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NASA’s Bridenstine tells Europe that U.S. is not quitting the space station in 2025
PARIS — NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine told the 22-nation European Space Agency that NASA will not cease funding the International Space Station in 2025 despite President Donald Trump’s budget proposal suggesting that this is the case. Bridenstine said while the budget calls for the end of...
ESA Director-General: Agency needs a financial-aid strategy for Ariane 6 rocket builders
PARIS — The European Space Agency is actively looking for ways to direct additional financial support to the Ariane 6 heavy-lift rocket’s industrial manufacturers as part of a deal tied to belt-tightening measures by those companies, ESA Director-General Jan Woerner said. Woerner said no decision...
OneWeb, citing better-than-expected satellite performance, trims constellation by 33%
PARIS — OneWeb has concluded that its 900-satellite constellation of global broadband internet-delivery satellites can be cut by one-third, to around 600, following ground tests of the first satellites now coming off the production line, OneWeb Founder and Executive Chairman Greg Wyler said. The...
At ITU, a satellite’s location and spectrum use are whatever the sponsoring nation says
PARIS — The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is the indispensable rampart against orbital-slot and radio-spectrum chaos. But its actions often combine the worst of the United Nations with the habits of a secret society. Radio frequencies are more coveted than ever, with heated battles...
Egypt wins 2nd ITU extension for Ka-band military telecom satellite
PARIS — The Egyptian government, which in 2016 won an extraordinary deadline extension from international regulators to field a Ka-band military satellite after pleading “force majeure” because of political upheaval, has won a second extension, this time because of launch delay. The extension...
Eutelsat on satellite in-flight connectivity: Full of potential, but delivery is still bad
PARIS — Satellite fleet operator Eutelsat said the in-flight-connectivity market is still not delivering satisfactory service to commercial airlines and is ripe for new entrants that can do better. Eutelsat provides bandwidth on seven satellites, including the Ka-Sat Ka-band broadband spacecraft,...
Cubesat builder AAC Clyde Space weighs satellite leasing as a business model
TOULOUSE, France — Cubesat builder AAC Clyde, which is already moving its customers to a satellites-as-a-service model where AAC Clyde handles the build, launch and operate functions, is looking a satellite leasing as a business as well. The company began with a pay-up-front model and is now...
Viasat: Campaign to stop Inmarsat’s Euro-IFC network moves to Belgium, Germany after British defeat
TOULOUSE, France — Viasat Inc. said it is pursuing its challenge to Inmarsat’s European Aviation Network — which it alleges is a ground network with a satellite add-on, and not a mobile satellite system — in Belgium, Germany, Italy, France and possibly Spain and expects decisions in the first two...
Satellite-AIS provider exactEarth to get cash lifeline from Hisdesat, Ewing Morris, MMCAP
TOULOUSE, France — Commercial satellite maritime traffic monitoring service provider exactEarth Ltd. ended a year-long strategic review with a private placement to institutional shareholders including Hisdesat that raised a net 11.5 million Canadian dollars ($8.7 million), resolving an immediate...
Interview: RBC Signals Chief Executive Christopher Richins
TOULOUSE, France — Startup ground satellite Earth station network operator RBC Signals looked at the creation of Amazon Ground and and said: Imitation is a form of flattery. Except that here, the imitator is a multibillion-dollar behemoth that can sweeten its offer by proximity to Amazon Web...
EU vs ESA debate slows progress on seven-year space budget
MARSEILLE — The European Union remains divided on whether to give its launch-vehicle sector any additional help beyond what’s provided by the European Space Agency, a position that risks delaying progress on the EU’s proposed seven-year space budget. The differences were clearly laid out on Nov....
