Arabsat and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) today announced contracts for Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] to manufacture two A2100 communications satellites. In conjunction with the award, Lockheed Martin, KACST and TAQNIA Space Company, a subsidiary of the Saudi Technology Investment and Development Company (TAQNIA), signed an agreement to explore future design, manufacture, assembly and integration of satellites in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Boeing [NYSE: BA] has named John Shannon to be vice president and program manager for the Space Launch System (SLS), which will provide NASA with heavy-lift capability to send people and cargo into deep space.

Pico Digital Inc., a provider of multimedia delivery solutions to customers in the broadcast, cable, satellite, and broadband markets, today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire the broadcast products business from International Datacasting Corporation (TSX:IDC), a technology provider for broadcasters in radio, television, data and digital cinema.

The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] reported first-quarter revenue increased 8 percent to US$ 22.1 billion on higher commercial deliveries Core earnings per share (non-GAAP) increased 12 percent to US$ 1.97, reflecting strong performance across the company, and GAAP earnings per share was US$1.87. The Company reaffirmed its 2015 financial and deliveries guidance.

Space Partnership International, a provider of a wide range of management services to the space and satellite industries, announced that Roy Kampfer has joined the company as senior vice president of engineering.

Kampfer previously was with Lockheed-Martin Commercial Space Systems, bringing his industry knowledge and systems engineering background to the development of commercial and international government satellite programs with an emphasis on Europe and Australia.

Strong promotion of 4K display resolutions from TV makers, display manufacturers and distribution channels has successfully increased consumer awareness and boosted 4K LCD TV penetration in 2014, according to a new report from IHS Inc. (NYSE: IHS).  While 4K is best known as a feature in high-end LCD TVs, starting this year 4K displays will emerge in all major display applications, including desktop monitors, notebook PCs, OLED TVs, digital signage, smartphones, and tablet PCs.

The National Association of Broadcasters revelaed preliminary registered attendance of 103,042 for the 2015 NAB Show, the world's largest annual convention covering filmed entertainment and the development, management and delivery of content across all mediums. The exhibition featured 1,789 companies spanning 1,015,000 net square feet of exhibit space.

Research firm Parks Associates reports 47% of U.S. broadband households have privacy or security concerns about smart home devices. The connected home industries need to formalize strategies, such as consumer privacy rights, in order to push these markets forward, according to Parks Associates, which will discuss these topics next month at INTX: The Internet & Television Expo and CONNECTIONS™: The Premier Connected Home Conference.

NSR's newly released Wireless Backhaul via Satellite, 9th Edition finds a robust market increasingly impacted by the much deliberated Non-GEO-HTS programs, specifically LEO-HTS presenting both challenges and opportunities for the industry.  A diverse set of market segments are expected to grow at mixed levels, with current and next-generation solutions generating healthy revenue streams from $1.7 billion in 2014 to $5.3 billion by 2024.
 
Various service offerings have and will target all market segments, posing risks and rewards:

The last quarter of 2014 saw the global fixed broadband subscriptions continue to rise with the total standing at 714m at the end of the year. Growth for the quarter was 1.1%, a modest decrease on the 1.2% growth recorded for the previous quarter.