Ambitious mission defined for the next TU Delft satellite: Delfi-n3Xt

On Thursday February 21th a meeting between students and staff of the faculties of Aerospace Engineering and EEMCS resulted in a definition of the mission for the second satellite in the Delfi programme.

The new satellite is planned for launch in the first half of 2010 and will set a new standard for university built satellites with the implementation of innovative technologies. It will advance the existing Delfi-C3 technology with the addition of 3-axis attitude control, high speed data communication and a battery system for eclipse operations.

Furthermore, five exciting innovative payloads will be onboard. These payloads are: a micro-thruster system from TNO, TU Delft and UTwente, a multifunctional particle spectrometer from Cosine Research BV, degradation research on solar cells from DIMES, a high efficiency transceiver from ISIS BV and a data storage experiment from NLR. This set of payloads establishes an exciting combination of space-qualification and scientific research in a nanosatellite of only 30 cm x10 cm x10 cm. The name “Delfi-n3Xt” relates to the 3 unit CubeSat size (as in Delfi-C3), 3-axis (3X) attitude control and the fact that it is the “next” satellite.

The mission will provide many opportunities for students at the faculties of AE and EEMCS to perform their MSc thesis on a real space project.

The mission statement:
“Delfi-n3Xt will be the world’s most advanced nano-satellite, gathering scientific data related to space radiation and providing in-orbit testing and qualification of innovative technologies.”

If you are a student who is interested in such an exciting thesis, do not hesitate to contact the Delfi-n3Xt team!, please visit http://www.n3xt.delfispace.nl/

Source:
http://www.n3xt.delfispace.nl/
http://lr.faculteiten.tudelft.nl

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The Indostar II/Protostar II satellite was launched for Protostar LTD of Bermuda and will be commercially operated for Indovision of Jakarta, Indonesia, the largest Direct to Home operator in Indonesia.

The International Launch Services (ILS) Proton Breeze M launched from Pad 39 at the cosmodrome at 6:57 a.m. local time (8:57 p.m. EDT, 00:57 GMT). After a 9 hour 15 minute mission, the Breeze M successfully released the satellite into the planned geo-transfer orbit. This was the 345th launch for the Proton. It’s located at 107.7 degrees East, was built on the Boeing 601 HP platform and is the second satellite in Protostar's evolving constellation.

This satellite replaces the existing Chakarawarta 1 and will bring high power S-band and Ku-band capacity over Indonesia, with expanded service to India, the Philippines and Taiwan.

The Proton Breeze M vehicle is developed and built by Khrunichev Research and Production Space Center of Moscow, Russia's premier space manufacturer.
The satellite's S-band transponders will support Direct to Home TV and Radio services for Indovision. The satellite will also offer HDTV multimedia and broadband services throughout the ASEAN region.

The Indostar II/Protostar II satellite enables to optimize direct to home services in ASEAN with the most powerful satellite to join the Protostar fleet.

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"Advantech Satellite Networks launches S5420 VSAT Modem to provide cost-effective DVB-S2 SCPC and DVB-RCS Solutions "

Montreal, QC, March 25, 2009 — Advantech Satellite Networks, a division of Advantech Wireless Broadband Inc., a world-leading provider of wireless broadband communications, announces today that it has released the S5420, the DVB-S2 enhanced successor to its popular S5400 DVBSCPC modem.

The S5420 offers the world’s first modem capable of operating in either of two access methods, SCPC or MF-TDMA. It can support multiple modes of operation: DVB-S2 (ACM, CCM) SCPC point-to-point, as well as DVB-S or DVB-S2 SCPC (ACM, VCM, CCM) and DVB-RCS point-to-multipoint. This provides the flexibility to meet a variety of network topologies with a single low cost modem solution and allows transitioning from one to another using the same terminal infrastructure.

‘The S5420 offers powerful IP connectivity directly to a LAN/WAN environment. It is an out-of-thebox, ready-to-go, cost-effective broadband solution, offering advanced IP features such as TCP & HTTP acceleration and on-board compression, Quality of Service (QoS), as well as VLAN and optional accelerated 3DES or AES encryption support.’
~ Walter Reichert
Vice-President, Hub and Terminal Products

‘This modem brings together Advantech’s world class technology leadership in DVB-S2 and RVBRCS. With the ability of being able to offer best in class MF-TDMA DVB-RCS and DVB-S2 SCPC waveforms, this modem can operate in traditional point to point SCPC configurations, in DVBSCPC multipoint networks, in DVB-RCS multipoint networks, and in mixed hybrid mode networks.’

~ Edwin Faier -Product Director

The S5420 is the solution of choice for enterprise and government users, network operators, service providers and broadcasters for a wide range of applications including Internet/Intranet
Access, LAN/WAN connectivity, Email, File Transfer, Video Conferencing, VoIP, Video Streaming, Backup Services, Backhauling, Private Networking, Video-On-Demand, SNG, Content Distribution & Contribution and Maritime applications.

Management of the modem is via Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) or web interface. A network of S5420 terminals is centrally managed via Advantech Satellite Networks’ powerful NetManagerTM Network Management System (NMS). Designed to support unicast or multicast traffic up to 135 Mbps on the forward link (hub to remote terminal) and up to 10 Mbps transmission on the return link (remote terminal to hub), the S5420 is ideally suited for all DVB-SCPC or DVBRCS needs.

The S5420 supports the Advantech Satellite Networks Pay-As-You-GrowTM concept. The S5420 is deployed as an SCPC terminal and as the network grows, the hub and terminals can be upgraded to fully DVB-RCS compliant operation. No hardware modifications or upgrades of the terminals are necessary.

The change can be completely transparent to the end user. With the SCPC efficiency of DVB-S2 and the Bandwidth-On-Demand performance of DVBRCS, the best access methods to meet the current traffic profile can be selected, combined, and then adapted to satisfy tomorrow’s communication needs.

The low cost Multi-Mode S5420 satellite modem is available for delivery.
For more information, please contact Advantech Satellite Networks, or visit Advantech Wireless
Broadband’s Satellite 2009 booth 415 at the Washington Convention Center March 25th through
the 27th.

About Advantech Satellite Networks
Advantech Satellite Networks, a division of Advantech Wireless Broadband Inc., provides broadband satellite communication systems, ground terminals and hub solutions using the international open standard DVB-RCS. Advantech Satellite Networks’ product and technology solutions enable two-way broadband access for a wide range of networking applications ranging from Internet access to more sophisticated virtual private networks, videoconferencing and Voice-over-IP. Advantech Satellite Networks is also a provider of military compliant satellite communications systems for use in DoD-owned teleports and for foreign military establishments worldwide.

About Advantech Wireless Broadband
Advantech is shaping the world with its leading-edge wireless broadband communications. We design, manufacture and deploy networking solutions for broadband connectivity, broadcast solutions and backhaul requirements using satellite and terrestrial communications.

Advantech’s successful R&D program has benchmarked some of the industry’s most innovative products. We’re certified under the ISO 9001: 2000 quality standard. We have offices in Canada, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Russia, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico as well as in the United States. But Advantech is more than a global company filled with technology, and engineers. It’s the belief that telecommunications shouldn’t be stopped by distance, mountains or earthquakes, and that in any situation, one should be able to connect to the world. We are the wireless broadband culture.

For more information, please visit www.AdvantechWireless.com
Media Contact
Leslie Perez
Corporate Communications
Advantech Wireless Broadband Inc.
Tel.: +1 514 335 3550 ext. 3163
Email: leslie.perez@advantechwireless.com

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North Korea's official news agency said the Taepodong-2 rocket placed a satellite in orbit that is now broadcasting revolutionary songs. The Pentagon claimed the launch failed and the rocket broke up and fell into the Pacific Ocean.

The image was taken from an altitude of 308 miles (496km) by the WorldView-1 satellite moments after the rocket blasted off at 11.10am local time.

A satellite image showing what is believed to be the exhaust trail and part of a North Korean rocket launched on April 5. The company that took the photograph, DigitalGlobe, describes it as “a panchromatic, 50 centimeter (1.6 foot) high-resolution WorldView-1 satellite image showing the rocket launch from the Musudan Ri.

Musudan Ri, is a rocket launching site in North Korea. It lies in southern North Hamgyong province, near the northern tip of the East Korea Bay. The area was formerly known as Taep'o-dong (대포동).

The WorldView-1 satellite is operated by the US imaging company Digital Globe, which snapped the North Korean rocket on its launchpad last week using another satellite called Quickbird. Allison Puccioni, a senior image analyst for IHS Jane's, said it was the first time a satellite had captured a rocket mid-launch.

Source The New York Times,The Guardian

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Korean Central News Agency of DPRK via Korea News Service (KNS)

Pyongyang, April 5 (KCNA) — Scientists and technicians of the DPRK have succeeded in putting satellite Kwangmyongsong-2, an experimental communications satellite, into orbit by means of carrier rocket Unha-2 under the state long-term plan for the development of outer space.

Unha-2, which was launched at the Tonghae Satellite Launching Ground in Hwadae County, North Hamgyong Province at 11:20 on April 5, Juche 98 (2009), accurately put Kwangmyongsong-2 into its orbit at 11:29:02, nine minutes and two seconds after its launch.

The satellite is going round the earth along its elliptic orbit at the angle of inclination of 40.6 degrees at 490 km perigee and 1,426 km apogee. Its cycle is 104 minutes and 12 seconds.

Mounted on the satellite are necessary measuring devices and communications apparatuses.

The satellite is going round on its routine orbit.

It is sending to the earth the melodies of the immortal revolutionary paeans "Song of General Kim Il Sung" and "Song of General Kim Jong Il" and measured information at 470 MHz. By the use of the satellite the relay communications is now underway by UHF frequency band.

The satellite is of decisive significance in promoting the scientific researches into the peaceful use of outer space and solving scientific and technological problems for the launch of practical satellites in the future.

Carrier rocket Unha-2 has three stages.

The carrier rocket and the satellite developed by the indigenous wisdom and technology are the shining results gained in the efforts to develop the nation's space science and technology on a higher level.

The successful satellite launch symbolic of the leaping advance made in the nation's space science and technology was conducted against the background of the stirring period when a high-pitched drive for bringing about a fresh great revolutionary surge is under way throughout the country to open the gate to a great prosperous and powerful nation without fail by 2012, the centenary of birth of President Kim Il Sung, under the far-reaching plan of General Secretary Kim Jong Il. This is powerfully encouraging the Korean people all out in the general advance.

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After VINASAT-1, Any More To Be Launched

VINASAT-1.
by Staff Writers
Nhan Dan, Vietnam (VNA) 24/01/2009
Vietnam's first telecommunications satellite VINASAT-1 was successfully launched from the Kourou spaceport in Guyana on April 19, 2008 into the orbit at 132 degrees east and was officially put into service in a safe and effective manner on May 22, 2008.
This marked a great turning point for Vietnam's telecommunications and information technology. It is also served as a base to continue to do research and consider launching many more satellites in the future. Thu Ha writes.

The successful launch of the satellite VINASAT-1 was also a memorable landmark in the process of the country's development and integration.

Since its successful lift-off, the satellite has been operating stably and its actual parameters have equalled or exceeded the design indexes.

This satellite was produced with the advanced technology and was estimated to have the ever longest life span of up to over 20 years, enabling the Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group to get the return of investment capital and yield profits.

With a transmission capacity of 10,000 Internet or mobile telephone channels and 120 digital TV programmes, VINASAT-1 will help Vietnam improve the national information infrastructure, quickly accomplish the provision of the telecommunications, internet and TV services for all of the remote and far-flung, island and border areas.

Noticeably, VINASAT-1 will effectively assist in providing information for the fishermen's fishing job and for improving their lives in particular and the marine economic development in general, for the prevention and emergency rescue in case of storms, floods and other natural disasters.

According to Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Tran Duc Lai, the biggest result of the project is that Vietnam's sovereignty is recognised at the geostationary satellite orbit. Operating its own satellite at the orbit shows that Vietnam is gradually keeping pace with countries in the region and the world as a whole.

There are currently about 280 commercial satellites in service, supplying a series of the telecommunications services in the international satellite information market. The Asian region alone currently owns some 80 satellites from 20 providers.

A lot of countries in the region have at least one satellite operating, such as Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines.

Deputy director of Vietnam Telecom International (VTI) Lam Quoc Cuong said that since the VINASAT-1 satellite was put into operation, VTI has co-ordinated with the Vietnam Television to successfully broadcast TV channels VTV1, VTV2, VTV3 and VTV4 across the country and to several countries in the Asia-Pacific region through using VINASAT-1.

Meanwhile, VTI has shifted VSAT channels using services provided by foreign satellites to using services supplied by the VINASAT-1 such as channels to Spratly archipelago and offshore oil rigs.

In addition, a series of memoranda of understandings on exploiting the satellite's transmission capacity have been signed by VTI and its customers including the Vietnam Multimedia Corporation (VTC), the Voice of Vietnam, the Binh Duong Television, the Voice of Ho Chi Minh City and the Global Telecommunications Corporation (GTel).

VTI is not only seeking domestic customers but also keeping contacts with the some potential foreign partners about the possibility of trading VINASAT-1 satellite services in the Asia-Pacific region.

So, apart from the satellite's capacity being reserved for the public activities, its total remaining capacity for trading is 9.5 Ku-band transponders and 3.4 C-band transponders. This remaining capacity has been basically registered thus far and will be put into service from the early second quarter of the year 2009.

Currently, the registered customers are in the phase of investment and technical upgrading so as to adapt to VINASAT-1 services. If these works are done in accordance with the approved implementation, it is estimated that the whole Ku frequency band will be completely exploited in 2009 and the whole C frequency band in 2010.

It can be seen that the prospect for doing business in services provided by the satellite VINASAT-1 is positive. This has created a foundation for Vietnam to continue to do research and consider launching the second telecommunications satellite into the orbit. Especially, Vietnam has just registered with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) three more orbital positions.

So, at present, Vietnam has occupied four orbital positions in total at the geostationary orbit. These three new positions include 107 degrees east, 126 degrees east and 131.8 degrees east.

According to the stipulation for registering with the ITU, if no Vietnamese satellite is to be launched into the orbit from now to 2012, the said three positions will belong to other countries.

The experience from satellite service providers worldwide shows that it is necessary to have the next satellite generations at once so as to have a reserve as well as to deploy services. The four-year remaining period to prepare all documents for any registration for launching the next satellite is very short, so it is necessary to rapidly study the implementation of the VINASAT-2 satellite project.

This is an urgent and necessary work because it takes at least over two years to produce one satellite and at the same time, so doing, we can avoid any difficulties and risks caused by the possible implementation of the project in a hurry.

The mentioned three newly-registered positions are Vietnam's invaluable frequency band resources. Currently, many foreign partners are expressing their wish to lease these orbital positions

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Satellite to Study Global-Warming Gases Lost in Space

By Alex Morales, Bloomberg News,
Feb. 24 (Bloomberg) - A satellite launched from California failed to reach orbit today, crashing into the sea near Antarctica and dooming a $273 million mission to study global-warming gases.

“The mission is lost,” National Aeronautics and Space Administration spokesman Steve Cole said in a telephone interview from the launch site at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

The NASA satellite was to orbit 438 miles (705 kilometers) above Earth and observe how carbon dioxide enters and leaves the atmosphere, helping scientists predict future increases in the main greenhouse gas blamed for global warming. Instead, the satellite fell in the ocean near Antarctica though the mission manager said at no point did the craft pass over land.

“It’s a huge disappointment for the entire team who have worked very hard for years and years and years,” NASA Launch Director Chuck Dovale said in a briefing from California. “Even when you do your very best, you can still fail.”

Today’s malfunction follows a Feb. 11 collision of U.S. and Russian satellites almost 500 miles above the planet, the first crash of its type, which created a space debris field of more than 300 pieces that could damage other satellites.

The Orbiting Carbon Observatory satellite didn’t reach orbit after a 1:55 a.m. launch because the “payload fairing” failed to separate, NASA said. The fairing covers the top of the satellite during launch and needs to come off so the satellite can detach from the rocket and enter orbit.

“It’s disappointing because it was giving us novel information to help us move our understanding forward on global warming,” Alan O’Neill, science director of the Reading, U.K.- based Centre for Earth Observation, said in an interview.

Orbital Sciences
Both the satellite and launch rocket were built by Dulles, Virginia-based Orbital Sciences Corp. John Brunschwyler, Orbital Sciences’s mission manager, said “over the past 10 years, we’ve flown a nearly perfect record — 56 out of 57 vehicles and we’ve not had any problems with this particular fairing design.”

NASA’s investment was $273 million for the design, development and launch operations. Insurance details on the mission may be given later today, NASA said.

The craft contained a monitoring device designed to collect 8 million measurements every 16 days. Scientists hoped to use the data to find out how much CO2 is absorbed by the forests, grasslands and oceans, which are collectively known as “sinks.”

Man-made CO2, which traps heat in the atmosphere, is largely produced by power plants, vehicle engines and factories.

The data gleaned from the satellite was intended to help guide government global-warming policy, NASA said.

Understanding ‘Carbon Sinks’
“An improved understanding of carbon sinks is essential to predicting future carbon-dioxide increases and making accurate predictions of carbon dioxide’s impact on Earth’s climate,” NASA said on the mission Web site. “If these natural carbon-dioxide sinks become less efficient as the climate changes, the rate of buildup of carbon dioxide would increase.”

On Jan. 23, Japan launched what it said was the world’s first satellite, Gosat, to measure greenhouse gases from 56,000 points around the globe over five years.

Today’s satellite was expected to have a minimum three-year life. Similar spacecraft have lasted five to 10 years, David Steitz, a NASA spokesman, said yesterday.

While launch and separation of the rocket’s first stage went as planned, a clamshell-shaped “fairing” covering the satellite failed to open, meaning it was too heavy to reach orbit, Brunschwyler said on NASA’s online television station.

“As a direct result of carrying that extra weight, we could not reach orbit,” Brunschwyler said. Indications are the satellite “landed just short of Antarctica, in the ocean.”

Earlier this month, the collision of Russian and U.S. satellites destroyed an Iridium Satellite LLC communications craft and a defunct Russian Cosmos 2251, NASA said.

At least 18,000 satellites, debris and other space objects orbiting the Earth are tracked by the U.S. Joint Space Operations center. The Soviet Union put the first satellite, Sputnik 1, into space in 1957.

Source : http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=av6QSiI5BuOI&refer=us#

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PRNewswire
BETHESDA, Md.
"Reliability to the Rescue" Offer Again Provides Credits Up to $700 For Customers Switching to Iridium

BETHESDA, Md., Feb. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Iridium Satellite LLC announces that it is re-launching its popular "Trade-Up to Iridium" program, which provides pricing incentives for customers trading up from Globalstar to Iridium handsets and service. Iridium is re-initiating the program due to the much-publicized degradation of Globalstar's voice service. This follows the success of the initial Trade-Up to Iridium offer, which ran from January to September 2008, and responds to continued demand from Service Providers and customers.

"Iridium's goal is to ensure that satellite phone users have access to consistently reliable global satellite communications services," said Don Thoma, executive vice president, Marketing, Iridium. "Our network is now recognized to be the only satellite communications service that dependably provides a critical communications lifeline everywhere."

Effective February 20 to September 30, 2009, any Globalstar satellite phone user is eligible to trade in his or her handset for an Iridium satellite phone. The original program, which Iridium offered to government users, first responders, educational institutions and relief organizations, is now open to any end user from any market sector due to wide interest from non-public sector customers.

Through the Trade-Up to Iridium program, participating Iridium Service Providers based in North America will offer a credit of up to $400 on a new Iridium 9505A satellite phone to customers turning in an existing Globalstar handset. Participating Service Providers will also offer up to $300 in airtime credits when signing a customer for a qualified Iridium calling plan. Participating Service Providers outside of North America will be able to offer similar incentives available through regional Trade-Up to Iridium programs.

"Iridium users have satellite phones because they often live, work and play in areas that lack adequate ground communications infrastructure," said Thoma. "Many are public safety and service organizations that rely on satellite links for mission-critical communications when disasters strike, and many large organizations have integrated Iridium into their business operations and emergency response plans. This is an excellent opportunity to trade-up to Iridium if your satellite phone must serve as a reliable, critical lifeline."

About IridiumIridium Satellite LLC (www.iridium.com) is the only mobile satellite service (MSS) company offering coverage over the entire globe. The Iridium constellation of low-earth orbiting (LEO) cross-linked satellites provides critical voice and data services for areas not served by terrestrial communication networks. Iridium's subscriber growth has been driven by increasing demand for reliable, global communications. Iridium serves commercial markets through a worldwide network of hundreds of distributors, and provides services to the U.S. Department of Defense, and other U.S. and international government agencies. The company's customers represent a broad spectrum of industry, including maritime, aeronautical, government/defense, public safety, utilities, oil/gas, mining, forestry, heavy equipment and transportation. Iridium has launched a major development program for its next-generation satellite constellation, Iridium NEXT, which will result in continued and new Iridium MSS offerings. The company is headquartered in Bethesda, Md. and is currently privately held.

SOURCE: Iridium Satellite LLC
Web site: http://www.iridium.com/

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from: RussiaToday
Russia is monitoring the wreckage of two communications satellites that collided in space above Siberia. NASA says neither the earth nor the International Space Station are at risk from the debris of the Russian and American satellites. But what caused the accident and whos to blame?

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(NASA photo)

Russian and US communication satellites collided in space today at the height of over 800 kilometers above the territory of Russia’s Krasnoyarsk region, an official spokesman for NASA Kelly Hamphries said. The incident occurred Tuesday, February 10, Itar-Tass reports.

It goes about Russia’s defunct satellite launched in 1983 and a US communication satellite launched in 1997. The US craft was a part of Iridium global mobile communication network owned by Motorola. Each of the satellites weighed more than 500 kilograms.

The accident marked the first-ever collision of undamaged spacecraft in orbit. At least two large clouds of debris were formed as a result of the collision. The fragments of the satellites pose no danger to the International Space Station, because the station sits on a lower orbit, NASA officials said.

Russia’s Roscosmos Space Corporation told RIA Novosti that the collision did not result in any losses for the company.

Four other similar incidents were reported last year, when small satellites collided with space garbage, NASA said.

The accident occurred on the altitude used by weather, communication and scientific satellites. The collision did not result in any technical problems for customers, although some of them may experience difficulties in using their cell phones.

The US satellite was launched into space on board a Russian booster rocket in 1997. The Russian craft, which was launched in 1983, stopped operating about five years ago, specialists said.

Orbits of many other satellites will have to be changed to protect them against similar accidents.

Russia’s Cosmos 2251 military communication satellite was not operating for many years. It was living out its days in orbit like many other old satellites.

Cosmos 2251 satellite weighs about 800 kilos. It was used as a communication satellite for military purposes. The satellite lasts for only three years.

Iridium 33/24946 is a commercial communication craft weighing about 700 kilos. It lasts from five to eight years. There were 66 Iridium satellites in near-Earth orbit before the collision. Iridium Holdings LLC will replace the damaged satellite during the upcoming 30 days.

Iridium satellites have been in use since 1989 to provide mobile communication via Iridium satellite phones that cover the planet entirely. The number of Iridium customers amounts to over 330,000.

Iridium telephones are twice as large as conventional cellular phones. Iridium satellites are capable of moving at a very low orbit, unlike other satellites that can operate only on high altitudes.

Source: agencies, http://english.pravda.ru/

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Launching Plan : Q3 2009 by Long March 3B Rocket from Xi Chang , China
Indosat Palapa D
Indosat provides satellite technology to fulfill the high corporate demand for reliable broadcasting telecommunication technology for both technology applications and wide coverage. This satellite service involves rental of a specified bandwidth from the Palapa C2 satellite to companies in Indonesia.

One of Indosat’s services that is based on this technology is the Indosat Telecast that allows customers – especially news agencies, news broadcasters and event organisers – to send on-field news faster to national and international correspondences.

Satellite is not only for broadcasting but also for smooth corporate data transmission. to maintain & increasing our satellite telecommunication technology. Indosat will launch Indosat Palapa D Satellite as replacement of Palapa C2.

Palapa D Satelit Specifications
• Orbital Slot:
113 Easr (Replacement of Palapa -C2)

• Space Craft Model:
Thales Alenia SpaceBus 400 ( France )

• Capacity:
24 Standard C-Band:
- U/L : 5.9 GHz- 6.4 GHz
- D/L : 3.7 GHz-4.2 GHz
• 11 Extended C-Band Transponders
- U/L: 6.4 GHz-6.7 GHz
- D/L: 3.4 GHz-3.7 GHz

• Life time:
15 years guarenteed lifetime
17.5 years orbital manuver lifetime

Launching Plan : Q3 2009 by Long March 3B Rocket from Xi Chang , China

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Together with The Department of Communication and Informatika of the Republic Indonesia (Depkominfo), Media Citra Indostar (MCI) will launch the Indostar II / ProtoStar II Satellite in March 2009. The Indostar II satellite is the new generation of Indostar I/Cakrawarta I, which has served Indonesia since the launching on 1997 and the operation period will be ended soon.

The capacity of this satellite is doubled compare to the previous one before, and will serves about 120 channels with MPEG-2 technology and 140 channels with MPEG-2 and MPEG-4, and also will serve 2(two) pay TV, local television and radio link. Same as the Indostar I satellite, the Indostar II /ProtoStar II satellite is the only satellite that broadcasts in Indonesia which taking place at the orbital S-band that endurance to climate change and 2.5GHz for its frequency.

The purpose of this launching of the Indostar II Satellite will improve the service in the broadcasting industry in Indonesia as well as to give a bigger chance for the content business.

“At least for Depkominfo this will force and as well as facilitate the broadcasting industry for better growing”, said Communication and Informatica Ministry (Menkominfo), M.Nuh to the journalist, Wed (19/11).

Couple times ago Menkominfo and SKDI Depkominfo, Freddy Tulung saw the making of satellite at Boeing in Los Angeles, USA. It will take time about 20 months, on the other hand the launching it self will be done in Kazakhstan, exactly in Baikonour City. “The footprint” of the satellite will not only in Indonesia but more over to the countries around Asia such as Philippine, India, China and more.

The value of satellite has accomplished it, is about US$300 million, it said by the Director of the PT. MNC SkyVision, Rudi Tanoesoedibjo in press conference at the Depkominfo Building, Jakarta, Wed (19/11). The transponder capacity of Ku-band is 10 pieces, which are, double from the Indostar I satellite capacity with a better signal. And also provides 12 pieces of Ku-band will direct to India and 10 pieces will direct to Indonesia and Taiwan.

Rudi Tanoesoedibjo convinced, satellite with that great ability, many broadcast company will invest in Indostar II satellite, also known that about 10 foreign canal company have proposed to us, He said.

The launching of Indostar II satellite will be held on March 2009, and will be witness by several Universities, in order to introduce the first digital technology in broadcasting industry. Source : Indovision.co.id

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JSC «Academician M.F. Reshetnev “Information satellite systems” won a tender on IOD Scheme delivery of a geostationary telecommunication satellite system TELKOM 3 for the Indonesian operator PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk.

The JSC “Information Satellite Systems – Reshetnev Company” is one of the leading enterprises of Russian space industry.


The project covers a development and in-orbit delivery of a satellite TELKOM 3, creation of augmented ground control segment, training, internship and technical support to the service operator during the satellite operation life. The satellite will be built based on a new medium-class platform «Express-1000H». It will carry 32 C-band transponders and 10 Ku-transponders or equivalent to 49 TPE. The satellite TELKOM 3 mass will be 1600 kg, payload power – 5.6 kW, lifetime – 15 years. The satellite shall be manufactured and launched into the orbit in the middle of 2011.

The satellite will be built for one of the major telecommunication provider of the Asia-Pacific Region - PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk. For the tender, the main competitors of the Reshetnev company were well-known companies Orbital Sciences, Thales Alenia Space and Space Systems/Loral.

It is worth mentioning that it is the second foreign contract awarded to JSC ISS during the same year. On July 30 2008, the Reshetnev company signed the contract with the Israeli communication satellite operator SPACE-COMMUNICATION LTD. for the delivery of the AMOS 5 satellite system .
Source from : JSC "Information Satellite Systems"

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The Chinese government will grant Indonesia a remote sensing satellite to help monitor and provide early detections on events taking place in the sea, an official said.

"China will grant Indonesia a satellite for monitoring happenings and developments in the sea. With the satellite, Indonesia`s sensing capability at sea would be increased," Head of the National Sea Security Coordination Agency (Bakormala) Tri Yuswoyo said here on Wednesday.

He said that Indonesia welcomed the Chinese grant because Indonesia had a vast sea while its sensing capability was still limited. Yuswoyo said that many government agencies are conducting activities at sea such as the Customs and Excise office, the Maritime and Fisheries Ministry, and the Navy.

So far, government agencies which carried out sea patrols were lacking many important equipment and facilities while Indonesia has a vast territorial sea, he said.

But with a remote sensing device, which China will provide, the agencies would be able to monitor happenings at sea in the interest of security and prosperity of the people, he added.

"The satellite will be owned by the Bakormala while the results of its monitoring could be used by other agencies in the country," he added.

Source: Antara News

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Oct. 24, 2008 - Vandenberg AFB.The third spacecraft for Italy's home-grown Earth observing system, a constellation of radar satellites built for civil and military reconnaissance, received a successful boost into orbit Friday by an American ULA Delta 2 rocket.

Rocket: Delta 2 (7420)
Payload: COSMO 3
Date: Oct. 24, 2008
Time: 7:28 p.m. PDT (10:28 p.m. EDT)
Site: SLC-2W, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California
Broadcast: AMC 16, Transponder 22, Ku-band

The third spacecraft for Italy's home-grown Earth observing system, a constellation of radar satellites built for civil and military reconnaissance, received a successful boost into orbit Friday by an American Delta 2 rocket.

The COSMO-SkyMed spacecraft roared away from the Vandenberg Air Force Base launch pad precisely on time at 7:28:25 p.m. local (10:28:25 p.m. EDT; 0228:25 GMT).


With its two sister-satellites circling the planet in formation, COSMO 3 had only a split second launch opportunity Friday night to get airborne and ensure its proper placement into the orbiting network.

And the United Launch Alliance Delta 2 delivered, collecting its 84th straight success.

The two stages and four side-mounted boosters of the 12-story rocket did their jobs during the hour-long ascent that extended half-way around the globe, ultimately deploying the 4,200-pound payload into a 335-nautical mile orbit.

Developed by Thales Alenia Space Italia for the Italian Space Agency and the Italian Ministry of Defence, the COSMO-SkyMed system is a flagship program with a 1 billion euro price tag.

"The proudness of the Italian parties is very, very high because the COSMO-SkyMed is the biggest space program realized in Italy," said Sandro Fagioli, vice president of Thales Alenia Space and general manager of the COSMO-SkyMed program.

"The design, the project, the technology is entirely Italian, 100 percent Italian."

Each satellite is equipped with an X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar instrument for environmental monitoring, resource management and territorial security surveillance. They are capable of seeing the ground in daylight or darkness, with clear skies or cloudy ones.

The craft can produce 450 images per day, and Fagioli said the picture-collecting time between civil and military uses is proportional to the financial contributions made during development of the system. The Italian Space Agency funded about 70 percent and the Ministry of Defence provided about 30 percent.

Imagery released for civilian purposes have a resolution of 1 meter, meaning objects as small as that size can be seen. "The military application is a lot under a meter, but I cannot give the exact number because it is classified," Fagioli said.

Adding this third satellite into the constellation will enable operators to begin tandem observations that image the same area but at different angles. The result will be high-resolution three-dimensional images.

"We can make more-precise maps of the world," Fagioli said. "We can increase the accuracy."

The satellites already proved themselves beneficial to humanitarian organizations responding to recent natural disasters, such as Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar, the devastating earthquake in China and Hurricanes Hannah and Ike that hit Haiti.

Once the constellation is completed in 2010, any specific region of the planet will be observed by the COSMO satellites every six hours, Fagioli said. That will allow authorities "to first understand, then arrange actions" when disasters strike.

The first two COSMO satellites were lofted into space by Delta 2 rockets in June and December 2007, respectively, and launch managers hoped Friday's third success would seal the deal to perform the fourth satellite-deployment mission in 2010.

"We do have more Deltas to sell," said Kris Walsh, ULA's director of NASA and commercial programs for the Delta rocket.

"I truly believe we are the preferred supplier, and hopefully we'll be able to make an announcement in the near-term," said Ken Heinly, Boeing Launch Services president. "We have an excellent working routine with the Italian agencies."

"We are working in order to negotiate the contract with Boeing to launch the fourth satellite," Fagioli said. "It is very probable that we will reach the agreement in a very short time. But until now, (we've) not yet signed the contract."

"Right now, the launch window we are looking at is between February and July of 2010," Heinly added.

Friday's launch was the fifth and final Delta 2 mission of the year. A pair of launches from Cape Canaveral took place in March and June, then a busy string of three flights from Vandenberg followed in the last four months.

The next launch will occur from the West Coast, too. The rocket will begin on-pad assembly in early December for a planned February 4 liftoff carrying the NOAA-N Prime civilian weather satellite for the U.S. government. The spacecraft is slated for delivery to Vandenberg on November 4, arriving from the Lockheed Martin manufacturing factory in Sunnyvale, California. From : http://www.spaceflightnow.com/, By JUSTIN RAY

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State telco PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk (Telkom) (JSX:TLKM) will be ordering in the near future its Telkom-3 Satellite at a cost of US$150-200 million. The satellite is expected to be launched in 2010 or 2011.

The bidding process will begin this month or after Idul Fitri (Muslim festivity),

The satellite will have 48 transponders, of which 14 will be commercialized while the remaining 24 will be used to strengthen the capacity of Telkom's telecommunication services.

president director of PT Telkom Rinaldi Firmansyah told ANTARA on Saturday.

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GeoEye-1 will capture high-resolution earth images for exclusive use on Google Maps.

By K.C. Jones
InformationWeek
September 8, 2008 12:08 PM

Google has expanded its reach into space with the successful launch Saturday of a new satellite that will provide the company with exclusive images for its maps.

After an 11:50 a.m. takeoff from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the GeoEye-1 satellite relayed a downlink signal to a ground station in Norway, confirming that it had separated from its United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket and had begun to initialize its onboard systems.

The satellite launch was coordinated by terrain mapping company GeoEye. "Based upon the data we saw, the satellite is performing properly and ready to begin the next phase towards meeting its mission requirements," said Bill Schuster, GeoEye chief operating officer, in a statement.

GeoEye said the 4,310-pound satellite required calibration and check-out period before the company would sell its images.

Although GeoEye did not mention Google in any of its announcements regarding the satellite, the search engine giant's name appeared on the satellite and company founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page attended the launch, according to reports.

GeoEye said it plans to sell the images to customers around the world, but a Google spokesperson said that Google has exclusive rights to the images for commercial maps.

"The imagery from GeoEye-1 adds to the quantity and quality of that currently provided by our IKONOS satellite, and together this magnificent constellation will enable us to meet world-wide customer demand," Matthew O'Connell, GeoEye CEO, said.

GeoEye-1 is part of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), NextView program, which aims to obtain timely and accurate commercial satellite imagery.

It will collect 0.41-meter ground resolution black and white images and 1.65-meter color images simultaneously. It can show objects as small as 16 inches. U.S. licensing restrictions limit commercial images to a half-meter ground resolution.

The satellite can capture the images from 423 miles above the Earth and travel about 4.5 miles per second.

General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems in Gilbert, Ariz., built the satellite, while ITT in Rochester, N.Y., developed the imaging system. ITT is building another imaging system for GeoEye-2, which is scheduled to launch in 2011.

GeoEye said it won a $500 million NextView contract four years ago, and it built and launched the satellite with no cost overruns.

Original article: http://www.informationweek.com/news/...leID=210600213

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Astrium plays a triple role on the Skynet 5 programme responsible for the service provision through its company Paradigm, prime contractor on the launcher Ariane 5 and also as prime contractor for the satellites and associated ground segment.A new era in secure military communications for the UK Ministry of Defence began when the Skynet 5A satellite entered service in April 2007 following successful launch from Kourou, French Guiana on 11 March 2007.

Skynet 5B was launched on 14 November 2007 and entered service in January one month earlier than scheduled.Skynet 5 is the groundbreaking next generation military satellite communications programme for the UK Ministry of Defence.

Secure communications services are being delivered by the owner and operator, Paradigm, part of Astrium Services, with the system, including the satellites, designed and built by Astrium Satellites. Astrium Space Transportation is prime contractor on Ariane 5.More information: http://www.astrium.eads.net/

http://www.astrium.eads.net/multimedia_center_orig/movies/skynet-5

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Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) satellite technology is being adopted more and more around the world by major telecommunication service providers and businesses and governments. Due to its availability, relatively low cost and superior reliability, VSAT is perhaps the technology of choice for bridging the digital divide.

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by Orbital Data Net

The most advanced VSAT emergency communication link built with this level of performance and ease of operation.

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