March 2008 Edition
Satellite Networks
Features
The New Revolution Of Satellite Pay TV,
After a decade of satellite TV platforms launches, the satellite TV industry has reached critical size and has become truly global. The 92 TV platforms currently in service cover more than 100 countries in the different regions of the world, with 80 national TV platforms and seven regional platforms primarily in the Middle East, Africa, Central and Eastern Europe and Latin America.
Trends In Management and Control, Stovepipe Systems Are OutNet-centric Is In!
Traditional satellite Network Management Systems (NMS) that may have served mission unique, closed network systems, or focused exclusively on the management of discrete point-to-point SATCOM links, are increasingly called upon to support network centric applications.
For Sale: Satellite, one careful owner
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Norways Thor 5 satellite, built by Orbital Science, was launched into orbit February 11. Its a tangible return to health for International Launch Services and the Proton launch system. It also means Thor 2 will soon be available for re-use.
Mobile Satellite Ventures and Inmarsat Play Nice,
by John Stone, Near Earth LLC
Mobile Satellite Ventures (MSV) managed to pull off a very interesting deal with their sometimes competitor, Inmarsat, LTD. When it was announced on December 21st, the market clearly liked the deal, sending the shares of Inmarsat up 7 percent and the shares of SkyTerra (MSVs public trading vehicle) up a whopping 24 percent that day. This begs the question: Should it have?
Mobile Satellite Ventures (MSV) managed to pull off a very interesting deal with their sometimes competitor, Inmarsat, LTD. When it was announced on December 21st, the market clearly liked the deal, sending the shares of Inmarsat up 7 percent and the shares of SkyTerra (MSVs public trading vehicle) up a whopping 24 percent that day. This begs the question: Should it have?
HAL Would Be Proud,
Fifty years after Hal, two Space Shuttle accidents killed 14 astronautsscience fiction has become science fact. We are now a lot closer to having a Hal protect our astronauts. Talking computers are available today as is the technology to protect astronauts. Proactive diagnostics, also known as prognostics, use a technology that is certainly of Star Wars class. Prognostics offer information for prognosticians to predict when, and what, electronic equipment is going to faila computer can then tell the astronauts what is happening.
Digital Applications and Communications, Dynamics in the Oil & Gas Patch
As a supplier of essential services to the oil & gas industry, the satellite communications sector are acutely aware of the fact that cost-effective and efficient means of communication are essential to mission-critical operational success in the oil & gas patch. Satellite-based communications, together with satellite-terrestrial hybrid solutions, and terrestrial platforms, play a vital role in oil & gas. They provide essential connectivity and access to vital applications, often in remote geographic environments and challenging climatic conditions.
Universal Service - Satellite Service Providers and the FCC Funding Mandates,
by Maury J. Mechanick, Counsel, White & Case LLP
This article provides an overview of the critical funding mandates imposed on telecommunications service providers in the sky, as well as on the ground. These funding mandates include the Universal Service Fund (USF), the Telecommunications Relay Services Fund (TRS Fund), the Local Number Portability Administration (LNPA), and the administration of the North American Numbering Plan (NANP).

This article provides an overview of the critical funding mandates imposed on telecommunications service providers in the sky, as well as on the ground. These funding mandates include the Universal Service Fund (USF), the Telecommunications Relay Services Fund (TRS Fund), the Local Number Portability Administration (LNPA), and the administration of the North American Numbering Plan (NANP).
Spotlight
Executive Spotlight On... David Richardson, Vice President Corporate, and Business Development, UDcast
In his executive role at UDcast, David Richardson contributes to the development of new products, market channels, and alliances, in the rapidly developing fields of Mobile TV and WiMAX. Richardson has more than 20 years of broadcasting and media industry experience.
Regular Departments
The History of Satellites, (Ongoing Series)
The objective of the Courier program [13] was to develop a satellite of higher capacity and longer life than SCORE, which could be used for communication tests and assessments of traffic handling techniques. The concept was similar to SCORE in that the primary operating mode was store-and-dump using onboard tape recorders.
Featured Satellite... HylasOne, The Avanti Communications HylasOne Satellite
UPS & SafeRoute,