Washington, DC-based satellite operator, Lynk Global, has started what it describes as an “initial” direct-to-device service in the Solomon Islands. The service is in partnership with bmobile, which serves the Islands with a population of about 70,000. The first service will be for SMS and Text messages. bmobile subscribers can use their existing mobile phones […]

EnSilica, a turnkey supplier of mixed signal ASICs and SoCs, has announced it is to supply VITES with a new beamformer chip for satellite user terminals. VITES will use the chip at the heart of its new ViSAT-Ka-band terminal. EnSilica’s beam-forming chip is optimised to enable VITES’s creation of ground-based flat panel user terminals for […]

The FAA last week issued a report to the US Congress expressing concern over how the growing number of satellite constellations will dispose of their failed craft and what the FAA says are the risks to human life and property. The report says: “The dramatic rise of non-geostationary satellites, particularly those in low Earth orbit […]

Orbital Reef is – or was designed to be – a privately-funded space station. Blue Origin, the Jeff Bezos-backed rocket business and Sierra Nevada Space are likely to end the corporate partnership they formed to help fund the space station. The concept was for an orbiting ‘business park in space’ and operating in low Earth […]

Globalstar, in an SEC regulatory filing, says it has placed a launch order with SpaceX to start replacing its low Earth orbiting satellites beginning in 2025. But placing the contract with SpaceX means that it is using SpaceX to try and gain a speedy commercial advantage for satellite-to-device connectivity. SpaceX is already working with operators […]

The MyRadar weather app sees more than 50 million downloads and a very high rating from its users. It is working on establishing its own constellation of satellites. MyRadar CTO Sarvesh Garimella, in an interview, says the company is on its way to becoming a space company. He says the company is purpose-building its own […]

Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communications company OneWeb and IP Access International, a provider of terrestrial and space based mobile connectivity, have signed a Distribution Partnership Agreement to deliver high-speed, low-latency broadband connectivity across the US. Under this partnership, IP Access International will seamlessly blend OneWeb’s satellite services with all major terrestrial cellular providers in […]

Inmarsat, prior to its take-over by US-based Viasat, had planned to launch a fleet of low Earth orbiting satellites (Orchestra). It now seems that Viasat is re-thinking the scheme which would save millions in terms of investment. Viasat has written to the FCC withdrawing its applications for V-band satellite spectrum. The letter from Viasat to […]

A Rocket Lab ‘Electron’ rocket has successfully launched seven satellites from its New Zealand operational site. After launch the rocket’s powerful first stage was detached from the mission and returned to Earth with a suite of parachutes for recovery. The mission was dubbed ‘Baby come back’ and reflected a change in plan. Initially Rocket Lab […]

India’s Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is to transfer its Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) rocket launcher to the private sector. ISRO already has a commercial arm (NewSpace India) which took over responsibility for selling access to space in March 2019 and selling services to non-India clients. NewSpace India, wholly government owned, took over responsibility from […]