Comtech Telecommunications Corp. (NASDAQ: CMTL) today reported its operating results for the first fiscal quarter ended October 31, 2018 and updated its fiscal 2019 guidance.Comtech said net sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2019 were US$ 160.8 million as compared to the US$ 121.6 million achieved during the first quarter of fiscal 2018. It also recorded bookings during the first quarter of fiscal 2019 worth $157.4 million, with a company-wide book-to-bill ratio (a measure defined as bookings divided by net sales) of 0.98.

Professional basketball great Koby Bryant once said “Everything negative – pressure, challenges – is all an opportunity for me to rise.” That is the story of 2018 for the global teleport industry.  It has been navigating a period of unprecedented change in market demands, applications, pricing, costs and investment needs – and it has been creating opportunities for a new wave of growth in the process.  Or as comic legend Milton Berle put it, “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.”

Teleport Opportunities

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:

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.

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.

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.

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