Government/Military

[Via Satellite 01-28-2015] Leaders from African nations have gathered for a meeting arranged by the African Telecommunication Union to ready for the upcoming World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-15) this November in Geneva, Switzerland. The meeting, held in Abuja, Nigeria, is where African states will define their stance on whether or not to give mobile operators access...

[Via Satellite 01-28-2015] The Air National Guard (ANG) has contracted Harris Corporation to supply five-channel vehicle communication systems for ground-to-air communications. The systems include the Falcon 3 AN/PRC-117G multiband manpack radios, the RF-7800I advanced vehicle intercom system and a Unity XG-100M full-spectrum multiband mobile radio. In addition to providing the communications systems, which through the...

[Via Satellite 01-27-2015] The United States Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) has activated the Advanced Systems and Development Directorate (SMC/AD), effective Jan. 9, having completed the merger of the Space Development and Test Directorate, and the Development Planning Directorate. The new combined directorate brings together Los Angeles Air Force Base’s expertise in...

[Via Satellite 01-27-2015] The European Space Agency (ESA) has confirmed its intention to see the European Data Relay System (EDRS) through to completion. The decision followed meetings between the agency, the European Commission and Airbus. On Jan. 28, ESA and Airbus — the two primary partners for EDRS — will meet again to determine the...

[Via Satellite 01-26-2015] SpaceX has closed its lawsuit with the United States Air Force over its $11 billion block buy of launches from Boeing–Lockheed Martin joint venture United Launch Alliance (ULA). Through an agreement between the two, the Air Force increased the number of competitive launch services opportunities through the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV)...

[Via Satellite 01-23-2015] As part of a series of reforms of its space sector, the Russian government has decided to combine the Federal Space Agency Roscosmos with the United Rocket and Space Corporation. The combined entity will be called Roscosmos State Corporation. Igor Komarov has been appointed as head of Roscosmos, and Yuri Vlasov, former...

[Via Satellite 01-23-2015] Page Europa, a business unit of General Dynamics, has selected ASC Signal to provide High Frequency (HF) antennas for a defense customer in Poland. NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) awarded the procurement and implementation of the Poland Broadcast, MRL and Ship-Shore (BRASS) contract to Page Europa, which is incorporating ASC Signal’s...

[Via Satellite 01-23-2015] Norsat International has debuted the Journey Manpack, a six-segment, carbon fiber 0.9-meter Ku-band satellite terminal. Weighing less than 18 kilograms (40 lbs), the manpack can be set up in less than 10 minutes and can be optionally equipped with LinkControl software to simplify the antenna alignment process. A Block Upconverter (BUC), Low...

[Via Satellite 01-20-2015] Inmarsat Government has executed a service provider agreement with Globecomm Systems to supply Inmarsat Global Xpress service in support of U.S. government customers. Under the deal, Globecomm will offer comprehensive solutions involving network services, system integration, and end-user products and applications enabling a complete end-to-end solution for these customers. Inmarsat’s Global Xpress Ka-band...

[Via Satellite 01-21-2015] United Launch Alliance (ULA) successfully launched the third Mobile User Objective System (MUOS 3) satellite for the U.S. Navy on Jan. 20 aboard an Atlas 5 rocket. The next-gen narrowband tactical communications satellite weighed nearly 7.5 tons. MUOS 3 was the first mission of 2015 for the Boeing–Lockheed Martin joint venture, and...