Boeing unveils new range of smaller, cheaper satellites

Multinational aerospace and defense company Boeing announced that it has launched a new series of small satellites via its research arm, Boeing Phantom Works. Weighing up to 1,000 kilos, the Phantom Phoenix satellite fleet can be used for short-term experiments or operational missions lasting seven or more years.

Boeing called the new small satellites a multi-billion dollar one in the next couple of years, mostly within the U.S Department of Defense and intelligence agencies, as well as from commercial ventures. Hence, three prototypes are currently being developed by Phantom Works to exhibit what these can do.

These three include: the Phantom Phoenix,a 500 to 1,000 kg mid-class designed for single and dual launch; the Phantom Phoenix ESPA, a 180 kg ESPA-class that connects to a common interstage adapter allowing for more than one satellite launch at a time; and the Phantom Phoenix Nano, a 4 to 10 kg nanosatellite that provides opportunities for missions involving science and weather.

The company expects the new satellites to pave the way for new possibilities of applications that have not been considered before. It compares the small satellites to the all-electric 702SP satellite platform launched by Boeing Satellite Systems recently. The platform allows missions that would traditionally need bigger and heavier spacecraft. The key for this new platform is the common avionics and software package that is compatible with various configurations.

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Ghana University sends its first satellite into space

The All Nations University College located in Koforidua, Ghana, is pleased to announce the school’s plans of sending its very first satellite into space. The spacecraft, called CANSAT, will be used to encourage potential students who plan on pursuing a career in the Space Science and Satellite Technology program the university began offering in 2012.

The Intelligent Space System Laboratory of the university, which built the first satellite of Ghana, was built as an educational project to support the collaboration and integration between engineering and science programs, and also to promote teamwork. In order to achieve such goals, the students of All Nations University worked on the CANSAT project, giving students practical training in conceptualizing the mission, planning and designing the satellite, and eventually building and testing it. The university lab is also working on putting up a satellite ground station for research purposes.

Space Science Ghana director Ashievi Kofi encouraged the nation’s government to financially support the university’s program, believing that it will help enhance the economic development of the country.

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SpeedCast, PAKSAT sign C-band capacity deal

Leading satellite communications service provider Speedcast and PAKSAT International both agreed to sign a multi-year deal for C-band capacity. SpeedCast will be using PAKSAT’s new satellite, PAKSAT-1Rat at 38 degrees East to deliver C-band services to its customers in Pakistan as well as the neighboring regions.

By integrating PAKSAT-1R C-band capacity into SpeedCast’s GSM backhaul network, it will generate optimal efficiency and performance for the company’s customers.

In a statement, SpeedCast CEO Pierre-Jean Beylier said, “PAKSAT-1R’s performance and strong coverage provides us with the ability to offer highly efficient and reliable customized solutions to our cellular backhaul customers, as well as meeting the networking needs of our Enterprise and Government customers in the region.”

Comtech EF Data wins $1.2M order for satellite communications infrastructure equipment

Comtech Telecommunications Corp., announced that its subsidiary company, Comtech EF Data Corp., received an order worth $1.2 million to provide satellite communications infrastructure equipment in rural Latin America.

The mobile network operator in Latin America will make use of the equipment to expand its existing 2G, 2.5G and 3G networks, as well as allow 3G HSPA mobile broadband into rural and distant areas. Officials from Comtech said that the order includes satellite modems, redundancy switches, and indoor and outdoor frequency conversion systems.

"We were selected to supply products for this network expansion based on our proven ability to facilitate sustainable and profitable connectivity," Fred Kornberg, President and CEO of Comtech Telecommunications Corp. said in a statement. "The combination of our technologies enables operators globally to build out networks in rural and remote areas with low density populations, expand existing networks to support subscriber and traffic growth and upgrade networks to add new services.”

The CDM-750 Advanced High-Speed Trunking Modem and the mobile operators' de facto standard -- the CDM-625 Advanced Satellite Modem -- were specified in the order. The two models feature technologies that allow bandwidth efficiencies, link optimization and a reduction in operating expenses. Meanwhile, designed to be the most efficient and highest throughput point-to-point trunking modem, the CDM-750 accommodates the most demanding backhaul links by providing the most advanced combination of space segment saving capabilities, at the same time minimizing the need for unnecessary overhead. The CDM-625 combines advanced Forward Error Correction, like VersaFEC and Low Density Parity Check codes with DoubleTalk Carrier-in-Carrier bandwidth compression, allowing for maximum savings under all conditions.

Arianespace, Eutelsat sign new multi-year deal for launching satellites

French company Arianespace and Eutelsat Communications expanded their business partnership again with a new multiple-year launch services deal, assuring launch capacity and flexibility to Eutelsat for its industry-leading expansion programme.

The new contract, which covers up to four satellite launches scheduled for 2016 and 2017, is the latest addition to the agreement between Arianespace and Eutelsat signed back in July of last year for the 2014 and 2015 launches.

Expressing satisfaction with the partnership, Eutelsat CEO Michel de Rosen said in a statement: “This latest contract seals a 30-year relationship between Eutelsat and Arianespace during which over 60% of our satellites have been launched by an Ariane rocket. It paves the road for the future by giving us flexibility and schedule assurance to secure our deployment plan for the five years to come. We are delighted to pursue our long standing collaboration and are confident that we can count on Arianespace’s total commitment to performance and precision.”

Echoing the comments made by Rosen, Jean-Yves Le Gall, Chairman and CEO of Arianespace, said: "We are proud to announce this new contract with Eutelsat which comes immediately after our 54th consecutive successful Ariane 5 launch and once again illustrates the confidence shown in our services by this major operator. We are all the more pleased with the long term scope of the agreement between our two companies that gives Eutelsat the guarantee of reliable access to space over the coming years. For Arianespace, this new contract is further endorsement of a strategy based on quality, reliability and total respect of our commitments."

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ESA taps Astrium to develop Ariane 6, Ariane 5 ME

Astrium, an EADS subsidiary company that provides civil and military space systems and services, has been chosen by the European Space Agency (ESA) to handle the development of Ariane 6 and Ariane 5 ME launches. The new contract, worth €108 million ($146 million), follow on from the decisions made during ESA’s Ministerial Council meeting in Naples November of last year.

As Ariane 5’s main contractor since 2003, Astrium will make the initial definition and feasibility studies for the future Ariane 6 European launcher. The goal of the study phase, which is expected to run for six months, is to identify the concept and architecture for Ariane 6. The phase will also set out the new launcher’s main specifications before its industrial development.

Now, Astrium should examine the different possible configurations for the space vehicle and come up with the best solutions to meet ESA’s technical, scheduling and budgetary objectives.

Moreover, the company will work on the development of next-generation Ariane 5 -- the Ariane 5 ME (Midlife Evolution). WIth this new update, it is expected to boost the launch capability by 20 percent compared to the existing launcher -- all without raising the price. ESA expects the Ariane 5 ME to be ready for launch by 2017.

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Mexsat Bicentenario Satellite Deploys First Signals from Space

The satellite of Mexsat Bicentenario sent its first signals from space on December 20, Thursday, as one of the first of three Mexsat satellites for the Secretaria de Comunicaciones y Transportes (SCT) of Mexico to help improve the communications of the country for civil, domestic, humanitarian and military needs.

Built by Orbital Sciences under contract to Boeing, Mexsat Bicentenario was made as a hybrid-band and Ku-band communications satellite based on the flight-proven GEOStar-2 platform of Orbital. Boeing will serve as the principal contractor of Mexsat and will be in charge of creating the remaining two 702HP geomobile satellites for its scheduled launches in 2013 and 2014. Additionally, Boeing will incorporate the Mexsat network, while Orbital is in charge of supplying the command and control ground equipment and software for the Bicentenario, as well as the operational documentation and associated training.

In a statement, Boeing Satellite Systems International CEO and Boeing Space & Intelligence Systems Vice President and General Manager Craig Cooning said: “Today's successful launch brings us closer to the establishment of the MEXSAT system, which will enhance Mexico’s disaster-relief and emergency services, and provide satellite broadcasting capabilities in telemedicine and tele-education.”