HTS
Intelsat revises IS-29e replacement plan, preps second-gen Epic order
Intelsat has abandoned plans to order a one-for-one replacement for the Intelsat-29e satellite that failed last year and will rely instead on leased capacity, a borrowed satellite, and the newly ordered Intelsat-40e spacecraft to fill a coverage gap over North and South America.
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.
Eutelsat places satellite order with Thales Alenia Space, Gogo an anchor customer
Eutelsat and Thales Alenia Space said Oct. 29 that they had signed a “letter of agreement” for the production of Eutelsat-10B, an all-electric satellite that will carry more capacity than its predecessor, Eutelsat-10A.
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.
Eutelsat CEO: Quantum satellite delayed, C-Band Alliance divided on treasury contribution
Manufacturing delays and launcher availability mean Eutelsat Communications’ “chameleon satellite” won’t launch until the second half of 2020 instead of late this year as planned.
Supplier issue behind delays with first ViaSat-3 launch
Problems with an unnamed component supplier are the reason the first launch of a ViaSat-3 high-throughput satellite won't happen until 2021.
Overhauled business plan bearing fruit, Avanti says
Selling capacity to other satellite operators is now one of Avanti’s main priorities, followed by selling to the U.S. Defense Department, Avanti CEO Kyle Whitehill said in a June 10 financial report.
Avanti secures $55 million credit line
Avanti, in a May 28 filing with the London Stock Exchange, said the credit facility is for a two-year period through which it can take loans with an annual interest rate of 12.5 percent. The company said it plans to use the loans to fund capital expenditures and meet working capital needs.
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.
Indonesian government chooses PSN team for 150 Gbps satellite
The ministry said May 3 that PSN will lead a consortium of companies on the project, expected to enter manufacturing late this year, launch in the second quarter of 2022, and begin service in 2023.
Intelsat-29e satellite suffers fuel leak, spotted drifting along GEO arc
Intelsat’s first Epic-series high-throughput satellite, Intelsat-29e, is drifting in orbit after back-to-back anomalies, forcing the company to shift customers to other spacecraft.
Satellite payload startup raises $12.4 million from Airbus Ventures, other investors
Cesium Astro, a startup building advanced antennas and communications systems for satellites, raised $12.4 million in a Series A round led by Airbus’ venture capital arm Airbus Ventures.
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.
Inmarsat to place GX Flex next-gen satellite system order this year
The satellite system, first discussed almost a year ago, will be markedly different from traditional communications satellite programs that often take three to four years to build and launch, he said.
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.
Boeing dropping Global IP satellite order
“Boeing is terminating the Global IP satellite contract for reasons of default for nonpayment,” the company said in a Dec. 7 statement to SpaceNews.
FIRST UP Satcom | Intelsat invests in AMN • Iridium gets $44 million DISA contract extension • NSR finds slow growth in satellite operator revenues
Intelsat invested in Africa Mobile Networks (AMN), a U.K.-headquartered group of companies with telecom infrastructure in Africa, to reach "ultra-rural" parts of the sub-Saharan side of the continent.
Arianespace launches 100th Ariane 5, completes Intelsat Epic constellation
European launch provider Arianespace completed the 100th launch of a heavy-lift Ariane 5 rocket Sept. 25, carrying two satellites co-owned between Intelsat and partner satellite operators.
China Satcom’s LEO, HTS projects driven by desire not to fall behind foreign counterparts
China’s state-owned fleet operator is making forward-leaning investments in high-throughput satellites and low-Earth-orbit constellations without worrying, at least initially, about whether these projects are backed by sound business plans.
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.
