SES is creating what it describes as a “first time ever” service for cruise liners. It is using its own O3b mid-Earth orbiting (MEO) satellites and linking with SpaceX’s Starlink’s low-Earth orbiting (LEO) system on a single managed solution for the cruise industry. The joint offering – SES Cruise mPOWERED + Starlink – integrated, sold […]

SpaceX has won a 14-launch order from Telesat to place its Lightspeed constellation into low Earth orbit (LEO). Terms were not disclosed, but the multi-launch contract could easily be worth more than $800 million (€746.6m). Each SpaceX rocket will carry up to 18 Telesat Lightspeed satellites to LEO per launch. The launch campaign is scheduled […]

The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) has given SpaceX a list of 63 tasks that must be carried out before the new Starship rocket can be launched. Elon Musk has Tweeted that the rocket is ready for launch. On the upside, the FAA has closed its investigation as to what went wrong on the Starship’s first […]

Globalstar, in an SEC regulatory filing, says it has placed a launch order with SpaceX to start replacing its low Earth orbiting satellites beginning in 2025. But placing the contract with SpaceX means that it is using SpaceX to try and gain a speedy commercial advantage for satellite-to-device connectivity. SpaceX is already working with operators […]

SpaceX has passed its 2022 record of 61 launches of its Falcon 9 rockets. September 3rd saw that record easily broken and another flight added to the 57 Falcon 9’s launched, plus three Falcon ‘Heavy’ rockets and one Starship during the year to date. SpaceX lofted its 62nd mission this year on September 3rd (at […]

A shareholder in Amazon (the Cleveland Bakers & Teamsters Pension Fund/CB&T) is suing the company alleging that Amazon snubbed potential launch contracts from SpaceX because of personal animosity between Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk. Amazon, in a statement, said “the claims in this lawsuit are completely without merit, and we look forward to showing that […]

Japanese telco KDDI and SpaceX have signed an agreement whereby KDDI will provide satellite cellular service using SpaceX’s Starlink and KDDI’s wireless spectrum throughout Japan. Their statement says that the agreement will enhance KDDI’s cellular connectivity to areas beyond the limits of traditional 4G/5G networks and include rural areas, remote islands and mountainous regions. KDDI […]

Tim Farrar of TMA Associates, a commentator on the satellite industry, has raised concerns about the “optical crosslinks” or laser beams that operate between satellites. Optical crosslinks between satellites can drastically increase the constellation’s capability to transmit data to ground stations with reduced latency and increased total throughput. Satellites no longer have to wait to […]

According to a report from specialist IoT analyst firm Berg Insight, the global satellite IoT communications market is growing at a steady pace. The global satellite IoT subscriber base grew to surpass 4.5 million in 2022. The number of satellite IoT subscribers is forecast increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 39.6 per […]

SpaceX is being sued by the US Department of Justice with allegations that the rocket company has been biased in its hiring of staff. The civil lawsuit alleges that SpaceX has deliberately not hired former refugees and asylum seekers. SpaceX “routinely discouraged asylees and refugees from applying and refused to hire or consider them, because […]