A potentially devastating dispute has broken out between two former “cooperation” joint-venture partners: Intelsat has filed a lawsuit against OneWeb and its financial backer Japan’s SoftBank. The writ alleges that the OneWeb and SoftBank conspired together in stealing confidential information, because – the writ states – SoftBank no longer believed in the OneWeb project and was […]
Iridium has 66 satellites in orbit, while OneWeb plans to populate space with at least 650 satellites. At Iridium’s partner conference in California, the two signed a Memorandum of Understanding to cooperate on a combined service for clients. The two operate on different frequencies so are not direct competitors. Iridium’s $3 billion Next constellation operates […]
A site in South Australia is being proposed as the nation’s commercial rocket launch centre. The Whalers Way Orbital Launch Complex would be capable of launching small to medium sized rockets and their satellites. Southern Launch, which is backing the project, is aiming for the Complex “to get off the ground in 2020”. Southern Launch […]
A couple of major insurance losses on rocket and satellite failures will send insurance rates up. A presentation last week at Euroconsult’s World Space Business Week by a group of insurance executives confirmed that premiums are rising as the industry tries to recoup from those losses and adjust what were uncompetitive premiums, and return to […]
SES Networks has won a contract to supply satellite broadband connectivity to Mediterranean ferry ships. The contract is with Dataset to bring cutting-edge, end-to-end connectivity to a ferry fleet in the Mediterranean Sea servicing passengers and cargo in multiple destinations in Greece, Italy, Spain and Morocco. Datasat will use SES Networks’ Signature Maritime Solutions and […]
Specialist satellite operator Iridium has received a $738 million (€669.3m) contract from the US military to provide telephone and broadband services to its army, air force and navy. The contract will run for 7 years, and will see Iridium provide global secure and unsecure voice, broadcast and other services via its 66 satellites in low […]
Spacecom, operator of the AMOS satellite fleet, and Botswana Telecommunications Corporation Limited (BTC) has announced that BTC is doubling its capacity on AMOS-7 communication satellite KU-beams. With this new capacity, BTC is adding cellular backhaul and various long-distance communication services to enhance rural area connectivity. AMOS-7’s KU-band beams enable mobility by providing high data rates […]
Executives at satellite operator SES consider the company well-placed to respond to the changing needs of its customers. Steve Collar, CEO, speaking at a press briefing at IBC 2019 in Amsterdam, said that the operator had the superpower of reach and economics, suggesting that its recent agreement with Microsoft to develop a range of cloud-based […]
In-Flight Entertainment & Connectivity specialists Gogo says it has now installed more than 1500 aircraft with its Satellite-based In-Flight technology. The specifics are that: • 1,262 aircraft installed and activated with Gogo’s 2Ku technology (categorized as Aircraft Online, or “AOL”); • 252 aircraft installed and activated with Ku technology (categorized as AOL); • Approximately 850 2Ku aircraft currently […]
SpaceX’s president Gwynn Shotwell told delegates at the Euroconsult World Satellite Business Week in Paris that SpaceX is planning for 24 launch missions for its proposed Starlink broadband-by-satellite system. She stressed that its two-a-month launches would not impact other commercial and NASA launches. Shotwell added that there would probably be extra Starlink launches this year […]