From: Satjournal@aol.com
11
Satellite Journal International
Volume Five
April, 21
1997
WITH CORRESPONDENTS IN:
DALLAS-WASHINGTON-LOS ANGELES-TORONTO-LONDON-DUBLIN
PARIS-BERLIN RIYADH-TOKYO-SYDNEY-RIO DE JANEIRO
"Anyone who enjoys the privilege of publishing and
broadcasting in open societies should demonstrate their
unshakeable belief in the universality of free speech should
they ever seek to broadcast in societies that are closed."
Arianespace Flight 95
PBS Selects GE Americom For National Distribution
Jacor buys NSN Network Services
JVC To Expanded Echostar's Distribution
AlphaStar Expansion Of Canadian Distribution Network
CBS Selects Harris Corporation For Digital Television
Transmitter
Orbital Set to Launch Spain's Minisat Satellite
Portugal Telecom and Telefonica Sign Agreement
DIRECTV Signs Three Channels
U.S.-Japanese Begin Tests of New High Definition Video
Network
INTELSAT Assembly of Parties Makes Significant Progress
PanAmSat-Hughes Communications Galaxy Merger Receives
Final U.S. Approval
Skytel To Expand In Chile
National Geographic Channel To Launch
California Microwave Supplies Satellite Earth Station
Meeting of Arianespace Board of Directors
Spice Continues European Growth With French License
PHILIPS WINS MPEG-2/DVB CONTRACT
Upcoming Launches
New files and documents at our WebStand
In Brief
HOUSEKEEPING NOTES
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Arianespace Flight 95
Arianespace successfully launched Thailand's third
telecommunications satellite, Thaicom 3, and the Japanese
direct-broadcast satellite BSAT-1a.
Flight 95 was carried out by an Ariane 44LP, the
version of the European launcher with two solid-propellant
and two liquid-propellant strap-on boosters. This was the
66th Ariane 4 launcher from a total of 96 ordered from the
European space industry.
Lift-off from the European Spaceport in Kourou, French
Guiana, took place on Wednesday, April 16, 1997 at 8:08
p.m. local time in Kourou
Provisional parameters at third stage injection into
geostationary transfer orbit were:
" Perigee: 199.0 km for 199.2 (+/- 3) km intended,
" Apogee: 35,936 km for 35,959(+/- 150) km intended,
" Inclination: 6.99 degrees for 7.00 degrees (+/- 0.05
degrees) intended.
Thaicom 3, the third Thai satellite was commissioned
by the private company Shinawatra Satellite, within the
scope of a contract with Aerospatiale, it was built at
Aerospatiale's Cannes manufacturing facility in southern
France. Thaicom 3 weighed 2,650 kg (5,830 lb.) at lift-off,
and is equipped with 39 C- and Ku-band transponders. It
will complete Thailand's national satellite
telecommunications system, along with Thaicom 1 and 2,
launched respectively on Flight 62 on December 17, 1993, and
Flight 68, on October 7, 1984.
BSAT-1a is the 10th Japanese satellite to be launched
from Kourou, out of the 12 launch service contracts
Arianespace has signed to date in Japan. It was built and
delivered in orbit by Hughes Space & Communications
International of El Segundo, California.
The satellite will be stationed at 110 degrees East
longitude, replacing BS-3 spacecraft currently being used
for DBS services, including Hi-Vision broadcasts, by Japan
Broadcasting Corp.'s NHK, Japan Satellite Broadcasting
Inc.'s WOWOW, and others. The satellite has more than 12.5
years of propellant life.
BSAT-1a carries four active and four spare high-power
transponders in Ku-band, using 106-watt travelling-wave tube
amplifiers. EIRP coverage over Japan will be equivalent to
those of the current BS-3 spacecraft.
The next launch, Flight 96, is scheduled for May 13.
An Ariane 44P launch vehicle will be used to place into
orbit the PAS-6 direct television broadcast satellite for
PanAmSat. PAS-6 will cover the South American DTH Market.
PBS Selects GE Americom For National Distribution
PBS and GE Americom signed an agreement to provide PBS
with satellite distribution services using GE Americom's
next generation satellite fleet. PBS will use the new
satellite system to transmit its array of national
programming and educational services to public television
stations and audiences nation-wide.
The multi-transponder, long-term agreement makes PBS a
major user of GE's Ku-band and C-band capacity on GE
Americom's GE-3 and GE-1 satellites. The service is
expected to begin in late 1997. The contract provides PBS
with transponder space for new digital television services,
and ensures long-term capacity for growth in PBS's
educational resources for Americans of all ages.
PBS is the nation's largest provider of lifelong
satellite-delivered learning services to the public. The
PBS Educational Neighbourhood includes PBS's Ready to Learn
Service for children, instructional programming for K-12,
the PBS Adult Learning Service for college students, Going
the Distance college degree program for at-home learners,
teacher training in math and science, and Business Channel
courses sent directly to the workplace. GE-3 and GE-1 will
also transmit PBS's National Program Service, the complete
schedule of children's, prime time and weekend programs PBS
distributes to its member stations. In addition, the
satellite will be used for the distribution of public
television's regional and station services.
Jacor buys NSN Network Services
Jacor Communications, Inc. has purchased the assets of
NSN Network Services, Ltd., a leading provider of satellite
and network services for the radio and Internet industry.
NSN will provide Jacor with back-office backbone,
Internet and other capabilities that will allow cost-
efficient operations of the expanding radio company. In
addition, Jacor intends to use these capabilities to pursue
state-of-the-art program delivery for its growing
syndication business.
NSN will also remain a provider of networking services
for other radio broadcasting companies, and will continue
its business designing and installing satellite systems for
paging, private and remote office telephone and data links,
and world-wide Internet services
Jacor paid $11 million for NSN's assets, of which $1.65
million is Jacor common stock. Jacor said NSN's management
will remain associated with the company.
JVC To Expanded Echostar's Distribution
EchoStar plans to enter a strategic alliance with JVC
Company of America.
JVC will private label and distribute the DISH Network
satellite television system through the JVC national retail
network. The program is scheduled to begin in May.
The following three digital set-top boxes will carry
the JVC brand name when distributed through the JVC national
retail network:
Model TU3500SU
" Infrared Universal Remote Control
" High Speed Data Port
" On-screen Program Guide - complete program listings
" Program Browse - allows channel surfing of schedule
while watching current program
" V-chip for Parental Control of child programming access
based on ratings and content
Model TU4500DU
" UHF Universal Remote Control
" High Speed Data Port
" Event Timers
" IR blaster - controls VCR to record programmed shows
" On-screen Program Guide - complete program listings
" Program Browse - allows channel surfing of schedule
while watching current program
" V-chip for Parental Control of child programming access
based on ratings and content
Model TU5500DU
" UHF Universal Remote Control
" Seamless Off-Air channel interface (Local TV Link)
" Caller ID
" High Speed Data Port
" Event Timers
" Local link - Seamless Program Guide includes local
programming listings and switching between satellite TV and
local programming
" Auxiliary input - Allows you to easily view your
laserdisc or VCR directly through your satellite TV system
AlphaStar Expansion Of Canadian Distribution Network
AlphaStar Canada Inc. has signed sales agency and
retail distribution agreements with four major players in
the Canadian consumer electronics marketplace. AlphaStar
Canada's new distribution partners are:
" CANTREX, Canada's largest consumer electronics buying
group with 1,100 member stores. The company provides bulk-
discount buying of consumer electronics products on behalf
of its members.
" Jonic International, a premier sales agency of ten
years which assists in the distribution of consumer
electronics products to 700 independent stores across
Canada.
" Le Clef de Sol, the largest independent chain (100
stores) of consumer electronics stores in the Province of
Quebec.
" Visions, a 21-store consumer electronics retailer with
a strong emphasis on customer service. The group offers zero
percent financing and a ``points'' program for purchasers.
CBS Selects Harris Corporation For Digital Television
Transmitter
Harris has entered into an agreement to provide
analogue and digital television (DTV) transmitter equipment
for the 14 CBS-owned television stations. The exclusive
master purchase agreement also allows CBS-affiliated
stations to participate.
CBS owns 14 television stations in many of the nation's
largest markets including: WCBS-TV, New York; KCBS-TV, Los
Angeles; WBBM-TV, Chicago; KYW-TV, Philadelphia; KPIX-TV,
San Francisco; WBZ-TV, Boston; WWJ-TV, Detroit; WCCO-TV,
Minneapolis; WFOR-TV, Miami; KCNC-TV, Denver; KDKA-TV,
Pittsburgh; WJZ-TV, Baltimore; KUTV-TV, Salt Lake City, and
WFRV-TV, Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Orbital Set to Launch Spain's Minisat Satellite
Orbital Sciences Corporation is planning to launch
Spain's first scientific satellite, MiniSat, into low-Earth
orbit on Monday, April 21, 1997.
The Spanish-built satellite will be boosted into orbit
by Orbital's air-launched Pegasus XL rocket. Proceeding
with the April 21 launch is contingent upon final
preparations and testing, as well as acceptable weather
conditions. A small secondary payload from Celestis, Inc.
will also fly on the mission.
This mission will be the first-ever satellite launch to
originate and be controlled from Western Europe. Pegasus
will deliver MiniSat into its planned circular orbit at an
altitude of 587 kilometres inclined at 151 degrees. The
launch is set for 1200 G.M.T., with an available time window
that extends from 1152 to 1208 G.M.T.
The 195 kilogram MiniSat satellite is designed to
perform several scientific missions, including the study of
background radiation in the extreme ultraviolet range, the
behaviour of liquid bridges in micro-gravity conditions and
the investigation of low-energy gamma radiation.
Portugal Telecom and Telefonica Sign Agreement
Portugal Telecom and Telefonica of Spain
signed a Co-operative Agreement which is aimed at maximising
benefits to both companies from the globalisation and
convergence in technology and services in the
telecommunications sector. The main focus of the co-
operation will be in the areas of international expansion,
and the development of quality of service.
As part of the agreement, the two companies have agreed
to cross equity stakes, with Telefonica acquiring 3.5% of
Portugal Telecom's share capital during the next phase of
its privatisation expected later this year, and Portugal
Telecom acquiring 1% of Telefonica's share capital.
Within the Agreement, the companies will work to
achieve common objectives in the Brazilian market
Portugal Telecom and Telefonica intend to jointly
participate in the various privatisations that are expected
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