Microcom's Space Newsfeed 18 January 2004<br />Space Industry News from Around the World<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Web resources from Microcom Systems:<br /><br />Satellite Industry Links: the largest 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 />Handbook of Satellite Services in Europe<br /><br />This unique publication provides detailed information on all aspects of the European satellite scene including extensive data on service providers, national regulations, satellites used in Europe as well as background on satellite communications technology. http://www.microcomsystems.co.uk/pubs/ssie.html<br /><br />January 2004 issue now available.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Advertise on Microcom's websites and reach over 25,000 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 to Build Worldsat-3<br />ANA and Connexion by Boeing Sign Definitive Internet Services Agreement<br />Connexion by Boeing Offering to Include Maritime Communications<br />CSG Systems Helps Broadband and Satellite Providers<br />GlobalNet Tests Global Mobile Satellite Service<br />iDirect Technologies Applies for 6 New Patents<br />Intelsat Restores Internet Service to Turkey in Record Time<br />ITU, India and UPU Partnership Helps Bhutan Bridge the Digital Divide<br />Original HoneyBaked Ham Company Selects DirecWay<br />SES Global Increases International Focus With Worldsat<br /><br />Military Space:<br />Alcatel Space Wins Syracuse 3B Contract<br /><br />Science:<br />Hubble Service Mission Cancelled<br /><br />Manned Space:<br />Crew Isolates Space Station Leak<br />US Plans Return to Moon, Then On to Mars<br /><br />Technology:<br />Exploring Mars in 3D with Help from SGI<br />Pratt & Whitney and Boeing Team Selected For the Scramjet Flight Demonstrator<br /><br />Launches:<br />Telstar 14/Estrela do Sul-1<br /><br />Products and Services:<br />Conexant Introduces Advanced Modulation Satellite Receiver Solution<br />Rockwell Scientific Introduces High Performance Ka Band LNA<br /><br />People:<br />NASA Announces New Headquarters Management Alignment<br /><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/bookshop.html<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Satcoms<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Alcatel Space to Build Worldsat-3<br /><br />(15 January 2004) Alcatel Space has been awarded a contract to build and deliver, in orbit, a new telecommunications satellite for Worldsat LLC. This advanced, high-powered hybrid C/Ku band satellite, named Worldsat-3, will operate over the pacific region.<br /><br />The satellite's Ku band payload has been designed to meet the particular requirements of Connexion by Boeing, Worldsat's key strategic customer. In addition, the C band payload will be available to broadcasters, cable programmers, Internet service providers, government agencies, educational institutions, carriers and private networks for next generation communication and content distribution solutions. The in-orbit handover of the satellite will occur by end of 2005.<br /><br />Based on a Spacebus 4100 platform, Worldsat-3 (formerly AMC-13) will carry two communications payloads. The Ku band payload features 20 high-powered, 138 watt channels, uniquely arranged to cover all major airline corridors over the Pacific. The C band payload features 18 high-powered, 80 watt channels permitting reception by sub-2m antennas.<br /><br />From this single satellite, communications can be sent from California to Bangladesh, from as far north as Alaska in the US and as far south as Australia and New Zealand, and all points in between. This hybrid satellite, positioned at 172° E, will serve local, transcontinental and transoceanic customers across the Pacific region, including Western North America, East Asia, the South Pacific, Alaska and Hawaii.<br /><br />Worldsat-3 will weigh about 5,000 kg at launch, with beginning-of-life electrical power of 13 kW, and a design life exceeding 15 years.<br /><br />(source: Alcatel Space)<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />ANA and Connexion by Boeing Sign Definitive Internet Services Agreement<br /><br />(15 January 2004) ANA (All Nippon Airways) and Boeing have signed a definitive service agreement for the installation of the Connexion by Boeing mobile Internet service on the air carrier's long-haul fleet of aircraft. SES Americom will provide satellite coverage over the North Pacific region, to be used by ANA and other leading global air carriers.<br /><br />With the framework of the agreement in place, members of the ANA and Connexion by Boeing teams are now focusing on defining the installation schedule and the specifics regarding start of service and introductory routes, which will be announced at a future date once the current restructuring of the ANA long-haul fleet is completed. Financial terms of the arrangement were not disclosed.<br /><br />(source: Connexion by Boeing)<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Connexion by Boeing Offering to Include Maritime Communications<br /><br />(14 January 2004) Connexion by Boeing is to extend its service offering to include high-speed satellite broadband capability for the maritime industry.<br /><br />Connexion by Boeing has successfully tested real-time data communication and a live, high-quality video teleconferencing from a private vessel in Seattle's Lake Union to its Seattle campus. The Connexion by Boeing maritime solution is expected to be approximately ten times faster than most commonly deployed communications systems available today, and significantly less expensive to use. Details on system and service pricing will be announced closer to service launch.<br /><br />Applying the broadband capability of Connexion by Boeing to the maritime communications industry is a natural complement to its commercial airline service. The maritime solution leverages the existing satellite and ground-based network Connexion by Boeing has established and will bring the same capabilities for robust, high-speed connectivity to the maritime industry. Existing networks will provide coverage in the North Atlantic and a solution for Pacific Ocean coverage will be announced in the very near future.<br /><br />Vessel operators and their passengers can use Connexion by Boeing to access the Internet and firewall-protected corporate intranets, send outgoing emails or open large attachments from incoming emails; get the news, weather or destination information; or view satellite television programming. The service will also enhance ship-to-shore communications for ship captains and crew - providing new opportunities for long-distance learning, improve crew morale, remote monitoring of ships' systems and cargo, improved maintenance, and to make better routing decisions. All of these capabilities are expected to significantly improve the efficiency and safety of operations at sea.<br /><br />(source: Connexion by Boeing)<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />CSG Systems Helps Broadband and Satellite Providers<br /><br />(13 January 2004) Global customer care and billing solutions provider CSG Systems has announced new enhancements to its CSG Care Express product, a solution for broadband and direct broadcast satellite (DBS) providers that enables online customer self-care.<br /><br />CSG Care Express allows customers to view, manage and pay bills over the Internet and virtually eliminates manual processes carried out by customer service representatives (CSRs) when taking orders and upgrading services. To support new bundled service offerings, Care Express offers broadband and DBS providers the ability to emphasise specific promotions or offer Web-site only packages. In addition, customers can use the interactive shopping cart feature to shop and compare different packages, prices and promotions that are specific to their home address.<br /><br />Also with the new product enhancements, CSG makes it easier for end customers to access account information online and avoid a call to the broadband or DBS provider's call centre. For example, CSG has added a feature to verify that specific products and services are available based on a customer's street address.<br /><br />Care Express is tightly integrated to CSG's billing system, allowing protection for the provider including the ability to block delinquent customers from ordering new services and to assign various levels of security access to call centre supervisors nation-wide. Providers can also initiate emails in response to a customer's activity, for example, paying a bill, rescheduling an installation or adding services to an existing account.<br /><br />Currently, new customers are signing up for Care Express services at a rate of over 5,000 new users per day - a greater than five and one-half percent overall adoption rate, well above the industry average of three percent.<br /><br />In addition to high adoption rates and reduced calls to the call centre, CSG customers save costs associated with printing and mailing hard copy statements. Among CSG's Care Express customers, more than 500,000 end subscribers suppress their hard copy statement, saving providers nearly US$ 200,000 dollars each month in postage and more than US$ 80,000 dollars per month in printing costs. By encouraging customers to use the Web site for new connect and services update orders, CSG estimates that a provider serving 500,000 end subscribers can save over US$ 85,000 dollars in the first 12 months.<br /><br />Over the next year, CSG will continue to release new functionality to provide online support to customers that subscribe to bundled service offerings from broadband providers.<br /><br />CSG Care Express enables customers of broadband services providers and direct broadcast satellite providers (DBS) to perform self-care functions such as viewing, managing and paying bills over the Internet. Care Express works with CSG's CCS core billing solution and offers two fully-integrated options - an Electronic Bill Presentment and Payment (EBPP) module and a Self-Care module, managed in CSG Systems' state of the art service bureau facility. Over one and a half million customers use Care Express on a regular basis to pay bills, manage account information and add or change services without interacting with a call centre.<br /><br />(source: CSG Systems)<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />GlobalNet Tests Global Mobile Satellite Service<br /><br />(13 January 2004) GlobalNet Corporation has successfully tested it's Pre-Paid Mobile Satellite System which serves Turkey, and areas to the south and east, including the eastern Mediterranean, Egypt, Lebanon and Iraq.<br /><br />This technology when combined with GlobalNet's VoIP network enables subscribers to feel the advantage of having access to some of the lowest costs for termination in and out of countries world-wide. Initially, GlobalNet intends to focus their efforts on Iraq in an attempt to service as many of the estimated 16 million residents and Coalition servicemen that do not have access to a stable communication network. This project will serve as a template to carry all the voice traffic from the countries currently in negotiations or awaiting approval from either the DoD or State Department.<br /><br />(source: GlobalNet Corporation)<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />iDirect Technologies Applies for 6 New Patents<br /><br />(13 January 2004) iDirect Technologies has announced six new patents across a number of their software and hardware components. These patent applications are for proprietary methods, apparatus and systems that impact such aspects as the allocation of bandwidth, quality of service, and network management/optimisation of iDirect's overall Internet Protocol (IP)-based broadband satellite technology.<br /><br />Designed to meet all the broadband needs of enterprise customers, the iDirect platform offers service providers industry leading network capabilities including Deterministic TDMA (D-TDMA), Turbo Product Code and highly configurable network management. Additionally, iDirect's technology offers unique capabilities that optimise IP application performance through highly efficient real time bandwidth management, greater flexibility and enhanced reliability.<br /><br />(source: iDirect Technologies)<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Intelsat Restores Internet Service to Turkey in Record Time<br /><br />(14 January 2004) When a major undersea cable recently failed, Intelsat was able to restore Internet services to all of Turkey within 38 hours. The high-speed and high-quality connection to the Internet backbone was provided to Turk Telecom through two 155 Mb/s links over an Intelsat satellite and utilised Intelsat’s Mountainside Teleport in Maryland.<br /><br />To expedite the restoration of this service, Intelsat procured modems and termination equipment from New York and installed them in its Maryland teleport, an important part of its world-wide GlobalConnex solutions infrastructure. Intelsat and engineers from Turk Telecom in Ankara worked closely together to establish the communications links and to ensure the quality level of the transmission signal from Turkey.<br /><br />(source: Intelsat)<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />ITU, India and UPU Partnership Helps Bhutan Bridge the Digital Divide<br /><br />(16 January 2004) The Government of India, in partnership with two UN agencies, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the Universal Postal Union (UPU), will help boost the delivery of e-post services to citizens in the least accessible parts of its south Asian neighbour, Bhutan with a package of equipment, satellite capacity and training resources worth some US$ 450,000. The resulting e-post service will allow people without computers in remote areas to send e-mail between post offices for printing and delivery.<br /><br />India will help Bhutan's E-Shabtog venture by providing instant connectivity to six more remote post offices that are not connected by the national fixed telecommunication network. Two of the stations, Laya and Lunana, are located over 5,000 metres above sea level, are snowbound for 8 months of the year, lack of electricity and paved roads and are a 5-8 day walk from the nearest road. To support the provision of voice and low to medium-speed data services to the six locations, India will provide free of charge through its Department of Telecommunication:<br /><br />* Six VSAT terminals in remote areas with a hub in Thimpu.<br />* Solar energy sources with about eight days' autonomy<br />* Access/transponder capacity on INSAT system free for the duration<br /> of the project<br />* Training and maintenance<br /><br />The E-Shabtog project seeks to create a network of telekiosks in 38 post offices throughout Bhutan for affordable and practical access to email. Letters normally take 5 to 8 days to be delivered by postal runners between remote mountain districts. E-mailing letters cuts home delivery time to 1 night. The long-term goal is to make the post office a one-stop shop that will deliver a wide range of e-services such as bill payment, government information, and commerce. To date, 17 post offices in Bhutan have been equipped for e-post. By the end of 2004, it is planned that 38 post offices, or one-third of all post offices in the country, will be e-service ready.<br /><br />ITU, which evolved the project on the model implemented in Andhra Pradesh, India, will provide expertise and short-term training. The Universal Postal Union will provide equipment for the post offices and facilitate field visits for Bhutan Post personnel for studying the implementation of e-post in southern India. Both UN agencies will evaluate the benefits and share information.<br /><br />In addition, an Indian private sector company, Encore Software, is offering low-cost hand-held devices called Simputers, which will enable Bhutanese postmen to deliver mail, as well as health workers and agricultural workers to transmit information as text, voice or images. Specialised software is being developed ranging from simple book-keeping to e-post and health and agriculture applications.<br /><br />The Bhutanese government, which is responsible for all logistical support, transport, civil works and regulatory and legal clearances, will exempt all the equipment imported for this project from customs, excise and other duties and levies.<br /><br />(source: ITU)<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Original HoneyBaked Ham Company Selects DirecWay<br /><br />(14 January 2004) Hughes Network Systems Inc (HNS) is providing The Original HoneyBaked Ham Company with broadband network connectivity via DirecWay to more than 100 of the company's corporate-owned properties across the United States.<br /><br />With DirecWay, HoneyBaked Ham stores have access to a private, always-on network supporting back office applications such as in-store polling, remote monitoring, and a real-time interface with the HoneyBaked Ham corporate portal. HoneyBaked Ham is also using DirecWay to provide in-restaurant music, Web applications, and employee training.<br /><br />With DirecWay, all HoneyBaked Ham properties will experience faster customer transaction speeds and improved success rates of nightly polling than would be possible with a dialup service.<br /><br />(source: Hughes Network Systems)<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />SES Global Increases International Focus With Worldsat<br /><br />(15 January 2004) SES Americom has announced the formation of Worldsat LLC and a long term agreement to provide services to Connexion by Boeing on WorldsatT-3, a satellite featuring a customised Ku band payload designed to address the unique requirements of broadband communications for the transpacific traveller.<br /><br />The satellite is being manufactured by Alcatel Space of France and will be launched by the end of 2005. Operating from 172° E., the satellite will offer high-quality service to Japanese clients and others in the Pacific Ocean and Asian regions.<br /><br />Worldsat was created in 2003 by SES Global as a subsidiary of SES Americom. Worldsat provides customers with applications as diverse as mobile communications, broadcasting, internet connections, and data networks, as well as added value with unparalleled connections to the regional satellite fleets including SES Americom and SES Astra in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The newly-formed business unit has satellites currently operating at 108.2° E (Worldsat-1, formerly AAP-1), 172° E (Spacenet-4), 174.3° W (TDRS-5), 47° W (TDRS-6), and 37.5° W (Satcom-C1).<br /><br />In preparation for potential business opportunities in Japan by Worldsat, SES Americom, the new company's parent, obtained a Class 1 Telecommunications Business License from the Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications (MPHPT), and has established itself as a licensed operator of an earth station located in Yamaguchi, Japan.<br /><br />(source: SES Global)<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Military Space<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Alcatel Space Wins Syracuse 3B Contract<br /><br />(16 January 2004) The French defence procurement agency DGA has chosen Alcatel Space to build the second new-generation military communications satellite, Syracuse 3B. This order is part of a frame contract signed in late 2000 for the in-orbit delivery of the first satellite, Syracuse 3A, plus modernisation of the ground segment. This frame contract was worth a total of about 1.4 billion Euros, including the delivery of a third satellite, and system maintenance until 2018.<br /><br />The Syracuse military communications system, a key to the effectiveness of France’s defence forces, provides continuous links between the political and military authorities and operating units deployed around the world.<br /><br />As prime contractor for the Syracuse III system, Alcatel Space is in charge of satellite construction, all the way through in-orbit delivery, along with the supply of satellite and mission control centres, and extension of the ground station network in France. It calls on Thales for specific developments concerning the ground segment and dedicated security equipment (ground and space segment), as well as for maintenance of the system.<br /><br />Like Syracuse 3A, the Syracuse 3B satellite uses Alcatel Space’s commercial satellite platform, Spacebus, which has been hardened to resist nuclear attack. The payload features the latest technological developments in both the SHF (super high frequency) and EHF (extremely high frequency) bands. This new-generation system guarantees significantly enhanced service in terms of data throughput and resistance to countermeasures.<br /><br />With the service entry of the first satellite Syracuse 3A in 2004, and the upcoming launch of Syracuse 3B end of 2005 on Ariane 5 rocket, France will be the first country in Europe to deploy a new generation of military telecom satellites.<br /><br />(source: Alcatel Space)<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Science<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Hubble Service Mission Cancelled<br /><br />(17 January 2004) In a move that has dismayed the astronomical community, NASA has cancelled the fourth and final servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope (HST).<br /><br />HST is currently operational and is not expected to fail in the immediate future. However several systems are wearing out, particularly the gyroscopes and batteries (which would have been replaced in Servicing Mission 4), and these could fail at any time making the telescope unusable. Both NASA and the user community hope that Hubble will continue to be operational for at least four years. NASA has provisional plans to deorbit the enormous spacecraft in 2007 before any of the major systems fail. Originally, NASA intended to retire Hubble in 2010.<br /><br />News of the cancellation is particularly disappointing for astronomers because the fourth servicing mission, scheduled for 2005, would have installed two new instruments (a third-generation Wide Field Camera and the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph) that have been built at a cost of US$ 200 million.<br /><br />NASA's reason for cancelling the Shuttle mission to Hubble is safety. Apparently the only way for the Shuttle to fly with a reasonable level of safety is to have the International Space Station available as a safe haven and as an observation post to check for external damage to the Shuttle. Flights to Hubble cannot be re-routed to the ISS because the Shuttle does not carry enough fuel.<br /><br />Coming so soon after the announcement of NASA's new mission for human planetary exploration, many observers are sceptical about NASA's reason for cancelling the mission. Each Shuttle mission costs NASA of the order of US$ 500 million, money which NASA now desperately needs to fund its new manned space exploration efforts.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Manned Space<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Crew Isolates Space Station Leak<br /><br />(16 January 2004) Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) have located the leak that was causing a slow drop in air pressure. The leak was caused by damage to a pressure hose on the main window on the space station.<br /><br />Astronaut Michael Foale and cosmonaut Sasha Kaleri discovered the leak in the hose (called a vacuum jumper) by listening for the high pitched hiss of escaping air. They had missed the leak earlier when checking the window because of high levels of background noise from experiments operating close to the window. The vacuum jumper connect the gap between the two fused silica pressure panes in the window to the vacuum of space. The leak was occurring where the jumper entered a steel harness on the rim of the window.<br /><br />It appears that the U-shaped jumper was damaged accidentally by the station crews who have used it as a convenient hand hold when taking pictures out of the window.<br /><br />The main window, which is the best optical window flown on a manned space vehicle, may have been damaged when the vacuum jumper was sealed by the crew. It is possible that an incorrectly implemented procedure has allowed air contaminated with bacteria and humidity to leak into the gap between the panes of the window leading to possible future problems with misting and bacterial growth.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />US Plans Return to Moon, Then On to Mars<br /><br />(15 January 2004) On Thursday, in a statement on US Space Policy, President Bush announced plans for America to return to the Moon, establishing a permanent base, and then to send astronauts to Mars.<br /><br />Very little extra money will be available to NASA which will have to fund the initiatives by restricting Shuttle flights to just those involved in constructing the International Space Station, cancelling the Shuttle itself once the ISS is constructed, limited future involvement in the ISS and general cancellations of all programs not associated with manned planetary exploration. Many pro-space advocates don't know yet whether to be ecstatic or horrified. Interestingly, many anti-space advocates find themselves in exactly the same position.<br /><br />President Bush outlined several proposals for NASA's new mission:<br /><br />* Completion of the International Space Station (ISS) by 2010. The Space<br /> Shuttle will be returned to flight as soon as possible, to help finish<br /> assembly of the ISS. Once the International Space Station has been<br /> completed in 2010, the Space Shuttle will be retired from service.<br /><br />* To develop a new spacecraft, the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), by 2008,<br /> and to conduct the first manned mission no later than 2014. The Crew<br /> Exploration Vehicle will be capable of ferrying astronauts and scientists<br /> to the Space Station after the shuttle is retired, but the main purpose<br /> will be to carry astronauts beyond Earth orbit.<br /><br />* To return to the moon by 2020, as the launching point for missions<br /> beyond. Beginning no later than 2008, a series of robotic missions will<br /> be sent to the lunar surface to research and prepare for future human<br /> exploration. Using the Crew Exploration Vehicle, extended human missions<br /> to the moon will be undertaken as early as 2015, with the goal of living<br /> and working there for increasingly extended periods.<br /><br />* The moon will be used as a stepping stone for exploration of Mars at<br /> some undefined future date, using the CEV.<br /><br />NASA's current five-year budget is US$ 86 billion. Most of the funding for the new endeavours will come from reallocating US$ 11 billion within that budget. President Bush also intends to request that Congress increases NASA's budget by roughly a billion dollars, spread out over the next five years.<br /><br />The proposals have a number of implications:<br /><br />* Between 2010 when the Shuttle is retired and 2014 (or later) when the<br /> CEV comes into service, non-US vehicles would be needed to ferry crews<br /> to and from the ISS.<br /><br />* Funding for the ISS will not be available after 2016.<br /><br />* Funding for a number of current and future missions outside of NASA's<br /> new core objectives will probably be withdrawn to conserve funding for<br /> manned missions.<br /><br />NASA has already announced that the fourth servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), scheduled for 2005, has been axed, reportedly for safety reasons. The fourth servicing mission was to have installed two new instruments on the HST and to keep the telescope operational until its planned retirement in 2010. Sceptics are already speculating that the real reason for this decision is based on financial rather than safety grounds.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Technology<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Exploring Mars in 3D with Help from SGI<br /><br />(13 January 2004) Using visualisation technology from Silicon Graphics, NASA engineers are overcoming the challenges of communicating across 106 million miles of space to remotely pilot NASA's two Mars Exploration Rovers - including Spirit, which landed on the surface of Mars on January 3.<br /><br />Scientists and engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, are using SGI Onyx 300 systems and the OpenGL Performer real-time graphics API to combine 360-degree photographic images taken each morning by the Spirit Rover with terrain data to create a virtual Mars environment. This environment integrates the 3D visualisation of the surrounding Martian geography with an interactive model of the Spirit Rover. As a result, NASA engineers can safely pilot the Rover while compensating for round-trip space communication lag times of up to 20 minutes.<br /><br />Each of JPL's two SGI Onyx 300 supercomputers features a dual-pipeline SGI InfiniteReality4 graphics subsystem, allowing engineers to visualise the virtual Mars in a 3D stereographic format providing better depth perception while piloting the Rover. As the JPL team interacts in the virtual Mars environment, they create scenarios from a list of approximately 900 different Rover commands. Alternative scenarios can be simulated and examined on Earth, with only the safest and most scientifically valuable selected for execution on Mars by the Rover.<br /><br />Building on the success of the earlier Mars Pathfinder mission-which also used SGI Onyx systems for visualisation - the two new SGI Onyx systems were configured and provided by Rand Federal, an authorised SGI reseller. JPL is using one Onyx system to help pilot the NASA Spirit Rover and the other system will be used to pilot the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity, scheduled to land January 24 on the other side of the planet.<br /><br />(source: SGI)<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Pratt & Whitney and Boeing Team Selected For the Scramjet Flight Demonstrator<br /><br />(13 January 2004) A team consisting of Pratt & Whitney (P&W) and Boeing Phantom Works has been selected by the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to flight test the Endothermically Fueled Scramjet Engine Flight Demonstrator (EFSEFD), also known as the Scramjet Engine Demonstrator - WaveRider (SED-WR). The first year contract, which is valued at US$ 7.7M (total program value is estimated at approximately US$ 140M), was awarded to the team to explore the airbreathing system-level potential of scramjets through multiple flight tests that will begin in the 2007-2008 time frame.<br /><br />Each flight will consist of one P&W engine that is based on technology from the Hydrocarbon Scramjet Engine Technology (HySET) program and will be integrated by Boeing into an expendable WaveRider configured air vehicle. During the flight demonstrations, an SED-WR will be carried by a B-52 aircraft to an altitude of about 35,000 feet and released. Initially propelled by a solid rocket booster, the scramjet demonstrator take-over will occur at approximately Mach 4.5 where it then will accelerate to flight speed between Mach 6.0 to 7.0+.<br /><br />Last year, P&W under the direction of the AFRL, ground-tested the world's first flight-weight, actively cooled, hydrocarbon-fuelled scramjet engine. It used standard JP-7 fuel to both cool engine hardware and fuel the engine's combustor.<br /><br />During numerous runs at Mach 4.5 and Mach 6.5 (September 2002 through June 2003), this ground demonstrator engine, known as GDE-1, reliably produced significant net positive thrust, which is important because it demonstrated the ability to efficiently burn fuel and accelerate a vehicle at these speeds. The thermal characteristics and structural durability of the engine were validated at both speeds.<br /><br />Applications for this propulsion concept, derived from the Hypersonic Technology (HyTech) Program, include future access-to-space, global reach and fast-reaction, long-range unmanned and manned military systems. The AFRL's long-term vision for scramjet engines includes power for launch vehicles that can substantially reduce the cost of access to space and deliver aircraft-like operations. It also foresees applications for military and commercial aircraft that can span the globe in less than a few hours, and hypersonic missiles with Mach 6.5-plus-cruise capability that can fly hundreds of nautical miles in minutes.<br /><br />(source: Pratt and Whitney Space Propulsion)<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Launches<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Telstar 14/Estrela do Sul-1<br /><br />Launched: 11 January 2004<br />Site: Sea Launch's Odyssey platform in the Pacific Ocean<br />Launcher: Zenit 3SL<br />Orbit: GEO, 63° W<br />International Number: 2004-001A<br />Name: Telstar 14/Estrela do Sul-1<br />Owner: Loral Skynet do Brasil<br />Contractor: Space Systems/Loral <br /><br />Telstar 14/Estrela do Sul-1 is a commercial communications satellite. The 4,694 kg spacecraft carries 41 Ku-band transponders with five unique and interconnecting coverage beams. Fifty percent of the satellite's power will be dedicated to Brazil, providing a dedicated Ku-band solution for the Brazilian marketplace. The satellite's other beams will cover the Americas and the North Atlantic Ocean, where Connexion by Boeing will use the satellite to provide its Internet-to-aircraft service.<br /><br />Since the launch, Loral Space & Communications has announced that the Telstar 14/Estrela do Sul communications satellite has fully deployed its South solar array but only partially deployed its North solar array. Space Systems/Loral, the manufacturer of the satellite, is in the process of collecting data prior to the initiation of available corrective actions to complete deployment of the North array. Incomplete deployment of a solar array, if not corrected, reduces a satellite's power. The satellite is in safe mode and has more than sufficient power to maintain satellite health.<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Products and Services<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Conexant Introduces Advanced Modulation Satellite Receiver Solution<br /><br />(12 January 2004) Conexant Systems Inc has introduced a new advanced modulation satellite receiver with forward error correction (FEC) decoder based on turbo codes. The CX24114 increases satellite throughput by up to 35 percent enabling satellite service providers to transmit additional channels and services using existing bandwidth. The CX24114 can also be used in conjunction with Conexant's CX24118 tuner to create a complete satellite front-end system solution.<br /><br />The CX24114 demodulator converts incoming analogue signals from a tuner into a digital format, assesses the signal for errors, and then outputs a digital data transport stream to an audio/video decoder chip. The device can decode DVB/DSS QPSK and BPSK signals at 1-45 Msps, turbo QPSK at 15-30 Msps and turbo 8-PSK signals from 15-30 Msps. A unique feature of the CX24114 is an automatic acquisition algorithm that searches and acquires the carrier within +/-10 MHz range during initial acquisition and performs a smart search to reacquire during fade condition. The hardware acquisition enables fast channel change between 8-PSK and QPSK modulations.<br /><br />The CX24114 has two 8-bit analogue-to-digital converters that are required for high performance operation. The device is a DiSEqC 2.x compliant demodulator that enables two-way communication between the set-top box (STB) and peripheral satellite equipment such as low-noise block converters (LNB) and switches. It also includes an integrated signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and bit error rate (BER) monitors for channel-performance measurements that simplify production testing. It is fully compliant with digital video broadcasting (DVB), DirecTV (DSS) and DigicipherII (DCII) specifications to support legacy systems and is designed to work with existing and next-generation transponders.<br /><br />Sample quantities of the CX24114 are available now, with volume production scheduled this quarter. It is packaged in a 100-pin thin quad flat pack and priced at US$ 20.00 in quantities of 10,000.<br /><br />(source: Conexant Systems)<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />Rockwell Scientific Introduces High Performance Ka Band LNA<br /><br />(15 January 2004) Rockwell Scientific Company LLC (RSC) has introduced a Ka band low noise amplifier (LNA) for use between 33 and 36 GHz.<br /><br />This PHEMT LNA, model KaLNA3s, has a minimum gain of 20 dB and maximum noise figure of less than 2.5 dB. The three-stage amplifier has dc-decoupled 50-ohm input and output impedances and a minimum output power of 8 dBm at the 1 dB gain compression point. Self-biased operation is possible with a single power supply by tying the gate terminal to ground.<br /><br />The small die size (1.5 x 0.7mm) allows for extremely compact packaging. Each die is individually dc and RF tested and has a unique serial number written on the chip for traceability. Metal on the front and back sides is compatible with conventional die attach as well as thermosonic and thermocompression wire bonding assembly techniques. The KaLNA3s is fabricated using RSC's ISO 9001 certified, 0.18 mm, fully passivated low-noise PHEMT process.<br /><br />Besides use in military radar and communications systems, applications for the amplifier include VSAT terminals and commercial point-to-point and point-to-multipoint digital radio and wireless LAN communications. Parts are available qualified to commercial or MIL-B specifications.<br /><br />The KaLNA3s is priced at US$ 40 in quantities of 1000.<br /><br />(source: Rockwell Scientific)<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />People<br /><br />**********************************************************************<br /><br />NASA Announces New Headquarters Management Alignment<br /><br />(15 January 2004) In a move designed to align the agency with the new exploration agenda outlined this week by President George W Bush, NASA Deputy Administrator Frederick D Gregory announced a comprehensive restructuring of the offices within Headquarters in Washington.<br /><br />The alignment impacts NASA management, the strategic Enterprises, and the agency's functional offices. The new alignment goes into effect immediately and reflects the new vision and the results of a comprehensive review of Headquarters operations, which first began when Gregory became Deputy Administrator in 2002.<br /><br />Retired US Navy Rear Admiral Craig E Steidle is the new Associate Administrator, Office of Exploration Systems. Since retiring from the Navy in March, 2000, he has been an independent aerospace consultant. He was Chief Aerospace Engineer and Vice Commander, Naval Air Systems Command, which develops, acquires and supports naval aeronautical systems, when he retired.<br /><br />The Office of Exploration Systems is established to set priorities and direct the identification, development, and validation of exploration systems and related technologies. Users and technologists will work together to enable a balancing of factors between requirements, program schedules and costs.<br /><br />Steidle earned Master of Science degrees in Systems Management and Aerospace Engineering. He is a member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots and is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.<br /><br />Dr J Victor Lebacqz is the new Associate Administrator, Office of Aeronautics, which was previously known as the Office of Aerospace Technology. He served as Acting Associate Administrator of the Office of Aerospace Technology since July 2003. He was appointed as Deputy Associate Administrator in December 2002.<br /><br />The new Office of Aeronautics was created to reflect NASA's commitment to aviation research and aeronautics technologies for the nation's civil and defence interests.<br /><br />The changes are consistent with NASA's ongoing responses to the management and cultural issues addressed by the Columbia Accident Investigation Board.<br /><br />The Office of the NASA Administrator will be streamlined to allow for more independent leadership in areas vital to the execution of NASA's vision and mission. Among the changes, four new independent offices will be created.<br /><br />The new offices include:<br /><br />* The Office of Chief Engineer is established to ensure agency development<br /> efforts and mission operations are planned and conducted using sound<br /> engineering<br />* The Office of Health and Medical Systems is established to ensure the<br /> well-being of the NASA workforce and to provide independent oversight<br /> authority for healthcare, related research and information<br />* The Office of the Chief Information Officer is established to manage<br /> the agency's Information Technology (IT) investments, lead the development<br /> of an IT strategic plan, and create a roadmap to guide the agency's IT<br /> programs and policies<br />* The Office of Institutional and Corporate Management is established to<br /> lead the oversight of NASA's management systems, institutional, and<br /> corporate activities<br /><br />Leadership for the new offices, as well as staffing requirements and resource allocations, will be addressed as the new alignment is implemented this calendar year.<br /><br />(source: NASA)<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 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 2004 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