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SAT-NA V1.3.1



                      Satellite News
                        from America
                              
                              
                     V1.3  1 August 1996


			PART ONE
                              
This news is co-sponsored by TELE-satellit and Satellite Journal Itl.

The information contained MAY NOT be republished or redistributed
without the prior written authority of Satellite Journal
International 

                         INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Ariane-5 Rocket Explosion Caused by Software Errors
---------------------------------------------------     
     The explosion of Europe's first Ariane-5 rocket on June
4 was caused by software errors in its guidance system, the
European Space Agency reported after the six-week long
probe.
     "The loss...was due to specification and design errors
in the software of the inertial reference system," the ESA
said. Part of the software was designed for the Ariane-4
rocket, and it could not understand what was going on after
Ariane-5 went up with a speed much higher than programmed.
The co-ordinating mechanism tried to guide the rocket by
abruptly moving the nozzle and two accelerators. This broke
the launcher and caused the rocket to explode.
     The report made 14 recommendations to avoid a
repetition of the disaster. ESA director-general Jean-Marie
Luton predicted that the launch of a second Ariane-5 will
now be postponed until the first half of 1997.
     
PanAmSat offers expanded Latin America  coverage
------------------------------------------------
     PanAmSat Corporation has expanded an agreement with
Americatel Colombia S.A. for satellite capacity on the PAS-1
Atlantic Ocean Region satellite.  The additional service
triples the amount of PanAmSat satellite capacity Americatel
Colombia uses to provide telecommunications services for
businesses throughout Latin America.
     In addition, Americatel Colombia has moved to the PAS-1
C-band beam that provides virtually total coverage of Latin
America and the Caribbean, as well as access to the
continental United States.
     Since 1992, PanAmSat has provided Americatel Colombia
with service on the PAS-1 C-band North beam, which provides
coverage from Miami to northern Peru. The new PAS-1 service,
which is currently underway, consists of an entire 72 MHz
transponder on PAS-1's  C-band Latin beam, which provides
coverage from Miami to Antarctica.
     

GE Starsys Awards Satellite Construction Contract
-------------------------------------------------
     GE Starsys announced an initial agreement with Alcatel
Telecom of France to begin construction of the GE Starsys
satellite constellation. The agreement calls for Alcatel
Telecom to build up to 24 low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites.
These satellites, along with a network of ground stations
and processing centres, can be operated by GE Starsys to
provide asset tracking and monitoring services throughout
the world.
     GE Americom concluded the acquisition of an 80%
interest in Starsys Global Positioning, Inc. in early June.
Alcatel Telecom is part of Alcatel Alsthom, the world-wide
supplier of high-tech systems in telecommunications,
electronics and electro-mechanics.
     These satellites will operate in the VHF/UHF frequency
bands, and will have the capability for adaptive on-board
filtering of terrestrial interference.  The 80 kg (approx.)
spacecraft will be used to relay short data packet bursts
between a gateway site and small remote terminals.
     GE Starsys will offer satellite-based data messaging
services for a variety of applications, including fleet and
cargo management, logistics, remote data collection and
asset security.  Transportation service providers will use
GE Starsys to monitor their assets, increasing their fleet
productivity and effectiveness.
     As currently envisioned, the system will consist of up
to 24 orbit-controlled satellites at 600 miles in altitude.

GLA Announces HBO Ole And HBO Brasil
-----------------------------------

     DirecTv subscribers throughout Latin America and Brasil
will receive as many as five multiplexed feeds of HBO Ole
and Cinemax or HBO Brasil and soon, Cinemax Brasil, as well
as The Warner Channel (WBTV) and Sony Entertainment
Television (SET) which will be available in Spanish,
Portuguese and English.  The agreement also allows GLA to
offer several new channels that are in development and are
expected to be launched in the next few months.
     
     
California Microwave Wins Satellite Contract
--------------------------------------------
     California Microwave, Inc's. Satellite Transmission
Systems (STS) division has won a contract valued at
approximately $4.9 million to design, manufacture and
install a domestic satellite communications network for
Empresa Estatal de Telecomunicaciones (EMETEL), Ecuador's
state-owned telephone company.
     The $4.9 million dollar contract calls for the
installation of an INTELSAT Standard "A" hub earth station
to be located in Guayaquil, with a network of five remote
sites to serve rural towns throughout Ecuador. The contract
also provides training for the operation and long-term
maintenance of the system.
     In 1993, EMETEL undertook a satellite network project
to bring rural voice and fax telecommunications coverage
throughout Ecuador. California Microwave won a $13 million
contract that year to provide a master earth station and 44
remotes.  Using equipment manufactured by two California
Microwave divisions, STS and EF Data, the project relies on
an INTELSAT Standard "A" hub station in the capital city of
Quito.  In rural towns throughout the eastern part of the
country, particularly in the Amazon Region, the additional
44 remote earth stations currently are being installed to
complete the network.  The smallest remote stations supply
four channels of voice for oil and mining outposts, while
the largest connect 120 channels into local public telephone
switches.
     The $4.9 million dollar DOMSAT network will work
independently from the 1993 system.  Twenty remote sites
will be networked with the Quito hub station, and 28 remote
sites will be networked with the Guayaquil hub station.
This most recent award also uses equipment from both STS and
EF Data.
     
 DELTA II LAUNCHES GPS SATELLITE
--------------------------------
     The U.S. Air Force has launched the second replacement
Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite aboard a McDonnell
Douglas built Delta II rocket.
     This launch keeps the GPS at full operational
capability by replacing a satellite that has experienced
degraded performance.  The life span for each satellite is
about seven and one-half years.  McDonnell Douglas will
launch replacement spacecraft for the Air Force as needed
through the year 2002.

Loral Signs Multiple Launch Service Agreement
---------------------------------------------
     Space Systems/Loral has signed an agreement with Sea
Launch Co.for five launches on the Sea Launch system launch
vehicle starting in the second half of 1998 and running
through the year 2001.
     The agreement gives Space Systems/Loral assured access
to launches at a time when demand to put commercial
satellites on orbit exceeds supply and will allow SS/L to
meet its customer's requirements for activating satellite
communications service on specific dates.  Space
Systems/Loral has not yet assigned the payloads for these
launches

END OF PART ONE
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