Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC
Demand for Internet services is becoming a driving force behind the creation and expansion of satellite communications networks.
While new entrants iSKY and NetSat28 have announced plans to launch broadband satellites dedicated to providing high-speed Internet access, established operators - including Eutelsat and Loral - are gearing up to handle increased Internet-related traffic.
Formerly KaSTAR Satellite Communications, US company iSKY has awarded Arianespace a contract to launch two satellites in return for more than $100 million in financing. Space Systems/Loral is building iSKY-1, to be launched in the third quarter of next year into geostationary orbit at 109°W.
Selection of a manufacturer for iSKY-2 is under way, and the satellite is due for launch in mid-2002, to be positioned at 73°W. Together, the two Ka-band spot-beam satellites will provide high-speed Internet services in North and South America.
Another US company, NetSat28 has awarded Space Systems/ Loral a contract to build a Ka-band spot-beam satellite, to become operational by October 2002 - again providing high-speed Internet access.
European telecommunications satellite organisation Eutelsat, meanwhile, says Internet-related data services account for 20% of its traffic. This is expected to increase when Eutelsat's Atlantic Gateway is expanded next year with the launch of the Atlantic Bird Ku-band satellites.
Eutelsat was granted US "landing rights" on 2 February. Its first customers are BT North America and a CBS subsidiary. BT says its use of Eutelsat is likely to expand to include delivery of Internet content from the USA to Europe.
The Atlantic Gateway is expected to be used initially to deliver broadcast television from the USA direct to homes in Europe, and European television programmes to cable operators in the USA. But Canada's Teleglobe, which already uses Eutelsat, expects an explosion in the delivery of digital television via Internet protocol.
Anticipating the demand, Eutelsat plans to have Atlantic Birds 1 and 2 in position at 8-15°W by mid-2001. Compared with the interim Atlantic Gate satellite, Eutelsat II-F2, the spot-beam Atlantic Birds will provide greater capacity and increased coverage of Europe, Russia, the Middle East and South America.
Loral has announced plans to expand its broadband data service provider, CyberStar, into a hybrid satellite/fibre network providing high-speed Internet access. Loral's Telstar 4 and 6 Ku-band communications satellites will be used to initiate services in North America early in 2001. Two Ka-band spot-beam spacecraft being built by Space Systems/Loral will be launched in 2002 and 2003 to cover North and South America.
PanAmSat plans to expand its Internet-related services to North and South America by launching the Galaxy IIIC into position at 95°W in the second quarter of next year. It has picked Sea Launch for five launches, including Hughes' C/Ku-band IIIC Galaxy.
Source: Flight International
