Advanced Television

Inside Satellite

Chris Forrester

Chris Forrester is one of the most experienced and highly regarded journalists in the field. His insight and analysis, particularly in the satellite and pay-TV arena, is highly prized. He has written for all the major business journals in the sector as well as several national newspapers.

Rivada insists “deadlines will be met”

Rivada Space Networks is insisting that despite some negative media stories, it remains firmly on track to meet its build and launch obligations for its 300 satellite mega-constellation. Brian Carney, Rivada’s SVP/Communications, commented: “We are confident that we will be able to finance our satellite production and meet our regulatory milestones. Since the takeover [of […]

October 2, 2024

Ergen will gain “greatest opportunity” by losing DISH

It should not be forgotten in the acres of business news coverage over the DirecTV (and TPG) acquisition of DISH Network that in selling DISH, chairman Charlie Ergen is very much giving up his ‘baby’. When his EchoStar 1 satellite was launched on a Chinese Long March rocket in 1995 Ergen was in the launch […]

October 1, 2024

Rivada’s latest problems could be fatal

Rivada Space Networks, the would-be constellation operator of 288 yet-to-be-built satellites, is in deep trouble. Rivada’s litany of problems continues to mount. Not only is it late in stumping up the small matter of $2.4 billion (€2.1bn) needed to build its ‘OuterNet’ constellation, Rivada now faces another major hurdle from its licensing authority, the tiny […]

September 30, 2024By Chris Forrester

SES confirms 25c dividend

SES says it will pay shareholders its 25c dividend later in October. The news coincided with a report from investment bank BNP/Paribas and while it does not reveal a great deal of ‘new’ news, it has some very interesting extra elements. The report, from the bank’s Sami Kassab, notes that SES recently won a large […]

September 29, 2024

Intelsat gets licence to rescue Galaxy 25

The FCC, on September 25th, issued permission for a rescue attempt on Intelsat’s ‘drifting’ Galaxy 25 satellites with a Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV/Space Tug) over the next few days. The FCC is keen on the whole exercise being seen as an experimental mission. In its permission, the FCC stated: “After an extended period of drifting, […]

September 27, 2024

Bank downgrades Virgin Galactic

Sir Richard Branson’s space tourism business, Virgin Galactic, suffered a bank’s serious downgrade to its share price. Morgan Stanley had given Virgin Galactic a share price target of $35. That price has been slashed to just $5 in the bank’s latest report issued on September 24th. The bank was blunt and cited ongoing challenges for […]

September 26, 2024

EchoStar fails to find extra cash

EchoStar, the Charlie Ergen-backed business that owns the Dish US pay-TV operator, says that negotiations which have taken place over the past weeks with certain debt-holders and which would have led to a financial reconstruction have failed to reach agreement. The negotiations were primarily with members of a group represented by Milbank. Despite this setback, […]

September 25, 2024

Rivada: More trouble to come?

Rivada Space Networks has had an eventful couple of years, filled with litigation between various parties over ownership, frequency rights and disputes between CEO Declan Ganley and former business partners. To its credit it has managed to sail through these challenges, but one has to read between the lines to ascertain whether it can proceed […]

September 24, 2024

IRIS2 facing more challenges

The ambitious IRIS2 satellite proposal for a constellation of European low Earth orbiting satellites is facing further challenges, not least from the German government. While not confirming the reported final cost of some €12 billion, a response last week to a question in Germany’s parliament (from the CDU/CSU group) talked about the break down in […]

September 23, 2024

Rivada: No hard news on funding

Rivada Space Networks issued a press release to coincide with Euroconsult’s Paris Space Business Week which said that it is “partnering” with Peraton, “a next-generation national security company and transformative enterprise IT provider” who will now work with Rivada once its planned 300 satellite constellation is in place. However, there was no news on whether […]

September 17, 2024