broadband constellations
FCC to introduce new simplified licensing regulations for smallsats
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, speaking at a U.S. Chamber of Commerce event here, said the regulations will make licensing small satellites cheaper and faster in order to better match cost and pace at which smallsat operators often function.
Telesat says ideal LEO constellation is 292 satellites, but could be 512
Satellite fleet operator Telesat says the desired size of its future low Earth orbit broadband constellation is more than twice the number of satellites authorized by U.S. regulators, and could ultimately scale to 512 spacecraft.
MEO startup Methera plans “high density” HTS constellation
In medium Earth orbit, the only system providing satellite broadband today is SES Networks’ constellation of 16 O3b satellites. A British startup with its own 16-satellite constellation idea wants to change that.
Maxar creating new smallsat division as it shrinks SSL
Maxar Technologies is setting up a new organization focused solely on small satellites while continuing to downsize its geostationary satellite manufacturing business at Space Systems Loral.
NBN preps business broadband offer with underused Sky Muster capacity
An NBN executive estimated the business service will use 15 percent of the capacity on the Sky Muster satellite system.
SpaceX won’t seek U.S. rural broadband subsidies for Starlink constellation
SpaceX says it will not go after any of the $2 billion in rural broadband subsidies the U.S. Federal Communications Commission will begin doling out this summer under its Connect America Fund II program.
ViaSat and O3b, now distant neighbors, eye confrontation in medium-Earth orbit
ViaSat Inc and SES-owned O3b Ltd., two satellite fleet operators providing commercial Ka-band broadband from different orbital vantage points, look to become direct competitors based on new satellite constellations both are proposing to U.S. regulators.
Dish Network battles OneWeb and SpaceX for Ku-band spectrum rights
A coalition of 5G terrestrial mobile broadband companies led by Charlie Ergen’s Dish Network on June 8 asked U.S. regulators to strip future low-orbiting satellite Internet constellations of their priority access to 500 megahertz of Ku-band spectrum – spectrum coveted by prospective fleet owners including OneWeb LLC and SpaceX.
