Earlier in May the FCC launched a review into EchoStar’s compliance with certain 5G wireless coverage obligations (as part of their efforts to build the fourth national wireless network in the US) and raising questions about the buildout extensions granted in September 2024 and EchoStar’s utilisation of 2GHz mobile-satellite service (MSS) spectrum. EchoStar has filed […]

The SmallSat Europe conference at the RAI Congress Centre in Amsterdam heard speaker after speaker express anxiety over the planned European IRIS2 mega-constellation. The project, which will eventually bring together low Earth orbit, mid-Earth and geostationary satellites in a global ring of craft with ultra-secure communications, is looking extremely fragile if the event’s speakers are […]

Satellite operator Eutelsat has announced the passing of Giuliano Berretta, its former Chairman and CEO, at the age of 84. It described him as a “visionary and a pioneer”  who played a key role in shaping the history of Eutelsat and the European space sector. An engineer by training, a graduate of the University of […]

SpaceX’s giant Starship rocket failed again. It was the ninth test flight but the third failure in a row for the massive 122-metre-high rocket. The flight spun out of control about halfway through the mission but failed to achieve some of its key targets. However, the flight engineers can take some modest comfort in that […]

Intelsat has received permission from the Indian government to provide extensive satellite coverage directly to India’s broadcast media companies. The move represents “a significant regulatory achievement that puts Intelsat on an accelerated path to offering new services and further India investment,” said Intelsat. Intelsat has secured authorisation for four geostationary (GEO) satellites providing C-band coverage […]

Starlink subscribers around the world pay anything between $120 (USA), A$139 (Australia), €49 (average in Europe) and Ksh 6500 (in Kenya). But SpaceX has a major dilemma in setting its pricing structure in India. Not only is India a market with plenty of established cellular competition, but also vigorous competition from Eutelsat’s OneWeb and RelianceJio/SES, […]

Satellogic is a company specialising in Earth-observation satellites, founded in 2010 by Emiliano Kargieman and Gerardo Richarte. It began launching their Aleph-1 constellation of ÑuSat satellites in May 2016. The company is listed on the Nasdaq exchange (as SATL) however it currently has its headquarters in the British Virgin Islands although this is being moved […]

Elon Musk’s previous comments that South Africa’s government was allegedly “racist” were raised during the tense meeting between President Trump and President Cyril Ramaphosa in the White House last week. Musk was present during the meeting but did not speak. South African billionaire Johann Rupert did speak and moved to quell tensions with remarks that […]

UK comms regulator Ofcom is consulting on a proposal to issue fixed-term spectrum licences to enable Starlink to use E band frequencies for Non-geostationary Orbit (NGSO) gateway earth stations at three sites in the UK. This is to expand backhaul capacity to support satellite broadband services. Ofcom notes that take-up of satellite broadband is rising, […]

AST SpaceMobile’s ambition to acquire Ligado’s space bandwidth over the US is close to finalising. A statement from Ligado said: “We have reached an agreement in principle with all of the parties, so with Inmarsat, with AST, and with our two ad-hoc creditor groups…” The final judicial hearing will be on May 29th (if uncontested) […]