|
Sat-ND,
Looking for a specific channel on satellite? Try
http://www.satcodx.com/ |
BURP!
This is your so-called editor speaking. First of all, let me draw your attention to the corrections at the end of this so-called newsletter. We're all getting older, and soon Sat-ND may contain more corrections than news. Funny.
Thanks to everybody who sent in news, your efforts are much appreciated. This applies especially to all of you who sent some news that required further research. Sorry, I've got no time to perform that.
In many cases, you probably did not even receive a response from me. Once again I have to apologise, I could of course make up some kind of standard response ("Thank you... read with great interest... maybe in the future... blah blah" etc.) but what difference would it make?
I can assure you that I read every contribution but I generally do not have the time to answer each and every one individually.
The non-geostationary orbit has an apogee of 40,770 kilometres in the northern hemisphere, its perigee is 466 kilometres in the southern hemisphere. It circles the Earth every 12 hours 15 minutes.
The satellite will be used for long-distance telephone and telegraph services, relaying television broadcasts and promoting international cooperation, the Mission Control Centre said according to Itar-Tass.
Of course, there's only one reason to do that: under international disarmament treaties, Russia has got to get rid of its military missiles--that also applies to those aboard submarines. In this case, the rocket is neither converted nor renamed: it's a good old SS-N-23 missile.
The warhead will be replaced by the 10-kg German research satellite Tubsat-N which is designed to help researchers study polar bears and reindeer in the northern hemisphere.
The launch is expected to take place within the next two weeks from a "Delfin" class submarine in the Barents Sea. The exact date depends on weather conditions.
"There are many of these carrier rockets in storage and they have a high degree of reliability," wrote the Russian Defence Ministry's official Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper. "The ability to launch commercial satellites regardless of weather from these atomic underwater launch pads has strong prospects and is most economically profitable for foreign partners."
It is well-known that PAS 6 has had some troubles with its solar arrays, leading to a transponder shortage. And "on May 19, 1998, all customer services on Galaxy IV were permanently lost when an anomaly occurred on the on-board spacecraft control processor which caused the satellite to rotate and lose its fixed orientation. The spare control processor was unavailable due to earlier unrelated damage that had not previously been detected." These are just two of PanAmSat's 16-satellite fleet--but at least two more have experienced some problems.
Galaxy VII running on spare processor
The problem with the control processor may also affect Galaxy VII, as the company explains: "On June 13, 1998, there was a brief shut-down of a portion of the C-band capacity on the Company's Galaxy VII satellite that was accompanied by the failure of the primary on-board spacecraft control processor. Control of the satellite was automatically switched to the spare control processor and the spacecraft is currently operating normally.
"The Company and the satellite manufacturer [Hughes] are investigating whether there is a risk of loss of the Galaxy VII satellite. The Company is working with all of its Galaxy VII customers to provide for back-up capacity and to develop solutions to provide for their needs in the event such a loss were to occur. In addition to the Company's plans for the replacement of the Galaxy IV satellite and its activities relating to Galaxy VII described above, management of the Company is actively developing a comprehensive long-term service restoration and satellite sparing strategy."
PAS-5 battery leak?
As if that wasn't enough, "an anomaly has been detected in the batteries on the Company's PAS-5 satellite. During periods of peak solar eclipse, which occur twice a year, the Company will be required to shut off a portion of the satellite's payload for an insignificant time. At the present time, this condition will not have any adverse impact on the Company's existing full-time transponder customers or its ability to utilise the affected capacity on the satellite. PanAmSat is investigating this condition with the satellite manufacturer." No existing full-time customers will be negatively impacted, PanAmSat officials said.
PAS-6B--The Company expects that PAS-6B will be an HSC-built HS-601HP model spacecraft designed to serve as a companion or replacement satellite for PAS-6, which is the South American platform for the DTH service offered by Sky Latin America and Net Sat Servicos Ltda. PAS-6B is scheduled to be launched in 1998 on an Ariane 4 launch vehicle.
PAS-7--PAS-7 will be a Loral-built SS/L FS-1300 model spacecraft designed to cover the Indian Ocean Region. It is scheduled to be launched in 1998 on an Ariane rocket.
PAS-8--PAS-8 will also be an SS/L FS-1300 model spacecraft, designed to cover the Pacific Ocean Region. It is scheduled to be launched in 1998 on a Proton rocket.
PAS-1R--PAS-1R will be an HS-702 spacecraft. The HS-702 has not yet been used by any commercial satellite operator. The Company plans to use PAS-1R in the U.S. market. It is scheduled for launch in 1999 on an Ariane rocket.
Galaxy IV-R--The Company has solicited proposals from satellite manufacturers to construct a replacement for Galaxy IV. No agreements have been executed, but the Company desires to launch a replacement on an accelerated basis.
Galaxy X--The Company expects that Galaxy X will be an HS-601 model spacecraft, designed to cover the United States. It is scheduled to occupy an orbital position located at 123 degrees West and will be capable of offering both C and Ku-band services. It will occupy the location currently occupied by SBS-5, which offers only Ku-band services. It is scheduled to be launched in 1998 on a Delta III launch vehicle, which has not been used by any commercial satellite operator.
PAS-9--PAS-9 will also be an HS-702 spacecraft. The Company plans to use PAS-9 in the Indian Ocean Region. It is scheduled for launch in 1999 on a Proton.
Galaxy XI--The Company expects that Galaxy XI will be an HSC-built HS-702 model spacecraft, designed to serve both the U.S. market as well as Latin America and Brazil. It will occupy the location currently occupied by Galaxy VI and SBS-6. It is scheduled to be launched in 1998 from a Sea Launch platform, which also has not been used by any commercial satellite operator.
Source: PanAmSat
Commands are being sent to SOHO about once per minute through the DSN's 34-meter antennas instructing the spacecraft to activate its transmitters, NASA said in a statement.
A team of experts from ESA and Matra Marconi Space, prime contractor for the SOHO spacecraft, meanwhile gathered at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center to assist the NASA Flight Operations Team in assessing the situation and analysing the spacecraft status should contact be re-established.
Based on the last telemetry data received from SOHO, engineers said it appears most likely that the spacecraft is slowly spinning in such a way that its solar arrays, which generate power, either do not face the Sun at all or do not receive adequate sunlight to generate power. However, based on the last data received, it appears that SOHO's solar panels may be exposed to an increasing amount of sunlight each day as it orbits the Sun. If this assumption is correct, within a few weeks enough sunlight might be hitting the solar panels to generate power to charge its batteries.
The deal also comprises Alcatel's telecoms and ground stations operations. Alcatel will have a 51 percent stake in Alcatel Space, and Thomson-CSF the remaining 49 percent.
With sales of more than FF15 billion (US$2.5 billion) by 2000 and 6,000 employees in Europe, the new entity will be the world's third largest satellite operation, Alcatel said.
According to a Portugal Telecom statement, TV Cabo Portugal's digital platform will fulfil domestic market needs for existing cable TV programming, and provide the capacity for new channels planned for launch by TV Cabo.
From September 1, cable TV viewers throughout Portugal would have access to the new sports information channels like Sport TV, Lisbon and Oporto channels, as well as several other channels scheduled for launch.
All this wonderful digital stuff becomes possible thanks to Spain's Via Digital, a Telefonica Group company that will co-operate with TV Cabo in the satellite area. [So I guess the service will be broadcast on Hispasat, but I may be wrong as usual.]
TV Cabo is the largest cable TV operator in Portugal, with over 1,400,000 homes passed by March 1998 and a penetration rate of 30%. Portugal Telecom, privatised in June 1995, is the principal telecommunications provider offering local, domestic long distance and international telephone service throughout Portugal.
The Strategis Group's second edition of its semi-annual Internet User Trends states that 64% of Internet users said that use of the Internet has reduced the amount of time they spend watching television or using the VCR. "This nascent impact indicates the future place of Internet use in people's daily lives. Soon the Internet will be as important to users as television, books, newspapers, and magazines," says Matt Page, Strategis Group Internet consultant.
Internet use is encroaching on activities other than television watching. In fact, more than two-thirds of Internet users spend less time on all leisure time and social activities now than before they used the Internet. In detail, Internet users spend less time on
Watching TV/VCR: 64%
Reading: 48%
Sleeping:
29%
Time with family/friends: 26%
Exercising: 22%
Working:
18%
In addition to spending less time on other activities, over one-fourth of these users see the Internet as extremely important to their daily lives and almost as many users view the Internet as somewhat important in their day-to-day activities.
Based on a nationally representative survey sample of more than 1,000 households, including over 500 Internet users, the 230-page Internet User Trends: Mid-Year 1998 provides in-depth Internet user and non-user profiles as well as valuable information about the growth of the Internet market, Internet usage trends, and online purchasing behaviour. Price: just US$1,500.
Strategis Group: http://www.strategisgroup.com/
by Dr Sarmaz
UKTV's UK Gold, UK Horizons, UK Arena, and UK Style will all be broadcast on the new service. Also part of the deal is a new music entertainment channel, which will be launched in the next twelve months, and UK Gold 2.
Flextech's wholly owned channels, Bravo, Challenge TV, Living and Trouble are also included in the package. Adam Singer, chairman of Flextech and UKTV was quoted as saying "We share common goals with Sky."
The assets to be transferred into Fox Group comprise the Fox Broadcasting Co. network, Fox TV station group, Fox's interest in U.S. cable networks such as Fox Sports, FX, Fox Family Channel and Fox News, the L.A. Dodgers baseball team and the 20th Century Fox film studio.
News Corp. will, however, sell only 20% of Fox Group to the public in an initial stock offering later this year. Of course, News will retain majority ownership and control of the Fox assets.
News Corp. said it expected to complete the reorganisation within three months and planned to make the initial public offering before the end of the year. The company said it would use the proceeds for general corporate purposes, including payment of debt and financing of a stock buyback plan.
"News Corp. believes that its decision to form the Fox Group and sell shares in a public offering will enable the investment community to better value the various entertainment assets and businesses which News Corp. owns," the company said in a statement.
Observers noted that American investors have previously shunned News Corp. as a complicated foreign company that mixes slow-growing newspapers with TV stations and money-losing satellite TV ventures such as Star TV in Asia.
Once Fox Group is created, News Corp.'s directly owned assets will be composed of the slow-growing print media businesses such as its Australian and British newspapers and News Corp.'s investments in satellite TV ventures around the world, including Star Television in Asia, Sky Latin America in South America and BSkyB in Britain, as well as United Video.
It may sound rather illogical, but investors nonetheless applauded the announcement and sent News Corp. stock up US$3.56 to US$33.06 on Monday, its highest point at least in the past year. The stock has risen 40% in the past three weeks, after News Corp. announced its intention to sell TV Guide for stock and cash to Tele-Communications Inc.-controlled United Video Satellite Group.
Australian Associated Press quoted an analyst as saying: "Expand, reduce debt and expand. That is the way Murdoch works."
Surely Skynet 4E is from Matra Marconi, not Loral as you state.
It's a comms sat for the UK Ministry of Defence, one of three (D, E and F) being built as a fill in between 4ABC and Skynet 5 ... bimilsat ... trimilsat ... whatever it's name is this week.
It's also classified SECRET. I've probably said too much. Who's that lurking behind me. Please forget you ever read this.
In the "Nilesat lingo" channel translates to transponder!
In this case most probably tp 8, 11,862 V, which will be used analogue, as already tp 14, 11,977 V, for Lybia.
The deal is part of a multi-million dollar deal between Egypt and Iraq, which needs still some international approval from an UN commission.
An Englishman, an Irishman and a
Scotsman walk into a bar.
The barman says "What's this.
Some kind of joke?"
Or have a look at http://www.lynet.de/~pck/mailer.html |