Advanced Television

spacex

France: Starlink ban could be reversed

French regulator Arcep (which is the authority for the regulation of electronic communications) says it will now hold public hearings on SpaceX’s request to operate its Starlink broadband-by-satellite service over France. The regulator has been criticised for issuing operational licences to Starlink (in February 2021) without holding obligatory public hearings. Arcep now says it invites […]

April 11, 2022By Chris Forrester

Musk not joining Twitter board

Elon Musk will not be joining the board of Twitter, the company’s chief executive Parag Agrawal has confirmed. Musk’s appointment was due to become effective on April 9th after he acquired a 9.2 per cent stake in the social media platform last week. However, Agrawal tweeted: “Elon shared that same morning that he will no […]

April 11, 2022

Shortage of Antonov aircraft will hurt satellite deliveries

The images of a destroyed Antonov aircraft (registered number An-225), and one of the planet’s very largest aircraft, went around the world showing it destroyed in a hanger at an airfield near Kyiv. Its loss will have an immediate impact on the delivery of some urgently needed satellites. AN-225, dubbed Mriya (Dream) was blown to […]

April 11, 2022By Chris Forrester

France forces Starlink closure

France’s highest administrative court, the Conseil d’Etat, has revoked Elon Musk’s Starlink licence to operate in the country. The ruling is based on French frequency rights granted in February 2021 to SpaceX’s Starlink last year and issued to the broadband service by regulator Arcep. Starlink will have to cease to operate in France. The Conseil […]

April 7, 2022By Chris Forrester

Musk acquires 9.2% stake in Twitter

Elon Musk has taken a 9.2 per cent stake in social media platform Twitter, according to a US securities filing. The announcement sent Twitter shares soaring by more than 27 per cent in New York trading on April 4th. The SpaceX and Tesla CEO owned 73,486,938 shares in the social media platform as of March […]

April 5, 2022

Starlink to launch in Philippines

The Philippines is preparing to register Elon Musk’s Starlink service an operating licence for its broadband-by-satellite system, said by Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez as the first in South-East Asia. Local reports say that Starlink is now researching where to locate three dedicated Gateways throughout the archipelago for its first services and to set up its […]

April 4, 2022By Chris Forrester

UK MPs regret OneWeb has to turn to US

The UK House of Commons parliamentary Defence Committee, with a role to examine British government action, has complained over the UK’s handling of the recent OneWeb predicament in having to switch rocket launchers. OneWeb had contracted with Arianespace which itself used Russian-built Soyuz rockets. The rockets were supposed to launch 6 batches of OneWeb satellites […]

April 1, 2022By Chris Forrester

SpaceX targets 60 launches in 2022

Elon Musk has confirmed that SpaceX is targeting 60 launches during 2022 for its Falcon 9 rocket. Besides its own Starlink launches, the SpaceX client list includes NASA flights and various scientific missions as well as new obligations this coming winter from OneWeb which has abandoned planned launches by Russia. Musk, in a tweet, added […]

March 31, 2022By Chris Forrester

FAA stymies Musk’s SpaceX plans

The powerful Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has again placed a halt on Elon Musk’s plans to launch rockets from his Boca Rica, South Texas site. The location is where Musk’s engineers are building a new suite of giant Starship and Super Heavy rockets. The FAA is conducting an environmental review on the rockets and their […]

March 29, 2022

Indonesia: PSN orders giant satellite

Boeing announced at the Washington Satellite 2022 show that it had received an order from Indonesia’s PSN (Pasifik Satelit Nurantara) for a 160 Gb/s craft. The Boeing 702HP version satellite, called Nusantara Lima, will be launched by SpaceX in 2023. PSN is the country’s first private satellite operator. The new craft will have a secure […]

March 24, 2022By Chris Forrester