Japan-based Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL), a major shipping line, has signed up for broadband connectivity with Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite service. MOL joins other maritime operators, such as Norwegian Cruise Lines, to use Starlink. MOL says it will work with satellite service provider Marlink for this trial of Musk’s technology. While only a trial at […]
Comtech Telecommunications, a major supplier of equipment to telcos and the space industry, is building a new factory in Arizona to build modems and targeting the newly-emerging low Earth orbiting sector for new business. Comtech already supplier high-end equipment for the likes of SES which uses the kit on its O3b/mPOWER satellites being built by […]
A report from Euroconsult forecasts significant growth in the number of satellites launched, and driven by commercial constellations. The market intelligence report anticipates over 2,500 satellites to be launched on average every year – or seven satellites a day totalling 3 tons of mass – over 2022-2031. In terms of satellite numbers, Non-geostationary constellations remain […]
A US bipartisan House Energy & Commerce Committee has introduced potential legislation to update the FCC’s current satellite licensing rules. One aspect will be the prohibition of Chinese businesses, although it is not yet completely clear whether the legislation will cover satellites where ownership – as distinct to components – includes Chinese companies. This could […]
The Satcoms Innovation Group (SIG) has concluded that the risk of interference to satellite systems from 5G is, although real, controlled and being effectively resolved on a case-by-case basis by satellite operators and affected clients. This conclusion was reached following a review of the findings of the SIG 5G working group, which commenced in November 2021, to […]
Mangata Networks has raised $100 million (€95.4m) from (mostly) Scottish investors to fund the development of a satellite manufacturing plant at Prestwick, Scotland. Mangata, headed up by Brian Holz, says its new facility will combine R&D, engineering, manufacturing and operations at the Scottish site. In January it raised $33 million from a group of investors […]
A trial has been launched to establish the extent to which satellites can be used to deliver high-speed connections to more than a dozen ‘very hard to reach’ UK locations – the less than one per cent of sites which are too difficult to upgrade via expensive physical cables in more extreme locations such as […]
North American pay-radio operator SiriusXM has ordered two powerful geostationary satellites to be built by Maxar Technologies. The new craft (SXM-11 and SXM-12) now join two other satellites (SXM-9 and 10) already under construction by Maxar. SXM-9 and 10 were ordered in 2021. SXM-11 and 12 will launch around 2026-27. The new craft will have […]
Thirty-nine members of the European parliament have written to the EU’s top legal officials demanding that Europe’s two giant satellite operators immediately take down Russian-backed channels from their portfolios of broadcasts. Various EU officials have already complained about Eutelsat’s carriage of Russian channels. Eutelsat has said it wants to be politically neutral and in addition […]
French, German and Italian officials have agreed that their governments will help support the EU’s proposed IRIS² broadband low Earth orbiting satellite mega-constellation. The agreements came on November 22nd at the start of a Ministerial meeting to examine EU and European Space Agency (ESA) projects and future financing. France, Germany and Italy said public funding […]