Stories about the satellite communication industry.
It seems like every agency in Washington is taking a closer look at satellite constellations these days. That extra attention may lead to new hoops for satellite operators to jump through. Last week, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report on megaconstellations. GAO noted that new, growing fleets of satellites drive direct value […]
And just like that, we finally have concrete new orbital debris rules. By a 4-0 vote, the FCC approved a long-awaited orbital debris draft ruling yesterday. The rule shortens the time required for satellite operators to deorbit LEO satellites to no more than 5 years after completing their mission, from 25 years. The agency hopes […]
The Starlink mobile app has 2M+ downloads in 2022, per third-party estimates from 42matters, a Swiss mobile intelligence provider. The tally includes both installs on Android’s Google Play marketplace and the iOS App Store. Starlink saw ~90,000 downloads over the weekend, 42matters’ Alexander Braelow told Payload. The spike occurred shortly after SpaceX activated Starlink in […]
Protests in Iran reached their 10th night and 50 cities over the weekend, following the death of Mahsa Amini in custody. A digital curtain descends… In response to anti-government protests, Tehran has throttled internet access and mobile networks and blocked WhatsApp and Instagram, popular Western services within the country. NetBlocks, Cloudflare, and OONI are documenting […]
Microsoft is scaling up its presence in space, in a figurative rather than literal sense. Azure, the company’s cloud computing arm, is focused on building out software tools and partnerships within the industry, rather than launching its own hardware into space. Azure Space launched in Oct. 2020. It’s apparently been quite busy since then. The […]
Apple unveiled the iPhone 14 on Wednesday and it turns out the rumors were true. The Cupertino consumer device giant will add satellite connectivity into the next generation of its best-selling product. As one satellite industry executive put it to us, “this was the worst kept secret in the industry.” Now, the cat is out of […]
SatixFy is bucking the trend and staying the course. SatixFy 101 The Israeli startup is a fabless chipmaker and developer of electronically steered antennas. Its portfolio consists of “end-to-end” products, ranging from satellite payloads to end-user terminals. SatixFy recently unveiled Onyx Aero, a terminal for commercial airliners and large corporate jets that can connect to […]
Today marks the six-month anniversary of Russia invading Ukraine. Over the last half year, space-based services have played an integral role in each step of the conflict. Today, we’re providing a partial accounting of how space-based services and hardware have altered the course of the conflict (and how the space industry has itself been changed). […]
Terran Orbital’s ticker is $LLAP, which stands for “live long and prosper.” And that rules. Anyways, the satellite manufacturer reported $21.4M in Q2 revenue, a 127% jump YoY, and ended the quarter with $62.3M cash on hand. The company also announced a record backlog of $224.1M, up 200% since the end of last year but […]
Earnings season is fully upon us, with companies from both sides of the launch and satcom aisle releasing results last week. The SPAC side of last week’s reporting left much to be desired, as companies adjust to a harsh macroenvironment, program delays, and shortening runways. Starting with the launch SPACs… $ASTR: Astra won’t launch again […]
Reading-based Isotropic Systems has gotten a rebrand. The UK antenna manufacturer, now known as All.Space, also has new product details to share. All.Space has unveiled its 5th-gen “smart terminal,” which is moving into initial production and slated for release before the year is out. Once it does, capacity will be booked out for at least […]
We’ve made it halfway through 2022. The year has flown by, but it’s been filled with big news and firsts for the space industry. Here’s our recap of the off-Earth goings-on during these last six months. Q1 The year started off with a bang as JWST unfolded successfully, reached its new home a million miles […]
