Pasadena, CA – August 4, 2010. The ongoing collaboration between entrepreneurial space firm Ecliptic Enterprises Corporation and Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) reached a notable milestone in mid-July with final acceptance of another Ecliptic-produced onboard video system. The space-ruggedized and miniaturized video system will be used to observe post-launch activities on a satellite as it orbits at more than 22,000 miles above the Earth’s surface.
This is the third system that Ecliptic has supplied to SS/L and a fourth system is on track for shipment in coming weeks. Each of the systems provides multiple camera angles for observing critical events in the satellite deployment.
The video systems rely on Ecliptic’s proven RocketCam(TM) rugged onboard video technology, which was successfully used to observe the ICO-G1 12-meter antenna reflector deployment in the spring of 2008. The Ecliptic system provided four hours of video from three camera angles, which was beamed to Earth in real-time.
Ecliptic’s second system was launched in summer 2008 onboard the EchoStar-11 GEO comsat. The system has been returning a live streaming color video view of the ‘blue-marble’ Earth continuously, which is broadcast exclusively to DISH Network subscribers on the DISHEarth channel (channel 287). This DISHEarth system recently captured a nearly four-hour unique view of the total solar eclipse in the South Pacific Ocean on July 11.
Ecliptic’s current hardware shipments to SS/L incorporate the latest in RocketCam system design, with a core avionics unit dramatically smaller and lighter–about half the size of a thick paperback novel, and 27 ounces–and yet much more capable than the systems launched in 2008. Each of the cameras is about the size of a white-board marker pen at 8 ounces each.
“We are very pleased with the video systems provided by Ecliptic,” said John Celli, president of Space Systems/Loral. “It is a spectacular experience to view the dramatic deployment of the large-scale antenna reflectors used for mobile satellite services as it happens.”
About Ecliptic Enterprises Corporation: Ecliptic is the world’s leading supplier of onboard video systems for use with rockets and spacecraft–its RocketCam(TM) product family–and enjoys a strong customer base in commercial, civil and defense markets. RocketCam fans should expect to see on average one launch per month for the next several years. The privately held firm’s core competencies include space systems engineering, aerospace avionics, instrument systems and aerospace test equipment. For several years, video and payload control systems on spacecraft in Earth orbit and at the Moon have been a solid and growing part of the firm’s business base. Ecliptic has offices in Pasadena and Moffett Field, California. See more at www.eclipticenterprises.com.
RocketCam(TM) is a trademark of Ecliptic Enterprises Corporation.
Contact:Rex Ridenoure
CEO
Ecliptic Enterprises Corporation
(626) 278-0435
