NEWS
Satellites Transmissions
that is going to expire. The unnamed owner of the satellite Thaicom wants to buy is reportedly facing financial problems. An industry source added the unit was not functioning well in its current orbital slot because of interference from other satellites.
AFRICA
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Egypt is planning to launch its third satellite, the NileSat 201, in 2010, with the goal of expanding the already existing channel capacity on the NileSat 101 and 102 satellites. The existing two satellites currently broadcast nearly 300 TV channels. The NileSat 201 will be launched with an Ariane rocket in June 2010, with France’s Thales responsible for the construction.
YAHSAT AWARDS CONTRACT TO VIASAT
Abu Dhabi-based satellite operator Yahsat has agreed a US$ 46 million deal with digital communications equipment manufacturer ViaSat. The contract will see ViaSat supply operations and maintenance for the YahClick satellite broadband service as well as the installation of four broadband gateways and a network control centre. YahClick will provide broadband services in parts of the MENA region where fixed line access is not possible. The service is scheduled for launch in the second half of 2011.
VIETNAM VIETNAM TO LAUNCH SECOND SATELLITE BY 2012
Vietnam’s second satellite, Vinasat 2, will be sent into orbit by 2012 with an estimated cost of US$ 290-350 million, according to the Ministry of Information and Communications. The country’s first satellite, Vinasat 1, was launched in April last year. Only one year after the satellite was put into operation, up to 70% of Vinasat 1’s capacity has been registered for use and it is expected that by 2010, its entire capacity will be leased out, according to the Vietnam Posts and Telecoms Group.
EGYPT EGYPT PLANS NILESAT 201 SATELLITE
NIGERIA TIERNAN SELECTED FOR MPEG-4 DELIVERY
International Datacasting Corporation has received orders for its newly acquired Tiernan video and audio lines of products. In Nigeria, Tiernan’s AVC4000-HD Professional High Definition AVC Encoders and HMR Multi-format Professional Decoders will be used for the distribution of MPEG-4 HD video from multiple locations across the country. Each site will be able to broadcast digital MPEG-2/MPEG-4 video to any of the other sites in the network and re-distribute that video signal to surrounding locations.
WORLD SES AMERICOM-NEW SKIES BECOMES SES WORLD SKIES
SES Americom-New Skies has been rebranded as SES World Skies. SES World Skies has an
expanding fleet of 25 satellites within the 40-satellite global SES fleet, six additional spacecraft slated for launch over the next two years, 350 employees and more than 550 full-time customers worldwide.
NSS-12 TO LAUNCH ON OCTOBER 29
SES World Skies’ NSS-12 spacecraft, manufactured by Space Systems/Loral, will be launched onboard an Ariane 5 booster, scheduled for lift off on October 29. The spacecraft will replace NSS-703 at 57 degrees East and cover virtually the entire Eastern Hemisphere, bringing increased capacity and transmission power to a key orbital location at the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia. The spacecraft features 40 C-band transponders and 48 Ku-band transponders with DTH power levels, as well as elaborate beam interconnectivity and C-/Ku-band cross-strapping. NSS-12 is based on SS/L’s spaceproven 1300 platform and has been designed to have a minimum expected lifetime of 15 years.
INTELSAT 14 READY FOR LAUNCH
The Intelsat 14 (IS-14) that Space Systems/Loral build for Intelsat has been shipped to the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station base in Florida where it will be launched to orbit aboard the Atlas V rocket. The satellite has 40 C-band and 22 Kuband transponders across four different beams, covering the Americas, Europe and Africa. Intelsat 14 has an expected life span of 15 years and is intended to replace Intelsat 1R which is nearing the end of its design life and the satellite to be located at 315 degrees East longitude.