Government/Military

[Satellite News 10-08-08] Advancements on DigitalGlobe’s next-generation imagery satellite, WorldView-2, will allow the company to deliver the detailed imagery that is in high demand from its U.S. government customers, especially in the area of alternative energy research.     “One of the things that the satellite’s imagery improvements will allow it to identify is, to different...

[Satellite Today 10-08-08] The U.S. Air Force delayed the launch of the Lockheed Martin-built next-generation military weather satellite, DMSP-F18.     According to a statement from the Air Force, the launch, scheduled for November, now will take place sometime in late 2009 with a target launch date of Dec. 4.     "Due to the exceptional performance...

[Satellite Today 10-07-08] DataPath Inc. received an order to provide on-site personnel to operate and maintain satellite communications systems managed by the U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command, DataPath announced Oct. 7.      The agreement, valued at $3.7 million, exercises options on an existing delivery order and will fund more than 30 DataPath technical personnel...

[Satellite Today 10-06-08] Harris Corp. introduced what it claims to be the first tactical satellite terminals with the capability of transmission and reception of top-secret global wideband data communications, the company announced Oct. 6.     The new RF-7800B Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) terminals are designed to military standards for operations in harsh environments. The...

[Satellite News 10-03-08] The cost of the Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) has jumped nearly $6 billion due to faulty management of the program by the U.S. Department of Defense, according to a report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released Sept. 30.     The Pentagon had expected to launch the satellite surveillance by...

[Satellite Today 10-03-08] The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) criticized the U.S. Department of Defense‘s handling of the Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) in a report released Sept. 30.     SBIRS, a satellite surveillance system that include satellites in geosynchronous orbit and low Earth orbit, has struggled with cost overruns. According to the Center for...

[Satellite Today 10-03-08] CVG Inc. has been awarded a contract to provide its CFK-100 compact flyaway kits to the U.S. Air Force‘s air combat command, CVG announced Oct. 3.     The CFK-100 solution includes an Explorer 700 BGAN terminal, a laptop, a KOV-26 Talon Type 1 encryptor, removable red and black routers and an extra...

[Satellite Today 10-03-08] The U.S. Coast Guard has selected Orbcomm‘s high-usage option for Automatic Identification System (AIS) data from the AIS concept demonstration satellite, Orbcomm announced Oct. 3.     Under the terms of the new agreement, it will modify the AIS satellite and ground software while providing additional technical support to the U.S. Coast Guard....

[Satellite Today 10-01-08] Norsat’s U.S. subsidiary signed satellite system contracts valued at $1.2 million with the U.S. Department of Defense, Norsat announced Oct. 1.     The orders will be fulfilled in the company’s fourth quarter.     "We believe these successive contract wins are evidence of the continuing growth momentum in the ground satellite systems industry,”...

[Satellite Today 10-02-08] Galileo test satellite Giove-B was knocked offline by a surge of space radiation but has returned to service, the European Space Agency (ESA) announced Oct. 2.     The incident forced Giove-B to adopt a safe mode for two weeks in which only essential power systems were kept running. ESA engineers returned the...