Constellation operator OneWeb, itself in the process of merging with Paris-based Eutelsat, has booked a $229 million (€230.9m) impairment charge caused by the ending of its six-launch contract with Russia’s Soyuz rockets because of “geo-political” problems. OneWeb has also seen 36 of its costly satellites stuck at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, and now unlikely to be […]
SpaceX launched another batch (Mission 4.20) of Starlink satellites late on September 4th at 10.09pm Florida-time. Fifty-one satellites were launched on this particular flight, and it established a new record for SpaceX and its 40th mission so far this year. Also onboard was Spaceflight’s Sherpa-LTC orbital transfer vehicle. This was the seventh flight for the […]
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 […]
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 […]
According to a research report from specialist IoT analyst firm Berg Insight, the global satellite IoT communications market is growing at a steady pace. Despite the impact of the pandemic, the global satellite IoT subscriber base grew to surpass 3.9 million in 2021. The number of satellite IoT subscribers is forecast to increase at a […]
Thales Alenia Space has bought capacity on Eutelsat’s new Konnect VHTS craft for its SpaceGate high-speed broadband service across Europe. The satellite is due for launch on September 6th. Thales Alenia developed the Konnect VHTS (for Very High Throughput Satellite) for Eutelsat and it had been expected to take capacity on the craft. The satellite […]
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 […]
Northern Sky Research (NSR) has cast its eye over a new scheme which brought together mega-satellite operator SpaceX along with cellular giant T-Mobile to deliver two-way connectivity between SpaceX and mobile users around the world. NSR, in a note to clients, said “this will be an innovative additional feature for the network, but also asks […]
SpaceX launched its latest Falcon 9 and carrying a batch of Starlink satellites (Mission 3.4) on August 30th from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, placing 46 extra craft into their transfer orbits. However, the day brought good news and bad news for SpaceX. The bad news covered its global satellite service suffering a problem […]
Arianespace has finished its pre-launch preparation for the upcoming lift-off for Eutelsat’s important Konnect VHTS satellite. The craft will carry the most powerful satellite digital processor in the world. Thales Alenia Space built the satellite and the current plan, subject to the usual weather and last-minute technical glitches, is to launch the Konnect ‘Very High […]