Finance

The primary function of on-orbit servicing regulations should be to enable the growth and expansion of the business rather than restrict it, said a panel of experts during a Wednesday afternoon panel at the SATELLITE 2018 Conference & Exhibition. During a discussion on the policy challenges facing this new market, the speakers emphasized the commercial...

I’ll get right to the point — SATELLITE 2018 was a huge win for the satellite industry for a long list of reasons that should have left everyone feeling excited about the future. From a show organizer’s perspective, SATELLITE 2018 saw the largest year-over-year increase in attendance that I’ve seen since working on the event....

Establishing a comprehensive international space traffic regime is critical to unlocking the value of the future space economy, agreed a panel of regulatory experts at the SATELLITE 2018 Conference & Exhibition. Morgan Stanley analysts recently estimated that the space industry, worth about $350 billion today, will grow to more $1 trillion by 2040. Speakers pointed...

Six of the world’s satellite industry associations have established the Global Satellite Coalition (GSC), an international group through which targeted initiatives will be coordinated and implemented with the combined support of member companies based around the world. The coalition will drive industry priorities with one voice, unlocking opportunities for industry growth and ensuring the future...

DigitalGlobe and SpaceX are working together for the first time to launch the WorldView Legion constellation. Two flight-proven Falcon 9 rockets will launch the initial block of the multi-satellite WorldView Legion constellation in 2021. The WorldView Legion constellation will incorporate DigitalGlobe’s and its parent company, Maxar Technologies’, capabilities in Earth Observation (EO) and satellite construction...

Iridium Communications announced the next wave of Iridium Certus service providers selected to deliver the satellite broadband solution for land-mobile applications. Globalsat, IEC Telecom, Marlink, McQ, Pivotel and Tesam Argentina will further expand the footprint for Iridium Certus land-mobile services. The introduction of Iridium Certus and the new Thales Mission terminal is geared for off-the-grid...

The satellite industry may be bracing for an uncertain future, as the sales of GEO satellites plummet, but new advancements in digital technology — coupled with better, more cost-efficient manufacturing processes — will create compelling opportunities in the near future. Such was the verdict generally reached by the six industry leaders who spoke at Wednesday’s...

It’s incredible to think about how quickly the hardware in our industry is changing. We truly are in the twilight of the iconic “dish and antenna” design. When will satellite manufacturers start building their own terminals? Dario Zamarian from SSL/Maxar says those conversations are happening in the market. Overheard on the show floor: “I seriously...

Rocket Lab has confirmed its next launch will be the company’s first fully commercial flight. Two Lemur 2 cubesats for launch customer Spire Global will be on board the upcoming launch, with the full manifest to be confirmed in coming weeks. The flight’s name was put to a vote on social media, with “It’s Business...

The Antenna Systems Division (ASD) of Communications & Power Industries (CPI), announced it has signed an agreement to purchase the limited-motion satellite antenna family from Viasat. CPI ASD will acquire Viasat’s 6m to 18m multi-band antennas while enabling Viasat to focus on antenna and communications technologies for the broadband services market. The purchase price for...