Focus: Telecom

[Satellite Today – 4-2-08] Telespazio has acquired full control of Aurensis SL, a Spanish company specializing in technologies for territorial applications and Earth observation services, aerial and satellite, Telespazio announced April 2.     Aurensis manufactures, processes and markets territorial information such as  cartography, remote sensing and geographic information systems and has offices in Barcelona and...

[Satellite Today – 4-2-08] GeoEye Inc. has signed a multi-year agreement to allow Mitsubishi Corp. subsidiary Japan Space Imaging Corp. to collect and sell Earth imagery from the GeoEye-1 satellite, GeoEye announced April 2.     GeoEye-1, which is scheduled to be launched in August, will be able to collect images with a ground resolution of...

[Satellite Today – 4-2-08] Thales will launch a connectivity to boost entertainment services to passengers on airplanes, the company announced April 1.     The service, dubbed TopConnect, will be delivered to the aircraft via a Thales Swift broadband satellite communications antenna connected to a data server. TopConnect also will be compatible with other satellite communications...

[Satellite Today – 4-2-08] Loral Space and Communications Inc. posted slight declines for the fourth quarter but increased revenue and operating income for the year, Loral announced April 2.     Loral reported $200.3 million in revenues for the quarter ending Dec. 31, with manufacturing segment Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) bringing in $196.3 million. SS/L revenues were...

[Satellite Today – 4-2-08] Globalstar Inc. intends to raise $135 million that will be used, in part, to cover the procurement and launch of its second-generation satellites, Globalstar announced April 1.     The notes, which can be converted into Globalstar common stock, cash or a combination, will be due in 2028, the underwriters have a...

[Satellite Today – 4-1-08] SpaceDev Inc. increased revenue by $2 million in 2007 and cut its net loss by $700,000, the company announced March 28.     SpaceDev reported net sales of $34.7 million for the year ended Dec. 31, an increase of $2.1 million, or 6 percent, from the $32.6 million in net sales reported...

[Satellite Today – 4-1-08] Com Dev International Ltd., has completed an end-to-end ground-based test of its advanced automatic identification system (AIS) payload and nanosatellite, the company announced March 31.      The nanosatellite is an experimental vehicle intended to demonstrate key elements of Com Dev space-based AIS detection technology and enable any design changes to be...

[Satellite Today – 4-1-08] Orbcomm LLC subsidiary Orbcomm Inc. has acquired 37 percent of Orbcomm Japan Ltd., Orbcomm Inc. announced April 1.     Orbcomm Japan Ltd. is Orbcomm’s representative in Japan and the owner of a gateway earth station, which is the region’s terrestrial link to Orbcomm’s satellite constellation.     “We are pleased to have...

[Satellite Today – 4-1-08] SES Astra signed a framework contract for the marketing of its satellite based two-way broadband service Astra2Connect in Germany with Deutsche Telekom, SES Astra announced April 1.     In cooperation with the Federal State of Rhineland-Palatinate, Deutsche Telekom already has started the service as a pilot project in two German communities...

[Satellite Today – 4-1-08] ProtoStar Ltd. has closed $245 million of debt and equity financing to complete the development and launch of its second satellite, the company announced April 1.       The satellite, ProtoStar 2, is scheduled for launch in early 2009 on an International Launch Services (ILS) Proton rocket.     “This is surely...