Government/Military

[Satellite TODAY 02-14-12] SkyTrac Systems has been selected by EuroAvionics to provide a programmed Iridium 9523 modem that can be embedded in the EuroNav 7 situational awareness system, the company announced Feb. 13.   The EuroNav 7 is a mapping and task-management system that aims to allow flight tracking and satellite communication without the need...

[Satellite TODAY 02-14-12] SkyTrac Systems has been selected by EuroAvionics to provide a programmed Iridium 9523 modem that can be embedded in the EuroNav 7 situational awareness system, the company announced Feb. 13.   The EuroNav 7 is a mapping and task-management system that aims to allow flight tracking and satellite communication without the need...

Elbit Systems expanded its payload portfolio by launching its Hermes 450 and Hermes 900 unmanned air system (UAS) hyper-spectral payload with new intelligence capabilities, the company confirmed Feb. 6.     Elbit Systems completed development on the system and has recently conducted a series of successful test flights, the company said.    The hyperspectral imaging technology...

The Pentagon’s plan to reduce military spending by $487 billion over the next decade was met with serious concern in the space sector after it was published Jan. 27 as part of the military’s 2013 full-year budget. Analysts, however, see a positive for satellite.    While total U.S. defense spending is expected decline 22 percent...

The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is set award about $36 million in contracts to companies interested in building system components for its Phoenix program, which aims to retrofit or retrieve old satellites for reuse. DARPA officials said there are currently about 1,300 GEO satellites worth more than $300 billion in orbit that could be...

The delay of the U.S. Navy’s Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite program, originally planned kick off its first satellite in late 2009, should come as no surprise to the hosted payload community. The resulting rise in unmet demand for UHF satellite communications due to the proliferation of UAVs was predicted months ago. Government Accountability Office...

The Hosted Payload Alliance, a non-profit satellite industry association established to serve as a bridge between government and private industry, gained significant support in Europe by adding French commercial launch service provider Arianespace and the North American division of EADS to its membership.    EADS North America announced Feb. 2 that it joined the Hosted...

U.K. operator Avanti Communications has raised 75 million British pounds ($118.6 million) through a partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA) to fully finance its upcoming Hylas 3 program, Avanti Chairman John Brackenbury confirmed in his company’s latest financial results.    Hylas 3 will be a hosted payload satellite providing Ka-band services alongside the operator’s...

Interference solutions for military systems differ than those for commercial, as they have different constraints and requirements. The issue of interference has always been a top concern for commercial/military partnerships, especially for satellites containing valuable military programs on hosted payloads. In the aftermath of the Satellite Interference Reduction Group (sIRG) conference in January, SES Senior...

[Satellite News 02-14-12] The Canadian military has launched a review of the country’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance needs in an effort to determine the right combination of unmanned planes, maritime patrol aircraft and satellites under the Royal Canadian Air Force’s Joint UAV Surveillance and Target Acquisition System (JUSTAS) program.    JUSTAS includes the procurement of...