January 2015

A half to scale CICERO model in assembly. Photo: GeoOptics [Via Satellite 01-23-2015] Commercial environmental data company GeoOptics is in the process of establishing partnerships to support, build and launch a constellation of Low Earth Orbiting (LEO) small satellites called the Community Initiative for Continuous Earth Remote Observation (CICERO). The company’s plan is to launch the satellites six…

A Russian Soyuz rocket. Photo: Roscosmos [Via Satellite 01-23-2015] As part of a series of reforms of its space sector, the Russian government has decided to combine the Federal Space Agency Roscosmos with the United Rocket and Space Corporation. The combined entity will be called Roscosmos State Corporation. Igor Komarov has been appointed as head…

Rajiv Khattar, president – South Asia of ABS. Photo: ABS [Via Satellite 01-23-2015] Asia Broadcast Satellite (ABS) has created a new executive position focusing on South Asia and has appointed Rajiv Khattar as the president. Rajiv brings more than 20 years in the cable and satellite industries, having spent 10 years at Dish TV India…

NATO’s headquarters. Photo: Frode Overland Andersen [Via Satellite 01-23-2015] Page Europa, a business unit of General Dynamics, has selected ASC Signal to provide High Frequency (HF) antennas for a defense customer in Poland. NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) awarded the procurement and implementation of the Poland Broadcast, MRL and Ship-Shore (BRASS) contract to Page…

Photo: Miteq [Via Satellite 01-23-2015] L-3 Communications has acquired Miteq, manufacturer of specialized RF microwave products and solid-state components for satellite communications, for $41 million, subject to customary adjustments. Miteq will be merged with L-3’s Narda Microwave-East business, which will be renamed L-3 Narda Miteq. L-3 expects the Miteq acquisition to create roughly $60 million…

Norsat’s 90cm Journey man pack. Photo: Norsat [Via Satellite 01-23-2015] Norsat International has debuted the Journey Manpack, a six-segment, carbon fiber 0.9-meter Ku-band satellite terminal. Weighing less than 18 kilograms (40 lbs), the manpack can be set up in less than 10 minutes and can be optionally equipped with LinkControl software to simplify the antenna…

Ali Al Kuwari. Photo: Es’hailSat [Via Satellite 01-21-2015] Last month Es’hailSat celebrated the one-year anniversary of its first satellite, Es’hail 1. After entering service on Dec. 18, 2013, the Es’hailSat satellite saw extensive use from beIN Sports for transmitting the 2014 FIFA World Cup from Brazil. Es’hailSat supported the only Free-to-Air (FTA) broadcasting in the…

Ariane 5 on launch pad. Photo: ESA [Via Satellite 01-21-2015] SES has selected Arianespace to launch the all-electric SES 12 satellite aboard an Ariane 5 rocket in late 2017. The mission will be the 40th SES satellite to launch aboard an Ariane vehicle. Currently under construction by Airbus Defence and Space, SES 12 is a…

Docks on the coast of Port Moresby. Photo: Kahunapule Michael Johnson [Via Satellite 01-21-2015] SpeedCast International has entered an agreement with O3b Networks to use its satellites to provide high throughput, low latency services to Papua New Guinea. O3b’s network of Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites will support voice and data services with latency of…

Photo: Gasprom Space Systems. [Via Satellite 01-21-2015] Monaco-based telecom services integrator and operator Sonema is leasing capacity from Gazprom Space System’s Yamal 402 satellite for telecommunications services in Africa. The company is using satellite capacity to serve banking and oil and gas customers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Niger and Burkina Faso. Sonema owns…