Advanced Television

Inside Satellite

Chris Forrester

Chris Forrester is one of the most experienced and highly regarded journalists in the field. His insight and analysis, particularly in the satellite and pay-TV arena, is highly prized. He has written for all the major business journals in the sector as well as several national newspapers.

FCC gets tough with LEO operators

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has published proposed tough draft obligations on current and future operators of low Earth orbiting (LEO) satellites. The FCC has issued its draft order requiring LEO operators to safely deorbit their satellites within five years of their mission ending. This order, if adopted, would be a dramatic new requirement. The […]

September 13, 2022

Intelsat lawyers explain Chapter 11 challenges

Steven Serajeddini, a partner in giant US law firm Kirkland & Ellis, which represented Intelsat during its Chapter 11 restructuring, has explained to LevFin Insights how, as debtors’ counsel, they overcame many of the challenges faced by Intelsat during the process. He said that key to the settlement was consensus although it took “two hard-fought […]

September 12, 2022

OneWeb compensated for Russia cancellations

OneWeb has reportedly reached an agreement with Arianespace over the cancelled Russian launches of OneWeb’s satellites. The cancellation came about because of the Russian war with Ukraine, and which impacted OneWeb. However, the actual launch contract was between OneWeb and Arianespace, and it was Arianespace which held the relationship with Russia. Russia currently is holding […]

September 8, 2022

India commits to building reusable rocket

India’s Space Research Organisation (ISRO) says it has plans to design and build a new reusable rocket for the global market that would significantly cut the cost of launching satellites. “All of us want launches to be much cheaper than what we do today,” Chairman of ISRO Sreedhara Somanath said, speaking at the Bengaluru Space […]

September 7, 2022

Sherpa to rescue orbiting satellite

Spaceflight specialises in building so-called ‘space tugs’. These are satellites that can recover and transport orbiting craft which, for example, might be low on fuel. Spaceflight had one of its Sherpa craft launched on September 4th on a SpaceX rocket mission. The company’s fifth craft, a Sherpa-LTC (which is the first chemical-powered version) and already […]

September 5, 2022

Intelsat’s Galaxy 15 now drifting

Intelsat lost full control of its Galaxy 15 satellite on August 10th when it experienced an “anomaly”. Intelsat speedily transferred its clients to other satellites but it is now clear that the satellite is drifting and has been since at least August 15th. The theory is that Galaxy 15 was hit by an intense geomagnetic […]

September 2, 2022

SES/O3b facing competition from SpaceX

The SpaceX contract with the Royal Caribbean Group to equip all its vessels with Starlink broadband means that SES and its much-lauded O3b/mPOWER technology now has what looks like serious competition. The SES mPOWER satellites are due to start coming into service by the end of Q1/2023. SES is using SpaceX to launch the first […]

September 1, 2022

Globalstar announcement on Apple Day?

Ardent Apple watchers are expecting an announcement today [August 31st] of its iPhone 14 along with the usual three or four variants. That’s probably a given with widespread gossip that the phones are already en route to the stores in readiness for a September 7th availability. But there’s another strong rumour circulating which suggests that, […]

August 31, 2022

Devas denied compensation of $562m

The Delhi High Court firmly denied the granting of a $562.2 million (€562.2m) arbitration award – plus damages and interest – to Devas Multimedia. The Court, ruling on August 29th, said the claim suffered from “patent illegalities and fraud”. Most importantly, the Court said the award was in conflict with the public policy of India. […]

August 30, 2022

FCC Commissioner: “Musk reversal is curious”

Brendan Carr, an FCC Commissioner, has come out with a strongly worded statement saying that the FCC was wrong to reverse its former granting of Elon Musk’s $886 million infrastructure award. The cash reflected SpaceX’s bid for part of the FCC’s massive $20.4 billion rural broadband subsidy scheme. Musk’s bid stated SpaceX would provide broadband […]

August 26, 2022