September 2015

Rolls-Royce created this concept under FIMECC (Finnish Metals and Engineering Competence Cluster) user experience and usability program, UXUS. This future bridge operation experience concept (oX) for remote operated cargo vessels is envisioned together with VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland in 2012-2014. Photo: Rolls-Royce [Via Satellite 09-08-2015] Inmarsat is participating in Rolls-Royce’s Advanced Autonomous Waterborne…

Intelsat’s Atlanta, Ga. teleport. Photo: Intelsat [Via Satellite 09-08-2015] Intelsat and Harmonic have partnered to start a linear Ultra-HD demonstration channel available in North America. The channel, HVN Intelsat UHD, will broadcast from Intelsat’s Galaxy 13 satellite located at 127 degrees west, providing Multi-channel Video Programming Distributors (MVPDs) with an opportunity to prepare and test…

A Telenor Satellite Broadcasting (TSBc) facility. Photo: Skyline Communications [Via Satellite 09-08-2015] Telenor Satellite Broadcasting (TSBc) has selected Skyline Communications’ DataMiner to automate its operations end-to-end. DataMiner reads service configurations from TSBc’s existing service configuration database and, with that information, provisions the entire network in a fully automated manner. This includes the provisioning of all…

[Via Satellite 09-08-2015] Arabsat and Emerging Markets Communications (EMC) have established a Joint Venture (JV), called Trio, dedicated to offering triple-play services over satellite. The Trio platform is built on EMC’s SATLink technology, and will launch on Arabsat’s upcoming Badr 7 satellite. The JV will provide a Set-Top-Box (STB) that bundles 10 Mb broadband connectivity,…

Cobbett Hill Earth Station’s U.K. teleport. Photo: Cobbett Hill Earth Station [Via Satellite 09-04-2015] Cobbett Hill Earth Station, one of the fastest growing independently owned teleports, is actively considering expanding to become a global operator by the end of next year. The company, based in the United Kingdom, is evaluating possible locations to establish a…

[Via Satellite 09-04-2015] M/A-COM Technology Solutions (MACOM) has released the MAAP-011246, a new 2-Watt power amplifier, and the MAAP-011139, a new 4-Watt power amplifier in a Surface Mount Technology (SMT) package. The four-stage, fully matched power amplifiers are suited for Ka-band satellite communications applications, and provide linearity for either final power amplification stages or driver…

Ann Mather. Photo: Planet Labs [Via Satellite 09-04-2015] Planet Labs has added Ann Mather as its first independent board director. Mather is on the board of directors for Google, Netflix, MGM, Shutterfly, and Arista Networks, and formerly served as CFO at Pixar. Prior to Pixar, Mather held executive positions at production studio Village Roadshow Pictures, The…

Fashion One Television’s Fashion One 4K channel. Photo: Fashion One Television [Via Satellite 09-04-2015] Fashion One Television has launched its global Ultra-HD channel Fashion One 4K with SES to reach North America, South America, and Europe. The broadcaster debuted the channel on Sept. 1 concurrently through both SES and Measat. Fashion One 4K has a…

Globalstar’s STX3 chipset compared to the size of a U.S. quarter [Via Satellite 09-04-2015] Globalstar Europe Satellite Services has reached an agreement with wireless communications specialist Identec Solutions to integrate Globalstar’s STX3 chipset into a new asset-tracking solution. Identec Solutions will add the iQ350LX GPS/SAT tag to their existing solution platform developed specifically for companies…

Artists rendering of a servicing spacecraft, left, approaching satellite needing assistance. Photo: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center [Via Satellite 09-03-2015] “Ten years from now we’ll have three legacy satellites refueled in orbit — past tense,” predicted Benjamin Reed, deputy project manager of the Satellite Servicing Capabilities Office at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center during the…