On Tuesday, June 18 at 8:40 p.m. PT, Falcon 9 launched 20 Starlink satellites, including 13 with Direct to Cell capabilities, to low-Earth orbit from from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Station in California.

This was the fifth flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched USSF-62 and now four Starlink missions.

This California launch went smoothly while the Florida launch of the SES Astra 1P has been delayed twice due to inclemate weather.

SpaceX to launch two on Tuesday with 20 Starlink satellites including 13 Direct to Cell

SpaceX is targeting Tuesday, June 18 for a Falcon 9 launch of 20 Starlink satellites, including 13 with Direct to Cell capabilities, to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Station in California. Liftoff is targeted for 8:00 p.m. PT, with backup opportunities available until 12:00 a.m. PT on Wednesday, June 19. If needed, additional opportunities are also available on Thursday, June 19 starting at 8:00 p.m. ET.

A live webcast of this mission will begin on X @SpaceX about five minutes prior to liftoff. Watch live.

This is the fifth flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched USSF-62, and three Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship, which will be stationed in the Pacific Ocean.

A new study from Juniper Research found global investment into VLEO (Very Low Earth Orbit) satellites will reach $220 billion by 2027, growing substantially from $17 billion this year. VLEO satellites operate at an altitude of approximately 300km; enabling reduced communication latency and higher-resolution imaging.

An extract from the new report, Global VLEO Satellites Market 2024-2030, is available as a free download.

As part of the study, Juniper Research is excited to announce the launch of the new Future Leaders Index which scores companies that are either challenging dominant players in established markets, or positioned to become leaders in emerging markets. In assessing these future leaders, the model enables businesses to benefit from critical insights into market shifts and emerging threats, and thus make informed strategic decisions.

The model uses a range of criteria, such as funding and investment, market coverage and the extent of innovation in the leaders’ solutions. The vendors primed for future VLEO success include…

1. Thales Alenia Space
2. LeoLabs
3. Redwire
4. Blue Canyon Technologies
5. Albedo

These future leaders must leverage their significant funding and investment to develop software-based VLEO satellite services. The report recommended satellite management software remain adaptable to evolving use cases to capitalize on a market with an anticipated cumulative investment reaching $1 trillion by 2029.

Report author Ben Clark said, “Future leaders must focus on industries including telecommunications, navigation and environment monitoring, as these are the best long-term monetization opportunities; owing to the requirement for global connectivity that terrestrial technologies will be unable to provide.”

Ubotica has announced a significant milestone in the CogniSAT-6 mission, that being the successful processing and instant AI-powered detection of the first raw image from the newly launched satellite.

Today’s Earth Observation (EO) satellites are fundamentally data collectors; they simply gather data and downlink that information when passing over a ground station. However, what if they could understand what they’re seeing? With Ubotica’s SPACE:AI, they can, as this technology unlocks the full potential of EO satellites by empowering them with real-time vision processing. Ubotica’s flight-proven, end-to-end, AI platform transforms these satellites into intelligent, efficient and always connected observers.

SPACE:AI at Work: Ship Detection at Jeddah Port — Consider this first raw satellite image (above) taken by CogniSAT-6 of the port and ocean near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The challenge was to quickly identify all ships in the area. For the first time, an EO satellite, powered by SPACE:AI, understands what is being observed. Within 90 seconds, SPACE:AI detected every vessel within a 20 x 40-kilometer zone. This achievement demonstrates the model’s exceptional accuracy, even without prior training on CogniSAT-6 data.

CogniSAT-6 is designed to share these insights instantly. Through persistent, inter-satellite communication, ship detection data can be relayed to users on Earth in real-time. This enables users to interact directly with the satellite, requesting more information or adjusting its focus.

SPACE:AI’s ship detection capabilities represent a significant advancement in the field. Unlike traditional methods requiring extensive training on thousands of processed images, SPACE:AI can perform real-time, on-board identification of ships from a single, raw, unprocessed image without prior training specific to the imager or sensor.

This breakthrough technology dramatically simplifies and accelerates the process of extracting valuable information from Earth Observation data.

“This successful demonstration proves the advanced capabilities of CogniSAT-6 and our commitment to unlocking the true potential Earth Observation,” said Fintan Buckley, CEO of Ubotica. “Near real-time analysis of satellite data unlocks new possibilities for timely and effective decision-making across numerous sectors.” Sean Mitchell, Chief Commercial Officer at Ubotica, added, “The performance of our ship detection model, combined with our rapid processing pipeline, showcases SPACE:AI’s transformative potential. We’re excited to see this technology in action and anticipate the significant impact CogniSAT-6 will have across industries.”

Ovzon’s proprietary satellite, Ovzon 3, has recently, after a five-month journey in space, reached its orbital position in the geostationary arc.

Vrio Corporation, parent company of DIRECTV Latin America and Sky Brasil, and Project Kuiper, Amazon’s LEO satellite broadband network, recently announced a distribution agreement to offer internet connectivity in seven countries in South America.

Vrio plans to use Project Kuiper’s network to provide connectivity services to residential customers in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia through DIRECTV Latin America and Sky Brasil, in accordance with local regulations. This agreement will bring new affordable, high-speed internet connectivity options to an area with a total population of approximately 383 million people, including approximately 200 million people the World Bank estimates are still not connected to the internet.

DIRECTV and Sky will use Project Kuiper’s low-latency, high-bandwidth satellite network to bring the benefits of fast and reliable internet to areas that would otherwise be both challenging and prohibitively expensive to serve. With Project Kuiper, the companies will offer nationwide coverage in each country—something that is not practical with traditional connectivity options like fiber optics or fixed wireless that require extensive infrastructure.

Project Kuiper recently tested two prototype satellites as part of its successful Protoflight mission. It expects to begin deploying its satellite constellation in the coming months, and to start service demonstrations with Vrio and other select customers later this year.

Darío Werthein, president of Vrio Corp., said, “This collaboration with Project Kuiper is in line with our strategy of extending our services throughout South America and continues to define us as a regional leader in information, digital entertainment, connectivity and innovation promotion. We are concerned with bridging the technology gap and even more so the digital divide for our future generations. And the time is now. Our commitment translates into action. Providing internet access across the region ensures the development of communities; and that is a commitment for our company. We look forward to bringing the benefits of affordable internet access and connectivity to more communities to reach further with a service that will revolutionize the way people connect.”

“Project Kuiper is a powerful opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives,” said Panos Panay, Amazon’s senior vice president for devices and services. “There are hundreds of millions of households around the world that don’t have access to reliable broadband internet, which means they can’t take part in things that we can take for granted, like being able to learn online, run a business online, shop, or enjoy streaming entertainment. Working with Vrio to bring affordable access to broadband means we can enable so many more people to create, connect, and learn in new ways.”

“Project Kuiper’s mission is to deliver fast, affordable broadband to areas that have traditionally been difficult to reach,” said Rajeev Badyal, vice president of technology and head of Project Kuiper at Amazon. “Our network has the capacity and flexibility to serve tens of millions of customers around the world, and this distribution agreement with Vrio is part of our commitment to working with regional providers who share that vision. We look forward to working with Vrio to serve customers across South America.”

Vrio Corp. is a leading American media and technology company in Latin America and the Caribbean in digital entertainment services, content production, information and connectivity with more than 40 million viewers in 11 countries. It offers high-quality content live and on demand through DIRECTV Latin America, SKY Brasil, DGO and SKY+, with sporting events, international events and exclusive programming in Brazil through the SKY brand and in Argentina, Barbados, Chile, Colombia, Curacao, Ecuador, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago and Uruguay through the DIRECTV brand. DGO is its subscription service (OTT) via internet that provides access to a variety of live and on-demand programming in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay. The company also offers fiber optic internet through DFIBRA in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru and SKY Fibra in Brazil; and has state-of-the-art satellites and transmission centers, thanks to which it is possible to deliver a wide variety of content to homes in 4K format. Likewise, the firm controls the sports network Torneos y Competencias (TyC) in Argentina and Colombia.

Thales (Euronext Paris: HO), Spire Global (NYSE: SPIR), and European Satellite Services Provider (ESSP) have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with the goal of introducing a range of global satellite-based surveillance services to the air traffic management (ATM) industry and broader aviation market.

These services will be powered by a specialized constellation of more than 100 satellites collecting Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) messages broadcast from aircraft and transmitting the data back to Earth in real time.

Spire will develop the space segment, including system design, building the satellites and payloads, ground control and data collection.

Thales will provision the ground air traffic management system and the service supervision infrastructure.

ESSP will manage the certification and the delivery of the service for air traffic surveillance purposes and perform H24 operation and supervision, ensuring the compliance with real-time, safety-critical requirements imposed to ATC.

The partners will also rely on the Space Alliance* formed by Thales Alenia Space and Telespazio, to identify and implement possible synergies bringing further added value in terms of key-enabling technologies, secured network optimization and sustainable operations and services.

The partners plan to certify, commercialize and start the operation of the service by 2027.

The aviation industry faces critical challenges, with safety, security and achieving climate impact neutrality emerging as top priorities. These challenges have placed significant strain on ATM, particularly due to the absence of a surveillance solution that is high performing, scalable, and economically viable.

The initiative will rely on Thales’s global stature in ATM, built upon more than 50 years of terrestrial surveillance experience and the longstanding space technological background of Thales Alenia Space as a world space leader in telecommunications, earth observation, exploration and navigation.

With more than 175 satellites launched into orbit and nearly a decade of expertise in developing and operating ADS-B payloads, Spire holds a unique position within the New Space technology landscape. The approach is bolstered by ESSP’s credentials as a certified space-based Navigation and Communication service provider, the consortium possesses the ideal resources to tackle these ambitious objectives

The new end-to-end system will meet the rigorous requirements, including latency, coverage and revisit standards, set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and aviation authorities to be certified for air traffic surveillance.

The constellation’s satellites are designed to be replenished every five years, ensuring the system offers the latest and most advanced technology. This evolutionary roadmap approach ensures that end users’ operational needs are consistently met with the latest advancements.

In parallel to building the initial constellation, the companies will design and demonstrate a system that goes beyond ADS-B to geolocate the position of aircraft in real time, without relying on GNSS/GPS satellites. This novel system will provide a resilient solution for tracking aircraft that cannot be impacted by vulnerabilities with GNSS/GPS such as interference or outages. The expected follow-on of a successful demonstration will be the commercialization of a second generation, highly resilient service — opening the door to holistic infrastructure optimization strategies for ANSPs by the end of the coming decade.

“The birth of a satellite constellation fully dedicated to serving the demanding needs of air traffic management, air domain awareness and national security is a groundbreaking development for the aviation industry,” said Philip Plantholt, general manager of Aviation at Spire. “Through our strategic partnership with Thales and ESSP, we are poised to offer the first real alternative to the aging systems that exist today and embark on a journey towards even more advanced space-based solutions for aviation in the years to come.”

“This innovative satellite-based surveillance service will accelerate the implementation of our new ‘Air Traffic Control as a service’ offering,” said Christian Rivierre, vice president, Airspace Mobility Solutions, Thales. “It will play a crucial role in shaping the future of the skies, serving as a vital facilitator for trajectory-based operations and laying the foundation for a safer, more environmentally friendly, and cost-efficient ATM system. Additionally, this new solution will also draw on the competences of Thales Alenia Space satellite-based surveillance systems.”

Charlotte Neyret, chief executive officer of ESSP, said, “Taking the best of three worlds: Space Systems, ATC Systems and ATC Service Provision, is a game-changer for the aviation industry, providing the most valuable solution based on advanced new technologies. Our service is developed driven by users’ needs and expectations to face new service-levels, the challenge of ATC digitization and to support greener and more sustainable air travel. We will provide the full range of ESSP’s Space-based CNS expertise to implement and to operate mission-critical services to ensure the highest quality of service to all aviation stakeholders.”

The Space Alliance is a strategic partnership between two major industrial groups, Leonardo and Thales. With more than 10 thousand employees in 12 countries, the Space Alliance combines the capabilities of two joint ventures, Telespazio (Leonardo 67%, Thales 33%) and Thales Alenia Space (Thales 67%, Leonardo 33%). Leveraging Telespazio’s and Thales Alenia Space’s combined expertise, the Space Alliance offers a unique range of end-to-end solutions to operators, governments, institutions and space agencies, from satellite manufacturing to services. The Space Alliance addresses numerous space applications, including telecommunications, navigation, Earth observation, exploration, robotics, transportation systems and orbital infrastructures. It relies on this unique joint legacy to shape the future of the space sector, a future where innovation goes hand in hand with sustainability.

Kongsberg NanoAvionics has appointed Atle Wøllo as its new CEO, replacing Žilvinas Kvedaravičius who became interim CEO last year following the departure of co-founder and former CEO Vytenis J. Buzas in 2023.

Wøllo, with educational background in business administration and electronic engineering, comes from Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace where most recently, and prior to this latest appointment, he held the position as senior vice president special programs, and was president of Kongsberg Aviation Maintenance Services division.

During his time as president of Kongsberg Aviation Maintenance Services, he led a turnaround and business transformation into a healthy margin company with significant revenue growth.

With 30 years of experience and as a long-time employee of Kongsberg, he is very familiar with both the defence and wider aerospace industry.

“This is a fantastic time to join NanoAvionics, one of the prime smallsat manufacturers and mission operators in Europe,” Atle Wøllo said. “Their track record of successful and sophisticated missions as well as their outstanding customer list speaks for themselves. As we are entering the next evolution of the space industry with Space 3.0 and a strategic focus on mission longevity, performance, reliability, and interoperability, we intend to capture more of the global market share. Already having a fantastic and mission experienced team and the industry’s largest standard satellite platform portfolio puts us in a great position. It will allow us to cater for both commercial constellations on standardised buses as well as governments with sophisticated and customized missions.”

Harald Aarø, a Chairman of the NanoAvionics board and Executive Vice President Business Development and Strategy at Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, said, ” Wøllo’s strong leadership skills and experiences together with his capability to foster excellent teams, and further strengthen operations is a new steppingstone for the company. He also has a fantastic track record working on business development and partnership side with both governments and primes. This vast experience will be very beneficial, in particular to strengthening NanoAvionics’s position in large space programs.”

Viasat, Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT) has launched a purpose-built managed communications service for remote oil and gas customers via the firm’s Energy Services division that significantly expands the capacity and capabilities of its industry leading enterprise-grade connectivity service.

The new solution, part of Viasat Energy Services’ range of offerings for the Energy sector, has been expanded to seamlessly incorporate LEO satellite capacity alongside Viasat Energy Services’ existing multi-orbit and terrestrial capacity designed to deliver highly flexible capabilities that can address energy customer needs through a single, integrated and fully managed service. The enhanced service is expected to be available early in the third quarter of calendar year 2024.

The integrated service offering, as part of the Viasat network, enhances performance through capacity augmentation to support additional capabilities for Energy Services customers – oil and gas operators, drilling contractors, and service companies – by powering a range of applications, including enterprise-grade solutions for customers’ cloud-based computing services, applications to drive operational efficiency and safety, and enhanced crew welfare offerings. The service is also designed to incorporate Viasat’s cybersecurity expertise and its operational artificial intelligence software and machine learning platform, Intelie^TM. These capabilities are all delivered alongside Viasat’s existing robust service commitments.

Lee Ahlstrom, President, Viasat Energy Services, said, “Serving customers exceptionally well is our North Star – no matter the underlying technology to get there. Our energy customers are looking to solve complex challenges and operate more safely, efficiently, and sustainably. Our services are designed to make that happen. This enhanced hybrid network service offering will allow customers to improve operational efficiency and support their most advanced digital transformation efforts in the future.”