secure-HTTP or other internet enabled technology requiring high-speed always-on connectivity. The service is priced comparably to DSL service. Current installations include hundreds of government and Fortune 1000 corporate locations, often in hard to reach areas. The service is available as a private-labelled wholesale offering bundled with existing ASP services, or ASP partners can receive commissions for referring customers for a direct relationship. Business customers can also order the service directly from Satellite-ASP.com.<br /><br />Satellite-ASP.com is a privately-held organisation focused on wholesale and partner solutions in the ASP industry. The Satellite-ASP.com service is powered by Skycasters, a leading US-based low-cost satellite Internet provider serving North America and the Caribbean. Satellite-ASP.com is a Value Added Reseller of the Skycasters service.<br /><br />The turn-key satellite service is provided by installing inexpensive outdoor satellite equipment which includes a small (less than 1 meter) 2-way send/receive dish transceiver, along with small-footprint indoor satellite modem equipment. Depending on configuration, the indoor equipment connects directly to a computer network or to an individual computer. Various connection speeds from 384 kb/s to 1 Mb/s are available.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />PEOPLE<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />UBS Warburg Names Aryeh Bourkoff Cable and Satellite Analyst for Equity and High Yield Research<br /><br />(1 July 2002) UBS Warburg has announced that Aryeh Bourkoff, head of high yield cable and telecommunications research for UBS Warburg, will be adding coverage of cable and satellite stocks, while maintaining high yield coverage of the cable and satellite sector. He will work out of both the New York and Stamford offices and report jointly to Steve Ruggiero, head of Global High Yield Research, and to Raul Esquivel, head of US Equity Research.<br /><br />In his high yield position, Mr Bourkoff has focused on domestic and European cable and telecommunications companies. For the past three years he has been recognised as a member of Institutional Investor's Fixed-Income All-America Research Team. He ranked number one in Media/Cable & Satellite on both the 2000 and 2001 Teams, and in 2001 he also ranked number one in Telecommunications/Wireline.<br /><br />Prior to joining UBS Warburg, Mr Bourkoff was the senior cable and telecommunications high yield research analyst at CIBC World Markets Corp. Before that he was a member of the High Yield Research group at Salomon Smith Barney, Inc. Mr Bourkoff holds a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of California at San Diego.<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