Space Business Review a Monthly Round-Up of Space Industry Developments for the Information of Our Clients and Friends
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Space Business Review A monthly round-up of space industry developments for the information of our clients and friends. October 2016 EUTELSAT, YAHSAT INK CAPACITY DEAL AT&T AGREES TO BUY TIME WARNER On October 27, Eutelsat Communications S.A. On October 24, a little more than a year after (Eutelsat) announced that it entered into a multi- completing the acquisition of DIRECTV, LLC, CONTACTS: year capacity agreement with Al Yah Satellite AT&T Inc. announced that it agreed to acquire Communications Company (Yahsat) whereby Time Warner Inc. (Time Warner) for Dara A. Panahy 202-835-7521 Yahsat will provide capacity of up to 16 Ka-band approximately $108.7b. Based on statements by [email protected] spotbeams to Eutelsat’s African broadband executives of the two companies, the transaction venture, Broadband for Africa, on the Y1B was motivated by the evolving convergence of Bijan Ganji satellite beginning in early 2017, and up to 18 media and distribution channels and the promise 202-835-7543 spotbeams on the Al Yah 3 satellite starting later of synergies through vertical integration, which [email protected] the same year, for the provision of broadband will enable the delivery of high-demand services, services across Sub-Saharan Africa. The new such as video broadcasting, ahead of capacity effectively replaces the payload Eutelsat competitors. Based on current figures, following To learn about Milbank’s contracted for on the AMOS-6 satellite, which closing, Time Warner will represent roughly 15% Space Business Practice, or was lost in a launchpad explosion in September. of the combined company’s total revenues. view previous issues of the ARIANESPACE TWO-SATELLITE LAUNCH DIGITALGLOBE TO ACQUIRE RADIANT Space Business Review, On October 5, Arianespace S.A. successfully On October 11, DigitalGlobe Inc. (DigitalGlobe) please visit www.milbank.com. launched the Sky Muster™ II satellite for announced that it agreed to acquire its largest The information contained Australian national satellite operator NBN Co customer, geospatial analytics company The herein is provided for Limited (NBN) and the GSAT-18 satellite for the Radiant Group, from private equity firm Aston informational purposes only Indian Space Research Organisation on an Capital for $140m. The acquisition is expected to and should not be construed Ariane 5 launch vehicle. NBN will use Sky expand DigitalGlobe’s geospatial services as legal advice on any subject Muster™ II to provide broadband Internet business and enhance its competitive profile in matter. Recipients of this service to rural and isolated regions of Australia both the commercial and government sectors. publication should not take or and nearby islands, supplementing the service refrain from taking any action OCTOBER LAUNCH SERVICES ORDERS already provided by NBN’s Sky Muster™ I based upon content included October 11 – Terra Bella, a Google company, satellite. As with Sky Muster™ I, Sky Muster™ II herein. If you do not wish to contracted with Spaceflight Industries, Inc. was manufactured by Space Systems Loral. receive this newsletter, please (Spaceflight) for the launch of an unspecified GSAT-18 is equipped with Ku- and C-band send an e-mail to number of Terra Bella’s SkySat satellites on a [email protected] transponders and will be used to provide Space Exploration Technologies Corp. Falcon with the word “unsubscribe” in telecommunications services for users across 9 launch vehicle in late 2017. Intended to be used the subject line. India from the 74°E orbital position. for sub-meter 3D mapping of the Earth, the © 2016 - Milbank, Tweed, OCTOBER SATELLITE ORDERS Skysat satellites will be joined on the launch by a Hadley & McCloy LLP. October 11 – Eutelsat Communications S.A. number of microsats and cubesats of other announced that it selected Orbital ATK Inc. commercial and government customers, making (Orbital) and Airbus Defence and Space the launch Spaceflight’s first Sun-Synchronous (Airbus) to co-manufacture the EUTELSAT 5 Orbit dedicated rideshare mission. West B satellite, with Orbital building the October 11 – Eutelsat Communications S.A. GEOStar™ platform and Airbus supplying the (Eutelsat) announced that it selected ILS communications payload, marking the first such International Launch Services Inc. (ILS) to collaboration between the manufacturers. launch the EUTELSAT 5 West B satellite on a October 21 – Thaicom Public Company Proton Breeze M launch vehicle. Scheduled for Limited (Thaicom) announced that, through its Q4 2018, the launch, which will be ILS’ first subsidiary International Satellite Company commercial shared launch using the Proton Limited, it selected China Great Wall Industry Breeze M, will also include the MEV-1, Orbital’s Corporation to manufacture a Ka-band satellite first Mission Extension Vehicle. In a related already leased to a currently undisclosed development, Eutelsat announced that the third business partner to provide broadband and launch under its existing Multi-Launch mobility services for the Asia-Pacific region. Agreement with ILS will employ the new Proton Thaicom is funding the procurement through Medium launch vehicle, a two-stage version of advanced services fees received from, and plans the Proton Breeze M that is optimized for small- to operate the satellite using the orbital slot and and medium-class satellites. The Proton Medium regulatory licenses of, the business partner. mission is scheduled to occur in 2019 or 2020. Milbank.com .