XTAR-EUR Enters Full Commercial Service

Illustration of the XTAR-EUR satellite.

Rockville MD (SPX) Apr 05, 2005
XTAR Monday announced that XTAR-EUR, the world's first satellite developed for commercial X-band services, has completed its in-orbit testing and is now fully operational.

"The in-service of XTAR-EUR marks a new era in satellite communications for government and military users around the world," said Dr. Denis Curtin, chief operating officer, XTAR.

"The satellite's coverage and transmission capabilities, confirmed during in-orbit testing, have intensified the US and other allied governments' desire to use the system, with planned demonstrations for the US Army and Air Force scheduled in the coming weeks."

The Spanish Ministry of Defense (SMOD), XTAR's first customer, will soon begin operations on its 238 Mhz of X-band capacity on XTAR-EUR.

The SMOD will continue to use XTAR-EUR until its primary satellite, SPAINSAT, enters service.

In addition, XTAR will lease eight 72 Mhz X-band transponders on SPAINSAT, to be designated XTAR-LANT, in order to provide additional X-band services and greater flexibility.

Built by Space Systems/Loral (SS/L), XTAR-EUR was launched February 12, 2005 aboard an Ariane 5 ECA rocket.

Located at 29 degrees East longitude, the satellite provides X-band coverage from Eastern Brazil and the Atlantic Ocean, across all of Europe, Africa and the Middle East to as far east as Singapore.

The XTAR-EUR satellite features on-board switching and multiple steerable beams, allowing users access to X-band capacity as they travel anywhere within the footprint of the satellite.

XTAR-EUR is designed to work with existing X- band terminals, as well as next generation X-band terminals that feature antennas smaller than 2.4 meters.

XTAR-EUR is based on SS/L's space-proven 1300 platform and carries twelve wideband and high-power X-band transponders.

XTAR-EUR, which has a specified service life of 15 years, maintains station-keeping and orbital stability by using bipropellant propulsion and momentum-bias systems.

In all, SS/L satellites have amassed more than 1,100 years of on-orbit service.

XTAR is a new satellite communications company committed to serving the long-haul communications, logistics and infrastructure requirements of the U.S., Spanish and allied governments.

The company is a joint venture between Loral Space & Communications, which owns 56 percent, and HISDESAT, which owns 44 percent.

SPACEWAR

Congress Already Tweaking New Intel Post

Washington (UPI) Mar 21, 2005
When Ambassador John Negroponte returns from Iraq next month to what will likely be a swift and uncontentious confirmation as the nation's intelligence chief, he will find Congress threatening to tinker with last year's intelligence-reform act - the law that established his office.