SpaceX‘s Falcon 9 was grounded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Thursday morning after the rocket experienced its second mishap of the year the day before. SpaceX will be forced to pause future Falcon 9 launches, including its next scheduled Starlink mission, until the FAA completes its investigation. Following a routine Starlink satellite launch from...

Imagine you are a European satellite operator looking to sell your capacity and land signals into a given region or territory. You’ve got the necessary ground segment and orbital resources in place, your mandatory International Telecommunication Union (ITU) filing secured and coordination in progress. If you were looking to wholesale the capacity only in Europe,...

We’ll always need GEO, even in a world that’s gone head over heels for LEO. It’s a matter of physics: The Geostationary Orbit (GEO) has unique characteristics. Because a satellite in GEO stays at a fixed point in the sky relative to any location on the ground, it’s the simplest orbit to communicate with, in...

With the arrival of the multi-orbit era and airlines making decisions on how they will use satellite connectivity going forward, the market for in-flight connectivity (IFC) has entered an exciting phase. The past year has seen a flurry of IFC deals with satellite operators as airlines invest in fleet upgrades, new aircraft, and passenger experience....

The European space startup scene has been going strong in the past few years despite global financial headwinds. But accessibility of growth-stage funding and too much red tape remains an obstacle for many fledgling space firms. Investment in space tech has dwindled globally since 2021 due to high inflation, rising interest rates and growing distrust...

Five years after launching its Transporter program, SpaceX now enjoys a monopoly on smallsat rideshare with heavy launchers, with the lowest price point on the market and an average launch every 90 days. Although this business line is a minor revenue stream for SpaceX, it brings several other advantages, such as maintaining pressure on emerging...

The space sector is brimming with potential, stimulated by advancements in technology, expanded international partnerships, and increased awareness of the benefits of accessing space. The growth of the lunar economy, in particular, is expected to spur innovation and technological advancements: there are over 400 lunar missions anticipated by 2032. As we push the boundaries of...

This episode in the Future Space Economy series highlights breakthroughs from leading space system manufacturers in building autonomous robots that inspect, service, assemble, build, and refuel in orbit. The discussion digs into advances in additive manufacturing, shares lessons learned from major in-space demonstrations, and outlines demand for commercially built robotics. This episode’s guests include: Al...

Lockheed Martin on Thursday said it has agreed to acquire satellite manufacturer Terran Orbital in a $450 million deal based on enterprise value, a bargain versus the $606 million unsolicited proposal the aerospace and defense giant made in March. Announcement of deal follows Terran’s disclosure on Monday that it has removed from its backlog more than...

Telesat reported a 15% drop in revenue in the second quarter of 2024 as the operator ramps up capital expenditures for the Lightspeed constellation and works to finalize funding agreements with Canadian governments.  Canadian satellite operator Telesat reported its second quarter financial results on August 14, reporting $152 million Canadian dollars ($111 million)  in revenue.  ...

Google is adding satellite capabilities to its new Pixel 9 phone to provide emergency messaging outside of cellular networks.  According to Google’s Pixel 9 announcement on Aug. 13, Pixel 9 will be the first Android phone to include Satellite SOS. The service will allow users to contact emergency responders and share location via satellite, without...

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now part of everyday life and it is playing a larger role in the satellite industry. Recently, Slingshot Aerospace revealed details of working with Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in the U.S. to create a new AI system, called Agatha, that identifies anomalous spacecraft within large satellite constellations. It also...