FTMSC Signs New Emergency Telecoms Deal

France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications (FTMSC) signed a new deal with Télécoms Sans Frontieres (TSF) to develop an emergency mobile satellite communications system. The deal was announced at International Aid & Trade, a trade show dedicated to humanitarian aid, relief and development meeting in Geneva.
    FTMSC already is an official partner to TSF, which specializes in emergency telecoms including deploying telecom centers to emergency sites within 24 hours after a major incident.

General Dynamics To Provide Ground Components For German Military Program

General Dynamics C4 Systems will supply tactical antennas and radio support equipment to the German Armed Forces for the SATCOMBw Step 2 Program, General Dynamics announced.
    SATCOMBw Step 2 will create a complete satellite communications infrastructure under the control of the German Armed Forces. The program comprises a fleet of geosynchronous satellites, mobile satellite communications terminals, strategic communications ground stations, a network control system and the expansion of existing satellite anchor stations. The system is scheduled to be implemented incrementally beginning in 2007.
Under the contract from ND SatCom Defence GmbH of Friedrichshafen, Germany, General Dynamics will provide 2.4-meter tactical antennas, 4.6-meter tactical antennas and fixed antenna installations ranging in size from 6.3 meters to 13.1 meters as well as radio support equipment.
    The total value of the contract would be about $30 million if all options are exercised through 2014.

Gilat To Provide Backhaul Services For African Operator

Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. will supply its SkyAbis CDMA2000 to provide satellite backhaul for an unnamed African telecommunications operator’s network, Gilat announced. Gilat will install more than 150,000 fixed phone lines based on a variety of backhaul technologies.

Globecomm Systems Awarded $1.2 Million Contract From American Enterprise Services Provider

Globecomm Systems Inc., a global provider of end-to-end, value-added, satellite-based communications systems, has been awarded a $1.2 million satellite infrastructure contract from a major American enterprise services provider in the United States, Globecomm announced.
    Globecomm will design, engineer and install a turnkey satellite earth station with all its related subsystems. It anticipates completion of the project within the next five months.

Hisdesat Wins Belgian Military Communications Contract

Hisdesat has entered a contract with the Belgium Ministry of Defense to provide X-band communications services using the Xtar-Eur and Spainsat satellites.
The ministry ordered fixed capacity for an initial period and reserves the right to order additional capacity at an agreed price. The contract will be tacitly renewed annually for an indefinite term, Hisdesat said.
    Located at 29° East, Xtar-Eur carries a dozen X-band transponders covering from Eastern Brazil and the Atlantic Ocean, across Europe, Africa and the Middle East to Southeast Asia. Spainsat has eight X-band transponders and is located at 30° West, providing coverage from the Eastern Pacific Ocean to Iraq.

International Datacasting Wins Contract From Shin Broadband For New Asia IPTV Service

International Datacasting Corp. (IDC) has been awarded a contract by Shin Broadband Internet of Thailand to provide software for a next-generation Internet protocol TV service in Asia, IDC announced.
Shin Broadband Internet pushes high-definition movies over Shin Satellite’s IPStar to customers throughout Asia. IDC’s Datacast XD Content Management and Distribution software will be used to manage the delivery of the content. IDC also is responsible for project management and system integration,

Interstate Electronics Awarded Homeland Security Contract

Interstate Electronics Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of L-3 Communications Corp., has been awarded a pre-production contract by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for 3-dimensional locators using Integrated GPS Indoor Navigation Technology developed by Interstate Electronics, the company announced.
    The contract, awarded by the by Advanced Research Project Agency, is an initial step by the agency to provide a means of accurately identifying the location of emergency response personnel in disaster or emergency situations, including 3-D positions of all personnel in a response team, even from within buildings and structures. Under the contract, IEC will produce more than four dozen units for test and evaluation. Once fully operational, the locators will have potential applications for police, fire and emergency medical personnel.

Lockheed Martin To Provide Control Centers For Inmarsat

Lockheed Martin has received a contract from Inmarsat to develop enabling technology for Inmarsat’s mobile satellite network, Lockheed Martin announced.
    Under the $36.5 million contract, Lockheed Martin will deliver and install three network control center/gateways that will provide connectivity to public terrestrial networks.
    Inmarsat plans to implement a global network in 2008 that will expand its market reach into the commercial handheld mobile satellite service market. The network will rely on existing Inmarsat I-4 satellites and dual-mode global system for mobile communications/satellite handheld terminals.

MDA Wins Advanced Technology Contracts

MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA) received two advanced technology contracts from EADS Astrium to provide a pair of data reception and transmission subsystems, MDA announced.
    One of the advanced communication satellite solutions is for the German Ministry of Defense, while the second is for an advanced broadcasting solution for Eutelsat.
The combine value of the awards is about 13.2 million Canadian dollars ($11.2 million).
    In separate news, MDA announced the company will provide a data reception and transmission subsystem that will be used in an advanced solution for two Yamal-300 satellites for Russian operator Gascom.
    The contract, valued at about $14 million, was awarded to MDA by Japan’s Sumitomo Corp., which is providing an antenna and repeater system for Gascom under a $44 million contract signed in July.

Norsat Receives Order From Global TV

Norsat International Inc. has received an order from Global TV to supply a turnkey satellite newsgathering system, Norsat announced.
    Global TV, a division of CanWest Media Works, is a Canadian broadcast network that reaches 96 percent of English-speaking Canada. The turnkey solution includes the supply of a portable satellite terminal, training and maintenance. Financial details were not disclosed.

NovAtel, AGCO Sign Deal For Next-Generation Tractor Navigation System

NovAtel Inc., a precise positioning technology company, has signed a long-term agreement to supply a precision positioning subsystem to AGCO Corp. of Duluth, Ga., for the company’s Auto-Guide Satellite Navigation System, NovAtel announced.
    Auto-Guide provides satellite navigation-based, auto-steering capabilities for agriculture machines. The system also provides fuel and economic efficiency information to operators.
    The next-generation Auto-Guide is being introduced in Europe and North America on selected Fendt, Massey-Fergusson and Challenger series tractors.

Russia, India Sign Agreements On Glonass Navigation System

Russia and India signed two cooperation agreements for Russia’s global space navigation system, Glonass, to be used by Moscow’s longtime partner in the military- technical sector. Glonass, a Russian version of the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS), is designed for both military and civilian purposes to identify their positions in real time. It can also be used in geological prospecting.
    According to the Russian agency RIA Novosti, Moscow and New Delhi have agreed to launch Glonass-M satellites with the help of Indian booster rockets, and to create new- generation navigation satellites.
    The Russian government plans to have 18 satellites in orbit by late 2007 or early 2008, and a full orbital group of 24 satellites by the end of 2009. Tests on Glonass-K satellites are scheduled for 2007.

Space Systems/Loral Wins Contract For EchoStar’s Direct Broadcast TV Satellite

Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) has been awarded a contract to manufacture a direct broadcast satellite for EchoStar Orbital Corp. 2, a subsidiary of EchoStar Communications Corp., SS/L announced.
    EchoStar-14, based on SS/L’s 1300 platform, will provide expanded services and flexibility for Dish Network, which has more than 13 million subscribers.

Surrey Wins ESA Contract For Smallsat Development

Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. has been awarded a development contract from the European Space Agency (ESA) to continue work on a geostationary small satellite platform, the company announced.
    Under the contract, valued at 2.3 million British pounds ($4.5 million), Surrey will extend its work on the Geostationary Minisatellite Platform.
    Surrey began work on this program under the British National Space Center’s Micro-Satellite Application in Collaboration (MOSAIC) program. Under MOSAIC, Surrey developed ESA’s Giove-A satellite, the first test satellite for the Galileo program, which was placed into orbit in December 2005.

TCS Receives Contract For Satellite Spectrum Management System

TeleCommunication Systems Inc. (TCS) has been awarded a 12-month contract by the U.S. Army to support the Wideband Gapfiller Satellite (WGS) system, TCS announced.
    Under the contract, valued at more than $700,000, TCS will perform spectrum management at two Wideband Satellite Communications Operations Centers in support of the first WGS Block I satellite, which is scheduled to be launched in mid-2007. TCS also will provide post-launch support testing for four to six months.
    The contract is the fourth awarded to TCS through the five-year, $5 billion World-Wide Satellite Systems contract to support all federal communications missions, including disaster relief and homeland security efforts.

Thales To Provide NATO With Secure, Jam-Proof Satellite Communications

Thales was awarded a contract to supply NATO with an electronic protective measures modem system to support satellite communications and associated control capabilities.
    The system is intended to reinforce the availability, confidentiality and integrity of NATO’s voice and data communications against potential jamming, interference and intrusion threats. The system also will provide interoperable operations with joint multi-national forces.
    Thales will provide adaptation, integration and training as well as support services.

ViaSat Wins Telecentros Ecuador Satellite Network Hub

ViaSat Inc. will supply its LinkStar DVB-S2 satellite networking system to Unete Telecomunicaciones SA of Bolivia to expand enterprise broadband services in Ecuador and the surrounding region, ViaSat announced.
    The contract includes ViaSat’s recently awarded Telecentros Comunitarios Ecuador contract, issued by the national organizations Conam and Conatel. Valued at about $6 million, the deal includes installation and integration of a satellite network hub in Ecuador plus 1,200 LinkStar S2 terminals. Deliveries of the hub, networking equipment and first shipment of broadband VSAT terminals are expected to continue into the second half of 2007.