News Archive
Branson And Rutan Launch New Spaceship Manufacturing Company & XM Partners with Napster -- Posted by soullezz
on Wednesday, July 27 2005
Branson And Rutan Launch New Spaceship Manufacturing Company
Oshkosh WI (SPX) Jul 28, 2005
Richard Branson (Founder, Virgin Group of Companies) and Burt Rutan (President, Scaled Composites) have signed a deal to form a new aerospace production company to build a fleet of commercial sub-orbital spaceships and launch aircraft. The new company will own the designs of the new SpaceShipTwo (SS2) and White Knight Two (WK2) launch systems that are now in development at Scaled Composites.
The SS2/WK2 system will use the 'Care-free reentry' and the 'cantilevered-hybrid' rocket motor technology developed for the Ansari X prize-winning SpaceShipOne (SS1), and will license that technology from Paul Allen's Mojave Aerospace company. The Spaceship Company will manufacture the new launch aircraft, spaceships and support equipment and market them to spaceline operators, including the launch customer, Virgin Galactic.
The Spaceship Company will be jointly owned by Virgin and Scaled, and will contract Scaled for the research, development, testing and certification of SS2/WK2. Burt Rutan will head up the technical development team.
Burt Rutan commented: "I am very excited to have agreed the terms on which we can now move forward to develop the world's-first commercial, passenger-carrying Spaceships. This will truly herald an era of personal spaceflight first described by the visionary science fiction writers of the 1940's and 1950's.
"Richard and I share a vision that commercially-viable and safe space tourism will provide the foundation for the human colonization of space. I am looking forward, (actually looking way up!) to working together with Richard on this next exciting phase."
Sir Richard Branson added: "I couldn't be more delighted to announce the formation of this joint venture at the biggest private aviation event in the world. Like many millions of people growing up in the Sixties who witnessed the wonder of man walking on the moon - I dreamt that one day I too would make that 'one small step...'!
Unfortunately though, over the last three decades, many people gave up hope - luckily people like Burt Rutan never did. His vision has allowed people, like me, to dream again. But even I never dreamed as boy, that one day, I would form, with Burt, the company which will build the world's first commercial passenger spacecraft!"
In 2001, Paul Allen contracted Scaled Composites for the research and development of the SS1 system, to fulfill his vision of flying the world's first privately-developed, reusable space vehicle.
Last year on June 21st, when Mike Melvill flew SS1 above 100 km altitude, Mr Allen forever dispelled the myth that manned space flight was the sole remit of huge Government programs. Then, on September 27th, Virgin announced the launch of Virgin Galactic, the world's first commercial space tourism operator and a new era in space travel was born.
Virgin Galactic was a sponsor for the two successful X-prize flights completed on October 4th. SpaceShipOne, the historic, record breaking spacecraft, will be installed this fall in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Milestones of Flight Gallery in Washington D C.
The launch customer for this new joint venture between Virgin Group and Scaled Composites will be Virgin Galactic, Sir Richard Branson's commercial space tourism venture. Virgin Galactic has placed orders for five SS2's and two WK2's, with options on further systems, thus securing the exclusive use of the systems for the initial 18 months of commercial passenger operations.
The Spaceship Company plans to make spaceflight affordable for the masses and to demonstrate the commercial viability of manned space exploration. We are dedicated to reaching that goal with the first generation of spaceship systems developed for routine, scheduled flight operations. Those systems will be environmentally friendly and will include new solutions to optimize both safety and the passenger experience.
We expect that as the flight hardware matures, and is operated by competing spaceline companies, many thousands of people will experience the wonder of leaving the earth's atmosphere each year.
as seen on spacedaily
XM Partners with Napster
Internet download service Napster and XM Satellite Radio formed a partnership that will integrate their respective satellite radio and online music services for listening online and on a variety of MP3 players. The collaboration will debut with the launch of "XM + Napster," a service that will provide a single interface for accessing, purchasing and managing music from the two entities. "XM + Napster" will be an exclusive, integrated service for digital music subscriptions and downloading for XM's subscribers, the companies said.
PROGRAMMING: DirecTV Delivers Mexican Net - DirecTV, in association with Castalia Communications and Cablecom, is providing its DirecTV Para Todos service customers MEXICANAL, a channel aimed at Mexicans from regions outside Mexico City to watch their favorite television programs from their hometowns, cities and regions of origin. DirecTV said the channel will initially feature programming from Guanajuato, Jalisco, Estado de Mexico, Nuevo Leon and San Luis Potosi, among others.
PEOPLE: Starz Promotes English - Starz Entertainment Group promoted Gery English to vice president, marketing communications. English works out of the corporate headquarters in Englewood, Colo., and reports to Jerry Maglio, the executive vice president, marketing, the company said.
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Discovery set for launch as weather conditions improve & Analyst: XM Shouldn't Sweat NAB Actions on WCS Deal -- Posted by soullezz
on Monday, July 25 2005
Very soon the space shuttle will launch for the first time since the Columbia disaster. There is a netcast available of the preparation and launch from Yahoo!
Click Here to view the Yahoo! netcast
The preparation and launch is also available from on TV on the NASA channel, Dishnet channel 213.
Let's wish our guys the best of luck on the launch and support them by watching their efforts to bring humananity to space!
editorial
Discovery set for launch as weather conditions improve
by Patrick Moser
Cape Canaveral (AFP) Jul 26, 2005
NASA readied Discovery for its Tuesday liftoff and was increasingly confident the weather would cooperate with the launch of the first space shuttle mission since the 2003 Columbia disaster.
With just hours to go to the scheduled liftoff, NASA managers were also hopeful a fuel gauge that malfunctioned previously -- causing the cancelation of an earlier scheduled launch -- would work properly this time around.
Ground crews fueled Discovery's massive external tank during the night, a key indication preparations were on track for the scheduled 10:39 am (1439 GMT) launch.
"Everything is proceeding well," NASA spokeswoman Jessica Rye said at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) launchpad on the Florida seashore.
NASA managers took the decision to go ahead with the tanking after considering weather forecasts, which are crucial for liftoff.
"Conditions are excellent here at KSC," said George Diller, another spokesman.
Experts said there was only a 20 percent probability bad weather would prevent a launch, after earlier forecasts put the likelihood at 40 percent.
The crew started getting ready before dawn, undergoing their final medical checkups and preparing to don their orange space suits after a midnight breakfast of fruit, chicken sandwiches and muffins.
As the tank was being filled with almost two million liters (526,000 gallons) of liquid hydrogen and oxygen, engineers kept a close eye on a fuel sensor that malfunctioned on July 13, causing the cancellation of the first launch attempt.
Managers of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration have said they would still go ahead with the launch Tuesday if the same sensor malfunctions and they feel they understand the cause of the problem.
But Rye said the decision may be moot, as all four sensors were "performing as expected" during fueling operations.
Only two sensors are needed, with the other two serving as backup, but launching the shuttle with only three functioning sensors would mark a departure from NASA's own safety regulations.
Several dignitaries were set to witness the launch, including First Lady Laura Bush and Florida Governor Jeb Bush, a brother of the US president.
More than 100 cameras set up on the ground and aboard two airplanes will capture the first two minutes of the shuttle's ascent into orbit, to detect if anything goes wrong during that critical stage.
To get a better view of the shuttle, NASA has decided not to launch at night.
The decision is among the new safety measures the space agency adopted after Columbia burst into flames upon re-entering the Earth's atmosphere on February 1, 2003, killing all seven astronauts.
The tragedy was blamed on a small piece of insulation that broke off right after liftoff and struck the orbiter's left wing, causing a crack that allowed superheated gases to penetrate the structure just minutes before the planned landing.
During one of three planned spacewalks on the Discovery, Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi and his US counterpart Stephen Robinson will test repair techniques adopted after the Columbia disaster.
The spacecraft will carry a crew of seven who will deliver supplies and equipment to the International Space Station (ISS.)
Should Tuesday's launch be called off, NASA still has until the end of the month to send Discovery into orbit so it can hook up with the orbiting ISS. After that, the next window for a daytime launch will be in September.
Discovery will not launch if there is thunderstorm activity within 20 nautical miles (37 kilometers) as this could affect an eventual emergency landing.
If such a landing were necessary, the shuttle could return to the Kennedy Space Center, or head to a base on the other side of the Atlantic, either in France or in Spain.
as seen on spacedaily
Analyst: XM Shouldn't Sweat NAB Actions on WCS Deal
While broadcasters take aim at XM Satellite Radio's plan to buy WCS Wireless in a bold spectrum play, some on Wall Street doubt opposition to the deal will amount to much inside the Beltway.
Earlier this month, the National Association of Broadcasters began a push on Capitol Hill addressing its issues with XM's plans to purchase WCS Wireless and use that entity's spectrum to supplement its service. The deal has ignited more broadcaster fears that satellite radio will use additional frequencies to increase local content offerings and possibly attract local advertising revenues.
While broadcasters are putting heat on regulators and lawmakers to address the issue, Legg Mason analyst Blair Levin said the effort probably won't interfere with the WCS deal. "We doubt the NAB will succeed in convincing the FCC or Congress to impose material new restrictions on XM's use of the WCS spectrum or its existing satellite spectrum," Levin said.
Among the reasons Levin and Legg Mason are skeptical of NAB's prospects are that the organization failed in a past effort to prevent satellite radio providers from offering local content. Also, the WCS spectrum has flexible use rules, and "public policy is generally moving away from line-of-business restrictions, which prohibit licensees from offering a particular service," the analyst said.
Levin added, "We acknowledge that XM nevertheless faces some regulatory risks and note that current WCS power limits could complicate its business plans for mobile uses." However, Levin added, "XM's actions should be seen as a piece of a greater spectrum and services puzzle in which both XM and Sirius are seeking new spectrum to develop new services, and other players with WCS spectrum, including BellSouth and Comcast, are also seeking ways to fill holes in their broadband service coverage."
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PanAmSat Gets European Spectrum Through EuropeStar Deal & DirecTV Steps to the Plate with Nats Ads & XM Makes Another Money Move, This Time Global -- Posted by soullezz
on Tuesday, July 19 2005
PanAmSat Gets European Spectrum Through EuropeStar Deal
PanAmSat signed an agreement with Alcatel for the acquisition of multiple European orbital slots as well as a satellite with a footprint over Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
The deal includes the PAS-12 spacecraft, formerly known as EuropeStar 1, which PanAmSat said will enable it to provide European customers services such as direct-to-home (DTH) and high-def TV, on-demand satellite services, news gathering, as well as support of government satellite communications applications in Europe, South Africa, the Middle East, India and South East Asia, the company said.
Also as part of the deal, PanAmSat gained rights to the 45 degrees East longitude orbital slot as well as the 47.5 degrees East longitude position.
The European/Middle East move is the latest international deal for PanAmSat. The company recently entered into an agreement with Japan's JSAT to form a joint venture to launch a new Ku-Band satellite at 74 degrees west. That venture, Horizons-2, includes a high-powered satellite that will support everything from digital video, high-def TV and IP-based content distribution networks to broadband Internet and satellite news gathering services.
DirecTV Steps to the Plate with Nats Ads
DirecTV is turning up the heat concerning TV carriage of Washington Nationals baseball games in the nation's capital, running an ad that appeared today promoting the satellite TV service as the only major pay-TV distributor with games from the National League team.
The ad, which began running today, features a vintage photo of President Roosevelt at a baseball game, and text saying Washington hasn't seen a baseball post-season since 1933. The Nats, which moved into Washington, D.C., this year, are threatening to make a run at the playoffs.
DirecTV carries MASN, which delivers games from the Nationals. Local cable operators do not have the regional sports network, including Comcast, which has been in legal skirmishes with MASN over its relationship with another area baseball team, the Baltimore Orioles.
The advertising also features a programming package for $29.99 and a free four-room system.
XM Makes Another Money Move, This Time Global
In another money move for the No. 1 satellite radio company, XM Satellite Radio said Tuesday it made a strategic investment of $25 million in the common stock of WorldSpace, the satellite radio provider serving Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
In connection with the investment, XM said it will cooperate with WorldSpace to develop satellite radio products, technology and distribution and supplier networks. In addition, XM will have warrants to acquire $37.5 million in additional WorldSpace stock and an option to invest along with WorldSpace and other partners in various countries around the world, the company said.
WorldSpace and XM are both based in Washington, D.C. Through its two satellites, named AfriStar and AsiaStar, WorldSpace broadcasts news, music and educational programming to listeners on two continents.
Last week, XM announced plans to buy WCS Wireless, which holds wireless spectrum in several cities.
as seen on skyreport
NAB, Fritts Take Aim at XM's Wireless Deal & FCC Approves DirecTV Satellite Switch & Sat Radio Potential: 44 Million by 2010 -- Posted by soullezz
on Thursday, July 14 2005
NAB, Fritts Take Aim at XM's Wireless Deal
It didn't take long for the National Association of Broadcasters to react to news that XM Satellite Radio plans to buy a company with wireless spectrum.
On Wednesday, XM announced plans to acquire WCS Wireless, a private entity, for 5.5 million shares of its common stock. The principal assets of WCS are wireless spectrum licenses in geographic areas covering 163 million people throughout the United States, including 15 of the top 20 metropolitan markets.
NAB President Edward Fritts, in a letter sent to members of the U.S. House of Representatives, said that while lawmakers debate legislation aiming to keep satellite radio companies from circumventing the terms of their national-only licenses, "satellite radio has proven once again they simply cannot be trusted."
Fritts said the proposed WCS transaction "is part of a longstanding pattern of deception by the satellite radio industry." At issue, said Fritts, are moves by the nation's two satellite radio providers - XM and Sirius - to deliver localized programming to listeners, such as traffic and weather services.
"When the FCC licensed satellite radio, it intended a national radio service that would supplement, not detract from, the important services of free, local radio," Fritts said in his letter. The WCS deal, he added, "is further proof that the satellite industry has no intention of abiding by the terms of their licensure."
FCC Approves DirecTV Satellite Switch
The International Bureau at the Federal Communications Commission granted a request from DirecTV to temporarily relocate its DirecTV 1 satellite from its current position at 101 degrees to the 72.5-degree orbital location.
The order also came with blanket authority allowing the satellite to communicate with 1 million consumer dishes, which will help support DirecTV's local TV service from the 72.5-degree location. The orbital slot is a Canadian-controlled location licensed to Telesat Canada which DirecTV is using through an agreement between the companies.
Customer traffic will be handed off from DirecTV 5 to DirecTV 1 while the satellites are briefly co-located at 72.5 degrees. Once the hand-off is completed, DirecTV has proposed using DirecTV 5 to replace a failing satellite, DirecTV 6, which resides at the 110-degree orbital location.
The International Bureau said in its order that DirecTV 6 has experienced repeated solar array failures, including issues that occurred as recently as March.
Sat Radio Potential: 44 Million by 2010
How big is the satellite radio potential?
This week, The BRIDGE takes a look at the fast growing satellite industry segment, its relationships at retail and within the automotive business, and its potential to grow in future years. The research publication stated that industry analysts believe the satellite radio market will grow from 5 million subscribers today to more than 44 million by the year 2010.
as seen on skyreport
FCC: Broadband Grows Almost 38% in 2004 & A Cable Merger to Challenge BSkyB & iBiquity Giving Broadcasters Competitive Help -- Posted by soullezz
on Friday, July 8 2005
FCC: Broadband Grows Almost 38% in 2004
The Federal Communications Commission released data Thursday that found high-speed connections serving residential, small business, larger businesses, and other subscribers increased by 34 percent, to 37.9 million users, during 2004.
Leading the growth were cable modem service and DSL offerings. DSL lines increased by 45 percent, to 13.8 million, last year, while high-speed cable connections increased by 30 percent, to 21.4 million lines, during 2004, states the commission data.
Also, 549,621 broadband connections reported at the end of 2004 were classified as wireless or satellite, up from 367,118 reported at the end of 2003. Fiber and powerline connections grew from 602,197 at the end of 2003 to 697,779 as of Dec. 31, 2004, the FCC data states.
The FCC also said that at the end of 2004, service providers reported there was at least one high-speed service subscriber in 95 percent of the nation's zip codes. Further FCC analysis indicated that 99 percent of the country's population lives in these zip codes, the FCC said.
Kyle McSlarrow, president and CEO of the National Cable and Telecommunications Association, said the FCC report underscores the effectiveness of the cable industry's $100 billion investment in building a nationwide broadband infrastructure.
"The report reaffirms our industry's commitment to rapid deployment of broadband services and to further providing consumers with a growing array of choices," McSlarrow said. "It also validates the light regulatory touch applied by Congress and the FCC to broadband policy, which has and will continue to result in a vibrant and competitive broadband marketplace providing great value to American consumers."
A Cable Merger to Challenge BSkyB
A much talked-about merger of struggling cable giants in the United Kingdom could give British Sky Broadcasting a stronger competitor in the nation's pay-TV marketplace.
The Independent in London recently reported that NTL and Telewest, two of the United Kingdom's biggest cable operators, will announce a merger later in the month. Despite the report and other speculation, the companies have declined to discuss any potential alliance.
The Independent said NTL would offer $24 (13.60 pounds U.K.) for every Telewest share, valuing it at $5.9 billion.
A combined cable company could compete with BSkyB, the largest U.K. pay-TV operator with more than 7 million customers. And a merged entity could also compete more effectively with the FreeView terrestrial digital offering that's sweeping the country.
iBiquity Giving Broadcasters Competitive Help
iBiquity's HD Radio, technology that aims to give radio broadcasters competitive help when battling satellite radio services, is available through about 375 radio stations today, and is expected to be in 600 to 700 radio stations by the end of the year.
Company executives told The BRIDGE that HD Radio could possibly double that 600-700 radio station amount by the end of 2006.
This week, The BRIDGE publication has details on iBiquity's HD Radio and how it can transform ordinary AM/FM radio into digital-quality audio. At the moment, radio stations with the digital technology are delivering single broadcast feeds. However, the Federal Communications Commission is poised to release rules that could expand digital radio offerings to such things as datacasting and multicasting, the weekly publication states.
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All Eyes on DBS Second Quarter & Different Views of Consumer Group DTV Push & Military Teaming Up with Sat Radio? -- Posted by soullezz
on Monday, July 4 2005
All Eyes on DBS Second Quarter
Those on Wall Street are thinking satellite TV will report a respectable second quarter, though the numbers may not match prior reporting periods.
DirecTV had a strong first quarter, netting 505,000 customers during the three-month period and taking its subscriber total past 14 million. Tom Watts of SG Cowen and Company projected DirecTV could end the second quarter with an estimated 326,000 net subscriber additions, and could finish 2005 with a 1.54 million net customer gain.
Watts raised his estimate on DirecTV's customer churn for the second quarter to 1.51 percent, based on management's prediction of slightly higher churn for the three-month period. But the SG Cowen analyst lowered his third and fourth quarter churn projection to 1.47 percent.
As for EchoStar, Craig Moffett of Bernstein Research predicted that the company's DISH Network service will end the second quarter with 287,000 net customer additions.
Moffett said he liked what he saw from DISH Network during the first quarter. "(First quarter) net subscriber additions came in at a respectable 325,000, slightly below our expectation of 341,000 but slightly ahead of consensus of 317,000," he said. "It is a number, in fact, that would have been deemed a home run just a year-and-a-half ago."
Different Views of Consumer Group DTV Push
The push made last week by consumer groups to get Congressional support for viewers during the digital TV transition generated different - and interesting - responses from those inside the Beltway.
Last week, the Consumers Union and the Consumer Federation of America suggested the government should help defray the costs some TV viewers may encounter if they stick with their analog TV set after the anticipated switch. The groups said 39 percent of U.S. households have at least one TV relying solely on off-air broadcasting. And without a converter box, which they estimated to cost $50 a piece, those TVs will go dark following any federally mandated hard date for the transition to digital television, the groups said.
Obviously, broadcasters were happy with the consumer group push. "We're pleased the Consumers Union and Consumer Federation of America survey reinforces the findings of both the NAB and the GAO," said Edward Fritts of the National Association of Broadcasters.
"We expect Congress will pass a DTV bill this year with a hard date for turning off analog television with minimal consumer disruption. NAB's priority continues to be the prevention of cable companies from blocking consumer access to local TV programming," he said.
The Consumer Electronics Association and its president and CEO, Gary Shapiro, weren't impressed with the consumer group stand. Shapiro said the survey appears to assume that any TV not connected to cable or satellite is connected to a broadcast antenna.
The CEA chief said, "A minimum of 31 million sets are not connected to broadcast antennas and are used exclusively for video games, DVDs or other purposes. For this reason, the CU (Consumers Union) and CFA (Consumer Federation of America) survey appears to significantly overstate the number of televisions used to view OTA (over-the-air) broadcasting."
Congress is working on legislation that would shut off analog TV broadcasts in January 2009.
Military Teaming Up with Sat Radio?
One may be a little country and the other more like rock and roll. Nonetheless, the U.S. Army may tap into satellite radio as part of its communications infrastructure, stated news outlets last week.
The Associated Press reported that military officials may want to use XM Satellite Radio's system to relay information to soldiers and emergency responders during a crisis. Through the plan, the Mobile Enhanced Situational Awareness Network (MESA) would get a dedicated channel on XM's satellites, and that channel would only be accessible only on devices given to emergency personnel.
Heading up the Pentagon project is Raytheon, which was given the task to develop an inexpensive system that would help emergency responders and soldiers coordinate actions after a natural disaster or terrorist strike, reports said.
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