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Indonesia jeopardizes its $800-million L-band military satellite project by stiffing Avanti
PARIS — The Indonesian government has placed at risk an $800-million mobile satellite system to be used by Indonesia’s military by refusing to pay a $17 million bill whose validity is uncontested, government and industry officials said. Because it dragged its feet on paying in full a debt to...
European governments approve $410 million for Ariane 6 rocket, including industry incentive scheme
PARIS — European governments freed up promised funding for the heavy-lift Ariane 6 rocket and offered its manufacturers incentives to earn back some of their investment in the project. But a contract guaranteeing orders between 2021 and 2023 has not be concluded. The funding package of 350 million...
ESA to contract with two consortia for next Galileo satellite procurement, says Brexit cost unknown
PARIS — The European Space Agency and the European Commission will selected two consortia to build the next series of Galileo positioning, navigation and timing satellites rather than relying on a single prime contractor, as they have done up to now, ESA Navigation Director Paul Verhoef said June...
Interview: Raul Torres, CEO of smallsat launcher startup PLD Space
PARIS — Startup small-satellite launch service provider PLD Space’s recent financing round of 9 million euros ($10.5 million) brings the company’s Series A to 17 million euros to finance two suborbital missions in 2019 before developing its orbital vehicle. PLD wants its Arion 2 orbital rocket —...
ESA council overrides UK to approve Galileo procurement; OKs spending on Ariane 5-6 transition
PARIS — The European Space Agency’s ruling council overrode British objection to approve the procurement of at least four Galileo positioning, navigation and timing satellites, for which industrial bids are due June 20. Meeting June 13-14 at ESA’s headquarters here, the council also approved a...
Interview: Audacy CEO Ralph Ewig
PARIS — Audacy’s June 6 operating license from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has already had the effect of triggering a $4 million financing, in the form of equity-secured debt, from Horizon Technology Finance. That brings Audacy financing to far to $11.1 million, with...
Interview: Kfir Benjamin, CEO, satellite terminal builder GetSat
PARIS — Israel’s GetSAT satcom terminal builder worked mainly under the public radar since it was formed in late 2013 before announcing in March a “multimillion-dollar” contract with the U.S. government for its MicroSAT and MilliSAT land and maritime terminals. The company advertises its MicroSAT...
EU Commission to ESA, Avio, ArianeGroup, Arianespace: We know smallsat market better than you do
PARIS — The European Commission on June 12 opened a three-year competition that will award 10 million euros ($12 million) to the company that best proves its ability to develop a low-cost, commercially viable small-satellite launch vehicle. The European Innovation Council Horizon Prize, first...
Europe’s space industry to EU: Can we talk about your new space policy?
PARIS — Europe’s space industry association, ASD Eurospace, took a quick, informal look at the European Commission’s 2021-2027 space budget and policy proposal and produced a series of counterproposals and questions. With an inflation-adjusted 28% increase, all the more remarkable given the likely...
EU space budget 2021-2027: Big Galileo, Copernicus commitments, everything else TBD
PARIS — The European Commission’s proposed 2021-2027 space budget maintains full-throttle spending on the Galileo satellite positioning, navigation and timing system and the Copernicus environment-monitoring network but raises questions about everything else. A planned Space Situational Awareness...
FCC OKs SES 03b expansion: More satellites and coverage, and frequencies including V-band
PARIS — The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) authorized satellite fleet operator SES to expand its O3b medium-Earth-orbit system with greater geographic coverage, new broadcast frequencies including V-band and 26 new satellites. The FCC imposed a deadline on SES to be operating on all...
