MICROCOM'S SPACE NEWSFEED 11 August 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: http://www.microcomsystems.co.uk/pubs/ssie.html. July 2002 issue now available. Also available online - get a temporary password to review the Handbook by sending a blank email to review@microcomsystems.co.uk.<br /><br />Check out other web resources from Microcom Systems:<br /><br />Satellite Industry Links: the largest free satellite and space industry directory on the web http://www.satellite-links.co.uk<br /><br />Satellite on the Net: white papers, industry events, launch information and book reviews http://www.satelliteonthenet.co.uk<br /><br />Jobs in Space: space industry recruitment http://www.space-jobs.co.uk<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />CONTENTS<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />SATCOMS:<br />Andrew Receives Intelsat E-2 Type Approval for 4.9-meter Ku Band Antenna<br />China Aerospace Subsidiary Forms Strategic Alliance with STM Wireless<br />HNS Provides AFSAT Communications with Broadband Satellite Technology<br />Hughes Global Services to Provide Satellite to Pakistan<br /><br />NAVIGATION:<br />Trimble Wins New Japanese GSI Contract<br /><br />SCIENCE:<br />Stardust Spacecraft Begins Cosmic Dust Collection<br /><br />LAUNCH SERVICES:<br />Demonstrator 2 Update<br /><br />LAUNCHES:<br />Launch Schedule<br /><br />BUSINESS:<br />Lockheed Martin Mississippi Space & Technology Center Opens<br /><br />PRODUCTS AND SERVICES:<br />Dyband Delivers Intelligent IP Traffic Management for Satellite Access<br />First 90% Efficient All-Hybrid Electronic Power Conditioner Platform for Spacecraft Applications<br />PanAmSat Introduces New Video Distribution Services<br /><br />PEOPLE:<br />Com Dev Changes CFO<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 />Andrew Receives Intelsat E-2 Type Approval for 4.9-meter Ku Band Antenna<br /><br />(8 August 2002) Andrew Corporation has received E-2 Intelsat type approval (Intelsat Approved Code IA099A00) for the 2-port Ku band version of its 4.9-meter earth station antenna. The approval covers the antenna and its feed system. Andrew 4.9-meter Ku band earth station antennas can be used in multinational private networks, broadcast news reporting, and public-switched services.<br /><br />The Intelsat type-approved 2-port Ku band earth station antenna is offered with a manual or motorisable mount and 2-port linearly polarised combiner.<br /><br />The type approved Ku band 2-port 4.9-meter earth station antenna joins the Andrew Intelsat type-approved C band 2- and 4-port versions (IA081A00 and IA081B00 respectively) of the same size antenna. System operators wanting to switch from C band to Ku band, or Ku band to C band, need only change the antenna feed system.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />China Aerospace Subsidiary Forms Strategic Alliance with STM Wireless<br /><br />(8 August 2002) STM Wireless Inc (STM) has formed a strategic alliance with Beijing Changfeng Century Satellite Hi-Tech Co Ltd (BCS), a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science & Industry Corporation (China Aerospace), for the offering of VSAT network systems and solutions to customers in China.<br /><br />China Aerospace is the largest industrial base in China involved in satellite communications and launch systems and has established BCS for the expansion of its activity into satellite ground equipment and VSAT network systems integration. The agreement provides for STM and BCS to co-operate in development and commercialisation of new ground equipment technologies and sales and support of STM's products throughout China. Under the terms of the broad collaboration agreement, BCS will, under license from STM, establish local production of VSATs to serve China's expanding communication needs in remote areas.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />HNS Provides AFSAT Communications with Broadband Satellite Technology<br /><br />(6 August 2002) Hughes Network Systems (HNS) has signed a contract with AFSAT Communications to provide a comprehensive satellite broadband network, including a network operations centre (NOC) and both one-way and two-way terminals.<br /><br />AFSAT will employ the network to provide high-speed broadband and Internet access services to small and medium-sized businesses and consumers throughout Africa. The AFSAT offering marks the first time two-way Internet access via satellite will be offered in many African states.<br /><br />AFSAT is marketing its service under the brand name, iWay. The service is available to enterprise and consumer customers and will be immediately offered in sub-Saharan African countries including Uganda, Tanzania, Gabon, Ghana, Nigeria, Mozambique, and Angola.<br /><br />AFSAT will now be able to provide complete broadband access solutions to their customers throughout the region, including the creation of virtual private networks. The iWay service will have scalable grades of service to satisfy consumer through enterprise-wide requirements and will be hosted through HNS Europe's advanced network management centre in Griesheim, Germany. Both single user and LAN terminal configurations are available, allowing single hop, instant access to the Internet backbone using the HNS DW series of broadband satellite terminals.<br /><br />AFSAT was incorporated in 1996 when it received its VSAT licenses in two East African countries to offer advanced satellite communication solutions throughout the region.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Hughes Global Services to Provide Satellite to Pakistan<br /><br />(6 August 2002) Hughes Global Services Inc (HGS) and the Government of Pakistan have announced an agreement to place the HGS-3 satellite at 38° E and begin offering commercial services by early next year. The satellite has been renamed Paksat 1 and represents the first geostationary satellite put into service by Pakistan.<br /><br />Paksat 1 was originally launched in 1996 as Palapa C1. Hughes Global Services took title to the satellite after a battery-charging anomaly made it unusable for its intended application. It is fully geo-stationary, and contains more than 30 C band and Ku band transponders.<br /><br />HGS will assist Pakistan to fully develop the potential of their orbital slot, as well as moving the satellite and operating it. Paksat 1 will provide commercial services such as Internet backbone, remote Internet access, business communications, broadcast services (video, audio and data), and thin route telephony.<br /><br />The contract value is nearly US $30M over its five-year term.<br /><br />For the last few years the satellite has been located at 50.0° E and has been called Anatolia 1.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />NAVIGATION<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Trimble Wins New Japanese GSI Contract<br /><br />(8 August 2002) The Japanese Geographical Survey Institute (GSI) has awarded Trimble a contract for the purchase of 381 additional 5700 Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS) receivers and 346 International GPS Service (IGS) standard choke ring antennae to expand its GPS-based network. The network is used to monitor the movement of the earth's crust and ultimately aid in the prediction of earthquake activity in Japan.<br /><br />The purchase is part of an ongoing program to upgrade the GSI nation-wide network. The contract award follows an earlier purchase in September of 2001 for 360 Trimble 5700 CORS receivers for use in the same program.<br /><br />Trimble, in co-operation with Hitachi Zosen Information Systems (HZS), Japan, has supplied more than 1,190 GPS reference stations since 1992. GPS data from the 5700 CORS reference stations will support the existing monitoring system, which uses the Bernese processing software, and also provides the real-time information necessary to produce the network corrected Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) data created by the Virtual Reference Station (VRS(TM)) system.<br /><br />Not only does the network of reference stations collect GPS information to monitor the movements of the earth's crust to millimetre accuracy, it also provides accurate survey control points to Japanese surveyors, who will be able to access surveying data through an online bulletin board service.<br /><br />The standard 5700 CORS system provides reference station data, in both real-time as well as logged internal memory for post-processing. Applications include deformation monitoring, engineering and construction projects, surveying, geodetic and atmospheric research, mapping and Geographic Information System (GIS) data collection. In addition, the reference station can be used to establish RTK infrastructure including the Trimble VRS.<br /><br />At the heart of the system is an all-new, low-power GPS receiver built around Trimble's latest generation Maxwell 4 ASIC technology which also incorporates WAAS/EGNOS capability. The new chip provides higher speed, longer battery life, better satellite tracking and higher precision in extreme environments and is housed in an extremely rugged, fully-sealed, waterproof, magnesium alloy housing. The receiver is ideal for permanent or temporary installation in all types of conditions.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />SCIENCE<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Stardust Spacecraft Begins Cosmic Dust Collection<br /><br />(6 August 2002) NASA's Stardust spacecraft, on a mission to collect and return the first samples from a comet, has begun to collect tiny specks of solid matter, called interstellar dust grains, that permeate the galaxy.<br /><br />This dust, passing through the solar system like a wind, is made of particles smaller than one-hundredth the width of a human hair. The particles are made of varying amounts of most of the elements in the periodic table. The Stardust mission will use its special formulation of aerogel, the world's lightest solid, to try to capture these small solid particles as the spacecraft travels in the same direction as the dust stream until December 9, 2002.<br /><br />Stardust's tennis-racket-shaped particle collector has shoulder and wrist joints that will point one side of the aerogel collector material into the dust stream to collect interstellar dust. When Stardust encounters comet Wild 2 in early 2004, the reverse side of the collector will trap particles from the gas and dust escaping from the inside of the comet. When the dust samples return to Earth in 2006, the particles will be extracted and analysed.<br /><br />The Stardust mission collects both ancient and young dust. Comets are made of interstellar particles that clumped together with ices more than 4.5 billion years ago. When the spacecraft flies past comet Wild 2, it will attempt to collect ancient dust samples stored for billions of years in the comet.<br /><br />The mission has begun collecting a younger type of stardust: the free-flowing interstellar dust that was produced by the current generation of stars. Comparing the ancient and newer types of dust may provide clues to the evolutionary changes in the galaxy and the composition of the early galaxy. This is the second and final time Stardust will collect these dust particles. It previously collected samples during a six-week period in 2000.<br /><br />Comet Wild 2 is a particularly good example of preserved interstellar dust because its path through space brings it no closer to the Sun than Mars' orbit, about 228 million km from the Sun. Before 1974, the closest Wild 2 came to the Sun was Jupiter.<br /><br />NASA's Galileo and Ulysses spacecraft both detected a stream of dust particles flowing between stars and into the solar system. The particles did not come from the Sun, but from another direction that showed their origin was outside the solar system.<br /><br />The interstellar dust stream differs from the solar wind in that the solar wind is made of individual atoms, while the interstellar dust is made of small particles of rocks with complex compositions.<br /><br />Stardust, a part of NASA's Discovery Program of low-cost, highly focused science missions, was built by Lockheed Martin Astronautics and Operations and is managed by JPL for NASA's Office of Space Science.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />LAUNCH SERVICES<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Demonstrator 2 Update<br /><br />(8 August 2002) The first meeting of the Investigation Committee into the loss of the Demonstrator 2 inflatable re-entry vehicle (also known as IRDT-2) has completed its initial analysis, and has published its first findings.<br /><br />Demonstrator 2 was launched from the nuclear submarine Ryazan in the Barents Sea on a Volna rocket and was expected to land some 30 minutes later in the remote Kamchatka peninsula in the far north east of Siberia. Demonstrator-2 is an experimental inflatable spacecraft which could be developed into a re-entry system to bring payloads or people back from orbit. The project is a joint venture between the European Space Agency, Astrium and the Babakin Space Centre.<br /><br />In summary the initial conclusions of the Investigation Committee are:<br /><br />The Volna launcher performed nominally throughout the flight.<br /><br />Reconstruction of the 3rd stage flight dynamics from available launcher telemetry data indicates that the attached payload mass accounted only for 50 kg while the actual payload mass including its container was 250 kg.<br /><br />During the separation of the 2nd and 3rd stage, the IRDT and a part of the protective payload capsule were apparently prematurely detached from the 3rd stage. The capsule consists of an upper and a lower part that are separated for the actual deployment of the payload. It is not clear yet whether the problem is a mechanical failure at the capsule separation plane or a premature commanding of the separation.<br /><br />The 3rd stage flight phase was therefore characterised by only a small fraction of its intended payload. Its acceleration was higher, and it reached the target entry point earlier than nominally planned. It released the remaining payload capsule part, as confirmed by the separation sensors.<br /><br />Because of the uncontrolled detachment of the actual IRDT part from the 3rd stage no conclusions can be drawn on its further behaviour and on any performance aspects.<br /><br />The investigation process is continuing in terms of finally confirming the explained scenario and determining the actual cause of the failure.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />LAUNCHES<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Launch Schedule<br /><br />Q3: Intelsat 906 on an Ariane from CSG Kourou, French Guiana<br />August 20: EchoStar 8 on a Proton K from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan<br />August 21: Hot Bird 6 on an Atlas 5 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida: maiden flight of Atlas 5<br />August 27: Atlantic Bird 1, MSG-1 on an Ariane 5 from CSG Kourou, French Guiana<br />August 31: Kypros Sat 1 on an Ariane from CSG Kourou, French Guiana<br />September: GPS 2R-8 on a Delta 2 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida<br />September 10: Data Relay Test Satellite W on an H-2A from Tanegashima Space Center, Japan<br />September 18: Hispasat 1D on an Atlas 2AS from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida<br />September 20: Progress M-47 (9P) on a Soyuz-U from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan<br />September 28: ISS 9A/BA, ITS S1 on the Shuttle Atlantis (STS-112) from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida<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 9: Eutelsat W5 on a Delta 4 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida: first EELV launch<br />delayed: GALEX on a Pegasus XL from Canaveral Spaceport, Florida<br />October 17: Integral on a Proton from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan<br />October 28: Soyuz (ISS 5S) on a Soyuz U from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan<br />November: GPS 2R-9, ProSEDS on a Delta 2 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida<br />November: Orbview 3 on a Pegasus XL from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California<br />November 1: Adeos 2, Micro-Lab Sat, WEOSS, FedSat on an H-2A from Tanegashima Space Center, Japan<br />November 2: 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 />Lockheed Martin Mississippi Space & Technology Center Opens<br /><br />(5 August 2002) Lockheed Martin has opened the new Lockheed Martin Mississippi Space & Technology Center, an advanced propulsion, thermal, and metrology facility located at the NASA's John C Stennis Space Center, Mississippi.<br /><br />The facility represents a partnership between Lockheed Martin's Space Systems and Technology Services companies, the State of Mississippi, Hancock County and NASA. Lockheed Martin Space Systems will operate a spacecraft propulsion and thermal system product centre. Lockheed Martin Technology Services will establish a world-class Integrated Metrology Center and provide engineering and manufacturing services. Both will be housed in the same facility with operations expected to begin in the autumn of 2002. Approximately 270 jobs will be created at the centre. These jobs reflect the projected needs of the two Lockheed Martin companies and their potential customers.<br /><br />Activities performed in the approximate 220,000 square-foot centre will include the integration of propulsion systems, used for satellites and other spacecraft produced by Lockheed Martin Space Systems. The thermal control systems produced at the facility will protect space vehicles from the extreme temperatures of the space environment. These systems include multi-layer insulation thermal blankets and engine heat shields. Metrology refers to the science of measurement, and this centre will be responsible for the highest level of "primary standards" in the extremely precise calibration of test equipment and tools.<br /><br />The State of Mississippi and Hancock County will partner with Lockheed Martin in the specialised training required for those hired to work at the centre.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />PRODUCTS AND SERVICES<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Dyband Delivers Intelligent IP Traffic Management for Satellite Access<br /><br />(6 August 2002) Dyband, a supplier of IP traffic management solutions to service providers and enterprises world-wide, has announced delivery of the first IP traffic management solution that delivers effective quality-of-service for satellite access.<br /><br />Dyband monitors and controls bandwidth usage and manages SLAs in broadband satellite access environments, including residential Internet access; enterprise Internet access and Intranet/LAN/WAN connectivity; air, land, and maritime mobile access; and ISP backbone access (satellite connections between remote ISP POPs and the Internet backbone primarily for service providers in developing countries and remote regions).<br /><br />Dyband intelligent IP traffic management software enables satellite service providers to tightly control bandwidth consumption, by IP address, for up to 50,000 individual satellite subscribers and/or groups (per unit), define and manage a virtually unlimited number of SLAs at distinct price points; and view and adjust network performance in real-time, while gathering comprehensive historical statistics for later analysis.<br /><br />Dyband meets several key financial and technical challenges facing satellite service providers today and provides a rapid return on investment.<br /><br />First, Dyband maximises throughput across the satellite link, allowing service providers to add additional users yet provide more consistent, reliable access service. Dyband also enhances the efficiency of the Internet connection by reducing packet loss.<br /><br />Second, it shapes traffic independently of the latency of the medium. This is a significant benefit for satellite providers, where the average propagation delay is considerable - 500 milliseconds per round-trip.<br /><br />Third, it offers complete flexibility in managing upstream and downstream traffic by providing separate controls for each traffic direction. For a satellite provider, this means that a single Dyband software solution can manage its IP traffic even if the nature of its distribution network (unidirectional vs. bi-directional) changes over time or from one service area to another.<br /><br />And lastly, Dyband delivers insight into both the topology and performance of the satellite distribution network. It provides real-time statistics that allow service providers to make immediate SLA adjustments and creates extensive, customised historical reports for capacity planning, timely provisioning, usage-based billing, and customer support.<br /><br />Dyband is available today and operating in satellite access environments. Dyband intelligent IP traffic management software is easy to install and runs on industry-standard hardware platforms and operating systems. The software is available in a broad range of configurations that scale to meet the needs of satellite service providers as they grow-from 1 Mb/s to 100 Mb/s of managed bandwidth per Dyband unit, easily handling a full transponder.<br /><br />Dyband Corporation is a provider of unique IP traffic management software and solutions to multiple "last mile" narrowband and broadband access markets, such as the satellite, fixed wireless, wireline, cable and corporate enterprise markets. Dyband enables Internet service providers, educational institutions, Government agencies and enterprise organisations to reduce operating costs and improve profit margins by gaining absolute control of their bandwidth. Dyband allows them to provide consistent, reliable access services while eliminating the need to provision bandwidth to meet peak demand.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />First 90% Efficient All-Hybrid Electronic Power Conditioner Platform for Spacecraft Applications<br /><br />(5 August 2002) International Rectifier (IR) and Mitsubishi Electric Engineering Company Limited (MEE) have introduced the industry's first 90% efficient all-hybrid space-level Electronic Power Conditioner (EPC).<br /><br />An EPC converts a satellite's primary bus voltage into well-regulated secondary output rails for the host solid-state power amplifier (SSPA), used in satellite communication systems. The new EPC platform is 90% efficient, and will allow spacecraft system designers to reduce power management circuit size and weight, while meeting electrical system performance requirements, and improving overall spacecraft efficiency.<br /><br />The EPC platform is a full bridge topology converter with secondary synchronous rectifiers operating at 200 kHz. Input voltage range is from 26 V to 43 V, with other ranges available. Typical output power is 56 W. The main output voltage can be externally set between +6 V to +8 V at 8.5 A, with secondary output voltages of +5 V at 0.4 A and -5 V at 0.4 A. The design configuration can be easily modified for increased output power. Custom output voltages for unique requirements are possible.<br /><br />The new platform has bus current telemetry, on/off telecommand and output sequencing circuits. It also has built-in over-current protection and under-voltage lockout circuits, as well as an EMI filter to enhance performance. All elements used within the EPC platform hybrid are Class K rated. Performance is specified over an operating temperature range of -40° C to +80° C.<br /><br />The new devices are available unscreened and screened to Class K per MIL-PRF-38534.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />PanAmSat Introduces New Video Distribution Services<br /><br />(7 August 2002) PanAmSat Corporation has introduced two new digital services designed to improve the way video content is delivered to customers around the world. Each of these products increases the flexibility, improves the speed and reduces the overall costs of the video distribution process.<br /><br />Both the Video on Demand and Digital Store & Forward services were developed in partnership with PanAmSat's core video customers - who make up the majority of PanAmSat's annual revenues.<br /><br />Each of the new services provides a secure turn-key solution for the delivery of video content to programmers, cable operators, film production houses and other media outlets. The services upgrade video content to a digital format, as well as provide an alternative to analogue transportation of programming, anywhere, anytime.<br /><br />PanAmSat's Video on Demand (VOD) solution is a secure means for transmitting video content from one source to many recipients throughout North America. This product enables video-content providers to quickly and securely disseminate their programming to cable operators on an as-needed basis. Video-on-demand is becoming a reality for cable operators across North America. Movies, news, educational programs and sports are among the programming now being viewed on-demand by audiences throughout North America and around the world. PanAmSat's VOD solution supports on-demand content, while saving content providers time and money.<br /><br />PanAmSat's Digital Store & Forward (DSF) service enables the digital storage and delivery of video content around the globe. It is specifically designed to support the needs of international video content providers such as film and television production companies. Currently, most video production companies use the dubbing and overnight shipping of tapes as the basis for the distribution of their product. This new solution enhances traditional means of video production and distribution, as it offers a satellite-based digital alternative and significantly reduces the need for traditional analogue tapes. Through the DSF service, customers can beam programming content from North America to production facilities around the world. It offers one of the fastest, efficient and most reliable means to distribute video content on a global basis.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />PEOPLE<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Com Dev Changes CFO<br /><br />(6 August 2002) Com Dev's Chief Financial Officer, Tim Zahavich, left Com Dev this week to become CFO of a Toronto-based semiconductor company. Gary Calhoun, who has held senior finance positions with Com Dev International since July 2001, will replace him.<br /><br />Prior to joining Com Dev, Mr Calhoun spent twelve years with Westinghouse Canada Inc in senior financial and operations roles and most recently had been part of the founding team for Cutler Hammer Canada's entrance into the Engineering Services market. Mr Calhoun is a 1982 graduate of McMaster University in Hamilton and a Chartered Accountant.<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