Microcom's Space Newsfeed 22 June 2003

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Microcom's Space Newsfeed 22 June 2003 #526 Mon 23 Jun 2003 07:06:AM
Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 129 M Mike Armstrong-Smith OP Astronaut Level 3
OP Mike Armstrong-Smith Astronaut Level 3 M Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 129	Microcom's Space Newsfeed 22 June 2003<br />Space Industry News from Around the World<br /><br />********************************************************************<br /><br />Published by Microcom Systems Ltd, consultants in satellite communications since 1985. http://www.microcomsystems.co.uk<br /><br />Publishers of the Handbook of Satellite Services in Europe, the definitive guide to European satellite communications: http://www.microcomsystems.co.uk/pubs/ssie.html. April 2003 issue now available. Also available online - get a temporary password to review the Handbook by sending a blank email to review@satelliteonthenet.co.uk.<br /><br />Other web resources from Microcom Systems:<br /><br />Satellite Industry Links: the largest free satellite and space industry directory on the web http://www.satellite-links.co.uk<br /><br />Satellite on the Net: white papers, industry events, launch information and space bookshop http://www.satelliteonthenet.co.uk<br /><br />Jobs in Space: space industry recruitment http://www.space-jobs.co.uk<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Advertise on Microcom's websites and reach over 20,000 space and satellite industry professionals each month. http://www.spacenewsfeed.co.uk/ratecard.html<br /><br />******************************************************************<br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Contents<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Satcoms:<br />Alcatel Space Signs Contract for Star One C1 Satellite<br />Alcatel Space to Supply First RASCOM Comsat<br />Demonstrating DVB-RCS Interoperability<br />EMS Satellite Networks and Alcatel Partner to Deliver "DSL in the Sky"<br />EMS Technologies Delivers Last of Three Antennas for Inmarsat-4<br />HNS Supplies GiTy with Broadband Equipment<br />HNS to Supply Thuraya Gateway to TM SAT<br />Remote Alaskan Community 'Plugged In' to the Internet<br />SES Astra Procures Two Satellites from Lockheed Martin<br />TM SAT Orders DirecWay Network<br /><br />Earth Observation:<br />Alaska Uses QuickBird Satellite Imagery for Fire Response<br />Canadian Emergency Preparedness Agency Purchases Ikonos Imagery<br /><br />Navigation:<br />Galileo Sistemas y Servicios Becomes Full Equity Partner in Galileo Industries<br /><br />Science:<br />Webb Spacecraft Science and Operations Centre Contract Awarded<br /><br />Manned Space:<br />Analex Receives New NASA Tasks On Orbital Space Plane<br />ATV Gets Go-Ahead<br /><br />Technology:<br />Aerojet Successfully Tests RBCC Single Thruster<br />Alcatel and EADS Astrium Sign AlphaBus Agreement<br /><br />Launch Services:<br />30 Ariane 5 Launchers Ordered<br />Arianespace and ELV Sign Vega Agreement<br /><br />Launches:<br />Molniya 3-53<br /><br />Business:<br />Alcatel joins SES Global and Gilat Satellite Networks in Satlynx<br />ND SatCom Opens Middle Eastern Branch<br />Orbital Announces Cash Tender Offer<br />SpaceDev Closes on US$ 1 Million Revolving Credit Facility<br />Trimble Acquires Applanix<br /><br />Products and Services:<br />Envisat Now Available from Radarsat International<br /><br />People:<br />Galileo Joint Undertaking Appoints Director<br /><br />******************************************************************<br />******************************************************************<br /><br />The Australian GPS Society Inc is proud to host SatNav 2003 - The 6th International Conference on Satellite Navigation Technology Including Mobile Positioning and Location Services. This is being held at the Grand Hyatt Melbourne from 22-25 July 2003. Please go to http://www.gps-society.org for further information and free membership of the Society.<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />EEBC 2003<br /><br />The broadband event demanded by the industry in Central and Eastern Europe. Aims to harmonise and accelerate growth throughout the region to achieve the full triple-play services of video, data and telephony for Cable and Wireless TV systems. Will include Technical Training, Seminars, Industry Conference, Exhibition, Forum of Program Providers, Congress of CATV Organisations. www.eebc.com.ua<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Bolton Associates - Corporate Strategies applies 21st. Century thinking for the Earth Observation, SatCom and Environment Industries that penetrate new markets using creative commercial Risk models and innovation.<br /><br />Visit us at http://www.BoltonAssociates.com and/or download our Power Point presentation http://www.microcomsystems.co.uk/ads/EOConsult.ppt [131Kb]<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Space Bookshop - books for space professionals.<br />http://www.satelliteonthenet.co.uk/book.html<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Satellite Internet access in Africa, Europe and the Middle East<br />http://www.satelliteonthenet.co.uk/internet1.html<br /><br />******************************************************************<br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Satcoms<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Alcatel Space Signs Contract for Star One C1 Satellite<br /><br />(17 June 2003) Alcatel Space has announced the signature of a new US$ 190 million contract with the Brazilian satellite operator Star One for the construction and the in-orbit delivery of the telecommunications satellite Star One C1 for Latin America.<br /><br />The Star One C1 mission and in-orbit positioning has been modified since the first contract signed last year.<br /><br />Based on Alcatel Space Spacebus 3000B3 platform, Star One C1 will be launched by the end of 2005 by Ariane 5 and will be positioned at 65° West. The first satellite in the C series and fitted with 37 transponders in C and Ku bands, Star One C1 will replace the Brasilsat B2 satellite in the C band and will provide South America with high speed Internet and multimedia capacity.<br /><br />The satellite financing is in its final negotiation phase.<br /><br />(source: Alcatel Space)<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Alcatel Space to Supply First RASCOM Comsat<br /><br />(16 June 2003) Alcatel Space has signed a US$ 150 million contract with RascomStar-QAF, the pan-African satellite service operator, to build and deliver in orbit the first RASCOM telecommunication satellite dedicated to the African continent. Alcatel Space will supply both the in-orbit delivered satellite and its associated ground infrastructure including the mission, business, and ground control segments.<br /><br />Under an agreement with RASCOM, the Regional African Satellite Communication Organisation, representing the interests of 44 African telecommunications operators, RascomStar-QAF has the responsibility to implement by 2006 the first African satellite telecommunication system covering the whole continent. This satellite will offer RascomStar-QAF the capability to provide fixed voice, data telecommunications and Internet access as well as broadcasting satellite services to the whole African continent, although its footprint extends beyond Africa to include part of Europe and of the Middle East.<br /><br />Based on the flight proven Spacebus 3000B3 platform, this high performance, high capacity satellite will provide a pan-African coverage with multiple spot beams based on 12 Ku and 8 C bands transponders. The system's ground networks will include gateway Earth stations and low-cost, solar powered rural terminals.<br /><br />In 1999 Alcatel Space was awarded the RASCOM international bid to establish a strategic partnership with RASCOM and create a Project company to develop, finance, build, launch and operate, under an Execution Agreement, a satellite system located at 2.9° East.<br /><br />RASCOM, a pan-African intergovernmental, commercial satellite organisation, has a membership of 44 African countries. To achieve its mission, RASCOM has entered into a strategic partnership with RascomStar-QAF which has, under an Execution Agreement, the responsibility to implement the RASCOM telecommunications satellite system dedicated to the African continent.<br /><br />RascomStar-QAF is a private Company registered in Port-Louis Mauritius which through a strategic partnership with RASCOM is in charge the RASCOM dedicated Telecommunication satellite System for Africa, offering a wide range of services to the whole telecommunication community, from public to private operators to TV Broadcasting Companies and Internet Service Providers.<br /><br />(source: Alcatel Space)<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Demonstrating DVB-RCS Interoperability<br /><br />(20 June 2003) EMS Satellite Networks, Nera Broadband Satellite AS and the Newtec Group have successfully demonstrated DVB-RCS open standard interoperability of their broadband satellite products. Each company has completed initial validation of the interoperability of its DVB-RCS terminal with the other two companies' DVB-RCS hubs.<br /><br />This is a major milestone for ESA's SatLabs initiative, establishing the first basis for certification of interoperability for the DVB-RCS open standard. SatLabs will now work with test-houses to formalise DVB-RCS interoperability certification based on this work and make it available to all DVB-RCS manufacturers world-wide.<br /><br />The European Space Agency's SatLabs Group is an open industry organisation working for compliance and interoperability of DVB-RCS systems. The mission of SatLabs is to complement the DVB-RCS standard with recommendations and guidelines to facilitate DVB-RCS terminal interoperability, and to provide a mechanism for formal DVB-RCS interoperability certification.<br /><br />Interoperability is one of the core benefits of the DVB-RCS open standard. Until the advent of DVB-RCS, satellite communications and very small aperture terminal (VSAT) customers had no choice but to make significant, and often long-term commitments to proprietary systems for two-way broadband access via satellite. Interoperability will give customers the choice of purchasing from one or several vendors throughout the lifetime of their systems, thereby fostering competition among vendors and accelerating cost efficiencies and performance improvements in DVB-RCS equipment.<br /><br />(source: EMS Technologies)<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />EMS Satellite Networks and Alcatel Partner to Deliver "DSL in the Sky"<br /><br />(19 June 2003) Alcatel Space and EMS Satellite Networks have signed an agreement supporting the "DSL in the Sky" DVB-RCS solution proposed by Alcatel Space. This solution provides satellite operators, telcos and ISPs with DSL-like capabilities enabling the providers to offer broadband services to consumers and/or SMEs over satellite communication networks. This agreement expands on the DVB-RCS preliminary co-operation agreement signed in June 2002.<br /><br />As a result of this agreement, EMS Satellite Networks will provide Alcatel Space with its Return Link Sub-System (RLSS), and its end-user terminals. Alcatel integrates this EMS equipment into its "DSL in the Sky" solution. Among other key features, the "DSL in the Sky" solution supports a complete service management suite enabling service providers to offer broadband access services to end users located outside landline DSL areas. Alcatel markets this solution through its world-wide commercial network.<br /><br />Alcatel has concluded several contracts with satellite and broadband service providers concurrently with the signing of this agreement, and deliveries from EMS Satellite Networks to Alcatel under this agreement that are due over the next few months will help Alcatel fulfil those contracts.<br /><br />(source: Alcatel Space)<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />EMS Technologies Delivers Last of Three Antennas for Inmarsat-4<br /><br />(20 June 2003) EMS Technologies Inc has delivered the last of three Inmarsat-4 L band Antenna Feeds to Astrium Limited in Portsmouth, England.<br /><br />These antenna feed arrays are designed, manufactured and tested by EMS Technologies for the Inmarsat-4 program. The Inmarsat-4 antennas are highly complex, Passive Intermodulation (PIM)-free, 120 element, combined transmit/receive L-Band arrays. PIM is a significant technical issue on any high-power satellite, particularly those that provide mobile satellite services, and the reduction and elimination of PIM is among EMS' core competencies.<br /><br />The Inmarsat-4 Antennas have been designed to support high-speed (up to 432 kb/s) mobile Internet access, video-on-demand, video-conferencing, fax and e-mail for companies across the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia through the Inmarsat Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) program.<br /><br />EMS' multi-element cup-helix L band antenna feeds are considered to be one of the most challenging subsystems of the Inmarsat BGAN program.<br /><br />(source: EMS Technologies)<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />HNS Supplies GiTy with Broadband Equipment<br /><br />(19 June 2003) Hughes Network Systems Inc (HNS) has provided leading Czech telecommunications provider, GiTy, with a DirecWay broadband satellite network, including a central operations centre (NOC) and hub.<br /><br />Currently offering satellite services using HNS' PES VSAT network hub and remote terminals, GiTy is now able to offer new DirecWay broadband services to customers throughout the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Bulgaria. GiTy will be providing high-speed Internet access and business video applications such as distance learning and business television utilising HNS' DW1000 remote satellite terminals. The new NOC enables GiTy to meet the demands of customers in numerous industries, from government agencies to healthcare, banking and energy.<br /><br />HNS has been providing GiTy with VSAT networking equipment since 1995.<br /><br />GiTy is the Czech Republic's leading corporation in the field of telecommunications technologies and maintains an extensive portfolio of products and highly specialised services. GiTy provides LAN solutions, data services including satellite-based VSAT networks, frame relay, fixed wireless access, and Voice over IP (VoIP), services and operational support, and a variety of network services such as analysis, testing, monitoring and network control and management.<br /><br />(source: Hughes Network Systems)<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />HNS to Supply Thuraya Gateway to TM SAT<br /><br />(18 June 2003) Hughes Network Systems Inc (HNS) has signed an agreement valued at US$ 25 million with TM SAT for the provision of a Thuraya gateway earth station. TM SAT, a privately owned Russian telecom service provider, holds the sole rights to distribute and market Thuraya services and products throughout Russia.<br /><br />This is the first contract resulting from the Letter of Intent (LOI) entered into last month between satellite-based service provider, Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications Company; Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC), the Russian Federation's largest satellite operator; TM SAT; and HNS.<br /><br />With a huge satellite footprint over Europe, North and Central Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia, Thuraya's reach covers more than two billion people, including most of the territory of the Russian Republic. In a little more than one year of service, Thuraya has won more than 150,000 subscribers, all utilising the small, cellphone-sized Thuraya handset that combines satellite, GSM cellular and GPS functionality, developed and manufactured by HNS. Boeing is the prime contractor for the satellite platform, while HNS supplies the Thuraya Communications Gateway and Network Management System, in addition to manufacturing Thuraya phones.<br /><br />Under the terms of the contract, the Thuraya Communications gateway and satellite earth station will be installed in Dubna, Russia and will be operated by RSCC on TM SAT's behalf.<br /><br />(source: Hughes Network Systems)<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Remote Alaskan Community 'Plugged In' to the Internet<br /><br />(19 June 2003) SkyFrames Inc has completed the infrastructure installation of its integrated satellite wireless Internet solution in the rural community of Coffman Cove, Alaska. Coffman Cove is a community of 200 residents located 250 miles south of Juneau on Prince of Wales Island. Deployment of the SkyFrames' Satellite system infrastructure from inception to "plug in" was completed in 7 days. SkyFrames' solution now provides the citizens, businesses and city government entities; including the public library, administration building, and business training centre, with a broadband pipe to the world-wide web.<br /><br />Prior to the installation of SkyFrames' Wireless Satellite System, citizens of Coffman Cove wanting access to the Internet had to call long distance via a slow dial-up connection. Under this scenario, a single email could take up to 10 minutes to download. This method was very costly, frustrating and limited. In April 2003, citizens of Coffman Cove voted overwhelmingly to utilise municipal funds to create their own Municipal ISP. As a result of the installation, Coffman Cove now has access to T1 equivalent broadcast speeds across the SkyFrames' Satellite System.<br /><br />The SkyFrames Satellite Broadband Service is a combination of wireless connectivity solutions that includes 802.11 and omni-directional radio frequency antennas. In the Coffman Cove ISP, each subscriber will receive their own IP address and will be responsible for paying monthly broadband charges. Additional network subscribers have already expressed interest and will be signing up during the next few weeks. Other potential subscribers include ferryboats and fishing vessels that pass Coffman Cove. The wireless broadband signal is projected from Prince of Wales Island into a popular commercial waterway.<br /><br />(source: SkyFrames)<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />SES Astra Procures Two Satellites from Lockheed Martin<br /><br />(17 June 2003) SES Astra has awarded a contract to Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems (LMCSS) to design and manufacture two high-powered communications satellites to be deployed at Astra's prime continental European orbital position of 19.2° East. Terms of the contract remain confidential.<br /><br />The spacecraft are due to be launched in the second half of 2005 and in 2006 respectively and will have minimum service lives of 15 years. The satellites will be built on Lockheed's reliable A2100 platform, and designed to be compatible with all flight-proven commercial launch vehicles. SES Astra intends to select the respective launch service providers later on in the year.<br /><br />The first satellite, Astra 1KR, will feature 32 active Ku band transponders in the FSS band, with a TWTA output power of 140 watts and a pan-European footprint. With an expected launch weight of approximately 4200 kilograms the spacecraft's primary mission, following the lost Astra 1K mission of November 2002, will be to replace Astra 1B and 1C launched in 1991 and 1993 respectively.<br /><br />The second satellite will be built in parallel and serves two missions: In case of an Astra 1KR launch failure, it will replace that spacecraft. If the Astra 1KR launch is a success, the second satellite will be reconfigured to include a Ka Band payload and become Astra 1L. It will be designed to replace Astra 1E and to reinforce SES Astra's inter satellite back-up concept at a single orbital position, by providing satellite protection in the Ku (FSS & BSS) and Ka bands. In addition, Astra 1L will ensure further fleet optimisation by allowing the release of Astra 2C from its current location of 19.2° E. The spacecraft will feature 29 active Ku band transponders as well as a 2 transponder Ka band payload for such interactive applications as Astra BBI (Broadband Interactive) and Satmode services (Astra's proposed low-cost satellite return channel for digital set-top boxes). Astra 1L will weight approximately 4300 kilograms upon launch, and also offers a pan-European footprint with a TWTA output of 140 watts.<br /><br />(source: SES Astra)<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />TM SAT Orders DirecWay Network<br /><br />(18 June 2003) Hughes Network Systems Inc has signed an agreement to supply TM SAT, a privately owned Russian service provider, with a DirecWay broadband satellite network, including a central Network Operations Center (NOC) and remote terminals.<br /><br />TM SAT will offer the full range of DirecWay broadband services to customers throughout Russia, including high-speed Internet access and a variety of broadband business applications, such as distance learning, business television and video conferencing, utilising the comprehensive family of HNS broadband remote satellite terminals. The new NOC will be operated on TM SAT's behalf by the Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC) at its sophisticated operations centre in Dubna, north of Moscow, and has been designed to meet the demands of customers in many sectors, from government agencies, to healthcare, banking, education and energy.<br /><br />TM SAT is a privately owned Russian company set up in 1999 for the development of satellite mobile communications projects. TM SAT is the licensed Russian operator of the Thuraya mobile satellite communications network. The commercial service of Thuraya network in Russia started in May 2003. In parallel, TM SAT has started work on the development of the DirecWay broadband satellite program in Russia in partnership with HNS and RSCC.<br /><br />(source: Hughes Network Systems)<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Earth Observation<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Alaska Uses QuickBird Satellite Imagery for Fire Response<br /><br />(18 June 2003) DigitalGlobe's QuickBird satellite images were recently used by the State of Alaska's Forestry Division to help fire-fighters navigate wildfires. Fires began blazing through forested areas about 80 miles south of Fairbanks on May 26 and have since been contained.<br /><br />The 60-centimeter resolution black-and-white QuickBird images, collected in August 2002, show trails and roads, building structures and fire prone vegetation. Fire-fighters used the images for locational mapping to determine where endangered structures existed, which residents should be evacuated, where emergency personnel should be dispatched and where firelines should be constructed.<br /><br />Large print-outs of the QuickBird images were posted on fire department dispatch walls so fire dispatches could quickly map out response routes, while smaller copies were distributed to division supervisors for key emergency personnel as they were dispatched to fight fires.<br /><br />Wildfires are a common occurrence in the interior of Alaska, where black spruce trees, an extremely fire prone species, are abundant. The 2.44-meter resolution, multispectral QuickBird images were used to identify black spruce as well as trails and ponds. In the past, Alaska fire-fighters had relied on one-inch-to-the-mile quadrangle maps to help them navigate their way around an area during a fire. The quad maps do not indicate trails, roads, structures, vegetation such as black spruce, and many other features important to fire-fighters. QuickBird imagery, by contrast, depicts these details.<br /><br />The Alaska DNR started acquiring QuickBird data in May 2002 to provide basic mapping services for several of the state's local communities. The image products of the Fairbanks area provide a critical resource for emergency service organisations in support of a project called "Community Fire Planning Using GIS," funded by the National Fire Planning Initiative.<br /><br />In addition, QuickBird imagery covering an 11,475 square-mile area in Alaska's Tanana Valley supports a NASA grant the state won in 2001. A long-term goal of the NASA proposal is the development of base data necessary to support fire behaviour software that predicts wildfire spread. The project will include the creation of a database of fuel models based on vegetation mapping to help the Division of Forestry identify fire prone areas, calculate rates of spread and demonstrate parameters associated with fire spread such as fuel types, weather and wind speed.<br /><br />(source: DigitalGlobe)<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Canadian Emergency Preparedness Agency Purchases Ikonos Imagery<br /><br />(18 June 2003) Canada's Office of Critical Infrastructure Protection and Emergency Preparedness (OCIPEP) has purchased 8,800 square km of one-meter Ikonos satellite imagery to be used for routine disaster risk assessment and emergency preparedness along the Canada-United States border.<br /><br />The contract, which was negotiated by Space Imaging reseller PhotoSat Information Ltd, will provide imagery and data for eight border areas and towns including the Yukon-Alaska border, the Quebec-Vermont border, Sault Ste Marie, Sarnia, Windsor and Niagara Falls. The mapping initiative is part of an overall border security effort spearheaded by the Canada/United States Critical Infrastructure Protection Steering Committee, formed after the signing of the 2001 Smart Border Agreement by Canada and the United States. OCIPEP is a member of the committee's mapping subgroup. The value of the contract was not disclosed.<br /><br />PhotoSat is a team of geophysicists and associated geoscientists specialising in the computer processing of satellite image data for the identification, evaluation, monitoring and regulation of natural resources and the mapping of related infrastructure. Their goal is to provide satellite imagery and derived information sets that enable decision makers in the resource industries to make better decisions in less time. Their principal clients are mining, oil and gas, forestry and environmental companies and government agencies.<br /><br />PhotoSat distributes Landsat 7 images and imagery products under sublicense from Natural Resources Canada, the Canada Centre for Remote Sensing (CCRS). Landsat 7 data acquired by CCRS covers all of Canada, Eastern Alaska and most of the continental USA. PhotoSat recently changed its name from Resource GIS and Imaging to reflect the company's increased focus on providing satellite imagery and derived data products. PhotoSat was Space Imaging's largest-volume North American distributor in Q1 2003.<br /><br />(source: Space Imaging)<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Navigation<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Galileo Sistemas y Servicios Becomes Full Equity Partner in Galileo Industries<br /><br />(16 June 2003) Galileo Sistemas y Servicios and Galileo Industries SA have signed a Shareholders Agreement whereby GSS becomes a major (14%) equity partner of Galileo Industries SA. Galileo Sistemas y Servicios (GSS)is the Spanish industrial consortium representing the major Spanish participants in satellite navigation, (AENA, Alcatel Espacio, EADS-CASA, GMV, Hispasat, Indra and Sener).<br /><br />GSS joining Galileo Industries SA equity reinforces the role of the Spanish industries in the European Galileo programmes. Galileo Industries SA was established to respond as the primary (Prime Contractor) roles for the construction of the Galileo System (space and terrestrial networks).<br /><br />GSS major contributions to the Galileo programme will be at system, subsystem and equipment levels, in the Galileo satellites themselves as well as in the Ground Control Segment and Mission Control Segment.<br /><br />(source: Alcatel Space)<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Science<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Webb Spacecraft Science and Operations Centre Contract Awarded<br /><br />(6 June 2003) NASA has awarded the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) the contract to manage the James Webb Space Telescope Science and Operations Control Center.<br /><br />AURA is a non-profit consortium of educational institutions formed to operate astronomical observatories.<br /><br />The contract is for products and services required to prepare the science program; develop ground systems; provide science and engineering support; provide integration and test support; perform educational and public outreach; perform flight and science operations during the launch and commissioning of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).<br /><br />AURA will manage the Science & Operations Control Center at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore. The total estimated contract value is US$ 162.2 million. This procurement will result in a cost-plus-fixed-fee type contract. The period of the contract is from now through launch, plus one year.<br /><br />The JWST is scheduled for launch in 2011 aboard an expendable launch vehicle. It will take about three months for the spacecraft to reach its destination. The JWST will reach an orbit approximately 1.5 million km in space, called the second Lagrange Point (L2), where the spacecraft is balanced between the gravity of the sun and the Earth.<br /><br />To see deep into space, the JWST will carry instruments sensitive to the infrared wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum. The new telescope will carry a near-infrared camera, a multi-object spectrometer and a mid-infrared camera/spectrometer. Infrared capabilities are required to help astronomers understand how galaxies first emerged after the rapid expansion and cooling of the universe, a few hundred million years after the big bang.<br /><br />(source: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Manned Space<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Analex Receives New NASA Tasks On Orbital Space Plane<br /><br />(17 June 2003) Analex Corporation has received new tasks to provide professional and engineering services to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on the Orbital Space Plane (OSP) project. These tasks will total approximately US$ 2 million in additional funding under the Company's Expendable Launch Vehicle Integrated Services (ELVIS) Contract, in support of the NASA's Launch Services Program Office.<br /><br />The Orbital Space Plane project represents a next generation system of space vehicles being designed to provide crew rescue and crew transport to and from the International Space Station, and to transport crews to and from orbit.<br /><br />The new tasks under this award include mission analysis, systems engineering, and special studies aimed at assessing the acceptability of launching the OSP onboard current Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicles (EELV's). Also included are engineering support to specific OSP working groups; in-house independent model development for basic launch vehicles; and general engineering / mission analysis support for reliability enhancement and human rating aspects of EELV's as a launch service for OSP. There is a fifteen month period of performance for these tasks.<br /><br />(source: Analex)<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />ATV Gets Go-Ahead<br /><br />(17 June 2003) The Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) programme has reached a milestone in successfully passing the Critical Design Review (CDR) during which some 140 international space experts expressed their full confidence in the design of the vehicle after analysing 55,000 pages of technical documentation.<br /><br />Over the past three and a half months, around 40 engineers from the RSC Energia, 25 from NASA and over 50 from ESA, CNES and Arianespace conducted a full review of the ATV programme through its extensive documentation (presented in electronic format) and did not find anything wrong which would require a change in the design. Seven panels, each consisting of 15 to 20 people, were charged with thoroughly reviewing the various aspects of the programme, such as avionics, systems, software, structure, thermics, as well as quality and operations. Teams from ESA and prime contractor EADS-LV answered their questions and clarification requests.<br /><br />The Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) will enable ESA to transport payloads to the International Space Station. Its flight planned for September 2004.<br /><br />The purpose of the review was to assess and certify that the ATV design and operations concept meets the requirements for performance, reliability, and safety.<br /><br />In 2000, the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) had to be extended by six months to rethink the overall concept of navigation and guidance, rewrite some specifications and make a few hardware changes. For example, another set of optical sensors (Videometre) was added for rendezvous and docking, and a set of Variable Conductance Heat Pipes (VCHP) was added to cope with large changes in power dissipation in the avionics bay of the spacecraft during orbit.<br /><br />The successful conclusion of the review is important for the ATV programme since 90% of the flight hardware is already built and the final assembly process started. Any design change would have significantly impacted the scheduled launch of Jules Verne set for September 2004.<br /><br />(source: ESA)<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Technology<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Aerojet Successfully Tests RBCC Single Thruster<br /><br />(19 June 2003) Aerojet has completed hot fire test evaluations of a full-scale Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) single thruster, demonstrating the viability of the hydrogen peroxide/JP-7 tri-fluid injector concept. The test, conducted at Aerojet facilities in Sacramento, California, marked a key milestone in NASA's Integrated System Test of an Air-breathing Rocket (ISTAR) program.<br /><br />The Aerojet tri-fluid injector concept uses HTP (decomposed peroxide) - created by a compact, Aerojet-patented, catalyst bed - injected into the main combustion chamber through veins in the main injector for an ignition source. Then, JP-7 fuel and liquid HTP (90 percent liquid peroxide) are introduced and "tri-fluid" combustion is sustained. The hot fire test used HTP and JP-7 fuel in the thruster, which culminated in nearly 300 seconds of duration at chamber pressures that exceeded 1500 psia.<br /><br />Aerojet is a member of the Rocket Based Combined Cycle Consortium (RBC3), which has successfully completed several steps in a series of tests of a full-scale rocket thruster - a crucial element of an RBCC engine system. A total of 72 thrusters will provide rocket propulsion for an RBCC-powered version of a Reusable, Combined Cycle Flight Demonstrator (RCCFD), accelerating the craft to Mach 3.5 and flying to Mach 7 with pure air-breathing ramjet and scramjet modes of operation.<br /><br />The ISTAR program is developing RBCC engine technologies that could, by the end of the decade, enable NASA to flight-test a self-powered hypersonic flight vehicle to more than seven times the speed of sound, demonstrating all modes of engine operation. The ISTAR program is funded by NASA's Next Generation Launch Technologies Program.<br /><br />RBC3 combines the propulsion development skills of the Aerojet missile and space propulsion business unit of GenCorp; the Rocketdyne Propulsion and Power business of the Integrated Defense Systems Unit of The Boeing Company; and the Pratt and Whitney Space Propulsion business unit of United Technologies.<br /><br />(source: Aerojet)<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Alcatel and EADS Astrium Sign AlphaBus Agreement<br /><br />(20 June 2003) Alcatel and EADS Astrium have reached an agreement for the development and joint marketing of satellites that will use European platform AlphaBus to address the high power satellites market.<br /><br />A joint Alcatel Space - EADS Astrium team has been working for two years now, with support from the European Space Agency (ESA) and CNES (Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales), to define a new platform, AlphaBus. It is an innovative, reliable and internationally competitive platform line designed to carry payloads featuring power in excess of 12 kW.<br /><br />The first step of the AlphaBus project provides for the possibility to carry payloads between 12 kW and 18 kW, with a high growth potential. This will greatly reduce the service cost for the user and will allow for new multimedia or mobile, new-generation missions.<br /><br />AlphaBus will include high-technology equipment from European manufacturers, under the joint prime contractorship of Alcatel Space and EADS Astrium.<br /><br />(source: Alcatel Space)<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Launch Services<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />30 Ariane 5 Launchers Ordered<br /><br />(20 June 2003) Arianespace and EADS Space Transportation have signed an "order letter" to initiate production of the "PA batch" of 30 Ariane 5 launchers. This new commitment will allow Arianespace to ensure its launch service continuity.<br /><br />This agreement formalises the new industrial tasking between the two companies, which was approved at the ESA ministerial-level meeting on May 27.<br /><br />EADS Space Transportation is now the sole prime contractor for the Ariane 5 launcher. As a result, the company will manage the totality of contracts covering launch vehicle production, and is to deliver a standardised launcher to Arianespace in French Guiana.<br /><br />Arianespace is in charge of the commercial launch service operation, and manages the production. The company will source the launcher from the prime contractor, adapt it to customer mission requirements, and carry out launch operations at Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.<br /><br />(source: Arianespace)<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Arianespace and ELV Sign Vega Agreement<br /><br />(19 June 2003) ELV and Arianespace have signed a collaboration agreement concerning Vega launcher production and operation at Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.<br /><br />ELV, as industrial prime contractor, will be in charge of production of the launcher's components and integration in French Guiana. As the launcher design authority, it will also participate in final preparations and launch operations.<br /><br />Arianespace is the Vega operator, and is in charge of the launch services contract. At the Guiana Space Center, it will be responsible for Vega launch facilities and integration of the upper segment and satellite. It will also carry out final preparation and launch operations.<br /><br />The organisation for Vega launches is similar to that used for the Ariane and Soyuz programs, to maximise the synergies between these programs.<br /><br />Vega comprises three solid-propellant stages and a fourth stage with a re- ignitable liquid-propellant engine. It is scheduled to start operations in mid-2006. Primarily used for scientific and Earth observation satellites, Vega will be able to boost 1,500 kg into polar orbit at 700 km.<br /><br />Based in Colleferro, Italy, ELV is the industrial prime contractor for the Vega program. Vega is a European Space Agency (ESA) program, financed by Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Sweden. Shareholders are FiatAvio (with 70%) and the Italian space agency (30%).<br /><br />(source: Arianespace)<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Launches<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Molniya 3-53<br /><br />Launched: 19 June 2003<br />Site: Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia<br />Launcher: Molniya M<br />Orbit: MEO, apogee: 40,493 km, perigee: 592 km: inclination: 62.7°<br />International Number: 2003-029A<br />Name: Molniya 3-53<br /><br />Molniya 3-53 is a Russian military communications satellite.<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Business<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Alcatel joins SES Global and Gilat Satellite Networks in Satlynx<br /><br />(19 June 2003) SES Global and Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd, the joint founding shareholders of European 2-way satellite broadband services provider Satlynx, have announced that Alcatel Space and SkyBridge LP, subsidiaries of Alcatel, have joined the company and made an investment which will yield up to a 17.9% stake in the venture.<br /><br />In related agreements, Alcatel, under contract to SES, will expand and provide Satlynx's product line to include a DVB-RCS platform (Digital Video Broadcasting - Return Channel by Satellite), enabling highly efficient two-way broadband Internet access via satellite. Alcatel technological expertise in DVB-RCS open standard solutions will reinforce the Satlynx offering in all market segments and allow the deployment on a large scale of cost effective standard solutions to support the Satlynx services. SES and Gilat have also executed an agreement to fund the development of a low cost, Ka band version of Gilat's popular Skystar 360E family product line.<br /><br />Satlynx was established in May 2002 by SES and Gilat and offers two way satellite broadband access services to telecommunication operators and ISP's on a wholesale basis as well as corporate VSAT services to enterprises.<br /><br />(source: Alcatel)<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />ND SatCom Opens Middle Eastern Branch<br /><br />(16 June 2003) ND SatCom AG of Germany has opened its Middle Eastern Branch in Abu Dhabi.<br /><br />Mr Ulrich Kiebler, President Middle East will head the new ND SatCom subsidiary in Abu Dhabi, that includes highly experienced sales and engineering support. ND SatCom decided to increase its presence in the Middle East due to the area's huge potential for satellite communications solutions especially in the field of broadcast and in vertical markets such as the oil and gas industry and also governmental networks. The geography as well as the strong business orientation require flexible, reliable and innovative solutions.<br /><br />Contact details for the new office are:<br /><br />ND SatCom Abu Dhabi<br />Al Karamah Street 279<br />Villa No 2<br />P.O. Box 70425<br />Abu Dhabi, U.A.E<br />tel: +971 2 443 6531<br />fax: +971 2 443 6650<br />e-mail: ulrich.kiebler@ndsatcom.com<br /><br />(source: ND Satcom)<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Orbital Announces Cash Tender Offer<br /><br />(20 June 2003) Orbital Sciences Corporation has commenced a cash tender offer and consent solicitation for any and all of its US$ 135 million outstanding principal amount of 12% Second Priority Secured Notes due 2006.<br /><br />The Offer is scheduled to expire at 12:00 midnight (EDT), on Friday, July 18, 2003, unless extended or earlier terminated. Holders of the Notes who tender their Notes and deliver consents on or prior to 5:00 pm, (EDT), on Tuesday, July 1, 2003, will receive 105.025% of the principal amount of the Notes validly tendered. Holders who tender their Notes after the Consent Date but prior to the Expiration Date will receive 104% of the principal amount of the Notes validly tendered. In each case, holders who validly tender their Notes shall receive accrued and unpaid interest and liquidated damages on such principal amount of Notes up to, but not including, the applicable payment date.<br /><br />The Offer is subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, including the Company's receipt of valid tenders from holders of at least a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Notes and debt financing sufficient to consummate the Offer on terms acceptable to the Company.<br /><br />(source: Orbital Sciences)<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />SpaceDev Closes on US$ 1 Million Revolving Credit Facility<br /><br />(18 June 2003) SpaceDev has entered into a US$ 1 million revolving credit facility in the form of a three-year Convertible Note with the Laurus Master Fund Ltd.<br /><br />The net proceeds from the Convertible Note, secured by the assets of SpaceDev, will be used for general working capital purposes. Advances on the Convertible Note may be repaid in cash or through the issuance of the Company's common stock. The Convertible Note also includes a right of conversion in favour of Laurus at a fixed conversion price of US$ 0.55 per share, which will be adjusted if and when the first US$ 1 million is converted. In conjunction with this transaction, Laurus received a five-year warrant to purchase up to 200,000 shares of SpaceDev's common stock. SpaceDev will also issue up to an additional 100,000 shares of SpaceDev's common stock with respect to conversion amounts. The note and the warrant(s) contain anti-dilution provisions.<br /><br />Laurus is a private institutional equity fund, based in New York City, which specialises in providing financing to growing, small and mid- capitalisation companies.<br /><br />(source: SpaceDev)<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Trimble Acquires Applanix<br /><br />(20 June 2003) Trimble has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire privately held Applanix Corporation of Ontario, Canada in a stock transaction valued at Cdn$ 25 million (approximately US$ 18.6 million). Applanix is a leading developer of systems that integrate Inertial Navigation System (INS) and Global Positioning System (GPS) technologies. Closing of the transaction, anticipated in the next three weeks, is subject to usual and customary closing conditions.<br /><br />Trimble expects the Applanix acquisition to extend its technology portfolio and enable increased robustness and capabilities in its future positioning products. An early focus will be in the survey and construction product lines where GPS, augmented with INS technology, offers the potential of improved satellite tracking and faster reacquisition times for precision Real-time Kinematic (RTK) positioning. This is particularly important in cases where GPS satellite signals are obstructed in difficult environments such as high-rise urban or heavily forested areas.<br /><br />Applanix has three core business areas. The company develops land-based products for survey and vehicle positioning; marine products for survey and construction; and airborne products that enable trajectory measurements of airborne sensor data for photogrammetry and laser scanning. Applanix's Position and Orientation Systems (POS) were developed specifically for robust positioning in challenging and dynamic environments. POS integrates precision GPS with advanced inertial technology to provide uninterrupted measurements of the position, roll, pitch and true heading.<br /><br />Applanix will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary and Trimble intends to recognise its revenues under the company's Portfolio Technologies business segment. Trimble expects the acquisition to be neutral to earnings in 2003 and accretive in 2004.<br /><br />Applanix Corporation develops, manufactures, sells and supports precision products that accurately and robustly measure the position and orientation of vehicles in dynamic environments. Applanix's Position and Orientation Systems (POS) are used in a variety of applications including road profiling, GIS data acquisition, aerial survey and mapping, railroad track maintenance and seafloor mapping.<br /><br />(source: Trimble)<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Products and Services<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Envisat Now Available from Radarsat International<br /><br />(18 June 2003) Radarsat International (RSI) has announced that it is open for Envisat business. As a member of the SARCOM consortium, RSI distributes world-wide data and downlinks from the Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR) instrument on board the Envisat satellite to clients in North and South America. In addition, RSI produces and provides value-added Envisat products for clients and projects world-wide.<br /><br />The ASAR instrument offers various modes of data collection as well as multi-polarisation. The new options afforded by this radar data - such as multi-polarisation - will be especially useful in applications requiring land classification or discrimination such as wetlands, agriculture and forestry.<br /><br />RSI is currently upgrading its data processor located in Quebec, Canada, using European Space Agency (ESA) -endorsed procedures and software. By investing in an ESA certified processor, RSI will be able to offer fully calibrated and consistent high-quality data.<br /><br />(source: Radarsat International)<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />People<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Galileo Joint Undertaking Appoints Director<br /><br />(17 June 2003) The appointment of Rainer Grohe as Director of the Galileo Joint Undertaking marks a further key step forward for Galileo, the first civil global satellite navigation programme.<br /><br />The Administrative Board of the Galileo Joint Undertaking endorsed the appointment on Monday 16 June in Brussels. The JU can now proceed with the various steps towards setting up the Galileo network, which will give users in Europe - and throughout the world - a precise and secure satellite positioning and navigation system.<br /><br />The Joint Undertaking's main task is to prepare for the Galileo programme deployment and operational phase, which should culminate in the selection of a concession holder to take charge of running the future Galileo operating company. That private entity will take over to finish deployment of the constellation in orbit and finalise installation of the ground segment necessary to complete the system. It will then manage the operational phase.<br /><br />In the near term, under the development and in-orbit validation phase, ESA is responsible for the launch of a first experimental satellite scheduled for September 2005. This will serve the dual purpose of securing the frequencies reserved for Galileo until June 2006 by the International Telecommunications Union and testing of the new technologies. To minimise the risks, two contracts will be awarded to industry by early July to build two separate satellites. Three or four test satellites will subsequently be launched for validation of the system around 2006/2007.<br /><br />The core of the Galileo system is its constellation of 30 satellites (27 operational, 3 spare) circling in medium earth orbit in three planes inclined at 56° to the equator at 23616 km altitude. This will provide excellent global coverage. Two centres will be set up in Europe to control satellite operations and manage the navigation system.<br /><br />(source: ESA)<br /><br />******************************************************************<br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Press releases should be sent to: newsfeed@microcomsystems.co.uk<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />Microcom makes no charge for this service and makes no payments for the use of material. Microcom makes no warranties about the quality of this free service and accepts no liability for mistakes and errors. Use of this service is taken as confirmation of acceptance of these conditions.<br /><br />If you require further information contact Microcom by email: info@microcomsystems.co.uk<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />This newsletter, and archives dating back to January 2000, can be viewed on the web at http://www.spacenewsfeed.co.uk<br /><br />******************************************************************<br /><br />To subscribe to this email newsletter go to: http://www.spacenewsfeed.co.uk/subscribe.html. You can also unsubscribe from the same page.<br /><br />********************************************************************<br /><br />Copyright 2003 Microcom Systems Ltd. All rights reserved.<br /><br />Microcom's Space Newsfeed may be freely distributed on condition that it is distributed complete, not edited in any way, and that no fee is charged. All copies must contain this copyright notice.<br /><br />Microcom Systems Ltd<br />PO Box 21<br />Haverhill<br />Suffolk CB9 0NZ<br />United Kingdom<br /><br />info@microcomsystems.co.uk<br />http://www.microcomsystems.co.uk