From: Satjournal@aol.com
public 
broadcasters have submitted a request for $771 million to the Office of
Management and Budget 
to help local public stations deliver more and better services to every U.S.
home, business, and 
school.  The request is for a three-year investment with $386 million in
fiscal year 1999 (50 
percent of total request); $231 million in FY 2000 and $154 million in FY
2001.
Absent extenuating circumstances, all public television stations are required
to begin 
digital broadcasting by 2003 or risk losing their channel assignments.
 Digital technology frees 
public broadcasters from the limitations imposed by a single analogue signal.
 Many stations 
currently must choose among broadcasting preschool programs, adult learning
courses, national 
series, local productions, cultural programming or public affairs.
Hughes Operates First
---------------------
The system, known as "XIPS" (pronounced "zips") has successfully completed
activation 
on the PAS-5 communications satellite, which was launched from Kazakhstan on
Aug. 27.
Satellite propulsion systems are used to maintain the position of the
satellite in its proper 
orbit and attitude.  XIPS is a propulsion system that uses the impulse
generated by a thruster 
ejecting electrically charged particles, or ions, at very high velocities.
Xenon, a highly dense gas, is the primary propellant and was chosen because
it offers 
the highest thrust of all the inert, non-reactive gases.  The ions ejected by
the Hughes XIPS 
travel at a speed of 62,900 miles per hour (30 kilometres per second), an
increase in efficiency, 
which is 10 times greater than the chemical bipropellant systems currently in
use.
Key to the XIPS advantage is improved efficiency.  With an XIPS system
onboard, 
propellant mass on a satellite designed for 12 to 15 years of operation can
be reduced by up to 
90 percent.  As a result, customers can opt to launch a satellite with
reduced launch costs, or, 
because of the weight trade-offs possible with the XIPS system, can either
extend satellite life or 
increase payload capabilities while holding satellite weight constant.
"The benefits of XIPS have long been recognised and endorsed by our
customers," said 
Donald L.  Cromer, president of Hughes Space and Communications.  "The PAS-5
satellite, 
featuring XIPS technology, was ordered in March of 1995.  Our current backlog
of 18 601HP and 
702 satellites contains 15 satellites which will use XIPS."
ComStream Wins Contract
-----------------------
ComStream is entering the Argentine VSAT market with a contract award from
SPTI, a 
branch of the BOLDT group (Grupo BOLDT) of Argentina.
ComStream will supply VSATPlus II technology to SPTI, a service provider that
will 
construct a time division multiple access (TDMA) VSAT satellite network for
Centrales Electricas 
de Santa Fe, a regional utility company.  The company will use the network
for voice and data 
transmission.  Delivery of equipment will be completed within 45 days.
BOLDT's core business until now has been production of official documents for
the 
Argentine government (official diaries, checks, and bank notes), and recently
its activities have 
evolved to include the country's lottery business, in which they hold 90
percent of the market 
share.  With deregulation of the telecommunications industry in Argentina
expected by the end of 
the year, BOLDT and SPTI expect there will be many large corporations like
Centrales Electricas 
de Santa Fe wanting to build their own private telecom networks.
APPOINTMENTS
------------
PanAmSat Welcomes Michael T. Smith
PanAmSat Corporation reports that Michael T. Smith of Hughes Electronics
Corporation 
was elected on Sept. 15, 1997, to serve as the chairman of the board of
PanAmSat.  Mr. Smith is 
presently vice chairman of Hughes Electronics Corp. and chairman of Hughes
Aircraft Company.  
Classified
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Upcoming Launches
------------------
Check our web site for a complete listing of 1997/1998 launches. 
Next Ariane Launch Sirrus 2 - November 4, 1997
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