Vyoma awarded ESA data procurement contract for space-based data on small space debris

Munich-based Vyoma, a company providing Space Domain Awareness (SDA) capabilities, has been selected as the winner of the ESA tender on ”Data Procurement for Space-Based Statistical Data on Small Space Debris Phase 1”, funded via ESA‘s Space Safety Programme (S2P).

ESA’s Meteoroid And Space debris Terrestrial Environment Reference (MASTER) model provides a description of the space environment around Earth, supporting satellite designers, operators and others with risk assessments. 

Currently, there exists a significant temporal and spatial knowledge gap for observations of space debris with sizes smaller than the detection limit of ground-based sensors.

Vyoma's Flamingo-1 satellite is ideally positioned to generate the image data ESA is seeking. Flying “in-situ” at an altitude of 510 km, Flamingo-1's instrument can monitor large volumes of space at once. This sensor detects objects at long and short distances and captures small and fast objects reliably, improving data for the MASTER model.

“Space situational awareness data generated from space-based observers like Flamingo-1 play an essential role in safeguarding current and planned satellites and contributes to a sustainable use of space around Earth”, Dr Tim Flohrer, Head of ESA’s Space Debris Office told That's Technology,

“We are very pleased to welcome ESA as an important key customer, and we are looking forward to supporting ESA in its mission to help satellite operators keep their assets safe”, added Dr. Stefan Frey, CEO of Vyoma.

Vyoma leverages space-based and ground-based data to empower automated satellite operations and deliver space intelligence to the industry. Founded in August 2020, Vyoma offers services that enable efficient and scalable satellite operations in congested orbits around Earth, drastically reducing mission costs for its customers.

https://www.vyoma.space

Satellite and SES continue their growth path in Europe

SES has announced that satellite has become the leading TV infrastructure in Europe, ahead of terrestrial and cable reception.

Approximately 84 million European households have satellite (Direct-to-Home, DTH) as their primary TV reception mode, an increase of 22 percent over the last four years. In the same period, terrestrial TV lost nearly 16 million homes, while cable TV lost over 2 million. IPTV - the TV distribution over tele-communication networks in IP format - has grown from a very low level to some 16 million households.

These are the results of the year-end Satellite Monitor that SES presents annually and that is based on primary research in 35 European and North African countries. The study is based on more than 62,000 interviews, conducted by leading market research institutes under the lead of TNS Infratest, Germany.

The main growth markets for satellite in 2011 were the UK, Germany, Ukraine, Poland and Italy. The main growth drivers are the development of digital reception and High Definition (HD). Satellite today is the leading digital infrastructure, reaching nearly 44 percent of all 186 million digital TV homes in Europe. The digitalisation rate of satellite is 97 percent, compared to 70 percent in terrestrial reception and 48 percent in cable.

The new study that SES presented today in London also shows that ASTRA is extending its position in the European markets. Around 142 million TV households are served by ASTRA, 7 million more than the year before and 25 million more than four years ago. More than half of the European TV homes (57 percent) receive their signals from ASTRA. 73 percent of all European satellite homes are ASTRA households, a total of 62 million. As a leader of digitalisation and High Definition (HD), ASTRA is also the leading HDTV platform in Europe. Over 23 million of the total 29 million satellite HD households in Europe are ASTRA households. The ASTRA Satellite System transmits 267 HD channels.

Worldwide, SES broadcasts in excess of 1200 HD channels on its fleet of 50 satellites and reaches 258 million TV households.

"This success confirms our view that satellite reception is the most attractive and future-proof mode for households to watch TV", said Norbert Hölzle, Senior Vice President Commercial Europe, in London. "The trend in Germany, where satellite overtook cable for the first time in history, is confirmed in the UK as well as in Europe overall, where satellite outgrew the other reception modes. The number and variety of channels, the quality of the broadcast, and the large reach of satellite remain compelling arguments for households to decide for a satellite dish.

The factual growth of satellite and ASTRA in the digital world confirms their leading role. It puts us in a strong position to compete with other networks and combine our strengths with DSL and broadband reception. The combination of both in the connected TV will be the best of all possible worlds for the TV viewer."

SES is a world-leading satellite operator with a fleet of 50 geostationary satellites. The company provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators and business and governmental organisations worldwide.

SES stands for long-lasting business relationships, high-quality service and excellence in the broadcasting industry. The culturally diverse regional teams of SES are located around the globe and work closely with customers to meet their specific satellite bandwidth and service requirements.

SES (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) owns and operates the ASTRA Satellite System. It holds participations in Ciel in Canada and QuetzSat in Mexico, as well as a strategic participation in satellite infrastructure start-up O3b Networks.

50th SES spacecraft in orbit after successful ILS proton launch

SES S.A. has announced that the SES-4 satellite roared into space on board an ILS Proton Breeze M booster. After a 9-hour, 12-minute mission, the Breeze M upper stage of the Proton rocket successfully released the SES-4 satellite directly into geostationary transfer orbit.

SES-4 is a 20-kilowatt satellite manufactured on the flight-proven Space Systems/Loral 1300 platform with 52 C-band and 72 Ku-band transponders. It has C-band beams serving the eastern hemisphere of Europe and Africa, full coverage of the Americas, and a global beam to support mobile and maritime customers. Four high-power, regional Ku-band beams provide service to Europe, the Middle East, West Africa, as well as North and South America with extensive channel switching capability between C- and Ku-band transponders for enhanced connectivity.

SES-4 is the 50th satellite in the global SES fleet and also the largest, most powerful SES satellite to date. It will replace the NSS-7 satellite at 338 degrees East longitude and provide replacement as well as incremental capacity at this well established SES orbital slot over the Atlantic Ocean.

Romain Bausch, President and CEO of SES, said: "SES is delighted to see the 50th satellite in its fleet successfully launched after two unfortunate Proton-related launch delays. We thank the launch teams of Space Systems/Loral, ILS, Khrunichev and SES for their dedicated work. Their relentless efforts ensured ultimately a total success. After thorough in-orbit testing, SES and its customers can now look forward to SES-4 providing new, state-of-the-art satellite capacity across three continents."

"With the successful launch of SES-4, we marked several more milestones with our long-time customer SES, including the 20th SES satellite launched on ILS Proton and the 50th satellite in the SES fleet. It is also our 70th ILS Proton launch since the first launch with SES' ASTRA 1F satellite in 1996. It is an honour for ILS and Khrunichev to be entrusted with launching the powerful SES-4 satellite and all of the past and upcoming ILS Proton missions for SES," said ILS President, Frank McKenna.

John Celli, President of Space Systems/Loral, stated: "I would like to congratulate SES, ILS and Khrunichev on this successful launch and to recognize the teams from all of our companies who have worked so hard to assure a perfect launch. Space Systems/Loral is very pleased to help support SES' fleet expansion and its ability to provide communications services across the world."

FACTFILE:
The next SES launch is scheduled for Q2, 2012, when an ILS Proton booster will orbit the SES-5 spacecraft, also manufactured by Space Systems/Loral, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

SES carries world-leading satellite operations with a fleet of 50 geostationary satellites (SES satellite footprint maps can be viewed on the SES website). The company provides satellite communications services to content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators and business and governmental organisations worldwide, as well as providing media & broadcaster satellites.

SES stands for long-lasting business relationships, high-quality service and excellence in the broadcasting industry. The culturally diverse regional teams of SES are located around the globe and work closely with customers to meet their specific satellite bandwidth and service requirements.

SES (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) holds participations in Ciel in Canada and QuetzSat in Mexico, as well as a strategic participation in satellite infrastructure start-up O3b Networks. Further information visit: www.ses.com.