SpaceX successfully launched two mPOWER satellites for SES and its O3b division on December 16th. Despite a heart-stopping interruption to the launch rocket’s video signal which would normally have shown the rocket’s booster on its floating landing barge, but everything was “nominal” in the booster’s landing and the deployment of the two satellites. Confirmation soon […]
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 […]
Israel-based satellite operator Spacecom has wrapped its tests on behalf of Telesat of Canada on its Phase 1 low Earth orbiting (LEO) satellite. Telesat has yet to announce who will build its fleet of almost 200 LEO satellites, although most observers expect an order to be placed this winter. The tests, conducted from Spacecom’s Teleport […]
Sichuan Airlines, a Chinese air carrier, Viasat, the communications company, and AeroSat Link Technology, a subsidiary of China Satellite Communications (China Satcom), have announced the airline has selected Viasat’s iIn-Flight Connectivity (IFC) technology and equipment for installation on its Airbus A320 family of aircraft. When in service, the Viasat terminal installed on the aircraft will […]
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 […]
More than four in ten UK homes can now access faster, more reliable Internet connections, as the rollout of full-fibre technology continues at record pace. Ofcom’s annual Connected Nations report, which measures the availability of broadband and mobile services across the UK, found that full-fibre connections are now available to 12.4 million households (42 per […]
OneWeb, in the process of finalising its launch schedule and completing its Version 1 satellite constellation, has bought 10,000 ground terminals from EchoStar-owned Hughes Network Systems. Hughes confirmed the OneWeb order, saying: “Engineered and manufactured by Hughes, the terminals (model number HL1100) include the Hughes electronically steered antenna and compact indoor and outdoor equipment necessary […]
Elon Musk’s SpaceX has again raised cash from its investors. The plan has been on the table since mid-November with SpaceX reported to have offered shares at around $77 (€72.50) per share according to Bloomberg. If correct, then this would value the privately-held business at around $140 billion depending on the value of the secondary […]
Microsoft and satellite operator Viasat have agreed a new partnership to help deliver Internet access to 10 million people around the globe, including 5 million across Africa. Viasat is the first satellite partner to work with Microsoft’s Airband Initiative, and together they will deepen Airband’s work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Guatemala, […]
AST SpaceMobile, the company building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network accessible directly by standard mobile phones, has provided an operational update on the BlueWalker 3 (BW3), Block 1 BlueBird and next-generation BlueBird programmes. “The achievements to date for BlueWalker 3 validate the design roadmap for our BlueBirds, including deploying and flying the […]