Government/Military

[Via Satellite 10-18-13] The French Space Agency (CNES) has awarded Astrium a €230 million contract to provide next-generation Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI-NG) instruments for Europe‘s Meteorological Satellite Agency (EUMETSAT)’s future MetOp-SG satellites. The instruments will provide atmospheric temperature and humidity data with twice the accuracy of the previous generation. The IASI-NG instruments will be...

Photo courtesy of the U.S. Army [Via Satellite 10-10-13] The U.S. Army has awarded the Communications and Transmission Systems (CTS) contract to Harris Corporation. The contract enables the company to compete for a wide range of communications systems and services projects supporting the ongoing upgrade and maintenance of the Army’s terrestrial network infrastructure. Harris was...

Photo: United States Marine Corps [Via Satellite 10-10-13] Orbcomm and Savi Technology, a provider of sensor-based analytics and radio-frequency identification (RFID) solutions announced a strategic relationship to provide advanced location-based monitoring solutions to government and commercial markets. The companies have submitted a proposal in response to the U.S. Army RFID IV project, which will provide...

Newtec EL501 Hub. Photo: Newtec [Via Satellite 10-17-13] Satellite communications specialist Newtec and U.S. commercial Internet service provider SniperHill have deployed new satellite technology to provide increased throughput and service availability for Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) networks on U.S. and NATO bases in Afghanistan. The solution is enabling SniperHill, part of the DHI Telecom...

[Via Satellite 10-16-13] Thales Alenia Space Italy has been awarded a contract by the Italian Space Agency to build the Multi Element Telescope for Imaging and Spectroscopy (Metis) instrument, in conjunction with Compagnia Generale per lo Spazio (CGS). The Metis instrument will be used on the European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter scientific satellite. The Solar...

[Via Satellite 10-15-13] The Global VSAT Forum (GVF), and the Satellite Interference Reduction Group (IRG) have announced they are looking to actively engage the military in interference discussions and initiatives. This is one part of the two organization’s broad plans to tackle interference, a major issue in the satellite industry. According to the IRG, satellite...

[Via Satellite 10-09-13] The U.S. government has tested and acquired Inmarsat Government’s L-Band Tactical Satellite (L-TAC) solution to enhance its communications capabilities in the field. The L-TAC solution, launched in July, complements the scarce UHF satellite capacity with a single-hop, low-latency voice and data service, providing tactical L-band service when UHF channels are inaccessible or...

[Via Satellite 10-04-13] iDirect Government Technologies (iGT), a wholly owned subsidiary of VT iDirect (iDirect), has launched its Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP) hardening scripts, an improved information assurance (IA) compliance and security support for network management systems, protocol processors and SatManage servers. Available to iGT’s premium iSupport customers, the SCAP hardening script supports secure...

[Via Satellite 10-02-13] Exelis’ subsidiary Exelis Visual Information Solutions, developers of ENVI and IDL software, will now deliver its image and data visualization analysis software packages to NASA with a blanket purchase agreement (BPA). The BPA consolidates more than 800 separate contracts into one annual transaction, saves the agency time and resources in license administration,...

[Via Satellite 10-02-2013] Windmill International has formed two wholly-owned subsidiaries, AQYR Technologies and AQYR International. The new entities operating out of Hollis, N.H. formerly conducted business as Windmill Tactical SATCOM Systems. Under the AQYR name, the company will leverage the innovation and technology developed for elite military Special Forces communications with the release of new...