LuxConnect, based in Bettembourg, Luxembourg, has been awarded one of the IRIS² control centres. IRIS2 is Europe’s mega-constellation of satellites and designed to provide ultra-secure communications for government and military purposes. It is managed by three leading European satellite network operators: SES from Luxembourg, Eutelsat from France, and the Spanish Hispasat. IRIS² control centres are […]

Analysts at Barclays have joined a growing number of researchers favouring AST SpaceMobile (AST). A report from the bank explains to investors the background to AST’s recent agreement with Ligado Networks, and says the additional L-band spectrum acquired by AST to be meaningful. The bank says that while the agreement, permitting access by AST to […]

The authoritative McKinsey satellite market projections have seen significant developments and deviations based on the trends up to 2024 as the number of active satellites exceeded 9,100, growing faster than anticipated. Launch volumes are now trending toward the higher end of 3,500–4,500 annually, already approaching the projected 2030 ‘maintenance demand’ range. The McKinsey study looked […]

The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) is having a hard time getting some of its member states to observe its regulations. Two problems are paramount: The first is the regulation of so-called ‘space debris’ whether dying satellites or collision avoidance obligations. The second concerns the deliberate jamming of certain TV signals which includes the rules governing […]

SpaceX has delayed the attempted launch of its massive Starship to January 15th with anxieties about the weather off the Texas coast. The Jeff Bezos-backed New Glenn rocket (NG-1) planned launch from Florida in the early hours of January 13th was also scrubbed. The delay to Elon Musk’s giant Starship was made because of bad […]

Space42 is the newly-established combination of Abu Dhabi’s Al Yah (YahSat) and Bayanat AI, which operates the Thuraya fleet of satellites. Its latest, Thuraya 4, was launched on January 3rd into its transfer orbit and on its way to a location at 44 degrees East. The company says that Thuraya 4 has a firm backlog […]

AST SpaceMobile (AST), which is looking to establish a space-based ‘direct-to-cellular’ service, will use an Indian rocket to launch two of its Block-2 Bluebird satellites. The current information is that the launch could take place in March although this is not yet confirmed. What has been confirmed is that India’s Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will […]

Telstra has announced a new collaboration with SpaceX’s Starlink to bring Satellite-to-Mobile (direct-to-handset) text messaging to customers in Australia. Telstra says the deal will enable them to provide better coverage from coast to coast, especially for those in regional and remote areas. The collaboration will initially focus on testing and refining a Satellite-to-Mobile text messaging […]

The expected double launch of a Blue Origin New Glenn rocket as well as Elon Musk’s giant Starship, both initially expected to launch on January 10th, have been delayed. The problem is the weather which for the Jeff Bezos-backed New Glenn rocket is at least one of the problems. One report says that the Florida […]

Novaspace, the space consulting and market intelligence firm, has released the 11th Edition of its Space Economy Report, forecasting the global space economy to grow from $596 billion (€578.1bn) in 2024 to $944 billion by 2033. This steady growth, driven primarily by advancements in downstream solutions, marking a pivotal decade for the industry. The report […]