Industry Latest

Lockheed Martin’s concept for NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services 2 program. Photo: Lockheed Martin [Via Satellite 03-13-2015] Lockheed Martin has revealed its proposed cargo resupply solution for NASA’s Commercial Resupply Service 2 (CRS-2) contract. The solution uses a reusable space-servicing vehicle dubbed Jupiter based on the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) science satellite currently in…

Photo: Thales Group [Via Satellite 03-13-2015] France’s Direction Générale de L’Armement (DGA) has selected Thales and Airbus Defence and Space to work together as co-prime contractors for a trio of military satellites. The companies were awarded to build the Capacité de Renseignement Electromagnétique Spatiale (CERES) or Space Signal Intelligence (SIGINT) capacity, which will use three…

A Comtech Xicom SuperPower TWTA [Via Satellite 03-13-2015] Comtech Xicom Technology has released high power Ku-band and Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS)-band SuperPower Traveling Wave Tube Amplifiers (TWTAs). Designed for efficiency, the devices can double available TWTA output power and directly replace Klystron Power Amplifiers (KPAs) in satellite communications uplink applications. The model XTD-2000KHE Ku-band TWTA supplies…

David Madden, director of military satellite communications directorate at AFSMC. Photo: AFSMC [Via Satellite 03-12-2015] The United States Air Force sees now as the opportune time to pursue more creative paths with future satellite designs. David Madden, director of the Military Satellite Communications Systems Directorate at the Air Force Space Command (USAF) Space and Missile Systems…

Graphic of Gilat and Intelsat’s rural cellular infrastructure. Photo: Gilat [Via Satellite 03-12-2015] Gilat Satellite Networks and Intelsat have joined forces to provide Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) with a 2G/3G cellular infrastructure solution with the aim to better serve rural regions. The companies expect the network to enter service in 2016. The partnership is looking…

SES NSS 6 satellite’s ku-band spot beam over the Middle East. Photo: SES [Via Satellite 03-12-2015] SkyStream has renewed capacity on SES‘s NSS 6 satellite and has taken on additional capacity on SES’s NSS 12 satellite to deploy VSAT networks across the Middle East. SkyStream will use the Ku-band capacity on NSS 6 at 95…

O3b’s MEO satellite network, artist rendering. Photo: 03b Networks [Via Satellite 03-12-2015] O3b Networks has selected AvL Technologies to design and build the transportable terminal antenna system for use with O3b’s Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellite network. The program calls for AvL to develop and manufacture the hardware and software for a family of earth…

Inauguration of the Thales Alenia Space/Omnisys Centro Tecnológico Espacial in São José dos Campos, Brazil. Photo: Thales Alenia Space [Via Satellite 03-12-2015] Thales Alenia Space and Omnisys have inaugurated their joint Space Technology Center in the Sao Jose dos Campos technology park in Brazil. Initially, the new center will develop technology partnerships with local Brazilian…

Eron Miller, Chief, Satcom Division, Infrastructure Directorate,DISA. Photo: DISA [Via Satellite 03-11-2015] The United States Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) performs the critical work of establishing and managing commercial satellite communications (comsatcom) contracts for the Department of Defense (DOD). With an eye to the future, the agency is already planning what comes next after the…

Artist impression of SKA1 MID in South Africa. Photo: SKA [Via Satellite 03-11-2015] Yahsat’s satellite broadband division YahClick received a contract to provide connectivity for the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) in South Africa. SKA is a massive project to build the world’s largest radio telescope, with a large swath of it being built across South…