HTS
Space ground segment having its own launch sector-like renaissance, Kratos says
WASHINGTON — The revolution in space technology — prominently seen with reusable rocketry advances and the commercial adoption of miniaturized satellites — is also happening on the ground, according to Kratos.
Thaicom weighs life-extension options for pioneering IPstar satellite
Thaicom is considering ways to prolong the life of IPstar, its pioneering high-throughput satellite currently projected to run out of fuel in 2022.
Thai startup mu Space seeks builder for satellite bound for leased orbit
The request for proposal, released June 25, is for the construction of satellite mu Space says it will launch in 2021 on Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket.
Viasat leases Hylas-4 capacity from Avanti
Viasat on June 25 acquired a quarter of the steerable capacity on Avanti’s newest satellite, Hylas-4, providing fresh Ka-band resources the company can use anywhere from the Americas across the Atlantic to the Middle East.
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.
Space component suppliers endangered by GEO order slowdown
Satellite manufacturers say they are trying to protect their component suppliers from the drought of commercial telecom spacecraft that threatens to put such companies out of business.
Telesat touts LEO constellation over M&A as best growth strategy
Telesat CEO Dan Goldberg said his company has refrained from running headlong with other fleet operators in adding new telecom satellites over areas now burdened by an oversupply of capacity.
Telenor Satellite eyes even split between broadcast, connectivity businesses
Morten Tengs, Telenor Satellite’s CEO, says direct-to-home (DTH) broadcasting is still the largest revenue generator for the operator, but Thor-7 now has “a substantial maritime datacom business,” as well as some land-based customers in the Middle East.
Boeing investigating antenna glitch on ViaSat-2 satellite
An on-orbit antenna issue identified during testing of the ViaSat-2 high-throughput satellite has Boeing and ViaSat searching for answers.
Orbital ATK ships tardy Al Yah 3 satellite for January launch
Satellite manufacturer Orbital ATK on Nov. 30 shipped Yahsat’s long-awaited Al Yah 3 high-throughput satellite to French Guiana for an Ariane 5 launch now scheduled for January.
AsiaSat planning small HTS satellite to cover China
Hong Kong-based fleet operator AsiaSat will soon order a “modest”-size high-throughput satellite (HTS) that will leverage the company’s access to the Chinese market, Barrie Woolston, AsiaSat’s chief commercial officer, said Sept. 14.
Avanti CEO leaves company
David Williams, chief executive of broadband satellite operator Avanti Communications, has parted ways with the company he co-founded.
Inmarsat says business largely immune to current capacity oversupply
British satellite operator Inmarsat says the mobility markets where it does the most business are largely unaffected by today’s oversupply of capacity, and in some cases might need even more.
MDA slashes GEO order expectations
Commercial satellite operators will probably order half as many geosynchronous satellites this year than usual, deepening a drought that has affected satellite manufacturers for the past two years, MDA Corp. President and CEO Howard Lance said July 28.
Intelsat’s slow-to-orbit IS-33e proving slow to attract customers
Intelsat-33e, which took longer to enter service because of a broken thruster, is now taking longer than expected to fill with paying customers.
Gogo sparks war of words with Inmarsat, ViaSat over lease versus owner model
Inflight connectivity provider Gogo is causing sparks to fly over its claim that leasing capacity is superior to owning satellites and that proponents of pure satellite ownership are only promoting ownership models to protect their business.
