Technology

[Via Satellite 07-08-2014] Thuraya is stepping up its efforts to commission its next set of satellites, with CEO Samer Halawi telling Via Satellite that the operator expects to issue a Request for Information (RFI) to manufacturers in the next couple of months. “We are focused on this. You can expect an RFI to go out...

[Via Satellite 07-08-2014] Intelsat has continued to show confidence in Boeing’s 702MP (Medium Power) platform, placing its ninth order with the company to build the Intelsat 35e Epic Next Generation satellite. Intelsat placed the first order for the 702MP from a satellite service provider in 2009 for four spacecraft. Four additional orders were placed in...

[Via Satellite 07-02-2014] Laser Light Communications, a company focused on becoming the first Optical Satellite Service (OSS) provider, is close to opening a major facility called the High Articulation Laser Optics (HALO) Center. The advanced facility will test laser communications for a high-data hybrid satellite-terrestrial system, showing the waveform, the impact of atmospheric behavior, and...

[Via Satellite 07-07-2014] Thales Alenia Space has initiated a project with the European Union and a consortium of companies called HIPPO: High-Power Photonics for Satellite Laser Communications and On-Board Optical Processing. HIPPO is a three year project seeking to combine advanced semiconductor technologies, packaging techniques, photonic crystal fiber technology and advanced fiber-optic component development to...

[Via Satellite 07-03-2014] LightSquared missed a quarterly payment from Phase 2 of its cooperation agreement with Inmarsat. Based on a decision made March 31 2014, LightSquared restarted Phase 2 of its Cooperation Agreement, and the first payment was due July 1, 2014 of $4.1 million along with a related payment of $0.5 million. Inmarsat issued...

[Via Satellite 07-03-2014] DigitalGlobe has appointed Roxanne J. Decyk to the company’s Board of Directors. The decision was made effective July 1, 2014. Decyk currently serves on the Board of Directors for Alliant Techsystems (ATK) as Chairman of the Compensation committee. Additionally, she is a board member for oil and gas companies Ensco PLC and...

[Via Satellite 07-02-2014] Craig Cooning, Boeing’s former VP and general manager of Space and Intelligence Systems within the company’s Network and Space Systems (N&SS) segment has been promoted, effective immediately, to president of N&SS. Cooning takes the place of Roger Krone, who now works for Leidos Holdings. In his new role, Cooning leads Boeing’s satellite...

[Via Satellite 06-30-2014] Among the 30-plus small satellites carried into orbit by the most recent Kosmotras Dnepr launch was BugSat 1, the third prototype satellite for startup company Satellogic. Emiliano Kargieman, founder and CEO of Satellogic and co-founder of Core Security, is actively planning the build-out of a constellation of hundreds of Earth imaging satellites....

[Via Satellite 07-01-2014] Hispasat has ordered a new satellite from SSL to replace Hispasat 1D. The new satellite, Hispasat 1F, will carry Ku-, Ka- and C-band payloads and further build out the company’s transatlantic capacity between Europe, North Africa and the Americas. Hispasat plans to locate the satellite at 30 degrees west. Hispasat 1F’s 48...

[Via Satellite 07-01-2014] The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) obtained images from the second Phased Array Type L-band Aperture Radar (PALSAR 2) instrument, aboard the second Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS 2), also called DAICHI 2. The satellite was launched on May 24, 2014 and is currently undergoing initial functional verification. These first images were...