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Worldwide Satellite Magazine December 2015 SatMagazine

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SatMagazine December 2015 Silvano Payne, Publisher + Writer Hartley G. Lesser, Editorial Director Pattie Waldt, Executive Editor Jill Durfee, Sales Director, Editorial Assistant Simon Payne, Development Director Donald McGee, Production Manager Dan Makinster, Technical Advisor Sean Payne, Small Satellite Specialist Senior ContributorsTony Bardo, Hughes Richard Dutchik, Dutchik Communications Chris Forrester, Broadgate Publications Karl Fuchs, iDirect Government Services Bob Gough, Carrick Communications Jos Heyman, TIROS Space Information Carlos Placido, Placido Consulting Giles Peeters, Track24 Defence Koen Willems, Newtec Publishing Operations December 2015 SatMagazineWelcome to SatMagazines annual YEAR IN REVIEW issue. Dozens of leading companies have offered their insights and an examination of their experiences regarding their operations during 2015. Offered in alphabetical order, these major representatives of the SATCOM and related industries review the challenges and success many have had to face and deal with during 2015all to the betterment and success of their companies.We can certainly report that the commercial SATCOM industry, as a whole, appears to be experiencing some amazing technological advances and business success. The mergers and acquisitions of the past year will certainly continue into 2016. Personnel and projects will transition from one company or new projects, amazing discoveries and thrilling missions. We earnestly wish the readers of SatMagazine a most prosperous and enjoyable 2016 and that the content within these pages will be of interest to you and, most importantly, offer some insight into the world of SATCOM and the bright future ahead.All our best the editors.3

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SatMagazine December 2015Petter Amundsen Jason Andrews Olivier Barberot Gerhard Bethscheider Pierre-Jean Beylier Roger Boddy Dr. Mark Carter Martin Coleman Mary Cotton Stuart Daughtridge Chris Forrester Art Faverio Roger Franklin Simen Frostad Bilal El Hamoui Serge Van Herck Jos Heyman Ian Hilditch Helge Hibraaten Casper Jensen Pradman Kaul Ali Al Kuwari Andrej Lovsin Mahdi Nazari Mehrabi Randa Milliron Jay Monroe David Myers Tore Morten Olsen Ray Powers Tony Radford Mark Rawlins Pacme Rvillon Steve Richeson Jrg Schmidt Doug Slaton Nile Suwansiri Moshe (Chico) Tamir Michael Weixler AuthorsEleven ORBCOMM Satellites Ship ......................................... 8 WRC 2015: Clarity Of Vision Regarding Satellite Services .. 10 Developers Are Invited By Inmarsat To Attend IDC 16 ...... 11 Cobhams AVIATOR 200S Attains First Call Milestone .... 12 ATEME Incorporates DVB-S2X ............................................ 12 A Power Booster From US Patent Office For EMC ............. 13 LISA Pathfinder Launches + Is Ready To Ripple .................. 14 Norsat Brings Their ATOM 25 BUC To Market ................... 16 SSPI Requesting Your Invaluable Assistance ....................... 16 SkyVision + ABS Partnership ............................................... 17 First Two PlanetiQ Satellites To Launch Via Antrix ............. 18 EUMETSAT + NOAA Have A Joint Polar Goal .................... 20 Signing On For ESAs NEOSAT Program ............................. 21 Arianespace Scores .............................................................. 22 Paradise Breakthough For Outdoor SSPA ........................... 24 Hughes Wins Best Biz Company Award .............................. 24 Sub-Saharan Connectivity In Progress ................................. 25 Contract Beefed Up For Marlink By CGG ............................ 26 Polar Satellites Markets Are Examined By NSR .................. 26 InfoBeam4

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SatMagazine December 2015Advantech Wireless ............ 28 Bridge Technologies ........... 29 Cobham SATCOM ............... 30 CPI Satcom Products .......... 31 Crystal ................................ 32 DataPath ............................. 33 DEV (a Quintech Company) 34 EshailSat ............................ 35 ETL Systems ....................... 36 The Euroconsult Report ...... 37 The Forrester Report ......... 38 GeoSync Microwave ........... 40 Gilat Satellite Networks ..... 41 Global Teleports ................. 42 Globalstar ........................... 43 Globecast ............................ 44 The Heyman Report ........... 46 Hughes ............................... 50 iDirect ................................. 51 Interorbital Systems ........... 52 IRG ...................................... 54 Kratos ................................. 55 Marlink ................................ 56 ND SatCom ......................... 57 Newtec ............................... 58 NorthTelecom ..................... 59 ORBCOMM ......................... 60 SES Techcom ...................... 61 Space Data Association ...... 62 Spaceflight .......................... 63 SpeedCast .......................... 64 STN ..................................... 65Teledyne Paradise Datacom 66 Thaicom .............................. 67 Thuraya ............................... 68 VeriSat ................................ 69 Vimond Media Services ...... 70 W.B. Walton Enterprises .... 71 Year In Review Advertiser IndexAdvantech Wireless .............................................................. 15 AMOS By Spacecom ............................................................... 9 APT Satellite Company ......................................................... 13 Arabsat Satellite ..................................................................... 7 AsiaSat .................................................................................. 45 AvL Technologies ................................................................... 2 Comtech EF Data ................................................................. 21 CPI Satcom Products ............................................................ 17 Global Link Productions Inc. ................................................... 3 Keysight Technologies ........................................................... 5 L-3 Narda-MITEQ .................................................................. 11 NABNational Association of Broadcasters ....................... 72 Newtec CY ........................................................................... 19 Pacific TelecommunicationsPTC ................................... 53 Teledyne Paradise Datacom ................................................. 25 Ultra Electronics GigaSat ..................................................... 27 W. B. Walton Enterprises, Inc. ................................ cover + 23 SatMagazine is published 11 times a year by SatNews Publishers, 800 Siesta Way, Sonoma, CA 95476 USA. Phone: (707) 939-9306, Fax: (707) 939-9235 2015 Satnews Publishers We reserve the right to edit all submitted materials to meet publication content guidelines, as well as for grammar and spelling errors, or to move articles to an alternative issue to accommodate publication space requirements, or remove content due to space restrictions. Submission of content does not constitute acceptance of said material by SatNews Publishers. Edited materials may, or may not, be returned to author and/or company for review prior to publication. The views expressed in SatNews Publishers various publications do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of SatNews Publishers. All rights reserved. All included imagery is courtesy of, and copyright to, the respective companies and/or named individuals. 6

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8 Sierra Nevada Corporation Working Hard 11 ORBCOMM Satellites ShipSierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) delivered 11 ORBCOMM Generation 2 (OG2) satellites to the launch site at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, for ORBCOMMs upcoming OG2 Mission 2 launch aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, which is targeted for mid-December 2015. As the prime contractor for ORBCOMMs OG2 satellites, SNC is responsible for the design, manufacture and integration of the OG2 satellites in the constellation. Eleven OG2 Mission 2 Satellites at SNCs facility in Colorado Prior to Shipment to Cape Canaveral, Florida.SNC looks forward to completing the OG2 constellation with the delivery of 11 for the Mission 2 launch, said Mark N. Sirangelo, corporate vice president of SNCs Space Systems. These 11 satellites production environment, demonstrating our constellations in this class. In addition to the design and build of all OG2 satellites, SNC deployment of these satellites simultaneously from our Satellite Operations Center in Louisville, Colorado. Review in late October 2015, and soon thereafter, all 11 satellites were shipped to the launch site, initiating launch operations. During launch operations, with the support of SNC engineers and technicians, the OG2 testing, fueling and inspection. This approach builds upon the OG2 Mission 1 launch and deployment of six spacecraft in July 2014. Following the launch and the completion incorporated into ORBCOMMs global network, consisting of the Mission 1 OG2 spacecraft currently in operation as well as ORBCOMMs ubiquitous M2M network provides tracking, monitoring and control services for remote and mobile assets in core markets including transportation and assets, oil and gas, maritime and government. ORBCOMM and SNC are pleased to be in advanced next generation OG2 satellites, said Marc Eisenberg, ORBCOMMs chief We expect to be offering our customers increasing network capacity, coverage and performance, including an Automatic every spacecraft. tailored to support a variety of applications, including communication, Earth observation, weather and space science. minimum life and uses a modular payload deck that can be rapidly integrated and tested using highly automated scripts to test all functions. This allows the baseline satellite to meet the needs of many customers. sncspace.com orbcomm.com

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10 WRC 2015: Clarity Of Vision Regarding Satellite ServicesThe worlds governments resoundingly of many vital and irreplaceable services provided over satellite. They also agreed on a clear framework for future access to satellite spectrum for innovative satellite communications. This was accomplished by agreeing to preserve and create new, additional, valuable to support a multitude of video, television and data services, to expand Internet access, and to bridge the Digital Divide for billions of people around the world. support of satellite spectrum were made during the conclusion of the International where the agreements reached by national strategy in which the unique value an integral part of a portfolio of synergistic technologies. global recognition of the value of satellite services for the future. We commend the national administrationsand the WRC Chairman, Mr. Festus Daudufor their commitment to connectivity for all, read a joint statement of a coalition of associations representing the satellite industry. These decisions provide the stability necessary for the entire satellite industry to fully leverage its strengths in support of the vision expressed by the WRC delegates. Among the key decisions made during WRC are the following: L-band of the L-band spectrum, which is used by mobile satellite service operators around the world, for IMT. The Conference IMT, requesting the ITU-R to determine the technical measures to ensure compatibility with the mobile-satellite service operations C-band of countries will sign a footnote allowing while the vast majority of the region will continue satellite use of this band with No Change. A position of No band. A No Change decision means the vital and widespread use of those frequency bands by satellite services. Anywhere that IMT is deployed, it will be subject to adherence to strict protection requirements with neighboring countries. In addition, the Conference declined to consider a proposal for IMT systems in Ku-band: In order to address a spectrum imbalance in Ku-band spectrum, WRC-15 Conference. In addition, an allocation in countries around the world. Future bands for 5G: The Conference satellite service and broadcast-satellite service in C-, Kuor Ka-band would be agenda item, which aims to identify new Throughout the deliberations, multiple administrations in every world region expressed strong opposition to studying being a key player in the future digital ecosystem. ESIMs: The Conference adopted new regulations to facilitate the operation part of the Ka-band satellite spectrum operating in this band provide satellite broadband connectivity to mobile terminals, such as on ships and aircraft. The new regulations adopted by WRC-15 will facilitate the global roaming of such terminals, while protecting other services and applications from interference. Other: WRC-15 adopted several agenda items for future conferences that will spur growth in the satellite industry. adopted a future agenda item for contested debate, the Conference adopted a Resolution which sets the path towards allowing the use of FSS links for For additional information, visit: satellite-spectrum-initiative.com

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11 Developers Are Invited By Inmarsat To Attend IDC 16 annual Inmarsat Developer Conference (IDC 16) at the Park Plaza Hotel in London on February 29 to March 1, 2016, following a highly successful inaugural event in 2015. Software, hardware and application developers are invited to attend and hear from prominent industry experts, including Ford and SpaceX, and to discover more about the latest development opportunities for the creation of innovative solutions using Inmarsats open technology strategy, announced in January of this year at the community the freedom to use Inmarsat technologies to develop innovative and bespoke applications, based on cutting edge technology. The latest development opportunities are set to be unveiled at the industry event next year. Featured on the agenda, Scott Lyons of Ford Connected Vehicle and Services Organization, will deliver the keynote speech on what does the connected car really mean for todays drivers? In his speech, Scott will describe Fords vision for the connected car, The President and COO of SpaceX, Gwynne Shotwell, will also attend IDC 16 and will Franci to discuss where they think satellite communications will be in 30 years time. 500 software, hardware and application developers will have the opportunity to respond to many new Inmarsat development opportunities, among these, to mention a few, Fleet One and BGAN terminals dedicated to IoT. The Conference will consist of technical the satellite communications industry and existing Inmarsat developer stories. For more information on IDC 16 and to view the agenda, go to: inmarsat.com/idc

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12 Cobhams AVIATOR 200S Attains First Call MilestoneCobham SATCOM announces the companys AVIATOR 200S system over Inmarsats SwiftBroadband satellite communications service. step forward in making AVIATOR 200Sthe AVIATOR S Series product rangeavailable for airlines and coincides with the anticipated approval of Inmarsats new generation Carried out in a laboratory environment, the forward in the development of the system and was notable as: provides SATCOM solutions for the airline Using SwiftBroadband safety services to transmit ACARS data, AVIATOR S Series enables secure data communication, IP connectivity and multiple voice capabilities. The combination of IP and ACARS data pipes allows network integration with a portfolio of data housing and transmitting components on the aircraft such as cockpit, maintenance computers and devices used by the crew to service passengers. current SATCOM systems, AVIATOR 200S reduces the number of LRUs on the aircraft from 4 to 2. SATCOMs aeronautical business unit, said, This is another important milestone in the new solution running on a new servicea Cape Town have worked hard to achieve this impressive landmark. customer shipment, and shows that we are on track for release of AVIATOR 200S smaller, lighter and easier to install hardware associated with the SwiftBroadband ACARS data services, represented by our AVIATOR S series product range, will provide aircraft manufacturers and airlines with a route awareness and safety. Mary McMillan, vice president of aviation safety and operational services at Inmarsat, said, We congratulate our partner Cobham SATCOM on the achievement represented Inmarsats SwiftBroadband Safety, the AVIATOR 200S represents a major advancement of SATCOM technology and, together, provide the next generation aviation safety communications platform for the global aviation community. cobham.com/satcom New from ATEME is their Kyrion encoder and decoder that has been designed Internet networks. The new product offers value added features in terms of bandwidth. satellite operators to add services within their current capacity and users to reduce their link OPEX. software upgrade. ateme.com ATEME Incorporates DVB-S2X

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13 EMC has again earned recognition from the The latest EMC patentUS 9,130,644 B2is for a power booster that improves links with Medium Earth Orbit band frequency ranges.We developed this MEO Booster to manage the seamless switchover between MEO satellites as they move across the sky from horizon to horizon, said Federico Fawzi, vice president of advanced engineering, EMC. A descending satellite can conduct a handoff to an ascending satellite when the propagation delay from the two are equal by aligning amplitudes, frequency offsets and phases. EMC MEO Booster improves throughput of MEO satellites technologies such as adaptive coding modulation. MEO satellite services offer just one more way we can deliver to organizations and people on the move, in the worlds most remote locations, to keep them Avellan, founder and CEO, EMC. Continuous innovation and technology development are key elements of achieving this mission. That is why we earned more than 20 patents, and have another 12 patent applications in the works. This technology innovation allows EMC to deliver the most advanced mobility platform in the industry.The US PTO granted EMC subsidiary EMC SatCom Technologies LLC this patent in September of 2015. emcconnected.com

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14 Arianespace marked another mission accomplished for science as the companys light-lift Vega vehicle successfully launched Europes pioneering built by Airbus Defence and Spacethe satellite will study the ripples in spacetime predicted by Albert Einsteins General Theory of Relativity.Lifting off from the Spaceports SLV launch site at 1:04 a.m. local time in French Guiana the planned precise moment of launchVega approximately 1 hour, 45 minutes and 33 initial elliptical Earth orbit. During a subsequent step, this spacecraft will use its own propulsion module to reach approximately 1.5 million kilometers from Earth. Arianespace Chairman and CEO Stphane Isral congratulated this missions customer underscored his companys continuing contributions to space research and science at the service of European institutions. with Vega, Isral added, It is a true honor for Arianespace to be involved in the LISA adventure, which is so fundamental for human knowledge of the universe and the laws of physics. gravitational wave detection, LISA Defence and Space will put two test controlling and measuring their motion with unprecedented accuracy. The test masses will be suspended inside their own vacuum containers, with LISA ever launched, allowing for extremely small distance measurements with the masses to be performed by an onboard interferometer. This missiondesignated Flight VV06 marked the sixth launch of a lightweight Vega, and heavyweight Ariane 5 to form the worlds most capable family of launchers, operating In a major milestone, the mission was the and versatility in a variety of mission types. Following the achievements during this development phase, Vega is ready to be declared fully operational. Vega is keeping up with all its promises, said Arianespaces Isral. From a technical so far and to its versatility, truly demonstrated by the variety of missions it is able to up operated in 2015, with three launches performed in one single year. The development of Vega was carried out in Agency program, with the launchers design authority and prime contractor role performed by Italys ELV companya joint venture of Avio and the Italian Space Agency.Vega Flight VV06 was the 11th launch with an Arianespace family vehicle in 2015, continuing the companys record pace of 12 missions performed from Europes Spaceport in French Guiana during the year. It builds two with Soyuz. its orbit using a dedicated propulsion module, also built by Airbus Defence and Space, the propulsion module will be jettisoned, approximately 51 days after launch. The spacecraft will continue on its journey million km from Earth. Its operational orbit is a 500,000km x 800,000km Lissajous orbit around the L1 point. During the drift phase, the platform and the two spacecraft the mission will start with three weeks commissioning of the science payload including tests such as the release and of the Drag Free and Attitude and Control Photo is courtesy of Arianespace.

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16 Norsat Brings Their ATOM 25 BUC To MarketNorsat International Inc. has released the ATOM 25 Watt Ka-band Block Upconverter (BUC) and Solid State Power up to 70 percent smaller and up to 65 percent lighter than equivalent BUCs, making them weight are of concern, including airborne and 60 percent less power than other available BUCs and SSPAs on the market, another highly important differentiating feature that customers desire when it comes to various communication applications. switchable between commercial and military Applications for the BUCs and SSPAs include portable VSAT terminals, RADAR, and CDL. as well as customization capabilities to suit Norsats innovative ATOM series platform has shown great commercial success and considerable interest from several customers Earlier in 2015, Norsat shipped prototypes SSPA would meet military standards including shock, vibration, electromagnetic interference, Norsat, said, We are pleased to commence SSPAs from our expanding ATOM series. and response from customers who desire integrating the next generation technology into their product solutions. Our research and development team has done an excellent job bringing this product to market in an accelerated timeline, highlighting the high level of expertise and commitment to serving our clients needs. In addition, we expect this new 25W product to be the expanding wattages to arrive in the coming months. We have high expectations for the success of this new product offering, not only for its differentiating features, but also due to the high inherent demand for applications norsat.com Help the Society of Satellite Professionals (SSPI) make your career and our industry better.The satellite industry is only as good as the people who work in it. That is why Satnews is partnering with the Society of Satellite the 2016 edition of the Satellite Industry Workforce Study. What does the study do for you and the industry? It creates a shared understanding of the challenges we face in recruiting and managing talent, at a time when our industry companies in the world. From that shared understanding can come joint action to make our industry more competitive. The study also provides statistics that let the industry measure its progressand that let and compensation with others in the business. We can only do these things with your help. You probably receive many survey requests and ignore them. your industry and only takes about 15 minutes required to complete. SSPI will publish the study report in February of 2016. The results wont immediately appear in your professional objectives or pay packet but you will know that you have contributed to building a better career and a better industry in the future. To take the survey, please access sspi.org/cpages/2016-workforce SSPI Requesting Your Valuable Assistance...

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17 SkyVision + ABS PartnershipSkyVision Global Networks Ltd. announces a partnership with ABS, to launch two new video platforms on ABS-3A. including French speaking Africa and South Africa. The signing of this agreement will deliver vital communications orbital position, to effectively meet the growing demand for content SkyVision boasts more than 10 satellite platforms and a network of North America and the Middle East as well as multiple points of SkyVisions contribution to this important project is to provide the channels from Asia and Europe to Africa. performance satellite services to customers in Africa, said Ori Waterman, SkyVisions CEO. This deal establishes new key serve broadcasters and a wider viewing audience. Tom Choi, CEO of ABS, said, We are quickly developing an this agreement with SkyVision enhances our capabilities and opportunities. Our cooperation with SkyVision will result in a throughout Africa, add viable bandwidth and introduce new services to more customers. skyvision.net/absatellite.com/

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18 First Two PlanetiQ Weather Satellites To Be Launched Via Indias PSLV Launch VehiclePlanetiQ has signed a contract with Antrix Corporation Limited, the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organization two weather satellites on a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) during the fourth quarter of 2016. Ten more satellites are planned for launch in 2017 to complete an initial set of 12 satellites that will dramatically improve global weather forecasting, climate monitoring and space weather prediction, and enable advanced analytics for numerous industries worldwide.The ISROs PSLV is among the worlds most reliable launch vehicles with 30 consecutive 51 satellites for international customers from 20 countries, in addition to 33 Indian national satellites. most advanced satellite weather sensor in such a small package that can penetrate through clouds and storms down to the Earths surface. occultation to track the bending of GPS and other signals as they travel through Earths atmosphere, and then converts the bending global temperature, pressure and water vapor in the atmosphere, and electron density in the ionosphere. capability of radio occultation sensors on orbit today by tracking signals from all four major satellite navigation systemsGPS, Galileo, Beidou and GLONASS. With 12 satellites on orbit, PlanetiQ will collect approximately 34,000 occultations per day, evenly distributed around the globe of atmospheric data with very high vertical resolution, comprised of measurements less than every 200 meters from the Earths surface up into the ionosphere. The data is similar to that collected by weather balloons, but more accurate, more frequent and on a global scale. The stellar track record of the PSLV design life provides the reliability and data continuity not just desired, but required by the operational weather forecast community, said Chris McCormick, Chairman and CEO of PlanetiQ. Within days after launch, we will and services to our customers. feed into weather models, especially the detailed vertical data that is critical to storm prediction. Thats why we see inaccurate or ambiguous forecasts for storms like lives at risk and cost businesses millions of dollars due to inadequate preparation or risk management measures, McCormick said. Capturing the detailed vertical structure of the atmosphere from pole to pole, especially is the missing link to improving forecasts of planetiq.com antrix.gov.in

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20 EUMETSAT + NOAA To Provide Observations Via A Joint Polar SystemEUMETSAT and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the United States signed an agreement regarding their Joint Polar System (JPS), which will provide observations from two complementary polar orbits in the period from 2020 to 2040. This JPS Agreement was foreseen by the Agreement on Long Term Cooperation signed on August 27, 2013, and extends to the cooperation established since 1998 on the Initial Joint Polar System, which builds on EUMETSATs Metop and NOAAs POES and Under the new Agreement signed by Stephen Volz, NOAA Assistant Administrator for Satellite and Information Services, and both organizations will establish and operate a Joint Polar System composed of and shared ground systems and services. Joint operations will include cross support for data acquisition and spacecraft monitoring through European and US ground stations located in Svalbard, Spitzbergen, and McMurdo, Antarctica. morning and the afternoon orbits to provide more frequent global coverage for a broader range of observations of weather, atmospheric composition, ocean and land surfaces. provide the most important observational inputs to the numerical weather prediction Today, the observations from the Initial Joint Polar System account for nearly 50 percent of the contributions of all observations to the reduction of errors in numerical forecasts for day one, and further improvements to forecasts are expected from the enhanced observation capabilities of the JPS satellites. After the signing, which took place during the 84th session of the Council of EUMETSAT, Alain Ratier said, This agreement is a new landmark in our strategic cooperation with NOAA and will continue to provide States and the worldwide meteorological community. We know from studies that our current Initial Joint Polar System has more positive impact on forecasts than the sum of our individual contributions, and I am sure the impact will increase with the future Joint Polar System. Stephen Volz said, Todays agreement means our [NOAA and European] forecasters can rely on improved satellite data to predict and track storms and monitor the global environment from space for years to come. EUMETSAT demonstrates why international collaboration and full, free, and open data sharing are essential to meeting NOAAs commitment to protecting lives and property in the United States. Standing, left to right: Silvia Castaner, EUMETSAT Director of Administration; Paul Counet, EUMETSAT Head of Strategy and International Relations; Clemens Kaiser, EUMETSAT Director Director, JPSS; Marc Cohen, EUMETSAT Associate Director for Low Earth Orbit Programs EUMETSATs Metop-SG satellite. NOAAs JPSS satellite.

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21 Signing On For ESAs NEOSAT Program Is Airbus Defence & SpaceThrough a contract signed with the European Space continues to develop Eurostar Neo, its new generation of platforms for geostationary telecommunication satellites. Under phase C/D of the NEOSAT program, this contract will lead to the development of the complete Eurostar Neo product line. The NEOSAT program was initiated by ESA and the French space agency CNES through the Investments for the Future today, with very strong support participation from 16 other ESA member states. Airbus Defence and Space has made the NEOSAT programme one of its top priorities so that it can bring its new Eurostar Neo range to the market, said Franois ESAs NEOSAT programme is driving the development of the next generation of telecommunication platforms that will help Europe continue to be the leader on the global telecommunication satellites market, said MagaliVaissire, Director of Telecommunications and Integrated Applications at ESA. The NEOSAT program aims to support Airbus Defence and Space in providing a commercially attractive platform telecommunication satellite segments. Airbus Defence and Space will draw on an extensive network of industrial partners from across Europe to develop and provide this product line. The new Eurostar Neo range will comprise an entire range of major innovations, including capacity and reduce production time, a choice of propulsion modes with optimised control solutions for all types of missions, well as optimized, reliable control systems that simplify operations. airbusdefenceandspace.com

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22 Arianespace Scores... Will Launch Azerspace-2 / Intelsat 38 SatelliteAzercosmos and Intelsat have selected Arianespace to launch the Azerspace-2 / Intelsat 38 telecommunication satellite. The satellite will be launched by an Ariane 5 launch vehicle from the Guiana Space Center, be Azercosmos second telecommunications satellite and will expand on the current The satellite will support growing demand Europe, Central and South Asia, the Middle For Intelsat, the satellite will provide continuity of service for the Intelsat 12 satellite that is currently stationed at 45 degrees East, for Central and Eastern Europe as well as the Intelsat 38 will also provide connectivity for corporate networks and government applications in Africa. built by Space Systems/Loral. The satellite design is based on the highly reliable 1300 satellite platform that provides and technology advances. This contract will give us the opportunity to implement a tailor made launch solution that complies with both Azercosmos and Intelsat requirements, hence demonstrating our capability to address the needs of both regional and global satellite operators worldwide, said Stphane Isral, Chairman and CEO of Arianespace. This new satellite will provide Azercosmos with additional capacity for the increasing demand in the region, and will allow us to continue to bring the best service to our customers, said Rashad Nabiyev, Chairman In todays competitive environment, fast and reliable access to space is an absolute imperative, said Thierry Guillemin, EVP Arianespace has a long and proven track record of executing against its launch manifest. arianespace.com The launch services contract for Azerspace-2/Intelsat-38 which will be orbited by Ariane 5 on a mission expected in 2017 was signed by (from right to left): Azercosmos Chairman & CEO Rashad Nabiyev and Jacques Breton, Arianespace Senior Vice President, Sales & Customers. Artistic rendition of the Azerspace-2 / Intelsat 38 satellite. Image is courtesy of SSL.

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24 Paradise Breakthrough 100W Ka-Band Outdoor SSPATeledyne Paradise Datacom, a business unit of Teledyne Microwave Solutions, announces the availability of a breakthrough Ka-band outdoor SSPA that is based on a single 100 watt GaN module. power levels that exceed those of traveling at gateway Earth stations today.With the superior reliability of solid state stations the opportunity to achieve dramatic power SSPAs in lieu of TWTAs.The new product, Model A2100, is a compact outdoor SSPA that weighs less than 44 leveraging GaN technology, the A2100 produces 100 watts of saturated power and When packaged in Paradises high power outdoor enclosure, it can deliver power levels customers an excellent alternative to legacy 500 watt TWTAs. The A2100 delivers the highest power density in the industry. With a tough, robust construction built to withstand harsh environments and deliver the highest operational reliability, the A2100 can be used in applications and markets that have historically been reserved for TWTAs. SNG installations, the A2100s broad range of linear power and high output are perfectly More robust construction We believe our development of this new for the industry, said Steve Turner, the Paradise Datacom.Until now, there has not been a viable option to TWTAs for Gateway operators in need of very high horsepower. With Model technology to the point where it can clearly replace that legacy TWTA technology and deliver to Operators a far lower TCO over a system lifecycle. paradisedata.com Hughes Network Systems, LLC, has received a silver award as one of the top North American companies in the 2015 Best in Biz Company of the Year Competition. The Company of the Year award recognizes companies for achievements and excellence over the preceding year. A panel of journalists work in bridging the digital divide between emerging and developed economies and category of companies with more than 1,000 employees, which includes companies such as is the worlds leading provider of technology and broadband services to customers in over 100 countries on governments and consumers to the digital a partnership with OneWeb and other major players to support the goal of closing the digital divide by bringing affordable broadband satellite services to millions of households, schools and organizations around the world. Together, they have conducted several national programs to spark interest in STEM. Among them was National Youth Science Day experiment. Additional programs included camps, Inspire a Future Scientist online video contest and programs for National Engineering Week. Best in Biz Awards honors companies, teams, executives and products for their business success in the current and previous year. Best in Biz Awards is unique, as it is the only independent business awards program judged by members of the press and industry analysts. For more information, visit bestinbizawards.com/. The Company of the Year award focuses on impact on its industry and community, said are honored that journalists and analysts with broader knowledge of company best be a responsible corporate citizen along with its business success. hughes.com Hughes Wins Best Biz Company Award

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25 Sub-Saharan Connectivity In ProgressAfrique Telecom is deploying Internet solutions over Sub-Saharan Africa in combination with Eutelsats satellite capacity. The companys TamTam service extends access to the Internet in rural areas using WiFi hotspots for collective access. In a new step just announced, TamTam will be used to offer free users. Frances strategy to promote free access to educational content, in particular through Wikipedia. In order to offer free, unlimited access, Afrique Telecom has developed a server located at TamTam The content will be updated regularly via a satellite link provided by Eutelsat. 4,000 and 8,000 hotspots in the next two years. hotspots as a springboard that will also measure the impact of the service. The Wikimedia movement has made a priority of improving Southern countries. There is still a large gap between Northern and Southern countries in terms of the number of readers and contributors to Wikimedia platforms as well as content on Southern countries. France Foundation, as a complement to its Afripdia project. afrique-telecom.com/

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26 Contract Beefed Up For Marlink By Geoscience Firm CGGFully integrated geoscience company, CGG, has extended its contract with Marlink for customized Sealink VSAT As part of the agreement, Marlink will operating in the Gulf of Mexico, the North Sea and South East Asia.CGG offers a complete range of marine streamer exploration, development and 4D seismic surveys and complementary magnetic surveys.In partnership with its seabed joint venture, surveys and seamless acquisition from deep to shallow water. Marlink connects CGG vessels to its recently upgraded iDirect VSAT network platform, including X7 modems, further enabling the company to use its connectivity for smart operations, leading to reduced operational costs whilst increasing crew and client satisfaction and supporting compliance for safety processes and regulations. The longstanding relationship between Marlink and CGG and the effectiveness of the recent connectivity upgrade supported CGGs decision to continue operations using Sealink customized VSAT services. CGG reports that, following the upgrade, one of its key clients, a major oil and gas producer, declared the broadband facilities Providing fast, reliable connectivity for client networks is a critical aspect of CGGs provided by Sealink VSAT also supports the companys own admin and vessel operations, crew communication. including dual X7 modes and dual Cisco routers and switches. Marlink has also established MPLS network in addition to Public IP and for the crew LAN.The connectivity upgrades to the service offering to clients and its own reliable services with high bandwidth and important part in CGG choosing Sealink Morten Olsen, CEO, Marlink.The combination of the customized network changer for CGG from both a business and welfare perspective. Not only are our class by our offshore client representatives, all crew onboard CGG vessels can enjoy social networking and banking, etc., said Mark Cassellis, Global IT Manager, Marine Business Line, CGG. marlink.com/sealink.html cgg.com The Polar Region has gained attention in sector with the opening of sea lanes and opportunities presented by key industries such as oil & gas, mining and commercial airlines increasing the number has, likewise, led to consumer oriented opportunities as the number of Arctic and Antarctic visitors rises annually. Yet, the regions geography presents technical and coverage challenges for satellite operators that must assess the risks associated in launching capacity dedicated to serving the region. Economic conditions are likewise tenuous as exploration has diminished in the once highly promising oil & gas sector, which was a key market driver for satellite investments. This industry benchmark NSR report assesses current and future Polar satellite requirements by application, vertical and by frequency platform, offering key insights for industry players looking to navigate and gain insights into the markets future supply and demand potential. The report enables satellite operators, service providers and equipment vendors to anticipate market developments and assess their market position in both existing and new opportunities or a highly risky investment. nsr.com Polar Satellite Markets Are Examined By NSR In An Upcoming Analysis Report

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dvantech Wireless has experienced rapid and consistent growth by investing in innovative products that have inspired the industry.Over the years, the companys products have received numerous awards and recognition from industry peers and associations. In 2015, Advantech Wireless was honored with the prestigious Technology Company of the Year Award, as well as the Vertical Impact Award Broadcast, which were presented at a ceremony held at the Satellite 2015 Conference and Exhibition.Steve Richeson, Advantech Wireless Senior Vice President for Global Sales and Marketing, said, exceeded our expectations. We saw the effect solutions in both the Radio Frequency Product and Satellite Networking segments of our business. We have maintained our market leadership and seen strong demand for invest heavily in the development of this technology which we introduced in 2010. In the Satellite Networking sector we have been recognized by methods to network operators. We continue to help satellite and teleport operators optimize their investments and overcome the switching cost to move away from legacy technologies through creative business partnerships and network customization. The introduction of Advantechs second generation of GaN based units opened new opportunities in market segments that traditionally relied overall size, weight and power consumption along with the enhanced offer drastic cost reductions for teleport operators in the broadcast industry. In the satellite networking sector, the company won major contracts to provide VSAT solutions globally, including a complete mesh networked During the VSAT Global Conference 2015 in London, Advantech Wireless was recognized as the VSAT Manufacturer of the Year. This competitive award was open to all companies manufacturing products for VSAT service providers, satellite operators and end users. This award recognized Advantech Wireless innovation and evidence of how the products have enable next generation services and applications. In 2015, the company announced the Series 7000 family of satellite networking routers/modems in response to operators demand for technology, providing more than an 80 percent improvement in satellite bandwidth utilization through improved carrier modulation and dynamic transmission switching between multiple access schemes.This novel combination of access schemes and intelligent allocation lets modes across a customer base made up of diverse market sectors and applications such as Cellular Backhauling, SCADA, Broadcasting, Oil & and Mobility. looks to be a another milestone year for Advantech Wireless and our customers, Richeson said. We will be introducing complete solutions the RF and Satellite Networking sectors of our business while continuing our expansion in support of the Satellite Services aspect of our business and of course continuing our commitment to expand and develop our highly motivated and successful technology and commercial team. For more than 20 years, Advantech Wireless has built an enduring legacy satellite communications solutions that help our customers achieve success. The companys innovative technologies have enhanced the communication capabilities of government agencies, military personnel, emergency response units, private corporations as well as Internet, television and radio broadcast providers in over 150 countries. Offering wireless broadband communications solutions for Commercial, Critical Infrastructure, Government and Military clients, Advantech Wireless smarter solutions give clients the freedom to reach farther, to achieve reliable connectivity anywhere in the world and to accomplish critical advantechwireless.com A 28 SatMagazine December 2015 Advantech Wireless

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Bridge Technologies 015 has been a year wherein Bridge Technologies has launched more product than ever before, all a result of research and development programs in many areasat the same time, the industry is undergoing profound changes. with each other to carve out the headlines with some tagline that is meant the fads come and they go. Usually the underlying themes are the more important ones and encompass the more problematic issues, less easily encapsulated in snappy taglines. Such is true for 2015. Chickens have come home to roost for many broadcasters and media operators as they have start to realize just how This is partly because the interaction between broadcast and IP technologies or the other; those complexities are inherent.This is also due the expertise gap that media operators are struggling staff who possess a deep and thorough knowledge of both domains is engineering staff have to become generalists.Pity the old school broadcast engineer thrown into the deep end with OTT, IP distribution and the rest of the broadcast technologies. Likewise, the IP specialist is now suddenly confronted with the peculiarities of various broadcast technologies. The more broadcasters use IP and the more they launch OTT services, the sharper the focus will become on this seemingly We work hard at Bridge to develop products that dont assume massive expertise on the part of the user. Many of the developments we launched in data types that they need in any situation and to see the data presented in a friendly and easy to understand form at a glance. This lowered threshold for single engineer cant hope to comprehend all of the permutations, or keep up with evolutions rapid pace. At least some things remain relatively simplethe old computer science the start of the distribution chain, although many media providers dont know how to effectively exclude the garbage. One of our launches in 2015 focused on improved satellite ingress monitoring.A great deal of development work went into our ingress cards and the list of metrics now monitored by the solution is huge. a tool that can be easily understood by the operator monitoring the incoming feeds from the satelliteall without possessing arcane expertise.The same principal underpins Timeline, a new graphical data analysis technology we launched in September that allows users to play through correlations and patterns of errors occurring over any time period. Users can scrub through the data at any point in the recorded archive, opening the visible tracks. The Timeline shows content thumbnails, alarm markers and all the metrics familiar from the MediaWindow displays, making visual navigation through the data simple and quick. Engineers can search through the chain of events that led up to service failures, and generate reports for During service operations, when an error or failure occurs, engineers not the time available for them to understand the root causes. The Timeline functionality enables operators without a high degree of technical knowledge to go back and explore, understand, verify and document in complete detail what happened at any given time, or look for patterns over longer periods of time, and take action to forestall any recurrence of a similar problem. With so many distribution networks becoming regional or global, the ability to implement infrastructure changes remotely is increasingly important. For of virtualized monitoring probes to complement our hardware line. These virtualized probes have exactly the same APIs, functionality and behavior, but instead of requiring a slot in a rack, they can be deployed anywhere on the planet in only a couple of minutes. The demand for this type of virtualized device is another example of the way broadcasting and media distribution is changing radically, and this will continue to change through 2016 and beyond. rather belies the critical importance of timing and this, if anything, is likely to become a theme in the future. Thats ironic, as timing has always been critical to broadcast; without it there would be no coherent distribution, but OTT distribution for content on demand seems simple because its packet based.The timing issues become quite complex if you are dealing with a global distribution from one place, which is often the case. Dont expect Its All About Timing to be the next big tradeshow theme, even though this subject really should be of major concentration. Timing is far too complex an issue to simply become a fad. bridgetechnologies.tv 2SatMagazine December 2015 29

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Cobham SATCOM n the latter half of 2015, Telenor Satellite Broadcastings THOR 7 satellite was switched on, while Inmarsats Global Xpress has been operating on a partial basis for the entire yearthe full service is expected to be live early in 2016 and, while Ka-band HTS services are building a strong foundation of land users, HTS will make Though we see strength in wideband VSAT for many years to come, we the future without replacing the antenna, which on a ship can be a logistical nightmare in addition to being quite costly. 2014 and are proving popular. In September of this year, we introduced two, composites/aluminum construction, resulting in a weight of just 82 lbs / 37 kg. retain the performance and reliability of larger SAILOR VSAT and GX antennas, already recognized as leading technology solutions for maritime broadband. vessel and installed without occupying too much precious space. This can reduce installation costs and the use of modern, lightweight materials does not affect performance. In fact, like all SAILOR VSAT antennas, SAILOR 60 GX see photo in column one on the next page class leading RF performance, which ensures high reliability and availability and make more use of data and IP applications. The optimal size/performance services use spot beams instead of wide beams. With advanced engineering and software design, they can operate anywhere in the satellite footprint and Land Innovations only antenna of its kind to use stabilization technologyeven if the vehicle it is installed on moves, i.e., when people get in our out of the vehicle, the antenna retains a strong link to the satellite. Stabilization is particularly may lead to an immediate loss of signal. The company introduced Dynamic Pointing Correction from our stabilized Maritime Antennas on EXPLORER 8100 to ensure uninterrupted transmission when similar antennas would experience a complete loss of signal. precision. When combined with pointing correction technologies, the antenna VSAT on the market.Other developments for land include the EXPLORER 540, a unique M2M terminal that was launched during OilComm in November. This is the on both Inmarsat BGAN and 2G/3G/GPRS networks, which provides depending on location of the installation and service quality/availability. Aviation Safety business units this year, in the air, BGAN is still the lead product group, safety services, which are due to be approved for commercial airline and cockpit services. Using SwiftBroadband safety services to transmit ACARS data, AVIATOR S Series enables secure data communication, IP connectivity and multiple voice capabilities. The combination of IP and ACARS data pipes allows network integration with a portfolio of data housing and transmitting components on the aircraft such as cockpit, Electronic Flight Bag devices service passengers. making AVIATOR S available for airlines to coincide with approval of the SwiftBroadband safety service. This event was another important milestone and economic SATCOM solution. Fast Forward and Cobham SATCOM comes to the market with the most complete so as much as the company is focusing on a new generation of services, innovation will continue for a market that continues to consume huge The coming changes in 2016 are extremely exciting for Cobham SATCOM. cobham.com/satcom I SatMagazine December 2015 30

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CPI Satcom ProductsBy Doug Slaton, Marketing Communications Manager 015 was another exciting year for Communications & Power Industries (CPI) with regard to both technical innovation and new product introductions. The company answered the strong TWTA market need for higher output 2015 Highlight: Patented DDC Technology Fixed Earth stations with high energy costs Mobile uplinks for commercial and military where size and weight are a premium Systems driven by generators that consume valuable fossil fuels applications that require occasional operation TT&C and IOT users who need max power regardless of linearity Uplinkers on the edge of a beam or in rain-fade conditions who rely on full power to make their links reliable Single carrier users who want to push higher than 3 dB backof DDC technology is currently available on the CPI C-band 2.25 kW rack-mount TWTA, with more frequency and power options to follow in 2016New 1.25 kW DBS-Band TWTA CPI Surpasses The 700 W Ka-Band Mark 10 W X-band Transceiver cpii.com/satcom 2 31

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32 Crystal his was a major year for Crystal and the industrythe company updated the corporate appearance to better future role. The company name was changed from Crystal Solutions to simply position as an established and proven industry leader.Standards + More Standards2015 has seen a number of standards come into force, creating challenges and new opportunities for the industry. to the standard. The biggest challenge to metadata use is the confusion as to what the standard actually means. Crystal worked with clients to including the presentation of a webinar in partnership with SatNews about how to ensure compliance and proper use of the standard. 2015, all satellite operators were required to initiate implementation of CID, according to the resolutions issued by the World Broadcasting Unions and MCPC video and data. New modulators or single thread encoders for video uplinking must have CID support that meets the ETSI standard according to the resolutions. US broadcasters are working toward next years FCC deadline of June 1 for CID to be required for all SNG/Flyaway broadcast platforms. For CID, the ability to transmit is only one piece of the puzzleCID must also be detected. Satellite operators must ensure proper implementation of CID across their networks and have the ability to detect the ID, especially when errors occur. Crystal worked with a number of broadcasters to ensure they are transmitting the correct ID, which is particularly important for those Changing Broadcast LandscapeA radical shift is underway that impacts the broadcast industry and the way content is consumed. Consumers expect content they want, where they want it and broadcasters are under increased pressure to deliver content to multiple platforms to remain competitive. Crystal developed new technology to keep customers ahead of this curve. I have long said, and our companys success is rooted in the fact, that automation is key to reducing the burden on the operator. At Satellite 2015, we launched the latest release of our Logic automation solution, ensuring faster resolution of faults and enabling broadcasters to increase service value and generate new revenue and business models.Awards + AccoladesIn July, Crystal made the shortlist for the CSI awards for our Video Metadata presentation of program content based on included metadata. One of the challenges for video content providers is that it is not easy to determine whether Metadata is present and used correctly in each transmission path. Crystal VMA extracts metadata messages, analyzes readable formats.I was honored to receive the Patriots Award this year for Crystals support of Jason Chatham, our Vice President of Professional Services, Deployment. The Patriots Award recognizes organizations for their support for National Guard and Reserve members in their role as both a service member and an employee, relieving them of monthly obligations by allowing them time off as needed and providing assistance upon return to civilian life.Partnering For SuccessThis year we established meaningful partnerships to improve the experience for our customers. We worked with a number of companies, including AVCOM, opXL, Seldon Systems and Actus. All have offerings to customers.2016Crystal looks forward to an exciting 2016. A number of deadlines are approaching for Carrier ID implementation and changes for the broadcast industry will continue to accelerate. Broadcasters Crystal continues to innovate our platform to support customers with solutions and we look forward to helping them successfully navigate the challenges yet to come. crystalcc.com T

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DataPathor DataPath, Inc., 2015 was a rewarding year during which we saw our commitments to exceptional customer care, product innovation and engineering quality lead to demonstrable growth. This year, DataPaths leadership focused on investing in and repositioning the company for market expansion. To that end, all of the companys primary lines of business were challenged to advance existing technologies and launch new products and services. DataPath achieved several milestones that demonstrate how the company has succeeded in leveraging new introduce to the market unique solutions designed to satisfy emerging communications requirements. New Innovations + Expanded CapabilitiesAt DataPath, we like to say the range of solutions we provide spans from Terminals to Teleports to All the Tools in Between. The value proposition communications and networking solutions accessible through one common interface and architecture. Bearing that in mind, the company is especially proud that three major product and service launches were executed in 2015 that represent different parts of a total network solution.Cyber Security + Managed Security ServicesDataPath has been providing customized information assurance and cyber security DataPaths cyber security services have been primarily focused on protecting as RF units and modem technologies, that present unique vulnerabilities.Recognizing a need, DataPath packaged and expanded its core Cyber Security competencies and launched our packaged Cyber Security Solutions. These solutions are tailored to address the aforementioned unique vulnerabilities of satellite networks, yet they can be used to protect the art tools to assess a communications networks infrastructure, identify vulnerabilities, and create a customized security plan. The solutions are available in three easy to understand packages, known as Essential, Assurance and Vigilance. The services range from basic assessments, to supporting the customers existing IT staff to ongoing 24/7 support and accreditation, compliance assurance, and post incident investigation. The company also launched a related Managed Security Service Provider Program with the build out of a new 24/7 Cyber Security Operations Center MaxView EnterpriseNetwork Monitor + Control Software enhancement of the companys renowned network monitor and control operators and broadcast organizations already rely on MaxView to monitor and control all of the disparate systems and a single user interface. Now, by employing a platform, MaxView Enterprise customers can securely manage their networks In addition, MaxView Enterprise offers substantial upgrades to the softwares analytics capabilities with enhanced reporting and customizable dashboards for a comprehensive overview of clients entire networks on one screen. The new interactive reporting feature advanced scheduling capabilities, automation of complex service tasks, and an expanded library of device drivers to support remote sensors and can solve complex problems with their systems easily and methodically. procedures to interactive tutorials.QCT90Man-Portable Terminal and deploy. call for quick connectivity on the go. They can take the antenna out of its backpack or case and establish network connectivity in less than three minutes while other products on the market might take half an hour. The in early 2016.Looking Ahead To 2016 a reality, DataPath will continue to leverage its long heritage of engineering innovation to develop robust products that help satellite network service will also focus on growing and strengthening its Cyber Security and Managed Security Services, developing a broader range of antenna offerings aimed at broadcast and commercial customers, developing Communications on the service providers specializing in the oil and gas, mining, construction, maritime, and aerospace sectors. We have already shifted our thinking position ourselves to offer satellite communications technologies that can switch between other forms of telecommunications. datapath.com F 33

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34 DEV Systemtechnik GmbH & Co. KGhe quality of RF signal transmission within satellite communications and broadcast applications is one of the key ingredients to delivering uninterrupted service, with no single point of failure. the system integrator and the technical capabilities of the RF transmission solutions provider. Last, but not least, this always depends upon the quality of collaboration between the two, said Jrg Schmidt, Managing Director of At DEV Systemtechnik, a Quintech Company, 2015 has been a time to continue preparing for technological advances and industry changes as well as a time for extending the companys global reach and reputation in the RF transmission sector: From Dish to Rack and Back. The company has the needs of broadcast, cable and satellite customers alike. Customers demand superior and high quality products and also expect professional advice in serving their individual needs as well as expert advice and experience when addressing their technical and business challenges. The work of DEVs skilled and experienced team, combined with a thorough services and product. This is why customers that rely on DEV solutions include some of the worlds most demanding systems integrators, communications providers and broadcasters. Many new products and solutions have been launched during the last 12 months and DEV will continue to do so throughout 2016. During 2015, the joint Quintech/DEV Matrix Concept Expansion by Reduction has gained industry wide acceptance. In todays environment, content distribution and data processing. Convergence of all forms of content delivery is at our doorstep. Most facilities are feeling the pressure and decreased RU footprint. This has never been more important. Next XTREME 256, offer an exciting opportunity for the satellite industry to refresh while vastly reducing power requirements, cabling and rack unit footprints.ARCHIMEDESStronger, Smaller, Smarter Matrices regarding the RF performance and is smaller, providing 64 x 64 connections in 4 RU. The product is smarter, with many unique features internal expectations by far. Many leading broadcasters selected the DEV solution to upgrade their teleport or IPTV facilities in Africa, in Russia, in the Middle East and Central Europe. Similar success with the 8 Matrix could well be experienced during 2016.The 8 Distributing Matrix (Eight Squared)At IBC 2015, DEV introduced the 8 Distributing Matrix. With this launch, Quintech/DEVs Matrix product family now offers a full range of next generation RF matrix switches, all designed to meet a variety of operators environments, such as SNG vehicles, the compact 8 Distributing Matrix offers an ideal mix of cost and performance as well as unique advantages such as optical inputs, unique redundancy options, LNB powering, full supplies. switch between multiple RF paths, these new RF matrices also provide the Redundancy Pays For ItselfIf your mission critical RF Transmission System fails, severe consequences and higher costs can result. Therefore, redundancy, which ensures that your RF Transmission System operates without interruption, clearly pays for itself. In response to market demand, the company launched a new Universal Switch DEV 1953 in the autumn of 2015, thereby extending DEVs Redundancy Switch product line. The DEV 1953 offers broadcasters a higher capacity solution designed to make network resiliency and redundancy easier than ever for larger network applications. DEVs Redundancy Switch Solutions eliminate single points of failure and enable the highest uptime for large RF transmission applications and as a 2 Slot version designed for small RF transmission applications. Optical Systems Provide The Required Signal Quality + ReliabilityWhat differentiates DEV and Quintech from other solution providers is that we have these products and incorporate additional features into the of signal loss, while providing 5 Nines reliability. The customer also saves money through lower operational, maintenance and purchasing costs. OPTRIBUTION is very much a green solution and is ideal for is redirected from the main site to a diverse site in the case of adverse and availability, in spite of any high level of rain attenuation. dev-systemtechnik.com T

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EshailSatt is hard to believe that this year we celebrated the 2nd anniversary of Qatar entering the Space Age with the launch of Eshail-1. August 29, 2013, was a monumental day for EshailSat as the world of the countrys space program. Two years later, the companys satellite program is on track and 2015 has seen EshailSat continue to deliver on the and the center of excellence in the region. With the satellite network, the principal aim is to enable customers and stakeholders to substantially increase their broadcasting capabilities and develop a sustainable, national satellite communications sector as part of Qatars 2030 vision. demonstrating the value of this offering in terms of technical capabilities and performance as well as in terms of independence and the security transmission for established news, sports and entertainment channels, a growing number of new Arabic channels are selecting EshailSat to launch their content in the MENA region.Qatari cultural channel Al Bidda and Al Araby Television Network, a seek to diversify and expand their audience with new content that and documentary programming. The plan continues to provide premium satellite capacity in the MENA into the assembly phase and to remain on schedule for a Q4 2016 launch. North Africa from the 26 degrees East TV hotspot. In addition, a delegation from EshailSat completed a visit to Space Exploration Technologies was accomplished. In August, EshailSat also announced the award of the contract to build the companys own teleport in Doha. A dedicated 50,000 m2 site north art facility, which will provide satellite control and communications range of teleport services such as uplink, downlink, contribution, multiplexing, encoding, playout and broadcasting, tailored for our studios for TV channels and serve as a disaster recovery facility for broadcasters. The site will be connected to the key media broadcasters in Qatar by means of a new teleport is expected to be ready by Q1 2016 and the site build and project completed by Q1 2017. As secure transmissions are of paramount importance in the MENA region, interference and provide a secure transmission network for our customers. The IRG Group has achieved a number of accomplishments, including the widespread adoption of Carrier ID in time for the 2012 Olympics, which With Qatar hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the company is undertaking a number of initiatives that include the installation of a Carrier demodulator at the CMC as well as recommending and encouraging customers to use capabilities to meet the needs of the MENA market. of engagement and commitment that will best suit their business needs. and bandwidth optimization for OPEX savings. The main services provided by the new EshailSat hub are Internet Services, Telephony Services and Corporate Network Connectivity. In 2015, the generation of awareness continued for the EshailSat program In Qatar, transmission coverage of a number of sporting events were sponsored and provided that included the English Premier League on beIN SPORTS and the Qatar Total Womens Open and the ExxonMobil Mens Open international tennis tournaments. In the media events sector, the Association of Purposive Visual Media Gathering was sponsored. In September of this year, the company was the recipient of the Award Amsterdam, the Netherlands. company is ideally placed to support the continued growth and expansion of media organizations from the 25.5/25 degrees East broadcasting hotspot by providing premium content, communications independence, quality of service and proven market penetration. eshailsat.qa ISatMagazine December 2015 35

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36 ETL Systems TL Systems, a UK-based global designer and manufacturer of RF distribution equipment, has had an extremely successful 2015, marked once again by solid revenue growth and expansion into new, international territories.Expansion + GrowthThe satellite industry is steadily growing and evolving. According to the the world satellite industry has witnessed a four percent growth rate in revenues over 2014, led by the growth in consumer satellite television and interest in satellite broadband. ETL Systems is pleased to have contributed in part to this growth and in turn watched the companys business experience a revenue growth of 19.14 percent. This was aided by major contract wins in multiple regions and our presence at trade shows all over the world, including Dubai, Singapore, Amsterdam, USA, India and Brazil.Investing In Latin AmericaThis year, the companys expanded into Latin America, an area viewed as key occur. In May, we announced the appointment of LATAM Sales Manager, Rafael Zamora, who brings more than 15 years of experience in telecommunications and wireless solutions markets as well as a wealth of knowledge on the Latin American markets. This appointment is vital in providing LATAM customers Expanding RF Over FiberFollowing last years launch of some exciting new products, including a new At IBC 2015, ETL Systems showcased new and improved RF technologies, The StingRay design offers excellent module to module isolation, making such ideal for high isolation applications. Downtime is minimized by dual additional resilience for uplink and downlink transmissions. For longer distances with low signal loss. requirements. This year, the matrix offerings were expanded further to as low noise, variable gain and high linearity options. A model was also range into wireless testing applications. the Piranha series, provides DC powering options in a compact 1U high, and devices in satellite ground station RF and power distribution chains. The units are compact, expandable and customizable. Piranhas modular approach means that the customer can purchase the size that they want and then expand later as their LNB power requirements increase. Energy module options. Additional new technologies include improved performance for carrier monitoring with even faster switching time, improved return loss and isolation on the upgraded LS series monitoring switches. Expansion Of Military-Based ProductsThis year, the range of RF solutions for military use was expanded, further proving that this equipment from ETL Systems is trustworthy and reliable. applications, such as mobile frequency jamming. In May, we provided BAE Systems Australia, the largest defence contractor new Ground Station that gives the Australian Defence Force the ability to communicate globally with its deployed units. Two major US Government agencies were also provided with customized Vulcan matrix systems. New International ContractsIn addition to expanding military sector products, this year new international year, an upgrade to the IPTV equipment for a Belgian telecommunications giant was completed and Matrix Routers for extra resilience in the IPTV network of Middle East telecom operator, du, were also installed. In March, the companys Dextra series of active splitters and combiners were used at selected us to supply specialized RF equipment to monitor and control ETL Systems equipmentincluding Enigma matrices and several RF of live golf tournament feeds. The system debuted in Scotland at the Ryder Cup. In May, another new and important partnershipCanadian company This has been a most successful year for ETL Systems and we look forward to developing our product range, growth and international presence even further during 2016. etlsystems.com E

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The Euroconsult Reporthe year 2015 has seen a clear acceleration in the transition from a legacy satellite communication value chain to a new environment. Changes in space infrastructure and business models are going hand-in-hand. have continued to expand in two directions, including entertainment and connectivity in emerging regions on the one side, and communications on the move in more mature markets, with a particular focus on maritime and aero. This partly compensates for eroding legacy services in markets such as the US, Europe and Japan, and for milsatcom services that have remained on a downward trend although potentially stabilizing next year. Two important trends for services include the reporting of more services among international service providers. One of the drivers is the need to realize economies of scale and reach a critical size to provide more complex communication services. A selection of events and trends includes the following: The overall market remains challenging from a commercial standpoint. First, the macro-economic environment is currently not highly supporting, and changes in exchange rates currently tend to impact the margin of local service providers in emerging regions. Second, new application segments still take time to develop and result in large capacity usage and revenues. Third, the deployment of large capacity supply including both regular and HTS capacity results in a situation of oversupply in several markets and weights on capacity pricing. Competition also comes from the presence of a larger number of satellite operators in most regions. This results both from the presence of more national operators and from the entry strategy of existing operators in either new geographies or verticals. Recent examples would include the launch of ABS-3A offering capacity over the America, the market entrance of Turkmensat these emerging operators on the incumbents is felt in 2015, where SES reported a negative impact on the Latin American transponder demand after customers in Argentina migrated to the new Arsat satellite. The emergence and acceleration of new projects of broadband LEO constellations. New programs such as those of OneWeb, for data delivery over satellite. An interesting development is operators in multi-orbit operations, from the presence of SES in O3b to the investment of Intelsat in OneWeb and the potential development of a LEO constellation by Telesat. For operators, middle term growth will require a several-fold decrease in cost per Mbps. A major driver is innovation on the satellite and ground segment as further detailed below. However, growth also happens through changes in business models and potential higher vertical integration step has been further investments in ground segments and service platforms by several operators, with for example the preparation of the EPIC satellite constellation. Another trend includes the multiplication of partnerships and co-investment, either between two operators or between operators and service providers, with a recent event being the announced partnership between Eutelsat and Facebook in Africa or the venture created between SES and the government of Luxemburg. Satellite operators have also started to turn their attention launched in 2015. In late 2015, 11 satellite operators including SES, Eutelsat, Intelsat, JSAT, Hispasat, AsiaSat and Measat had had started to distribute 24/7 UHD TV channels. Several other operators including Gazprom have 4K UHD plans for 2016. A major event still pending is the WRC 2015 of the ITU taking place in late November. This will have consequences on the future dynamics in the use of the C-band, as well as give views on potential future threats on satellite spectrum.Intense Launch Activity + A Decrease In GEO Comsat OrdersGEO comsat orders were down in 2015, as the year is likely to conclude with 16 units while 23 were ordered both in 2014 and 2013. Market decrease is Despite the overall slowdown in the number of GEO satellite orders, the the adoption of innovative solutions. Four facts that were observed in the The presence of HTS payloads in new satellites continues to expand. All recent orders from leading satellite operators have band. 2015 orders have typically included three dedicated HTS and three HTS payloads on hybrid satellites. Having more capacity onboard is however just not enough. pressing. At least three satellites procured this year include digital Acceptance of electric propulsion for orbit raising is a third important trend. Three all-electric satellites and one partly-electric satellite have been ordered this year, while the second half of the year. euroconsult-ec.com T 37

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38 The Forrester Report he past year has proven to be extraordinarily tough for the worlds major satellite operators. Consider these facts: In January of 2015, Intelsats ordinary shares were typically trading at around $17 a share. By November, those shares had absolutely collapsed to barely $6 a share. starting off in January at 30 euros and during the year rising to almost 35 Another member of the 2015 Roller Coaster Club That company kicked off the year at 27 euros and progressed through the heights of 32 euros in April and then sliding down to barely 26 euros by August. As this article is being written, Eutelsat has been able to report recovery to somewhere around 30 euros. uncertainty for operators? This is not an easy question to answer, especially when, in most cases, the at the door of the operators themselves and a high degree of capacity major markets. Others have blamed the lack of certainty over future bandwidth demand cord-cutting and the admission Chairman of the Board, and co-founder of, Dish Networks admits are now mature markets in many regions. to have to spend hundreds of millions on new digital products and away from their normal movies, TV and cable businesses. Time Warners share price immediately fell a massive 9 percent and caused similar massive Euroconsult, in its November 2015 assessment of the state of the FSS a slowdown in revenue growth. Industry growth was largely offset by the revenue decline recorded by ten operators including several large companies such as Intelsat, Telesat and JSAT. As a result, total FSS industry revenues nearly stabilized at $12.3 billion in 2014. This trend is expected to continue in 2015 with industry revenues growing by 2 percent at constant exchange rates at the half year mark. With Euroconsults overall assessment being reasonably positive, only when you drill down into the Top 3 operators worries come to the forefront. For example, October 29 saw Intelsat report its latest numbers and, new contracts. increased expenses primarily due to incremental investments related to our ground segment innovation initiatives. the end of Q3; utilization was at 75 percent. This compared with 2,200 units at the end of Q2/2015. On the upside, Intelsat currently has 11 satellites in the concept, design and manufacturing stages. numbers were either on, or above, expectations. On a more positive note, SES states the company has secured contracts for Sabbagh said, SES has continued to be productive in Q3. SES has been Equity analysts at investment bank Jefferies said the SES results were solid and a welcome return to form after the companys recent volatility. The analysts praised Mr. Sabbaghs presentation of the current situation for not just SES, but the industry in general. late by market concerns around the long term role of satellite in developed market TV distribution. This is the latest iteration in a long run core debate, this time the bear case has been precipitated by evidence that terrestrial deployments are set to push the scope for IPTV delivery far further of debate on the call, with the CEO doing an excellent job of putting the risk into context. T

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39 Wed highlight the following: First, SES embraces the debate; Secondly, there is real conviction that there is no single infrastructure / technology panacea for the diverse needs of TV operatorsthe market should not see this as a binary issuesatellite will have a role to play in a hybrid technology solution; Third, each infrastructure has its advantages and disadvantages but it boils down to the cost of distributionOTT cannot scale users in the same way that satellite can, but satellite cant do Fourth, when SES engages with a customer, it does so as an overall solution provider, not a seller of satellite capacity; Fifth, broadband advancements certainly address the ability of a home to receive TV, but dont take into account how rapidly core network costs ramp with the number of userssatellite will be used to do the heavy lifting.The Jefferies note is quite helpful and few see the crucial role of satellite fading away any time soon. But clearly this is a worry when satellites are being designed and built with a 17 to 20 year lifespan in mindthere are few who could bravely determine precisely the shape of any industry that far ahead in time. DB examines Intelsat, SES and Eutelsat and comes to the conclusion that video growth will slow. Our concern is not that TV platforms will abandon satellite altogether. Satellites cost advantage over DSL will remain for a long time. But rather, linear TV channel launches will slow on satellite as more said Laurie Davison of DB.Davison argues that none of the Big Three grew their revenues, other termination fees. The core video income stream, where broken out, was view is that despite the growth in demand that will inevitably come from linear channels currently broadcasting in SD and as more investment is channel closures. Despite these uncertainties, each of the big three are investing heavily in satisfying what they see as future demand. Intelsats EPIC series of new Africa and to be in place during 2019. The satellite will be a multiple and targeting SMEs in Africa. Moreover, Eutelsat has an option with satellite builder Thales Alenia to double and thereby further accelerate the satellites capacity and business impact over Africa.Is Facebook The Future? Spacecom deal sees half of the capacity booked and sold to Facebook with the end of the year. likes of O3b and OneWeb, might also successfully mop up this increased Nevertheless, the new Eutelsat craft only adds to the surplus capacity available over Africa and already available from Intelsat and SES. Indeed, the satellite industry is only too aware that transponder lease rentals are falling globallyand tumbling in some regions. A study from Northern Sky among the 22 operators tracked in NSRs latest report declined from $2.05 million to $1.94 million during the past year, with pricing pressures coming to fruition through a combination of aforementioned currency exchange shrinks the cost per slice? has thus far yielded an answer of yes, with the spending, suggests NSR. NSRs study looks at the health and revenue prospects of 22 operators, operators, with currency exchange rates and varying degrees of exposure to contracting markets such as Gov/Mil causing some movement among top operators. the formers revenues of $2.562 billion besting the latters $2.472 billion. under $1.1 billion, well behind Intelsats $1.2 billion. The two operators have in recent years been on different trajectories, with Intelsat hurting from exposure to US Government clients, and SES weathering this storm more Other operators reporting swings in revenues included Sky Perfect JSAT, percentage of revenuessaw healthy revenue growth across the board. This from the top 25 FSS operators remaining around $11.6 billion.Overall, says NSR, it is expected that moving forward, operators will need The Big Three and their smaller operators can only hope that NSR is correct and that the industry is not in a position of simply managing decline. Roll on for a better 2016, with successful expansion for each of the players into new markets, growing demand and a healthy New Year for everyone!

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GeoSync Microwave ith numerous new products introduced, 2015 has been a busy and successful year for GeoSync.Since the companys founding in 2008, GeoSync has achieved year over year growth. This growth has been accomplished by focusing its expertise on developing high performance SATCOM block up and down converters, precision tunable frequency synthesized converters, test translators, custom integrated frequency conversion assemblies, and all meeting Although GeoSync offers a broad range of Catalog RF SATCOM products, the company also provides custom engineered solutions to the most demanding requirements. During this past year, a number of complicated RF SATCOM solutions were shipped for use in national security, black projects.All of these accomplishments were possible through an engineering team which brings together innovative talents in RF circuit design, frequency source expertise, software, mechanical, and manufacturing engineering to create superior product lines meeting critical satellite Earth station RF requirements.The new products introduced during 2015 include... Hot swappable block up and down converters in a 1RU rack size; either 1:1 redundant converters or separate band versions requirements of MILSTD-188-164B and IESS308/309. Wide band multiple outputs, outdoor block down converters providing either 2 or 3 IF L-band outputs for a wide band common RF input. Four models are available covering Kuand Ka-band. A companion series of wide band block up converters which combine either 2 of 3 independent L-band IF inputs into a single wide band RF output either in Kuor Ka-bands will be available. Quad-band frequency test translator and multi band translators covering C-, X-, Ku-, and Ka-band in a 1 RU rack size. Mini module, full function block down converter series with an up to 1 GHz L-band IF and SATCOM RF bands of C-, Ku-, and Ka-. Thumbwheel controlled input attenuator variable over 15 dB, and a 30 dB output attenuator stepped in 0.2dB increments, 70 dB image rejection, automatic internal/external frequency reference, and superior phase noise, all in a package of 4.4x 2.7x 1.0 height. 10/100Base-T Ethernet interface option is available. band Ka-band LNAs covering from 17.7 GHz to 21.2 GHz with a assemblies are available in all SATCOM bands. As we look toward 2016, GeoSync is expecting another strong year of growth and is preparing for it with major investments in plant, facilities, equipment, and, most important, its people. 2016. Two new product lines will be introduced next year, with development work well underway on both of these offerings. Additional resources include advanced test equipment as well as manufacturing capability monitored by MIS software, all of which permit GeoSync to build upon the foundation put into place over the last eight years to serve customers and offer ever more superior performance and a broader range of products to meet clients needs. geosyncmicrowave.com W 40

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Gilat Satellite Networkshis has been an exciting year for the satellite industry. High Throughput Satellites (HTS) continue to shape the industry, opening up new markets and opportunities. gained further traction as an area of growth and is expected to quickly become a musthave on business jets commercial airlines. Additionally, demand for Rural HTSMeeting The challenge the ground segment equipment in core network integration. This calls networks to support the simple addition of applications and services. as required by their customers. this year. The companys distributed architecture enables satellite operators with focus on: mobility, enterprise, cellular and consumer broadband. We by partners and several deployments are already underway. IFCMeeting Demand For Connectivity AnywhereIn the mobility market, 2015 saw the most concentrated activity in the they worked to add value to the passenger experience. Gilat is strongly positioned in this space as the company provides reliable solutions for Gilat has signed a long term agreement with a major satellite broadband terminals for IFC on commercial aircraft. Also this year, Gilats Wavestream connectivity and capacity and underlying our position as a leading provider of airborne transceivers and the Wavestream Aerostream range as the de facto products of their class in the industry. In addition, a breakthrough technology for mobile satellite communication. particularly suitable for SOTM connectivity for platforms constrained by size acceleration and delivers speeds of 200 Mbps. This industry achievement has recently been enhanced to include a four LAN port offering and a rack mounted version. This family of products provides corporate services, 3G/LTE cellular backhauling, IP trunks and mobility services, delivering of users per VSAT. To reach these high return speeds, Capricorn supports TDMA and SCPC transmission. In Australia, Gilat secured a deal with Optus to become the companys technology provider for remote area cellular backhaul over satellite. In Asia, a tender was awarded in a major emerging market for a full turnkey solution to supply, install, commission, and operate the companys cellular backhaul sites across the country. In Latin America, Gilat signed a managed services agreement with a major mobile network operator for a nationwide satellite network to provide a turnkey solution, including VSAT platform, space segment and managed services for all satellite sites. Broadband InternetClosing The Digital Divide focus for Gilat, bringing broadband to the most remote places of the world. In Q1, we announced that the Peruvian governmental agency, Fitel, had awarded the company a $285 million regional telecommunications infrastructure project. This is the largest contract ever won by Gilat. A key aim for this project is to connect rural villages to broadband services. This to connect approximately 600 public institutions to broadband services. Additional opportunities to expand business from this and similar projects through 2016 and beyond are expected. The company will jointly provide the satellite communications network In summary, 2015 has been an exciting year for our industry. Together with our partners, Gilat has made great strides in bringing the social and go I look forward to supporting all of our partners in this mission. gilat.com T 41

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42 Global Teleports015 has been another interesting year for Global Teleports, with a major focus on rolling out our satellite broadband offering for businesses and consumers. Currently, broadband is a hot topic across the globethousands still have no communication connectivity. Naturally, as fellow satellite industry professionals, you know as well as me that such need not be the case at allsatellite can cover most of the entire globe, offering access to those who have been left in the dark.Rural BlackspotsThere are broadband blackspots all across the globe, especially in rural areas. At the same time, there is a wealth of business operating out of those areas, including farming, tourism as well as home workers. Those businesses really struggle with poor connections, which adversely affects Global Teleports has just installed a system for a cheese producer based in Wales. That company takes orders from customers who are located nearly everywhere across the globe. Prior to installing our system, their broadband connection was, more or taking orders more and more problematic. Now, their operation is far more lucrative thanks to our system. Over the course of the year, Global Teleports has also attended a number story is similar for many whom we have metfrustration with their current communication providers. SuperfastGetting connected with a reasonable speed connection is a solid start. Most people are, however, using the Internet for more and more work and obtain superfast connections. We have, therefore, been working diligently to get up and running with a installed with the new, upgraded modem from Newtec, in addition to a larger antenna that is able to handle the extra speed and required, increased bandwidth consumption. By far the biggest win for Global Teleports in 2015 was securing a direct reseller agreement with SES Techcom. We can now offer a much more cost effective broadband service to customers and have the security of knowing the bandwidth has been appropriately allocated to meet their communication needs. The company continues to work closely with SES to develop innovative new services.FundingThe broadband discussion has also been occurring at the government level. Many governments are placing a lot of effort into improving broadband access, especially in their more remote locations. For the consumer, this means a plethora of schemes they can access to get online. broadband voucher scheme which meant that customers in certain cities across the nation were able to obtain funding to cover installation costs. get funding if the service is at least upgradeable to superfast delivery, without changing out any of the already possessed hardware. Schemes such as this are crucial if governments are serious about rolling out better connectionswe hope more businesses and consumers will be able to make the most of such schemes over the coming months.An Exciting Year AheadThe service is in place and working well, and Global Teleports is proud to be able to offer a truly unique offering, again thanks to our direct agreement with SES and a wealth of experience in SATCOM with some exiting new services close to launch. 2016 will be all about bringing broadband service to more and more businesses and consumers where other networks dont reach, helping to bridge the digital divide once and for all. globalteleports.com 2

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Globalstars 2015 draws to a close, Globalstar is pleased to announce that our SPOT devices were credited with their 4,000th rescue.A year ago, our SPOT devices were initiating an average of one rescue SPOT S.O.S. action results in a lifesaving rescue of at least two people. The fact that there are people walking the Earth safe and sound thanks to the technologies that we provide is highly satisfying to the Globalstar team. One particularly important milestone that we achieved in 2015 was the completion of a new gateway in Botswana, which is delivering nearly blanket simplex coverage over the entire African continent. We are now in a position to bring affordable satellite communications to the dynamic and emerging economies across the region. For example, regional players in the oil & gas sector can now be supported via our M2M solutions. operations and leisure boating to helping conservationists better understand and preserve Africas endangered species.In addition, the companys presence has been dramatically increased in Central and Latin America. Duplex subscriber acquisitions have more than doubled and the SPOT subscriber acquisitions have almost tripled year over year from 2014 to 2015. Also announced were some important product launches during 2015. In May, we routinely working outside of GSM range are enthusiastic about the ability to turn any WiFi enabled device into a satellite phone. productivity and operability, enabling them to affordably and effectively Work continues to expand Globalstars global footprintmajor investments in our global terrestrial infrastructure occurred this year to ensure the capabilities are present on the ground that allow customers to derive maximum value from the various satellite voice and data services. This involved an amazing amount of work on the part of dedicated people who developed the critical hardware and software and who carried out the complex worldwide integration of same. recently completed. The calls originated at Globalstars network operations center in California, delivered over the satellite network, landed at the newly installed Radio Access routed through the Ericsson core network before entering the public switch. The transition to the next generation ground network remains on schedule and will be completed next year. I have personally made phone calls that infrastructure and the clarity is amazing. Sharing this superior experience with the customer base will soon occur. At Globalstar, we remain driven to make our satellite technology available to the mass market and are constantly investing in research, development and products smaller, better and more affordable. The fruits of our endeavors will be released in 2016 with the market launch of a host of new products. a need to communicate beyond cellular, but who wish to use their existing that at a fraction of the current cost. Finally, great progress continues to be made on our TLPS proceeding. In March, the company held a successful demonstration at the Federal increase in network throughput capacity. During the summer, TLPS was demonstrated on a university campus in Chicago and documented a 92 percent increase in throughput on client Most recently, TLPS was deployed at the Washington School for Girls in the District of Columbia, where the eighth grade class is now using TLPS daily for their educational needs. International representatives have also contacted us about wanting TLPS in their regions and, once the process is completed In closing, were particularly proud at Globalstar to see our solutions being to, the victims of and emergency responders relative to the European refugee crisis, extreme athletes who raced across Morocco during the Marathon des Sables and the aforementioned eighth grade students using our new TLPS service.2015 has been a fantastic year for us and the company is looking forward to leveraging our new constellation, products and services in 2016 and beyond. globalstar.com A 43

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44 hile 2014 was a year of major sporting events from a strategic standpoint, 2015 has been a hugely The company started the year with a reorganization and continued to build on our reputation as a global media solutions provider through the distribution sides and also our growth as a complete media services and us to take a global approach addressing customers changing needs. The move helped us to make the transition from being the largest independent teleport operator and satellite services provider to a fully integrated, global media solutions company and to address one of the primary customer concernshow to generate new revenue opportunities from their existing content or channels. This is something that Globecast has always understood and we will continue to provide customers with greater access to our expertise in order to achieve their own business aims. services, channel packaging and marketing services are an increasingly important part of the service portfolio. Were able to help our customers by drawing on strong relationships with TV platforms around the world. handling and preparation of content for any kind of distribution, from VoD to OTT and traditional linear broadcast. More importantly, Media Factory allows Globecasts three media centers in London, Singapore and Los Angeles to seamlessly work as a single operation. Customers such as equestrian lifestyle channel, Ride TV, Scripps Networks Interactive and BBC content preparation, playout and distribution servicesthat project has been rolled out across 2015. Globecast is the primary technical partner for these services, handling channels that were previously supported by multiple service providers across multiple regions. Media Factory breaks away from the traditional siloes related to separate different regionsand allows customers to provide content to Globecast once and then have that content delivered to any platform in the required format. We handle everything from content preparation, channel localization, formatting, quality control, to creative services and compliance review and editing, in addition to existing contribution, playout and distribution services. 2015 saw the opening of a brand new US Media Centre in Culver City, Los Angeles, to complement existing Globecast facilities in Paris, London and Singapore, enabling us to offer a truly global media management, playout, satellite and OTT distribution service offering. The new facility offers customers access to the Media Factory platform for content logistics and single facility. OTT is an area that were seeing an increasing demand from broadcasters. Arabsat TV streams of multiple Arabic channels, is a good example of how we work with our customers to help them meet the changing demands of the current media landscape.Arabsat TV Everywhere enables the broadcaster to deliver a new service, available to watch for free from almost anywhere in the world on PC as well as iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. The aim was to expand at home and on the move, with a seamless experience across all devices. Globecasts OTT Live solution was at the heart of the project as part of management; application design and development; delivery; and a player. The contribution side of our business was as busy as ever this year, delivering coverage of everything from the French Open at Rolland Garros to the Tour de France, which was particularly challenging this year due to the terrain race route, the TV compound was actually located 140 km away. A logistical challenge that our team coped with admirably.We also broadcast the world feed and provided a wide range of other in Nairobi for the joint presidential press conference between President Globecast also delivered an international feed of the main speeches to broadcasters in Europe and the US during both these events. Live shots from were also provided for a wide range of international broadcasters along with a TVRO feed for the American pool. When the President moved on to Ethiopia, we continued our role, supplying transmission services to uplink was deployed in Addis Ababa at the hotel where the US journalists were based in order to give them access to the content.While these were just some of the highlights, there were many more projects undertaken during 2015. As a global media solutions provider our role is to help broadcasters meet their business aims, helping them to keep pace with what is increasingly a rapidly shifting media landscape. We expect that broadcasters focus on Maximilian the value of their assets is something that will continue to be front and center during the next 12 months. Broadcasters and media companies whatever their size are also having to respond to evolving consumer viewing habits, and this is something that has evolved at a very fast rate. Globecast is perfectly positioned to help them take advantage of new market opportunities. www.globecast.com/ Globecast W

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46 The Heyman Report ast year at this time, this author predicted there would be 238 satellites placed in orbit by 83 launches. be 242 satellites with 90 launch vehicles. This is the unfortunate result of having to write an article two months before the year is over as well as China launching six unannounced satellites on three equally unannounced launch vehicles and Japan placing four secondary payloads on a launch vehicle. Add to that the Russians launching the Angara 5 rocket, and you can see similar events towards the end of 2015, at the time of this writing, the prediction is that there will be 235 spacecraft launched via 85 launches. This tally does not include the maximum of 87 small satellites that could be have been launched as secondary payloads with a Falcon 9 launch vehicle. Originally slated for late December 2015, this batch has now been rescheduled for early 2016. These satellites will be deployed with a Sherpa space tug. As to the purpose of these satellites, the Table 2 This total includes a number of the cubesats that were already on ISS as of January 1, 2015, but which had not yet been deployed on that date.ISSThe International Space Station was certainly in the news this year. Russia announced that it had committed itself to take part in the ISS program until 2024. After that it intends to detach the Russian modules station would be completed by 2028 and will be used as a base for lunar exploration, including crewed lunar missions by 2030. The latter spacecraft was expected to dock with the nadir port of the internally, including more than 35 experiment for ISS and eight Flock 1f Crew Vehicles. L Table 1. Satellites launched in 2015 (as at Novenber 1, 2015) Table 2. Annual launches and satellites 2005-2014

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47 47 expected to be launched in December 2015, although this launch might be brought forward. members on the space station that are on a one year expedition that started on March 27, 2015 and will last until March 2016.The RD-180 Saga + A Bit More vehicle was developed over a 42 months period during the early 1990s. The at a time that Ukraine was still part of the USSR. Ultimately the production moved to Energomash, a Russian undertaking. has been used for the six Atlas III launch vehicles as well as over 60 Atlas 5 launch vehicles.Following the separation of the Crimea from Ukraine in early 2014, a separation supported by Russia, the US Congress has passed a law that prohibits the US Air Force to have launch service providers use launch 2019 onwards. in 2019, but its different fuel requires an adaptation of the Atlas core stage. by 2019. form of two clustered GU250 rocket engines. The engine is capable of of this engine is currently underway and Yuzhnoye would like to establish production facilities in the US. The US Air Force has indicated that these replacement engines either need might not be available until 2022. Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. John McCain. The additional engines would allow ULA to effectively bid for nine national security launches all of which would be suitable for the Atlas 5. In addition another 28 missions will be put up for bids in 2018, of which 25 are suited for the Atlas 5. Somehow related to the above and, in what seems to be a clear case of politics and lobbying, a group of 17 members of Congress, all Republican and more than half of them representing states where United Launch adequacy of SpaceXs investigation into the 28 June 2015 failure of a Falcon 9 launch vehicle. They also questioned whether SpaceX can be trusted with the critical military and intelligence payloads it wants to launch and wanted to know how tough NASA and the US Air Force are getting with SpaceX. authors opinion, point at severe shortcomings of all those involved shortcomings that they should resolve by dropping political grand standing, bureaucratic procedures. restrictions because the Antares is not intended for national security satellite launches. New Launch VehiclesULA also unveiled its new launch vehicle during the year. Previously referred Vulcan. The Vulcan will gradually replace the Atlas 5 and Delta 4 launch Like the Atlas 5 and Delta 4 launch vehicles, the use of different nose cones requirements. The launch cost of the Vulcan is expected to reduce from the current $164 million for an Atlas 5 launch, to $100 million for the basic Vulcan. ULA plans to replace the current Centaur upper stage with a new upper this stage will be powerful enough to place the heaviest satellites directly into a geostationary orbit. Further down the track, in 2024, ULA hopes to introduce the recovery of

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48 on 19 September 2015 and the CZ 11 launch vehicle on 24 September 2015. Both these launch vehicles represent a change in rocket technology from toxic propellant combinations to environmentally friendly propellants CZ 5 and CZ 7 launch vehicles. CZ 6 is intended as a light capacity high response launch vehicle that will fueled rocket engine. The launch vehicle was developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation and the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. Through the use of a variety of boosters and an upper stage the launch vehicle can be expanded. CZ 11 is a four stage launch vehicle with three solid fueled stages and a 1.6 m, the launch vehicle is optimized for small payloads and is believed to future European reusable launchers, was released from the Vega launch vehicle at 320 km altitude and reached an altitude of 420 km after about 32 minutes. From here the 480 kg vehicle descended reaching a speed of hour, 39 min. During the descent it made measurements that will be used in delayed in late October 2014 after the French space agency, CNES, and posed unacceptable risks to people in French Guiana. Although the had failed to assess the potential risk. Subsequently an alternative trajectory north after which the Vega rocket performed a dogleg maneuver to get New Launch SitesPlans for the future have involved the selection of a few new launch sites. South Island, as the launch site. By selecting its own site, the company end of this year whilst, once fully operational, they expect weekly launches. The location has previously been used for NASA sounding rockets as well its own infrastructure comprising the launch pad, a vehicle transporter and erector, fuel tanks, and a hangar. licensed commercial spaceport for future reusable launch vehicles. Long term this could mean the transformation of the airport into a space hub where spacecraft would be manufactured, astronauts be trained and microsatellites could be launched. Ellington Airport is located south of the city and was originally established as a military airbase before it became one of the airports extensively used by NASA. Its location is close to the Johnson Space Centre. China is in the progress of establishing the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center center. It will become Chinas fourth and southernmost space vehicle launch is only 19 degrees north of the equator. This will allow a substantial increase in payload, necessary for the future manned program, space station and deep space exploration program. Furthermore, it will be capable of launching the new heavy lift CZ 5 launch vehicle currently under development. Russian Space Expansions In addition to the countrys intention to establish a new space station, as referred to above, Russia announced some ambitious space plans during the to about 20 as part of a project aiming at Russia becoming a major player in Russia also hopes to place a lander on the south pole of the Moon in 2019. It courting China for joint manned space missions, including to the Moon, as well as synchronizing mutual hardware platforms and technological interfaces. a review and restructuring process of the Russian space industry, with indications that a more centralized approach will be taken, not unlike that during the Soviet Union era. Large Constellations Large UndertakingsLarge Risks some of them. It is unlikely that all will survive, considering the risks they are facing in attracting funds as well as the competition by other, similar proposals. In addition, there is the risk of failing to attract the customers for these ambitious undertakings.

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intends to establish a constellation consisting of up to 100 cubesats to provide data on weather and climate changes on a global basis. The satellites through Earths atmosphere to calculate temperature, pressure, and humidity with a high accuracy and resolution. The expectation is that the satellite constellation will be upgraded every two years to keep pace with changing more data than current systems provide by the end of 2015, 10 times by the end of 2016, and more than 100 times the data by the end of 2017.BlackSky Global intends to establish a constellation of 60 satellites to of 450 km, each 50 kg satellite, will remain in orbit for about three years, requiring a constant replenishment of the constellation although this will BlackSky satellites was planned for December of 2015 as part of the many four will follow in 2016 allowing the operations to start. be provided are not intended for general use but will, instead, concentrate on selected customers and provide them with solutions to communications problems that are currently not being met. Launches are expected to commence in 2019 or 2020. Outernet is a project funded by the Media Development Investment Fund way Internet signals to provide news to users. constellation that is expected to reach 60 by 2020, giving it a capability to capture images of any point on Earth every 30 minutes. By 2030, the constellation is expected to have 138 satellites with a 10 minute image refresh capability. Then, there is OneWeb, a proposed constellation of 900 Internet broadcasting satellites. The satellites will be built by Airbus Defence and will have to upgrade its satellite manufacturing approach to complete as many as o four satellites a day. The bulk of the satellites will be built in a and 648 of them will be placed in 20 orbital planes with an altitude of about 1200 km. The remaining satellites will be used as spares on the ground or in orbit. The bulk of the OneWeb satellites will be launched with 21 Soyuz launch to occur in late 2017 and will carry only 10 satellites. Subsequent launches will each carry 32 to 36 satellites, depending on the mass of the satellite. Launches should be completed by the end of 2019. In addition OneWeb contract with Virgin Galactic for 39 launches via the companys LauncherOne option for another 100 launches. To boost the chances of success for OneWeb, Intelsat has decided to invest $25 million in this undertaking, in return for which Intelsat will receive exclusive distribution rights for aeronautical and maritime markets, major US government sectors, the O&G industry and cellular backhaul accounts, as well as certain exclusive distribution rights for connected cars. OneWeb has with OneWebs constellation, a move that gives OneWeb early access to its future markets using the Intelsat Epic satellites. To top it all off, SpaceX has proposed to establish a global satellite based Internet network that will include some 4,000 satellites in LEO. The system has not been named as of yetthe only documentation yet seen was based United Nations agency that regulates orbital slots and the radio spectrum. The satellites would operate at an altitude of 1100 km and initial to Earth reveal icy plains with intriguing irregular features and evidence of dragging behind Pluto created by a gradual loss of Plutos atmosphere and planets of the solar system have now been explored in some way. by a spacecraft was Venus. The spacecraft was May 19, 1961. Since then another 27 spacecraft have explored Venus in one way or another. landers and orbiters alike, have explored that planet. that planet. by one additional spacecraft. the closest encounter taking place on September 1, 1979. Since then, another two spacecraft have explored Saturn. on, respectively, January 24, 1986, and in August of 1989. The biggest regret of the year was when Sarah Brightman canceled her to hearing her sing from outer space. Tacky? Yes, indeed, but then, I am a great fan of Sarah Brightman. And there you have the year in space... spaceindustry.com.au/news.php 49

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50 he satellite communications industry grew by every major measure in 2015 and Hughes grew right along with itfrom booking new business to advancing technology, 2015 was a year of major progress at Hughes that will carry the company and the rest of the satellite industry into 2016. customers in more than 100 countries, representing close to 50 percent global million subscribers in North America. The company also expanded in Asia, South commitment to being an employer of choice and a contributing member of the communities in which we do business. The most visible examples are among students, and our 16th year in a row of being ranked among the best employers by the Alliance for Workplace Excellence for our diversity and environmental consciousness.Helping To Close The Digital Divide from the wider embrace of satellite broadband as a way of bridging the that are unserved or underserved by terrestrial service, whether because technology and marketing partnership with OneWeb to address the digital divide by bringing affordable broadband service to millions of households, schools and organizations worldwide with a global constellation of LEO and terminals, and employ the OneWeb network to deliver services to our global base of customers and distribution partners. Additionally, satellite providers in India, Russia, Turkey, Malaysia, Mexico, the Middle East, Africa new and expanded services in 2015. digital divide. Weve been working with various professional educational for the Changing Lives award at this years VSAT Global Satellite Industry Conference in London, which cited that in medical tutoring alone, more than 25,000 students have been reached in 50 towns and cities. In Malaysia, two of the countrys largest satellite communications service rural areas. TS Global Network Sdn Bhd chose the JUPITER system for a major network, and IPSAT Sdn Bhd purchased a comprising a hub and remote terminals. Also, Mexican provider Pegaso remote terminals, helping the government reach its goal of providing Internet access to 100 percent of the countrys schools and municipalities to connect remote communities and schools with many of the same economic, governmental and educational resources that are available in urban areas. An Ever-Expanding Technology Portfolio improvements targeted at service providers, end users, enterprises and consumer service that help our customers get the maximum value from their on vehicles, offering background IP speeds of up to 400+ kbps in both transmit want online without interruptions or running over monthly data allowances. SmartTechnologies dramatically improve data compression, website loading and media download speeds. in Brazil, and, toward the end of the year, the launch of Echostar 19, a next in North America. Satellite industry watchers can also expect to hear about a steady stream of new developments in all of our enterprise, government and consumer platforms and services around the world. hughes.com Hughes T

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51 industry. In the last 12 months, we saw the unveiling of ambitious new constellations, billions of dollars in investment money pouring into the industry from major technology leaders, HTS operators launching new services and continued market growth. This was a year when many important innovations weve been driving as an industry began to emerge in concrete terms. New Ventures For HTS Services platform In June, Intelsat announced it will take its IntelsatOne Flex service to and Intelsat join iDirect customer Telenor in making early moves to bring the North, Mediterranean and Baltic Seas.With the rollout of GX, the satellite industry is also being introduced to the the heart of iDirect Velocity is a global bandwidth management feature that customers across the total bandwidth pool, rather than operating strictly within individual beams. Service providers can manage their own bandwidth pool, In turn, service providers can operate simultaneously on both Evolution and Innovating On The Evolution Platform 2015 was a year in which iDirect continued to solidify its leading position in core vertical markets. In maritime, more than 50 percent of all VSAT remotes deployed on maritime vessels are made by iDirect, and eight of the 10 largest maritime VSAT service providers by revenue rely on iDirects Evolution platform to run their networks. In the cellular backhaul market, our advanced satellite infrastructure is currently deployed in more than 55 global networks to connect remote and rural sites. As the cost of bandwidth global solution for 2G, 3G, 4G and LTE networks.This year, iDirect acquired the software assets of Altobridge and have introduced a new suite of footprint, the data services they offer, and lower the cost of operations. and an overall reduction in size, weight and compliant. With universal network support are designed to meet the diverse needs of governments around the globe.iDirect introduced a major new feature to Evolution: Layer 2 over Satellite anywhere it needs to go. The company also announced advancements in the Evolution X1 and X7 remotes. With the added capability of a second The View For 2016 + Beyond existing Evolution and iDirect Velocity platforms. New, higher MODCODs, S2X standard, will debut. iDirect will also embrace innovative virtualization techniques to support Gigabits of throughput, an advance that will come with the S2 and S2x standards, these terminals will enable iDirect partners to platform investment to date.Focused improvements for better scalability generation Network Management System will permit our partners to scale integrate operations.In a time of change, our goal is to solve the most pressing challenges and deliver the most valuable innovations. But these stand alongside other prioritiesto provide investment protection for our customers. As we launch new capabilities, we are building on our current platform so that our customers can leverage them through their existing investment. They will have a single system that allows them to manage any type of network and pursue all market opportunities. idirect.net iDirect T

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52 Interorbital Systems s 2015 draws to a close, Interorbital Systems (IOS) looks to the future with an ambitious line-up of orbital and lunar missions. The companys orbital launch manifest now boasts 121 smallsat payloads, a majority of which are built from IOS TubeSat and CubeSat Personal bundled modular rocket system NEPTUNE are sold out, with a constellation project pending, and four Moon launch missions in the queue. After starting commercial launch operations in 2014 with a four satellite suborbital lift, IOS also found a surprising degree of interest and demand for suborbital rocket designated CPM TV G (Common Propulsion Module Test Vehicle, Guided) carries six payloads that included a 3U CubeSat from Boreal Space/ 145kg lift to a 310km apogee that features approximately 8 to 10 minutes contact Interorbital for placement on this launch. Postgraduate School, and many more. launched from our oceanbased mobile spaceport. IOS conducts these sea launches off the coast of Southern California from Interorbitals Vertical Ocean How Low Is Low?Interoritals robust NEPTUNE rocket system is truly a horse of a different color. It does not look like other rockets. Nor is it built like other rockets best if all, NEPTUNE doesnt cost like other rockets. NEPTUNE dedicated that same rocket can be easily customized to launch a single 20kg (N3 capacity) to a 1 metric ton payload (N36), if required. 2017 Moon Launches Count Em... Three for the companys future missions and a peek at the launch schedules, both second lunar mission launches on an N5 rocket during the third quarter MOON the experienceneeded to succeed with the third lunar mission, the interorbital.com A

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ast year was the year of Carrier ID (CID) and I think most people would like me to stop talking about CID now, but I am afraid to say that 2015 was also the year of CID. Last year, we made some real progress; the technology was there, the resolutions and deadlines in place. This year it has been about implementation.The DeadlinesAt the beginning of this year, those resolutions issued by the World Broadcasting into play. January 1, 2015, was the date by which all satellite operators were required to start the process of implementing CID. This is also that point when all new modulators and codecs with integrated modulators purchased Of course, the other important CID guideline is that issued by the FCC which requires all SNG / Flyaway broadcast platforms in the USA to implement CID by June 1, 2016. This has meant that certainly US broadcasters have Ofcom to produce a CID report for input to the Electronic Communications Europe following the FCCs lead as well as other regulators and major broadcaster following suit around the globe.Educating UsersFor the most part, the satellite industry is aware of CID and how to among users and that is a huge task. We have started that process with a series of articles throughout this past year aimed at broadcasters. The presented at various exhibitions throughout the year. In June, the IRG held a webinar aimed at educating users about interference and mitigation tools. Nigel Fry and Cath Westcott of the BBC jointed the IRG and presented their interference resolution experiences. The webinar was extremely well received and will be repeated in the coming months. The IRG tours at CABSAT and CommunicAsia were conducted once again. This year the tour presented the CID technology as well as focused in on interference resolution in general, spotlighting tools from IRG members. There is no doubt, however, that more needs to be done and we have website and can be accessed by adding a direct icon link to your iPhone started and hope to have something fully functional before years end.Testing Times modulation and demodulation. The tests were carried out a week before the IRG workshop at Eutelsat headquarters in Paris and we had the privilege of the results being presented hot off the press at the workshop. The CID transmission tests were run using could also participate, including satellite operators Arabsat, Eshailsat and Intelsat; carrier monitoring system manufacturers Siemens Convergence Austria. The tests were conducted using three scenarios in order to fully test the CID demodulation capability. Scenario 1 tested robustness to constellation variation by using different modulation techniques of the DVB carrier. The participating companies techniques. Scenario 2 involved lowering the transmission power to simulate ASI or XPOL interference. When the power was down to 4dB of SNR, the detection time remained unchanged. At 1dB SNR, this was only affected by around 60 seconds. Scenario 3 tested a real interference case, where both carriers had ID and the companies participating were able to detect the Carrier ID of both the main carrier and the interfering carrier.What Else? witnessed a number of updates to the tools that were developed last year, namely SatGuard from VeriSat and GSM Retransmission by Eutelsat, which terminals that are causing problems.Finally, we once again decided to stop everything in favor of a cream tea champagne. This is something we wish to repeat at IBC2016 as well as other events on the calendar. This is a perfect informal setting and allows attendees a break from the show to discuss any topic of interest covered by the IRG.The Year AheadThe focus in 2016 will remain on educating users about CID and implementation. We will continue to work with Ofcom and CEPT with the goal of achieving full CID regulation in Europe. VSAT interference will also continue to be an important area, with a big focus on obtaining Integrating CID into old products has been a big talking point of late, as sometimes renewing legacy systems is simply not an available option. The solution is to develop a single chip solution to allow a cost effective CID Embedder to be producedsuch would allow older transmission systems to transmit the new CID without the need to renew products. The work has begun on this and we hope to have additional details during 2016. satirg.org IRG L 54

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55 SatMagazine (SM) the satellite industry with new technologies, new players and new money. Stuart Daughtridge (SD): Well, it isnt just a question of response; in many areas we have anticipated, and in some cases, were in the forefront of satellite and payload control, meaning that the signal arrives on the ground with integrity, that the signal moves through the terrestrial network without loss or degradation and that it is delivered with quality to the end user. In many respects ground system architectures have remained constant for the last 40+ years; but now, technology is pushing ground systems into a new generation.Some of the key trends are virtualization, advanced signal processing and IP over everything. All of this is driving us toward a virtual ground architecture, services through virtualized antenna assets. This will greatly simplify ground system design and operation, and improve RF performance by allowing the distance between processing and antenna to be determined by mission requirements instead of signal degradation. SM SD: Products enabling these technologies are coming on the market now. IF spectrum over IP networks in a way that preserves both frequency and timing characteristics. This brings disruptive innovations to the ground decentralization of ground system assets, robust site diversity for rain fade optimization and virtualization of ground segment signal processing. SM SD multiple spot beams increase, monitoring capabilities will be required in many more locations driving the need for Carrier System Monitoring effectively manage all of the information from these spot beams. advanced visualization and management capabilities to allow an operator As for small satellites, like large satellites they require command and control software, data processing, networking and RF signal processing. What they dont require is the same degree of complexity and added cost of traditional ground systems. You have to change the model to one of commercial software procurement, rather than program management procurement, that will enable operational capability in days to weeks, instead of months to years, and standards based products with well documented APIs that are easy to use and expand. The industry needs a new and consolidated approach to small sat C2 and RF signal processing a turnkey solution that is budgets, and can meet aggressive mission schedules! This year we introduced quantumGND, a complete small sat ground system package that includes everything you need from the C2 system, through the ground affordable, easy to use solution, with advanced automation tools. SM SD: Yes, one of the most important is the customer transition from wanting a SATCOM system, to wanting connectivity and not caring about the technology that provides that connectively. One of the interesting impacts is the transition from managing devices and networks to managing customer services and SLAs. There are a couple of key actions that service providers are starting to implement that can help assure SLA compliance and improve the customer experience. predict enterprise service problems ahead of customer impact. Third, you a sense of what I mean. provides all these capabilities and more. It improves the quality of services and more effectively manages SLAs, resulting in enhanced customer care, by discovering issues faster and helping operational staff resolve them rapidly. It essentially addresses the three key actions I just described in addition to others required to help assure SLA compliance. SM SD: Pretty much the advancement of the market and technology trends we have been discussing. It is a really exciting time to be in the satellite and market factors that will make the next several years the most exciting in the industry since the race to the moon. SM kratosdefense.com Kratos

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56 irbus Defence and Space and the companys direct to end-user sales channel, Marlink, have always been connectivity agnostic. partnerships with leading players in the industry. To move to this position, ensures the correct solutions are readily available for reliable services for a massively diverse customer base that operates across all maritime verticals.In 2015, the company took agnostic connectivity one step further, moving into uncharted waters by implementing a shift in perception of what maritime communication is about and what that means to the customer. We became frequency agnostic. The concept is simple. By removing focus on the radio frequency connectivity used for delivery, the focus is now more on of little concernbeing connected via a service that works is the goal. Why should users at sea need to be thinking about frequency bands? During the spring, we engaged with the maritime industry regarding a new radio frequency band is important; however, what the company is trying to do is show that such is not important to the actual user, as long as they have the level of service and quality requested. Marlink is uniquely positioned to As many, or as few, of these service types can be installed, as needed, on vessels. The transition between the radio frequency bands and service types can be automatically handled without the customer knowing howthey are The company has established a strong foundation based on unmatched satellite network capabilities that include a seamless global VSAT network that is unique in reach and composition in the maritime market. This network is comprised of many satellite footprints; to the market, we offer a single network for worldwide VSAT coverage with the VSAT network factor is that not a single vessel that is serviced by Airbus Defence and The Groundwork augments the VSAT services and, in some cases, even betters those services when taking latency aspects into account. LTE was added to the mix in May when Marlink announced a deal with high capacity, offshore communications North Sea. The agreement with Tampnet forms the foundation for Marlink operational and crew communication in the North Sea. By adding 4G services to the connectivity portfolio, vessels are better accommodated in the North Sea by providing them with the best available connectivity at any time.A key aspect of Tampnets 4G infrastructure service for offshore communication is low latency, with Round Trip Delay between offshore vessels and client more than 25 to 35 ms, depending on user experience for diverse applications where lower latency can improve on critical, specialist operations. This partnership with Tampnet will help that offers value and availability. Tampnet represents the start of Marlink strategies to engage with more global LTE providers, supporting a Airbus Defence and Space and Marlink portfolios.The Result hybrid product for the maritime market. Designed for users of Marlinks customized Sealink VSAT services, the new SMARTconnect hybrid solution seamlessly combines multiple communication carriers to provide the best ship owner. Further carriers or new technologies can be easily added to approach. The system demonstrates that alternative communication carriers can supplement existing VSAT services, providing QoS based connectivity at the levels demanded by users for regular and critical operations. In operation, selection of alternate carriers is based on multiple criteria that bandwidth, better throughput and/or a combination of all of these. Routing logic can be established to enable automatic, seamless switching and ship owners have full control of how communication is routed via a management interfacethis allows them to manually set priorities according to their own requirements at any given time. Marlink will continue to use available services, accommodate emerging technologies and build strong continue. The industrys perception of maritime SATCOM wont change of vessels around the world. With the strong foundations Marlink has laid in 2015, the company fully expects our new SMARTconnect concept to be more widely adopted in 2016 and beyond. marlink.com Marlink A

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57 ith more than three decades of experience, ND SatCom is a premier supplier of and integrator for innovative satellite communication equipment systems and solutions to support customers with critical operations anywhere in the world.Customers in more than 130 countries have selected ND SatCom as a trusted engineered communication solutions. The companys products and solutions are used in more than 200 transnational networks in government, military, telecom and broadcast environments. All systems, components and solutions are engineered and manufactured to the highest German quality standards. as enabling unprecedented scalability as demand for network growth from their origin to their destination, thereby avoiding double hops and extra delays. Bandwidth is dynamically allocated as required, generating substantial savings in satellite capacity cost. In September 2015, ND SatCom announced the launch of the Partner new partners, allowing them to build their own products. This includes changer in the VSAT market for disaster recovery as well as for tactical deployed and used... several African countries and includes transregional extensions that function in close cooperation with related air navigation service providers and authorities The biggest TV and mass media group in Brazil and Latin America use the SKYWAN network with Media Fleet Manager (a tool for satellite capacity booking and automatic activation of planned transmissions) Based on the transportable terminals designed and built for German Armed Forces, ND SatCom released a next generation version in various sizes and is delivering to AIRBUS Defence and Space on an ongoing basis The European Space Agency ESA uses the SKYWAN network to build a telemedicine four European countries and transportable stations for out-of-country missions. The biggest and successful challenge was to guarantee the service quality required by the new medical applications developed for these Ministries of Defense and their daily use by army medical forces on missions in Asia and Africa A Minister of Defense (MoD) in Eastern Europe has changed their existing DVB-RCS network by our SKYWAN 5G network Together with AIRBUS (reseller of SKYWAN products in North America), the company successfully tested and delivered a SKYWAN Manpack installations and partnerships gained momentum integrated with SKYWAN 5G for government customers A second Manpack terminal was developed with integrated SKYWAN 5G in cooperation with TAMPA Microwave (a Thales company), which was exhibited at several trade fairs and demonstrated live to interested customers worldwide At the October TechNet show in Berlin, ND SatCom and RUAG Defence (Switzerland) announced a partnership to incorporate the SKYWAN 5G into the RUAG ARANEA Communication Solution as a new portable terminal for military networks. in hardware makes it especially suitable for applications within the areas of emergency response, closed enterprise networks and governmental networks. Satellite communication systems are provided worldwide by a small number of global playersND SatCom is one of the technology and service leaders with a unique value proposition for customers and partners. ND SatCom is more than a product manufacturerthe company offers and reliable network solutions on the market. Teams of dedicated engineers are available with the expertise and customer focus to maximize quality and optimize performance and all customers are well supported. This modem will revolutionize the world of VSAT networks, especially in the areas of government and cellular networks as well as with corporations and service providers. ndsatcom.com/ ND SatCom W

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58 n a year wherein Newtec celebrated the companys 30th anniversary and the induction of one of our founders, Dirk Breynaert, into the exciting breakthroughs for Newtecthis has always been our mission, ever since the companys founding in 1985. customers keep up with the insatiable demand for more bandwidth at lower costs, while such innovations also help to reduce terminal size requirements, is important, reliability is essential. The companys roots in mission critical campaign demonstrated our products reliability by encouraging customers to showcase their oldest Newtec equipment, still in use decades after being installed. The winner received the weight of their equipment in Belgian chocolates. Nevertheless, while we are proud of our heritage and past accomplishments, our primary focus is always on the future. The Rise Of HTS driver in Newtecs product development strategy, bringing enormous challenges and opportunities for operators and service providers alike. multiservice networks is seen across the industry. Although the majority of VSAT terminals are deployed for consumer broadband, most of the oil & gas, cellular backhaul, government and defence. By combining all these applications on a single platform, network operators can maximize economies of scale while diversifying their business. With a diverse modem portfolio and three complementary return designed to address a wide range of applications. Since the products release in March 2014, Newtec Dialog has already been selected by many businesses. In March 2015, Newtec was presented with the World Teleport Global SuccessesSatellite services provider Yahsat chose Newtec Dialog to prepare for the launch of their new satellite Al Yah 3, which is scheduled for service launch coverage to an additional 19 countries and 600 million users, covering more than 95 percent of Brazils population. Nortis recently selected the Newtec Dialog platform to provide Internet access to students in 4,000 schools in Morocco, enabling more than a one million children access. Nortis parent company, Quantis, is also able to leverage this same platform and, by connecting everything to this own, proprietary technology. With Newtec Dialog, the Network Innovations team built a robust and intuitive service that supports customer growth, solves budget constraints and adapts to existing infrastructure, as well as Multiservice networks also have a key role in the broadcast sector. called IntelsatOne Prism. EBU/Eurovisions next generation Network for News Exchange is addressing the increasing pressure on media companies to meet the demands of a television everywhere society, as well as the hardware and bandwidth resources. A sophisticated resource scheduling broadcasters to rapidly enable new services as the market evolves. Breaking Barriers of our products and we are proud to have previously broken several speed satellites by using the Newtec technology that is available today. Looking Ahead To 2016 to create a pioneering satellite communication equipment company, with a strong focus on innovation. For me, Newtecs successes during 2015 were the perfect way to celebrate our 30th anniversary. With a team of more than 300 colleagues around the world, the company is committed to continuing the drive for innovation to ensure we remain a technology leader for many years to come.We believe that social media interactions can build stronger, more successful business relationships. Check out Newtecs social media platforms and accomplishing and the projects we care about. Twitter: @Newtec_Satcom newtec.eu Newtec I

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015 was deemed a great success for the NorthTelecom, which exceeded all of the desired goalsthe company also had the chance to study new initiatives in the satellite markets, all of which will bring greater value to the company as well as the industry in the very near future. NorthTelecom achieved the goal of introducing a game changing concept the concept of a community hotspot as well as cost and quality factors to bring greater values to other legacy platforms and model across the region. Now, both community and broadcaster are enjoying a much better quality to drive a far more realistic cost factor for consumers within this low income area of the globe. The trend in the MENA and central Asian market is for high quality content and viewers demandsthe majority of the customers them are youth and are well versed in technology and NorthTelecom leads all of the broadcaster and investors in the area in response to users needs. payTV will emerge from the company to complement the current demands for these technologies. Additionally, such support will engage international broadcasters who wish to target this part of the world with their programming.In November of 2015, NorthTelecom was named, in partnership with Yahlive, as the best service provider of the year for their outstanding achievement to delivering 170+ channels over their platform at 52.5 degree East which targets the Farsi market. The award was delivered through the clients and partners in that region of the world and will work more closely with them to enhance satellite technology for the emerging markets.2015 certainly presented a number of satellite industry challenges. There optic infrastructure as well as the need to engage in the trend to enhance domestic and terrestrial networks and connect them to more and more rural areas.Countering GSM networks is certainly of concern, as such seems to be threating the satellite market as those product are seen as a substitute to satellite connectivity with more cost effective price points. The plunge in crude oil prices had impact on the global economythere was some direct brunt on SATCOM demand, as such is one of the main tools for oil & gas project connectivity. Many programs have been delayed or canceled within this vertical market and that has a direct impact on the supply and demand chain for satellite communication providers. That being said, the satellite market is also highly concentrated on selling a broad range of products and services, thanks to high demand and short supply, as well delivering and improving customer relationships and new services. Noted is the increase in collaboration between companies and with business model as all need to match up with the rapid changes rather needs to be heard by all stakeholderschange must occur. Success in the future will certainly be determined by collaboration between all SATCOM stakeholders using all of the technologies they posses. Innovation is also required, as well as reconsidering various economic elements to drive the market forward. All must think out of the box and leave the legacy model behind and embrace new initiativescollaboration is the key. northtelecom.com NorthTelecom 2 59

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60 n 2015, the Internet of Things (IoT) industry continued to evolve from simple connectivity and tracking applications to more sophisticated end-to-end solutions capable of gathering and processing large amounts of data. This data is used to identify valuable information that can be seamlessly shared in real-time, across multiple platforms. As a leader in the global M2M market, ORBCOMM provides the industrys most comprehensive offering that covers every touchpoint in the M2M ecosystem. From global satellite and cellular network services to hardware to web applications to device management, the company is unique in the ability to provide the most complete set of products, applications, professional services and capabilities for core vertical markets that connect all things M2M. During 2015, ORBCOMM continued to focus on growing the company through multiple initiatives, which include three strategic acquisitions, technological innovation, exciting new customer wins, international expansion and the enhancement of our core satellite services. ORBCOMM experienced unprecedented growth in both hardware and service revenue, nearly doubling the size of the company, and we now have more than 1.5M subscribers and growing. Three strategic acquisitions were completed this year SkyWave Mobile Communications, InSync Software and WAM Technologies. These acquisitions have opened up new markets that allow ORBCOMM to leverage potential synergies, increase scale and expand our solutions portfolio across incremental vertical and geographic markets.This year, the company developed several new products and services that are making it easier than ever before for customers to stay connected to their remote and mobile assets. ORBCOMM now has nearly 300 engineers and technical resources around the world focused on the development of ORBCOMMs M2M and IoT solutions. The focus has also been on building a responsive M2M Customer Care team that consists of 40 members that is larger than the total number of employees at most companies in the M2M space, providing 24x7 expertise and support throughout the entire product lifecycle. Then, in October 2015, three new wireless solutions were launched. ORBCOMMconnect is a multi-network subscriber management portal designed to give our customers complete control over their wireless services and connected devices, while reducing the complexity of managing and integrating multiple connectivity offerings. Our customers can now access three satellite and seven Tier One cellular networks in one comprehensive platform. ORBCOMMmobile offers mobile apps for our stateof-the-art M2M and IoT applications as well as the ORBCOMMconnect portal. ORBCOMMs mobile apps run on both iOS and Android devices to facilitate ubiquitous, easy access to ORBCOMM solutions and technology. ORBCOMM Enterprise Connect is focused on wireless devices and applications that require uninterrupted, high-bandwidth connectivity. The solution leverages 4G LTE to provide reliable wireless WAN connectivity that can be used as a back-up to existing broadband connections for distributed enterprise, managers with a single device for cellular and satellite network coveragethey can now remain connected to assets, sensors versatile modems feature an identical footprint, connectors, power input, programming environment, communication interface and protocols for industry can hit the necessary price points to be successful in the market. The companys success in technology, innovation and telecommunications leadership was recognized this year through several industry awards. We were honored by the American Business Awards with four Silver Stevie Awards for Most Innovative Company of the Year, Communications Team of the Year, Telecommunications Company of the Year as well as Most Innovative Tech Company of the Year. We were also selected, once again, as one of Connected World magazines select 2016 CW 100, moving up to 23 on this years list. On the product side, we won Connected World devices and the IoT Evolution Product of the Year Award for our GT 1000 Association Innovation Award for our IDP service. new industry leaders to our customer portfolio, including CIMC, Cisco, great strides on the international front. ORBCOMM signed an agreement with Morsviazsputnik, the licensed operator of Inmarsats mobile satellite services in Russia, to provide IDP satellite service in Russia. This agreement opens Russia for the heavy equipment OEMs as well as other key industries such as transportation, oil & gas and maritime. next generation OG2 satellite constellation. We are planning to launch 11 dedicated SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL. With the launch of these satellites, we will complete our OG2 constellation, visibility down from hours to minutes. We look forward to providing our customers with the only fully funded, fully operational, second generation Looking ahead to 2016, ORBCOMM will continue to be focused on driving growth and technology innovation and responding to the demands of the IoT markets with the most complete set of products, applications, and capabilities that enable enterprises to stay connected to their assets in every corner of the world. orbcomm.com ORBCOMM I

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61 n the competitive world of satellite communications, SES Techcom Services contributes to important projects and develops innovative and sustainable solutions. As this industry continues to evolve and develop at a rapid pace, 2015 has been a year where the company has continued to extend the limits of what is possible and to offer services and solutions that have a global impact. Some of the key projects in this included quick restoration of communications in ground infrastructure for the Galileo global positioning system. Disaster Response Communications When disaster strikes, an effective communications network is often one and allow those affected to inform worried loved ones they are safe. Providing connectivity via dedicated SES satellite capacity, emergency.lu enables communications networks to be set up quickly in disaster response the solution. emergency.lu was deployed to both Vanuatu and Nepal in the when hit by Cyclone Pam in early March, and to the latter when suffering a 7.9 magnitude earthquake in late April. Improving Services For Governments + Institutions data collection during the general election. Using Astra Connect terminals, polling stations across the country. This also allowed video conferencing SATMED, which uses satellite Internet connectivity and cloud technology to provide medical professionals with vital applications and tools. During and a hospital unit in Allada, connecting two hospitals in remote areas where there is little terrestrial connectivity to a facility in the capital of Cotonou. Consequently, essential medical services are no longer hindered by geographical and climate restrictions and the medical staff can share advice and knowledge on procedures and, perhaps even more importantly, disease prevention throughout the region.Bridging The Digital Divide According to a 2014 European Commission report, while at least one broadband access mechanism was available to nearly 98 percent of accessible to only a small percentage of those households. With so many solution to ensure better communications awarded funding from the Department Pilot projects were carried out in Simonsbath and Luxborough, in Exmoor National Park, and Somerset. These projects proved to be a huge success, people without broadband. This project followed the deployment of broadband in Germanys connectivity to a whole community using one, single satellite dish. Since then, the company has connected more than 30 further networks in Enabling Services For Galileo and delivery of satellite equipment to 15 locations around the world, the provision of satellite capacity and 24/7 maintenance and operations of the Galileo will provide highly accurate, guaranteed global positioning services US and Russian global satellite navigation systems. The number of installations for the Galileo Data Distribution Network the globe from Scandinavia to Antarctica. With these and our four hubs two in Europe, two in North Americathis extensive network of stations provides the connectivity to the Galileo satellite network and a plethora of applications.Future ViewFor 2016 and beyond, satellite will continue to push the boundaries. At SES Techcom Services, a commitment to innovation will ensure such aircraft tracking and transferring data for broadcasting and broadband via laser beams, are currently being worked on and will continue to be developed over the coming years, keeping the company at the forefront of emerging technologies. ses.com/techcom SES Techcom Services I

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his year has been all change at the top of the Space Data Association (SDA). Although I had already been heavily involved as one of the Executive Directors, I took over the Chairmanship at the start of 2015. This was quite a daunting task, following Ronald Busch who had held the position for the previous two years and was always going to be a hard act to follow. In actual fact, this is hard to believe that this change of roles only occurred at the beginning of this year, as a lot seems to have happened since then. I was instantly in at the deep end with the lead up to our annual members meeting in Washington in conjunction with the Satellite show. This SDA event ran smoothly and our working groups did an excellent job of providing updates of their valuable work over the previous year. InterferenceInterference mitigation remains an important topic for the SDA this year. The Carrier ID database forms a huge part of our remit. The prototype was ready for the football World Cup last year and the organization was pleased to have been able to support CID transmissions on broadcast carriers during this mammoth sporting event. database, which is available to all satellite operators, not just SDA members. This is truly important, as we need widespread implementation for Carrier ID to be truly effective. The other big push for us in relation to combating interference has been to support geolocation development activities. Earlier in the year, the organization talked about a new function being developed in the Space Data Center for the automatic computation of geolocation solution sets. Work continues on implementing this new feature into the SDC. The concept behind this feature is based on a description of the RFI event. The SDC will analyze critical payload data for the both the victim and adjacent satellites. This will enable the system to compute optimum satellite pairings for geolocation and generate a set of data that can be downloaded into a members geolocation system, including accurate ephemeris data for the two satellites. A new geolocation support service is also being planned. Many satellite operators do not have the means to perform geolocation when interference occurs and that inability can be a huge problem for them. The SDA will, therefore, shortly be offering geolocation as a service to our members who do not possess their own systems. This move is being supported mainly by the Executive Members and should really make a difference in helping our Flight DynamicsFlight Dynamics and reducing the risk of collision is another important topic. In May, the SDA presented a paper at the international workshop on Conjunction Assessment, looking at what the industry needs to do to improve CA. Directly after that event, Eutelsat hosted a Flight Dynamics meeting for the SDA, chaired by our working group lead, Erika Rossetto of StarOne. Leading experts discussed a number of important topics that included handling leap seconds, integrating third party data and desired enhancements to the Space Data Center. The result was a number of important recommendations that are now being developed for incorporation into the Space Data Center.Evolving Products For Better SpaceAnother working group focuses on new products, which can help satellite operators improve the space environment. In order to do that effectively, as much input as possible is needed to be collected to assist the organization in Earlier this year, John Mackey of Inmarsat, who heads up the Product Evolution Working Group, issued a call for participation for this group. The group has already contributed some useful comment, new perspectives, and suggestions, and I look forward to seeing what comes from further discussions throughout 2016.Growing MembershipEverything the SDA works on is made better and easier the more input and data received. Therefore, a great deal of emphasis has been placed into growing the membership. So far this year, a total of four new members have joined the SDA, with more expected to join before the end of the year. New Looking Forward Association. The organization intends to expand the membership, which will result in a more comprehensive, global representation and the plan is to expand the organizations capabilities to better serve those members, with a number of new developments in the pipeline. space-data.org Space Data Association T 62

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63 e are in the midst of a new space renaissance that is surprising and inspiring. As a kid who grew up around the aerospace industry and even attended NASA space camp, the fascination has been to see the model focused on small satellites and big data. This new model allows for innovation to occur outside of the traditional space hubs of Houston and Florida, in communities with access to capital and software and big data talent, as witnessed in cities such as Seattle and San Francisco. Instead of an industry driven exclusively by government-focused programs, the new space model is driven by commercial companies with a desire for services that make space access possible. The expansion of the smallsat industry indicates how far weve come from a space program centered on big This new opportunity to work with commercial entities and help democratize to develop programs and services that met the needs of customers and the company has steadily grown the operation, creating new opportunities for smallsat ride share launches, including the purchase of our own SpaceX Falcon 9 this fall to satisfy the growing needs in the marketplace. standard for what is possible in the industry and to enable access to space for more organizations. However, this same success has also presented the challenge of growth as the business is scaled to respond to customer needs. As a pioneer in the emerging space market, several of the obstacles encountered are a direct result of keeping up with our own innovation, which is something all are proud of accomplishing. Emergence Of A New Space City helps to drive innovation. We are also fortunate in the number of investors who understand the tremendous opportunity in the exploration and commercialization of space within the smallsat industry. infrastructure to grow in order to deliver experiences that exceed customer expectation. Top talent from the local tech industry and from around the country have been attractedfrom NASA, the US Department of Defense and SpaceXall who want to be on the forefront of lowering the barriers to space. Proud Rocket Owners Falcon 9 rocket and then expanding launch services to include dedicated rideshare missions, a new launch alternative that blends cost-effective buying a private rocket. Our dedicated rideshare missions will deliver customer spacecraft to popular destinations, such as sun-synchronous and geosynchronous transfer We envision creating steady access to space with yearly dedicated rideshare missions schedule as well as the ability offer access to useful orbits for smallsat operators that cannot afford a complete launch vehicle. This also advances our mission to provide customer-focused, full-service launch experiences.Moon-Bound our inaugural dedicated rideshare mission, Israeli-based SpaceIL became excited to manifest SpaceILs spacecraft, which will sit in a designated capsule inside the Falcon 9, among a cluster of secondary payloads. Once the capsule separates from the launcher, it will automatically release the spacecraft, which will use advanced navigation sensors to guide it to the lunar surface, with engineers in a mission control room standing by to remotely send commands and corrections as needed. ground infrastructure business catered to larger satellite operators with customized ground stations. The challenge was to build the next generation global network of UHF and S-band stations; relationships with spacecraft ground-to-space communication requirements for smallsat operators so they are able to focus more completely on mission and payload issues; Predictions For 2016 + Beyond innovate and invest in programs to foster a new era where space access is a smallsat industry. Spaceflight W

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64 peedCast embarked on a journey of global expansion in 2012 and, three years on, the company continues to change the way customers communicate globally. 2015 saw SpeedCast expand its horizons to become a truly global player substantially grew during 2015 and now has approximately 400 employees Continuous Organic Growth was selected by one of the most prestigious global oil and gas service companies to provide satellite services in more than 20 countries for increase the primary satellite communications services provided to the 2015 has been a productive year for SpeedCasts Enterprise and Emerging Strong Acquisitive Growth serve and support its customers in in an additional 54 countries representing 92 percent of the worlds oil & gas reserves and an extensive portfolio of blue chip Financial + Market Share Growth In Summary2015 has truly been a transformational year for SpeedCast across all unwavering commitment to delivering fast and reliable communications speedcast.com SpeedCast S

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65 s the year draws to an end, we will close another section of STNs history to date, and, like a good book, some elements have been more exciting than others. 2015 has certainly been extremely interesting for STN and I am pleased to say that this particular chapter ended on a highly positive note as a result of more than 600 TV channels, providing media service solutions on a global scale, with access to all prime orbital positioned satellites and major POPs around the world. Similar to all good, best sellers, there is an introduction, a main body and an endbut the peak of this story has not yet been reached and there are many more twists and turns yet to be unveiled. At the start of the year, the STN logo was rebranded and an internal restructure occurred, with new management throughout the company. This resulted in enhanced client relations and optimized services. There is a new burst of revitalization within STN and a growing interest as where this new and planned direction will lead. In the Industry this year, many new satellites were launched and, although this section of the industry is still very remunerative, close attention must be paid to the increasing presence of all IP based content delivery. OTT services are becoming the norm and what once seemed a to be but a distant requirement is quickly becoming an everyday necessity. Technologies are continuously upgrading and prudent investment is now more important than ever before. One must always endeavour to stay a few paces ahead but never so far that you lose sight of the very essence of your business. With all this in mind, STN acquired additional transponders on the newly launched and agreement on SESs popular Astra 19.2 degrees East satellite. STN also provider in the region. As a result of STNs continuous research into the latest available technologies, one of this years completed investments was the installation of the new are already proving their value.STN continued to modernize and invested in a major Internet and L2 PoPs infrastructure upgrade, which incorporated investment into the for maximum protection against any potential threats on the Internet capabilities on various PoPs around the world. The new IP based infrastructure will provide the solutions, while retaining the maximum The new IP based infrastructure meets the latest technological standard and is also enabling STN to offer customers even higher reliability and Routing and Switching equipment will be completely eliminated.On The HorizonWith the current demand for new channels and planned satellite launches, the satellite industry will continue to be prominent for the coming future. for now, regions such as Africa, the Middle East, South America, and a large area of Asia remain traditional TV users our belief is that this will remain true for the foreseeable future. Another topic to mention that seems to be on everyones mind is that the the consumers ready to embrace this new piece of technology? Especially if we take into consideration the debacle of 3D and the announcement of the 8k television experience. that in todays world where every consumer is bombarded with so many on in broadcasting technology. Every penny is turned twice of thrice it comes down to consumer purchases; especially due to the scarcity of proper 4k content. current trend of annual growth. Project plans are already underway for the development of an additional 10,000 m of land, which will include an extended dish farm and new equipment housing. 2016 will see new structural developments for the company as well as additional and notable advancements occurring within the changing face of STN. And so, a new chapter begins. stn.eu STN A

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66 imply amazinga year has passed since I last authored a Teledyne Paradise Datacoms Year-in-Review feature article. It just doesnt seem that long ago that I was sitting in this same chair and gazing out of the same window, as I took my retrospective jaunt through the trials and tribulations of 2014being so ready with the hopes of a bountiful new year. And yet, here I sit once again in the cabin of my intellective time machine watching as a new set of images streams past images wrought with what are now the trials and tribulations of 2015. Out with the old and in with the new was a bit less spectacular than some had predicted. Right on the heels of last years cruel giftsgovernment sequestration, a turbulent global economy and growing pockets of civil unrest in Europe, South America and the Middle East, we were met with a new volley of hot potatoesa scandal in Brazil, Russian trade restrictions, more violent clashes in the Middle East and a nosedive in the price of oil. Though the latter was great for us recreational pilots and drivers of the rise in the strength of the US dollar against already stressed foreign currenciesnot great if youre selling products into economies plagued with diminished buying powereconomies whose growth is vital to the health and wellbeing of the satcom industry as a whole. still exist. At least, they exist for those manufacturers who have judiciously crafted their products to best serve those markets that have retained some semblance of critical mass. And, since some of these markets, or applications, reside on the fringes of mainstream SATCOM, Teledyne Paradise Datacom has tooled and staffed all operations with the necessary assets to address not only the garden variety of conventional frequencies requirements that come our way. Much of the business these days is in the production of SSPAs that operate gateways. Though weve invested heavily in GaN technology, were still solid state module available today and what will inevitably become the This new line will carry us well into TWTA territory, but with the reliability and longevity customers have come to expect from solid state products.The design team on the modem side has been equally hard at work incorporating the latest features and capabilities into the companys Q line. proprietary features that insure customers are getting the best return on their transponder lease payments. During the last couple of years, TPD evolved for STAR and Mesh networks in applications that require a level of link and up to 16 discreet demodulators, has tipped the scale of affordability in Teledyne Paradise Datacoms favorby a wide margin. The principal alarms prevent operators from accidentally exceeding capacity. In the event return the link to you after the fact, without having to visit the remote station.As I said this time last year, the company will soon be closing the books on minds on what we think, hope and fear will transpire in 2016. If nothing else, the last few years have shown us that the SATCOM crystal ball is covered with mud. Initiatives are already in play that will inevitably impact this industry in a most profound way. manufacturers to tweak portfolios and help drive Internet access to the 60 percent of the world that still lacks such connectivity. After all, the to touch the lives of even the most primitive cultures, enlightening them to than doing anything that requires effort. The Paradise Datacom roadmap is aligned with the market trends that SSPAs that operate at virtually every slice of the frequency spectrum and the company will be announcing incorporation of the latest in 3G/4G optimization technology that will even further enhance our portfolio of modem products. Is 2016 going to be a banner year for SATCOM? Impossible to say at this paradisedata.com/ Teledyne Paradise Datacom S

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67 s the satellite industry continues to evolveand service differentiation becomes all the more importantThaicom is pleased that 2015 has marked another successful year for the company. Staying true to our pioneering history and mission to serve the people in our country, the past year has seen the launch of innovative services, strong a very special anniversary. As we enter the next phase in our companys historyand celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Thaicomwe will continue our success story and footprint expansion, including the launch of our new Record Financial Growth Global demand for transponder capacity continues to rise rapidly in the broadcast and broadband industries. As a result, the companys satellite transponder services expanded into new markets, such as India, leading to achieved mainly came from Thaicoms satellite, Internet services and media Also contributing to these results were the teleport services and sales of satellite equipment to broadcasting satellite operators. capacity, while Thaicom 6 is at 68 percent capacity. Thanks to the good utilization rate of these satellites, the company is considering further Broadband + Broadcast ConvergenceThis years CommunicAsia show was particularly exciting for Thaicom due to to air Gossip Girl on one of Thailands biggest broadcasters: the Channel 3 Television Network. This service responded to the growing trend of smartphone owners using mobile devices while watching television and actually encourages them to do so. The 2nd screen platform enhances users viewing experience by giving them access to additional content on a mobile device while watching the show on television. Additional content includes as well as games, quizzes, shopping and social networking. The application is part of Thaicoms Broadband and Broadcast convergence platform, which Worlds 1st HTS turns 10Happy Birthday, IPSTAR! Embracing and setting current trends has long been a part of Thaicoms pioneering history. This was underlined this year as the tenth anniversary of Since 2005, IPSTAR has been APACs leading broadband satellite platform and service, delivering an IP platform. IPSTAR provides coverage over most of APAC via multiple narrowly focused maximizes available frequency for transmission, increasing bandwidth by having now proven its staying power and becoming more relevant than ever, we are proud to have played such a big part in our industrys history. Serving + Improving Communities for the whole team at Thaicom. Perhaps the proudest moment was being to sustainable development, the accolade also awarded Thaicoms commitment to serving and improving the surrounding communities. creating opportunities for underprivileged children and people in remote parts of Thailand. Today, the project plays an important part in the education of about 600,000 school children by donating and installing satellite dishes and receivers to 3,000 schools across the country. Thaicom is also committed to responding to natural disasters. The devastating 7.9 magnitude earthquake on April 25, which hit Nepals destroyed the areas telecommunications infrastructure, further hindering relief efforts. The company deployed a satellite communications network and an engineering team to the affected areas. During crises such as these, satellite is often the only system available for vital communications and we will continue to provide what services we can in such situations.The Next Phase Moving into 2016, Thaicom will encounter new challenges, with one of the company is well prepared for such eventualities with the next launch East. The satellitemanufactured by Orbital Sciences Corporation Thailand, South Asia and Africa. Next year will also bring exciting announcements, with additional Thaicom satellites already in the pipeline. thaicom.net/ Thaicom A

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68 Thuraya whole, Thuraya had many positive experiences this past business year. The company debuted a number of groundbreaking products, services became the worlds most rapidly adopted satellite phonesales rocketed consistent and reliable, rugged and robust. The unit resists dust and jet antenna stowed. satellite market in 2013. This remains the simplest, fastest way to own a satellite smartphone. With SatSleeve+, theres even better sound quality routed through the smartphone and a universal adapter allows users to switch between various iOS and Android smartphone models. make calls, send emails and check apps indoors, with the hotspot placed outside or at a window. Users can select a Thuraya SIM for coverage in 160 countries, or a GSM SIM card from more than 360 Thuraya roaming Expansys, was announced for the new SatSleeve products, which give retailers an exciting product to complement their smartphone offerings. Thuraya and Airtel Africa announced the launch of the companys mobile satellite products and services, spanning 12 countries in Africa that include Airtel Africas customers now have access to voice communication, messaging, social media apps and broadband Internet through Thurayas satellite solutions. Thurayas recent agreement with Airtel Ghana to deliver 100 percent connectivity through mobile satellite and terrestrial coverage is a great example of how this partnership has progressed. Additionally, Airtel Ghana now offers a bouquet of Thuraya services and products under communication, connectivity and collaborative solutions. The maritime sector is important for usthe innovative Thuraya Calling convenience and versatility, for individual users and business managers. An entire crew can use their individual Calling Cards to make personal calls from a single phone, with business and personal calls separated. Budgets can be monitored effectively, as usage is charged to the Calling Card and not to a telephone account. A 75 MB maritime broadband bundle offers There are three broadband bundles that range contracts. These innovative packages are built communications landscape is experiencing rapid change, and when the need for quality data connectivity at less expensive rates is of vital importance. responders to connect and coordinate efforts during emergencies. commitment to help strengthen response and recovery mechanisms. More recently, Thuraya signed a Crisis Connectivity Charter in Geneva under working with governments and NGOs to deliver secure, reliable, and easily DigiMed was launched, a telemedicine solution that assists teams working by Thurayas portfolio of broadband terminals and is ideal for workers in the Relief, Marine and Enterprise sectors. Thuraya has also created a new Developer Program that expands on the companys ecosystem plan and which generates new opportunities for partners. Easy access to hardware and software development platforms is provided as well as the required documentation and support. The program also aims to shorten the development cycle for Thurayas partners to get products to market faster, with an emphasis on creating more affordable Thuraya is also developing expansionary plans to increase the scope of the business. Geographical reach was expanded by launching Starlight, a new to launch with ViaSat later this year. Concept work on our next generation planning is nearing completion, as well, and this will bring opportunities As we embark on 2016, Thuraya looks forward to making several new and exciting announcements as the company continues to make its mark in the New Year with new products in new segments, and with new partners. thuraya.com/ E

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69 he last year has witnessed VeriSat effectively delving into the unknown territory of satellite interference. The company has been active in the satellite industry for a number an approach by SES last year to help solve VSAT interference, we were blissfully unaware of the scale of VSAT interference as a problem for the terminal that is causing the interference is sometimes impossible to detect. SatGuard solves the problem in an automatic way by identifying the source of interference by determining the VSAT ID in just a matter of minutes. When the VSAT ID is known, the hub station can easily close down the interfering terminal. SatGuard is, therefore, a revolution for combating and managing VSAT interference. a year ago, the company has been developing SatGuard to become a The BackgroundVSAT interference is widely reported as the most challenging and for 50 percent of downtime. This is mainly due to the very nature of the VSAT environment, where VSAT terminals share the same frequency in TDMA mode. The increased number of mobile VSATs, as well as the use of mainly proprietary technologies and protocols, additionally complicates the problem. For some time, satellite operators have been desperately seeking for a With the introduction of SatGuard, identifying the source of interference in matter of minutes. Previously, resolving the source of VSAT interference could have taken days, weeks, or sometimes even months. SatGuard will also allow operators to actively monitor VSAT terminal interference levels on a regular basis. This means problems can be detected as they occur. VSAT interference then becomes manageable by Spreading The Message VeriSats participation in numerous industry events that included Satellite 2015 in Washington DC and CommunicAsia in Singapore, the company has spoken to many satellite operators about what SatGuard is able to accomplishthe feedback and interest from the industry is extremely positive. has already been deployed at SES and Eutelsat and successful trials are ongoing with several other global operators. SatGuard can determine level where the interference is no longer an operational problem. Improving SatGuard year ago, the technology was revolutionary and immediately made a big difference for SES in combating VSAT interference. Cases which had been unresolved for a long time could now be solved in a matter of minutes. leave SatGuard at that juncture. Sat3Play. The past year, the company has been developing support for of SatGuard. Verisat has recently launched SatGuard 2.0, which has been deployed successfully at SES and Eutelsat and trials are underway at additional operator locations.The Coming Months several interested satellite operators. The company is working on extending and additional news regarding these efforts will be reported shortly. verisat.no/ VeriSat T

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70 heres no doubt that the way todays audiences consume media services is changing dramatically, and if broadcasters and other media providers intend to stay in the game beyond the next decade, they need to be making a strong connection now with the mobile generation. For most broadcasters this involves radical shifts and a willingness to strike topical content quickly available to a mobile audience. For Vimond, 2015 started with a solution launch to help broadcasters do exactly just that. from their live feeds and publish them online. Until recently, this has technically more complicated than might have been initially thought, and expensive if edit suites had to be used just to create clips. As a result, many broadcasters have not been able to move clips out to online audiences until the peak of interest in the event has passed. To remain in front of the online audienceespecially with news and sportsget that content out to them with the minimum of delay is quite important. By helping them to do this, the and urgent goal for broadcasters targeting young, mobile audiences. One of the most exciting aspects of being a manufacturer in the digital media services sector is the sheer amount of innovation the company gets involved in with clients. Several large scale client projects came to fruition during 2015, and each of these in its way offers a radical departure gestation for some time, but its clear that the rate of innovation is increasing as the media landscape changes dramatically. year, the launch of a completely new concept in personalized news for share. Offered by the one of worlds most prestigious and ubiquitous news to the consumer, in a departure from its core model of news supply to other broadcasters and media outlets. To make this entry into the market a success, the agency wisely chose to offer a service designed from the ground up for the connected audience consuming news on mobile devices, and built in a unique customization capability allowing subscribers to receive their own preferred mix of news content. In Asia, piracy is woven into the way people consume mediamedia organizations have to work diligently to make an impact against this premium TV service and a pricing model designed for wide appeal, was the culmination of another big collaborative project for Vimond. In this case, Vimond technology is being used to power individualized services Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia, with a potential market of half a billion people. The company has also established a joint innovation for consumers who watch television In the USA, the market is quite different, audiences is no less a priority. In another pioneering move, one of the countrys major cable enterprises has launched an online media service with a new model for packaging content and serving multiplatform audiences. The pressure on broadcasters to get to market with a good offering in this space is intense, but its not a trivial task to develop these services. Vimonds involvement with this project stretched over three years and inevitably culture of a large, established broadcaster, all the while providing the key and distributing the volumes of content the service will feature. What drives all this change is the alarming decline in audiences for 50 percent since 2002, and a staggering 25 percent over a 12 month period in the last couple of years, broadcasters have to react fast. After years of intensive social media use, most people who have yet to reach middle age are more interested in social media than conventional television, and the TV industry has given them few opportunities to have a social experience when consuming media content, especially when the phenomenon is still viewed askance by some established broadcasters, who address the second screen primarily as a way of luring the viewer back to mobile devices while watching TV, but they are using them for activities that are completely unrelated to the TVmostly, to stay in the loop of their social media activity, which is a crucial part of their lives. To bridge the gap, and to create the same kind of experience of being in a social group while watching TV and being able to carry on a conversation with other viewers, during 3015 Vimond has been testing a social TV solution. This solution enables viewers of VOD content on mobile devices to discuss content asynchronously with other viewers and experience this conversation as if it were a live discussion with all the contributors watching simultaneously. Viewers value this sense of shared experience, and if television is to have a secure future with the connected audience, Vimond believes broadcasters and other media service providers must build a social TV experience into their offerings. While in 2015 our solutions are being tested with trial audiences, such is only the beginning. In 2016 and beyond, Vimond expects the social TV experience to become one of the most important areas of development for the industry as it seeks to stay in touch with an audience that is quite different from the one that has sustained it to this point in time. vimond.com/ Vimond Media Services T

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71 .B. Walton Enterprises (also known as Walton DeIce) is the worlds leading designer and manufacturer of satellite earth station antenna (ESA) weather protection solutions that prevent the accumulation of snow and ice on satellite Earth station antennas. The companys technology and products play a key role in helping to Internet networks against outages and downtime due to snow, ice, and rain. antenna weather protection system innovator, with another leadership milestone: nearly 20,000 Earth station weather protection systems delivered for satellite networks across the globe. 3.2 to 32 meters, providing the most economical, reliable systems on the market. Its uniform surface heating minimizes distortion losses, unlike electric from 3.2 to 32 meters in diameter, as well as thousands of control systems. For VSAT and smaller Earth station antennas from 0.6 to 6.3 meters in uses architectural fabric that is virtually invisible to RF for antennas from 0.6 to 6.3 meters in size. Snow Shield covers can be passive, or actively heated performance of the Snow Shield antenna cover by vibrating the fabric cover, preventing snow and ice accumulation that degrade signals. By eliminating the need for high power conduit, trenching, and electrical switch gears, to add vibration to a satellite dish cover to prevent ice and snow buildup.Covering Up With Walton than 95 million TV homes in North America alone, including uplinks and downlinks from the DBS operators, top cable systems, U.S. broadcast networks, and a whos who of top global TV programmers. In 2015, by major global TV networks and satellite players, and top cable Multiple Snow Shield and Ice Quake at the Society of Cable Television Engineers from cable TV engineers in North America and from around the world. Cable Ends can achieve up to 20X less data loss using Walton products. cable system operator, COMCAST, has added 64 new Walton Snow Shield ever, saving management and labor overhead for our customers. Units have proven to be extremely reliable since their introduction two years ago and continued rollout in 2015. Customers have been enjoying Shield, and Ice Quake systems. In the past 12 months alone, customers leading satellite operator and teleport facilities are among the numerous systems recently by swapping in our new dual surface igniter heaters to replace older pilot igniter models.De-Icing Ka-Band: A New Ballgame distortion, which can cause signal problems cause by thermal expansion More In StockIn 2015, the company announced the expansion of the Preferred Walton more leading satellite earth station integrators, making our Snow Shield and Ice Quake products available via Capella Telecommunications, Satcom satellite ground system integrators can now help their customer achieve up Our Mission Has Not Changed by superior customer service and support. With the notable exception of Mayan Calendar followers, I have yet to meet an industry colleague who expects the negative effects of snow and ice on Earth station antenna of getting more performance from satellite networks will continue to be paramount for us in 2016 and beyond. land, sea, and air create new applications, and markets, the need to maximize antenna and signal quality and uptime will continue to be crucial. de-ice.com/ W.B. Walton Enterprises W