SatNews

Satellite Industry Intelligence Since 1983

ORBITS: News Briefs… ARABSAT, NEC, Colem Engineering, China, Colorado School of Mines, Eutelsat & ViaSat, Global VSAT Forum, Harmonic, Orion

  • ARABSAT Has Friends Indeed
    There’s a system being developed by KOSMAS GEORING Services called HERMES for on-orbit servicing. ARABSAT, the satellite operator of the Arab League, likes what they have seen. This has resulted in a Memorandum of Understanding being signed between the two firms who will cooperate on the development and validation of on-orbit servicing. Such will extend the lifetime of ARABSAT satellites as well as fuel refurbishing. ARABSAT know has preferential client status as well as priority investing privileges in GEORING prior to that firm’s IPO. Additionally, BBC will distribute their new Arabic TV channel to some 164 million viewers in the Middle East, Southern Mediterranean and Europe via the ARABSAT Badr-4 satellite at 26 degrees East—Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia


  • NEC Knows Less Noise
    You must have low noise performance if you’re involved with satellite radio apps… and NEC has something to aid with this need. Their GaAs HJ-FET low-noise amp (LNA) is more than suitable for use as a first stage amplifier. At 2 Ghz, the new NE3510M04 delivers a noise figure of 0.35 db (typ), with 19 dB of associated gain. Plus, the offering is highly suited for compact, low profile designs in that all is housed within a miniature, 4-pin RoHS-compliant package. According to an article in RF Globalnet’s online publication, the NE3510M04 is also now available and in stock at California Eastern Labs, in bulk, or on tape and reel—Santa Clara, CA


  • Birthday Brew And See What’s New… at IBC With Colem
    With a brand new portfolio to show, Colem Engineering is inviting one and all to their IBC booth in Hall 4, Stand 271d. Well, why should you head over there? For one thing, it’s a birthday party… from 4:30 p.m. on either Saturday, September 8th or Monday, September 10th. Cask beers will be in prominent array. And you’ll have time to find out how Colem can help you with your projects and also reveal a whole array of new services—Dorset, United Kingdom


  • China Isn’t In To Spiky Hair Or Losers’ Tears
    According to the online edition of the International Herald Tribune, the Chinese State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) does not feel as kindly toward talent shows as the U.S. Some Chinese programs are attempting to mimic “American Idol” and claim programming standards are deteriorating as these shows gain airtime via satellite and cable broadcast. One talent show, described as “coarse,” has been totally shut down and another show’s producers were “informed” they must avoid scenes of tearful losers, screaming fans and remain true to “healthy” songs (hmmm, ditties about vitamins and clean clothing??) and have the participants wear “mainstream” wardrobes (silk robes and so on??). The prediction by Nielsen Media Research China is that Chinese producers will continue to find ways to carry on, despite government censorship—Beijing, China


  • You’ve Heard Of Web 2.0? How About Space 2.0?
    Colorado School of Mines Center for Space Resources has launched quite a comprehensive program to bring into play space technology and resources into the global economy. Called The Eighth Continent Project, joining forces are entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, government, academia and industry to commercialize space technology and resources. This project is expected to bridge the gap between existing technologies and their commercialization through the industry’s first research hub, incubator, venture fund and international chamber of commerce. Initial founding partners and sponsors are DigitalGlobe, the Keiretsu Forum, CTEK, Broadreach, the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, Townsend and Townsend and Crew, the Colorado School of Mines, and the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business Deming Center.


  • A Good Way Will Be Tooway
    Tooway… this is the name given to a newgen high quality and affordable consumer broadband service en route to European customers through the auspices of Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) and ViaSat Inc. (Nasdaq:VSAT). The service will be available in Germany by the end of this month and other, selected European markets will follow before year’s end. Tooway will provide via Ka-band capacity on both Eutelsat’s HOT BIRD 6 satellite at 13 degrees East and Ku-band via the EUROBIRD 3 satellite. The hubs will sport equipment supplied by ViaSat to manage Tooway and they are now fully commissioned and ready for service at Skylogic’s SkyPark teleport in Turin, Italy—Paris, France


  • Humanitarian Development Summit From GVF
    A strategic partnership has been formed between The Global VSAT Forum (GVF) and the Humanitarian Development Program. Members of GVF will be provided with a wide array of opportunities to ID and exploit the high dollar value revenue potential of commercial relationships with a range of organizations active in the humanitarian development arena. A crucial opportunity to leverage off the growth of demand for ICT solutions in this expanding development environment is offered to GVF members with The Humanitarian Development Summit. This conference will be held from October 17th through the 19th in Nairobi. More info at the organization’s website, https://www.gvf.org—London, United Kingdom


  • Harmony Reigns Fourfold At Harmonic With Award Shortlist
    At IBC in Amsterdam this month, one of the highly anticipated events is the 2007 Cable and Satellite International Product of the Year. The award is for technical and product marketing excellence in the satellite, cable, terrestrial broadcasting and Telco sectors. Most of those nominated will have to hold their breath until September 10th for the winning names. One of those selected as a finalist is Harmonic, with four of their products on the shortlist. Their nominations are for: Best digital video processing technology, that being DiviCom Electra 7000 HD MPEG-4 AVC (H.264) encoder; Best workflow/asset management/automation solution, the StreamLiner 2000 video server; Best content protection technology, the ProStream 1000 with ProCipher technology; and Best interactive TV technology, that being their ProStream 2000 H.264 splicer—Sunnyvale, California


  • Orion Won’t Have To Do It
    Orion Satellite Systems Pty Ltd will no longer have to provide local number portability, due to a ruling by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). Normally portability is good for improving opportunities for various companies. However, the Orion local number service this does not seemingly apply to, as their interconnection arrangements can’t accommodate the porting of single numbers. This exemption will remain in effect until Q3 of 2008. The ability for a customer to retain the same phone number when changing the service provider or the carrier network is what number portability offers users—Australia