Hughes Network Systems, a player in broadband satellite networks and services, has announced that its Brazilian operating unit, Hughes do Brasil, has signed agreements with two Brazilian cellular operators to provide satellite backhaul services connecting remote cellular base transceiver stations (BTS) to their GSM networks.

The two contracts call for providing turnkey managed services for connecting a total of 79 BTS sites over a 60 month period.

The service commenced in May and is expected to eventually provide cell phone access to approximately half a million consumers and businesses in the central and northeastern regions of Brazil, the company informed.

Spirent Communications, a provider of navigation and positioning test solutions, has launched the Spirent GSS6700 Multi-GNSS Constellation Simulator for global navigation satellite system (GNSS) testing.

The GSS6700 offers not only GPS test capability but also support for the Russian GLONASS system and planned European Galileo system, the company said.

The company further noted the GSS6700 is available with a range of software capabilities designed to suit differing test requirements.

SimGEN is Spirent’s flexible simulator software suite and would typically be used in technology development and R&D applications. For environments where repeat testing using the same test cases is needed, for example verification testing, Spirent’s SimREPLAY software is available. SimREPLAY can be specified with web-based or on-board limited scenario generation capability.

In addition to GPS, GLONASS and Galileo commercial signals, the GSS6700 supports augmentation system and interference testing. Space Based Augmentation System (SBAS) support is a standard offering with GPS systems. Options include dynamic and flexible interference signal generation, vehicle sensor emulation coherent with GNSS and Local Area Augmentation System (LAAS) support. Spirent also offers a range of test scenarios to reduce test scenario development time, the company informed.

BB SAT (Japan) has announced the commencement of its satellite broadband service in Japan.

The service, aimed primarily at consumers and SME/SOHO customers, will provide service to Japan’s Digital Divide areas and to ADSL users who, because of distance from ADSL provisioning facilities, receive poor quality service. The BB SAT service will provide 2.5 Mbps in the forward direction and 512 kbps in the return direction.

These are the highest speed consumer-priced broadband services presently offered by satellite.

Customers will have to pay 5,000 yen ($51) monthly for the service plus a terminal rental fee.

The service is operated with the ViaSat SurfBeam system, and uses the Ka band satellite capacity of the Sky Perfect – JSAT Superbird B2 satellite. Initially limited service will be provided with nationwide roll-out beginning this summer. BB SAT (Japan)is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BB SAT, a US company.

Hughes Network Systems, a player in broadband satellite networks and services, has announced the availability of its latest generation HX broadband satellite routers, the HX260 Mesh and the HX200.

The company claims these routers provide up to twice the throughput performance and build on the advanced DVB-S2/ACM bandwidth management of the HX System.

Both incorporate a high-performance processor and ample onboard memory to deliver carrier grade performance for business private networks, cellular backhaul, and a range of broadband applications, the company added.

The HX260 features an integrated, multichannel TDMA demodulator, enabling simultaneous mesh and star mode connectivity within the HX System. It is reportedly suitable for private networks providing a mix of voice and data services, and can be managed from one central NOC location.

The HX200 supports connection to a variety of radios, including L-Band BUCs, and can be configured to support a range of advanced features offered by the HX System, including mobility support. The HX260 multichannel demodulator enables the unit to operate in full mesh mode with a single satellite hop to connect to another HX260 terminal, the company noted.

Mitsubishi Electric has selected Integral Systems’ EPOCH Integrated Product Suite (IPS) to support its DS2000 satellite platform.

Under this operational contract, Integral Systems will add capability to its EPOCH IPS to support the DS2000 satellite platform, including all required telemetry and command processing, memory management, and orbit analysis.

Upon completion, Integral Systems’ EPOCH IPS are expected to provide a precise, integrated environment for DS2000 satellite operations and mission analysis.

Integral Systems informed that the EPOCH IPS provides complete operations capability for real-time monitoring and control of all satellite and ground equipment systems and functions.

GeoEye, a provider of satellite and aerial-based geospatial information, has started delivering high-resolution, colour satellite imagery from its newest satellite to Google.

The GeoEye-1 satellite images that are being highlighted by Google were all taken within the last 60 days and include images of the Pyramids of Giza, Mount Fuji, Sydney Australia, and many other recognisable locations.

The images were all taken from 423 miles in space as GeoEye-1 moved around the Earth at 17,000 miles per hour. The 4,300-pound GeoEye-1 satellite was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. on 6 September 2008.

Intelsat, a fixed satellite services provider, has selected NetCracker Technology software and services to improve the automation of its service delivery processes.

Intelsat purchased NetCracker’s Resource Inventory, Discovery & Reconciliation, Service Inventory, and Service Provisioning & Activation modules as well as related professional services.

The project is expected to further automate Intelsat’s current fulfillment and provisioning protocols, centralise disparate management systems, streamline operations. NetCracker will also provide workflow management functionality for Intelsat’s fulfillment processes.

SES New Skies, an SES company, has announced that the NSS-9 satellite successfully roared into space onboard an Ariane 5 ECA booster from the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on 12 February at 7:09 pm local time (10:09 pm GMT).

Approximately 32 minutes after lift-off the spacecraft separated from the Ariane 5 upper stage and was placed into geostationary transfer orbit.

Initial signals from NSS-9 were received at a control station in Uralla, Australia at 11:07 pm GMT.

NSS-9 was manufactured by Orbital Sciences, with launch services onboard Ariane 5 provided by Arianespace. The satellite, procured by SES Satellite Leasing in the Isle of Man, is poised to be the 40th satellite in SES’ global fleet.