ISRO all set to launch PSLV C-15 with 5 satellites

ISRO is making all arrangements at SHAR here in Sriharikota to launch the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV C-15. This rocket is set for a launch on May 9, but due to technical problems it was delayed. Finally the PCLV C-15 will fly into skies from Sriharikota, in Andhra Pradesh. PSLV C-15 will launch as many as 5 satellites into space. 2 satellites belong to India, and the rest of them are foreign satellites. Indian satellite Cartosat-2B, Alsat of Algeria, one nano satellite of Canada, one nano satellite of Switzerland and one Andhra Pradesh engineering students developed Studsat satellite will be placed in the orbit. Cartosat-2B is the top of all, and most importantly for India this is a key satellite. This satellite is used to picture even little objects on earth from space. This is said to be very useful in towns and urban planning. The other three foreign satellites are payloads and Algeria especially is very excited over their satellite launch in orbit. IRSO got a good name in the world’s space technology. The PSLV is world famous and it carries a world record of carrying 10 satellites into space successfully at a time.

Eutelsat to remove Arab channels

According to the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), the French media authority CSA, has instructed Eutelsat to remove several “inflammatory” Arab and Iranian TV channels from its satellites. Although Eutelsat carried out the instructions, most of the inciting channels have sometimes resurfaced on European satellites or satellites operated by non-European countries but which have some coverage of Europe – sometimes within a matter of hours. Founded in February 1998 to inform the debate over US policy in the Middle East, MEMRI is an organisation with headquarters are in Washington, DC. The Institute monitors Middle East media and reports on them. Only in one case (Al-Manar), the CSA was successful in having the broadcaster removed from satellite. In three more cases, concerning TVSahar-1 TV, Al-Rahma TV and Al-Aqsa TV, all “have all made a mockery of the decisions of the French authorities.”

Nilesat launch scheduled for August 3

Arianespace has announced that the Nilesat and RascomStar-QAF satellites have arrived at the Spaceport for Ariane 5’s third launch this year, scheduled for August 3. A chartered An-124 cargo jetliner arrived at Cayenne’s Rochambeau International Airport with the Nilesat-201 and RASCOM-QAF1R spacecraft, both of which were built by Thales Alenia Space as prime contractor for their respective customers: Nilesat and RascomStar-QAF. Nilesat-201 will enable the Egyptian satellite operator Nilesat to deliver digital DTH TV and radio broadcasting, along with high-speed data transmission services, to North Africa and the Middle East. Utilising a Spacebus 4000B2 platform, Nilesat is equipped with 24 Ku-band and 4 Ka-band transponders. Its launch mass will be approximately 3,200 kg., and after its deployment by Ariane 5, the satellite will be positioned at an orbital slot of 7 degrees West for a 15-year design operating lifetime. The RASCOM-QAF1R spacecraft, based on the Spacebus 4000B3 platform, will ensure service continuity for the RascomStar-QAF operator and its customers, providing African access communications and information technologies – in particular rural telephony, from an orbital slot of 2.9 degrees East.

3D/HD ups and downs in Russia

Russia is making good progress in the introduction of 3D while at the same time falling behind in the take-up of HD services. The DTH platform NTV-Plus says that it will broadcast no fewer than seven matches from the closing stages of this year’s World Cup in 3D, starting with the quarter finals on July 2 and 3. The quarter finals will be shown in the October cinema in Moscow and the remaining matches in six cinemas forming part of the Karo Film network, again in Moscow. Tickets will cost from R900 (€23.5) up to R1,500, in the latter instance for the final. NTV-Plus broadcast the Champions League final in 3D in May and plans to launch a channel in the format. In the meantime, AKTR and RBC report that despite the widespread deployment of HD-ready sets in Russia, only around 60-70,000 viewers pay to watch HD channels.

Eutelsat selects Astrium for W5A

Eutelsat Communications announced that it has selected Astrium to build a 48-transponder Ku-band satellite that will be located at its 70.5 degrees East location in geostationary orbit. Scheduled for launch in fourth quarter 2012, the satellite will replace the W5 craft and more than double Eutelsat’s resources at 70.5 degrees East. The new satellite will be used for a range of professional applications that include government services, broadband access, GSM backhauling and professional video exchanges in Europe, Africa and Central and South-East Asia. Weighing in at five tonnes, W5A will be based on the Astrium Eurostar E3000 platform with a designed in-orbit lifetime exceeding 15 years. Each of the satellite’s four high-performance fixed beams will be focused over a distinct zone: Europe, Africa, Central Asia and South-East Asia reaching as far as Australia. Through a high degree of on-board connectivity, clients will be able to use the beams either for regional coverage or to interconnect continents.

Echostar launches push HD streaming service

EchoStar has signed an agreement with XStreamHD to stream HD entertainment in a 1080p format, delivered via satellite directly to homes. The service is using satellite capacity from the EchoStar-leased AMC-16 satellite at 85 degrees West. Utilising Fixed Service Satellite (FSS) capacity from the AMC-16 satellite, XStreamHD is a push service, which automatically places content on the media server’s personal library based upon their unique user preference and distinct title selections. In order to use the over-the-top service, viewers need to buy a dish and a dedicated satellite receiver which will also act as a media server.

Dance TV HD launches on Astra

Dance TV HD will start transmissions on the Astra satellite at 23.5 degrees East. Dance TV HD is a new Dutch based international television channel featuring programming about the international dance and club scene, events, DJ concerts, festivals and interviews and background information with producers and DJs. The channel also promises live feeds from the best clubs around the world and lifestyle magazine programmes. There will be no video clips, according to a press release from the channel. All programming from the new channel will be in HD. Apart from the distribution via the Astra satellite at 23.5 degrees East, the channel hopes to announce distribution deals with various platforms.

DTT LAUNCHED IN GHANA

Ghana has become the first African country to have SMART TV, a new Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) service. Launched by Next Generation Broadcasting (NGB) in collaboration with Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) Smart TV offers a smart mix of local and international content as both pay-TV service and free-to-air service.

Free DTH for rural Australia

Australia has planned its Viewer Access Satellite Television (VAST) service to provide digital free-to-air DTH in remote areas of Australia. It is expected to cost the government A $375.4 million over the next 12 years."For many years, poor television reception has troubled some residents in regional and remote areas of Australia," Senator Conroy said. "The new satellite service will bring to those viewers the range of television services long enjoyed by Australians in capital cities. It will ensure that viewers who are unable to receive terrestrial television services are not left behind in the coming switchover to digital," Conroy added.

Reuters launches news channel

Reuters is launching a virtual TV channel, Reuters Insider, with the aim of delivering breaking news and analysis. Reuters said Insider will have "exclusive multimedia programming from Reuters including live, uninterrupted coverage of breaking news, interviews with key newsmakers, in-depth analysis and insightful commentary on important market issues."The service will be available for no extra charge to Reuters existing subscribers. There will also be third party content from financial institutions and other news providers including CNBC. The channel will be operated from the UK and US and Reuters has set up a studio outside Canary Wharf, in the heart of London's financial district. Reuters has dabbled with TV before although Reuters Financial TV news channel, which launched in 1993, was wound up in 2001 with the company citing the high cost of distribution.

Discovery grows Indian presence

Discovery Networks has been quietly but consistently growing its presence in India. Its flagship - Discovery Channel now claims 14th rank amongst all channels in India. It is number one in the non-fiction genre, and is behind only Hindi general entertainment, movie channels and sports channels. Currently, Discovery Networks offers a bouquet six channels: Discovery Channel, Discovery Travel & Living, Animal Planet, Discovery Science, Discovery Turbo and Discovery HD World. In January 2010, Discovery Channel had started its Tamil service. "The 24-hour parallel Tamil feed led to an eight-fold increase in viewership in Tamil Nadu. Our programming is more about commentary. And commentary in a local language makes all the difference," says Johri. Based on this success, the channel is also considering feeds in other Indian regional languages. In January Discovery also launched 2 new channels, Discovery Science and Discovery Turbo. However, these 2 new channels, reportedly have only 1 million viewers. In March this year, Discovery launched India's first high definition channel, Discovery HD World. However, Cable networks and consumers have been slow to embrace HD channels, and pay premiums for them. The industry hopes that the Oct 2010 Commonwealth Games will catapult HD into focus, rapidly spurring viewers to spend more to HD content.