Asia-Pacific
Asia-Pacific satellite operators still assessing pandemic’s market impacts
Three months after the coronavirus pandemic brought large swaths of the global economy to a near halt, Asia-Pacific satellite operators say they are still trying to identify a new normal.
Falcon 9 launches condosat mission for Kacific and Sky Perfect JSAT
SpaceX launched a communications satellite shared by two companies Dec. 16 using a Falcon 9 rocket.
AsiaSat plays waiting game on next-gen high-throughput satellite
“I’m glad that we didn’t jump into AsiaSat-10 two years ago, otherwise I would have a satellite that is not very economical,” Tong said Sept. 9 at the World Satellite Business Week conference here.
Asian satellite operators seeking diversification, say raw bandwidth sales not enough
Selling satellite capacity to television broadcasters and broadband network operators is no longer sufficient to support growth, according to several Asia-Pacific satellite operators.
AsiaSat shareholders accept privatization offer
Shareholders of Hong Kong satellite operator AsiaSat voted overwhelmingly in favor of privatization, setting the company on a course to delist from the Hong Kong stock exchange on Sept. 5.
APT Satellite nets $21 million from Apstar-6 insurance claim, next satellite delayed
APT Satellite says it has received $21 million in insurance payments for the partial failure of the Apstar-6 communications satellite in May 2018.
Measat buying single replacement for two satellites
European satellite manufacturer Airbus Defence and Space will build Measat-3d, a new communications satellite that will “progressively replace” the 13-year-old Measat-3 and the 10-year-old Measat-3a satellites.
APT Satellite revenue up despite continued ‘fierce’ market condition
With two new satellites in orbit and a third on the way, APT Satellite of Hong Kong continues to grow, but company executives remain worried about Asia-Pacific market conditions.
Nepal, Thales Alenia Space near satellite contract
Thales Alenia Space expects to sign a contract in upcoming months to build a communications satellite for Nepal, a Himalayan nation of 30 million with no domestic satellite operator.
AsiaSat revenue up, but regional C-band pressure mounting
Hong Kong-based fleet operator AsiaSat reported a third year of increased revenue, but warned that the C-band spectrum it uses for television broadcasts is now under threat in several of its markets.
Thaicom revenue shrinks 10 percent as regional competition stiffens
Thai satellite operator Thaicom logged a second year of declining revenue, but trimmed losses by selling its stake in a local telecom provider.
Kacific to double in size as first satellite launch nears, mulls second satellite
With less than a year to go before the launch of its first telecom satellite, Kacific is planning a hiring spree to prepare for service across the Asia Pacific.
Air Force Commander: Strategy to fight China in the Pacific brings greater attention to space
Gen. C.Q. Brown: One of the concerns is that China will jam military satellite communications. “If I can’t guarantee that comms will be up the entire time, how do forces execute mission orders?”
KT Sat aims to nearly triple revenue by 2025
With a comfortable business supporting 4.4 million television subscribers for parent company KT Corp., the largest telco in South Korea, KT Sat hasn’t been very aggressive in pursuing new sources of revenue. That is changing.
Indonesia seeking industry partner for 150 Gbps national HTS project
The government of Indonesia aims to team up with a satellite operator to build, launch and operate a high-throughput satellite to bring internet access to unreached parts of the island nation.
Asian satellite operators worried U.S. C-band debate will affect their markets
Satellite operators in Asia say the debate over C-band in the United States is triggering similar discussions in their markets, causing concern that cellular operators could end up in control of the spectrum in other parts of the world.
Amid tensions in Asia-Pacific, State Dept. calls attention to big-ticket sales of U.S. missiles, aircraft to Japan, South Korea
From 2000 to 2017, the U.S. government contracted more than $26 billion in foreign military sales to the Republic of Korea, including advanced combat aircraft and missile defense systems.
AsiaSat CEO Andrew Jordan stepping down
Andrew Jordan, chief executive of regional fleet operator AsiaSat, resigned April 16 a year and a half after taking the position.
Thaicom hires new CEO
Thai satellite operator Thaicom on March 29 appointed Anant Kaewruamvongs to succeed Paiboon Panuwattanawong as chief executive May 1.
AsiaSat “cautiously optimistic” as revenues rebound
Satellite fleet operator AsiaSat of Hong Kong reported a 6 percent increase in revenue for 2017, bolstering the company’s claim that Asia’s demand for broadcast and connectivity services is strong enough to gradually overcome a regional oversupply of satellite capacity.
