New Zealand telco Spark is to provide a satellite-to-mobile service for Spark mobile customers, with a trial set to launch as early as the end of 2023. The service will be delivered in partnership with satellite provider Lynk Global and will allow a subset of Spark mobile customers to opt-in to a free trial. More […]

Analysts at Quilty Space say they estimate the satellite direct-to-device (DTD) market holds the promise of burgeoning into a multibillion-dollar industry. “It comes as no surprise that in the race to equip unmodified smartphones with satellite connectivity, various players are jockeying for position. Who crosses the finish line first, or even who stays in the […]

Gogo Business Aviation’s AVANCE in-flight communications platform has been selected by flyExclusive as it upgrades on a fleet of 40 private aircraft. “More than ever, our customers expect an inflight connectivity and entertainment experience consistent with what they experience on the ground,” said Mike Guina, COO of flyExclusive. “After careful consideration, we are excited to […]

Marlink, a digital solutions company, will install the Starlink LEO service for Athens-based ship manager Polembros Shipping which has been a Marlink partner for many years. Polembros will extend its digital toolset to include Starlink’s LEO broadband service on a trial basis to support crew welfare and remote technology. Polembros is already a user of […]

Telesat has announced a contract award to Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) of Toronto, Canada to manufacture a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) demonstration satellite. The demonstration satellite, named LEO 3, will provide continuity for customer and ecosystem vendor testing campaigns following the decommissioning of Telesat’s Phase 1 LEO satellite. Once successfully launched and on-station, LEO 3 […]

After numerous delays caused by bad weather over Florida, Arabsat’s latest satellite, BADR-8 launched at 3.25am UTC on May 27th. The near-5 tonnes satellite was finally lofted into a geostationary transfer orbit having suffered delays by thick cloud and strong winds and even on the day of lift-off the launch teams were suffering anxieties over […]

Viasat of California and London-based Inmarsat can now wrap up their much-awaited merger plan. The final regulatory approval, from the European Commission, was granted on May 25th. The two companies expect their merger to conclude “in days” and by the end of May. The European Commission (EC) was concerned that the merger scheme would limit […]

Inmarsat has announced that Rajeev Suri will stand down as chief executive on completion of the company’s sale to Viasat. Suri has been nominated by the shareholder consortium that acquired Inmarsat in 2019 to serve as a Board Director of Viasat upon completion of the sale. He will also be involved with ensuring a smooth […]

The UK’s Space Agency is making available £50 million (€57.5m) into space-related R&D. The cash will match individual businesses and their own investment in infrastructure projects. Would-be recipients have to apply by July 5th, and applications are now open. The Agency says that 55 per cent of the cash will be awarded to companies outside […]

Avanti Communications has completed the second phase of its project to build a new HYLAS 4 satellite gateway station in Dakar, Senegal. The new Ka-band antenna, which is 9.2m in diameter, stands 14m and weighs 17,000kg,  has taken over 12 months to build in a facility in the US, before being shipped to Dakar. The […]