EMS Technologies Wins Iridium Next Hardware Contract

EMS Technologies’ Defense and Space Division has been contracted by Iridium’s prime contractor Thales Alenia Space to provide L-band communications hardware for the Iridium Next constellation.

The five-year production award will see EMS provide Iridium Next’s fast switch matrix system. EMS will ramp-up its manufacturing process to meet Iridium’s hardware delivery schedules and launch timetable. Launches are expected to begin in 2015.

Iridium Next aims to support L-band data speeds of 1.5 Mbps for up to 3 million subscribers.
 

Intelsat Selects Integral’s Epoch IPS to Manage Satellites

Integral Systems was selected by Intelsat to provide Epoch Integrated Product Suite (IPS) satellite command and control software to manage the Intelsat 21 and Intelsat 22 satellites.

The Intelsat satellites are based on Boeing’s mid-power 702 satellite bus. The contract includes options to support additional Boeing 702 satellites.

In addition to the Boeing satellites, Intelsat also will use Integral Systems’ Epoch IPS as the command and control platform for three Loral 1300 satellites that it will operate for third parties from its East and West Coast control centers.
 

Newsat Receives service contract from U.S. Military

Australian satellite operator NewSat received a $4.4 million contract from the U.S. Department of Defense to provide communications services to U.S. military troops stationed in Afghanistan.

Beginning in June, NewSat will provide satellite communication services to more than 15 U.S. military locations in Afghanistan via the company’s first geostationary communications satellite, Jabiru-1. The contract includes an option to extend the arrangement for an additional year.

Vizada Wins GSA Schedule 70 FCSA Contract Vehicle

Vizada was awarded a U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule 70 Future Comsatcom Services Acquisition (FCSA) contract to provide U.S. government and military customers access to Vizada’s portfolio of mobile satellite services.

Vizada will offer Inmarsat, Iridium and Thuraya products and services under the FCSA program’s Schedule 70 SIN 132-55 contract vehicle, which will replace the Satcom 2 and DITCO MSS programs when they expire in May 2012.