January 2015

[Via Satellite 01-09-2015] ViXS Systems announced its new XCode 6800 family of media processing System-on-a-Chip (SoC) products that, according to the company, represent the first silicon solution to support 4K Ultra-HD with High Dynamic Range (HDR) and 12-bit color depth. The XCode 6800 continues to support current and previous video standards, while paving the way…

A DirecTV satellite dish. Photo: ellibertario (Flickr) [Via Satellite 01-08-2015] DirecTV has selected a new USB powered Ethernet-to-coax adapter from Entropic and Wistron NeWeb Corporation for Ultra-HD 4K broadcasts. The adaptor provides sufficient throughput for Ultra-HD video and streaming media services to any DirecTV-ready television without requiring a separate Set-Top Box (STB). The new USB…

[Via Satellite 01-08-2015] To support the international response to the Ebola crisis in West Africa, the U.S. National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) has releases a series of Image City Map products created with satellite imagery and human geography data sets from DigitalGlobe. Through NGA’s EnhancedView program, military and civilian health workers, international partner nations and…

Photo of Earth from Space. Photo: Tempus Global Data [Via Satellite 01-08-2015] Commercial weather company Tempus Global Data has signed a joint operating agreement with Ball Aerospace for the manufacture of six hyperspectral atmospheric sounding sensors based on the Sounding and Tracking Observatory for Regional Meteorology (STORM) instrument. As prime contractor, Ball Aerospace will build…

UHD Alliance. Photo: Samsung [Via Satellite 01-08-2015] Several companies involved in different aspects of the broadcasting ecosystem have joined forces to create the Ultra-High Definition (UHD) Alliance.  Announced at CES 2015, the UHD Alliance is comprised of companies such as DirecTV, LG Electronics, Netflix, Sony Visual Product, Panasonic, Samsung Electronics, Sharp Corporation, Dolby, Technicolor, The…

David Wajsgras (left) and Anthony O’Brien (right). Photo: Raytheon [Via Satellite 01-08-2015] Raytheon announced the appointment of two executive positions. Chairman and CEO Thomas Kennedy appointed David Wajsgras as president for Raytheon Intelligence, Information and Services (IIS) business, succeeding Lynn Dugle, who announced plans to retire. Additionally, Anthony O’Brien has been appointed as vice president…

Artist’s rendition of an Astra satellite. Photo: Airbus Defence and Space [Via Satellite 01-08-2015] SES’ Astra 2G satellite, launched Dec. 27 aboard a Proton rocket from International Launch Services (ILS), reached Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) on Jan. 2, 2015. The satellite’s manufacturer, Airbus Defence and Space reported the solar arrays and reflector antennas have been…

Photo: Indi Samarajiva (Flickr) [Via Satellite 01-07-2015] As the 2015 World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC-15) draws nearer, the satellite industry is preparing again to defend its use of C-band spectrum. The International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) industry, which pushed for access to the lower portion of C band at WRC in 2007, has upped its demands for…

Kaena Point Satellite Tracking Station on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. Photo: U.S. Air Force [Via Satellite 01-07-2015] Versar’s joint venture with Johnson Controls Federal Systems has received a $6.1 million award to repair electrical, water transmission and compressed air systems at Kaena Point Satellite Tracking Station in Hawaii and Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas.…

Iridium NEXT satellites. Photo: Iridium [Via Satellite 01-07-2015] The Iridium NEXT platform software, developed by prime contractor Thales Alenia Space with contributions from Selex Galileo, has completed the first testing phase. Designed to handle all flight functions, such as attitude control, solar array positioning and navigation, the test was one of three to be completed…