Finance

[Via Satellite 11-09-2015] Hardware and software manufacturers, alongside satellite communication service providers, are on their way to presenting offshore rig operators with always-on communications through a range of more flexible technologies. The issue particularly impacts energy companies that operate at sea and move frequently, and are struggling ways to advance and leverage communications technology in...

[Via Satellite 11-09-2015] Companies across the value chain are working to make High Throughput Satellite (HTS) system communications a reality for the cash-strapped, bandwidth-hungry oil and gas market. “Oilfields, offshore, and mobile platforms have typically relied on satellite communications as the only way to reach out to remote areas and have suitable availability,” said Matine...

[Via Satellite 11-09-2015] Streamlining IT operations through a more efficient use of tools, technology and business practices can help oil and gas companies cut overhead and up their game in a cost-driven environment. Speaking at the Nov. 5 workshop “How to Troubleshoot Communications Technologies in the Most Hazardous Environments,” Roland Sauermann, president at SGV International,...

[Via Satellite 11-05-2015] Rocket Lab has reached a new agreement with Alaska Aerospace Corporation (AAC) for range safety support of the company’s upcoming Electron launches in 2016. AAC is a state-owned corporation that owns and operates the Pacific Spaceport Complex, formerly known as the Kodiak Launch Complex. “AAC brings a critical component to our launch...

[Via Satellite 11-02-2015] United Launch Alliance (ULA) successfully launched the U.S. Air Force’s Global Positioning System (GPS) 2F 11 satellite Oct. 31 aboard an Atlas 5 rocket. The satellite is the 11th of 12 Boeing-built GPS 2F satellites, which provide improved signals for military and civil applications. The Air Force’s GPS constellation is comprised of...

[Via Satellite 10-30-2015] Eutelsat Communications has reached an agreement with International Launch Services (ILS) for a series of launches using the Proton Breeze M rocket. The launches are scheduled to occur from 2016 to 2023 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Eutelsat 9B, built by Airbus Defence and Space, is the first mission in the...

[Via Satellite 10-29-2015] The oil and gas market continues to have a number of interesting dynamics that impact satellite players. Firstly, the market has been going through a tough time this year. This has lead to oil companies looking to be more cautious with their network and technology investments. Ian Theophilus, CEO and co-founder of...

[Via Satellite 10-29-2015] A few years ago it seemed like the energy sector had reached a new turning point. The cost of a barrel of crude had crested $100, and exploration into shale was bringing even more energy resources to the fore than imagined. Fast-forward to 2015, and $50 or lower is the new norm....

[Via Satellite 10-19-2015] Orbcomm and SpaceX have announced plans to launch the remaining 11 satellites in the Orbcomm Second Generation (OG2) constellation within the next six to eight weeks. The launch will take place from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station using an upgraded Falcon 9 rocket. The second OG2 mission will be SpaceX’s first launch...

[Via Satellite 10-19-2015] APT Satellite launched Apstar 9, its replacement satellite for Apstar 9A, on Oct. 17 aboard a Long March 3B/E rocket. Apstar 9 is based on China Great Wall Industry Corp.’s (CGWIC) DFH-4 series platform and carries 39.5 C-band 36 MHz Transponder Equivalents (TPE) and 21 Ku-band TPEs. The spacecraft’s C-band payloads cover the...