Technology

Thrane & Thrane Brings Tracking And Lifeline To Commercial Fisherman

Thrane & Thrane Inc. unveiled its Sailor VMS Systems, which provides global connectivity for commercial fisherman on Inmarsat-C, a network for safety at sea and global maritime communications.

Thrane & Thrane is a VMS vendor approved by the U.S. National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service. Thrane’s systems will work nationally, pending NOAA’s approval for the Northeast Region. (Thrane & Thrane, Inc.; 509 Viking Drive, Suites K, L & M, Virginia Beach, VA 23452; Tel: 757/463-9557; Fax: 757/463-9581; Web: http://www.us.thrane.com)

Datapath Unveils New Portable Communications Solution

Datapath Inc. introduced its ET 2750Q Portable terminal for ground multiband communications. The fly-away terminal enables users to establish voice, data and video communications links in remote areas where no information technology infrastructures exist or are accessible.

The system provides simultaneous dual carrier transmission in four bands — C-, X-, Ku- and military Ka-band — and Internet protocol (IP) connectivity. The system also supports dual antenna configurations and baseband connectivity to other IP devices. (DataPath, Inc.; 2450 Satellite Boulevard, Duluth, GA 30096-5801; Tel: 678/597-0300; Fax: 678/597-0301; web: http://www.datapath.com)

Spacedev Introduces Modular Microsatellite

Spacedev unveiled a high-performance microsatellite product, the Spacedev Modular Microsatellite Bus (MMB-100), which is expected to cost less than $10 million, not including the payload and integration.

The 100-kilogram microsatellite is based on industry-standard plug-and-play interfaces, including Ethernet and USB, and uses a Linux operating system and COBRA-based object oriented interfaces for subsystems as well as commanding from the ground via the Internet.

The MMB-100 is designed to be a secondary payload on a Boeing Delta 4 or Lockheed Martin Atlas 5 launch vehicle or the primary payload on smaller vehicles such as Space Exploration Corp.’s Falcon 1 and Orbital Sciences Corp.’s Pegasus. (SpaceDev Inc.; 13855 Stowe Drive, Poway, CA. 92064; Tel: 858/375.2012; Web: http://www.spacedev.com)

Services

Alcatel Teams Up With UNESCO, ESA

Alcatel Alenia Space is teaming up with UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) and the European Space Agency (ESA) for the SpaceForScience program, which provides telecoms and multimedia satellite services for education and research institutes in southeastern Europe.

SpaceForScience, launched by UNESCO in 2001, is part of an initiative to strengthen scientific cooperation in southeast Europe.

Asiasat Launches Asiasat 2 Platform From Hong Kong

Asia Satellite Telecommunications Co. Ltd. (Asiasat) established a new distribution platform for television broadcasting aboard the Asiasat 2 spacecraft. The Multiple Channels per Carrier (MCPC) DVB platform will provide video, audio, data and Internet protocol-based broadcast services via the company’s Tai Po ground station in Hong Kong. Using a 36- megahertz C-band transponder on Asiasat 2, this platform initially will support up to 10 digital television channels.

Digitalglobe To Offer Satellite Imagery On The Web

Digitalglobe and Valtus Imagery Services, a division of Northwest Geomatics Ltd., entered into a three-year data distribution partnership to offer Digitalglobe’s high- resolution commercial satellite imagery to Valtus customers.

Valtus customers who subscribe to the company’s Vista and Views online services will be able to access Digitalglobe’s 60-centimeter resolution Quickbird satellite imagery in addition to Valtus’ inventory of aerial data.

Valtus primarily serves the energy market in Canada but has customers in other markets, including real estate, telecom and federal and provincial Canadian government agencies. Valtus also is looking to expand into the United States.

Globecast Launches IPTV Headend

Globecast unveiled its new technical operations center in Miami, designated to support the company’s newly inaugurated Internet protocol TV (IPTV) Super Headend. The Super Headend is capable of aggregating hundreds of television signals from around the globe in MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 and providing IP encapsulation and retransmission of content via satellite for distribution to local IPTV headends across North America.

The upgrade of the Miami facility is a central component to Globecast’s plan to expand its offering of fully managed content delivery services for IP-based video and rich media. All current and future IPTV services provided by Globecast will originate from the Miami center.

Contracts

AAE Systems Receives Teleport Contract

AAE Systems Inc. (AAE) announced a contract award for system and network architecture design services, as well as the supply, installation and management of the first phase for a teleport in the Persian Gulf region.

The teleport will be the start of a gateway for the Middle East, offering services through a large number of proposed facilities, enabling satellite links with an optical fiber backbone. The teleport will be an essential component of the global Internet infrastructure, offering voice, data and video on demand in Star, Mesh and hybrid topologies. Organizations serving local regions, including telemedicine, oil and gas, governmental entities, tele-education and NGOs will benefit. The Middle East teleport will reduce dependency on distance Network Access Points and provide significant cost savings.

Teleport access will be focused on the Middle East, Near east, Western Asia, Africa and surrounding regions — especially in locations with no direct inter-ISP connectivity.

Comtech Receives Satellite Modem Order

Comtech Telecommunications Corp. announced that its Tempe, Arizona-based subsidiary, Comtech EF Data Corp., received an order valued at more than $1 million from satellite operator Chinasat Communications Group to supply Comtech EF Data’s CDM-600 Satellite Modem. Chinasat will deploy the modems in a GSM network to support telephony services in rural areas throughout the region.

DRS Receives $38 Million in New Orders

DRS Technologies Inc. won new contracts valued at $38 million, including options, to design and develop infrared sensors for next-generation imaging systems slated for use on future Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES).

The spacecraft, operated and funded by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under the direction of NASA, will gather infrared and radar data to help improve weather forecasting and provide early warnings of severe weather systems.

Initial funding of $8.2 million was received by DRS from ITT Industries Inc.’s Space Systems Division, located in Fort Wayne, Ind.

EADS Astrium Nabs Contract For Swarm Satellites

EADS Astrium received an 86 million euros ($101.04 million) contract from the European Space Agency to build three satellites for the Swarm mission.

The mission will provide detailed data on the geomagnetic field and its temporal evolution, giving insights into improving knowledge of the Earth’s interior and climate. The mission also will analyze the sun’s influence on the Earth and is expected to help provide better forecasting of radiation hazards in space and improved navigation and exploration for new resources on Earth.

The three satellites are scheduled for launch in 2010.

Harris Wins Contract For GOES-R Satellite Ground Segment

Harris Corp. received a six-month, $2.8 million Program Definition and Risk Reduction contract from Boeing Co. for the ground-processing segment of the next-generation U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-R).

Harris is responsible for the design and development of the ground segment, including a data processing and command-and-control ground prototype for the overall satellite system architecture. Value of the work for Harris could reach $8 million by 2007 if NOAA exercises all options.

Boeing, Lockheed Martin and the team of Northrop Grumman and Raytheon received contracts from NOAA, which is expected to select a winner in 2007. GOES-R, scheduled for launch in 2012, will provide higher resolution and data frequency than the current GOES spacecraft family.

ILC Teams with Envivio to Roll out IPTV offerings

ILC and Envivio Inc. have partnered to help service providers roll out IPTV services. Pairing ILC’s network control software Maxview with Envivio’s complete line of MPEG-4 encoders, middleware and decoders, the two companies have created solutions that allow service providers to roll out and manage premium IPTV services such as video on demand, digital video recording and interactive TV.

Iridium Satellite To Equip Far East Ship Management Company

Great Circle Shipping, a Bangkok-based ship management company, is fitting 34 of its bulk cargo carriers with Thrane & Thrane’s maritime Iridium terminals under a service contract with Singapore Telecommunications Limited (Singtel).

The systems will provide voice and e-mail for the ship’s business and crew.

Loral Skynet To Provide Distance Learning In Brazil

Loral Skynet do Brasil received a contract from Universidade de Santo Amaro to provide Ku-band services for a distance-learning initiative. The Sao Paulo, Brazil-based university will use Skynet’s Estrela do Sul-1 satellite to broadcast courses to four locations initially, with expansion to more than 100 sites throughout Brazil planned by next month.

Executive Moves

Digitalglobe Appoints New President, CEO; Satterlee Remains Chairman

Jill Smith has been named president and CEO of Digitalglobe, replacing Herb Satterlee. Smith most recently served as president and CEO of software company EDial, which was acquired by Alcatel in September 2004.

Satterlee will remain chairman of Digitalglobe and work with the company’s defense and intelligence business unit, managing global government relations.

Echostar Names New Board Member

Echostar Communications Corp. announced that Gary Howard has joined the company’s board of directors. Howard also will serve on the Nominating and Compensation Committees of Echostar’s board.

Howard served as executive vice president and COO of Liberty Media Corp. from July 1998 to February 2004 and also served on Liberty’s board of directors from July 1998 to January 2005.

Intelsat Appoints VP of Investor Relations And Corporate Communications

Intelsat announced that Dianne VanBeber has returned to the company in an expanded role, having been appointed vice president of investor relations and corporate communications. VanBeber will be responsible for Intelsat’s relationship with analysts, investors and the financial community at large.

Prior to joining Intelsat, VanBeber was vice president of investor relations at Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. From 1994 to 1998, she served in a variety of positions at GE Capital Spacenet Services.

MSV Appoints Donald Stout To Lead Patent Management Strategy

Mobile Satellite Ventures (MSV) has reached an agreement with Donald Stout to lead MSV’s patent licensing and enforcement efforts. Stout brings to MSV an extensive legal and business experience in the management and enforcement of patents. He is the founder and chief strategist of NTP, where he prepared the original NTP patents and managed NTP’s patent litigation strategy.

Orbimage Adds Board Member

Orbimage Inc. announced that James Simon Jr., has joined the board of directors of parent company Orbimage Holdings Inc.

Simon served as the assistant director of the Central Intelligence for Administration from 1999 until his retirement in 2003. Following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C., Simon was named the senior intelligence official for homeland security.

He now serves as the founding director of the Reston, Va.-based Microsoft Institute for Advanced Technology in Governments.

Path 1 Appoints New CEO, Names Interim CFO

Tom Tulliehas took over as CEO of Path 1 Network Technologies. Tullie comes to Path 1 from Applied Micro Circuits Corp. (AMCC), where he spent nine years in a variety of executive management positions, most recently as COO of AMCC and president and CEO of AMCC Sales Corp.

Separately, Path 1 announced it promoted Jeremy Ferrell, the company’s controller, to the position of interim CFO.

Sirius Satellite Radio Appoints Executives

Sirius Satellite Radio announced that it appointed Stan Kozlowski as senior vice president of strategic sales development, and Mike Roberts as vice president of retail distribution.