Norsat International snares satcom research, development fund from SADI

The Strategic Aerospace and Defence Initiative (SADI) has awarded an repayable contribution worth $13.3 million (CAD) to satellite communications company Norsat International Inc.

Norsat will use the contribution to boost its strategic research and development program, allowing the Company to continue developing innovative new or enhanced satcom processes, products, and services for established and new markets. It also gives Norsat the opportunity to collaborate with university researchers and improve channel relationships with the local suppliers of components used in new technologies.

The Company's focus and forte are satellite communications technologies that enable connectivity for commercial, government, and military customers anywhere in the world, even regions that have damaged, insufficient, non-existent, or unreliable communications infrastructure. Norsat satcom solutions can operate in unforgiving environmental or technological conditions.

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New Ka-band beam lets Galaxy SkyDATA reach Eastern Canada

Canada-based satellite communications company Galaxy Broadband Communications recently announced the addition of a new Ka-band beam to its SkyDATA enterprise class managed service.

The additional beam is a Ka-band spot beam from the Telesat satellite Anik F3. It will cover Central and Eastern Canada, including Northern Ontario, Northern Quebec, and the western regions of Newfoundland and Labrador. Expected launch for the upgraded service is April 15, 2013.

Galaxy launched its SkyDATA enterprise class service back in 2012. The original platform used four Ka-beams and covered the Western half of Northern Canada. Galaxy also included plans to extend SkyDATA's coverage over Eastern Canada.

SkyDATA provides cost-effective and reliable managed services to customers who need more bandwidth for mission critical applications, morale services for work camps, and VoIP communications. The new Ka-band spot beam will allow Galaxy to offer affordable, fast, and predictable managed services to customers in the resource-rich mining havens of Eastern Canada. 

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Orbcomm prototype deorbits, falls to Earth

After an anomaly during the October 7 launch where one of the engines of the SpaceX Falco 9 failed to work, Orbcomm’s prototype satellite, the OG2, has been declared a total loss. The announcement came after the spacecraft failed to reach its designated International Space Station (ISS) safety gate for the second burn. As a result the OG2 found itself in a lower orbit. 

Orbcomm engineers studied plans to use the satellite’s propulsion mechanism to push the vessel into its intended orbit. However, the plans for a second burn was scrapped due to safety reasons. Many attribute the failure to the satellite being relegated to a secondary payload. Had it been the primary payload on the Space X mission, it would have reached its desired orbit. 

Orbcomm officials explained that despite the loss of the OG2, the vessel’s critical systems were tested and worked perfectly as it was designed. The telemetry and command capability of the satellite was also established, and various communications payloads of the OG2 were verified by engineers to have worked. 

Despite the setback, the company will still work with SpaceX for future launches of its second-generation satellites. Orbcomm remains confident in the American space transport company.

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Norsat: A good, good, second quarter

Norsat International reported positive financial results for the second quarter. According to the CEO of the Canadian satellite communications company, its second quarter revenue, gross profit dollars, EBITDA and net earnings all experienced positive results thanks to the excellent performance of its three business units: Sinclair Technologies, Satellite Solutions, and Microwave Products.

“Our financial results continued to strengthen in the second quarter of 2012," said Dr. Amiee Chan, Norsat’s President and CEO. According to her, the revenue growth in Sinclair Technologies and  Microwave Products drove the company's improved performance. “This represents our 23nd straight quarter of positive EBITDA," Dr. Chan said.

Dr. Chan went on to report that Norsat's Sinclair division continued to perform above historical norms. Continuous demand from the public safety and transportation markets constantly drove sales across Sinclair's diverse product lines, especially for satellite antenna and RF conditioning products.

Norsat's Microwave Products segment also made significant gains during the second quarter. According to Dr. Chan, there is an increasing demand for products such as Norsat's customized Ka-band receivers. In particular, a customer requested products that can be used for airborne applications. And Dr. Chan was pleased to say Norsat was able to tap a new market by fulfilling that request.

In addition, Norsat's custom-designed dual Ku-band and X-band portable satellite communications terminals received Final Acceptance from NATO Communications and Information Agency. “A highlight of the quarter was successfully meeting NATO’s stringent in-field testing criteria for our custom-designed dual Ku and X-band portable satellite terminals," Dr. Chan announced. "Having gained Final Acceptance from our customer, we were able to recognize revenues on our contract during the period.”

Other achievements of note were the release of a Satellite Locator application for iPhone and Norsat’s cutting-edge video streaming technologies. The latter was used in tandem with Ku-band portable satellite terminals to broadcast live footage of U.S. President Obama’s surprise visit and address to U.S. service members in Bagram, Afghanistan on May 1, 2012.

Dr. Chan said that Norsat will further diversify its customer base by providing new products and services to the military, commercial, resource, transportation, and public safety markets. The Norsat Power Solutions business unit is a move in that direction, while the existing Satellite Solutions segment is already considering numerous proposals to better whet the appetite of a growing number of customers who require unique satellite communications needs.

SkyVision acquires Afinis VSAT company, extends African presence

UK-based SkyVision Global Networks Ltd. continues to strengthen its position in the African market through its recent purchase of local VSAT operator Afinis.

Originally owned by Monaco Telecom, Afinis has local offices and licensing in Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Senegal. The African satellite communications company provides a wide plethora of VSAT products and services for the financial, mining, and oil and gas sectors.

Its new owner intends to leverage Afinis' extensive knowledge of the local sectors in accordance with SkyVision's overall strategy in Africa. SkyVision intends to become one of the biggest satellite communications companies in the African continent.

To that end, SkyVision is expanding its operations and services throughout the African continent. Afinis' firm presence in Africa's French-speaking countries, its significant grasp of the corporate market, and its value added services will help cement SkyVision's position as a significant satellite communications provider in Nigeria, East, Central and Southern Africa.

In turn, Afinis' current and potential customer base will benefit from the increased scale and strong customer service of the combined businesses. SkyVision possesses strong global reach and is increasing its activity and presence in Africa by bringing world-class services to the rapidly-developing local markets.

“We look forward to welcoming the Afinis team into SkyVision," said Doron Ben-Sira, CEO, SkyVision Global Networks, "and to continue offering customers the superior service they are accustomed to.”

SkyVision had earlier established a subsidiary satellite communications company, SkyVision South Africa.  It also signed a multiyear contract with satellite service provider Telesat. SkyVision will be tapping Telesat's Telstar 11N satellite for Ku-band capacity in the African region.

ITT Exelis will provide satcom systems for US Army in Korea

Through a new Rapid Equipping Force contract, ITT Exelis will be supplying Mission Command On the Move (MCOTM) systems to the U.S. Army 2nd Infantry Division deployed in South Korea. The contract award is the result of a 2nd Infantry Division operational needs statement that requested a MCOTM system to support contingency missions. 

ITT Exelis' Global Network on the Move-Active Distribution (GNOMAD) solution integrates a number of commercial-off-the-shelf products in order to deliver mobile satellite broadband connectivity. The GNOMAD system is combat-proven, modular, and reliable. Its reduced size, weight and power make it a viable solution for integration into multiple U.S. Army ground platforms, and it will provide even the lowest battlefield echelon with critical network connectivity.

The GNOMAD satellite communications system will be installed in Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) All-Terrain Vehicles (M-ATV), M1(V) Abrams main battle tanks, M2 Bradleys infantry fighting vehicles, and Stryker combat vehicles. Its Viasat Linkway S2 modem will allow for mission command applications such as Digital Video Broadcast SATCOM Second Generation.

Satellite communications company IT Exelis had previously supplied GNOMAD systems for the 4th Infantry Division during that unit's 2011 deployment in Iraq. The systems slated for delivery to the 2nd Infantry Division in South Korea will have the same configuration as those used in Network Integration Exercise (NEI) 12.1. Held at Fort Bliss, Texas, and White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, NEI 12.1 hosted new mission command applications such as Command Post of the Future.