MICROCOM'S SPACE NEWSFEED 8 September 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 />Bringing Connectivity to Intelsat's GlobalConnex Solutions<br />Casey's General Stores Signs 5-Year Contract with HNS for 1,100 Site Broadband Network<br />HNS Provides Datasat with Broadband Network for Ukraine Market<br />Inmarsat Awards Satellite Terminal Development Contract To HNS<br />Intelsat Provides DTH to AFRTS<br />Intercom Online and ITC^DeltaCom Sign As Immeon Satellite Service Provider<br />Iridium Satellite and Blue Sky Network Enhance Communications for Aviation Customers<br /><br />NAVIGATION:<br />North Carolina Transit Agency Tracks Vehicle Fleet Using GPS System From Radio Satellite Integrators<br /><br />MILITARY SPACE:<br />BAe Systems Receives Satellite Computer Contract From Lockheed Martin<br />ViaSat to Provide Earth Terminal Antenna Systems for Wideband Gapfiller Ka Band Satellite<br /><br />LAUNCHES:<br />Intelsat 906<br />Launch Schedule<br /><br />BUSINESS:<br />Integral Systems to Acquire RT Logic<br />Loral to Combine CyberStar and Skynet Units<br /><br />PRODUCTS AND SERVICES:<br />Kingston inmedia Introduces iTV Services That Lower the Barrier to Entry<br /><br />PEOPLE:<br />Space Imaging Names John Deal as Chief Marketing Officer<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 />Bringing Connectivity to Intelsat's GlobalConnex Solutions<br /><br />(3 September 2002) Tandberg Television has been retained by AF Associates to provide Intelsat with three digital video systems designed to create a hybrid satellite and terrestrial service for Intelsat GlobalConnex customers.<br /><br />Announced earlier this year, Intelsat's GlobalConnex Solutions is a portfolio of bundled services that combine Intelsat's global satellite fleet with terrestrial capabilities to offer tailored end-to-end services including Internet Trunking, International Private Line (IPL) and Video solutions. As part of GlobalConnex, Intelsat is expanding its video solutions and deploying Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) telco usage to meet its customers' evolving and diverse needs.<br /><br />The Tandberg Television systems will be used to provide satellite and terrestrial transmission and will encompass digital switching, routing, multiplexing and encoding equipment for an ATM network, with support for up to at least six audio/video channels over any combination of terrestrial and/or satellite connectivity. AF Associates, a long-time business partner of Tandberg Television, recommended and procured the equipment and is providing design and integration services for the three systems.<br /><br />The complete systems, scheduled for launch during the third quarter of 2002, will feature Tandberg Television E5710 encoders with MPEG-2 4:2:2MP@ML encoding options, MA5300 MPEG adapters for ATM connectivity and TT6120 MediaLinks. Each system will be constructed to provide both teleport and Video PoP solutions to allow for encoding capability, transmission and reception.<br /><br />Simultaneously, two Tandberg Television integrated nCompass monitoring systems will be installed for complete system monitoring at the Intelsat network operations centre in Washington along with the completely redundant system at Intelsat's secondary network operations facility.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Casey's General Stores Signs 5-Year Contract with HNS for 1,100 Site Broadband Network<br /><br />(3 September 2002) Hughes Network Systems (HNS) Inc has signed a five-year contract with Casey's General Stores, Inc, an Iowa-based convenience store operation, for the provision of its comprehensive satellite network solution to 1,100 Casey's sites across the Midwest of the USA.<br /><br />The HNS satellite network solution offers a diverse range of applications including multimedia delivery, point-of-sales transactions, inventory control and Internet/intranet access. Casey's will use the network to improve the speed of credit card transactions and back-office polling.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />HNS Provides Datasat with Broadband Network for Ukraine Market<br /><br />(5 September 2002) Hughes Network Systems Inc (HNS) has signed a contract with Datasat Inc, a Ukrainian satellite communications company, to provide Datasat with a comprehensive broadband satellite network, including a network operations centre (NOC) and remote user terminals.<br /><br />The new broadband satellite network allows Datasat to expand its service offerings throughout all of Ukraine to include high-speed Internet access and broadband intranet, interactive distance learning, business television, broadcast video, micro-advertising in stores, telemedicine, telephony (facsimile) and interactive data transmission. This will be the first offering of two-way broadband by satellite services in Ukraine.<br /><br />Installation has already begun and the network is expected to become operational by the end of September.<br /><br />Datasat is a leading mobile and fixed satellite communications provider in Ukraine, and part of the Incom Corporation. Datasat provides voice, facsimile, data, short messaging services (SMS) and GPS using EMSAT (the European mobile satellite communication system). The D-Sat satellite communication system offers the best solution for customers requiring fast deployment of a flexible, effective communications network in remote, geographically scattered locations with difficult terrain or in regions with a poor terrestrial infrastructure. The D-Sat system provides data, voice and video applications.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Inmarsat Awards Satellite Terminal Development Contract To HNS<br /><br />(4 September 2002) Hughes Network Systems Inc has been awarded a US$ 15M contract by Inmarsat Ltd to design and develop mobile satellite terminals with voice and 3G-compatible broadband data capabilities via Inmarsat's Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN).<br /><br />BGAN will provide a variety of 3G UMTS-based services via two geostationary satellites. Inmarsat plans to launch the first of the Inmarsat 4 (I-4) satellites late in 2003 with the aim to begin BGAN service in 2004. The BGAN infrastructure is based on a 3G-compatible core network with a specially designed Radio Access Network (RAN) implementing the second-generation Inmarsat Air Interface (IAI2).<br /><br />The HNS BGAN-terminal will be an IP-based LAN access point that will support BGAN data rates up to 432 kb/s (bi-directional) with UMTS compatibility. Standard interfaces to PCs will include Ethernet, USB, ISDN and WLAN.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Intelsat Provides DTH to AFRTS<br /><br />(3 September 2002) Intelsat, working with Artel Inc is delivering satellite direct-to-home (DTH) services through the American Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) to individuals living in more than 15,000 households in Korea and Japan.<br /><br />Intelsat's solution enables AFRTS to deliver four distinct services on six television channels, a program guide and 11 radio programming services through the American Forces Network (AFN), a world-wide radio and broadcast network, to keep Americans outside the US informed of current events. The radio stations include a primary news, talk and sports channel that broadcasts over 500 live professional and collegiate sports each year, seven music stations, Fox Sports Plus and ESPN Sport Plus. The television channels include a wide selection of the network and cable programming that is seen daily in the US.<br /><br />AFRTS also utilises three other Intelsat satellites to distribute AFN and Direct-to-Sailor (DTS) services to Americans located throughout the world.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Intercom Online and ITC^DeltaCom Sign As Immeon Satellite Service Provider<br /><br />(5 September 2002) Immeon Networks LLC has announced Intercom Online and ITC^DeltaCom Communications Inc as a resellers of Immeon bandwidth-on-demand services.<br /><br />Intercom Online will offer both Immeon Peer-to-Peer and Access services. Peer-to-Peer service provides connections directly between sites, while Access is a hub-spoke configuration with many remote locations accessing a single data centre. Applications include backup for terrestrial networks, Internet access, ISPs, service providers, service to remote or temporary locations, and corporate networking.<br /><br />ITC^DeltaCom will offer Immeon Access bandwidth-on-demand services over an initial service area which includes the United States plus portions of Canada and the Caribbean.<br /><br />Immeon Access provides a cost-effective service for fast, two-way, bandwidth-on-demand between a network hub and hundreds of users for Internet access, ISPs, service providers, and corporate networking. Access customers share download capacity at rates up to 60 Mb/s, and return data to the network hub at speeds up to 1.15 Mb/s to satisfy bandwidth-intensive applications using IP data. Immeon offers committed information rates and service level agreements to ensure that network performance levels and uptime meet customer requirements.<br /><br />Immeon users do not need to maintain dedicated circuits, but instead can pay for broadband connections only as needed. With the wide area coverage of satellite, cost is independent of the length of the connection and virtually any location in North America is within reach.<br /><br />Immeon service plans include both always on and on-demand capacity that enables customers to pay for data and voice bandwidth based on monthly usage and data rate requirements. Customers pay only for the network capacity they use making broadband affordable for applications such as wide area networking, data continuity, network restoration, remote WAN access, interim services, and network load balancing.<br /><br />Immeon offers committed information rates and service level agreements to ensure that network performance levels and uptime meet customer requirements. With Immeon emergency backup or capacity augmentation, data is automatically routed to the Immeon network when terrestrial lines are full or inoperable.<br /><br />ViaSat Inc and Loral Skynet, a subsidiary of Loral Space and Communications, formed Immeon Networks LLC to offer cost-effective, broadband-on-demand services. Immeon service plans include both always-on and on-demand capacity that enables customers to pay for data and voice bandwidth based on monthly usage and data rate requirements. Customers pay only for the network capacity they use making broadband affordable for applications such as wide area networking, data continuity & network restoration, remote WAN access, interim services, and network load balancing. The initial service area includes the United States plus portions of Canada and the Caribbean.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Iridium Satellite and Blue Sky Network Enhance Communications for Aviation Customers<br /><br />(4 September 2002) Iridium Satellite LLC has announced a service partner agreement with Blue Sky Network, a provider of satellite communications solutions for the aviation industry. Combined, Iridium and Blue Sky enable aviation customers to improve cockpit and cabin communications and enhance overall flight safety.<br /><br />Blue Sky's latest product release is the FAA-certified C-1000 fixed console system which includes a full featured Motorola satellite phone, TSO'd antenna and complete installation kit for about one-fourth the price of comparable systems on the market today.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />NAVIGATION<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />North Carolina Transit Agency Tracks Vehicle Fleet Using GPS System From Radio Satellite Integrators<br /><br />(4 September 2002) Radio Satellite Integrators Inc. (RSI) has announced the completion of an Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) system for The Triangle Transit Authority (TTA) of North Carolina.<br /><br />The TTA is responsible for regional public transportation within the area known as The Research Triangle in North Carolina. Radio Satellite Integrators was selected to implement the full AVL/Mobile Data system for 75 buses and other vehicles in their fixed route transit fleet. Utilising Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD) for the wireless communications, the AVL/MDT system updates location and status every thirty seconds. Using the real-time GPS position and status data, the system provides the TTA administrators and dispatchers with valuable schedule adherence information at the base. RSI also engineered the backend system to provide the riders and general public access to view the vehicles' constantly updated locations and schedules through a Web site on the Internet.<br /><br />Each vehicle is equipped with a Mobile Data Terminal (MDT) and allows for two-way text messaging between the drivers and base station. In addition, each vehicle has a dash mounted driver emergency panic button that instantly alerts the dispatcher when activated.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />MILITARY SPACE<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />BAe Systems Receives Satellite Computer Contract From Lockheed Martin<br /><br />(3 September 2002) BAe Systems has been awarded a US$ 9.5 million contract from Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space to develop and build radiation-hardened onboard computers for the Air Force's Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) military communications satellite system.<br /><br />BAe Systems Information & Electronic Warfare Systems (IEWS) will provide computers for the command and control subsystem of the AEHF satellite bus. The computers will be based on the industry standard RAD6000 microprocessor built at IEWS' Manassas, Virginia, facility.<br /><br />The company is also providing radiation-hardened custom logic and memory components and RAD750 single-board computers for the AEHF system payload under a separate contract from TRW's Space & Electronics Group.<br /><br />The BAe Systems contract with Lockheed Martin will run through 2005. Engineering models will be delivered in 2003 and final flight units in 2005. The contract includes options for additional flight units.<br /><br />The AEHF system will be a four-satellite, cross-linked constellation in geosynchronous orbit that will provide secure, survivable, and protected communications systems for the US military. The AEHF system will replace the current Milstar-II communications system.<br /><br />The AEHF program is managed by the US Space Command's Milsatcom Joint Program Office. Lockheed Martin is the AEHF prime contractor and will be providing the spacecraft bus and mission control segment.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />ViaSat to Provide Earth Terminal Antenna Systems for Wideband Gapfiller Ka Band Satellite<br /><br />(3 September 2002) ViaSat Inc has been selected by ITT Industries to provide the antenna systems for the Wideband Gapfiller Satellite (WGS) Ka band terminals program.<br /><br />ITT Industries was recently awarded the prime contract to provide the satellite earth terminals and support to the US Army's Project Manager Defense Communications and Army Transmission Systems (PM DCATS) for the WGS Ka band terminals program. The US$ 17 million base contract for ITT includes a guaranteed buy of 2 Ka band satellite earth terminals as well as first article testing, contract technical documentation and associated spares. ITT's contract allows the Government to procure up to 50 terminals over a 6-year period that could bring the total contract with the PM DCATS to more than US$ 113 million. ITT's contract also includes a 10-year provision to provide complete life cycle support of the earth terminals. Contract work will be performed by ITT's Systems Division with significant support from ViaSat's Satellite Ground Systems Division.<br /><br />Through a subcontract with ITT, ViaSat is expected to provide the critical Ka band satellite antenna systems for the primary strategic terminals that the United States Department of Defense will use to communicate over the WGS satellites scheduled for initial launch in mid 2004. The WGS system is a high-capacity military satellite communications system that will service all branches of the military.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />LAUNCHES<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Intelsat 906<br /><br />Launched: 6 September 2002<br />Site: CSG Kourou, French Guiana<br />Launcher: Ariane 44L<br />Orbit: GEO, 64° E<br />International Number: 2002-041A<br />Name: Intelsat 906<br />Owner: Intelsat<br />Contractor: Space Systems/Loral<br /><br />Intelsat 906 is a commercial communications satellite which is owned and operated by Intelsat. It will replace Intelsat 804 at 64° E which will be moved to 176° once Intelsat 906 is on station in October this year.<br /><br />Intelsat 906 carries 72 C band and 22 Ku band transponders. It weighed 4,723 kg at lift-off and has a design life of 13 years. The satellite will provide high power Ku band spot beam coverage for Western Europe and part of Asia and additional C band capacity to customers in Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Launch Schedule<br /><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 25: Progress M-47 (9P) on a Soyuz-U from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan<br />September 26: military satellite on a Kosmos 3M from Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia<br />October: GPS 2R-8 on a Delta 2 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida<br />October: Nadezhda, AlSat 1 on a Kosmos 3M from Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia<br />October: Hotbird 7, Stentor on an Ariane 5 from CSG Kourou, French Guiana<br />October 2: ISS 9A/BA, ITS S1 on the Shuttle Atlantis (STS-112) from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida<br />October 6: DMSP-16 (5D-3-F16) on a Titan II from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California<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: Orbview 3 on a Pegasus XL from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California<br />November: Adeos 2, Micro-Lab Sat, WEOSS, FedSat on an H-2A from Tanegashima Space Center, Japan<br />November 3: Eutelsat W5 on a Delta 4 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida: first EELV launch<br />November 10: ISS 11A, ITS, P1 on the Shuttle Endeavour (STS-113) from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida<br />Q4: Astra 1K on a Proton from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan<br />Q4: NSS-6<br />November 21: TDRS J on an Atlas 2AS from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida<br />November 24: MUSES-C on a ISAS M-V from Kagoshima Space Centre<br />December: Galaxy XIII/Horizons-1 on a Zenit 3SL from Sea Launch's Odyssey platform in the Pacific Ocean<br />December: SMART-1 on an Ariane 5 from CSG Kourou, French Guiana<br />December 1: SORCE on a Pegasus XL from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />BUSINESS<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Integral Systems to Acquire RT Logic<br /><br />(3 September 2002) Integral Systems Inc has signed a Letter of Intent proposing to acquire Real Time Logic Inc (RT Logic) of Colorado Springs, Colorado. RT Logic is a privately held company that specialises in the real time satellite, ground, test, and range computing markets. RT Logic provides software driver products, hardware/firmware-based interface systems, engineering services, integrated development platforms, and complete turnkey solutions.<br /><br />Under the terms of the proposal, Integral Systems will pay RT Logic shareholders consideration nominally valued at US$ 36.5 million, of which approximately US$ 10.0 million will be in the form of a future earnout based on RT Logic pre-tax income over the next three to four fiscal years. Payments are expected to be made with 50% cash and 50% Integral common stock. The acquisition of RT Logic is subject to the negotiation and execution of a definitive purchase agreement and is expected to close on or about October 1, 2002.<br /><br />For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2002, RT Logic recorded US$ 12.6 million in revenue and earned US$ 1.7 million of net income (audited).<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Loral to Combine CyberStar and Skynet Units<br /><br />(5 September 2002) Loral Space & Communications has announced that, effective immediately, it is integrating the operations of two subsidiaries, Loral CyberStar and Loral Skynet.<br /><br />The combined units will report to Loral Skynet president, Terry Hart.<br /><br />As a provider of global data, voice, video and Internet backbone services, CyberStar delivers private voice and data networks and Internet Service Provider services, via its hybrid space/terrestrial network, to more than 300 enterprises and service providers world-wide. Based in Rockville, Maryland, and with offices in North America, Europe and Asia, CyberStar generated 2001 data services revenues of US$ 98 million.<br /><br />Skynet is one of the world's largest and fastest-growing operators of telecommunications satellites, providing high-volume communications and data transmission services to broadcasting, cable TV, Internet and industrial companies around the world. Its fleet of seven satellites covers the globe, and three more are in late stages of construction. Skynet is based in Bedminster, New Jersey, and had 2001 revenues of US$ 389 million.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />PRODUCTS AND SERVICES<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Kingston inmedia Introduces iTV Services That Lower the Barrier to Entry<br /><br />(4 September 2002) Kingston inmedia has announced that its services designed specifically for interactive TV (iTV) producers and operators are being enhanced with new offerings that lower the cost of entry, and are designed to drive the take-up of interactive TV.<br /><br />The services offered to interactive and enhanced programme providers, include:<br /><br />Hosting facility in Centre K with direct connection to Astra uplinking services - With high levels of redundancy and connectivity, including Tier 1 internet access provision, Centre K is the ideal place to host revenue earning iTV data servers.<br /><br />Interactive uplinking - Kingston inmedia is currently uplinking a transponder for BBCi using fully redundant uplinks.<br /><br />On site telco connectivity - through direct access to the Kingston Communications' switch via high capacity fibre routes. This also allows access to Interactive Voice Response platforms essential for many of the most popular income generating iTV applications, such as voting. In addition, Kingston inbusiness offers a comprehensive Premium Rate Service number range that provides a choice of pricing levels to perfectly suit these media applications and their requirements. This combination of IVR and PRS enables Kingston inbusiness to handle the largest iTV projects.<br /><br />Carousel hosting for streaming interactive content - Kingston offers hosting of the video carousel necessary to ease the streaming of interactive content. The co-location of a playout centre allows the synchronisation of interactive and enhanced content with the main video stream.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />PEOPLE<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Space Imaging Names John Deal as Chief Marketing Officer<br /><br />(4 September 2002) Space Imaging has announced the appointment of John R Grizz Deal to chief marketing officer. Deal's appointment is effective immediately.<br /><br />Deal reports to Jody Tedesco chief operating officer and is responsible for Space Imaging's global marketing efforts. He will focus on the company's brand development and corporate positioning, market strategy, integrated marketing communications, marketing research and product requirements, and business development. Deal has more than 15 years experience in the earth science, telecommunications and software industries and is a nationally recognised authority on federal technology commercialisation and science policy.<br /><br />Before joining Space Imaging, Deal was president, chief executive officer and founder of LizardTech Inc. Prior to LizardTech, he was a consulting staff member for the Computer Research and Applications group at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Deal has more than 20 years entrepreneurial experience and has partnered with a wide variety of market leaders including AT&T, ESRI, Apple, Microsoft, ERDAS, British Telecom, Integraph, Mitsubishi, NIMA, USGS and mmO2. Deal holds a master's degree in applied geographic systems from Texas A&M University and is a frequent industry speaker.<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. 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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