NBN gets praise for Sky Muster data plans • OHB revenues on the rise • U.S. pay-TV subs in decline

Australian farmers are celebrating the start of less restrictive satellite internet from the country’s twin Sky Muster broadband satellites.

ILS Proton arrives at Baikonur • Kepler, Kymeta test antenna • GSMA takes aim at satellite spectrum

A Proton rocket for International Launch Services’ (ILS) first and only mission of the year has arrived at the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a Q4 2019 launch.

SoftBank to help OneWeb with product dev • Phasor makes antenna progress • Kleos Space waits out Rocket Lab delay

OneWeb investor SoftBank says it will help the satellite operator with product development and forming commercial partnerships

Telstra-NBN combo ruled out • Aireon launches free emergency service • Globalstar buys IP from supplier

Australia’s competition watchdog agency ruled out the idea of Telstra buying the National Broadband Network.

House proposes Ex-Im Bank extension to 2026 • GomSpace conducts more layoffs • Inmarsat wins potential $246 million DoD contract

An agreement reached in the U.S. House of Representatives June 18 could keep the Export Import Bank of the United States open until 2026.

Hispasat buyer secures 500M euro credit line • ESA, Polish firms study rocket tech • CETel buys UK teleport operator

Red Eléctrica said the credit line, formalized June 12, is available for five years with the possibility of extension to seven years.

Bangladesh’s satellite starts service • Starlink autopilot sparks concern • SAS Global secures loan

SpaceX says Starlink satellites will directly receive Air Force tracking data and use that to tweak their orbits when presented with the risk of a collision. Space debris experts say the probability of a collision varies on a case-by-case basis, making automation difficult.

Singtel profits dip • Argentine, Turkish companies form small GEO builder • KVH sells Videotel business for $90 million

Singtel reported its lowest profit in 16 years, citing increasing competitive pressure in India and Indonesia.

Discarded Atlas 5 upper stage breaks up in orbit • Viasat, China Satcom partner on IFC • Hughes signs Jupiter-3 customer

The reason for the Atlas 5 upper stage break up, believed to have occurred between March 23 and March 25, is not yet known.

Iridium makes GMDSS progress • Kepler’s next cubesat to test new radiator • Scisys breaks ground in Germany

Iridium moved closer to launching an emergency maritime communications service by signing a public services agreement with the International Mobile Satellite Organization.

ThinKom, Phasor, C-Com hit antenna milestones • Hughes, Inmarsat gain India IFC approvals

Antenna builder ThinKom and fleet operator Inmarsat recently announced the completion of a series of tests using ThinKom antennas and Inmarsat’s high-throughput Global Xpress satellites.

ST Engineering to buy Newtec for $281M • C-Band Alliance hires former Intel exec • Phasor picks antenna manufacturing partner

ST Engineering said the acquisition will add “intellectual property, products and market access,” highlighting Newtec’s European presence, strength in broadcast, and recent successful low-Earth orbit communications testing with Telesat.

First Ariane 6 to carry 30 OneWeb satellites • Viasat seeking to raise $500 million • Hispasat trials Wi-Fi hotspots in Colombia

Arianespace’s first Ariane 6 mission will carry 30 OneWeb satellites to low Earth orbit. The launch, slated for the second half of 2020, will use the “62” version of the rocket, which has two side boosters.

FIRST UP Satcom | Telesat inks first LEO customer, LeoSat gains customer agreement

OmniAccess, a maritime connectivity provider who demonstrated service with Telesat's prototype satellite, signed a “major, multiyear contract” for broadband service from the constellation.

FIRST UP Satcom | Preston Padden leaves C-Band Alliance • Telesat earnings down

The C-Band Alliance’s head of advocacy and government relations Preston Padden left the organization Tuesday after less than six months in the position.

FIRST UP Satcom | Six Protons and an Angara launching this year • Airbus invests $25M in German plant

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