NewSat gathers sufficient funds for Jabiru-1 Ka-band satellite launch

NewSat comes closer to realizing its Jabiru-1 Ka-band satellite project after securing approximately $108 million in required equity. This latest influx of funding has brought NewSat up to the $628.2 million it needs to pull off the launch in mid-2015.

A hybrid Ku- and Ka-band satellite, Jabiru-1 will be able to reach customers in South-East Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. Construction of the spacecraft has already begun. Lockheed Martin has finished reviewing the preliminary design. Next up is the critical design review.

NewSat has signed 454 million worth of deals for capacity on the Jabiru-1 satellite. And the Australian Company still hase capacity to offer to a variety of customers such as Pakistani telecommunications companies, satellite operators, and the U.S. military. 

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Arabsat Badr-7 satellite gets EMC Ka-band hosted payload

Thanks to a strategic commercial agreement between Arabsat and EMC, the Badr-7 satellite will carry the world's first multi-purpose Ka-band hosted payload into space when it launches in 2015.

The EMC-designed hosted payload can access the entire Ka-band spectrum. Its high throughput data rates will support multiple applications like two-way direct-to-home broadband services and direct-to-tower wireless distribution for 3G and LTE operators. These satellite services will be available to customers in the consumer and carrier sectors, including the new triple play over satellite market.

The Arabsat Badr-7 Ka-band satellite is based on the reliable EuroStar-3000 platform. It will occupy the Arabsat premium orbital location (Hot Spot) at 26 East and deliver various satellite services to customers in 34 countries throughout Africa, Central Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

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SS/L delivers Hispasat Amazonas 3 Ka-band satellite early

Satellite manufactuer Space Systems/Loral (SSL) reported the successful shipment of Amazonas 3, the multi-mission Ka-band satellite it designed and built for Hispasat, to the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

Amazonas 3 carries a payload of 9 Ka-band spot beam, 33 Ku-band transponders, and 19 of the legacy C-band transponders. Completed and delivered ahead of schedule by SS/L, it is set for launch aboard an Ariane 5 rocket for service in the 61 degrees West longitude orbital slot.

The SS/L-built satellite will deploy the first Ka-band payload in Latin America that is dedicated to broadband service. Amazonas 3 will deliver satellite broadband, corporate fixed and mobile telephone networks, direct-to-home (DTH)&nbsp television, and numerous other telecommunications services through the Americas as well as Europe and North Africa.

Hispasat commissioned Amazonas 3 from SS/L to serve as the primary bridge of communications between the American and European continents. The broadband payload of the Ka-band satellite promises to trigger innovation and growth across Latin America once it enters operation. 

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GVF Ka Rountable Assembly 2012 confirms need for HTS, Ka-band satelites

The Global VSAT Forum recently wrapped up its Ka Roundtable Assembly 2012 in London. The GVF's first industry roundtable event lasted for three days and tackled the need for Ka-band and High Throughput Satellites (HTS).

Nearly 100 influential people in the satellite industry attended Ka Roundtable Assembly 2012. Several roundtable sessions discussed the emergence of HTS with specific interest in the new Ka-band.

According to the discussions, the satellite industry is experiencing a series of developments that will eventually elevate satellite connectivity to a mainstream offering. Users are now demanding HTS and Ka-band connectivity. Satellite service providers have responded by innovating technologies used in its space and ground segments that can provide higher amounts of bandwidth.

HTS can provide plenty of bandwidth at cheaper cost. It also allows the use of smaller terminals in conjunction with advancing technologies.

In addition, Ka-band satellite connectivity has been confirmed to be a viable option despite issues concerning spectrum and rain fade. Technological innovations in the industry are expected to reduce rain fade, enable higher data rates, and permit service providers to extend improved service level agreements to customers worldwide.

iDirect execs discuss Ka-band satellites during GVF Ka Roundtable Assembly 2012

Executives from VT iDirect, Inc. will be present at the GVF Ka Roundtable Assembly 2012 at the Strand Palace Hotel in London, UK on December 5 and 6. The iDirect officers will contribute their expertise and insights on the recently-developed high-throughput satellites (HTS) and Ka-band capacity. These new technologies can accommodate the increasing demands of end users in a broad variety of vertical markets such as satellite Internet.

iDirect is a world-leading provider of satellite-based IP communications technology. The Company's Chief Technology Officer, David Bettinger, and Director of Product Management, Jonathan Barter, will deliver talks during the Ka Roundtable Assembly.

Bettinger will grace two panels: one is the Satellite Operator & Provider Forum, and the other is Ground Infrastructure Focus. Meanwhile, the OEM Forum panel will be hosted by Barter.

The two iDirect execs will discuss the technical components of HTS technology, the effect that HTS will exert on the value chain of satellite services, the ways satellite operators and service providers can use HTS services to provide high-speed satellite Internet connectivity for new end user expectations for high-speed connectivity, and other related issues.

Avanti Communications, Inmarsat, O3B, and other key satellite industry leaders will also be attending the Ka Roundtable Assembly conference.

End users have been loudly clamoring for faster satellite connectivity and greater bandwidth capacity. According to iDirect, HTS technology can potentially fulfill that demand. The Company has developed ground infrastructure technology that allows its partners to use HTS capabilities to the fullest.

Cobham the newest Launch Partner for Inmarsat Global Xpress Ka-band network

Cobham joins the growing list of international “Launch Partners” who will introduce the Global Xpress (GX) Ka-band satellite network developed by Inmarsat. Cobham will be in charge of providing compact land-based satellite communication terminal antennas that support GX services, such as satellite Internet.

Cobham will provide vehicle-mobile, fly-away, man-pack, and other configurations of land terminals for customers in the energy, law enforcement, media, military, and public safety sectors. These products incorporate the GX Core Module developed by iDirect. Computer-assisted manual point and fully automatic auto-acquire configurations will be available for customers.

For a unit just recently formed by Cobham, the Company's SATCOM strategic business unit (SBU) has quickly secured a lead in the mobile satellite communications market. Cobham SBU deftly combines the Company's existing SATCOM businesses with the newly-acquired assets of Danish company Thrane & Thrane.

Global Xpress will be the world's first Ka-band satellite network to provide superfast global broadband connectivity for satellite Internet, voice, data, and other services. It will leverage terminals that are more compact than current very medium aperture terminal (VSAT) systems to offer the highest satellite broadband speeds backed by Inmarsat's world-renowned support services.

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Astrium completes testing ASTRA 2F Ka-band satellite, hands it to SES

After tests of the ASTRA 2F Ka-band satellite proved successful, Astrium has turned the multi-band communications platform over to satellite operator SES.

SES will test its new satellite's Ka-band and Ku-band communications payload. If everything works, ASTRA 2F will enter operational service at the 28.2 degrees E orbital slot.

ASTRA 2F was launched into space by an Ariane 5 rocket on September 28, 2012. Astrium took control of it and performed Launch and Early Orbit Phase operations from the Company's spacecraft control center in Toulouse. The telecommunications satellite entered geostationary orbit on October 4 and has already fully deployed its solar arrays and quadruple antenna reflectors.

Astrium based the ASTRA 2F satellite on its highly reliable Eurostar E3000 platform. The new SES satellite weighs 3 tons and can generate 13 kW throughout its designed operational lifespan of 15 years. It will deliver next-generation satellite broadband and broadcast services to customers in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.

SES currently operates a total of five Eurostar satellites. It has contracted Astrium for another four Eurostar E3000 satellites, of which two are already in final assembly and testing stages, to provide further satellite Internet and broadcast services.

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