News & Events

Irrigation system. Photo: Iridium [Via Satellite 01-11-2016] The Internet of Things (IoT) has been mentioned in almost as many conversations as small satellites over the last 12 months. It is a hot buzzword as the satellite industry looks to play in new verticals that need connected devices. One area where satellite and cellular technology could…

Pléiades Satellite Image – Salin-de-Giraud, France. Photo: CNES 2012, Distribution Airbus DS / Spot Image [Via Satellite 01-11-2016] IHS and Airbus Defence and Space have announced a three-year partnership agreement. Under the agreement, Airbus Defence and Space will provide newly acquired imagery from its Pleiades, Spot and TerraSAR X satellites, for use as primary sources…

A Kymeta laboratory. Photo: Kymeta [Via Satellite 01-11-2016] Kymeta has closed a $62 million Series D financing. The funds will support the company’s efforts to build antennas to bring high-speed and high-bandwidth satellite connectivity to anything that moves. The financing round included existing Kymeta investors Bill Gates, Lux Capital, Kresge Foundation and Osage University Partners,…

Pléiades Satellite Image – Salin-de-Giraud, France. Photo: CNES 2012, Distribution Airbus DS / Spot Image [Via Satellite 01-11-2016] IHS and Airbus Defence and Space have announced a three-year partnership agreement. Under the agreement, Airbus Defence and Space will provide newly acquired imagery from its Pleiades, Spot and TerraSAR X satellites, for use as primary sources…

Photo: Santi Díaz [Via Satellite 01-11-2016] Comtech Xicom Technology has received an order for $3.4 million for Solid-State Power Amplifiers (SSPAs) to be used in an airborne, In-Flight Connectivity (IFC) application. This order is a follow-on production award in this growing commercial airborne market. “Connectivity is fundamental to modern life. New technologies continue to drive…

Globalstar’s Spot Gen3 satellite device. Photo: Globalstar [Via Satellite 01-11-2016] U.K. water provider Northumbrian Water Group (NWG) has selected Globalstar Europe Satellite Services’ Spot Gen3 safety device to track and protect lone and remote workers. The initial deployment of more than 300 Spot Gen3 devices enhances the safety of 1,500 employees who carry out checks…

Rendering of Aireon space-based ADS-B system. Photo: Aireon [Via Satellite 01-08-2016] South African airlines are seeing growth on the horizon, but the continent still operates with relatively sparse air traffic surveillance. With the South African Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP), Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS), recently signing on with Aireon to enable space-based Automatic…

Artist’s rendition of the new Eutelsat Quantum class satellite. Photo: Airbus Defence and Space [Via Satellite 01-08-2016] Airbus Defence and Space has awarded Anaren a $7 million contract for an advanced beamforming assembly to be deployed on the Eutelsat Quantum Satellite program, which Airbus Defence and Space is developing for Eutelsat, as part of a…

Hi-Vision vs. 8K Super High Vision. Photo: NHK [Via Satellite 01-08-2016] SiTune Corporation, developer of semiconductor tuners, transceivers, and wireless radios, announced the STN6528, a tuner capable of supporting the new Advanced Wide Band Digital Satellite Broadcasting Standard (ARIB STD-B44) for broadcasting 8K digital television via satellite. STN6528 availability is targeted to support NHK’s initial…

An O3b satellite. Photo: O3b Networks [Via Satellite 01-08-2016] MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) has signed a contract fro more than CA$20 million ($14.1 million) with Thales Alenia Space, prime contractor for the O3b Networks constellation, to provide 96 communication antenna subsystems. The subsystems will be used for Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites being designed…