Countries that spend heavily on defense almost always, by extension, are space powers, given the high number of dual-use technologies (propulsion, telecom, reconnaissance sensors).

At least six commercial space station efforts are under way to replace the International Space Station by 2031.

Since at least 2018, China has had two or more purported LEO constellations in the works.

n 2018, Swedish network operator Ovzon ordered one of the first small GEO satellites (1,000-2,000kg), expecting a typical three years to build and launch.

On Dec. 12, news of the FCC’s final decision to reject Starlink’s appeal to qualify for $886M in federal subsidies to connect rural and unserved communities caused an uproar within the space sector and sparked heated political debate.

Barring any late-stage contracts, 2023 will conclude with 12 commercial GEO satellite orders, seven of which were micro GEOs (>1,000 kg).  

Military agencies have long been ideal customers for the satellite industry because of their willingness to pay a premium for resilient communications.

U.S. lawmakers have been fretting since 2018 (when Northrop Grumman bought Orbital ATK) that the national supply base for solid rocket motors was becoming too concentrated.

Incorporating Optical Communications Terminals (OCTs) has become a baseline assumption for nearly every megaconstellation operator (i.e., Starlink, Kuiper, OneWeb Gen2, Lightspeed, PWSA, Rivada, and the EU’s IRIS²) due to their critical role in network capacity, latency, cybersecurity, and ground network costs.

This year Mongolia made two moves that will bring satellite connectivity to the landlocked country and could signal the beginning of sovereign communications unimpeded by authoritarian neighbors.

As the players in NASA’s International Space Station (ISS) transition program approach the second half of their Commercial LEO Destinations Program (CLDP) plans, one of the first-round draft picks just got traded to another team.

It’s rare that satellite operators, especially those not publicly traded, give granular details about the reasons for their programmatic delays.

As threats of FY 2024 budget cuts lurk in the shadows of haunting GAO reports, recent awards may hint at which NASA programs and players will be spared.

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