NOVEMBER 10, 2014 INSIDE Launch Report See page 16 www.spacenews.com VOLUME 25 ISSUE 44 $4.95 ($7.50 Non-U.S.)

PROFILE/22> TORY COMMERCIAL SPACEFLIGHT ACCIDENTS AFTERMATH BRUNO Twin Failures Draw Attention To PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE, UNITED LAUNCH ALLIANCE Regulator’s Limited Resources JEFF FOUST, WASHINGTON AST is supporting the investigations of INSIDE THIS ISSUE both accidents, but is not leading either. he low-profile approach that the U.S. Orbital Sciences is leading its investigation of Federal Aviation Administration’s the Antares failure, establishing an accident LAUNCH INDUSTRY Tcommercial space office had taken investigation board Nov. 3 whose membership to two launch accidents in less than a week includes current and former NASA officials Proton Concerns Slow Astra 2G Launch Prep has won praise from industry, but some as well as company executives. The National Insurance underwriters for the SES telecom satellite, scheduled for a Nov. 28 launch, continue worry the concurrent investigations may be Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is to raise questions about the Oct. 22 launch of Russia’s Express-AM6 satellite. See story, page 10 putting a strain on the small office. leading the SpaceShipTwo investigation under The FAA’s Office of Commercial Space terms of a memorandum of understanding Transportation (AST) licensed the Oct. 28 with AST last updated in 2004. ESA Outlines Ariane 6 Cost Savings launch of an Orbital Sciences Corp. Antares AST’s work has, as a result, been behind A 19-page response to questions posed by Germany says the new Ariane 6 will cost ESA governments rocket that failed seconds after liftoff from the scenes, with Orbital and NTSB being less to use than the current Ariane 5 and Europeanized Russian Soyuz rocket. See story, page 9 the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in the public faces of their respective investiga- Virginia. AST also issued an experimental tions. However, those in industry familiar Orbital Nears Settlement with Subcontractor permit to Scaled Composites for test flights with those efforts complimented the agency Integrated Systems and Machinery says it is turning over hardware needed for upgrades to the of SpaceShipTwo, which crashed Oct. 31 for its efforts. Virginia spaceport Orbital uses for space station cargo launches. See story, page 12 near Mojave, California, killing one of the vehicle’s two pilots and injuring the other. SEE FAA PAGE 6 MILITARY SPACE

Raytheon Team Wins Range Support Contract Q Turbopump in AJ-26 Engine Implicated in Antares Rocket Failure The Launch and Test Range System Integrated Support Contract, potentially worth $2 billion, Q consolidates three contracts supporting the U.S. Air Force’s launch ranges. See story, page 4 Orbital To Accelerate Upgraded Antares, Use Other Vehicles for Cygnus U.S. Allies Generally Agree: WGS Cheaper Q SpaceShipTwo Investigation Focuses on Vehicle’s Feathering System Governments that purchased shares in the Wideband Global Satcom constellation support a U.S. Stories, pages 6-8 Air Force report saying bandwidth on commercial satellites is far more costly. See story, page 10 SATELLITE TELECOM Iridium Down to a Single On-orbit Spare Iridium is down to a single spare after losing the use of two more satellites. But with new satellites launching in 2015, the company doesn’t foresee service disruptions. See story, page 14 EchoStar Targets 2016 for Solaris Mobile Service EchoStar’s satellite-terrestrial broadband service, Solaris Mobile, will launch its EchoStar 21 satellite in early 2016, with commercial service to begin later that year. See story, page 14 Intelsat’s Africa Business Stabilizes Intelsat said its business in Africa has stabilized but that second-tier fleet operators are offering cut-rate transponder capacity that maintains pricing pressure. See story, page 15

>FEATURES

3 NEWS BRIEFS/ NTSB PHOTO Virgin Galactic pilot Todd Ericson (left) shares information at the SpaceShipTwo accident site with NTSB Acting 18COMMENTARY Chairman Christopher Hart (right) and investigators.

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The test marked the 29th intercept in Eumetsat To Provide Ocean 35 attempts for the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense program since 2002, according Data for Copernicus Program to the MDA release. Europe’s meteorological satellite organization, Eumetsat, will provide ocean- altimetry data from the Jason-3, Sentinel-3 NASA Approves Exoplanet and follow-on satellites in support of the European Commission’s Copernicus Earth Mission for Development observation program under a contract with NASA announced Nov. 7 that it has given

the commission signed Nov. 7. approval for development to proceed of U.K. SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY FACILITIES COUNCIL PHOTO Under the contract, the commission will the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite U.K. Infrared Telescope pay Darmstadt, Germany-based Eumetsat (TESS), a spacecraft to search for extrasolar 229 million euros ($286 million) for planets around the brightest stars in the sky. Eumetsat’s exploitation of these satellites’ TESS passed a confirmation review, Telescope Gets Second Life as Part-time Debris Hunter data for the Copernicus marine service project officials said, which allows the A large ground-based telescope useful about our universe, as well as the space starting in 2015. mission to move into the development for studying orbital debris as well as tra- surrounding our planet.” The 30-nation Eumetsat has a major role phase. NASA selected TESS as part of its ditional astronomical targets has been Lockheed Martin said it is specifically in Copernicus alongside the commission, Explorer program of small astrophysics given a second life under a cooperative using the telescope to study orbital debris. which owns the program; and the 20-nation missions in April 2013. agreement involving NASA, Lockheed The U.K. Science & Technology European Space Agency, which is technical “After spending the past year building Martin Space Systems, the University of Facilities Council, citing budget con- manager of the satellite segment under a the team and honing the design, it is incred- Hawaii and the University of Arizona. straints, planned to shut down the 3.15-billion-euro contract signed Oct. 16. ibly exciting to be approved to move forward The 3.8-meter infrared telescope — telescope in 2013 unless someone stepped Among its other roles, Eumetsat has toward implementing NASA’s newest exo- one of the largest dedicated infrared forward to operate it. A call for proposals agreed to fly Copernicus’ Sentinel-4 and planet hunting mission,” Jeff Volosin, TESS telescopes in the world and once on track was issued and the Lockheed Martin and Sentinel-5 payloads on Eumetsat geosta- program manager at NASA’s Goddard for closure — is part of Hawaii’s Mauna University of Hawaii group submitted tionary and polar-orbiting meteorological Space Flight Center, said in a statement Kea Observatory. Built in the 1970s for one of two offers the council received. satellite missions as hosted payloads looking announcing the successful review. Great Britain, the United Kingdom “The telescope remains a very at atmospheric composition and air quality. The mission, scheduled for launch in Infrared Telescope was owned by the powerful instrument at the peak of its Philippe Brunet, director of aerospace, 2017, will place a spacecraft built by Orbital U.K. Science & Technology Facilities performance, and I am confident that it maritime, security and defence industries Sciences Corp. into a high Earth orbit. The Council until Oct. 31, when ownership will continue to produce exciting results at the commission’s Directorate General spacecraft’s cameras will look for small, transferred to the University of Hawaii. under the new operational arrange- for Enterprise and Industry, signed the periodic variations in the brightness of “Our team, composed of the universi- ments,” Pat Roche, chairman of the U.K. contract with Eumetsat Director-General stars caused by planets passing in front of ties of Arizona and Hawaii and NASA, Infrared Telescope board of directors, Alain Ratier. the star, a technique also used by NASA’s will extend the life of this important tele- said in a statement. Kepler spacecraft. scope,” Matthew Bold, Lockheed Martin The new operators are expected to TESS will monitor the brightness of program manager, said in a Nov. 6 press refurbish some of the telescope’s other Three Targets Intercepted more than 500,000 stars during its planned release. “We plan to grow capability and instruments, according to the University two-year mission. Scientists anticipate the continue addressing pressing questions of Hawaii. In U.S. Aegis ‘Raid’ Test mission will discover more than 5,000 Three missile targets were engaged potential exoplanets, including 50 the and destroyed over the Pacific Ocean by size of Earth. eliminating the need for solar panels. In two finalists around June. Final selection a like number of Raytheon-built intercep- the Discovery solicitation just released, is expected in September, according to tors fired from a U.S. Navy destroyer in an NASA took care to block a possible NASA’s announcement of opportunity. Nov. 6 exercise testing the Aegis missiles NASA Drops Discovery Mission loophole for nuclear-powered proposals shield’s response to a multitiered attack. by prohibiting technology demonstrations SEE NEWS BRIEFS PAGE 11 “This test showcases the U.S.’s ability Laser Comm Requirement of radioisotope power systems. to defend against numerous ballistic and NASA on Nov. 5 released the final The final solicitation also imposes cruise missile threats in ‘raid’ scenarios,” solicitation for its next Discovery-class strict limits on non-U.S. contributions Raytheon Missile Systems President Taylor planetary science mission, which must to proposed missions. As NASA outlined Lawrence said in a press release the Tucson, launch by Dec. 31, 2021, and cost no more in a draft solicitation released during Arizona-based company issued after the than $450 million to build. the summer, non-U.S. contributions are test. “No other nation in the world has In an about-face, NASA decided not to limited to one-third of the total mission the capability to do what the U.S. Navy require Discovery proposals for missions development cost. The same one-third and Missile Defense Agency demonstrated going beyond the Moon to carry an experi- limit also applies the chosen mission’s today.” mental laser communications payload that science payload. The targets — one short-range ballistic weighs roughly 25 kilograms and draws Discovery’s $450 million cost cap missile and two cruise missiles — were all about 75 watts. In March, Michael New, the does not include the price of launch, CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF REPORTING launched from the Pacific Missile Range Discovery program’s chief scientist, told which NASA pays for separately. However, Facility on Kauai, Hawaii, at 5:03 p.m. members of the NASA Advisory Council’s missions that require a bigger launch ON THE BUSINESS AND POLITICS OF SPACE Eastern time, the MDA said in a press planetary science subcommittee the equip- vehicle than the unspecified intermediate- release. An AN/SPY-1 radar aboard the USS ment would likely be mandatory. class launcher NASA has built into its John Paul Jones detected and tracked the Now, according to the final solicita- budget assumptions may be required to (ISSN 2328-9376) three targets. The destroyer, equipped with tion, “the use of any NASA-developed offset additional launch costs. Is published weekly, except for one week in August and two weeks in December, by SpaceNews Inc., 1414 Prince Street, Suite 300, Alexandria, the Lockheed Martin-built Aegis Weapon technology is strictly optional.” The solicitation also bars teams from Va. 22314-2853, USA. SpaceNews is not a publication of NASA. Annual subscription rates: $209 U.S. Domestic mail; $229 Canada; $279 System, quickly fired two Standard Missile However, NASA is offering a $30 million proposing launching their spacecraft as International mail. Periodicals postage paid at Alexandria, Va., and at other mailing offices. Postmaster: Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 707.4.12.5); (SM)-2 Block 3A interceptors to destroy bonus to missions that volunteer to carry secondary payloads. All missions must NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: send address corrections to the low-flying cruise missiles and an SM)-3 the laser communications equipment, be the primary payload on their launch SpaceNews, P.O. Box 16, Congers, NY 10920-0016. SpaceNews is registered with the British Postal System and Canada Post International Publications Block 1B to take out the ballistic missile. which NASA is now calling a Deep Space vehicle, NASA said. Mail (Canada Distribution) Sales Agreement No. 546046. To order Space News, to change an address or for subscription information, call our toll After reaching space, the SM-3 released Optical Communications payload. The Investigators also may not propose free number (in the U.S.) 866-429-2199, or write to SpaceNews, Customer Service, P O Box 16, Congers, NY 10920-0016 or email spacenews@ its kinetic warhead, which acquired and extra funding, provided on top of the using Discovery funds to contribute to cambeywest.com. For changes of address, attach an address label from a tracked the target missile’s re-entry vehicle $450 million mission-development cap, some larger mission by, for example, recent issue. Telephone numbers: Main: 571-421-2300; Circulation: 866-429- 2199, fax 845-267-3478; Advertising: 571-356-9618. Photocopy permission: For and moved into its path, destroying it with would pay for the hardware, integration building an instrument for a non-NASA permission to reuse material from SpaceNews Inc., ISSN 2328-9376, please access www.copyright.com or contact the Copyright Clearance Center, the direct impact. and support personnel associated with space probe. NASA calls such projects Inc. (CCC), 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400. CCC is a not-for-profit organization that provides licenses and registration The exercise, known as FTM-25, adding the payload. “missions of opportunity,” and expressly for a variety of uses. For bulk reprint requests of more than 500, send to enables ships “to defend themselves against Meanwhile, mission planners are forbids them in the latest Discovery SpaceNews Attn: Reprint Department. incoming cruise missiles while simulta- still barred from using nuclear batteries solicitation. neously tracking and defeating ballistic known as radioisotope power systems. The Scientists planning to submit proposals missiles threatening other areas,” said Riki Mars rover Curiosity uses such a power by the Feb. 16 deadline must first turn Ellison, founder of the Missile Defense source, which converts waste heat from in a notice of intent by Dec. 5. NASA Advocacy Alliance. decaying plutonium 238 into electricity, expects to narrow the field to at least 4 www.spacenews.com November 10, 2014 Raytheon Team Wins $2 Billion USAF Range Support Contract MIKE GRUSS, WASHINGTON PAE supports Cape Canaveral; InDyne supports Vandenberg; and Exelis provides The U.S. Air Force awarded the sustainment at both sites. Contractors Raytheon-led industry team Range have been receiving gap contracts for Generation Next LLC a contract poten- several months in anticipation of the tially worth $2 billion to support the final award. U.S. Air Force’s two main launch ranges Work under the new deal is expected through 2024. to begin Nov. 10. “I am proud of the men and women The Air Force first issued a “sources who operate, maintain, and sustain our sought” notice for LISC in 2009, but a ranges and the track record of mission contract award has been delayed several success built over the years,” Gen. John times, including to carve out a portion Hyten, commander of Air Force Space of the work for small businesses. Command, said in a Nov. 6 statement. “We are currently experiencing sig- “With LISC, we will continue to provide nificant duplication of work because the same great range capability but now no single contractor is responsible for at a much more affordable price.” total system performance of the Eastern LISC — short for Launch and Test Range and Western Range,” Lt. Gen. Range System Integrated Support Ellen Pawlikowski, then the commander Contract — consolidates three contracts of the Air Force Space and Missile Center, currently supporting the Air Force’s wrote in a 2013 article for the Air & Space launch ranges at Cape Canaveral Air Power Journal. “This effort is designed Force Station in Florida and Vandenberg to enhance mission effectiveness and Air Force Base in California. generate cost efficiencies at both the The 10-year effort is part of a broad Eastern Range and Western Range, which strategy by the Air Force to consolidate allows us to reinvest the savings in the many of its ground support contracts as ranges.” operating budgets shrink and the possi- The announcement said four teams bility of the automatic budget cuts known bid on the contract. as sequestration lingers. The deal includes The other three teams were: nine one-year options, according to the n Consolidated Range Enterprise, Federal Business Opportunities website. whose members include Lockheed The LISC contract is considered the Martin Information Systems and Global cornerstone of that effort. Officials at Solutions of Gaithersburg, Maryland; the Space and Missile Systems Center at InDyne Corp. of Reston; and URS Corp. Los Angeles Air Force Base, the service’s of San Francisco. space acquisition arm, told SpaceNews n InSpace21, whose members include in February the deal was one of its top PAE of Arlington and Honeywell Corp. priorities for 2014. of Morristown, New Jersey. This team The Range Generation Next team is formerly included CSC, which sold its led by Raytheon Technical Services of applied technologies business to PAE Reston, Virginia, which also includes this year. General Dynamics of Falls Church, n Exelis Information Systems of Virginia; ASRC Aerospace Corp. of McLean, Virginia, which bid with Greenbelt, Maryland; ARES Corp. of BAE Systems of Arlington and L-3 Burlingame, California; Schafer Corp. Communications of New York. of Arlington, Virginia.; and Primus Solutions of Greenbelt. Twitter: @Gruss_SN Currently, a team of Raytheon and Email: [email protected]

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mobility.intelsatgeneral.com 6 www.spacenews.com November 10, 2014 COMMERCIAL SPACEFLIGHT ACCIDENTS AFTERMATH Turbopump in AJ-26 Engine Implicated in Antares Failure JEFF FOUST, WASHINGTON according to documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Initial analysis of data from the Oct. 28 Oct. 10. The company cited costs incurred failure of an Orbital Sciences Corp. Antares in previous test failures of the engine. rocket indicates that a turbopump in one of The ongoing Antares failure investiga- the two main engines on the rocket’s first tion is being performed by a seven-person stage malfunctioned seconds after liftoff, team that the company announced on Nov. company executives said Nov. 5. 3. Leading that Antares launch failure “Current evidence strongly suggests Accident Investigation Board is David Steffy, that one of the two AJ-26 main engines the chief engineer of Orbital’s Advanced that powered Antares’ first stage failed Programs Group. about 15 seconds after ignition,” David Three other Orbital officials are on the W. Thompson, chief executive of Orbital board: David Cooper, a member of the Sciences, said in a conference call with Independent Readiness Review Team in the financial analysts. company’s Launch Systems Group; David “At this time, we believe the failure Swanson, senior director for safety and likely originated in, or directly affected, mission assurance for Orbital’s Technical the turbopump machinery of this engine,” Operations organization; and Eric Wood, he said, adding that more analysis was director of propulsion engineering in the needed before the company could reach Launch Systems Group. a definitive conclusion about the failure. Two NASA officials are also part of the The AJ-26 engine, a refurbished version board: Tom Costello, the launch vehicle of the Soviet-era NK-33 engine provided assessment manager for the International

by Aerojet Rocketdyne, has been the focus TELEVISION Space Station Program; and Matt Lacey,

of speculation about the failure since the NASA senior vehicle systems engineer for the

accident. Video of the launch showed the > “Current evidence strongly suggests that one of the two AJ-26 main engines that powered Antares’ first stage failed about 15 NASA Launch Services Program. Wayne plume from the engines brighten about seconds after ignition,” David W. Thompson, chief executive of Orbital Sciences, said in a conference call with financial analysts. Hale, an independent consultant and 10 seconds after liftoff, followed by an former manager of NASA’s space shuttle explosion at the aft end of the first stage. announced by Orbital Nov. 5, the company Asked during the conference call if program during its return to flight after The rocket then fell back to Earth, trig- is accelerating development of an upgraded the decision to discontinue the AJ-26 was the 2003 Columbia accident, is the board’s gering a larger explosion that destroyed version of the Antares rocket that will linked to a “fundamental reliability issue” final member. the rocket and the Cygnus cargo spacecraft replace the AJ-26 engines with an alterna- with the engine, Thompson responded, “I The Federal Aviation Administration’s it was carrying. tive engine. That engine has been selected, would say that’s a good assessment.” Office of Commercial Space Transportation The AJ-26 engine has performed but the company has not announced that Thompson said it was premature to (AST), which licensed the Antares launch, normally on four previous launches of choice, citing competitive reasons. discuss any contractual implications of is providing oversight of the investigation. the Antares rocket, dating back to April Thompson said it is highly unlikely discontinuing use of the AJ-26 engines AST chief engineer Michael Kelly and 2013. However, an AJ-26 failed during a Orbital will use the AJ-26 on any future earlier than planned. Aerojet Rocketdyne mishap response coordinator Marcus Ward test at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in launches. “We will likely discontinue the did not respond to a request for comment are supporting the Orbital investigation. Mississippi in May, and another failed due use of the AJ-26 rocket engines,” he said, on its AJ-26 contract with Orbital. The to a fuel leak during a test there in 2011. “unless and until those engines can be company reported a loss of $17.5 million in Twitter: @jeff_foust As part of the “go-forward” plan conclusively shown to be flightworthy.” its latest fiscal quarter on its AJ-26 contract, Email: [email protected]

FAA FROM PAGE 1 commercial space transportation and its support of the NTSB-led — what the industry has termed accident, some companies had industry were worried before the SpaceShipTwo investigation,” he a “learning period” — was to been lobbying for an additional “They have done an excellent recent launch failures about AST’s said. allow vehicle developers to gain extension of the learning period, job given the resources they have ability to keep up with a projected Price acknowledged that the experience upon which regula- citing the limited flight experience available,” said Michael Gold, increase in orbital and suborbital investigations were putting a strain tions could later be based. This of suborbital vehicle developers. chairman of the Commercial launches given its flat budgets. on AST’s resources. “The ongoing restriction was originally set to Stallmer said he does not think Space Transportation Advisory “Resources and manpower were investigations have significantly expire in December 2012, but an the prospects for an extension Committee, which provides advice an issue prior to these accidents,” intensified the demand on AST FAA authorization act passed in are doomed despite the accident. and recommendations to AST. he said. “Those issues will be more resources,” he said. “As necessary, early 2012 extended it to October “The accident will help with “I think what they’re doing is acute going forward.” we will prioritize our activities 1, 2015. the discussion about the learning rational and reasonable,” Mark Eric Stallmer, president of going forward to meet our public The learning period, however, period. The approach is the right Sirangelo, corporate vice presi- the Commercial Spaceflight safety mandates.” Those mandates, is not a firm moratorium against one,” he said. He hoped Congress dent and head of space systems for would ultimately approve an exten- Sierra Nevada Corp., said of AST sion but was not sure by how many during a speech at a Washington years. Space Business Roundtable “Resources and manpower were an issue prior to these accidents. However, industry officials luncheon Nov. 6. “I don’t think acknowledge that over time they’re disengaged, I think they’re Those issues will be more acute going forward.” they will be subject to additional letting the primary research and regulations from AST. “I think evaluation happen first. I think we expected to have oversight,” that’s the way it should be.” Michael Gold Sirangelo said. “We fully expect Gold, though, was worried that that we’re going to get regulated.” the simultaneous investigations Gold noted that commercial were stretching those resources Federation, agreed with that he said, including support of inves- regulations: The 2004 act allows launch providers already have to thin. The office received $16 assessment. “AST could use more tigations as well as oversight of AST to enact safety regulations comply with AST regulations to million for 2014, and the FAA resources,” he said in a Nov. 6 inter- licensed and permitted launches. in the event of a serious or fatal avoid causing injuries or damage requested $16.6 million for AST view. “They’re doing a lot with less.” The SpaceShipTwo accident in injury, or an unplanned event to third parties. Neither accident in its 2015 budget proposal. An FAA spokesman Hank Price, particular opens the door for AST that carried a high risk of such an caused any injuries beyond the appropriations bill approved by the in a written response to questions to develop new regulations for the injury, during a licensed or per- two SpaceShipTwo pilots. Senate Appropriations Committee Nov. 6, declined to specify how industry. The Commercial Space mitted flight. The SpaceShipTwo “It’s important not to lose sight June 5 would fund the office at many of AST’s 81 staff members Launch Amendments Act of 2004 accident now allows AST to develop of the fact that no third parties that higher level, but a similar have been assigned to support the temporarily restricted the ability such regulations, so long as they were harmed,” he said of the two bill passed by the full House of two investigations. “AST is devoting of AST to regulate the safety of apply to design features or oper- accidents. “The system is working.” Representatives June 10 provides significant resources towards both people who fly on commercial ating practices directly linked to only $16 million for AST. its oversight of the Antares inves- launch vehicles. the accident. Twitter: @jeff_foust Gold said he and others in the tigation with Orbital Sciences, The purpose of this restriction Prior to the SpaceShipTwo Email: [email protected] www.spacenews.com 7 November 10, 2014 COMMERCIAL SPACEFLIGHT ACCIDENTS AFTERMATH Orbital To Accelerate New Antares, Use Other Vehicles for Cygnus JEFF FOUST, WASHINGTON with the capacity on the alter- native launch vehicles Orbital Orbital Sciences Corp. is considering, he said Orbital announced Nov. 5 it would believes it can transport the cargo accelerate the introduction planned for the remaining five of an upgraded version of its flights under its CRS contract with Antares launch vehicle after NASA on four missions. an Oct. 28 launch failure, and “The Cygnus capacity will would use other launch vehicles expand, on average, to about for Cygnus missions to the inter- 3,300 kilograms,” he said, national space station until the compared with 2,600 to 2,700 kilo- new Antares is ready. grams of cargo planned for each Under the “go-forward” of the remaining Cygnus missions plan the company announced, using the original Antares. Orbital will perform one or Thompson said that Orbital two launches of Cygnus cargo will not ask NASA for additional vehicles using a launch vehicle yet funding for its CRS contract for to be announced. Orbital Chief using these alternative launch Executive David W. Thompson options and would offer only said in a conference call with “modest, if any, short-term delays” financial analysts that the for cargo delivery. He said Orbital company is in discussions with has discussed its plans with NASA three companies, two American “at a conceptual level” but that and one European, to perform details were still subject to change. those launches. NASA spokeswoman Rachel “Indications at this point are Kraft said Nov. 7 the agency was favorable that these launch opera- still studying what modifications tors do have available capacity might be required to Orbital’s that is suitable for Cygnus CRS contract if it does use dif- launches as early as the second ferent launch vehicles for its quarter of 2015,” Thompson said. remaining missions.

That capacity, he said, extends PHOTO Thompson said that Orbital’s through late 2016. A decision costs for carrying out its plans on the launch vehicle they will SCIENCES “are not expected to be material”

use will be made within a month, ORBITAL for 2015 as a whole. “The exact

he said. > “Indications at this point are favorable that these launch operators do have available capacity that is suitable for Cygnus launches as early as the second magnitude and timing of quar- Thompson declined to quarter of 2015,” Orbital Chief Executive David W. Thompson said, though he declined to identify the specific companies or vehicles Orbital is considering. terly changes will depend on identify the specific companies which of several specific varia- or vehicles Orbital is considering. approach that we’ve chosen for engine manufactured by Russian The new Antares would tions on the overall plan we settle Speculation, however, has focused the new Antares main propul- company NPO Energomash. That begin launches some time in on,” he said. on three companies: Arianespace, sion system,” Thompson said engine has been rumored to be a 2016, Thompson said. With Space Exploration Technologies on the call when asked if the candidate for Antares, along with the increased capacity of the Twitter: @jeff_foust Corp. and United Launch company had selected the RD-193 a solid-rocket motor from ATK. upgraded Antares, coupled Email: [email protected] Alliance. None of the three companies would confirm that it is in discussions with Orbital Sciences regarding launching Your Satellites Across North America, Cygnus spacecraft. Answering the Call On the Nov. 5 call, Thompson the Middle East, Europe, Africa, did specifically rule out using for Greater Coverage Russia and Asia the lower position of an Ariane 5 Spacecom operates the AMOS satellite constellation, vehicle. While the Ariane 5 could consisting of the AMOS-2 and AMOS-3 satellites accommodate the Cygnus, he co-located at 4°W, AMOS-5 located at 17°E, said those launches go to dif- and AMOS-4 launched in 2013 to 65°E. ferent orbits not compatible The AMOS satellites provide high-quality broadcast with missions to the ISS. Industry and communications services in North America, sources said that it is unlikely the Middle East, Europe, Africa, Russia and Asia. Orbital would acquire a dedicated Ariane 5 launch given the vehi- With the launch of AMOS-6 to 4°W in 2015, cle’s expense and a full manifest Spacecom will enhance coverage over Europe and of other missions. the Middle East with its new Pan-European beam, Thompson said that Orbital and further strengthen its position as a global satellite also would accelerate the intro- operator. duction of an upgraded version of Antares with a new first-stage Let Spacecom answer your call for high-quality propulsion system. Thompson satellite coverage. Contact us today. declined to identify the engine the company has selected because Meet us at SATCON 2014 “Antares continues to be in con- tention for a number of new November 12-13 launch contracts,” which would Meeting Room 1A02 likely include the competition for the follow-on to the company’s current Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) cargo contract www.amos-spacecom.com Connect with us: for the ISS. Proposals for that competition are due to NASA Int. Tel: +972.3.755.1000 by Dec. 2. Email: [email protected] “I would prefer to wait a bit before being specific about the 8 www.spacenews.com November 10, 2014 COMMERCIAL SPACEFLIGHT ACCIDENTS AFTERMATH SpaceShipTwo Investigation Focuses on Feathering System JEFF FOUST, WASHINGTON undergoing a series of ground tests. Hart said that there was no evidence of Investigators with the U.S. National problems with the engine prior to the vehicle’s Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have breakup. Investigators had found the engine found that a “feathering” system on Virgin and propellant tanks in the 8-kilometer-long Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo suborbital spaceplane SpaceShipTwo debris field north of Mojave. appeared to prematurely deploy on its fatal “All were intact, showed no signs of burn- Oct. 31 test flight and may have caused the through, no signs of being breached,” he vehicle to break apart. said of the engines and tanks. “The engine At a press conference at the Mojave Air and burn was normal up until the extension of Space Port in California late Nov. 2, NTSB the feathers.” Acting Chairman Christopher Hart said telem- Hart, speaking at the final NTSB press con- etry and video from SpaceShipTwo indicated ference in Mojave on Nov. 3, said the on-scene that the vehicle’s co-pilot, Michael Alsbury, had phase of the investigation would be wrapping unlocked the vehicle’s feathering mechanism up within days. The overall investigation may about nine seconds into the vehicle’s powered take up to a year to complete, although Hart flight, earlier than required under normal suggested the NTSB may be able to complete its procedures. work more quickly because of the large amount SpaceShipTwo is designed to raise, or of data available to them from the flight. “feather,” its twin tail booms during re-entry, In its Nov. 4 statement, Virgin Galactic reconfiguring the vehicle for increased drag said it planned to continue construction of a and stability. The feathering system is not second SpaceShipTwo at the company’s Mojave designed to be engaged during powered flight, factory. The second SpaceShipTwo is about 65 and the tail booms are lowered back to their percent complete. normal position after re-entry to allow the At a media tour of the factory in October, vehicle to glide to a runway landing. The Virgin Galactic executives said that second feathering system had been successfully tested SpaceShipTwo would be ready for test flights on a number of powered and unpowered test in 2015 and commercial service in 2016. The flights dating back to May 2011. company’s Nov. 4 statement gave no timeline Hart said SpaceShipTwo was released for completing the vehicle. normally from its carrier aircraft, “Shortly after the feathering occurred, the crew and the vehicle, to look at issues such as Virgin Galactic and its founder, Sir Richard WhiteKnightTwo, and ignited its hybrid rocket telemetry data terminated and the video data displays, checklist design, and other issues.” Branson, were initially cautious when discussing engine. “About nine seconds after the engine terminated,” Hart said. Although the NTSB has stopped short the company’s prospects. Asked at a Nov. 1 ignited, telemetry data told us, showed us, that A camera in the cockpit of SpaceShipTwo of blaming the accident on the premature press conference in Mojave what the future of the feather parameters changed from ‘lock’ confirmed the telemetry data indicating the unlocking of the feathering mechanism, Virgin Virgin Galactic was, Branson paused for several to ‘unlock,’” he said. feather had been unlocked. “Review of that Galactic went further in a statement issued seconds before answering. “We’d love to finish SpaceShipTwo’s feathering system requires camera is consistent with that telemetry data, Nov. 4. “The NTSB indicated that the lock/ what we started some years ago,” he said. “I the pilots to first unlock the system by moving and shows that the feather lock-unlock lever was unlock lever was pulled prematurely based think pretty much all of our astronauts would one handle, and then move another handle to moved, by the co-pilot, from the lock position on recorded speed at the time, and they have love us to finish it so they can go to space.” raise the tail booms. Hart said that there was to the unlock position,” he said. suggested that subsequent aerodynamic forces In a blog post the Virgin Group web site no telemetry to indicate that the pilots delib- Hart declined to speculate on why the then deployed the feathering mechanism, on Nov. 6, Branson was more confident about erately engaged the feather after unlocking it. feather was unlocked, saying he was offering which resulted in the in-flight separation of Virgin Galactic’s future, saying only a “very few” “Approximately two seconds after the feath- “a statement of fact, and not a statement of the wings and vehicle,” the company said in of the more than 700 people who purchased ering parameters indicated that the lock-unlock cause” about the accident. He said the NTSB the statement. tickets to fly on SpaceShipTwo has requested lever was moved from ‘lock’ to ‘unlock,’ the was not ruling out any potential causes of the The findings come after early speculation refunds since the accident. feathers moved towards the extended position, accident, including pilot error, at this stage of about the cause of the accident, which killed “All of their deposits are fully refundable, the deployed position, even though the feather the investigation. Alsbury and injured pilot Peter Siebold, had but so far we have had very few customers handle itself had not been moved,” Hart said. At a Nov. 3 press conference in Mojave, Hart centered on the vehicle’s rocket motor. That request refunds,” he said. “On the contrary, According to the NTSB, normal flight said investigators had established a “human engine had experienced lengthy delays in its we have had inquiries about purchasing Virgin procedures for SpaceShipTwo call for the performance” group to work alongside groups development, and this year Virgin Galactic Galactic tickets this week.” feather to be unlocked once the vehicle’s speed studying debris, data, and other information announced it was switching the engine’s solid exceeds Mach 1.4. On the Oct. 31 flight, the about the accident. That group, he said, will fuel. The Oct. 31 flight was the first time that Twitter: @jeff_foust feathers engaged at approximately Mach 1.0. examine “the interface between the flight revised motor had powered SpaceShipTwo after Email: [email protected]

University of North Carolina SEDS commitment to safety. “The thing Commercial Space Advocates Remain Confident chapter, was already underway when to do is to acknowledge the chal- the SpaceShipTwo accident took lenges we’re facing and make sure JEFF FOUST, DURHAM, N.C. bound for the international space she argued, would publicly support place on the afternoon of Oct. 31. we’re doing everything possible to station, and the Oct. 31 crash of funding Russia. “We have a program The conference continued uninter- mitigate those challenges using the After two high-profile com- Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo that is sustainable throughout what rupted despite the accident, although best technologies, the best systems, mercial space accidents in less spaceplane during a test flight, killing are going to be some difficult days some speakers changed the topics of and the best approaches,” he said. than a week, advocates of private one pilot and injuring the other. ahead,” she said. their presentation on short notice. “Let’s not make the same mistakes space ventures told attendees of a Garver, who noted she was James Muncy, founder and Rick Tumlinson, chairman that led to things like Challenger.” student space conference that, while speaking at a space conference for principal of space policy consulting of the board of space resources The SpaceShipTwo accident, saddened by the failures, they were the first time since leaving NASA company PoliSpace, said the recent company Deep Space Industries Tumlinson said, may provide a still confident about the future of in September 2013 to become accidents, while unfortunate, demon- and a longtime advocate of commer- stronger argument for calling private the overall industry. general manager of the Air Line strated that companies were at least cial space ventures, said he learned human spaceflight something other “It is a time of reflection for us all,” Pilots Association, said she did not attempting to develop new vehicles about the accident when he arrived than “space tourism.” That term, former NASA Deputy Administrator expect the failures to lessen the and spacecraft, versus designs that at the conference that afternoon, widely used both within the industry Lori Garver said in a speech here resolve of the agency to rely on the never got off the drawing board. and brought it up in a previously and among the general public, makes Nov. 1 during SpaceVision 2014, the private sector for ISS cargo and crew “It has not been the greatest scheduled speech at the end of the the experience sound safer than it is annual conference of Students for transportation. “After all, right now week in the world in America’s day. “We had a heart-to-heart talk likely to be for years to come, he said. the Exploration and Development it is your choice if you want to take space endeavors,” he said in a Nov. about it,” he said in a Nov. 1 interview. “When it’s a completely passive, of Space (SEDS). humans to space: Are you going to 1 conference presentation. “But in Tumlinson said he was relieved 99 percent safe experience, maybe Garver was referring to the Oct. double down and invest in good old some ways, it’s a useful illustration about the initial response in the you can call someone a tourist,” he 28 failure of an Orbital Sciences U.S. private enterprise, or are you of the difference between adversity media to the accident, but that the said. “Not somebody who is putting Corp. Antares launch vehicle that going to send the money to Russia?” and impossibility.” commercial space industry will need their life on the line to have the most destroyed a Cygnus cargo spacecraft she said. No member of Congress, The conference, organized by the to work harder to demonstrate its heightened experience of their life.” www.spacenews.com 9 November 10, 2014 ESA Tells Germany How Ariane 6 Would Save Everyone Money PETER B. de SELDING, LONDON will be obliged to commit to an basically the same rocket but with 2021 and 2024. Flying these Ariane 6 price and schedule before added solid-rocket boosters. missions on Ariane 64 instead of The European Space Agency is ESA governments commit their The solid-rocket boosters Ariane 5 would result in savings to proposing to inject 8 billion euros financing. A series of milestone are the same technology used ESA governments of 225 million ($10 billion) into Europe’s launch payments from ESA will follow on Europe’s Vega small-satellite euros. sector over 10 years starting in program advances made by launcher, providing synergies In addition, the agency has 2015, including some 4.3 billion industry. between Vega and Ariane 6 that identified 12 government missions euros on a new Ariane 6 rocket, on Airbus and Safran have agreed should further help industry that would fly on the less-powerful the basis of a contract arrangement to form a joint-venture company, keep costs down through scale Ariane 62 rocket, to replace the with industry in which ESA guar- with other Ariane contractors to economies. current use of the Europeanized antees five government missions be added later, to manage Ariane The ESA proposal does Soyuz vehicle starting in 2020 per year and in return industry 6. The two companies delivered not fully respond to a German or 2021. Each Ariane 62 would fends for itself on the wider com- to ESA on Oct. 27 a full Ariane 6 concern about overall costs. be priced at 70 million euros mercial market. contract proposal with fixed-price ESA governments had agreed for governments, or at least 10 The proposal, delivered in commitments. to spend 750 million euros per million euros less than today’s the form of a 19-page response The proposal is now being year on launchers for the 10-year Europeanized Soyuz, for a savings to Ariane 6 questions posed by examined by two independent ESA period. They agreed, if tentatively, of 120 million euros. Germany — the only big ESA committees, which have been asked to permit an 800-million-euro The total savings of 345 million member that has resisted the to deliver their final assessments annual investment only if ESA euros falls short of the 500 million program — says the new Ariane in time for a Nov. 13 meeting, in could find corresponding savings euros promised, but ESA said it 6 will cost ESA governments less Cologne, Germany, of ministers for the difference. does not account for the 10 Vega to use than the current Ariane 5 from key ESA governments — ESA’s response: It has not been missions likely during the same and Europeanized Russian Soyuz notably France, Germany and Italy able to find the 500 million euros period. rocket. — that are expected to finance in savings over the 10-year horizon, Given the synergies in the pro- And unlike Ariane 5, which most of the vehicles’ development. but “we are not far.” duction of solid-rocket boosters requires around 100 million euros The ESA document leaves Here is the agency’s logic: Each and stages for Ariane 6 and Vega, per year of government support several questions unanswered, Ariane 64 will be priced, for gov- ESA says, additional savings to to keep launch service provider perhaps inevitably given that it is CONCEPT ernment missions, at 115 million governments will be realized even

Arianespace from suffering finan- projecting events over a 10-year ARTIST’S euros when measured in 2014 if they cannot be quantified at

cial losses, the Ariane 6 proposal period that depend in large CNES economic conditions, compared this point. says ESA will pay a marginal measure on the global commer- Ariane 6 with today’s Ariane 5, priced at Whether the ESA document will support cost only for government cial satellite launch market. That 165 million euros. be sufficient to rally Germany to missions, and none for commercial market totals no more than 25 Western commercial satellites; That means a 50-million- Ariane 6 is unclear, but industry launches. commercial launches per year, and whether Russia and Ukraine euro savings for each Ariane 64 and government officials asked The document, signed by ESA often less, and as such is suscep- are viewed in 10 years as reliable launch for European government to comment on it said it makes Director General Jean-Jacques tible to being destabilized if only sources of launch services. customers, or 25 million euros German acceptance more likely. Dordain and titled “Answers to a handful of launch decisions go The ESA document says the per satellite given that Ariane Germany’s adhesion to Ariane Questions of Germany,” is dated one way rather than another. agency’s Ariane 6 development 64 business model, like that of 6, and its agreement to scrap the Oct. 29 and has been sent to all Among the big unknowns: the model gives industry enough cover the current Ariane 5, rests on Ariane 5 Midlife Evolution vehicle, ESA member states. ESA govern- sustainability of the low commer- — five European government-paid launching two customer satellites will not solve the question of ment ministers are scheduled to cial launch costs offered by Space launches per year, on average, to at a time. whether the Italian government meet Dec. 2 in Luxembourg, where Exploration Technology Corp. 2024 — to generate economies of ESA has identified seven will be able to invest at a level they will be asked to endorse the and that company’s launch rate; scale to assure profit through its Ariane 64 government missions needed for the Vega and Ariane entire program. the ambitions of China and India success on the commercial market. — including two, the launch of 6 programs. Industry, led by Ariane 5 prime in the commercial market, and The Ariane 6 will come in the Juice mission to Jupiter and contractor Airbus Defence and Western governments’ willingness two models — Ariane 62 and the Inspire science mission, which Twitter: @pbdes Space and engine builder Safran, to allow these vehicles to launch the heavier Ariane 64 — that are use the entire launcher — between Email: [email protected] U.S. Midterm Elections Reshape Leadership of Key Senate Committees MIKE GRUSS and JEFF FOUST, WASHINGTON subcommittee, Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) Udall had obtained on oversight committees, (D-Fla.), who chairs the committee’s space is in line to take over chairmanship from including the intelligence committee that and science subcommittee, will succeed With the Republican Party winning Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), who spent oversees the National Reconnaissance Office, retiring Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) as control of the U.S. Senate in the Nov. 4 much time and effort working on national which launches the nation’s spy satellites. the committee’s top Democrat. elections, the new leadership of key commit- security launch issues as well as questioning Gardner’s election also means SpaceX There are few changes in store in the tees may take a different approach to some the Missile Defense Agency. has an additional foe in the Senate. Gardner, House of Representatives, where Republicans key military space issues, although NASA Durbin held a memorable hearing who is not assigned to any House defense added to their existing majority. The biggest is less likely to see a significant shift there. in March when he invited then-ULA committees, signed a letter in July, along with is the retirement of Rep. Buck McKeon Because Republicans won a majority in Chief Executive Michael Gass and Space Reps. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) and Mike Coffman (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Armed the Senate, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is Exploration Technologies Corp. Chief (R-Colo.), asking NASA Administrator Services Committee. Barring an upset, widely expected to assume the chairmanship Executive Elon Musk to answer questions Charles Bolden to provide information on McKeon is expected to be replaced by Rep. of the Senate Armed Services Committee from the committee and, oddly, from each what they characterized as an “epidemic of Mac Thornberry (R-Texas), who will lead come January. McCain has been a powerful other. He has been a strong advocate of anomalies” on missions performed SpaceX. a broad-based acquisition reform effort, and persistent advocate of competition in increased competition for national security Changes to civil space policy are likely sources said. For the military space com- the national security launch market. He launch missions. to be less significant despite the change in munity, that effort is expected to be led by also has been a vocal critic of government Durbin also has been tough on Navy control, as NASA typically has seen more Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), chairman of launch services provider United Launch Vice Adm. James Syring, the director of bipartisan support. Sen. Barbara Mikulski the House Armed Services strategic forces Alliance of Denver the past two years. the Missile Defense Agency, during Senate (D-Md.), the current chairwoman of the subcommittee, with an assist from Rep. Jim In April, McCain asked the Defense hearings. During the summer, Durbin Senate Appropriations Committee, is Bridenstine (R-Okla.), who has shown an Department’s inspector general to inves- implied that MDA tests were conditioned expected to stay on as ranking member. interest in space issues. tigate an Air Force decision to reduce the for success. Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), the current Also up for grabs is the chairmanship number of competitively awarded contracts Besides losing control of the Senate, ranking member, may instead seek the chair- of the House Appropriations commerce, in its main satellite-launching program. In the Democrats also lost one of their key manship of the Senate Banking Committee. justice, science subcommittee, which funds June, he asked the Pentagon’s acquisition senators on military space issues, Mark If so, Cochran is likely to chair the full NASA, as current chairman Rep. Frank Wolf czar whether the Defense Department is Udall of Colorado, who lost to Rep. Cory committee, although Shelby may retain (R-Va.) is retiring. Reps. Robert Aderholt overpaying for the Atlas 5’s RD-180 engine. Gardner. Udall was widely viewed as a key the chairmanship of the commerce, justice, (R-Ala.), the subcommittee’s current vice Additionally, McCain was the author of supporter of the space industry, particularly science subcommittee, which funds NASA. chairman, and John Culberson (R-Texas) language in the Senate’s defense authoriza- in Colorado. While many believe Gardner Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), the ranking are the leading candidates to succeed Wolf. tion bill that would ultimately ban the use also will become an avid supporter of space member of the Senate Commerce of Russian engines, including the RD-180. businesses, industry sources say it will take Committee, which authorizes NASA, is in Twitter: @Gruss_SN, @jeff_foust On the Senate Appropriations defense time for him to develop the same seniority line to chair the committee. Sen. Bill Nelson Email: [email protected], [email protected] 10 www.spacenews.com November 10, 2014 Astra 2G Launch Preparations Slow Amid Proton Concerns PETER B. de SELDING, PARIS said that as far as they are con- missions contracted through ILS cerned, the launch was OK and have succeeded, even though they Preparations for a late- ILS will proceed with its scheduled use the same Proton M rocket with November launch of a commercial launches. Inmarsat had penciled in the Breeze-M upper stage as is used telecommunications satellite a late-January date for the first of for government missions. aboard a Russian Proton rocket the two Global Xpress satellites it RSCC and ILS, responding to have been suspended in the face of has remaining in the ILS backlog. questions about the Express-AM6 persistent questions over whether The second launch would occur in launch, said part of the confusion Proton’s previous launch was as the spring in this scenario. was due to the fact that AM6 carries successful as claimed, industry In a Nov. 7 response to SpaceNews a xenon-electric propulsion system officials said. inquiries, ILS said: designed to save weight compared The Astra 2G telecommuni- “As is done for every mission, we with chemical propellant. Like most cations satellite, owned by SES work with the ensuing customer to electric-propulsion systems used of Luxembourg, was scheduled answer any and all questions that to raise a satellite’s orbit following to start its planned fueling at they and their insurers have in launch, the AM6 propulsion system Russia’s Baikonur Cosmodrome regards to the performance of the takes several months to accomplish in Kazakhstan in preparation for preceding mission. To that end, we its task, rather than a couple of a Nov. 28 liftoff. have been working with the next weeks for satellites with chemical The fueling has been put into customer, SES ... to answer all ques- propellant. question, officials said, as insurance tions related to the Express-AM6 Using this reasoning, RSCC underwriters involved in the Astra CAPTURE mission, which was reported by all said it was known in advance that

2G launch policy continue to raise VIDEO parties involved in the launch to AM6 would take longer than usual issues about what happened during be a success. to reach orbit.

the Oct. 22 launch of a Russian ROSCOSMOS “We are in the process of The May Proton failure added

telecommunications satellite. > SES and Inmarsat have both said that as far as they are concerned, the Oct. 22 launch of the Rus- answering some additional ques- to the ILS launch bottleneck. “Underwriters’ faith in Russian sian Express-AM6 communications satellite was OK and ILS will proceed with its scheduled launches. tions from the customer and Several ILS customers, notably hardware in general, and in Proton insurers, and we will continue to SES and Inmarsat of London — in particular, has been shaken,” one Astra 2G launch. orbit, saying the satellite is in good work with them until all questions the latter awaiting two launches insurance official said. “I mean, Proton’s commercial marketer, health. But Reshetnev did say the are answered. The launch cam- to begin commercial service of its after all, the last launch dropped International Launch Services of satellite would not be in its final paigns at Baikonur continue to Global Xpress mobile broadband the satellite 2,500 kilometers short Reston, Virginia, said that based on position until July. A previous state- proceed on schedule.” service — are anxious to get their of its destination.” the information it had, the launch ment from the company had said The Oct. 22 launch of the satellites in service. The problem with this assess- was nominal. The Russian space operations would start in early 2015. Express-AM6 satellite was the Delayed launches were one ment is that, to date, none of the agency, Roscosmos, which in the past The Russian Satellite second since a Proton failure in May. reason SES was obliged to revise principals that might be expected has been forthright about launch Communications Co. (RSCC), The vehicle has had a poor record downward its 2014 revenue forecast. to confirm the underperformance failures, said the Express-AM6 satel- which owns the satellite, also said in the past three years, although The company said it hoped to of the Proton Breeze-M upper stage lite was separated “in accordance it is healthy and expected to operate almost all of its failures have generate at least some revenue has done so. Soon after the Oct. 22 with the flight plan.” But Roscosmos for the planned 15 years, but the occurred on missions for Russian from Astra 2G in 2014 despite later- launch, Proton builder Khrunichev added that the drop-off point was company declined to say whether government or government-owned than-expected launch. Space Center of Moscow shipped “somewhat different than planned.” its in-service date of July was far entities like RSCC. the next Breeze-M to the Baikonur ISS Reshetnev, the satellite’s later than planned. For reasons no one has been Twitter: @pbdes spaceport to begin preparing the builder, made no mention of a bad SES and Inmarsat have both able to explain, commercial Email: [email protected] U.S. Military Allies Generally Agree WGS Is Cheaper than Commercial Alternatives PETER B. de SELDING, LONDON WGS costs covered 2010-2012 and assumed backup in case a satellite elsewhere on the more can be debated,” Hart said, adding a 70 percent fill rate of the WGS constel- geostationary arc fails,” Rayermann said. that the advantages of buying into a global U.S. allied governments that have pur- lation — an important factor in any cost He also said that technology refresh is system like WGS compared with the purchase chased shares in the U.S.-led Wideband comparison since most commercial buyers a regular advantage of commercial systems of more-focused capacity on a commercial Global Satcom constellation of military contract only for what they will use. that is difficult to quantify. Satellite operators satellite will depend on the specific require- Ka-band communications satellites agreed In a Nov. 7 interview, Rayermann said he typically amortize their investments over ments of the purchasing nation. He also generally — but not unanimously — with a assembled all the cost components used to 15 years. For the biggest operators such as conceded that the cost advantage of WGS U.S. Air Force assessment that WGS capacity make up a commercial contract — including Intelsat and SES, that means purchasing on was highly dependent on the system being was far less costly than equivalent bandwidth satellite development, launch, insurance, average three satellites per year. used to near-capacity. purchased on commercial satellites. operations, retirement plans for personnel Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems of Capt. Ulrich Berrevoets, military satel- As one after another military service and profit — and then set about locating El Segundo, California, is prime contractor lite communication program manager at made the case that WGS is a better deal than the equivalent costs for WGS. for the WGS system, of which six satellites are the Dutch Ministry of Defense, said his commercial capacity at the Global Milsatcom “What I concluded was that the differ- on orbit and four more under production. team evaluated commercial capacity before conference organized by SMi Group Nov. ence is about 1.7:1 or 2:1 in favor of WGS,” The Defense Department has registered concluding that access to the global WGS 4-6, commercial satellite operators in the meaning commercial bandwidth was 70-100 sufficient spectrum for an 11th and 12th constellation was preferable. By commit- audience shook their heads and responded percent more costly than WGS, Rayermann WGS satellite, but these satellites have not ting over the long term — to 2031 — the that military managers have little idea of said. “You could argue that satellite capacity been contracted. ministry secured WGS prices that were less what military satellite capacity actually costs. or launches have become less expensive, but But Boeing is increasingly active in than one-third the cost of a commercial Some military officials agreed that, as in I believe these figures would hold up today.” the commercial market and is providing alternative, which would not have been the United States, the budgets for purchasing Rayermann said that while Air Force Luxembourg-based Intelsat with Intelsat’s global, Berrevoets said. satellite hardware were separate from the systems use generally higher-priced launchers Epic high-throughput satellites in Ku-band, Peter Malberg, senior engineer for satellite budgets for operating satellite systems and and employ high-end technical oversight as well as London-based Inmarsat’s Ka-band systems at the Danish Defence Acquisition buying the related ground infrastructure, from the Aerospace Corp., a federally funded Global Xpress satellites. and Logistics Agency, which has also pur- making an all-in cost for military systems research and development center, they are Boeing thus has a solid foot in both chased a share in WGS, said his organization hard to assemble. free of one element that is key to a com- camps. Dan Hart, Boeing’s vice president for concluded that the costs were about the same, Several officials said the deepest exam- mercial contract: supplier profit. government space systems, nonetheless did especially when you factor in the higher cost ination of WGS cost was performed by “Satellite operators have gross profit not mince words, accusing some commercial of military ground terminals versus com- Patrick Rayermann, former director of the margins of around 80 percent,” Rayermann operators of “flagrant misrepresentation” mercial gear with the same performance. Communications Functional Integration said. “If you take this profit away, WGS and of the numbers in an effort to make the Lt. Col. Abde Bellahnid, a manager in Office at the U.S. National Security Space commercial capacity are very close in price.” pro-commercial case. the Canadian Department of Defence’s Office. Rayermann also said assuming a 70 “We agree with the CIO report,” Hart Directorate of Joint Capability for Satcoms Rayermann has since left government percent fill rate for the entire WGS con- said, referring to the “Commercial Satellite and SAR requirements, said Canada’s military service and was senior strategy director at stellation, including those satellites over the Communications Strategy Report” written by canvassed the private sector to get some Orbital Sciences Corp. of Dulles, Virginia, North American arc, may have unfairly tilted the Defense Department’s chief information idea of costs of hosted military payloads before becoming director of business devel- the scales in favor of the WGS system. “The officer, which said commercial bandwidth is on several geostationary-orbiting satellites opment at Airbus Defence and Space. WGS satellites over CONUS [the continental four times as costly as WGS capacity. and was presented with costs much higher Rayermann said his investigation into United States] are mainly there to serve as “Whether it’s three times or four times than WGS. www.spacenews.com 11 November 10, 2014 NEWS BRIEFS NEWS BRIEFS FROM PAGE 3 the Pentagon’s Office of Inspector General is auditing, only that the audit will examine whether the correct procurement actions Paragon Space Development were taken during the solicitation, award and administration phases of “targets and Promotes Anderson to CEO countermeasures contracts.” Grant Anderson was appointed presi- The Missile Defense Agency buys targets dent and chief executive of Paragon Space and countermeasure systems from multiple Development Corp., the Tucson, Arizona- suppliers. based company said Nov. 3. Several MDA and contractor locations The move is a promotion for Anderson, will be involved in the audit, which is the who has been with the company since its second of two investigations involving founding in 1993 and was most recently target contracts, according to the memo. its chief operating officer. Anderson succeeds Jane Poynter, former Paragon chief executive, and Taber U.S. Strategic Command, ESA

MacCallum, former Paragon president. PHOTO

Poynter and MacCallum resigned to work Sign Data-sharing Agreement NASA full time at World View Enterprises of U.S. Strategic Command and the Orion capsule Las Vegas, a Paragon spinoff created in European Space Agency will share space 2013. World View is planning to market situational awareness data, the organiza- stratospheric balloon rides for tourists and tions announced Oct. 30. Construction on First Space-bound Orion Complete researchers around 2016 using Paragon- The move continues a U.S. effort to Engineers with NASA and prime be crewed. developed technology. bolster the number of countries and orga- contractor Lockheed Martin Space In EFT-1, Orion will orbit Earth Paragon Space Development special- nizations Strategic Command shares data Systems have finished building the pro- twice, then re-enter the atmosphere izes in life-support and thermal control with as the space environment becomes totype Orion capsule that will launch at about 80 percent of the velocity the systems for space applications. The more congested. on an uncrewed test mission aboard a craft would reach on re-entry from company provided the pressurized suit In all, the U.S. government has signed United Launch Alliance Delta 4 rocket lunar orbit. It will splash down in the worn by Google executive Alan Eustace nearly 50 data-sharing agreements with Dec. 4 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Pacific Ocean off the coast of California during his record-breaking high-altitude other governments and private-sector Station in Florida, the agency said in and be recovered by a single Navy ship. parachute jump Oct. 24 from a World entities, Defense Department officials an Oct. 30 press release. The EFT-1 spacecraft arrived at the View balloon. Paragon has also worked said in September. The United States has The mission, called Exploration Kennedy Space Center in Florida for on life-support systems for Boeing Space signed similar agreements with the United Flight Test (EFT)-1, is primarily a test of integration in 2012, NASA said in its Exploration’s CST-100 capsule, one of Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Australia, Italy, the capsule’s heat shield, which would press release. the two systems NASA is funding under France and the Republic of Korea. protect astronauts on future missions Lockheed’s Orion prime contract its commercial crew program, and with The agreement trades more timely from the extreme temperatures of atmo- with NASA, awarded in 2006, is worth NASA itself for portions of the life-sup- information for the ESA in exchange for spheric re-entry. The flight also will more than $11 billion and requires the port system that will eventually be used position, radio-frequency information test other critical systems including the company to deliver three spacecraft: on the Lockheed Martin-built Orion and planned orbit maneuvers of some capsule’s avionics suite, flight software the EFT-1 Orion and those slated to deep-space capsule. European satellites. In turn, the Defense and parachutes, all of which will be launch in 2017 and 2021 aboard the Department will be able to “optimize substantially the same as those the Space Launch System, the capsule’s surveillance” and provide more valuable spacecraft will use for future missions intended carrier rocket that is under Pentagon Watchdog Eyes information, the release said. to lunar space scheduled for late 2017 development at NASA’s Marshall Space “USSTRATCOM is committed to and 2021. Only the 2021 mission would Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Missile Target Contracts improving SSA services and expanding The U.S. Defense Department’s our cooperation through formal partner- Office of Inspector General is auditing ships such as these,” U.S. Navy Adm. Cecil programs in coming years. Jean-Jacques Dordain said in the release. the Missile Defense Agency’s Target and D. Haney, the head of Strategic Command, “The more timely and customizable The U.S. Space Surveillance Network Countermeasures Program to find out said in the release. data exchange enabled by this agreement of ground- and space-based assets tracks whether it has broken contracting rules, Specifically, the move will improve will improve our measures for collision the paths of debris large enough to be in according to an Oct. 15 memorandum the coverage in low Earth orbit, where the ESA avoidance as well as the safety of satellites its catalog and warns operators of possible inspector general released publicly Nov. 3. is expected to monitor satellites as part immediately after launch in their early future collisions so that the active satel- The memo does not say what contracts of ESA’s Earth Explorer and Copernicus operations phase,” ESA Director General lites can be maneuvered out of the way. U.S. Desire To Keep ISS Going ‘Noted’ for the Record The heads of the five space agencies of ESA and Japan’s space agency have that own the international space station both said station operating costs need on Nov. 5 “noted” that the United States to come down. Europe already has cut wants to operate the facility through at its annual operational costs by at least a least 2024 but made no commitment to third. Like the United States and Russia, do likewise, citing ongoing efforts in both Europe and Japan have their own some of their governments to secure laboratory modules at the station. commitments to 2020. Russian government officials in Meeting in Paris at the 20-nation recent months have said tensions with European Space Agency, the heads of the the United States, Europe and Canada U.S., Russian, Japanese and Canadian over Russia’s incursion into Ukraine space agencies, as well as ESA’s director- have put into the deep freeze Russian general, issued a statement saying the deliberations about a prolonged space space station is increasing its scientific station partnership, although current output. operations have not been affected.

They reaffirmed that the station “is “The ISS partner agencies are working PHOTO

the foundation for human exploration through their respective governmental NASA beyond low-Earth orbit.” procedures for continued ISS utilization International space station ESA governments are expected to through at least 2020 and noted the approve at least partial funding to U.S. commitment to extend ISS utiliza- a similar extension. In reviewing the noted the stable, solid, and robust ISS permit Europe to remain a space station tion to at least 2024,” the agencies’ joint strong commitment that enabled 14 years partnership that will serve as the basis partner through 2020 when its govern- statement says. “They also noted the of continuous human presence on ISS for working together in future human ment ministers meet Dec. 2. The heads ongoing work by other governments for in low-Earth orbit, the agency leaders exploration.” 12 www.spacenews.com November 10, 2014 Orbital, Subcontractor Near Settlement in Dispute over Hardware DAN LEONE, WASHINGTON immediately because Orbital’s next cargo run — then scheduled for April 1 — would A contractor Orbital Sciences Corp. sued feature an enhanced Cygnus too heavy for for delaying upgrades to the Virginia space- existing hydraulic equipment to handle safely. port Orbital uses for space station cargo The upgrades, according to the complaint, launches will turn over hardware needed would take four months. for the improvements now that a resolution Prior to coming to terms with Orbital, appears to have been reached. Huber told SpaceNews that Integrated Systems “Everything shipped this morning, all the and Machinery refused to ship the cylinder equipment,” Kevin Huber, managing director and other hardware because its contract of Integrated Systems and Machinery, told with Orbital called not only for delivery of SpaceNews in a Nov. 7 phone interview. the equipment but for testing and other Mark Shifton, Huber’s attorney, told support services that were not performed. SpaceNews in a Nov. 7 email that “the case That means “we can’t release it unless they has not been settled, but Integrated Systems [Orbital] release us from liability for shipping and Machinery and Orbital have reached an a line-item incomplete,” Huber said in an agreement on the material terms necessary PHOTO Oct. 31 interview. to settle the matter.” Shifton said he was Meanwhile, Huber is still fighting a “very optimistic” the case would be settled SCIENCES separate lawsuit, filed in 2013 with the U.S.

“in the near future.” ORBITAL District Court for the Middle District of This latest development in the case came Orbital Sciences Transporter Erector Launcher Pennsylvania, that alleges he stole trade less than a week after Huber told SpaceNews secrets from his former employer, Advanced he would be willing to turn over some of not been withdrawn as of press time Nov. 7. Virginia-based aerospace contractor, it Fluid Systems of York, Pennsylvania, and the hardware Orbital claimed was being Orbital ordered the hardware from is unclear how soon Orbital needs to get used the information to win Orbital’s “held hostage.” Huber’s firm in 2012 as part of a long-planned going on the Transporter Erector Launcher upgrade business for Integrated Systems Huber made the offer in response to a upgrade for the Transporter Erector Launcher upgrades, and whether they can proceed as and Machinery. motion Orbital filed Oct. 28 — the same that hauls Antares out to the pad and holds it planned. Orbital was once a defendant in that day its Antares rocket exploded 15 seconds upright for liftoff. The transporter, however, Orbital Sciences previously agreed to pay lawsuit, but Orbital and Advanced Fluid after liftoff on what was to be the company’s was among the ground support equipment Integrated Systems and Machinery about $2 Systems settled out of court in May. Advanced third paid cargo run to the international damaged during Antares’ failure near the pad. million — Huber said his company will not Fluid Systems designed and built some of the space station — asking a U.S. District What is more, Orbital Sciences will not be paid in full under the terms he reached hydraulic systems used to support the four Court in Alexandria, Virginia, for a pre- launch from Virginia’s Wallops Island again with Orbital Nov. 6 — to build new cylinder Antares launches from Wallops Island that liminary injunction forcing Huber to ship until at least 2016, when a redesigned Antares assemblies and gimbal boxes for the hydraulic preceded the October failure and, according the hardware. Orbital spokesman Barry with a new core stage is expected to debut, systems the Transporter Erector Launcher to court papers, expected the follow-on Beneski declined to comment on the dispute Orbital Chief Executive David W. Thompson plugs into once it reaches the pad so it has business eventually awarded to Integrated or confirm a settlement. However, Orbital said in a Nov. 5 conference call with analysts the leverage it needs to raise Antares vertical Systems and Machinery. Sciences on Nov. 6 withdrew its request for and investors. for fueling and liftoff. the injunction, according to court filings. So while Huber says the hardware he Orbital said in its original Oct. 21 com- Twitter: @Leone_SN Orbital’s initial complaint, filed Oct. 21, had owes Orbital is now on its way to the Dulles, plaint that the components were needed Email: [email protected] GAO: Air Force Needs More Info Before Committing to Disaggregation MIKE GRUSS, WASHINGTON But the GAO said the Air Force is a very frustrating concept to me,” primarily relies on to deliver its needs more information specifi- he said. “Folks in the Pentagon satellites to orbit are designed to A new report from the U.S. cally on how the new approach keep coming up to me and saying, carry heavier satellites. Without Government Accountability Office INC. would work from an operational ‘General Hyten, what is the number changes to the current architecture, says that distributed satellite con- BOARD perspective. for an AEHF resiliency constella- DoD may well find itself having stellations, a concept currently in “While technology demonstra- tion? Is it 95 percent? 90 percent?’ to rely on launch vehicles that are

vogue with Air Force space leaders, DEVELOPMENT tions are providing an avenue for I don’t even know what that means, more capable and expensive than may solve some problems for the gaining knowledge about disag- but they’re trying to put a number needed.”

Defense Department but would ECONOMIC gregation, they have been limited, on it I guess because we’re space In addition, the GAO said the also create new difficulties. MAUI concentrating more on technical people and we’re geeks and we put Pentagon may be slow to adopt such A transition to smaller satel- OF than operational feasibility,” the numbers on everything. But I don’t a drastic departure from current lites could lead to increased costs report said. “Focusing more on care what the number is. I want a standards. COURTESY at a time when budgets are tight, operational feasibility would help to resilient warfighting construct.” “DOD’s culture has generally would require a reimagination empirically quantify the effects of The cost of the transition to a been resistant to changes in space of launch possibilities and would PRODUCTIONS; disaggregation and address imple- disaggregated architecture may acquisition approaches and that face cultural obstacles within the XINIA mentation barriers.” be expensive, the report said. fragmented responsibilities have Defense Department, where such Air Force leaders have pointed While smaller satellites might spur made it very difficult to coordi- a shift is not viewed as urgent, the MORALES, to improved resilience as a major more new entrants, subsequently nate and deliver interdependent JOSE

GAO said. BY advantage of disaggregation. lowering costs through competition systems,” the report said.

The report, “Additional PHOTO But when the GAO first started and saving money by launching In the white paper, the Air Force

Knowledge Would Better Support > “They’re trying to put a number on [resil- studying the topic, the Defense on smaller, less expensive rockets, advocated that disaggregation is Decisions about Disaggregating iency] I guess because we’re space people and Department did not have a defini- the report said, a disaggregated “an innovative opportunity to stay Large Satellites,” provides a more we’re geeks and we put numbers on everything. tion for resilience or any metric to portfolio also could lead to a ahead of our adversaries, to change nuanced look than a white paper But I don’t care what the number is. I want a resil- gauge improvement. more complex and more expen- their targeting calculus, and to the Air Force published last year ient warfighting construct,” Gen. John Hyten said. “DoD does not have common sive ground system, more frequent mitigate the effects of a widespread arguing disaggregation would help measures for resilience — a key launches and therefore higher attack on our space assets,” the keep the United States ahead of informed decisions could be made space system consideration — launch costs, and higher overall report said. “In addition, resilience adversaries in a quickly evolving in the interim,” the report said. which may limit the effectiveness of costs for nonrecurring engineering, serves as a deterrent, which may space environment. Air Force Space Command is these assessments,” the report said, the report said. be the best way to preserve our The GAO identified several currently leading a series of studies referring to the Air Force’s analyses In addition, the use of smaller capability by avoiding an attack.” benefits, including the potential for on the service’s next-generation of alternative space architectures. satellites would require a new The GAO report also ques- an improved acquisition process, technologies. Specifically, the The call for metrics has been a emphasis on different launch tioned whether adversaries would but said the Defense Department Air Force is expected to wrap up point of frustration for Air Force capabilities. be more willing to attack smaller needs more information before the studies on its missile warning and Gen. John Hyten, the commander “Disaggregation can enable satellites that may be viewed as less Air Force makes decisions about its protected communication satel- of Space Command. At a speech DoD to reduce launch costs because important and therefore carry less future satellite architecture. lites in the next several months. in Huntsville, Alabama, in August, satellites would no longer require retribution. “Until more knowledge is Disaggregated constellations have Hyten complained about Pentagon the heaviest, most expensive launch gained, disaggregation will not only been part of every study on future pressure to quantify resilience. vehicles to get to orbit,” the report Twitter: @Gruss_SN remain inconclusive, but poorly satellite programs, the report said. “The whole concept of resiliency said. “However, the vehicles DoD Email: [email protected] www.spacenews.com 13 November 10, 2014 Orbital Outfitters Breaks Ground on Texas Testing Facility JEFF FOUST, WASHINGTON else we can do with it,” he said. Orbital Outfitters is part of a long- license from the FAA Sept. 17, at scene of people plowing shovels Like XCOR, Orbital Outfitters term effort by Midland to attract which time it changed its name into the ground. Instead, a local The Texas city hosting the received incentives from the the emerging space industry to the from Midland International student, wearing a replica of an newest commercial spaceport Midland Development Corp., West Texas community. The key Airport to Midland International Orbital Outfitters pressure suit, in the United States will also be the city’s economic development element of that effort is receiving Air and Space Port. The Oct. 27 presented an Apollo-era lunar home to a facility one company agency, valued at $6.9 million. a spaceport designation from the ceremony was intended to celebrate sample canister to the city’s mayor. is building for the development The company, which currently FAA for the city’s commercial that license as well as break ground “We’re bringing space to Midland,” and testing of pressure suits and has offices here and in North airport, allowing it to host subor- on the Orbital Outfitters complex. Feige explained. other space hardware. Hollywood, California, will con- bital launches by XCOR Aerospace. For the groundbreaking An Oct. 27 ceremony at the solidate its operations in Midland. The airport received its com- ceremony itself, Feige said, the Twitter: @jeff_foust Midland International Air and Attracting companies like mercial launch site operators company eschewed the traditional Email: [email protected] Space Port in Midland, Texas, to mark the receipt of a space- port license from the Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation also served as a groundbreaking for the Midland Altitude Chamber Complex at the airport. The 1,635-square-meter facility is being built by Orbital Outfitters, a company developing pressure suits for commercial spaceflight companies. Its customers include XCOR Aerospace, a suborbital launch vehicle developer that Smarter approaches. announced plans in 2012 to move from Mojave, California, to Midland. Better results. The heart of the complex is a set of three hypobaric chambers of varying sizes that can be depres- surized to stratospheric altitudes for the testing of various items of equipment. The largest chamber, 2.4 meters in diameter and 5.2 meters long, can accommodate as many as 10 people or full-scale models of vehicle cabins. Orbital Outfitters, which is developing the complex with Renton, Washington-based Holder Aerospace, decided to depart from the conventional approach to designing the altitude chambers. “They’re generally steel boxes with a hatch on one end and portholes,” company Chief Executive Jeff Feige said in an Oct. 24 interview. Instead, Feige said, Orbital Outfitters’ chambers will make extensive use of acrylic in doors and panels, offering transpar- ency. This will make it easier for technicians to see inside the chamber during tests, and also reduce the chances that people inside the chambers will experi- ence claustrophobia. The chambers also will be able to rapidly depressurize. The large chamber will be able to go from the atmospheric pressure at sea level to pressure at an altitude of 18,000 meters in 15 seconds. A smaller chamber that can accommodate two people in pressure suits can go from sea level to the pressure at 30,000 meters in five seconds. That will allow the company to simulate emergency rapid decom- pression events. Construction of the complex will take about a year to complete, At a.i. solutions, we are passionate about taking Core Capabilities Feige said. The company plans to smarter approaches to achieve better results for • Space Mission Design and Operations begin operations there in the first quarter of 2016. our customers. In support of the nation’s space and • Launch Vehicle and Missile Systems Engineering While the complex is designed defense agencies, we offer GN&C and mission • Flight Dynamics Ground Systems primarily to be used to develop and test Orbital Outfitters’ own systems engineering for spacecraft, spanning concept • Emergency Management and Cybersecurity suits, Feige said the company is ® open to allowing others to use formulation through on-orbit operations. • FreeFlyer Flight Dynamics Software the altitude chambers for other projects, such as testing of small @ai_sol ai-solutions.com satellites. “We’re looking at what 14 www.spacenews.com November 10, 2014 With One Satellite To Spare, Iridium Counting on SpaceX To Keep Tempo PETER B. de SELDING, PARIS now and growing again now that our quality issues are behind us,” Desch said. Mobile satellite services provider Iridium The company said OpenPort subscribers Communications lost the use of two more increased by 23 percent in the three months satellites in the three months ending Sept. ending Sept. 30, with the service’s revenue 30 and is now down to a single in-orbit spare, up 29 percent. a situation the company said is unlikely to Iridium is funding its Iridium Next cause service disruptions given the arrival constellation mainly through a $1.8 billion of the second-generation system in 2015. loan backed by the French export-credit Iridium’s $3 billion Iridium Next constel- agency, Coface, with the satellites being lation of low-orbiting satellites is scheduled built by Thales Alenia Space of France and to make its inaugural launch, of two satel- Italy and integrated at the Arizona plant of lites, in June aboard a Russian-Ukrainian Orbital Sciences Corp. of Dulles, Virginia. Dnepr rocket from Russia’s Yasny spaceport. Iridium and its lenders earlier this year The remaining launches will be aboard agreed to amend the terms of the loan, seven Space Exploration Technologies allowing Iridium to carry a slightly lower

Corp. Falcon 9 rockets, each carrying 10 CONCEPT cash balance, which rises as the satellites Iridium Next satellites. These launches are launched and enter operations. The are scheduled to start in late 2015 and to ARTIST’S loan’s terms obliged Iridium to issue new

be completed by mid-2017. IRIDIUM common and preferred stock in transac-

In an Oct. 30 conference call with inves- > After the launch of the first two Iridium Next satellites aboard a Russian-Ukrainian Dnepr rocket, the rest of the constellation will tions completed in May. tors, Iridium Chief Executive Matthew be launched by seven Space Exploration Technologies Corp. Falcon 9 rockets, each carrying 10 of the satellites, starting in late 2015. The company is counting on several Desch said the company has lost, on average, revenue sources to service its debt starting one satellite per year for the past five years. manifest will be absorbed by late next year on subscriber numbers. It offers unlim- in 2017. Among them is selling unused All the current satellites are well past their to begin the scheduled Iridium launches. ited use to subscribers for a fixed annual space on the Iridium Next satellites to contracted design lives. McLean, Virginia-based Iridium, on payment — $64 million in 2014, $72 million third parties that have sensors of their Desch said Iridium’s network, which the strength of a five-year contract with in 2015 and $82 million for each of the own, unrelated to Iridium’s mobile voice features intersatellite links to reduce the U.S. Defense Department concluded final three years. and data communications service. network dependence on ground stations, in October 2013, thus far appears to be Commercial operators of satellites in Iridium has hired Harris Corp. of can absorb the loss of a satellite without an exception among commercial satellite geostationary orbit have reported declines Melbourne, Florida, to find customers causing signal disruption to users, even operators in seeing growth in its defense in their defense portfolios as U.S. and for the Iridium Next satellites. Desch said if the lost satellite was not replaced for an business. coalition forces withdraw from Iraq and the Harris effort is yielding better-than- extended period of time. The company also told investors that it Afghanistan. expected results, and will now generate “You would have to lose a lot of satellites has maintained its monthly revenue level Iridium reported total revenue of $107.5 an estimated $55 million in revenue for to really be very noticeable” by customers, of $17 per machine-to-machine (M2M) million for the three months ending Sept. Iridium, compared with the earlier estimate Desch said. customer despite a 21 percent increase in 30, up 7 percent from the same period a of $45 million. The revenue is from cus- Iridium officials have said they have M2M subscribers in the past year. year ago. Its subscriber base was 726,000 tomers paying Iridium a hosting fee for obtained all the necessary export and Iridium said government services as of Sept. 30, up from 705,000 on June 30, providing space on the satellites, plus a shipment authorizations needed for the revenue increased by 13.5 percent, to $16 mainly from new M2M customers. data delivery fee. first two satellites. million, for the three months ending Sept. In addition to increased military revenue Desch said Iridium already has During the conference call, Desch said 30 compared with the same period a year and more M2M customers, Iridium’s growth received $12 million from Harris under SpaceX’s recently demonstrated ability to ago. in the quarter was attributed to a rebound the arrangement. increase its launch rate, with four Falcon 9 Iridium’s Enhanced Mobile Satellite in its OpenPort maritime product line after liftoffs in three months, reinforces Iridium’s Services contract with the U.S. Defense a hardware defect a year ago. Twitter: @pbdes confidence that the rocket’s crowded Information Systems Agency is not based “The [maritime] business is fully back Email: [email protected] EchoStar Adds Subscribers, Targets 2016 for Solaris Commercial Service PETER B. de SELDING, PARIS purchase. This satellite has a and then-rival DBSD, which Dish Hughes’ Spaceway 3 and larger marketing incentives in those defective antenna and cannot also purchased from bankruptcy, Jupiter 1/EchoStar 17 satellite. regions whose beams still have Satellite consumer broadband meet the coverage requirements are now part of Dish’s plans to As is the case with its consumer plenty of capacity. provider EchoStar Corp. on Nov. 6 set by the 28-nation EU. accumulate spectrum for terres- satellite broadband rival, ViaSat EchoStar and Hughes are pre- said it increased its subscriber base Mobile satellite services trial broadband. Inc. of Carlsbad, California, paring to offer a similar consumer by 2.7 percent in the three months operator Inmarsat of London EchoStar’s Hughes Network Hughes’ current service is filling broadband service in Brazil fol- ending Sept. 30, with wider profit is building an S-band satellite Systems consumer broadband up certain satellite beams faster lowing EchoStar’s purchase of margins, despite a drop in whole- payload to share space on Riyadh, service reported 960,000 sub- than others. The EchoStar 17 satel- the Ka-band payload on Eutelsat’s sale revenue from broadband Saudi Arabia-based Arabsat’s scribers as of Sept. 30, up 2.7 lite cannot allocate capacity based 65 West A satellite, which has subscribers collected by its sister Hellas-sat 3 spacecraft. Inmarsat percent from the subscriber total on demand; once a beam fills up, 16 Ka-band spot beams with a company, Dish Network. has said it is planning an air-to- as of June 30. Dugan said that the Hughes will need to focus on less- combined capacity of 25 gigabits In a conference call with ground aeronautical service increase is all the more remarkable promising regions of the United of throughput. investors, EchoStar also said its in S-band and is rounding up for the fact that it came despite a States where demand is lower. Hughes’ mobile satellite satellite-terrestrial broadband partners to share in the necessary drop in subscriber ads from Dish, The Jupiter 2/EchoStar 19 sat- business, which is mainly to service, Solaris Mobile of Dublin, ground infrastructure. which sells the HughesNet service ellite, which like EchoStar 17 is provide ground-based beam- would launch its EchoStar 21 satel- In the conference call, on a wholesale basis. built by Space Systems/Loral of forming and other services to lite, formerly called TerreStar-2, EchoStar Chief Executive Michael Hughes President Pradman P. Palo Alto, California, is scheduled operators with their own satellite in early 2016, with commercial T. Dugan said the company is Kaul said that in the nine months for launch in mid-2016, at which capacity, has been less active in service to begin later that year. “beginning discussions with ending Sept. 30, the HughesNet point Hughes will be able to apply recent years following the collapse Englewood, Colorado-based potential [Solaris] customers. In service booked 174,000 new sub- renewed focus on the more popu- of mobile-broadband startups in EchoStar purchased Solaris from the near term, our primary focus scribers to its high-end Gen4 lated areas of the United States, the United States. satellite fleet operators Eutelsat is on meeting with the European service, which uses Hughes’ own where demand is strongest. But Hughes is selling the of Paris and SES of Luxembourg Union and member states to more Ka-band satellite capacity, and lost In a Nov. 6 filing with the Mexican government a turnkey but has not announced how it clearly define and harmonize the 74,000 legacy subscribers, most U.S. Securities and Exchange ground infrastructure for the plans to commercialize the service regulations requiring the opera- of which use Ku-band capacity Commission, EchoStar said the MexSat system, whose satel- in Europe once the EchoStar 21 tions of a terrestrially delivered Hughes leases from other satellite HughesNet growth would have lites are built by Boeing Space satellite is in place. service.” operators. been stronger in the three months and Intelligence Systems of El Solaris has an S-band payload Dish Network took owner- Hughes’ strategy is to let sub- ending Sept. 30 were it not for the Segundo, California. on a Eutelsat satellite already in ship of the nearly completed scriber turnover gradually reduce, fact that some satellite beams are “Our strategy is to provide orbit, which is the principal asset TerreStar-2 satellite following to near-zero, the amount of third- nearing their capacity limits. turnkey ground network solutions — plus a provisional European Dish’s purchase, in 2011, of party capacity it leases so as to Kaul said Hughes, while to mobile satellite operators in Union operating license — that TerreStar Networks, which had focus the business on higher- awaiting EchoStar 19, will begin L-band and S-band around the EchoStar took over in the Solaris filed for bankruptcy. TerreStar margin Ka-band service using special discounts and other globe,” Kaul said. www.spacenews.com 15 November 10, 2014 Intelsat’s African Business Stabilized, but Challenges Remain PETER B. de SELDING, PARIS in Africa, continue its prosely- Revenue for the nine months the company hopes to launch said near-term prospects for it tizing with the U.S. government ending Sept. 30 was $1.85 billion, three satellites in late 2015 — were not strong. Satellite fleet operator Intelsat to change government procure- down 5.5 percent from last but their exact launch dates, and The first of Intelsat’s Epic line said its business in Africa, where ment practices, pay down debt year. What Intelsat calls its “On their ability to generate revenue of high-throughput satellites in bad debt had tripled in 2013 over and prepare for growth when Network” revenue, meaning sales in 2015, remain unclear. Ku-band, IS-29e, is scheduled usual levels, has stabilized as it new satellites arrive. of capacity on its own satellites, IS-30 operates at 95 degrees for launch in late 2015 as well. renegotiates contracts at lower The company has said it will was down 4.7 percent during west. Its Ku-band capacity has McGlade said investors should rates but that second-tier fleet reduce its debt by $475 million the nine-month period, to $1.69 been sold to satellite televi- change their thinking about operators are offering cut-rate this year in addition to refi- billion. sion provider DirecTV’s Latin satellite capacity leases in an transponder capacity that main- nancing debt at lower interest To meet its contract obliga- American division as part of a Epic environment, where per- tains pricing pressure. rates. Intelsat’s total debt stood tions, Intelsat often books capacity $1.2 billion, 15-year agreement megahertz prices will be less Luxembourg and McLean, at $15.3 million as of Sept. 30. In on non-Intelsat satellites. with Intelsat covering both IS-30 important than what customers Virginia-based Intelsat said its the first nine months of 2014, the For the company to grow, it and, to a lesser extent, IS-31, to pay per megabit of throughput. business with the U.S. govern- company paid $714.6 million in will need new in-orbit capacity, be launched in late 2015. ment, which the company had interest, down 17 percent from McGlade said. The Intelsat IS-30 Intelsat has use of the satellite’s Twitter: @pbdes forecast would be down 15-20 the same period a year ago. was launched in mid-October and C-band payload, but McGlade Email: [email protected] percent in 2014, is proving to be just as bad as expected, as few new bid requests for commercial capacity are being decided. In an Oct. 30 conference call with investors, Intelsat Chief Executive David McGlade said a paralyzed U.S. Congress appears unable to move on government procurement reform that would Connecting the world is essential. make it easier for customers to purchase lower-cost, longer-term capacity from commercial sup- We help satellites communicate. pliers like Intelsat. He said this paralysis remains despite the broad consensus among U.S. legislators that long-term leases are a better investment of U.S. taxpayer revenue. Intelsat was not alone among commercial fleet operators in the past couple of years in flagging the trouble in African business caused by the penetration of fiber lines on the African coasts. Terrestrial connectivity continues to eat away at Intelsat’s Network Services business. Intelsat and the other satellite fleet owners have focused on inland markets in Africa, away from fiber’s reach — such as backhauling cellular traffic — and on growing their satellite television business. McGlade said fiber’s predict- able effects on satellite demand continue but that “it really has been the entry of new satellite operators, most of which have tra- ditional capacity, that is putting pricing pressure into the market- place. It has been most broadly seen with the second-tier players. They have been the most aggres- sive in terms of pricing.” The advent of fiber caused payment problems for many of Intelsat’s African customers who were bound by long-term leases at prices that were no longer sustain- able. Bad debt issues, traditionally As the largest independent supplier of space technology in tutional and commercial space missions. Our heritage and our totaling $8 million to $10 million Europe, RUAG Space develops, manufactures and tests sub- flexibility as well as the outstanding reliability of our products per year, climbed to $30 million systems and equipment for satellites and launch vehicles. From have made us a long lasting partner of choice for satellite and in 2013. Intelsat Chief Financial our locations in Switzerland, Sweden and Austria we offer launcher primes worldwide. Where successful space missions Officer Michael McDonnell said a comprehensive portfolio of products and services for insti- start: wwww.ruag.com/space. that situation has now calmed and a return to historical bad debt levels is occurring. McGlade said the pricing pressure in Africa was not an issue for the company’s media RUAG Space business, where the company has Schaffhauserstrasse 580 | 8052 Zürich | Switzerland seen modest growth so far in 2014. Phone +41 44 306 22 11 | Fax +41 44 306 29 10 | [email protected] McGlade has told investors www.ruag.com/space that Intelsat’s main goal in 2014 is to work to limit the problems 16 www.spacenews.com November 10, 2014 LaunchReport OCTOBER LAUNCHES Date Launch site Vehicle and provider Payload and owner Outcome or purpose Oct. 21 Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan Proton M, Khrunichev State Research and Production Express AM6, Russian Satellite Communications Co. Launched a communications satellite. Space Center Oct. 24 Xichang Satellite Launch Center, China Long March 3C, China Academy of Launch Vehicle Chang’e 5 Precursor, China National Space Launched a demonstration for a lunar sample-return mission. Technology Administration Oct. 28 Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, Wallops Antares, Orbital Sciences Corp. Orb 3, Orbital Sciences Corp. Launch of a commercial resupply mission to the international space Island, Virginia station failed shortly after liftoff. Oct. 29 Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida Atlas 5, United Launch Alliance GPS 2F-8, U.S. Air Force Launched a navigation satellite. Oct. 29 Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan Soyuz, TsSKB-Progress Progress 57P, Russian Federal Space Agency Launched a cargo delivery ship to the international space station. Oct. 30 Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia Soyuz 2-1a, TsSKB-Progress Meridian, Russian Ministry of Defense Launched a military communications satellite. NOVEMBER LAUNCHES Date Launch site Vehicle and provider Payload and owner Outcome or purpose Nov. 6 Yasny Launch Base, Russia Dnepr, ISC Kosmotras ASNARO 1, Japanese Institute for Unmanned Space Launched an Earth observation satellite. Experiment Free Flyer Nov. 20 Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia Soyuz 2-1b, TsSKB-Progress Glonass K, Russian Federal Defense Ministry To launch a navigation satellite Nov. 23 Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan Soyuz FG, TsSKB-Progress Soyuz TMA-15M, Russian Federal Space Agency To launch new crew members to the international space station. Nov. 28 Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan Proton, International Launch Services Astra 2G, SES To launch a communications satellite. Nov. 30 Tanegashima Space Center, Japan H-2A, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Hayabusa 2, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency To launch an asteroid sample-return mission. DECEMBER LAUNCHES Date Launch site Vehicle and provider Payload and owner Outcome or purpose Dec. 4 Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida Delta 4 Heavy, United Launch Alliance Orion EFT-1, NASA To launch the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle on an uncrewed test flight. Dec. 4 Guiana Space Center, Kourou, French Ariane 5, Arianespace DirecTV 14, DirecTV; GSAT-16, Indian Space Research To launch a direct-to-home television broadcast satellite and a Guiana Organisation communications satellite. Dec. 7 Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, China Long March 4B, China Academy of Launch Vehicle CBERS-4, Chinese and Brazilian governments To launch a remote sensing satellite. Technology Dec. 9 Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida Falcon 9, Space Exploration Technologies Corp. SpaceX CRS 5, SpaceX To launch a commercial resupply mission to the international space station. Dec. 11 Vandenberg Air Force Base, California Atlas 5, United Launch Alliance NROL-35, U.S. National Reconnaissance Office To launch a classified satellite. Dec. 18 Guiana Space Center, Kourou, French Guiana Soyuz 2-1b, Arianespace O3b F3, O3b Networks To launch four communications satellites. December Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota, GSLV Mark 3, Indian Space Research Organisation Crew module prototype, ISRO To launch the rocket on a suborbital test flight. India December Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan Proton, International Launch Services Yamal 401, Gazprom Space Systems To launch a communications satellite.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket lofts the U.S. Air Force’s GPS 2F-8 navigation satellite PHOTO

from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. ULA

18 www.spacenews.com November 10, 2014 COMMENTARY < EDITORIAL > New Hurdle for Commercial Military Satcom Industry Will Need an Independent, Public Cost Analysis To Counter Critical DoD Report recent report by the U.S. Department of Defense suggests were hard pressed to dispute the finding. That proviso is why the finding about the cost of com- that commercial satellite operators still have some work Some chose to accentuate the report’s positives — and mercial versus WGS bandwidth is so important. A ahead as they seek to fully ensconce themselves into the from a satellite operator’s perspective, there were some. The Senate authorization language calls for the Govern- future military satellite communications architecture. It acknowledges, for example, the benefits of a more ment Accountability Office to review the acquisition strate- The “Commercial Satellite Communications Strategy centralized approach to budgeting for commercial bandwidth, gies outlined in the report within 90 days of its delivery. Report,” delivered to Congress in September, identifies the particularly as Overseas Contingency Operations funding — That’s well and good, but it is unclear what constraints the longstanding impediments to using commercial bandwidth drawn from wartime supplemental appropriations that fall GAO will be under in conducting that review, or how deeply it more efficiently and outlines some potential work-arounds. outside the normal budgeting process — dry up. Currently, will delve into the Defense Department’s cost analysis. But it is clear that the report’s authors view the role of com- the combatant commands, services and defense agencies If commercial operators truly believe they can provide mercial satellites as secondary to that of the U.S. Air Force- place capacity orders on an ad hoc basis, without regard for WGS-equivalent services on a cost-competitive basis, they owned Wideband Global Satcom system. potential cost-saving efficiencies like bandwidth sharing and should welcome and encourage a full and open accounting of Most notably, the report claims that commercial band- demand aggregation. the cost figures, assumptions and methodologies used in the width costs the government four times as much, on average, The report also pinpointed a legal obstacle to the multi- Pentagon’s analysis. as comparable WGS capacity. It also says the military’s own year transponder lease arrangements long sought by industry Should that not be forthcoming in the GAO audit, in- satellites — it did not mention WGS in this dustry’s supporters in Congress — Rep. context — are superior to commercial satel- Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), chairman of the House lites in the areas of command-link encryption Most notably, the report claims that commercial bandwidth Armed Services strategic forces subcommit- and resilience against the ever-present threat tee, comes to mind — should insist on a of jamming. costs the government four times as much, on average, separate, completely independent cost evalu- To date, the X- and Ka-band WGS system as comparable WGS capacity. ation by the GAO and make the results public. consists of six satellites on orbit and four Few doubt that commercial satellites are an more on order, all designed to last 15 years. integral part of the solution to the military’s Commercial operators, meanwhile, have already seen their that should be addressable through simple legislation. To wit, insatiable appetite for bandwidth — whether or not the Air relative contribution to satisfying Defense Department com- under current law, satellite communications is not specifi- Force opts for more WGS satellites or a follow-on wideband munications requirements diminish as more WGS capacity is cally listed among the services that the Defense Department system. But in the continued absence of publicly available, deployed and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan come to an end. is authorized to contract for without funding potential ter- apples-to-apples cost data that take into account a wide The Air Force, which is pondering the future of all of its mination liabilities at the time of the award. range of plausible utilization scenarios — the Pentagon major satellite constellations, has suggested that it might be The report further says the Pentagon will evaluate seems especially wary of leasing commercial capacity it done buying WGS satellites, the implication being that com- alternative approaches to procuring commercial capacity, might not use — it will be difficult if not impossible to mercial satellites would carry the wideband load in the future. including upfront investments, as opposed to annual service determine where commercial satellites fit into the overall But if the report’s conclusions about the cost and resiliency contracts that fall under different procurement rules, to architecture and plan accordingly. of WGS versus commercial bandwidth are to be believed, it’s determine whether these could help reduce costs. hard to make the case for that shift. But the report prominently cited a directive from the Sen- n Readers are encouraged to express their views in 400-word letters to the editor. Letters Addressing the report during a recent panel discussion in ate authorizers who requested that alternative arrangements may be edited. Please include name, address and telephone number. Unsigned letters will not be published, but names will be withheld upon request. Send letters to 1414 Prince Washington, satellite industry officials appeared somewhat for procuring commercial satellite capacity “should only be St., Suite 300, Alexandria, VA 22314-2853, or to [email protected]. Letters to the skeptical of the cost comparison. But absent any insight into used where the use of DOD or other government satellites are editor, opinion and editorial columns may be published or distributed in print, electronic the numbers that fed the Defense Department’s analysis, they not available or is more costly than in the private sector.” or other forms.

WASHINGTON OFFICE Senior Staff Writer Subscriber Services Kennedy Space Center, Fla. San Francisco 1414 Prince Street Jeff Foust Toll free: +1-866-429-2199 Irene Klotz Debra Werner Suite 300 [email protected] Tel: +1-845-267-3023 Kennedy Space Center 180 29th Ave., Felix H. Magowan Fax: +1-845-267-3478 Launch Complex 39 Press San Francisco, CA 94121 Chairman Alexandria, VA Tel: +1-571-421-2300 22314-2853 U.S.A. Site [email protected] [email protected] Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Tel: +1-415-412-5819 Tel: +1-303-443-4360 Tel: +1-571-421-2300 NASA, Policy CORRESPONDENTS: Dan Leone India 32899 News Editor [email protected] K.S. Jayaraman [email protected] Canada William A. Klanke Tel: +1-321-422-3431 David Pugliese President & Publisher Todd Windsor Tel: +1-571-356-9531 D-208 Jardine Block [email protected] [email protected] Brigade Gardenia Enclave [email protected] Tel: +1-571-385-0234 Tel: +1-571-356-9773 Military Space J.P. Nagar 7th phase Japan Tel: +1-250-592-8354 Mike Gruss Bangalore 560078 Paul Kallender-Umezu Warren Ferster Art Director [email protected] India 150-0002 Shibuya Ku Executive Editor Lance H. Marburger Tel: +1-571-356-9022 [email protected] 150-0002 Tokyo-To [email protected] [email protected] Tel: +91-80-2696-6579 Shibuya Ku Tel: +1-571-356-9623 Tel: +1-571-356-9601 PARIS OFFICE Shibuya 1-20-17 Paris Bureau Chief Israel Mitake Hime 607 Brian Berger Copy Editor/Web Producer Peter B. de Selding Barbara Opall-Rome Japan Editor, SpaceNews.com Clinton Parks [email protected] 51A Ben Yehuda St. paul.kallender@ Deputy Editor, SpaceNews [email protected] Paris Herzeliya 46403, Israel newstandardjapan.com [email protected] 6 Square Théophile Gautier [email protected] Tel: +81-03-3499-0422 SPACENEWS is a registered Tel: +1-571-356-9957 trademark of Space News Inc. Tel: +1-571-356-9624 75016 Paris, France Tel: +972-9-951-8258 www.spacenews.com 19 November 10, 2014 The Big Satellite Shakeout < ROGER RUSCH > he satellite communications in- theoretical. Not all capacity could be used consumer appetite for data is doubling slower than expected revenue growth, dustry is in an expansive phase. efficiently, and clearly not all capacity is about every three years. Forecasts by Cisco and its satellites have low fill factors. TFixed satellite service (FSS) rev- equivalent. Much of the HTS capacity is show data throughput increasing in all Australian demand might be similar to enues have grown at a compounded intended for broadband consumer access regions at rates of 20 percent per year North America’s. annual rate of 5.8 percent per year for rather than conventional FSS for video or more. Aggressive forecasts predict a The distinction between MSS and FSS the past 10 years. Mobile satellite service distribution, private very small aperture surging need for ultra-high-speed broad- has been fading away. Inmarsat is building (MSS) revenues have grown at a rate of terminal networks, or cellular backhaul. band connectivity. North America seems to the HTS Global Express network in 3.6 percent, and direct broadcasting rev- Consequently, an industry assessment must be an idea market for satellite broadband Ka-band that can provide global coverage enues in the United States have grown consider each satellite service individually. since the continent has high per capita and concentrated service with steerable 11.6 percent per year over the same Direct broadcasting of television gross domestic product and regions of spot beams. Furthermore, ViaSat has period. The growth of U.S. broadband appears to be a healthy business in most unserved population. EchoStar/Hughes extended its Ka-band footprint over the satellite service revenues has been even regions of the world with distinctive satel- and ViaSat have attracted more than 1.6 North Atlantic. Intelsat is building the more dramatic, with a compounded an- lites and fully utilized capability. million broadband subscribers, but recent Epic series of satellites in Ku-band to nual rate of more than 25 percent over serve both the MSS and FSS markets. the past seven years. This should provide ample transmission Revenue growth has led to an accelera- capacity for ship crews and airline pas- tion of capital expenditures. About 115 It seems likely that the explosive growth of capacity will sengers. Hopefully, these new ambitious geostationary communication satellites systems will find a lucrative market. were procured in the past five years, and lead to some difficult adjustments throughout The MSS plain old telephone service most of these have been much larger satel- has provided a limited set of subscribers lites than in the past. Satellite operators the satellite industry. for satellite phone operators. Revenues have ordered nearly 30 high-throughput have not been sufficient to pay the bills at satellites (HTS), and most replacement sat- LightSquared, which is in bankruptcy. In ellites have substantially greater capacity. Prospects for the conventional FSS subscriber growth has slowed significantly. October, a hedge fund prepared an exten- Between 2000 and 2013, the number industry depend on whether new HTS The broadband satellite market outside sive report on Globalstar and declared of C- and Ku-band FSS transponders grew systems will cannibalize the existing of the United States is less compelling. that its assets are essentially worthless. from 6,319 to 10,126, an increase of 60 business. The FSS industry already may Eutelsat’s Ka-Sat was launched nearly a Iridium continues to operate with meager percent. If we assume that a standard be experiencing the effects of excessive year before ViaSat-1 but has attracted only earnings and huge capital expenses. transponder can support 40 megabits per capacity. Anecdotal evidence suggests 152,000 European users as of June 30. Inmarsat has also started a satellite phone second then the global FSS throughput has that satellite transponders have become Europe has high population density, and service. Thuraya is recovering from earlier increased from 253 gigabits per second to a commodity and are leased for the lowest most homes have ready access to broad- setbacks. Unfortunately, there do not 405. The HTS that have been launched or price. Some FSS operators are reporting band services. This suggests that similar appear to be enough users to go around. ordered add an additional 1,532 gigabits lower total revenues. All of the major FSS regions like China, India and East Asia One of the dilemmas in satellite com- per second, or nearly quadruple the FSS operators reported lower earnings per might find that terrestrial solutions are munications is the gap between optimistic capacity. share at the end of 2013. more cost effective than satellite service. forecasts and authentic demand. Actual On the surface, it appears that the Broadband access has created the Avanti and other operators have launched demand for satellite bandwidth has grown enormous expansion of capacity will greatest industry excitement in the satellites for broadband service to the lead to a glut. However, the figures are past decade. The evidence is clear that Middle East and Africa. Avanti reports SEE RUSCH PAGE 21 Space Debris Mitigation: A New Hope for a Realistic Solution? < MICHAEL BONARD > n Jan. 11, 2007, a Chinese antisat- centuries to have the debris re-enter the speed and direction of the debris, any handicapped by the very long propaga- ellite missile test completely frag- atmosphere. high-speed physical contact between a tion distance, atmospheric absorption Omented a Chinese target satellite In 1978, NASA scientist Donald J. component of the catcher spacecraft and and distortion of the laser beam. Such into millions of pieces of debris — nearly Kessler showed that if the density of space space debris will result in a collision, mul- parameters make this solution also not 800 debris fragments 10 centimeters or debris in low Earth orbit is high enough, tiplying the debris. The cost of designing, economically viable. Furthermore, being larger, nearly 40,000 debris fragments each collision generating space debris developing, testing and launching such a located in a single country, a ground-based between 1 and 10 centimeters, and some would increase the likelihood of further spacecraft, with sufficient fuel onboard laser system would raise serious political 2 million fragments of 1 millimeter or collisions. One serious implication is that to repeatedly intercept multiple debris issues within the international commu- larger. the multiplication of debris in orbit will fragments at different speeds, orbits and nity because of its implied antisatellite On Feb. 10, 2009, the operational render space exploration, and even the altitudes, does not seem to be economi- capability. Iridium 33 and decommissioned Kosmos- use of satellites, increasingly dangerous cally viable. In summary, the cost/benefit ratio 2251 satellites collided at a speed of 42,120 and costly for many generations. Other solutions would use high-power of the above solutions appears to be the kilometers per hour, destroying both Multiple solutions to remove space lasers that could vaporize the surface main reason none has been implemented satellites. In July 2011, more than 2,000 debris have been explored and published. of the debris in space, deflecting it and to date to proactively mitigate the most large debris fragments resulting from this One of these solutions involves physical possibly changing its orbit to intersect dangerous debris. collision were detected. contact between debris and the spacecraft: the atmosphere. These solutions have A more affordable approach for The international space station is rou- n Shielding of in-orbit spacecraft has the advantage of not requiring physical cleaning low and medium Earth orbits of tinely dodging debris that are tracked by been considered. However, the satellite contact with the debris. small- to medium-sized orbital debris may ground-based radars. community has recognized that the sheer n Space-based laser systems require be achievable. This approach would use Space debris constitutes a continuously weight of any reasonably efficient shielding designing, building, launching and oper- the principle of deflecting an electrically growing threat to satellites and manned would make launch not economically ating a spacecraft equipped with a very charged, moving object in a magnetic field. spacecraft. Very small debris creates poten- viable. Furthermore, the speeds involved high-power laser system. Such a design is The old television tube is probably the tially nonthreatening damage. Large debris in physical contacts would generate a cloud utterly complex and expensive and very most common example of this principle, can be detected by ground-based radars of additional debris. likely will not be economically viable. where electrical charges (electrons) are and avoided by spacecraft maneuvers. n “Catcher” spacecraft have also been n Airborne laser systems are facing deflected by the magnetic fields generated However, small- to medium-sized debris proposed. Conceptually, highly mobile and the same obstacles: The Boeing YAL-1 by the tube deflection coils. in low or medium Earth orbits constitutes agile spacecraft equipped with a “catching Airborne Laser Test Bed program, which The application of this principle would the biggest threat. These orbits have the device” like a net or a robotic arm could was designed as a missile defense system use a space-based electron gun to generate largest density of debris and the highest be launched from Earth to intercept and to destroy tactical ballistic missiles, was an electron beam directed at the orbital relative speeds, while the atmospheric catch debris. However, unless the catcher terminated because of cost. drag is small enough that it may take spacecraft are able to precisely match the n Ground-based laser systems are SEE BONARD PAGE 21 20 www.spacenews.com November 10, 2014 MARKETPLACE

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To advertise, contact your SpaceNews sales representative at http://www.spacenews.com/advertising-contacts www.spacenews.com 21 On The November 10, 2014 RUSCH FROM PAGE 19 might decide to reduce satellite www.spacenews.com procurements until supply and much slower than expected. demand are in better balance. PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER It seems likely that the explo- A common misconception is William A. Klanke ADVERTISEMENTS — Call 571-356-9618 Tel: +1-571-385-0234 Horizon sive growth of capacity will lead that satellite communications is to some difficult adjustments an elastic market. Actually, com- Email: [email protected] ovember ebruary throughout the satellite industry. munication services are relatively BUSINESS MANAGER N F Excess capacity will lead to sig- inelastic. In other words, the John H. Dawson nificantly reduced transmission mistaken belief is that revenues Tel: +1-571-385-1509 November 12-13 February 3-5 prices. Total FSS revenues will will increase when the market Email: [email protected] SATCON 2014 AFCEA’s Defending America Cyberspace drop while capacity is absorbed. expands in response to lower New York, NY Symposium Shorter transponder lease con- unit prices. Unfortunately, the www.satconexpo.com Colorado Springs, CO tracts will be written as prices market primarily expands in REPRESENTATIVES www.afceacyberspace.com drop. Satellites will operate response to greater demand, with lower fill factors. Weaker which is driven by user needs. NORTH AMERICA players will not lease all avail- Consequently, total revenue February 26-28 able capacity, and there will be growth will be modest at best. ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER, STRATEGIC PRODUCTS 1st International Academy of Astronau- cash flow issues for some opera- The development of HTS is & MANAGER, ADVERTISING SALES November 18-20 tics and International tors. Nonetheless, new entrants undoubtedly good news for com- Candance “Candy” Maness University of Maryland Institute of Space Law Conference on might capture most of the new mercial satellite services in the Cell: +1-318-550-1727 2014 Orbital Debris Workshop Climate Change and Disaster Manage- business if they are more agile long term. Greater efficiency Email: [email protected] Center for Orbital Debris Education and ment Kovalam, Thiruvananthapuram, India and aggressive. Big operators’ will make satellite services more BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Research market share will probably competitive with terrestrial alter- College Park, MD http://iaaweb.org continue to fall. Thus far, less natives. New opportunities will Paige McCullough Tel: +1-571-385-0302 Collaboration, research and education to than half of the HTS satellites appear for entrepreneurs. Email: [email protected] address critical issues in orbital debris march have been launched so the full policy, mitigation and remediation. impact of this capacity inser- Roger Rusch is president of TelAstra Inc., OUTSIDE NORTH AMERICA www.coder.umd.edu/workshop tion has not been felt. At some a firm that consults for investors in satellite March 10-12 point the satellite operators communications. CHINA, GERMANY, INDONESIA, ISRAEL, CABSAT 2015 KOREA, MALAYSIA, RUSSIA, TAIWAN, December Dubai, UAE SINGAPORE, AUSTRIA, DENMARK, FINLAND, www.cabsat.com INDIA, NETHERLANDS, BELGIUM, LUXEMBURG, December 8-11 BONARD FROM PAGE 19 coordinated by the space agencies NORWAY, SOUTH AFRICA, SWEDEN, March 16-19 of several countries. SWITZERLAND, UNITED KINGDOM 1st International Academy of Astronau- Satellite 2015 debris. The beam would remotely As with any new technology tics Latin America Cubesat Workshop Washington, DC impart an electric charge to the development, there are still open Tony Kingham Brasilia, Brazil www.satshow.com debris. Earth’s magnetic field questions associated with the KNM PR and Publishing http://iaaweb.org would exert a force on the electric deployment of this concept. A 4a High Street, Edenbridge, charge of such debris crossing formal study would have to be Kent, TN8 5AG, UK april the magnetic field at high speed, conducted by space specialists to Tel: +44 (0) 20 8144 5934 modifying its orbit. Over time, validate and test the concept and E-mail: tony.kingham@ the orbit would become highly determine the optimum design worldsecurity-index.com April 11-16 elliptical and would intersect the parameters. National Association of Broadcasters upper atmosphere, where the Areas that should be explored FRANCE, ITALY, SPAIN (NAB) Las Vegas, NV debris would vaporize or fall to include: Defense & Communication Earth. Preliminary calculations n The ability to precisely direct Emmanuel Archambeaud www.nabshow.com have shown that this concept is the electron beam at the debris. Fabio Lancellotti sound. The benefits include: Although electrons can be sent 48 Boulevard Jean-Jaures, n Cost: Lower cost is the major at near-light speed, they are also 92110 Clichy, France April 13 advantage of electromagnetic deflected by the very magnetic Tel: +33(0)1 4730 7180 Cyber 1.5 Colorado Springs, CO deflection. field that will act on the debris, Cell : +33(0) 6 1103 9652 December 16-18 Fax: +33(0)1 4730 0189 www.spacesymposium.org n Feasibility: There is no requiring precise aiming of the DoD Commercial Satcom Workshop new or speculative technology electron gun. E-mail: earchambeaud@ defcommunication.com Co-sponsored by SIA and to develop. Used in particle n The ability of the target to U.S. Strategic Command April 13-16 accelerators and in millions of store the electrons. JAPAN Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel 31st Space Symposium old-style television tubes, the n The retention of the charge Arlington, VA Colorado Springs, CO Kazuhiko Tanaka electron gun technology is very by the target. Due to the constant www.dodsatcom.com www.spacesymposium.org mature. The energy used to bombardment of the target by the Shinono International, Inc. generate the electron beam is solar wind that comprises ionized Akasaka Kyowa Building 2F 1-6-14, Akasaka, Minato-ku April 13-17 orders of magnitude lower than particles, it is expected that the Tokyo 107-0052 Japan high-power lasers. charge of the target will dissipate Tel: 81 03 (3584) 6420 2015 4th Planetary Defense Conference n Risk: It would reduce the over time. Fax: 81 03 (3505) 5628 Frascati, Roma, Italy probability of creating additional n The dynamic response of Email: [email protected] http://iaaweb.org debris by avoiding any physical the target trajectory under the JaNuary contact. influence of the deflecting force. SUBSCRIBER SERVICE April 20-24 The electron gun device In conclusion, civil and govern- Tel: Toll free in U.S. January 18-21 +1-866-429-2199 10th International Academy of Astronau- could be integrated in an add-on ment satellites as well as manned Pacific Telecommunications Conference module to the international space missions are currently exposed to Fax: +1-845-267-3478 tics Symposium on Small Satellites for Outside North America (PTC 2015) Earth Observation station. the growing risk of collisions with +1-845-267-3023 Honolulu, HI The ISS is already in space, debris, which may result in costly Berlin, Germany Fax: +1-845-267-3478 www.ptc.org http://iaaweb.org and there would be no new space- incidents, or accidents that could Email: spacenews@ craft to develop and launch. take human lives. It is essential cambeywest.com The ISS has a large power- to have a solution implemented generation capability, while the as soon as possible. As of today, AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT electron gun would require only the electromagnetic deflection Mark Rosen intermittent and modest amounts approach seems to be one of the Tel: +1-203-822-7789 of energy to operate. most cost effective, most realisti- Email: mrosen@ This solution would be more cally achievable and least risky. It circulationspecialists.com easily adopted by the international deserves to be further evaluated space community, since it does not and pursued. SEND ADVERTISING MATERIAL TO: have the capability to damage or Christine Frazee destroy a spacecraft. This feature Michael Bonard is former director of Tel: +1-571-356-9618 would be expected to encourage Aeronautical Services for Comsat Mobile Email: [email protected] support and funding of the project Communications. He has held other positions in by all the nations involved in space engineering, marketing and program SpaceNews operations. The electromagnetic management with Comsat and Rockwell 1414 Prince Street, Suite 300 deflection concept would best International Collins Radio, specializing in Alexandria, Va. 22314 USA be implemented as an interna- telecommunications systems, avionics tional program, managed and engineering and satellite communications. 22 www.spacenews.com November 10, 2014 PROFILE Tory Bruno PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE, UNITED LAUNCH ALLIANCE

nited Launch Alliance has delivered its customers’ payloads to orbit 89 Utimes without fail during its first nine years in business, including 12 suc- cessful missions so far this year. Away from Not Afraid of the pad, the Boeing-Lockheed Martin joint venture is fighting political, legal and public- relations battles on a newly competitive landscape. Competition The Denver company has been con- fronted by critics in Congress who view ULA as a monopoly, saw its $11 billion block buy contract with the U.S. Air Force chal- lenged in federal court by Space Exploration Technologies Corp., faced the possibility that the Russian government could limit the export of the Russian-made RD-180 engines that power the Atlas 5 rocket’s first stage, and absorbed regular complaints from the U.S. Air Force about the price of its rockets. Amid the tumult, the ULA board named a new chief executive: Tory Bruno. Bruno, previously the vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Strategic and Missile Defense Systems, has little time to learn the ins and outs of the national security community that buys the bulk of ULA’s launches. Topping his to-do list for the next several years: maintain the near-perfect launch record that has won ULA high marks from the Defense Department; move Atlas 5 away from the RD-180 engine; beat SpaceX in the coming head-to- head matchups for national security launch contracts. On the public relations front, ULA parried SpaceX’s commercial crew win with headline-grabbing news of its own the next day. Appearing alongside Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos, Bruno announced ULA would pay Bezos’ secre- tive Blue Origin spaceship venture an unspecified sum to complete development of a liquefied natural gas engine that could be ready to power an Atlas 5 as soon as 2019. In his first one-on-one interview since taking the reins at ULA in August, Bruno spoke with SpaceNews writer Mike Gruss. PHOTO ULA www.spacenews.com 23 November 10, 2014

When you were tapped to replace Michael Gass, what man- general public is that ULA has a great track record but Anytime you make a major change to the launch vehicle, dates were you given by ULA’s board of directors? is expensive and nears a monopoly? the Air Force has to certify that change. The degree of change determines the amount of work you have to do The board said, “It’s a new era. [ULA needs] some help If you picture a group of rocket scientists doing these to accomplish that certification. If we change the rocket being postured for that. The current CEO will be retiring. very important national security missions, the fact is engine and we change the fuel it burns and the tank that’s Now is the time someone can make a difference.” I was they’re shy, they’re modest and they don’t really think on that first-stage booster, there would be a certification excited to do that. first about talking about what they do. They depend on activity associated with that, the details of which will be The really important thing was to continue this tre- their record to speak for them. That was the character of worked out with the Air Force. mendous mission focus they have. The mission success this industry and the character of this company. In this record — once you’re perfect, you really get used to environment we’re moving into, there’s going to be a lot What have you told RD-180 supplier RD-Amross about ULA’s that. You don’t want to let go of it while transforming more competition and new entrants coming in needing engine transition plans? the company. to make a name for themselves. That’s really not the right posture anymore. You’re going to see ULA have a Before we made the public announcement about Blue we There hasn’t been much competition in the national security much higher-profile presence. We don’t do so well with talked to all of our stakeholders, including them. It takes launch market since Boeing and Lockheed formed ULA in flamboyance and rhetoric but we’re pretty good about years to develop an engine and a liquid-oxygen system that talking about facts and the real story. fits with it. You need to allow for a graceful transition for 2006. How do you become a competitive powerhouse? your own national interests. That means we’re going to We are able to address an entire mission space that’s Is the teaming arrangement with Blue Origin part of a need to continue to buy RD-180s for several years — five, out there. Our competitors are just starting with nooks wider strategy to change ULA’s reputation as an old- six, seven-plus years. And we will fly them for a couple of and crannies and mostly the lower-performance end of years after we’re done buying them. this mission. We already have a product family that will school operator? take everything from a tiny, lightweight spacecraft into Have you started negotiating for RD-180 beyond those in- low Earth orbit, all the way to carrying the really large We’re really not doing this for the perception impact cluded in the block buy? payloads to geosynchronous orbit. If the launch systems it’s going to have. That’s going to come along for free. are not as affordable as they can be, then the customers We’ve absolutely been in conversations with them. We can’t satisfy the full set of missions. If you’re less expensive, How did the Blue Origin agreement come about? were buying them at five a year. We’ve been talking to and you have that tremendous record, it opens up whole them about kicking that rate up to eight a year, which new markets and allows us to be much more competitive We were looking for technology that we could bring into they are happy to do. We’re now planning on receiving in the commercial marketplace. You get cheaper to grow. our booster that would be much less expensive to produce eight next year. There will be lots of engines after this and buy considerably more performance and make the current buy. They’re happy to provide them. Why hasn’t ULA already done that? per launch cost less expensive. One of the things I’ve noted when we started looking seriously at these guys is The Senate has proposed language in its defense bill that ulti- It really has been underway for quite some time. By the serious manner in which they were going about rocket mately limits the use of Russian engines. What would it mean entering this big block buy we saved the Government more science. There wasn’t any rhetoric or flamboyance around than $4 billion. ULA has really cut the prices of national them. They had their heads down. They hired some of to ULA if it becomes law? security launch in half. What I’m really talking about is the best rocket scientists from around the industry. Unfortunately, the way it was worded, I believe inadver- the next logical step. With that track record behind you, tently, it even prohibits us from offering Deltas because you can really take sort of a critical eye to your processes How will the new BE-4 engine you’re developing with Blue we use the RD-180 for Atlas. It would just be terrible. It and the way you do business and knock more cost out. Origin change the Atlas 5? would actually be so anticompetitive because it would take We’ve cut the cost in half. I want to cut it in half again. your most important provider, ULA, and say, well, you The thing that is most different about the Blue Origin can no longer participate. For a whole class of missions, it How quickly can ULA achieve this cost-reduction goal? engine is it burns methane, liquefied natural gas. We’re immediately becomes a monopoly for the other supplier. going to have to change the booster, the first stage, to The upper-end missions to the highest orbits would be We’re going to do it within the decade. We’re on track accommodate that. Because of the density difference we’re unable to be fulfilled at all. Since I’m prohibited, there right now to take 30 percent out of our costs. I can see going to need a larger tank. We’re going to have a larger isn’t anyone today certified to do those missions. It would a path through not just those efficiencies but through diameter tank that may or may not be longer. There will just be a disaster. technology updates and innovations that will take us be software modifications to accommodate the different easily to 40 percent. Then from there, we’ll find the rest performance and timing because this engine is going to What’s a reasonable number of launches for ULA to win of the of the way. produce a lot more thrust than we currently have with seven or eight the Air Force will put out for bid in the next our RD-180. But beyond that it’s all the same. My vision three years? Is that enough to keep you competitive with SpaceX? is to update the technology. The trades for what that vehicle family looks like are still underway and they’ll Absolutely. be completed about the end of the year. We bid this block buy with big savings built in. We bid the average price and we’re working our way through How do you see the marketplace for launch possibilities ex- Why is ULA paying Aerojet Rocketdyne for AR-1 engine studies that. We’re coming up right on where that average is, panding in the next decade? if you’ve decided on Blue Origin’s BE-4 engine? which means we bid a little bit below. That’s given us a lot of confidence. I expect to be very, very competitive. There are two time windows. The first one is in the next BE-4 is our Plan A and I fully expect Blue Origin and my five or six years in which I see national security space and friend Jeff Bezos to succeed. But I have a heavy respon- Do you expect to win at least a couple? NASA and other civil space budgets being pretty stable. sibility on me. In terms of Aerojet Rocketdyne, they are Once you get beyond that window we see an eventual my upper-stage engine provider on both Atlas and Delta. Absolutely. recapitalization of the space assets that have gone up on They’re my Atlas solid strap-on rocket motor and they orbit in the last few years. What’s important for us when provide RS-68, which is the engine on the first-stage If you don’t win all of them, what do you do with cores you’ve you look at it from a ULA point of view is we will be able booster for Delta. None of that changes. We are working already purchased for those missions as part of the block buy? to address more of that commercial marketplace as we with them to make sure we have viable contingency plans bring our price point down. in the event Blue Origin runs into challenges. Are you confident you can find commercial missions for them? Yes, I am. How do you change the message about ULA, which Will the Air Force have to recertify an Atlas 5 that uses the Twitter: @Gruss_SN among some in Congress, at the Pentagon and in the BE-4? Email: [email protected] A SECURE CONNECTION FOR SECURE GLOBAL BROADBAND.

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