November 2014

The Astra 2G satellite being transported for launch. Photo: Yuzhny Space Center [Via Satellite 11-14-2014] International Launch Services (ILS) reports the Astra 2G satellite’s fueling has been completed at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. A joint team is now preparing for Proton’s 400th launch in late November. The Breeze-M upper stage was delivered from the Khrunichev Center…

Artist’s rendition of two WGS satellites. Photo: U.S. Air Force [Via Satellite 11-14-2014] General Dynamics Canada has received a contract worth more than $52 million for the Mercury Global Project, through which Canada will participate in the United States’ Wideband Global Satcom (WGS) constellation. The Mercury Global Project provides Canadian Armed Forces with access to…

The AMC 1 C-band North America beam. Photo: SES [Via Satellite 11-14-2014] United States-based pay-per-view provider iN Demand has renewed its agreement with SES for C-band capacity on two of AMC 1’s transponders. iN Demand will use the capacity to deliver professional sports content from the NBA, MLB and others to close to 50 million…

Photo: RCS Communications [Via Satellite 11-14-2014] RCS Communications has initiated commercial service in South Sudan using O3b Networks’ High Throughput Satellite (HTS) constellation. The Internet Service Provider (ISP) signed a long-term capacity agreement in 2013 to extend the reach of its broadband services. RCS clients received access to satellite broadband on Oct. 1, 2014. The…

The Harry S Truman building, headquarters of the U.S. State Department. Photo: Wikipedia [Via Satellite 11-13-2014] On November 10, the United States Department of State put into effect amendments to International Traffic and Arms Regulations (ITAR) revising and clarifying the classification of spacecraft and related articles on the U.S. Munitions List (USML). The reforms, which…

ABS 3A and Eutelsat 115 West B satellites stacked for launch. Photo: Boeing [Via Satellite 11-13-2014] Boeing Network and Space Systems (N&SS) has successfully mated Asia Broadcast Satellite’s ABS 3A satellite and Eutelsat’s Eutelsat 115 West B satellite in a stacked configuration for a conjoined satellite launch. The two all-electric satellites are based on Boeing’s…

An Isocel Telecom employee. Photo: Eutelsat [Via Satellite 11-13-2014] Isocel Telecom, a top Internet Service Provider (ISP) in Benin, has entered a long-term agreement with Eutelsat for C-band capacity from the Eutelsat 3B satellite. The company has plans to use the capacity for a secure private network to support the country’s tax collection system. Using…

SkyEdge 2-c Libra hybrid satellite-cellular terminal. Photo: Gilat [Via Satellite 11-13-2014] Gilat has announced a new terminal, the SkyEdge 2-c Libra that combines both satellite and cellular technologies. The Libra terminal transmits download traffic by satellite, and uploads data via a Mobile Network Operator’s (MNO’s) cellular network. According to Gilat, this combination enables higher download…

Africasat 1a C-band footprint. Photo: Measat. [Via Satellite 1-13-2014] Measat and satellite transmission technology specialist NovelSat have successfully tested 64APSK modulation on Africasat 1a. The test used Novelsat’s NS3000 professional high-data rate satellite modem with the company’s NS3 technology on Africasat 1a’s high-powered pan-African beam. The companies reported an increase in spectral efficiency levels of…

A C-Com Satellite Systems deployed iNetVu Ka-98H antenna. Photo: C-Com Satellite Systems [Via Satellite 11-13-2014] British satellite operator Avanti has approved C-Com Satellite Systems’ iNetVu Ka-band 98-cm Hughes based terminal. The mobile vehicle mounted system is C-Com’s second to gain Avanti approval to operate on the Hylas 1 and Hylas 2 satellites. C-Com has already…