General news on the satellite and space industry from around the web
Andrew Ruszkowski, CCO of XTAR. Photo: XTAR [Via Satellite 08-20-2014] Private satellite operator XTAR is considering ways to expand its fleet to include coverage over the Asia-Pacific region. Currently, the company has two satellites in orbit — XTAR LANT and XTAR EUR — providing coverage over the Americas, Europe, Africa and parts of Asia, exclusively…
EIAST’s new satellite facility. Photo: EIAST [Via Satellite 08-20-2014] The Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST) is a few months away from finishing construction of the United Arab Emirate’s first domestic satellite manufacturing facility. Once complete, the facility, which spans more than 210 square meters, will house an electrical laboratory, a mechanical laboratory…
A Panasonic 4KTV. Photo: Panasonic [Via Satellite 08-20-2014] NSR analysts predict satellites will distribute 820 Ultra-HD channels through Direct to Home (DTH), IPTV and satellite-to-cable headends in their newest report “Ultra-HD via Satellite, 2nd Edition.” DTH broadcasts comprise the majority of channels with an estimated 560 in 4K and 8K broadcast in this manner 11…
The Long March 4B rocket carrying China’s Gaofen 2 satellite. Photo: Xinhua [Via Satellite 08-20-2014] On Aug. 19, China launched the Gaofen 2 Earth Observation (EO) satellite from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, located in the country’s Shanxi Province, aboard a Long March 4B rocket. Gaofen 2 is the second of seven planned high definition…
Spaceflight Network’s map of projected ground station sites. Photo: Spaceflight Inc. [Via Satellite 07-31-2014] Spaceflight Inc. is expanding its business from focusing primarily on rideshare opportunities for small satellites to include a ground network branch. Officially named Spaceflight Networks, the new branch will provide satellite communications through a global series of ground stations. The company…