AST & Science is planning a mega-constellation of satellites, called SpaceMobile, to provide 2G/3G/4G/5G connectivity anywhere on the planet, including aircraft broadband connectivity. Texas-based AST & Science (AST) has won investments from the likes of Vodafone and Japanese e-retailer Rakuten and bringing the amount raised to $128 million. Its first test-satellite will reportedly launch later […]
The Canadian government is going ahead with its C$600 million (€391m) plan to ‘bridge the digital divide’ for its citizens. The scheme sees the cash going into satellite operator Telesat which says it will ensure affordable, high-speed broadband connectivity across all of Canada with Telesat’s forthcoming Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation. There was a […]
ASD-Eurospace, Europe’s space industry trade association, issued what it called an ‘Industry Manifesto’ on October 15 which called for a “resilient satellite system for secure connectivity […] to make Europe fit for the Digital Age”. The document calls for a constellation of Low Earth orbiting (LEO) satellites, owned by the European Commission, and serving military, […]
Carlos Placido, a Northern Sky Research (NSR) Senior Analyst, says that the new Low Earth Orbiting (LEO) satellite mega-constellations, while not providing data-rates as high as fibre when connecting major cities but when adding in other delays the satellite-based systems will be able to offer lower latency than fibre across long distances, a situation that […]
Ottawa-based satellite operator Telesat has reportedly told the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) that it will start supply a basic LEO broadband-by-satellite service in 2022. But there are considerable complications to that promise. In a separate presentation made at last week’s Satellite Innovation webinar Telesat’s Erwin Hudson (VP/LEO division) told delegates that its polar orbiting satellites […]
If there’s one vital component that Elon Musk and the likes of Jeff Bezos as well as Telesat, OneWeb and others need it’s a low-cost consumer friendly phased array flat-panel antenna. Yoel Gat, founder of Gilat Satellite Networks (and now CEO at SatixFy, a designer of flat-panel antennas) says that the dream of a sub-$300 […]
In what could be a major agreement Ottawa-based Telesat has entered into a cooperation deal with Indian satellite communication service provider Nelco to collaborate on terrestrial facilities, commercial distribution and regulatory frameworks to offer satellite connectivity through Telesat’s low-Earth-orbit network, Telesat LEO, in India. Telesat LEO craft are embryonic at best. There is one ‘test’ […]
China reportedly has plans to build and launch almost 13,000 new broadband satellites in a massive constellation. In essence there are two phases planned, dubbed GW-A59 and GW-2, accoirdng to the Dongfang Hour podcast. Dongfang says that the two phases will absorb 7 sub-constellations within the plan. In total 12,922 satellites are involved. The scheme […]
The UK will own about 45 per cent of OneWeb which it will formally buy once the satellite operator emerges from its Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Bharti of India is the other major investor in OneWeb. However, a meeting of the influential UK parliamentary all-party Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) committee has been held […]
China Aerospace Science & Industry (CASIC) says it will launch the next 12 of a planned 80 satellites to serve the demand for Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity during 2021. Two CASIC satellites were orbited in May this year into Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The satellites utilise inter-satellite laser links, which enable them to communicate […]