SatNews

Satellite Industry Intelligence Since 1983

ORBITZ

  • LEGISLATION — DigitalGlobe® applauds this week’s introduction of legislation designed to boost the U.S. Government’s commercial space advocacy activities. H.R.6935 and S.3504 were submitted simultaneously by Colorado Congressman Mark Udall (D-CO) and Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO), respectively. Congressman Tom Feeney (R-FL) also co-sponsored the legislation. H.R.6935 and S.3504 would reauthorize the Office of Space Commercialization (OSC), and focus its role on advocacy for a robust and internationally competitive U.S. commercial space industry. They also propose to rename the agency “The Office of Space Commerce” to better reflect the office’s lead role in implementing U.S. space commerce policies. The legislation will update the Office’s functions to implement U.S. national space policies supporting space commerce and will recognize the office’s expanding role in promoting geospatial technologies, such as space-based commercial remote sensing imagery provided by DigitalGlobe.

  • PRESENTATIONS — Two highly respected executives from the Integral Systems family of companies will be presenting at the upcoming Asia-Pacific Satellite Communications Council (APSCC) 2008 Conference and Exhibition, which will be held from September 22nd through the 25th, at the Hotel Lotte in Jeju, South Korea. On September 22nd from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Bob Potter, President and CEO of SAT Corporation, will participate on the Military Satellite Applications panel and will relate how satellites contribute to efficient, flexible military apps. Then, from 4:00 until 5:00 p.m., the Executive Director of the Commercial Division at Integral Systems, Stuart Daughtridge, will speak on Ground Systems and Equipment on this panel, which will provide an update on new ground systems and equipment technologies and components development for new apps and services. More information on the conference is available here…

  • CONTRACTS x2 — NASA has extended the period of performance for the Unified NASA Information Technology Services (UNITeS) contract to Science Applications International Corporation (NYSE: SAI). This 11 month program extension, valued at more than US$212 million, raises the ceiling value of the contract to more than US$1.1 billion and extends the contract through November of 2009. Under the extension, SAIC will continue to provide information technology (IT) services to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and support all NASA Centers, including NASA Headquarters and support for NASA’s international sites and networks. SAIC will also provide services in support of NASA’s wide area network, information technology security, digital television, and Integrated Enterprise Management Program.

    SAIC has also been awarded a task order by the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) to support the design, implementation, operation, and maintenance of the JIEDDO Enterprise Management System (JEMS). This task order has a one-year base period of performance, one six-month option, and a total contract value of more than US$11 million if the option is exercised. Work will be performed primarily in the National Capital Region. The task order was awarded under the Information Technology Enterprise Solutions – 2 Services (ITES-2S) contract. JIEDDO coordinates efforts among Department of Defense organizations and international agencies to defeat the threat posed by Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) against U.S. and coalition forces. Under the contract, SAIC will provide program and project management, application development, hosting, operation, information assurance, acquisition, and training services to support JEMS.

  • SES NEW SKIES NSS-10 satellite (2) SATELLITE, CAPACITY — SES NEW SKIES has announced that SkyVision has renewed contracts for 4 transponders and contracted additional capacity on the NSS-10 satellite. Terms of the multi-year agreement remain confidential. SkyVision, from its key gateways in Europe, the United States, and the Middle East, provides ‘end-to-end’ solutions comprising standard or custom-tailored IP connectivity services for Internet Service Providers (ISP’s) and telecommunications solutions to enterprises and NGO’s. The company first contracted SES capacity in 2005.

  • SingTel-1 satelliete (2) SATELLITE, NEW — Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SingTel) has signed a shareholders agreement to form a joint venture with Chunghwa Telecom to build the ST-2 satellite. This satellite is targeted to be delivered in 2010 and will replace the ST-1 satellite, which will be retired in 2011. SingTel will have approximately 62 percent share in the joint venture and Chunghwa Telecom will own the remaining 38 percent. Mr. Bill Chang, SingTel’s Executive Vice President for Business, said, “The ST-2 satellite will offer significantly greater capacity than ST-1 and wider coverage to also include emerging markets such as the Middle East. We are well placed to meet the strong demand for fixed and mobile satellite services, including our innovative IP-based solutions, which are transforming the way our customers do business. Even before its launch, about two-thirds of ST-2’s capacity has been pre-booked.”

  • Malene Ostervold BUSINESS — Trac Networks, a division of Trac-ID Systems AS, and Wavefield Inseis ASA successfully implemented a stabilized DVB-RCS system on M/V Malene Østevold in seismic worldwide operation. The forecast for growth in the offshore industry’s demand for asymmetric satellite services providing higher bandwidth in ship-to-shore and transmitting large volumes of information between remote sites and their headquarters is strong. Trac Networks is located in Bergen, Sweden and is a specialist provider of wireless telecommunication systems to oil related companies.

  • MOVING ON UP — XipLink Inc. has unveiled their key hires for the Company’s new North America Sales and Marketing team, reporting into the U.S. subsidiary, XipLink LLC, in Reston, Virginia. The newly expanded team parallels some new key wins in the Military, Transportation and Telco Infrastructure markets and will greatly enhance customer visibility and support in the Americas. The new hires are industry veterans who have proven success records taking early stage growth companies to maturation. Jeffrey Weaver is XipLink’s new Director of Technical Marketing. In his role at XipLink and he will lead all messaging content, customer roadmap delivery, and the XipLink value proposition to the wireless marketplace. Jeff joined XipLink from Tropos Networks, where he was Director of Strategic Solutions focused on WiFi and WiMAX. Fred Walker is the new Director of Sales-Americas and has responsibility for all revenue activities in North, Central, and South America by developing channel partners and wireless optimization requirements in the region. He brings extensive experience in high-performance IP solutions such as Deep Packet Inspection, Network Security, Switching and Routing. Fred’s successful management and sales career includes leading early stage sales at companies such as Bivio Networks, NetScreen Technologies (acquired by Juniper Networks), Foundry Networks, Fore Systems, and MFS Datanet.