Arianespace Wins Contract for 10 Galileo Satellites

The European Space Agency (ESA) has selected Arianespace to launch the first 10 Full Operational Capability (FOC) satellites in Europe’s Galileo satellite positioning system.

The contract, managed by ESA on behalf of the European Union, will see Arianespace launch the 10 FOC satellites into a circular orbit in pairs starting in December 2012. Arianespace will use five Soyuz launchers operated from the Guiana Space Center to orbit the satellites, which are being built by OHB Technology of Germany and Surrey Satellite Technology of the United Kingdom. Arianespace also will launch the first four operational satellites in the constellation as part of the In Orbit Validation program starting at the end of 2010.

Arianespace and subsidiary Starsem previously placed the Giove-A and Giove-B satellites in orbit.
 

Harris Buys Telstar 11N Capacity for Next-Gen Maritime Service

Harris Maritime Communications Services signed a multi-year agreement with Telesat to purchase Telstar 11N capacity over the Atlantic Ocean region.

Harris will use the capacity to launch its next-generation IP voice, video and data service for the maritime market. Harris is landing the Telstar 11N service at their primary teleport in Melbourne, Fla., using a networking platform provided by iDirect.
 

Intelsat General Awarded Five-Year Military Broadband Contract

Intelsat General was awarded an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract to provide C-, Ku-, and X-band satellite resources, ground stations, terrestrial backhaul, and bandwidth management services to the U.S. Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command’s commercial broadband satellite program.

The contract is worth a guaranteed minimum of $10 million, with a maximum value of $542.7 million. The U.S. Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization will administrate the contract.

Intelsat General will provide its services to the U.S. Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command for five years at various locations around the world, starting immediately and ending in January 2015.
 

SatLink Lands Broadcast Deal

Distribution services provider SatLink Communications has signed a long-term deal with Eurovision to provide turnaround services for contribution feeds to and from Asia.

Satlink, which distributes video content via a worldwide hybrid system of fiber optic networks and satellites, will turn around Eurovision’s sports and news transmissions in HD and SD formats to broadcasters and operators throughout the Asian continent. SatLink will receive Eurovision’s transmissions by fiber and uplink them on the AsiaSat-5 satellite.
 

SES Inks Digital Signage deal

SES World Skies signed a DVB service deal with U.S. content delivery firm Microspace to offer retail digital signage services throughout Europe.

SES and Microspace will use the NSS-7 satellite to enable clothing retailers to expand the reach of their North American branding initiatives, which are delivered over the AMC-1 spacecraft, to Europe.
 

Spacecom Signs AsiaSat 2, SpaceX Contracts

Israeli satellite operator Spacecom has purchased exclusivity on the AsiaSat 2 satellite from AsiaSat,.

As a result of the deal, the C- and Ku-band satellite, formerly located at 100.5 degrees East orbital, was renamed Amos-5i and relocated to 17 degrees East to provide a variety of services over the African continent until Amos-5 becomes operational in mid-2011.

Spacecom also contracted AsiaSat to provide satellite operation and telemetry, tracking and control services for Amos-5i.

Spacecom also signed a contract with SpaceX to launch a communication satellite aboard a Falcon 9 rocket as early as December 2012. Spacecom will use the satellite to provide broadcasting and communications services to operators and broadcasters.
 

ViaSat Wins MIDS JTRS Order

ViaSat has been awarded a $14.4 million limited production order from the U.S. Department of Defense for Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio System (MIDS JTRS) terminals.

ViaSat will produce 41 terminals for the U.S. Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) under the MIDS indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract awarded in January 2000. The MIDS JTRS terminals are for F/A-18E/F and E-8C aircraft and spares.