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Sat-na January 24, 1997


Sat-na
                                                 
                                                  January,24
                                                        1997


Sat-na is co-sponsored by Satellite Journal Itl.
and TELE-satellit                   
                              
                              
Arianespace Flight 93 Scheduled for Jan. 30
-------------------------------------------
     Flight 93 is scheduled with an ARIANE 44L from the
Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana on Thursday,
January 30, 1997 between:
  7:04 p.m. and 8:32 p.m. local time in Kourou,
    or   5:04 p.m. and 6:32 p.m. in Washington D.C. time
(EST),
    or   10:04 p.m. and 11:32 p.m. GMT,
    or   11:04 p.m. and 12:32 a.m. in Paris.

     Arianespace Flight 93 will put into orbit the American
telecommunication satellite GE 2 built by Lockheed Martin
Astro Space for GE American Communications Inc. and the
first Argentinean telecommunications satellite NAHUEL 1A
built by DASA (Germany) for the Buenos Aires-based company
NAHUELSAT.

                GE2       Nahuel 1A
Customer    GE Americom DASA for
                       Naheulsat
Manufacture Lockheed    Aerospatiale
r           Martin
Type        A-2100-b    Spacebus 2000
Mass at     2,600 kg    1,790 kg
Lift-Off
Stabilisati 3-axis      3-axis
on
Payload     24 C-Band                   
            24 Ku-Band  18 Ku-band
                       (54Mhz)
Design Life 15 years    12 years
Coverage    North       Latin and South
           America     America
Orbital     85 deg West 71.8 deg West
Position

Loral Wins Contract
-------------------     
     Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) has received from CHINASAT
the authority to proceed on construction of CHINASAT 8, a
high-powered communications satellite that will provide
video, data and digital voice service throughout China.
     The contract will be finalised over the next several
weeks.  Based in Beijing, China, CHINASAT is a division of
the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (MPT) of the
People's Republic of China. Under the contract, Space
Systems/Loral will provide to CHINASAT one satellite
operating on both C-and Ku-band frequencies.  The satellite
will be delivered on orbit in late 1998.  Service is
expected to begin in 1999 and will provide communications
coverage to all of China.
     The CHINASAT 8 satellite, the most powerful satellite
yet purchased by China, will have a total on-board satellite
power of 11,000 watts.  The spacecraft will have the ability
to operate 16 Ku-band channels at 125 watts per channel, and
36 C-band channels at 37 watts per channel.
     The CHINASAT 8 satellite is based on the high-powered
version of Space Systems/Loral's FS-1300 standard three-axis
spacecraft and will have a mission life of 15 years.  This
project brings the total number of satellites in this family
of spacecraft that have been built or ordered to 38,
including 18 currently in production.

JSAT fleet grows to six with new Hughes satellite
-------------------------------------------------
     Japan Satellite Systems Inc. (JSAT) of Tokyo has
expanded its constellation of communications satellites by
ordering a sixth spacecraft from Hughes Space and
Communications International Inc. (HSCI).
     The satellite, an HS 601 body-stabilised model called
JCSAT 6, is scheduled for delivery in May 1998.  JSAT is
contracting separately for the launch vehicle.
     JCSAT 6 will carry two octagonal communications
antennas and two wings with four solar panels each that
together provide more than 5,000 watts of power.  The
payload consists of 32 active Ku-band transponders with 27
MHz bandwidth, each with 70 watts provided by a travelling-
wave tube amplifier (TWTA).
     Hughes also built Japan's first commercial
communications satellites, JCSAT 1 and JCSAT 2.  These are
HS 393 model spin-stabilised spacecraft and were launched in
1989.  JCSAT 3, an HS 601 model, was launched Aug. 28, 1995.
JCSAT 4, also an HS 601 model, will be launched in February
1997.  JCSAT 5 could be launched in November 1997.  Hughes
also built the master control station in Yokohama and the
backup station in Gunma.


Hughes to build satellite for Orion Network
-------------------------------------------
     Hughes Space and Communications International Inc.
signed a contract with Orion Asia Pacific Corp. in
Rockville, Md., for an HS 601 HP satellite, ground station
support, and launch services.
           The new satellite, Orion 3, will expand Orion's
current fleet and is the company's first satellite to serve
the Asia Pacific region.  Orion 3 will provide business
communications services to users in all major Asia Pacific
markets, including Korea, China, India, Japan, Australia,
Southeast Asia, Oceana, and Hawaii.
     Orion 3 is an HS 601 HP or high-power satellite which
can carry payloads twice as powerful as those on a standard
HS 601 satellite through such innovations as gallium
arsenide solar cells, advanced battery technology, and a
xenon ion propulsion system.
     The Orion 3 payload consists of 10 C-band transponders
delivering a minimum 33 - 37 dBW and 33 Ku-band transponders
delivering 44 - 53 dBW.  The C-band transponders will
provide broad distribution services, particularly to
television and other program distributors.  The Ku-band
transponders will be used primarily for private business
network applications and direct-to-home video services.  The
satellite has a life expectancy of at least 15 years.
     Orion 3 will be a delivery-on-orbit contract with
launch on-board a Delta 3 rocket and will be positioned at
139 East longitude above the Pacific Ocean.  Hughes will
provide hardware and software to the Orion satellite control
centre in Rockville, to the primary telemetry tracking and
control station, and to the backup control station, located
near Seoul, South Korea.

AlphaStar 1997 Channel Expansion Plans
--------------------------------------
     Tee-Comm Electronics Inc. said this week that plans to
expand the channel capacity of its DTH digital satellite
television service are on track. The company's U.S. service,
AlphaStar Digital Television Inc., and its proposed Canadian
service, AlphaStar Canada Inc., are scheduled to migrate
from AT&T SKYNET's Telstar 402-R satellite to Telstar 5
early in July. That move will increase their available
transponder space from the current 18 to 24 transponders,
accommodating 200 channels of video and audio services.
     AT&T SKYNET assured AlphaStar that the recent loss of
its Telstar 401 satellite will leave no material effect on
AlphaStar's plans for expansion on Telstar 5. Telstar 5 is
scheduled for launch in late May and will be placed in the
97 degrees west longitude.  The satellite's footprint covers
most of North America, as well as Hawaii.
     
SHAW's Homestar DTH application
-------------------------------
     The CRTC decision on SHAW's Homestar DTH application is
anticipated to be issued early in 1997.  If Homestar's
application is successful, it is expected that the service
would be ready for launch within six to nine months
following the decision.

     SHAW DBS Ventures did not file an application to
utilise the 91 degree West Longitude orbital position in
response to the Department of Industry's "fast track"
submission process which called for applications by December
16, 1996.  Following the issuance of the Call for
Applications, SHAW undertook extensive negotiations with all
U.S. DBS/DTH providers who have the facilities to comply
with the Department requirement that ten high-powered DBS
transponders be commercially deployed within six months of
the initial filing date.  SHAW was unable to secure short-
term U.S. DBS capacity on an economically viable basis.
Nonetheless, SHAW intends to continue to investigate ways it
can become involved in the development of Canada's orbital
resources in a manner which will benefit both Canadian
programming and the consumers of these services.
     
Viacom Completes Acquisition United Paramount
---------------------------------------------

     BHC Communications, Inc.  announced  that Viacom Inc.
has completed its acquisition of a 50% partnership interest
in UPN, the United Paramount Network.  BHC has owned 100% of
UPN and has operated the network since its inception and
subsequent launch in January 1995.
     The purchase price included $155 million in cash (an
amount equal to one-half of BHC's aggregate investment in
UPN, including interest), additional cash that is available
to meet ongoing UPN expenditures, as well as a non-cash
contribution of UPN development costs previously incurred by
Viacom.  Following the closing, UPN distributed
approximately $116 million to certain BHC subsidiaries.
     UPN currently has l52 affiliates covering approximately
92% of all U.S.  television households. The network airs on
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings and features six
hours of original prime time programming weekly, including
"Star Trek: Voyager", the fourth series in Paramount's Star
Trek franchise.  In addition UPN broadcasts a two-hour
weekend movie and a two-hour block of animated children's
programming on Sundays.  Viacom owns and operates eleven
stations, nine of which are UPN affiliates, through the
Paramount Stations Group.
     
Capital Broadcasting (Uganda) selects NSN
-----------------------------------------
     Capital Radio, Uganda's top-rated FM station, has
commissioned a new MPEG digital satellite audio network. The
new network will expand Capital's coverage across the entire
African continent, as well as the mid-east, Europe, and the
east coast of the United States.

     NSN Network Services provided Capital with ComStream
MPEG hardware, as well as satellite space segment on the
RSCC Express II satellite, and also provided installation of
the uplink facility in Kampala. In addition, NSN installed
Capital's first VSAT receive site on Mt. Elgon, near Mbale,
Uganda, where a 1 kilowatt FM transmitter relays the
satellite audio to over 2 million new listeners. Prior to
this installation, the Mbale region had no FM radio
coverage.
     Patrick Quarcoo, Managing Director of Capital Radio, is
interested in syndicating the network's English language
programming around the world. "Our blend of East African and
western music is very good ... very popular." says Quarcoo.
"With the broad coverage of our new satellite signal, we
would be most pleased if other radio broadcasters took
advantage of our `live from Africa' format. We can even take
requests from anywhere in the world, live, using our
Internet connection from our sister company, InfoMail
(Uganda) Ltd!"


Cancom and Havas
----------------     
     Cancom and the French company Havas Overseas signed a
Memorandum of understanding to distribute television channel
packages in French, and perhaps in other languages, in
Canada, the Antilles and elsewhere in America.
     The proposed programming packages are made up of
thematic television channels featuring subjects of interest
to audiences of all ages.
     Cancom will provide its knowledge of the Canadian and
U.S. markets, especially its experience in cable
distribution, and its technical know-how, in particular with
regard to the satellite distribution of signals for use by
cable systems, individual dish owners, and other
distribution systems.
     Havas Overseas will be responsible for designing and
assembling the programming packages and shall provide Cancom
with the benefit of its experience in the Antilles and
Guyanese markets.

France Telecom acquires 100 percent of Keystone
-----------------------------------------------
     France Telecom announced that it has consolidated its
stake in Keystone Communications Corp. In addition to
Keystone, France Telecom's ability to offer world-wide
services is supported by a family of broadcast operators
including Maxat Ltd._a 100 percent-owned subsidiary_which is
the No. 2 operator in the United Kingdom.
     France Telecom, Keystone and Maxat also known as Global
Skylink include substantial partnerships with telcos in the
Pacific region.  Further support in South America is
provided through TIBA (Telepuerto Internacional de Buenos
Aires) in Argentina, a joint venture between France Telecom
(20 percent) and Keytech, the leading video tranmissions
operator in the region.
     
New Danish Channel
-----------------
     Scandinavian Broadcast System (SBS) has announced that
its new commercial Danish TV channel, to be launched in
March, will be broadcast via Telenor's Thor II satellite,
which itself will be launched to the `one degree west'
position in February.
     The new channel is heavily influenced by Sweden's Kanal
5 and by TVNorge - which is owned by SBS and which is also
broadcast via Telenor's satellite capacity. SBS confirms
that it will be distributed with the D2 Mac standard.
     Thor II is scheduled for launch from Cape Canaveral in
Florida, USA, on February 22. Once it is in orbit and is
operational, Thor II will distribute up to 15 analogue or 75
digital satellite TV channels. The satellite will receive
its uplink control from the Nittedal earth station located
north of Oslo.
     Currently Telenor distributes the following TV channels
via `one degree west': Eurosport Nordic, CTV package with
CNN, WC, Discovery Channel, MTV, BBC Prime, TNT, Classic
Movies and Cartoon Network plus the TV channels NRK 1, NRK
2, TV2 (Norway), TVNorge, TV3 Norge, TV3 Danmark, TV3
Sverige, FilmNet, FilmNet 2, DR1, DR2, TV 1000, Supersport,
TV 1000 Cinema, TV3+ Danmark and Sci-Fi.  Telenor also
distributes NRK 1, TV2 (Danmark), DR1, SW 1 and SW 2
digitally to cable networks.

     
Skylinx Satellite Telecommunications Network
--------------------------------------------

     Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. has been chosen to install
four new earth stations and a Skylinx DAMA (Demand Assigned
Multiple Access) satellite telephony network in the South
Pacific nation.
     Microwave equipment with its costly installation and
maintenance expenses will be replaced with the new
Scientific-Atlanta Skylinx DAMA telephony network.
Currently, the telecommunications network is focused on
serving businesses, but the new Skylinx network will provide
service to nearly 20 rural areas via 1- or 2-channel DAMA
equipment.  "We anticipate that the number of rural areas we
can service with our new capability could grow to 100 sites
by the year 2000," added Aopi.  More populous areas will
receive 8-channel Skylinx units for handling their heavier
traffic loads. Installation of the latest phase of PTC's
satellite network is expected to be completed in about two
years.

COM DEV SIGNS WITH ALCATEL ESPACE
---------------------------------

     COM DEV International Ltd. has signed both a contract
and a memorandum of agreement with Alcatel of Paris, France.
Under the contract COM DEV International's Space Group will
supply switches, multiplexers and ancillary equipment to
Alcatel Espace for its M2A satellite payload program.  The
contract for the first M(2)A (Multi-Media Asia) satellite
has an initial value of $5 million. However, Alcatel has the
option to purchase equipment for six more satellites, giving
the contract a potential total value of $30 million. Alcatel
Espace is responsible for the payload of the M(2)A
communications satellite being built by Space Systems Loral
for Pasifik Satellit Nusantara, Indonesia's private
satellite service suppliers.

     In addition, the two companies have signed a memorandum
of agreement detailing their intent to enter into a 3-year
agreement that would involve Alcatel Espace contracting for
COM DEV International's standard space products. COM DEV
will also provide technical expertise to Alcatel Espace in
the form of specialised engineering support and assistance
with spacecraft design.

Eutelsat Vs SES
---------------

     The ITU has approved Eutelsat's 1989 filing for the
28.2/29 degrees E. orbital slot. Last year SES announced
that it would position its Astra 2 series of satellites at
28.2 degrees E since Eutelsat does not have a satellite that
meets the frequency and polarisation requirements and could
not place one there before the launch of a Astra 2
satellite.
     Recently, Hot Bird 2 was tested at 29 degrees E. and
Eutelsat claimed to the ITU that the position had been
brought into use. Hot Bird 2 however uses linear
polarisation and not the circular polarisation required by
the ITU filing.
     The French government could help Eutelsat and move
virtually unused TDF-2. The satellite would fulfil both the
frequency and polarisation requirements of Eutelsat's filing
and could make permanent Eutelsat's claim to the slot and
force SES's to rethink its plans.



      Upcoming Launches


 Check our web site for an updated listing of 1997
 launches. Click on "Launch Info".


Next Delta Launch
    Delta II/Thor-2A_Feb. 22, 1997

Next Atlas Launch
    Atlas IIAS/JCSat-4  --Feb. 16, 1997

Next Ariane Launch
    Ariane 4/GE2-Nahuel --Jan. 30, 1997

       

      In Brief


    Spice International unit launched adult television
 programming in Japan on January 6.  Through an agreement
 with Perfect Choice, the pay-per-view unit of PerfecTV!,
 Spice is included in the digital television platform
 operated by that company

    Samart, which is the largest satellite dish
 manufacturer in Thailand, will distribute Norsat's industry-
 leading commercial products throughout Thailand and
 Southeast Asia.  These products include Norsat's commercial
 low noise block downconverters (LNB's), the "heart"  of
 satellite receiving antennae, which collect and amplify
 signals transmitted from space, as well as Norsat's Channel-
 On-Demand video delivery system for small cable
 applications.


    DIRECTV is currently available in Brazil, Mexico,
 Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama and Costa Rica.  Starting this
 week, television viewers in Trinidad & Tobago and Barbados
 will added. In the English-speaking Caribbean, the service
 will be provided by CCN Galaxy Caribbean, a subsidiary of
 Caribbean Communications Network, Ltd.  It is expected that
 during 1997, DIRECTV will be available in Grenada, St.
 Vincent, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Antigua and Dominica, as well
 as in Guyana and Belize.

    DigitalXpress said that Satellite Network Systems, Inc.
 (SNS), St. Paul, Minnesota, has agreed to actively market
 its digital video and data satellite services.  This new
 Value Added Reseller Agreement authorises SNS to integrate
 DigitalXpress equipment and services into SNS' full service
 communications package in the geographic area serviceable by
 the SBS-6 satellite.

    KOMO TV 4 became the first commercial broadcast station
 on the West coast to transmit digital high-definition
 television (HDTV).  The ABC affiliate, owned by Fisher
 Broadcasting Inc., began its first digital HDTV broadcast
 under an experimental license granted earlier this month by
 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

    Knowledge TV - a channel dedicated to providing self-
 empowering educational programmes will be available
 throughout Europe via satellite from 7 February. Jones
 Education Company (JEC) has leased capacity aboard the Orion
 1 communications satellite, through a subsidiary. Knowledge
 TV will achieve coverage stretching from the UK to the
 eastern shores of the Black Sea, and from as far south as
 Tunisia to northern Sweden.

    An agreement in principle reached during a visit to
 Japan earlier this month by News Corp president Rupert
 Murdoch, calls for  Sony Corp to take a one-third stake in
 JSkyB.

    The CRTC has approved the application by Canal D, Canal
 Famille and Super cran to amend their broadcasting
 licences. The three channels are now authorised to
 distribute their services across Canada. The services were
 formerly  regional services authorised for distribution in
 Quebec, Ontario and the Atlantic region.

    NTV, a  24-hour Turkish-language in the clear news
 channel, is now  on Eutelsat II-F2 (10 deg E.). Widebeam
 10.986 GHz, horizontal

(c) Copyright 1997 Sat-na 
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/satellite_journal/
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