communications satellites

China launches Zhongxing-1E military communications satellite
China launched a Long March 7A rocket Tuesday, successfully inserting the Zhongxing-1E satellite into geosynchronous transfer orbit.

NASA selects six companies to demonstrate commercial successors to TDRS
Six companies, including both traditional satellite operators and constellation developers, have won NASA awards to demonstrate services that could ultimately replace the agency’s existing fleet of communications satellites.

IAI anticipates additional satellite orders from Israeli government
“I’m very glad for the Dror-1 initiation, and I’m sure it will be followed by Dror-2 and others,” Levy said. “It will give us the right momentum in our space activities.”

Swissto12 raises $18.44 million, works with Tyvak on mini geostationary satellites
Swissto12, a European telecommunications component company, raised 18.1 million Swiss francs ($18.44 million), established a U.S. offices and signed an agreement with Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems to offer miniature satellites for geostationary orbit.

GPS, Nex-Gen OPIR dominate space investments
Of the $14.1 billion space request for 2020, about $11.9 billion is for investments — which the Pentagon defines as a combination of RDT&E (research, development, testing and engineering) and procurement.

Report: Updating the military’s nuclear communications systems a complex and expensive challenge
Bill LaPlante, MITRE: The NC3 system “has been studied a lot, its life has been extended as long as we could, and that’s where we are."

Satellite component supplier Sodern seeks to double output by 2020
Spacecraft manufacturers have complained of stress on their supplier base as operators purchase fewer traditional geostationary satellites. One company in France is bucking that trend, however.

Satellite operators offer communications for autonomous ships
SMM Hamburg, the biennial international maritime conference in Germany Sept. 4-7, attracted not only shipbuilders but also satellite operators eager to offer global communications for autonomous vessels.

Companies look to Trump administration to further ease export rules for space technology
Four years after the Obama administration began loosening rules on space technology exports, companies experiencing the benefits are looking to the Trump administration for further regulatory relief.