SpaceX successfully launched today SmallSat Express to a low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Carrying 64 payloads, this mission represented the largest single rideshare mission from a U.S.-based launch vehicle to date. A series of six deployments occurred approximately 13 to 43 minutes after liftoff, after which Spaceflight began to command its own deployment sequences. Spaceflight’s deployments are expected to occur over a period of six hours.

United Technologies has announced the completion of its acquisition of Rockwell Collins and the company's intention to separate its commercial businesses, Otis and Carrier (formerly CCS), into independent entities.

The separation will result in three global, industry-leading companies:

Rohde & Schwarz has acquired Pixel Power Limited, a Cambridge, UK- based company, which offers innovative graphics, master control and integrated playout systems for broadcasters and playout facilities. These systems enable dynamic content to be delivered more efficiently for linear TV, mobile, online and OTT/VOD.

The GVF-EMP Partnership ‘HTS Roundtable 2018 - GEOs... MEOs... LEOs: Enabling a Brave New World’ (www.uk-emp.co.uk/current-events/hts-roundtable-2018/), has declared a pre-registration full house for the 4th December programme at London’s Strand Palace Hotel.

The AfricaCom Awards show, supported by Founding Awards Sponsor, PCCW Global, was a colourful and festive Mardi Gras themed event last night.  Held in Cape Town during AfricaCom, guests celebrated and acknowledged those trailblazers who are leading digital inclusion, connectivity and digital development on the African Continent. 

Advantech Satellite Networks, an established vendor and global market leader of broadband satellite communications systems announced here at the Africacom Conference and Exhibition that it will now be doing business as Spacebridge Inc.

The company provides satellite equipment and services for deploying satellite communication networks: VSAT HUBs, VSAT Terminals in Point-to-Point, Point-to-Multi-Point, mesh topologies as well as SCPC and broadcast modems.

Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Safran [EPA: SAF] have received regulatory approvals for a joint venture so they can begin designing, building and servicing aircraft Auxiliary Power Units (APUs)—onboard engines that are primarily used to start the main engines and power aircraft systems while on the ground and, if necessary, in flight. The companies also named Etienne Boisseau as Chief Executive Officer of the joint venture.

During the past ten years, Africa, the second-largest continent in terms of size and population after Asia, has made great strides in improving its telecommmunications infrastructure through submarine fiber cables landing on both the African Eastern and Western coastlines. Today, there are at least 14 operational, major submarine cables in sub-Saharan Africa, providing about 70 Tbit/s of design capacity and over 5.825 Tbit/s of lit, fully available capacity. This is more than double its international bandwidth of only 3 Tbps mark in December 2014. What’s more, a number of new submarine cables are expected to land later in 2018 and into 2019, with local hubs at Djibouti, Angola and Nigeria, further increasing Africa’s capacity.

In the last quarter of 2018 a real small sat express consisting of the Indian PSLV and the American SpaceX Falcon-9 launchers will bring a large number of small satellites into an sun synchronous orbit.  After long delays more than 80 small satellites from more than 30 customers from around 20  countries,  that are waiting anxiously to have their small satellites launched into orbit.

Introduction

A man walking along a cliff feels the ground give way beneath him.  He manages to clutch at a root extending from the face of the cliff, which saves him from falling 1,200 feet onto jagged rocks in the surf below. But as he hangs, on he cannot climb back up.  He shouts, “Is anyone up there!?” 

A voice fills the sky!  “Have faith. If you have faith you can let go and you will fall light as a feather, landing unhurt on the rocks below.”  He looks down at the rocks and crashing surf, thinks about it, looks back up and shouts, “Is there anyone ELSE up there?”