April 2015

Artist’s rendition of the MERLIN satellite. Photo: Airbus Defence and Space [Via Satellite 04-27-2015] Airbus Defence and Space has been awarded a contract to build a joint Earth observation satellite for the French space agency (CNES) and the German space agency (DLR) for the study of methane concentrations in Earth’s atmosphere. The Methane Remote Sensing…

Magellan Engineers at work in the Advanced Satellite Integration Facility (ASIF). Photo: Magellan Aerospace. [Via Satellite 04-24-2015] Canadian aerospace company Magellan Aerospace recently unveiled its new Advanced Satellite Integration Facility (ASIF) in partnership with the University of Manitoba that the company believes will foster a productive relationship between academia and industry. The Winnipeg-based 6,000-square-foot facility…

A 9.4-meter Earth station from ASC Signal. Photo: ASC Signal [Via Satellite 04-24-2015] Globecomm has signed a contract with ASC Signal for a new Earth station at the company’s Laurel, Md. location, along with a Next Generation Controller (NGC) upgrade for a 5.6-meter antenna. The Earth station will feature a new NGC-equipped, 9.4 meter, Ku-band…

Frederik, Ben and Bert Vandenberghe. Photo: Skyline Communications [Via Satellite 04-24-2015] Skyline Communications has appointed new executives to the roles of Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Technical Officer (CTO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), along with several other appointments. Ben Vandenberghe takes the helm as CEO, having focused mainly on sales, marketing and product management…

Artist’s rendition of the Express AM7. Photo: RSCC [Via Satellite 04-27-2015] Russian Satellite Communications Company’s (RSCC’s) latest satellite, Express AM7, began commercial operations on April 24, following the completion of in-orbit testing. Launched in March 2015, the satellite provides coverage over Russia, Europe and the Middle East as well as the new markets of Sub-Saharan…

Artist’s rendition of the Express AM7. Photo: RSCC [Via Satellite 04-24-2015] Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC) has confirmed that its Express AM7 satellite launched March 19 aboard a Proton rocket reached Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) on March 25. The company expects the satellite to begin operations in May 2015. Built by Airbus Defence and Space,…

Agricultural activity in the United States as seen by Radarsat 2. Photo: MDA [Via Satellite 04-24-2015] MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) has inked several contracts for geospatial information services with undisclosed customers. Collectively, the contracts exceeded $33 million, and were primarily for buyers in the United States. The post MDA Signs Undisclosed Geospatial Contracts appeared…

Svante Hjorth, CEO of Arycom Communications. Photo: Arycom [Via Satellite 04-23-2015] Arycom, one of the leading mobile satellite communications companies in Brazil, is reprioritizing its focus on different verticals as the Brazilian economy experiences a slump. Volatility of the U.S. dollar in relation to the Brazilian currency, the real, has affected the company, as demand…

A digital representation of the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS). Photo: FAA [Via Satellite 04-23-2015] Following a $103 million contract from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems has awarded a 14-year contract to SES Government Solutions (SES GS) to host a payload on the upcoming SES 15 satellite. Raytheon’s FAA contract…

Avanti Communications’ Hylas 2 satellite. Photo: Avanti [Via Satellite 04-23-2015] TelOne, Zimbabwe’s sole fixed telecommunications service provider, is expanding its contract with Avanti Communications for Ka-band capacity on the Hylas 2 satellite. The state-owned operator has deployed satellite communications for enterprise sector customers, consumers, and public sector programs. More than 300 schools have leveraged the…