New launch date for Kounotori-2

A new launch date has been set for the H-IIB Launch Vehicle No. 2 (H-IIB F2) carrying the Kounotori-2 (HTV2), a cargo transporter to the International Space Station from the Tanegashima Space Center to no earlier than January 22 (Japan Standard Time) due to an unfavourable weather forecast.

After examining the weather conditions and the preparation status, JAXA decided to set the new launch date for 2:37:57 pm on 22 January 2011 (JST). The original launch date of January 20 was rescheduled as clouds including a freezing layer that exceeds the restrictions for suitable weather were forecast to be generated at around the scheduled launch time.

Glory Mission set for February launch

NASA's newest Earth-observing research mission is nearing launch. The Glory mission will improve our understanding of how the sun and tiny atmospheric particles called aerosols affect Earth's climate. Glory also will extend a legacy of long-term solar measurements needed to address key uncertainties about climate change. The launch is scheduled for lift off from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on February 23 at 5:09 am EST. It will join a fleet called the Afternoon Constellation or "A-train" of satellites. This group of other Earth-observing satellites, including NASA's Aqua and Aura spacecraft, flies in tight formation.

"Glory is going to help scientists tackle one of the major uncertainties in climate change predictions identified by the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: the influence of aerosols on the energy balance of our planet," said Michael Freilich, director of NASA's Earth Science Division in the Science Mission Directorate at the agency's headquarters in Washington. "This mission also marks the first satellite launch under President Obama's climate initiative that will advance the United States' contribution to cutting-edge and policy-relevant climate change science."

"The spacecraft is in place at the launch and all of the post-shipment inspections and electrical tests have been completed," said Bryan Fafaul, Glory project manager at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. The spacecraft will be mated to Orbital's Taurus XL 3110 rocket next month.

Glory will carry new technology designed to unravel some of the most complex elements of the Earth system. The mission carries two primary instruments, the Aerosol Polarimetry Sensor (APS) and the Total Irradiance Monitor (TIM). APS will improve measurement of aerosols, the airborne particles that can influence climate by reflecting and absorbing solar radiation and modifying clouds and precipitation.

TIM will extend a decades-long data record of the solar energy striking the top of Earth's atmosphere, or total solar irradiance. APS will collect data at nine different wavelengths, from the visible to short-wave infrared, giving scientists a much-improved understanding of aerosols. The instrument, NASA's first Earth-orbiting polarimeter, will help scientists distinguish between natural and human-produced aerosols. The information will be used to refine global climate models and help scientists determine how our planet is responding to human activities.

The TIM instrument will maintain and improve upon a 32-year record of total solar irradiance, a value that fluctuates slightly as the sun cycles through periods of varying intensity approximately every 11 years. While scientists have concluded that solar variability is not the main cause of the warming observed on Earth in recent decades, the sun has historically caused long-term climate changes. Having a baseline of the solar energy that reaches Earth gives us a way to evaluate future climate changes. Better measurements of total solar irradiance give scientists another way to test their climate models and understand the sun's longer cyclical changes and how they may impact the climate.

Glory will fly in a low-Earth orbit at an altitude of 438 miles, about the distance from Boston to Washington. After launch, mission operators will conduct verification tests for 30 days and then begin to collect data for at least three years.

Glory's Taurus launch rocket also will carry into orbit a secondary payload: NASA's Educational Launch of Nanosatellite, or ELaNA, mission. This mission will put three small research satellites, or CubeSats, into orbit for Montana State University, the University of Colorado and a consortium of state universities called Kentucky Space.

Glory is managed by Goddard for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. Launch management is provided by NASA's Launch Services Program at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Orbital is responsible for Glory's design, manufacture, payload integration, and testing, as well as spacecraft operations at its Mission Operations Complex in Dulles, Va. The Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado at Boulder provided and will operate the TIM instrument. Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems in El Segundo, California provided the APS instrument, which will be operated by Goddard's Institute for Space Studies in New York.


200th Ariane delivered

The 200th Ariane launcher has been delivered to Arianespace at the Spaceport, where it will receive the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) payload for a February 15 liftoff on a servicing mission to the International Space Station. This milestone Ariane 5 is now in the Spaceport's Final Assembly Building - having been transferred last Friday from the integration facility where it was built up by prime contractor EADS Astrium.

The flight's ATV will be Europe's second such logistics spacecraft lofted by Arianespace, following the initial mission with an Ariane 5 in 2008. Named after German astronomer and mathematician Johannes Kepler, the new ATV will ferry a 7.5-metric ton load of propellant, liquids, gas and dry goods to the International Space Station.

Arianespace's February 15 mission will be the first of six Ariane 5 flights planned by the company in 2011, along with five Soyuz launches and one Vega mission targeted during the year.


Space Adventures to offer commercial flight opportunities to ISS

Space Adventures has announced the conclusion of an agreement with the Federal Space Agency of the Russian Federation (FSA) and Rocket Space Corporation Energia (RSC Energia) to commercially offer three seats on the Soyuz spacecraft bound for the International Space Station (ISS), beginning in 2013.

These seats will be made available through the increase of Soyuz production, from four to five spacecraft per year. Each flight will be short duration, approximately 10 days, and will contribute to the increase of launch capacity to the ISS.

“We are extremely excited to announce this agreement and would like to thank our Russian partners in increasing Soyuz production and providing Space Adventures these well sought-after transportation services on the only commercially available manned spacecraft currently in operation,” said Eric Anderson, Chairman of Space Adventures. “Since Guy Laliberté’s mission, there has been an increase of interest by private individuals, organizations and commercial entities seeking ways to access the space station. We have been speaking with these parties about science, education and multi-media programs and hope to make some major announcements in the coming year.”

Space Adventures became world-renowned 10 years ago with the launch of Dennis Tito, the world’s first privately-funded space explorer. Since then, the company has arranged seven additional missions to the ISS. “Cumulatively, our clients have spent almost three months in space, traveling over 36 million miles, and have been true ambassadors in sharing their experience and explaining to millions of people around the world why it’s important to explore space,” continued Mr. Anderson.

“We are very pleased to continue space tourism with Space Adventures. Also, the addition of a fifth Soyuz spacecraft to the current manifest will add flexibility and redundancy to our ISS transportation capabilities. We welcome the opportunity to increase our efforts to meet the public demand for access to space,” said Alexei Krasnov, Director of Human Spaceflight of FSA.

In support of the continued partnership between FSA, Energia and Space Adventures, Vitaly Lopota, President of RSC Energia, commented, “We were first in the space tourism marketplace and we are glad to expand our capabilities by adding a fifth Soyuz and to use these three additional opportunities for commercial flight participants, starting in 2013.”

Norsat acquires Sinclair Technologies

Norsat International has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire all the shares of Sinclair Technologies Holdings Inc., a leading provider of antenna and RF conditioning products, based in Aurora, Ontario. Norsat will pay US$19.25 million, subject to normal closing adjustments, and will finance the transaction with US$4.75 million from cash, US$12.0 million in debt financing from its principal banker, and 4,028,932 common shares issued from treasury. Of the purchase price, the majority will be paid upfront with the remaining portion being held in escrow and earned out over a period of two years, including the common shares. The acquisition is anticipated to close later this month.

Founded in 1951, Sinclair Technologies Inc. (“Sinclair”), the operating subsidiary of Sinclair Technologies Holdings Inc., is a leading provider of antenna and RF conditioning products, systems and coverage solutions for public safety, defense and private wireless networks. Sinclair offers more than 2,000 different products including Base Station Antennas, Mobile/Transit Antennas, Covert Antennas, Filters, Receiver Multicouplers, and Accessories which are used extensively in public safety and national security communication networks, corporate and commercial communication networks, natural resource management communications systems, road, rail, air, marine and heavy transport communication systems, specialized network applications. Sinclair has industry leading expertise in all aspects of antenna and filter manufacturing. Sinclair’s systems engineers are experienced in custom designing complete systems based on the customer’s unique needs. With a strong focus on R&D and continuous product enhancements, Sinclair continues to expand its product offerings and improve existing designs to better serve its customers. Sinclair has offices in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom and as of September 30, 2010 had approximately 100 employees.

For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2010, Sinclair had revenues of CAD$20.1 million and EBITDA1 of CAD$3.1 million compared to 2009 revenues of CAD$16.1 million and EBITDA of CAD$2.1 million. These results denote another year of continued growth from Sinclair, which has shown a string of consecutive years of increased revenue and earnings, even during the major economic malaise that has affected global markets since 2008. In the last three years the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for revenues was 13% and the CAGR for EBITDA was 26%.

Dr. Amiee Chan, President and CEO of Norsat stated, “This is an exciting day for Norsat shareholders as this acquisition will bolster our revenue base and is expected to be immediately accretive to earnings. Sinclair has experienced rapid growth in the past several years and is expected to continue to grow, which will act as a catalyst for upside potential to this transaction. The acquisition of Sinclair is a perfect complement to our core businesses and keeps to the focal point of our mission of becoming a premier provider of broadband communications solutions for remote and austere regions. In addition, Sinclair will help diversify our markets into the commercial space and into the municipal government level. Sinclair products are being used all over the world and many are located in the harshest of environments. Many of Sinclair’s customers, like Norsat’s, have become accustomed to relying on the delivery of superior products that can withstand severe elements along with offering up the latest technologies and being able at times to provide customized solutions. In addition, we believe that combining forces with Sinclair will create opportunities such as to cross sell our customer base, resell Sinclair’s products using our Microwave division, potentially have target design antennas for our maritime and wireless divisions, and expose Sinclair’s products to our relationships in Europe and the military markets.”

Mr. Calven S. Iwata, President and CEO of Sinclair stated, “We are pleased in joining forces with Norsat which provides us with increased market penetration, especially in the military arena, as well as other synergistic capabilities like combined R&D efforts in other wireless products. This transaction is a good cultural fit as we’ll retain the Sinclair brand, which is well known in our industry. In addition, being part of the Norsat family will enable us to offer broader service and product offerings to our customers and allows us a strong internal continuity amongst our personnel. Once this transaction is closed, I am looking forward to maintaining the leadership role at Sinclair and contributing towards a smooth transition into Norsat. We are delighted to be part of the Norsat team and believe the combination of our companies will enhance the opportunities for long-term growth.”

Josef Vejvoda of Jove Capital Inc. acted as advisor for Sinclair on this transaction.

Level 3 Communications issues Notice of Redemption

Level 3 Communications has called for redemption all of its outstanding $195,702,000 aggregate principal amount of 5.25% Convertible Senior Notes due 2011 at a price equal to 100.75% of the principal amount thereof. These notes mature on December 15, 2011. The redemption date is February 18, 2011.

Additional information regarding the redemption of the notes is available from The Bank of New York Mellon, the trustee with respect to the notes. The company intends to fund the redemption of the notes using a portion of the net proceeds of the sale of Level 3 Communications, Inc.’s newly issued 11.875% Senior Notes due 2019.


Rockwell Collins first quarter fiscal year 2011 earnings per share increase

Rockwell Collins has reported net income of $151 million for the first quarter of fiscal year 2011 ended December 31, 2010, an increase of $30 million, or 25%, from $121 million in the same period last year. Earnings per share improved 20 cents, or 26%, to $0.96 compared to earnings per share of $0.76 for the same period a year ago.

Revenues in the quarter increased $83 million, or 8%, to $1.11 billion from revenues of $1.03 billion in the first quarter of the prior year driven by higher sales in both Commercial Systems and Government Systems. Total segment operating margins were 19.4% for the first quarter of 2011 compared to 19.7% in the first quarter of 2010.

“We are off to a great start for the fiscal year with robust revenue and earnings per share growth,” said Rockwell Collins Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Clay Jones. “In our commercial business, we posted double-digit growth in OEM and aftermarket revenues as the recovery in that market gains momentum and Government Systems continues to contribute meaningful revenue growth through a combination of existing and new program positions.”

Adding to the company’s results for the quarter was the effect of recently enacted legislation that extended the availability of Federal Research and Development (Federal R&D) tax credits through the end of calendar year 2011 with retroactive effect from January 1, 2010. As a result, fiscal year 2011 first quarter earnings per share includes a net benefit of 9 cents per share from income tax related to the recognition of Federal R&D tax credits attributable to the period from January 1, 2010 to September 30, 2010.

Regarding the remainder of fiscal year 2011, Jones went on to state, “With more certainty in tax policy, continued positive trends in our commercial markets and additional clarity into the Pentagon’s priorities, we are gaining confidence in overall market conditions and increasing our earnings per share guidance expectations.”

Following is a discussion of fiscal year 2011 first quarter sales and earnings for each business segment.

Commercial Systems

Commercial Systems, which provides aviation electronics systems, products and services to air transport, business and regional aircraft manufacturers and airlines worldwide, achieved 2011 first quarter sales of $460 million, an increase of $49 million, or 12%, compared to sales of $411 million reported for the same period last year.

Sales related to aircraft original equipment manufacturers increased $32 million, or 16%, to $233 million primarily due to product deliveries for the Boeing 787, Cessna CJ4 and multiple Bombardier platforms. Aftermarket sales increased $33 million, or 20%, to $200 million, including $11 million of incremental sales from the Air Routing acquisition. The 13% increase in organic aftermarket revenue was primarily driven by sales of avionics service and support, and hardware sales to business and regional jet customers. Sales related to wide-body in-flight entertainment products and services decreased $16 million to $27 million.

Commercial Systems 2011 first quarter operating earnings increased 24% to $84 million, resulting in an operating margin of 18.3% compared to operating earnings of $68 million, or an operating margin of 16.5%, for the same period a year ago. The increase in operating earnings and margin was primarily attributable to sales growth.

Government Systems

Government Systems, which provides communication and electronic systems, products and services for airborne and surface applications to the U.S. Department of Defense, state and local governments, other government agencies, civil agencies, defense contractors and foreign ministries of defense, achieved 2011 first quarter sales of $650 million, an increase of $34 million, or 6%, compared to the $616 million reported for the same period last year.

Airborne solutions sales increased $28 million, or 7%, to $438 million from higher revenue for rotary wing platforms, the Common Range Integrated Instrumentation System and the E-2 simulation and training programs partially offset by lower sales on the KC-135 GATM program, which is expected to complete later this year. Surface solutions sales improved $6 million, or 3%, to $212 million as increased revenue for deliveries of iForce systems to the California Highway Patrol was partially offset by the completion of a satellite communication upgrade program.

Government Systems 2011 first quarter operating earnings decreased 2% to $131 million, resulting in an operating margin of 20.2%, compared to operating earnings of $134 million, or an operating margin of 21.8%, for the same period last year. The decrease in operating earnings and margin was primarily the result of higher employee incentive compensation expenses partially offset by lower pension expense and increased earnings from the incremental volume. In addition, the operating margin was adversely impacted by a higher mix of development revenue in the first quarter of 2011 when compared to last year.

SatCom Group Holdings Plc name change to One Horizon Group Plc

SatCom Group Holdings Plc has changed its name to One Horizon Group Plc. This change reflects the company’s new growth strategy and focus on the Horizon communications platform.

One Horizon Group Plc is a holding company with subsidiaries in the satellite communications and telecommunication sectors. The group offers a full range of mobile and fixed satellite products and has expanded into IP (Internet Protocol) based telephony systems through the launch of the Horizon product portfolio in 2010.

Horizon represents an entirely new approach to communications, offering all the features and benefits of a VPN VoIP solution while minimising the use of data. Horizon features ultra-low bandwidth VoIP from as low as 2kbps and an integrated suite of optimised data applications including Internet surfing, email, and instant messaging. Horizon is suitable for deployment over mobile satellite, VSAT, fixed line and mobile telecommunications.

“Aligning our name with our core product more accurately represents the transformation of our business as we enter new global communications markets with the Horizon suite of products” said Sandy Johnson, COO of One Horizon Group Plc.

In addition to the name change, a new subsidiary has been formed to market Horizon outside the satellite industry. Horizon Globex Gmbh, based in Baar, Switzerland, will be responsible for IP based telephony systems development and promoting Horizon to enterprises and service providers.

Today, One Horizon Group Plc has offices in Australia, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Japan, Switzerland, UAE, UK, and USA.