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South Africa halts Starlink progress

South Africa has suspended talks over licensing SpaceX’s Starlink service in the country because of tensions with the Donald Trump administration in the US. A Bloomberg report says that “negotiators plan to wait until the dispute between the US and South Africa calm down, with the intention to return to a possible deal at a […]

February 19, 2025By Chris Forrester

Starlink quits South Africa satellite discussion

Last week the South African government, via its ICASA telecoms regulator, held formal public consultations on a proposed licensing plan for satellite services in the country. But SpaceX, and therefore Starlink, declined to appear. SpaceX was due to make a presentation to the hearing, but failed to turn up. According to an ICASA spokeswoman, SpaceX […]

February 10, 2025By Chris Forrester

SES, Eutelsat could struggle to pay debts

Investors are increasingly concerned about the state of finances at Europe’s two giant satellite operators, SES and Eutelsat, according to a report in the FT. “The cost of buying insurance against France’s Eutelsat and SES of Luxembourg defaulting on their bonds has soared to record highs, as investors fear the two will struggle to repay their […]

February 10, 2025By Chris Forrester

SpaceX valued at $350bn

According to a recent Bloomberg broadcast, SpaceX is now valued at about $350 billion (€336.2bn). This value has been suggested to split with the Starlink broadband system representing about 65 per cent of SpaceX’s valuation at $227.5 billion and the rocket launch side of the business accounting for 35 per cent at $122.5 billion. SpaceX […]

January 30, 2025

Starlink poised for South Africa approval

SpaceX’s Starlink broadband-by-satellite system could soon be legitimately be available to South African residents. Local reports say that the nation, which requires incoming businesses to have a shareholding which includes a 30 per cent ‘black’ ownership (officially Historically Disadvantaged Groups), is close to approving Starlink’s availability. South Africa recently announced that it would introduce new […]

January 28, 2025By Chris Forrester

New Glenn scrubs launch; SpaceX Starship slips

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 […]

January 13, 2025By Chris Forrester

Bezos and Musk rockets delay launches

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 […]

January 10, 2025

SpaceX to offer Tender, business valued at $350bn

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is going ahead with a tender offer that would value the company at around $350 billion (€330.3bn). The news, reported by Bloomberg, has not been confirmed but if accurate the $350 billion is around $95 billion more than rumoured in November. The tender offer is a sale of insider shares and would […]

December 3, 2024By Chris Forrester

Musk to buy MSNBC?

Broadcasting giant Comcast is spinning off almost all of its cable channels into a new company, including MSNBC, seen by many as a liberal news channel. The others in the bundle include CNBC, USA Network, Oxygen, E!, SYFY and the Golf Channel. It seems Elon Musk, now with a foot in the door of the […]

November 27, 2024

SpaceX to mount Tender Offer?

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is reportedly set to mount a Tender Offer this December. The plan is to sell existing shares at around $135 (€128m) each. The end result would be to value SpaceX at around $250 billion. A Tender Offer, usually taken up by existing shareholders, means new shares are not issued. Therefore, the move […]

November 18, 2024By Chris Forrester