The loss of a valuable Vega-C rocket and two Airbus satellites (valued at some €200 million) has resulted in Arianespace ordering an independent inquiry commission. An Arianespace statement said they and the European Space Agency (ESA) immediately decided to appoint an independent inquiry commission. “This commission is tasked with analysing the reasons for the failure […]
Satellite builder Maxar Technologies is being acquired by Advent International. Advent is paying $53 (€49.90) per share in cash and a total of $6.4 billion for the business. Upon closing the business will then be taken private. Private equity investor Advent is paying a 129 per cent premium over Maxar’s closing price on December 15th. […]
Abu Dhabi-based Yahsat has released a White Paper on the evolution of the MENA space and SATCOM Sectors. The operator says it has witnessed “unprecedented growth” in the overall $469 billion (€442.1bn) MENA space economy (according to the Space Foundation) and which Morgan Stanley says could surge to over $1 trillion by 2040. Yahsat says […]
NewSpace Capital, a space-focused private equity firm based in Luxembourg, says it has reached an important milestone with its first closing of over €100 million in funding to instil a strong growth momentum in the New Space sector. The company says it is the first global space fund focusing on the growth stage of space […]
There are plenty of well-known players looking to tap into the market for so-called space tourism, not least Sir Richard Branson and Amazon boss Jeff Bezos. Now they might have new competitor in the shape of Halo Space, and balloon flights. Spain-based Halo Space has successfully flown a prototype stratospheric balloon up some 23 miles […]
Space consulting and market intelligence firm Euroconsult has released the 22nd edition of its annual Government Space Programs report, evidencing a continued increase in global governments’ space budgets. This year has seen a cumulative spend of $103 billion (€96.7bn) in 2022, a 9 per cent increase since last year and a record high for the […]
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 […]
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 […]