MICROCOM'S SPACE NEWSFEED 9 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 />EARTH OBSERVATION:<br />ImageSat Reduces Prices of Archived Satellite Imagery by 50%<br /><br />MANNED SPACE:<br />ISS Space Agencies Make Statement<br /><br />TECHNOLOGY:<br />Cooling Hubble’s Infrared Camera<br />Rocketdyne Designing First Large Reusable Hydrocarbon Rocket Engine<br /><br />LAUNCHES:<br />Intelsat 905<br />STS 111 - ISS UF 2 (Multi Purpose Logistics Module)<br />Launch Schedule<br /><br />BUSINESS:<br />Helius Announces Broadband Partnerships<br />SES Global and Gilat Satellite Networks Complete Formation Of Satlynx<br />StarBand Declares Bankruptcy<br /><br />PRODUCTS AND SERVICES:<br />Foundation Telecoms Introduces SatLink Mobile Satellite Trailer<br />High Power Ku Band GaAs FET from Toshiba<br />TriQuint Semiconductor Introduces High Power Amp for VSAT Terminals<br /><br />PEOPLE:<br />European Satellite Operators Association Appoints Secretary General<br />Kingston inmedia Appoints New Director of Sales<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />European Satellites For Security, 18-19 June 2002, Brussels.<br /><br />Inaugurated by Dr. Javier Solana, General Secretary European Council and EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy.<br /><br />It will bring together top Governmental, Military and Commercial figures driving Europe's Space Security Policy. What are Europe's Security and Defence requirements and what are the practical challenges for implementation? See www.eyeforspace.com<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 />EARTH OBSERVATION<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />ImageSat Reduces Prices of Archived Satellite Imagery by 50%<br /><br />(3 June 2002) ImageSat has announced that it is slashing its prices by 50% in an effort to put high-resolution EROS A imagery in the hands of commercial organisations and private individuals.<br /><br />The new commercial promotion enables customers to sub-select portions of archived imagery as small as five square kilometres for a minimum fee of US$ 25.<br /><br />Commercial customers find ImageSat's panchromatic images especially suitable for such applications as infrastructure planning and management, mapping, 3D models, simulation, environmental monitoring, and search and rescue operations.<br /><br />For the year and a half since EROS A has been in orbit, ImageSat has primarily served the National Security market, which relies heavily on high-resolution, panchromatic imagery.<br /><br />High-resolution imagery, which is generally considered to be 2 meters or better, is offered commercially by only a few vendors world-wide. ImageSat offers imagery from its Earth Resources Observation Satellite, known as EROS A, in standard 1.8-meter and oversampled 1-meter resolutions.<br /><br />ImageSat International NV is an international provider of high-resolution earth imagery for commercial applications. The Company's global network of Acquisition, Archiving and Distribution Ground Stations enable ImageSat to provide world-wide coverage and Internet access to imagery collected by its EROS A satellite. Established in 1997, the Company maintains its headquarters and primary Internet transaction hub in Cyprus. The EROS B1 satellite, which will offer higher quality resolution and a significantly higher data link rate than EROS A, as well as multispectral capabilities, is due to be operational in 2004<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />MANNED SPACE<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />ISS Space Agencies Make Statement<br /><br />(3 June 2002) The space agencies involved in the construction of the International Space Station (ISS) met this week to discuss the way forward on the project which has been compromised by budget cuts and cost overruns at NASA.<br /><br />The participating space agencies issued the following joint statement:<br /><br />“The leaders of the space agencies taking part in the International Space Station (ISS) programme, including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), the European Space Agency (ESA), National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) and the Russian Aviation and Space Agency (Rosaviakosmos), met today at ESA's Headquarters to discuss the status of the ISS programme.<br /><br />At the conclusion of the meeting, the ISS International Partners reaffirmed their commitment to working together on the development, assembly and use of the ISS for scientific and applied research. In particular, they noted the tremendous achievements that have already been accomplished through their cooperation on the ISS, which has so far been assembled with nearly flawless precision.<br /><br />During their meeting the ISS International Partners discussed and agreed upon a timeline for next steps to assure that the ISS can be assembled and operated in a way that meets its unique world-class research objectives, while not compromising the basic requirements of sound system engineering and safety.”<br /><br />Considering the scale of the problems faced by the ISS project which has seen cost overruns of billions of dollars and essential modules cut from the structure to such an extent that much of the science that would have been performed on the station (and which is the whole official reason for the existence of the station) has been postponed to the distant future, the lack of content in the statement is astonishing. I hope the self congratulatory tone of the statement satisfies the taxpayers who are pouring billions upon billions of dollars a year into the project every year.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />TECHNOLOGY<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Cooling Hubble’s Infrared Camera<br /><br />(5 June 2002) After more than three years of inactivity, and thanks to a new cryogenic refrigerator, the Hubble Space Telescope's Near Infrared Camera and Multi Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) is now operational again.<br /><br />The first NICMOS test images demonstrate its powerful new capability for making remarkable discoveries unique to space-based near-infrared astronomy. The NICMOS' penetrating vision sliced through the edge-on dusty disk of a galaxy, NGC 4013, to peer all the way into the galaxy's core. Astronomers were surprised to see what appears to be an edge-on ring of stars, 720 light-years across, encircling the nucleus. Though such star-rings are not uncommon in barred-spiral galaxies, only NICMOS has the resolution to see the ring buried deep inside an edge-on galaxy.<br /><br />Installed on Hubble in February 1997, NICMOS used infrared vision to probe dark, dusty, never-before-seen regions of space with the optical clarity that only Hubble can provide. Its infrared detectors operated at a very cold temperature of minus 213 degrees Celsius.<br /><br />To keep the detectors cold, NICMOS was encased in a thermos- like container filled with solid nitrogen ice. It was expected that the solid nitrogen ice would last approximately four years. However, the ice evaporated about twice as fast as planned and was depleted after only 23 months of NICMOS science operations. In 1999 - with its supply of ice exhausted - NICMOS became dormant.<br /><br />Determined not to be defeated, NASA scientists and engineers devised a plan to restore NICMOS to life. They turned to a new mechanical cooling technology, jointly developed by NASA and the US Air Force. The NICMOS Cooling System (NCS) was built by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and the Creare Corporation<br /><br />The mechanical cooler operates on principles similar to a modern home refrigerator. It pumps ultra-cold neon gas through the internal plumbing of the instrument. At its core are three miniature, high-tech turbines that spin at rates up to about 430,000 rpm. Since the speed of the turbines can be adjusted at will, the NICMOS light sensors can be operated at a more optimal temperature than was possible before, about 77 degrees Kelvin.<br /><br />The NICMOS cooling system is virtually vibration-free, an important aspect for Hubble since vibrations can affect image quality in much the same way that a shaky camera produces blurred pictures.<br /><br />Astronauts installed the NCS inside Hubble during the fifth and final spacewalk of Servicing Mission 3B on March 8, 2002. On March 18, the NCS was turned on via commands sent from the Space Telescope Operations Control Center at Goddard. It has continued to operate flawlessly ever since. The deep interior of the NICMOS reached the target temperature of 70 degrees Kelvin on April 11. Most of the internal heat had been removed from the instrument, and the NCS stabilised itself at this temperature. On April 19, NICMOS was brought up to a fully operational state and testing of its internal condition began. Since then, fine adjustments have been made to the settings of the NCS to optimise the instrument for best performance.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Rocketdyne Designing First Large Reusable Hydrocarbon Rocket Engine<br /><br />(5 June 2002) The Rocketdyne Propulsion & Power business of The Boeing Company is deep into design work on a new reusable rocket engine that will generate more than one million pounds of thrust (at sea level) and could be the first-ever multi-mission booster to use oxygen-rich gases in combination with kerosene fuel.<br /><br />Design of the new engine - the RS-84 - is currently in its first phase under funding from NASA's Space Launch Initiative (SLI). This initial phase was initiated with a US$ 34 million award to Boeing Rocketdyne and will ultimately involve a team of 100 engineers and technicians by the end of the phase next May.<br /><br />Pending NASA acceptance of the design, the program could move into a second phase in 2003 for an additional award of more than US$ 24 million. A prototype RS-84 could emerge by 2006.<br /><br />The principle behind the RS-84 is that gaseous oxygen - which also functions as the combustion oxidiser - will be used to drive the propellant turbopumps. In most engines the fuel, such as gaseous hydrogen or kerosene, is used to drive the turbines.<br /><br />Some unmanned Russian engines have traditionally operated as oxygen-rich. But those engines have always been expendables, and further, have required protective coatings on engine parts, which means less reliability and durability. Using Boeing-proprietary metals, the design now eliminates these coatings and their attendant penalties. That, in turn, allows Rocketdyne to use kerosene in a reusable rocket engine as the fuel, which offers higher thrust density than hydrogen.<br /><br />The RS-84 joins the RS-83 as two engine concepts being investigated under the SLI effort. The RS-83 is a hydrogen-powered booster. While both target future vehicles that have yet to be selected, the RS-84 is also noteworthy for the power it would produce: more than one million pounds of thrust. Rocketdyne engines have not been in that range since the Rocketdyne F-1 engine delivered 1.5 million pounds of thrust for the Saturn V vehicle of the Apollo lunar program.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />LAUNCHES<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Intelsat 905<br /><br />Launched: 5 June 2002<br />Site: CSG Kourou, French Guiana<br />Launcher: Ariane 44L<br />Orbit: GEO, 24.5° W<br />International Number: 2002-027A<br />Name: Intelsat 905<br />Owner: Intelsat<br />Contractor: Space Systems/Loral<br /><br />Intelsat 905 is a commercial communications satellite. It will provide capacity for telephony, corporate networks, Internet, video and hybrid space/terrestrial solutions to customers on its 72 C band and 22 Ku band transponders (measured in 36 MHz equivalent units). The satellite will provide high power Ku band spot beam coverage for Western Europe and much of North America and additional C band capacity to customers in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, North America and South America. It weighed 4,723 kg at lift-off.<br /><br />Intelsat 905 is based on SS/Loral’s 1300 platform and has a design life in orbit of over 13 years. The satellite is expected to be operational in July.<br /><br />Intelsat's next launch, the Intelsat 906 satellite, is scheduled to take place from French Guiana, aboard an Ariane 44L launch vehicle, during the third quarter of this year.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />STS 111 - ISS UF 2 (Multi Purpose Logistics Module)<br /><br />Launched: 5 June 2002<br />Site: Kennedy Space Center, Florida<br />Launcher: Shuttle Endeavour (STS-111)<br />Orbit: LEO, apogee: 226 km, perigee: 226 km: inclination: 51.6°<br />International Number: 2002-028A<br />Name: STS 111 - ISS UF 2 (Multi Purpose Logistics Module)<br />Owner: NASA<br /><br />This shuttle mission (Utility Flight 2) will carry the Expedition 5 crew to the International Space Station (ISS) and will return with the Expedition 4 crew. Mission duration will be 12 days.<br /><br />During the mission the crewmembers will attach a Canadian-built mobile base system to the Station that will enable the Canadarm2 robotic arm to move along a railway on the Station's truss to build and maintain the outpost. The crew will also will replace a faulty joint on the Station's robotic arm and unload almost three tons of experiments and supplies from the Italian-built Leonardo logistics carrier, making its third visit to the Station aboard the shuttle.<br /><br />Crew:<br />Commander: Ken Cockrell<br />Pilot: Paul Lockhart<br />Mission Specialist 1: Franklin Chang-Diaz<br />Mission Specialist 2: Philippe Perrin<br />Expedition Five (up): Valery Korzun<br />Expedition Five (up): Peggy Whitson<br />Expedition Five (up): Sergei Treschev<br />Expedition Four (down): Carl Walz<br />Expedition Four (down): Yuri Onufrienko<br />Expedition Four (down): Daniel Bursch<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Launch Schedule<br /><br />June: N-Star c, Stellat 5 on an Ariane 5 from CSG Kourou, French Guiana<br />June 10: Express A1R on a Proton from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan<br />June 15: Galaxy 3C on a Zenit 3SL from Sea Launch's Odyssey platform in the Pacific Ocean<br />June 19: Iridium (2 satellites) on a Rockot from Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia<br />June 22: 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 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 /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />BUSINESS<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Helius Announces Broadband Partnerships<br /><br />(4 June 2002) Helius Inc has announced several strategic partnerships that enable satellite-based business communication networks to be established more rapidly and efficiently than ever before.<br /><br />By integrating products and services from world-class satellite technology companies, the Helius Strategic Alliance Program offers customers the opportunity to obtain network components that best meet their needs without the time consuming and costly process of establishing multiple contracts and vendor relationships. The time necessary to create a satellite network is minimised as experts from Helius and Alliance companies combine expertise on behalf of the client.<br /><br />The business advantages of a satellite-integrated network are diverse and include services such as simultaneously providing training to hundreds of remote sales representatives. The network allows live interaction between corporate trainers and the sales representatives without the travel costs and unproductive time that results from regional meetings. Broadcasting live video via satellite eliminates numerous problems that occur when broadband content is sent from a single source to multiple remote locations served by varying routers, switches and bandwidth. A stable and secure broadband network is established by integrating Helius hardware and software with satellite service offered by Alliance members.<br /><br />In addition to creating numerous customer benefits, the Helius Alliance Program offers participating partner companies the opportunity to share sales leads and benefit from joint marketing efforts. The program also offers comprehensive customer service and support options. The Strategic Alliance Program is focused on helping service providers, hardware and software developers, system integrators, content providers, resellers/VARs, and consultants create and sell products and services that complement or are integrated with Helius products.<br /><br />Helius develops routers, software and custom engineered solutions that enable efficient, secure and reliable delivery of broadband content over satellites and local area networks. The Company's portfolio of broadband satellite and land-based routing solutions includes products that enable a full range of video, voice and data to be distributed across corporate computer networks and desktops. The enterprise-wide business TV systems powered by Helius products give employees easy access to live or stored content such as corporate broadcasts, distance learning courses, training programs, software updates, databases and the Internet. Founded in 1995, Helius is a world-wide leader in combining IP, satellite, broadcast, video and digital networking technologies.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />SES Global and Gilat Satellite Networks Complete Formation Of Satlynx<br /><br />(5 June 2002) SES Global and Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd have announced the closing of definitive agreements and the formation of Satlynx, a new company that will provide two-way satellite broadband communications services to enterprises, consumers and small office/home office (SOHO) users throughout Europe. Following definitive agreements and regulatory approval, Alcatel Space and SkyBridge, subsidiaries of Alcatel will join Satlynx as a 20% shareholder.<br /><br />Satlynx is fully operational and has incorporated Gilat’s existing European operations and enterprise customer base. Satlynx also services the wholesale contracts with BT Openworld and with Tiscali for the provision of broadband satellite connectivity to SOHO and consumer subscribers in Europe. The Company offers consumer broadband services with Gilat’s 360 platform. Corporate customers will use Gilat’s Skystar Advantage VSAT platform, as well as SES Global’s high speed BBI technology, which is based on the DVB-RCS standard.<br /><br />Satlynx will be managed by an Executive Committee consisting of:<br /><br />Mr. Yves Elsen, President and Chief Executive Officer<br />Mr. Niki Bassat, COO<br />Mr. Ami Samuels, CFO and SVP Corporate Development<br /><br />Yves Elsen, Chief Executive Officer joins Satlynx from SES Global. He joined SES in 1986 and currently serves as Senior Vice President, European Broadband of SES Global and Chairman of SES Multimedia. Mr Elsen has 15 years of satellite communications experience in various positions of general management, business development and sales and marketing, among other serving in the Management Committee of SES Astra. Before joining SES Mr Elsen worked for Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI). Mr Elsen has an MBA from INSEAD and a Master of Science from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.<br /><br />Niki Bassat, Chief Operations Officer joins Satlynx from Gilat Satellite Networks where he served as Vice President Operations, since 1995. At Gilat, he headed several departments including engineering, production, technical support and customer education. Before joining Gilat Satellite Networks, Mr Bassat worked as Manager, Operations in Tadiran Telecommunication (1985-1995). He studied at the Technion in Haifa (BSc Industrial Engineering) and Hebrew University in Jerusalem (MBA).<br /><br />Ami Samuels, CFO and SVP Corporate Development has served for the past 4 years as Vice President, Broadband Networks of Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. Prior to joining Gilat, Mr Samuels spent nearly 10 years working on various financing, M&A and other Investment Banking transactions with Lehman Brothers in New York and Tel Aviv. Mr Samuels’ most recent position at Lehman Brothers was Senior Vice President of Investment Banking in the high technology sector. Mr Samuels has an MBA from Yale University School of Management and a BA from Haifa University.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />StarBand Declares Bankruptcy<br /><br />(3 June 2002) StarBand, America's leading consumer high-speed, two-way satellite Internet provider, has filed a petition for Chapter 11 reorganisation with the US Bankruptcy Court in Delaware.<br /><br />As part of the reorganisation, StarBand has a US$ 2.8 million commitment for debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing from founding partner Gilat Satellite Networks.<br /><br />StarBand has applied for immediate court approval of the DIP financing. The company also announced that ongoing customer and dealer operations are up and running and expects them to be unaffected by the filing. StarBand intends to implement a number of cost-saving programs during the reorganisation.<br /><br />StarBand's Chapter 11 reorganisation petition includes motions that permit the company to continue such operations as selling and commissioning StarBand service and providing customer and technical support services to its customers, installers and dealers.<br /><br />The motions also permit StarBand to continue payments for employee payroll and health benefits, obtain interim financing, and retain legal, financial and other professional services to support the company's reorganisation efforts. The motions were also filed to help StarBand preserve cash on hand, continue ongoing operations and enhance its ability to pay creditors.<br /><br />A week before StarBand's bankruptcy reorganisation filing, the company filed a lawsuit in the US District Court in Alexandria, Virginia, charging that EchoStar Communications has not forwarded millions of dollars in fees it has collected and is collecting as its billing agent.<br /><br />As part of the filing, StarBand sought immediate injunctive relief to direct EchoStar to transfer back StarBand's customer base and to stop EchoStar from acting as StarBand's billing agent.<br /><br />The lawsuit and the related request for a temporary restraining order (TRO) asserted that as a result of EchoStar's conduct, StarBand would be irreparably harmed because it was denied its main source of service revenue and access to its customer information.<br /><br />The District Court decided that the lawsuit was too complex to be decided at a thirty minute TRO hearing and should be heard at trial, forcing StarBand to seek protection under Chapter 11 reorganisation. StarBand has run out of cash because, it claims, it has not been able to bill some 31,000 of its 41,000 customers for service. EchoStar is reported to owe StarBand more than US$ 2 million.<br /><br />In its filing StarBand declared US$ 229 million in liabilities and US$ 58 million in assets.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />PRODUCTS AND SERVICES<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Foundation Telecoms Introduces SatLink Mobile Satellite Trailer<br /><br />(31 May 2002) Foundation Telecommunications has introduced its Mobile Satellite Uplink Trailer: SatLink. The C or Ku band SatLink offers a wide variety of optional features including two-way SCPC or TDMA communications, high speed data link, moving map with USGS topographic base linked with GPS and SatMaster Pro Software, pole mounted observation camera system and three power systems - battery (up to 72 hours), propane generator, and commercial power cabling.<br /><br />Suggested applications for the SatLink include: emergency disaster relief, rural economic development, private state LAN/WAN communications, rural Internet communications, state highway department, department of education, state parks and recreation, interstate and intrastate secured communications.<br /><br />The State of South Dakota was the first to purchase the SatLink unit in the spring of 2002, where it is being utilised for Rural Internet Communications.<br /><br />The design goal of the SatLink was to provide a stable universal platform with stable versatile power sub-systems capable of supporting any customer equipment and satellite option. As designed, customers may purchase the basic SatLink and add their own specialised electronics in the standard rack space provided. Clients can choose from a wide variety of options including: antenna size, AC power sub-system size, transmitter, lighting options, battery upgrades, generator options, cellular phone communications package, air-conditioner, heaters, wireless LAN and/or Free Space Optics and custom installation kits.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />High Power Ku Band GaAs FET from Toshiba<br /><br />(3 June 2002) Toshiba America Electronic Components has announced an 18 W internally-matched Ku band gallium arsenide field effect transistor (GaAs FET), the highest power device currently available for operating in the 14.0 to 14.5 GHz range in satellite communications applications. Designated TIM1414-18L, the new device developed by Toshiba Corp is targeted for use in solid-state power amplifiers (SSPAs) for Ku band satellite communication transmitters and very small aperture terminals (VSATs).<br /><br />The first 18 W device of its kind, the TIM1414-18L supports the highest output power from a single device currently available and offers designers a solution for use in a smaller high-power amplifier (HPA) design. Due to Toshiba's refinement of its gate structure and fabrication process, the new device provides high linearity performance to support the requirements of satcom applications.<br /><br />The TIM1414-18L is housed in a reliable, hermetically-sealed 2-11C1B package with a small footprint measuring 21.5 mm x 12.9 mm. This allows designers to simplify designs and lower total system cost by reducing device count. This device's packaging is consistent with that of Toshiba's existing 10 W and 15 W Ku band GaAs FETs, providing designers the ability to realise a higher output power SSPA without requiring significant design changes.<br /><br />The TIM1414-18L is implemented in Toshiba's Heterojunction Field Effect Transistor (HFET) process technology. The HFET process is ideal for high-power microwave devices due to its high carrier concentration that enhances output power and gain. Since HFETs have a higher Schottky Barrier height than GaAs Metal Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (MESFETs), HFETs achieve improved gate breakdown voltage (BVgd) with reduced gate leakage current - a critical factor in higher-power devices.<br /><br />Key Features:<br /><br />* High Power: P(1 dB) = 42.5 dBm at 14.0 to 14.5 GHz<br />* High Gain: G(1 dB) = 6.0 dB at 14.0 to 14.5 GHz<br />* Low Intermodulation Distortion: IM(3) = -42 dBc at Po = 36 dBm Single Carrier Level<br />* Internally-Matched<br />* Hermetically-Sealed Package<br /><br />Product Specifications:<br /><br />Part Number TIM1414-18L<br />Frequency Range 14.0 GHz to 14.5 GHz<br />P(1dB) (dBm) Typical 42.5<br />G(1dB) (dB) Typical 6.0<br />I(DS) (A) Maximum 6.0<br />IM(3) (dBc) Minimum -25<br />R(th (c-c)) (degrees C/W) Maximum/Typical 2.3/1.8<br />Package Type 2-11C1B<br /><br />Pricing and Availability<br /><br />Samples of the TIM1414-18L are scheduled to be available in September 2002, priced at US$ 1,100 in quantities of 1,000. Full production is scheduled for December.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />TriQuint Semiconductor Introduces High Power Amp for VSAT Terminals<br /><br />(3 June 2002) TriQuint Semiconductor has announced a new high power transmit amplifier for Satellite Ground Terminal and Microwave Wave Digital Radio applications.<br /><br />Satellite networks provide signals for many consumer and commercial applications, including direct broadcast television, high speed internet, and tracking for mobile navigation systems. For two-way systems such as high speed Internet and mobile tracking, transmit amplifiers are required for the uplink back to the orbital satellite. Ground terminals (fixed or mobile) that operate in harsh environmental conditions or deliver a high data rate with high linearity requirements, generally require a multiwatt transmit amplifier.<br /><br />The TGA2502 is ideally suited for use as a transmit High Power Amplifier (HPA) in broadband satellite ground terminal applications, mobile navigation systems, and digital radio applications requiring high linear power. Due to the power and linearity performance available from this single chip solution, subsystem integrators can replace multi-chip modules thereby decreasing product complexity and cost.<br /><br />The TGA2502 is fabricated using TriQuint's 0.5-micron gate length, power pHEMT process. TriQuint's power pHEMT process delivers high frequency device performance coupled with high device yields of a mature production process.<br /><br />The TGA2502 is currently shipping in pre-production volumes, with an expected ramp to full volume production in the second half of 2002. Parts are currently available as die and soon will be offered in packaged form.<br /><br />Technical specifications:<br /><br />* Operating Frequency: 13.5 to 15 GHz<br />* 3 Gain Stage Architecture<br />* Nominal Output Power: 36 dBm<br />* Nominal Gain: 25 dB<br />* Typical Output Third-Order-Intercept Point: 44 dBm at 14 GHz<br />* Quiescent Bias: 1.3 A @ 7 V<br /><br />The TGA2502 bond pad and backside metallisation is gold plated for compatibility with eutectic alloy attachment methods as well as with thermocompression and thermosonic wire bonding. Each chip is 100% DC and RF tested on-wafer to ensure performance compliance.<br /><br />Production pricing for 10,000 piece quantities is US$ 68 each. Delivery is available from stock to 12 weeks for higher volume orders.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />PEOPLE<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />European Satellite Operators Association Appoints Secretary General<br /><br />(5 June 2002) The European Satellite Operators Association (ESOA) has announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Mr Fulvio Sansone as ESOA's Secretary General.<br /><br />Mr Sansone will manage and represent the Association on a day-to-day basis to achieve its objectives. As Secretary General of ESOA, Mr Sansone will work to ensure that the views of the satellite operators are shared with key decision makers, so that appropriate political, industrial, trade, and regulatory policies are developed and implemented. The objective is to ensure that the benefits of satellite-delivered services are available to everyone and that they will be an important component of the upcoming e-society, based on their unique characteristics, including extremely high reliability and ubiquitous coverage.<br /><br />Mr Sansone currently serves as Projects and Development Manager for ERTICO, a private public partnership for the implementation of Telematics. He was previously Branch Manager of SAG-Abel Belgium, a subsidiary of the German RWE group, active in cellular networks deployment. He has substantial experience in the satellite industry, gained while working with SAIT-RadioHolland (now Zenitel) a Belgian provider of wireless solutions, where his responsibilities included posts in the Business Development and Business Unit Management and through an assignment in the Business Analysis Office at the European Space Agency. Mr Sansone started his career in the technical field with Ericsson, the well-known telecommunications company, and with Ansaldo Trasporti, an Italian company active in railway systems. Mr Sansone obtained a degree in Electrical Engineering at University of Naples and later on a Master of Business Administration at CUOA Altavilla Vicentina. He lives in the Brussels area.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Kingston inmedia Appoints New Director of Sales<br /><br />(6 June 2002) Kingston inmedia has strengthened its management team with the appointment of Paul Cook as its new Sales Director.<br /><br />Paul Cook joins Kingston inmedia from Gilat Europe, where for the past three years as Sales Director he maintained impressive revenue growth year on year, and was responsible for building the company's UK presence across both enterprise and wholesale markets. His senior sales career has also seen him work for organisations such as the GE Capital group and IBM.<br /><br />Paul Cook will be based at Kingston inmedia's Gerrard's Cross headquarters. He will be responsible for leveraging the company's position to offer end-to-end solutions for content owners, programme makers, broadcasters, corporations, carriers and Internet service providers.<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