Microcom's Space Newsfeed 9 March 2003<br />Space Industry News from Around the World<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Published 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. January 2003 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 />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 />British Schools Are Using Satellites<br /><br />Earth Observation:<br />ICESat Spacecraft Checkout Complete<br /><br />Navigation:<br />Lockheed Martin National Team Selected For FAA Satellite Navigation Program<br /><br />Science:<br />ESA's First Deep Space Ground Station Opens in Western Australia<br />Rosetta's New Destination<br /><br />Technology:<br />QinetiQ to Design and Test Ion Propulsion Engines for Future Interplanetary Mission to Mercury<br /><br />Business:<br />Boeing and Hughes Reach Settlement with State Department on Export Compliance Violations<br />Globalstar Receives Final Approval of Debtor-in-Possession Financing<br />Hughes and DirecTV Complete US$ 3.1 Billion Financing Transactions<br />Sirius Closes US$ 1.2 Billion Recapitalisation and Raises US$ 200 Million<br />Trimble Announces Filing of $100 Million Common Stock Shelf Registration Statement<br /><br />Products and Services:<br />ArcLight Broadband CDMA VSAT Now Available from ViaSat<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 />British Schools Are Using Satellites<br /><br />(7 March 2003) More than 1000 schools have signed up to the broadband educational content provider Espresso Broadband Ltd. The company uses satellite technology to deliver content for both pupils and teachers across England and Wales.<br /><br />The Rosetta Primary, a 600-pupil school in Newham, England represents a milestone in the use of satellite applications in school education in Britain. It is the 1000th school to subscribe to Espresso Broadband Ltd. The company was initially partly funded by ESA under a project called "Espresso for Schools" in the period 1999-2000.<br /><br />Unlike other educational content providers, Espresso uses satellite technology to deliver its weekly updates to schools. This means that the information is dynamic and up-to-date. Satellite technology is also the perfect solution for delivering schools with video-rich educational material because it is so much faster than terrestrial networks and can reach remote areas where a terrestrial connection is not an option.<br /><br />A satellite dish and Espresso box are required to receive and store the information that is broadcast via satellite. The Espresso box is a web server which contains Espresso for Schools. Once the information has been retrieve by the Espresso box it is instantly available to any computer that is connected to the network within the school.<br /><br />Espresso's multimedia educational service is fully-indexed and searchable. It features video clips from television, articles from newspapers and specially filmed video from Espresso's in-house production team. It delivers materials that help teachers teach and students to learn. Teachers can access information and tools that have been directly linked to national curriculum guidelines and requirements.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Earth Observation<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />ICESat Spacecraft Checkout Complete<br /><br />(6 March 2003) Commissioning of the Goddard Space Flight Center's Ice, Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) was completed on Thursday, February 20 with the successful first firing of its laser altimeter. Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp built the ICESat spacecraft.<br /><br />ICESat's sophisticated equipment has been checked out in a methodical progression monitored by the system's designers. Once the flawless performance of its satellite bus was established in January, ICESat moved to the instrument calibration orbit, and the elements of the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) were turned on in sequence. GLAS is now recording ice height measurements and land elevations as it orbits the Earth every hour and a half.<br /><br />The focus of the operations is now on fine-tuning and calibration of GLAS. Ball Aerospace will continue to operate ICESat throughout the mission as the focus of ICESat operations transitions to NASA and the science team. Calibrated on-orbit measurements are expected by early summer.<br /><br />As part of NASA's Earth Observing System, the primary role of ICESat is to quantify the growth or retreat of the ice sheets covering Antarctica and Greenland over a five-year period. The mission is designed to answer questions concerning many related aspects of the Earth's climate system, including global climate change and changes in sea level.<br /><br />The Ball Commercial Platform (BCP) 2000, built by Ball Aerospace for ICESat is specifically designed for remote-sensing missions, and was also used for the QuikSCAT and QuickBird missions. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center designed and built the GLAS for ICESat.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Navigation<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Lockheed Martin National Team Selected For FAA Satellite Navigation Program<br /><br />(5 March 2003) A national team led by Lockheed Martin has been selected by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to provide ground stations and broadcast services that will support satellite navigation signals for aviation use in the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS). The award, with an initial amount of US$ 34 million, has a potential value of US$ 597 million, if contract options for additional satellite services are exercised.<br /><br />The FAA's two-year Geostationary Communications and Control Segment (GCCS) program also includes options that would lengthen the contract. These include options to lease satellite communications services on 10-year terms. Lockheed Martin Air Traffic Management is the large system integrator for the program and will integrate elements of the GCCS system. Lockheed Martin is joined on this program by team-mates the Boeing Co, and Raytheon.<br /><br />WAAS is a GPS-based navigation and landing system for aviation use that will provide precision guidance to aircraft at thousands of airports and airstrips where there is currently no precision landing capability. WAAS improves the accuracy and ensures the integrity of navigation information from GPS satellites. The WAAS broadcast message improves GPS signal accuracy from 100 m to approximately 7 m.<br /><br />GCCS will help provide the initial flight navigation capability for precision approaches to runways through the full operational capability of WAAS that will come later.<br /><br />Lockheed Martin and its team-mates will provide ground uplink stations that collect Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation data that has been corrected and enhanced for accuracy, and also the technology to broadcast the data as signals to geostationary communications satellites. The satellites send the augmented GPS navigation signals to in-flight aircraft equipped to receive them. The FAA can exercise options for additional leased satellite communications services.<br /><br />Team-mates Boeing and Raytheon provide expertise in areas of uplink communications and navigation services, respectively.<br /><br />Lockheed Martin Air Traffic Management has had a contract for broadcast services, the WAAS GEO program, since 2001 to provide satellite communications uplink services from multiple sites.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Science<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />ESA's First Deep Space Ground Station Opens in Western Australia<br /><br />(5 March 2003) The inauguration ceremony for the European Space Agency's first deep space ground station was held on March 5 in New Norcia, 150 km north of Perth.<br /><br />The completion of the New Norcia facility, its first deep space ground station, is an important event for ESA. The station will play a major role in the Agency's deep space missions, including Rosetta and Mars Express, the latter expected to launch in May this year.<br /><br />The key component of the ground station is its massive antenna which weighs over 600 tonnes and is over 40 metres high. It can move 540 tonnes of ballast, cantilever and 35 metre dish while maintaining the precision accuracy of its beam.<br /><br />New Norcia is the first of a series deep space ground stations that ESA intends to build around the world over the coming years to make up a European deep space network.<br /><br />Construction of the 28 million Euro project began in April 2000. The last six months of 2002 were devoted to testing the electronic and communication equipment. After an initial manned period, the station will be controlled remotely from ESA's European Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany and the Perth International Telecommunications Centre at Gnangara, Australia.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Rosetta's New Destination<br /><br />(4 March 2003) After ESA postponed the launch of its Rosetta comet probe following the failure of the latest version of Ariane 5 last December, the agency has been searching for a new destination for its billion Euro spacecraft.<br /><br />Unfortunately, postponing the January 2003 launch because of uncertainties about the reliability of the Ariane 5 launch vehicle meant that Rosetta could no longer achieve its planned rendezvous with comet Wirtanen because it had missed its launch window.<br /><br />After several weeks of intense investigation it appears that only one comet, 67P/Churyomov-Gerasimenko, fulfils all the requirements for an alternative destination. Five comets were shortlisted, but only one meets the operational requirements for the mission:<br /><br />* launch in the next two and a half years<br />* destination comet's nucleus must only be a few kilometres in diameter<br /> to allow the Rosetta lander to safely land on the surface<br />* the rendezvous must be close to the orbit of Jupiter to ensure that<br /> the surface of the nucleus is cold enough, and hence stable enough, for<br /> the lander to safely come to rest<br />* trajectory for rendezvous must not require sling shot manoeuvres around<br /> Venus or Mercury because this would expose Rosetta to excessive solar<br /> heating.<br /><br />ESA's Science Policy Committee will make a formal decision at the end of May.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Technology<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />QinetiQ to Design and Test Ion Propulsion Engines for Future Interplanetary Mission to Mercury<br /><br />(7 March 2003) QinetiQ has been awarded a contract by the European Space Agency (ESA) to improve the performance of Ion Optic Systems (IOS) in gridded ion engines (advanced engines that are ideal for deep space exploration due to their exceptional low fuel consumption).<br /><br />Part of this work is to demonstrate the suitability of the IOS for future commercial and scientific applications. These comprise station keeping and orbit raising for geostationary earth orbit programmes and the ESA's BepiColombo mission to Mercury.<br /><br />This research contract will build on QinetiQ's powerful T6 ion engines and its exceptional development and test capabilities. Having been extensively tested and proven for 3,000 hours, the new tests will run the gridded ion engines for an additional 3,000 hours - proving the engines to 6,000 hours - in preparation for the BepiColombo mission (approximately half the mission time).<br /><br />Leading a consortium of companies, QinetiQ is responsible for IOS design, development and manufacture. It has proven experience in IOS design for both small and large diameter ion thrusters, and a detailed understanding of the product lifecycle. Another party involved in the programme is Italy-based Alta, which is involved in the testing of the engines in its cryogenic vacuum facilities.<br /><br />QinetiQ is also about to reach a major milestone in the BepiColombo mission with the testing of two ion thrusters in its large European electric propulsion test facility.<br /><br />The ion thrusters (22 cm in size) are to be operated simultaneously to monitor the interactions between the thrusters. This test will prove that two large ion thrusters can be operated in close proximity without adverse effects and demonstrate the ability of the ion thrusters to meet the requirements laid down in the BepiColombo definition study.<br /><br />In addition, during this test, a single thruster will be operated in simulated Mercury temperatures to investigate the issues of operating at these elevated temperatures (up to 600° C).<br /><br />ESA's BepiColombo mission will explore Mercury, the planet closest to the Sun. One of the most challenging long-term planetary projects, it is currently scheduled to set off in 2011-2012 on a journey lasting up to three and a half years.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Business<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Boeing and Hughes Reach Settlement with State Department on Export Compliance Violations<br /><br />(5 March 2003) Hughes Electronics Corporation and Boeing Satellite Systems Inc, formerly known as Hughes Space and Communication Co (HSC), have reached a settlement with the US Department of State over administrative charges relating primarily to HSC's involvement in reviews of two failed launches of commercial communications satellites on Chinese rockets in 1995 and 1996. The charges of violations of the Arms Export Control Act and implementing regulations were issued by the State Department in a December 26, 2002 letter. In October 2000, Hughes sold HSC to Boeing and retained responsibility for resolving HSC pre-acquisition export matters.<br /><br />The Consent Agreement between the companies and the State Department provides for a civil penalty in the amount of US$ 32 million, including US$ 4 million credited for the companies' past expenditures on export program enhancements and US$ 8 million that will be invested by the companies in the future to strengthen their export compliance programs. Under the terms of the agreement, the US$ 20 million cash portion of the penalty is to be paid in eight equal instalments over the next seven years. In addition, Hughes and Boeing Satellite Systems each will appoint a separate third party to serve as a Special Compliance Officer (SCO) for export compliance. The duties of the SCO will include monitoring compliance with the Consent Agreement and oversight of exports regulated by the State Department including, in particular, exports to the People's Republic of China and several other countries.<br /><br />In a statement the companies said:<br /><br />"The companies acknowledge that HSC should have sought and obtained a State Department license before disclosing to Chinese nationals or to the international insurance community any launch failure analysis, or disclosing any information or providing any assistance pertaining to design, development, operation, maintenance, modification or repair of launch vehicles, systems, or facilities. The companies further acknowledge that assistance to a launch operator in any of these areas could aid in the development of missile system technology and, thus, have a negative impact on national security. The companies accept full responsibility and express regret for not having obtained licenses that should have been obtained, notwithstanding Hughes' prior public comments to the contrary."<br /><br />As the companies were informed in January 2002 by the US Department of Justice that it had terminated its investigation, this settlement resolves all outstanding issues regarding these matters. The settlement does not suspend, limit or otherwise restrict the rights of either company to pursue licensed exports to China or other countries as otherwise permitted by law.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Globalstar Receives Final Approval of Debtor-in-Possession Financing<br /><br />(7 March 2003) The US Bankruptcy Court in Delaware has granted final approval of the Globalstar LP's US$ 10 million debtor-in-possession (DIP) credit facility.<br /><br />The Court had earlier granted approval on an interim basis, making an initial US$ 4 million available to the company, and yesterday's approval will lead to the release of the remaining US$ 6 million, subject to the terms of the DIP loan agreement.<br /><br />In the meantime, Globalstar is continuing its process of identifying potential bidders for the company, with final selection, subject to court approval, expected to be completed by early April.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Hughes and DirecTV Complete US$ 3.1 Billion Financing Transactions<br /><br />(6 March 2003) Hughes Electronics Corporation has completed the previously announced DirecTV Holdings LLC senior secured credit facilities. The size of the facilities was increased to US$ 1.675 billion from the previously announced US$ 1.55 billion. In addition to the senior secured credit facilities, DirecTV closed a US$ 1.4 billion senior notes offering on February 28, 2003.<br /><br />The senior secured credit facilities consist of a US$ 250 million five-year revolving credit facility, a US$ 375 million five-year Term A loan and a US$ 1.05 billion seven-year Term B loan. The facilities are secured by substantially all of DirecTV's assets and are guaranteed by all of DirecTV's domestic subsidiaries. The US$ 1.4 billion senior notes were offered in a Rule 144(A) / Regulation S private placement and bear interest at an 8.375% annual rate, payable semi-annually. The notes will mature on March 15, 2013 and are callable on or after March 15, 2008. The notes are guaranteed by all of DirecTV's domestic subsidiaries. After consideration of the undrawn revolving credit facility and payment of transaction fees, approximately US$ 2.75 billion of the proceeds from the financing will be paid to Hughes in a distribution that will be used to repay US$ 506 million of outstanding short-term debt, fund Hughes' business plan through projected cash flow breakeven and for Hughes' other corporate purposes.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Sirius Closes US$ 1.2 Billion Recapitalisation and Raises US$ 200 Million<br /><br />(7 March 2003) Satellite radio broadcaster Sirius has closed its previously announced recapitalisation and financing.<br /><br />At the closing of the recapitalisation, the company accepted US$ 635,689,000 of its debt securities in exchange for 545,012,162 shares of newly-issued common stock, and retired all of its outstanding preferred stock in exchange for 76,992,865 shares of newly-issued common stock and warrants to purchase 87,577,114 shares of common stock, and received US$ 200 million in new investments from affiliates of OppenheimerFunds Inc, Apollo Management LP and The Blackstone Group LP in the form of common stock.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Trimble Announces Filing of $100 Million Common Stock Shelf Registration Statement<br /><br />(7 March 2003) Trimble has filed a common stock shelf registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission to sell up to US$ 100 million of its common stock from time to time. Upon effectiveness of the registration statement, Trimble may periodically sell common stock in amounts, prices, and on terms to be announced when the securities are offered.<br /><br />The Company said that it plans to use the net proceeds of any offering of these securities for general corporate purposes, which may include repayment of debt, working capital, capital expenditures, possible acquisitions and any other purpose that Trimble may specify in any supplemental filing.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Products and Services<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />ArcLight Broadband CDMA VSAT Now Available from ViaSat<br /><br />(3 March 2003) ViaSat Inc has introduced ArcLight, the first interactive, broadband VSAT to use CDMA technology for unmatched bandwidth efficiency and responsiveness. Bandwidth costs are the most significant expense in satellite networks, and ArcLight reduces those costs, increases transponder throughput, and makes satellite communications economical for more applications.<br /><br />The new product also uses the same DVB-S standards-compatible, hub uplink equipment as ViaSat LinkStar VSATs so customers can add ArcLight technology or combine the two products into a unified network.<br /><br />The combination of CDMA and ViaSat-exclusive Paired Carrier Multiple Access (PCMA) in ArcLight significantly increases the number of customers a single satellite transponder can support, reducing the cost of satellite communications. ViaSat CDMA for satellite technology (Code Reuse Multiple Access) is the return channel technology that remote sites use to transmit information to the ArcLight hub. PCMA enables both the CDMA return channels and the outbound carrier from the hub DVB to occupy the same physical frequency on the satellite, rather than each requiring separate bandwidth.<br /><br />The random access design of CDMA also enables terminals to burst their data or requests for information back to the hub at any instant, giving users faster access to the network than other VSAT products. The ArcLight hub broadcasts to remote terminals at an aggregate 2 to 45 Mb/s, while remotes can return data to the hub at speeds from 32 to 512 kb/s. Typical applications include Internet access, streaming multimedia, extending access to corporate networks, and distance learning.<br /><br />The development of ArcLight has evolved with ViaSat's acquisition of Comsat Laboratories' LinkStar TDMA VSATs. The design of the ArcLight hub now uses the same DVB-S compatible uplink equipment as LinkStar. As a result, current LinkStar customers can add ArcLight to their hub installations to migrate to the ArcLight platform, or combine both LinkStar and ArcLight terminals, to service a variety of multimedia applications in a single network. Network operators can perform network management for both products from a single terminal. ArcLight is in beta testing now and will be available for delivery in the second quarter of 2003.<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 />Copyright 2003 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
