AsiaSat 4 launch rescheduled to end 2002
Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited (AsiaSat) has announced that its fourth satellite, AsiaSat 4 satell
Starts 3rd October
Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited (AsiaSat) has announced that its fourth satellite, AsiaSat 4 satellite will not launch this month, as scheduled earlier, due to manufacturing delays at Boeing.
The decison, says the company, was taken following meetings with satellite manufacturer Boeing Satellite Systems. Asiasat 4 was earlier supposed to launch in May 2002 by the Atlas IIIB rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA. Boeing has reportedly decided to conduct additional tests on AsiaSat 4 and other spacecraft to ensure the quality and reliability of its product line.
The delivery of AsiaSat 4, a Boeing 601HP, is now expected to be delayed by at least four months, putting the new delivery date as sometime in September 2002. However, Asiasat CEO Peter Jackson has been quoted as saying that given the other scheduled launches in 2002, it might be difficult to find a launch slot before the end of the year.
The company is in talks with International Launch Services (ILS), the launch services provider to determine a new launch date for AsiaSat 4. A new date will be determined in the next couple of months, the company says. The spacecraft will be located at the 122 degrees East orbital position, providing region-wide C-band coverage over Asia and focused Ku-band beams for East Asia and Australia. The satellite will carry 28 C-band and 20 Ku-band transponders including the four BSS (Broadcast Satellite Service) transponders to be used for Hong Kong‘s DTH (Direct-to-Home) services.
Recreate Solutions, a media services company based in London and Mumbai, has won three overseas contracts in interactive television programming.
The company has signed on Canal+ Technologies, Digital Interactive Television Group and Insead. The three contracts are collectively worth over two and a half million US Dollars per annum. The Canal+ Technologies contract alone, would bring in over one million dollars to Recreate Solutions annually an company release informs.
Recreate Solutions is working with Canal+ Technologies (C+T) to develop a karaoke system using the C+T Mediahighway Platform. This karaoke system would enable subscribers of a pay music channel to sing-along while a song is playing. It is also in discussions with Canal+ Technologies to develop a cricketing application around the platform, according to an official release.
This would be based for the South Asian and Middle Eastern markets where Canal+ Technologies Mediahighway is already deployed. Recreate is also representing the interests of Canal+ Technologies in the Indian conditional access software market.
With Digital Interactive Television a UK based television company, Recreate is working on a new Bingo Channel through which users will be able to play Bingo live over channel. Bingo is a game similar to the homegrown tambola and through this gaming application; people will be able to play simultaneously through their set top boxes using their remote controls.
Recreate is also working with Insead, a French business school, to create interactive content and taking their entire online courses to disseminate through the broadband intranets.
According to Recreate Solutions CEO Bhaskar Majumdar, the contracts, won against stiff global competition, would lead Recreate into a cash flow positive status in this quarter.
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