LEO
Op-ed | Proliferated LEO is risky but necessary
The world is moving inexorably to proliferated constellations. This is a logical progression and generally a good thing. But like many good things, it is not without risks.
Megaconstellation startup raises $110 million to connect smartphones via satellite
AST & Science’s immediate focus is starting revenue generation in the next few years with low Earth orbit satellites numbering in the “low twenties” in an equatorial orbit.
Military enthusiastic about commercial LEO satcom but wants proof that vendors can deliver
The Army is not ready to sign contracts with any LEO broadband providers quite yet, but it’s scoping the market.
Dankberg teases ViaSat-4 specs, still mulling MEO constellation
Viasat says that co-building its ViaSat-3 satellites with Boeing has given the company experience it can leverage to multiply the capacity achievable with a next-generation ViaSat-4 system.
SpaceX submits paperwork for 30,000 more Starlink satellites
The FCC, on SpaceX’s behalf, submitted 20 filings to the ITU for 1,500 satellites apiece in various low Earth orbits, an ITU official confirmed Oct. 15 to SpaceNews.
UnseenLabs plans to launch half dozen ship-tracking cubesats in 2020
French startup UnseenLabs intends to launch up to six more ship-tracking cubesats next year to build on the success of its first satellite.
LEO constellation operators OneWeb, Iridium announce collaboration
Iridium and OneWeb, two companies pursuing different types of telecommunications businesses from low Earth orbit, said Sept. 17 that they would work together on a combined service offering.
Telesat outlines spending plan for Canadian government’s LEO constellation investment
Telesat plans to use an 85 million Canadian dollar ($64.7 million) investment by the government of Canada on the first dozen satellites of its low Earth orbit broadband constellation.
Space Development Agency looked upon to bring LEO technology to ground forces
The Army is pondering broader use of low-cost satellites for tactical applications.
Canadian government pledges $521 million for Telesat LEO constellation
The Canadian government is investing 85 million Canadian dollars ($64.7 million) into research and development for Telesat’s broadband satellite constellation, and has agreed to spend up to 600 million Canadian dollars ($456.6 million) more on capacity.
As it plans LEO constellations, DoD must prepare to deal with congestion
The buzzword in military space these days is “proliferated LEO,” which is Pentagon-speak for large numbers of small satellites in low Earth orbit.
Loft Orbital fills first condosat, preps for quarterly launches
Loft Orbital, a company preparing a constellation to carry payloads for customers who don’t want to operate their own satellites, has filled up its first satellite and booked a January 2020 launch through Spaceflight Industries.
Cloud Constellation selects LeoStella to build 10 data-storage satellites
Cloud Constellation CEO Cliff Beek said LeoStella, a joint venture of Thales Alenia Space and Spaceflight Industries, beat Northrop Grumman on price, among other factors.
Op-ed | Protecting low Earth orbit from becoming the new Wild West
If outer space is the "final frontier," the private commercialization of low Earth orbit — about 100-1,200 miles up — could become the new Wild West if we're not careful.
Wyler claims breakthrough in low-cost antenna for OneWeb, other satellite systems
OneWeb founder Greg Wyler says a self-funded side project of his has developed an antenna module costing $15, paving the way for OneWeb user terminals priced between $200 and $300.
Op-ed | Responsible satellite operations in the era of large constellations
While an unprecedented number of satellites brings with them important benefits to humanity, we must be careful to proceed responsibly and minimize the potential for harming the low Earth orbit (LEO) environment for generations to come.
