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Integral Systems Inc. will declassify its board, resulting in a single class of directors with each one up for election every year, the company announced Feb. 6. In response to the move, Fursa Alternative Strategies LLC, Integral’s largest stockholder, and Chartwell Capital Investors II LP have agreed not to initiate or pursue a change in...

Near Earth LLC has formed Near Earth Advisory as a distinct business unit focusing on advisory services, the company announced Feb. 5. Services will include valuations, fairness opinions, custom research projects, business planning and litigation support in the satellite, media and telecom sectors.

Motient Corp. has appointed William Freeman to its board of directors, the company announced Feb. 5. Freeman is chairman of TerreStar Networks Inc., a majority-owned subsidiary of Motient.  He previously served as the CEO of Leap Wireless International Inc.

The first Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) geosynchronous orbit spacecraft platform has completed engineering thermal vacuum testing, Lockheed Martin announced Feb. 5. SBIRS will provide early warning of missile launches and support other missions such as technical intelligence and battlespace characterization.

Advantech Satellite Networks Inc. has been awarded a contract to provide a VSAT communications network for Saudi Aramco in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Advantech announced. The contract includes the delivery of redundant hubs with geographic diversity and the provision for hundreds of fixed, maritime and auto-tracking terminals for use to support Saudi Aramco operations,...

Integral Systems Inc. has been awarded a U.S. Air Force contract to support the Wideband Global Satcom (WGS) program, the company announced Feb. 5. The contract, valued at $4.5 million, is a modification to the company’s Command and Control System-Consolidated (CCS-C) effort. Under the program, Integral is upgrading the command and control capability for the...

The Odyssey Launch Platform and the Sea Launch Commander are in transit from Sea Launch’s launch site at the equator, the company announced Feb. 5, six days after the explosion of a Zenit-3SL rocket destroyed SES New Skies’ NSS-8 satellite. “While the Odyssey sustained some damage, her structural integrity is intact and all marine systems...

BSkyB has reached a two-year agreement with the Rugby Football League (RFL) to screen live National League One and Two rugby leagues. Live coverage will begin in April. In Germany, pay-TV operator Premiere and partner Sportrechte Marketing won a deal from the English Premier League to broadcast the league until the end of the 2009-2010...

SES Americom’s AMC-18 satellite completed in-orbit tests and has begun operations, the company announced Feb. 1. Built by Lockheed Martin and placed into orbit in December by an Arianespace Ariane 5 rocket, AMC-18 will provide broadcast coverage throughout North America, the Caribbean and Mexico from its orbital slot at 105° East.

NASA signed Space Act agreements with PlanetSpace Inc. and Transformational Space Corp. to support the companies’ development of commercial systems that could transport humans and cargo to low-Earth orbit, the agency announced Feb. 1. Under the agreements, NASA will not provide any funding for the work under the agency’s Commercial Crew and Cargo Program, but...