By Todd Schilb, Senior Program Manager, Space Systems Acquisition
Hello from Baikonur! All systems are GO for the launch of Intelsat 31 on Wednesday, 8 June. Those of us on site at the Cosmodrome have been working for several days now on the combined operations.
We concluded the standalone effort of the spacecraft with the fueling process. […]
Intelsat 31 Launch: Combined Operations Underway Read More »
High-throughput satellite (HTS) systems are poised to transform the future of aviation, delivering incredibly fast speeds that make it possible for airlines to meet growing passenger connectivity demand and improve aircraft efficiency to minimize delays, ensure faster turnaround times and transform the overall travel experience.
Airlines are concerned, rightfully so, about whether they’re making the right
Tough Questions Airlines Should Ask Before Making Connectivity Commitments Read More »
“Technically acceptable” is a logical standard for procuring items like printers and laptops. However, it could certainly be argued that such a minimal standard may not be appropriate for technology the DoD needs to rely on in space. Potential adversaries like China and Russia are threatening U.S. superiority in space, and we should respond with technology
LPTA Inappropriate for Space Capability Procurement Read More »
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announcement of a Robotics Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) program in March is an important step towards extending the productivity of America’s space assets. DARPA is looking for a public-private partnership with the commercial space industry that would make robotic in-orbit servicing available to both military and commercial
Public/Private Model Would Make DARPA’s On-Orbit Service Capability a Reality Read More »
By Brian Sing, Senior Program Manager, Space Systems Acquisition
The launch mission for Intelsat 31, which features the DLA-2 Ku-band payload for DIRECTV Latin America, is well underway here at Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Many of you know how historical Baikonur is. It was here the first satellite, Sputnik, and the first human, Yuri Gagarin, were
Intelsat 31 Launch: The Baikonur Cosmodrome Read More »
Although children’s books and animated films often depict them frolicking together, penguins and polar bears actually occupy opposite ends of the earth. Polar bears are found in the far northern latitudes, while penguins occupy the world’s southern oceans and land masses. But Intelsat General customers enjoy satellite connectivity provided by facilities at both ends of
Ensuring Satellite Connectivity No Matter What the Location or Climate Read More »
Few who follow Congress were surprised recently when Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.) stepped up quickly to co-sponsor the American Space Renaissance Act.
The bill, authored by Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-Okla.), sets out an ambitious program to secure the United States’ position as the world’s most prominent and powerful space-faring nation. The bill encompasses national security, along
Lamborn Joins as Sponsor of Space Renaissance Act Read More »
The value the U.S. Department of Defense places on space was apparent last year in standing up the Joint Interagency Combined Space Operations Center (JICSpOC) as the first working element of the department’s Third Offset Strategy.
After all, much of the Third Offset is being driven by the Pentagon’s Better Buying Power 3.0, according to John
How the Marriage of Third Offset, Better Buying Power Affects Industry Read More »
By Brian Jakins, Regional Vice President, Africa
It’s no understatement to say the infrastructure of Africa is complicated. The continent’s topology, economics and regulatory environments vary by country and region – which is no minor detail with 52 countries and thousands of different ethnic groups across the continent. As a result, serving the disparate needs of
Three Ways the Globalized Network will Connect Businesses and Communities in Africa Read More »
Advances in information technology and communications continue to spur economic growth around the world, but they also highlight a growing disparity between the haves and have-nots. According to the Internet.org Report on Global Internet Access, 4.1 billion of the world’s citizens are unconnected. In developing countries, there is a huge divide between the well-connected urban
Broadband: Bridging the Digital Divide Read More »
It’s an exciting time to become President of Intelsat General Corp. – a time of challenges and opportunities, and a time that includes a great new asset to help meet both: the high-throughput Intelsat EpicNG constellation of satellites.
The most important aspects of the job do not change, no matter who occupies the seat. We want
IGC Team Will Continue on the Same Path Read More »
By Jon Harborne, Senior Manager, Intelsat Spacecraft Program Office
On 28 May 2016, Intelsat will launch the Intelsat 31 (IS-31) satellite, which features the DLA-2 Ku-band payload for DIRECTV Latin America. The satellite will launch into orbit aboard an International Launch Services (ILS) Proton rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to its destination at 95°
Intelsat 31 Launch: To Baikonur and Beyond! Read More »
On April 12th in a darkened room at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., Gen. John Hyten prefaced his talk to the 32nd Space Symposium with a short, stark video. Its theme: This is how much the warfighter depends on U.S. assets in space.
The conclusion: What if our soldiers couldn’t depend on the ISR superiority they
Industry Wants to Ensure the Warfighter Is Always Supported Read More »
The DoD is currently completing a new process for ensuring information security that has significant ramifications for improving cybersecurity in space.
This new process is known as the Risk Management Framework (RMF). It is the unified information security framework used by the entire federal government, replacing the legacy Certification and Accreditation (C&A) processes that previously were followed
New DoD Approach to Risk Management in Space Read More »
High throughput satellites (HTS) have much to offer in terms of power and, well, throughput. What isn’t quite as clear is how best for customers to implement an HTS solution that meets their needs. At Intelsat, we believe that there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Rather, it’s important to have a conversation with your provider about
Three Steps to Unlock the Promise of High Throughput Satellites Read More »
After years of give and take among military and commercial space interests to better advance U.S. security, Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-Okla.) authored the American Space Renaissance Act to do just that.
His background puts him in a rare position to champion both.
“As a military pilot, I can attest that our national security and our very way
Cyber security requires a systemic approach to address three main tenets: availability, confidentiality and integrity. That’s because responsibility for the security of each is divided among the elements of a network, according to Vinit Duggal, Intelsat’s Director and Chief Information Security Officer, in an interview with Via Satellite.
“The satellite operator is responsible for ensuring the
It Takes Three Things for a Network to Withstand Cyber Attack Read More »
With Special Operations troops deployed in as many as 100 spots around the world, and with the recent focus of the U.S. Army on quick-reaction capability, it’s clear that readiness is the prime driver of the military today.
Those troops and others need to be able to communicate and to send and receive the latest in
Evolution of Commercial Satellite Technology Improves Readiness Read More »
When Greg L. Zacharias told a Congressional subcommittee in November that the Air Force sought “the right balance of human and machine teaming to meet future operational challenges,” he also was summarizing a large part of the body of his professional work.
Zacharias, named the Air Force Chief Scientist in June 2015, has been marrying humans
Zacharias Pays Back Air Force as Chief Scientist Read More »
A new paper, Ensuring U.S. Leadership in Space offers great insight into issues that may affect future U.S. competitiveness in the space arena. The product of 13 space organizations, the paper cites four issues that require “immediate attention” to prevent the United States from losing its space leadership position: Budget uncertainty; international competition; the increasingly
Ensuring U.S. Leadership in Space and the Value of Partnerships Read More »
