Satellite operator SES, already extremely busy in the In-Flight Entertainment space, has ordered a new High Throughput Satellite from Thales Alena to increase further its services to the airline industry. SES says it has also secured a long-term ‘anchor’ client in what will be a joint venture with Thales. The satellite, SES-17, will primarily serve […]
Thailand’s government wants its own communications satellite, and has appointed Thammasat University’s Research & Consultancy Institute to conduct a feasibility study. Currently there is a fleet of Thaicom satellites, owned and operated by Thaicom Public Co. Ltd., largely backed by Shinawtra Computer & Communications Co., but Thailand’s government is examining whether it should finance its […]
LeoSat Enterprises is the satellite operator building a constellation of up to 108 low Earth orbiting (LEO) satellites. France-based Thales has completed its constellation design and is working with LeoSat on the design and construction plans for the first satellites. LeoSat says it has secured its first customer even though the launch of the system is […]
On September 1, a Falcon 9 rocket owned by SpaceX blew up when a static engine test was about to be held at Cape Canaveral. The rocket was being tested in a ‘dress rehearsal’ for a planned September 3 launch of its satellite passenger, the Amos-6 craft, built by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) on behalf […]
In a pair of related reports released by Strategy Analytics, the reality of 5G evolution is analysed. The first report, 5G Progress Review – Fragmentation Likely but Diversification Inevitable, concludes significant work is needed to marry the appeal of a unified early 5G standard with the longer term need to support diverse market requirements. Leading […]
Micius, named after an ancient Chinese scientist and philosopher, is a satellite launched from a military base in the Gobi desert. Soon photons will be fired at it to see whether quantum physics will allow the secure encryption of long-range communication. The theory being tested is called quantum entanglement, in which two photons have an […]
Gogo, a global player in providing broadband connectivity solutions and wireless entertainment to the aviation industry, announced today that it has received regulatory approval from the various Chinese regulatory bodies through its local partner China Telecom Satellite, and will work with China Telecom Satellite to offer in-flight connectivity service on International flights operating in and […]
SES is sitting on a potential cash war-chest equal to some $1.6 billion (€1.47bn) which could be spent on a global broadband satellite system. The cash pile is building up now as part of the operator’s financial planning and will fully be in place by 2020. Reports in trade magazine Space News say that SES […]
Jersey-based super-constellation OneWeb has hired Eric Beranger as its CEO for its new manufacturing joint-venture with Airbus Defence & Space. The joint venture has to build up to 900 OneWeb broadband satellites and the first batches need to be launched by 2017. Beranger will head up the OneWeb Satellite joint venture. He was previously CEO […]
APT Satellite, of Hong Kong, is linking with mainland Chinese investors to start building a global broadband satellite system. APT already operates the Apstar broadband system which serves Asia and Australia clients. APT already has 4 satellites on order: Apstar-5C (which it co-owns with Telesat of Canada) and which will go to 138 degrees East […]