JÜLICH, Germany — On Thursday, January 15, 2026, NASA selected the AtmOCube (Atmospheric Oxygen CubeSat Mission) as part of its Heliophysics Flight Opportunities for Research and Technology (H-FORT) program. The international mission, led by Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ) in collaboration with the University of Wuppertal and the University of Colorado Boulder (LASP), will investigate how atmospheric gravity waves disrupt satellite operations and navigation signals.

16U CubeSat Technical Parameters

The mission utilizes a 16U CubeSat designed to operate at an altitude of approximately 500 kilometers. The satellite’s primary payload is an optical interferometer developed by FZJ and the University of Wuppertal. This instrument observes the natural infrared radiation of oxygen in the upper atmosphere to obtain high-resolution temperature profiles. By measuring these profiles, researchers can derive the spatial structure and energy flow of gravity waves—disturbances generated in the lower atmosphere that propagate upward to influence the thermosphere and ionosphere.

Advancing Ionospheric Predictive Capabilities

AtmOCube builds upon nearly a decade of collaborative research between German atmospheric physicists and U.S. space laboratories. Previous iterations of the technology, such as the AtmoCube A1 interferometer concept, were designed to resolve individual emission lines within the oxygen A-band. The current mission seeks to bridge a critical data gap regarding how these waves trigger variability in air density, which directly impacts satellite drag and the reliability of Global Positioning System (GPS) transmissions.

Scientific Leadership on the Selection

“The selection by NASA is a big step for our team and our partners. AtmOCube combines innovative measurement technology with clear social relevance,” said Prof. Dr. Michaela I. Hegglin Shepherd, Director at the FZJ Institute of Climate and Energy Systems and project lead. “The scientific data helps us to make predictions for future satellite operations more reliable while also helping us understand how climate change in the lower atmosphere continues into near-Earth space.”

Timeline for Concept Refinement and 2029 Launch

Following the NASA selection, the AtmOCube team will enter a six-month concept and planning phase. This period will involve refining mission requirements and addressing feedback from the initial review process. The phase will conclude with a System Requirements Review (SRR), which serves as the gate for NASA’s final approval for construction and implementation funding. The mission is currently manifested for a 2029 launch.

AMSTERDAM — With the European space sector undergoing a structural shift toward security and autonomy, organizers of SmallSat Europe 2026 have issued a final call for technical papers. The deadline for abstract submissions is January 23, 2026, leaving engineers and researchers less than two weeks to propose presentations for the continent’s largest dedicated small satellite conference.

The event, scheduled for May 26–28, 2026, at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre, is projected to host more than 2,500 attendees, doubling the participation of the 2025 edition. The expansion reflects the region’s urgent focus on dual-use capabilities and sovereign infrastructure, a theme that has replaced the theoretical commercial discussions of previous years with hard requirements for resilience and rapid deployment.

From Theory to Requirements The 2026 technical agenda highlights the engineering challenges inherent in Europe’s new strategic posture. Key solicitation topics include sovereign connectivity architectures, underpinned by the EU’s IRIS² program, as well as alternative positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) systems independent of GPS.

This pivot aligns with the recently established EU Space Defence Track, a partnership designed to address the integration of commercial technology into military frameworks. Organizers are specifically seeking papers that address defense-civil fusion architectures, cybersecurity for contested environments, and on-orbit AI for threat detection.

Submission Guidelines Technical papers will be presented during 15-minute oral sessions or poster displays and published in the official conference proceedings. The program committee has emphasized a preference for active engineering results over marketing-driven concepts.

• Systems Design: Integration of sovereign payloads and secure buses.
• Ground Segment: Architectures supporting multi-orbit constellations (LEO/MEO).
• Operations: Autonomy and data processing in high-latency or denied environments.

Timeline and Deadlines

• Abstract Deadline: January 23, 2026
• Acceptance Notification: February 20, 2026
• Final Paper Due: April 30, 2026
• Conference Dates: May 26–28, 2026

Submissions can be made directly via the SmallSat Europe website.

BEIJING – In a significant escalation of the orbital broadband race, China has submitted a major regulatory filing with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for a massive satellite constellation totaling approximately 200,000 spacecraft.

The move highlights a strategic ambition to deploy a network that would quadruple the current long-term deployment goals of SpaceX’s Starlink, which is working toward a 50,000-satellite architecture.

The filing indicates that China is moving to operationalize a parallel commercial launch sector, often referred to as a “Shadow Starlink,” to compete directly with Western Low Earth Orbit (LEO) dominance.

Geopolitical Competition in the LEO Sector

This development validates the ongoing “Surge” strategy from Chinese space authorities, specifically focusing on the G60 Starlink and Guowang projects. By filing for such a high volume of orbital slots, China is positioning itself to challenge the primary-occupant status currently held by the United States and its commercial partners.

The scale of this competition directly impacts several industry layers:

• Regulatory Oversight: Increased pressure on the ITU to manage orbital debris and spectrum allocation for hundreds of thousands of active nodes.
• National Security: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has expressed concerns regarding the geopolitical implications of a Chinese-controlled global broadband network.
• Commercial Viability: The massive influx of capacity could fundamentally alter the economics of global satellite internet pricing.

The Rise of the G60 Breakout

The filing is part of a broader trend where China seeks a “breakout” from traditional state-run space operations to more agile, commercially modeled constellations. This “G60 Breakout” represents a move toward high-cadence manufacturing and launch capabilities intended to match the vertical integration of the “Musk Stack”.

The strategy focuses on building domestic launch hubs and satellite production facilities that can output thousands of units annually, a necessity if China intends to populate even a fraction of the 200,000 slots requested in the ITU filing.

Outlook: Regulatory and Orbital Hurdles

As China and the U.S. move closer to a 2027 milestone for constellation maturity, the international community faces unprecedented challenges in space traffic management. While the filing for 200,000 satellites represents a declaration of intent, significant technical and regulatory hurdles remain before such a fleet can be successfully deployed.

Future scrutiny from the ITU and the FCC will likely focus on the “bring-into-use” (BIU) requirements, which mandate that a percentage of the filed satellites must be operational within a specific timeframe to retain the spectrum rights. Failure to meet these milestones could lead to a significant reduction in China’s authorized orbital capacity.

The UK Space Agency (UKSA), acting on behalf of the Home Office’s Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP), has officially invited industry input to integrate satellite direct-to-device (D2D) technology into the national Emergency Services Network (ESN).

The move aims to leverage Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations to eliminate terrestrial coverage gaps that have plagued the project for over a decade.

Solving the “Final 5%” Coverage Gap

The ESN is intended to replace the aging Airwave TETRA-based radio system with a modern 4G/5G platform provided by EE (BT Group). While terrestrial infrastructure covers most of the population, significant “not-spots” remain in rural and coastal areas.

By utilizing D2D technology, the UKSA hopes to provide emergency personnel with seamless connectivity using standard smartphones, bypassing the need for specialized satellite handsets or external antennas. The integration focuses on Mission-Critical Messaging, SMS and location data in remote locations.

Further, future-proofing for high-bandwidth video and voice-over-LTE via satellite as constellations mature. Providing a redundant backup to terrestrial cell towers during network outages or natural disasters will be a critical component of the project.

Key Contenders and Partnerships

Several major space players are positioned to support the ESN expansion:

• SpaceX (Starlink): Currently the most mature D2C provider. Notably, BT Group (EE’s parent company) signed a broadband agreement with Starlink in 2025, making them a front-runner for any ESN satellite extension.
• AST SpaceMobile: Partnered with Vodafone Group, AST expects to provide “intermittent nationwide” LEO service in 2026, with continuous service planned for later in the year as more BlueBird satellites are deployed.
• Eutelsat OneWeb: The UK-backed LEO operator is also developing D2D capabilities to complement its existing enterprise and government broadband offerings.

Regulatory and Program Milestones

The timing of the UKSA’s request for information coincides with Ofcom’s new regulatory framework, which came into force in late 2025. This framework allows Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to use their existing terrestrial spectrum for satellite-to-phone links, removing legal barriers for a 2026 commercial launch.

However, the ESN project itself remains a “high-risk” endeavor. Originally slated for 2017, the full transition from Airwave is now not expected until December 2029, with total program costs estimated to exceed £11 billion.

Looking Ahead

The Home Office is currently finalizing a £1.11 billion framework for ESN-compliant end-user devices, which is expected to be awarded in summer 2026. These devices will likely be the first to feature the integrated satellite-terrestrial roaming capabilities currently being explored by the UKSA.

December 25, 2025, Operational signals from the SpaceRISE consortium—comprising SES, Eutelsat, and Hispasat—indicated the multi-orbit IRIS² (Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite) program has transitioned into the active procurement phase.

The consortium has begun the preparation of Request for Proposal (RFP) documentation for both satellite hardware and launch services, marking the first significant movement toward physical acquisition since the signing of the concession agreement.

The shift into procurement was confirmed by recent talent acquisition requirements at Eutelsat, where newly appointed procurement and system engineering roles are tasked with the immediate “preparation of the satellite and launch services RFP.” This phase follows the signing of a 12-year concession contract between the European Commission (EC) and SpaceRISE on December 16, 2024, which allocated approximately €10.6 billion for the development and operation of the sovereign European constellation.

Strategic Transition to Hardware Acquisition

The initiation of the RFP process suggests that the “competitive dialogue” stage—previously focused on narrowing the field of prime contractors for the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) segment—is reaching a conclusion. As of late 2025, the competition for the LEO segment was centered on two primary bidders: Airbus Defence and Space of France and Aerospacelab of Belgium. The current procurement push indicates the consortium is moving beyond design reviews to finalize contractual awards for the manufacturing of the 272-satellite LEO fleet.

The IRIS² program serves as the European Union’s flagship initiative to establish a secure, multi-layered communications backbone. By integrating the existing LEO expertise of Eutelsat (via its OneWeb assets) and the Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) capabilities of SES, the architecture aims to provide resilient governmental communications and bridge the digital divide for EU member states.

Technical Architecture and Mission Parameters

The planned constellation will utilize a multi-orbit architecture to ensure continuous coverage and high-performance throughput:

• LEO Segment: 272 satellites at an altitude of 1,200 km, designed for low-latency broadband and 5G-equivalent connectivity.
• MEO Segment: 18 satellites at an altitude of 8,000 km, leveraging SES’s established orbital infrastructure to provide high-capacity throughput.
• Inter-Satellite Links: The fleet will employ optical laser technology to maintain mesh network connectivity, reducing reliance on terrestrial ground stations outside of European borders.
• Sustainability: Consortium members have committed to non-emissive satellite designs to minimize interference with astronomical observations and strict debris mitigation protocols.

“IRIS² is integral to Europe’s space strategy and is already fostering enhanced collaboration and innovation between the industry and public sectors,” said Adel Al-Saleh, chief executive officer of SES, during the program’s initial contract signing.

Timeline to 2030 Operational Status

The next milestone for the SpaceRISE consortium involves the evaluation of the upcoming satellite and launch RFPs. While the European Commission targets initial governmental services by 2030, the 2026–2027 period is expected to focus on the Critical Design Review (CDR) and the first batch of satellite manufacturing.

The launch services RFP will likely prioritize European launch vehicles, specifically the Ariane 6, to maintain the program’s mandate for strategic autonomy. Full operational readiness of the constellation remains slated for 2031, following a phased deployment beginning in late 2029.

Auckland, New Zealand – 19 December 2025, Auckland-based Zenno Astronautics announced it has secured a contract from Germany’s Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovation (SPRIND) to develop a new generation of autonomous satellite operation software. The project, titled “Autonomous Fuel-Free Agility in Space,” centers on the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) with Zenno’s proprietary superconducting magnetic technology, known as the Supertorquer.

Advances in Superconducting Magnetic Control

The development program focuses on creating AI-assisted control algorithms and virtual simulation environments designed to facilitate precise close-proximity operations (CPO). Unlike traditional systems that rely on chemical propulsion, Zenno’s hardware utilizes compact superconducting magnets to enable fuel-free maneuvering. This technology is intended to allow spacecraft to perform docking, in-orbit assembly, and satellite servicing without the mass and complexity associated with consumable propellants.

The technical scope of the contract includes the creation of a multi-agent simulation sandbox and a physical demonstration platform. These systems will utilize Zenno’s flight-proven software algorithms to achieve real-time, closed-loop control of spacecraft interactions, leveraging the Earth’s magnetic field and solar energy for momentum management.

Strategic Expansion into the European Market

“This validation contract from SPRIND is a major step for us,” said Max Arshavsky, co-founder and CEO of Zenno Astronautics. “It will help bring Zenno technology to Europe and accelerate its adoption in the next generation of autonomous space systems.”

The contract aligns with Zenno’s broader strategy to establish a permanent presence in Europe through its recently founded entity in the Space Area Munich. Stella Meiré, Research and Business Analyst at SPRIND, noted that the fuel-free magnetic system could significantly extend orbital lifetimes by eliminating mechanical wear and propellant limitations, establishing a foundation for autonomous maintenance maneuvers in space.

Timeline for Development

The SPRIND-funded project is scheduled to run for nine months. During this period, Zenno will focus on validating its universal CPO solution within a virtual environment while scaling its operational footprint in Germany. The initiative aims to streamline historically complex tasks, such as debris removal and megastructure assembly, by transitioning them to routine, autonomous operations.

About SPRIND

The Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovation (SPRIND) funds technologies that address major societal and technical challenges and enable long-term impact for Germany and Europe.

About Zenno Astronautics

Zenno Astronautics is a New Zealand company pioneering the future of sustainable and safe spacecraft operations through advanced superconducting magnetic systems. The company enables fully autonomous, fuel-free satellite positioning and precision interactions between spacecraft. Zenno is developing multiple applications of superconductivity in space, including radiation shielding, plasma control, and close-proximity operations.

NEW YORK — The global market for Flat Panel Satellite Antennas (FPAs) is on the verge of a significant upward trajectory, signaling a major shift in ground segment infrastructure over the next decade. According to new market analysis released by Research Intelo, the sector is currently valued at $1.2 billion in 2024 and is forecasted to more than quintuple in value, reaching an estimated $6.7 billion by 2033.

The report outlines a robust Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 20.9% during the forecast period extending from 2025 to 2033. This aggressive growth projection highlights the rapid transition of FPA technology from niche aerospace and defense applications into broader commercial adoption.

According to Research Intelo, the primary factor fueling this impressive growth trajectory is the “rapid advancement in satellite communication technologies,” which has significantly boosted the adoption of flat panel architectures.

For industry observers, this growth is inextricably linked to the operational maturation of Non-Geostationary Orbit (NGSO) constellations. As Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) networks continue to deploy thousands of satellites, the demand for user terminals capable of tracking multiple, fast-moving targets across the sky is surging.

Unlike traditional parabolic dishes that rely on bulky mechanical gimbals to align with a satellite, advanced Flat Panel Antennas—utilizing electronically steered phased array or metamaterial technologies—can maintain high-throughput links without physical movement. Their low-profile, aerodynamic form factor makes them the essential requirement for the booming mobility sectors, including In-Flight Connectivity (IFC) for commercial aviation, maritime communications, and next-generation connected land vehicles.

A CAGR exceeding 20% in hardware infrastructure suggests that the industry is moving past initial prototyping and into mass production challenges. The coming decade will likely see intense competition among terminal manufacturers focused on reducing size, weight, power consumption, and, crucially, manufacturing costs to meet the varied demands of consumer and enterprise end-users.

As satellite operators revolutionize space-based infrastructure, this data confirms that the ground segment is rapidly evolving to keep pace, with the flat panel antenna solidifying its position as the preferred interface for next-generation satellite connectivity.

Key Drivers & Context

1. The rapid advancement in satellite communication technologies The primary drivers are the ever-present technological advances. In practical terms, this refers to the shift from Geostationary (GEO) satellites to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations (like Starlink, OneWeb, and Kuiper).

2. The Technology Shift Traditional satellite dishes (parabolic) use mechanical parts to physically turn and face a satellite. Flat panel antennas (often using Phased Array technology) are solid-state. They use software to steer the beam electronically, allowing them to track fast-moving LEO satellites without physically moving.

3. Implications of a 20.9% CAGR A Compound Annual Growth Rate of nearly 21% is exceptionally high for hardware infrastructure. This suggests the technology is moving from a niche military/aviation use case into broader commercial and consumer adoption (e.g., in-flight Wi-Fi, maritime shipping, and connected cars).

SatNews December 9, 2025 — Deploying assets ranging from the new Long March 8A to classified reconnaissance platforms, China has successfully executed four orbital missions in a span of 96 hours, a surge that underscores the nation’s accelerating launch cadence and expanding LEO infrastructure.

The sequence, which concluded early Tuesday, December 9, utilized four different spaceports—Hainan, Taiyuan, Jiuquan, and Xichang—demonstrating the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)’s ability to coordinate simultaneous campaigns across its vast ground segment. This burst of activity comes as Beijing races to establish its national satellite internet infrastructure, known as Guowang (SatNet), and bolster its Yaogan remote sensing capabilities.

Strategic Shift to Commercial and High-Cadence Ports

The flurry of activity began on Saturday, December 6, with a milestone mission from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site in Hainan. This marked the successful launch of the Long March 8A, an upgraded variant of the medium-lift vehicle designed specifically for commercial payload aggregation. The mission successfully deployed a group of internet satellites, signaling the operational maturity of China’s newest coastal spaceport, which is intended to relieve pressure on inland military bases.

Following the Hainan debut, operations shifted rapidly to the mainland. On Monday, December 8, a Long March 6A lifted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. While the specific payload was not disclosed, the Long March 6A is the primary workhorse for the G60/Qianfan megaconstellation, suggesting this mission added capacity to China’s commercial LEO broadband network.

Hours later, the pace intensified with two launches occurring within a short window on December 9. A Long March 4B launched from Jiuquan carrying the Yaogan 47 remote sensing satellite, followed closely by a Long March 3B from Xichang deploying the TJSW-22 (Communication Technology Test Satellite) into a geostationary transfer orbit.

96-Hour Operational Manifest

The Megaconstellation Imperative

This coordinated surge reflects a broader strategic imperative driven by CASC Chairman Wu Yansheng to secure orbital slots and frequencies before the window for LEO deployment narrows. The deployment of the Long March 8A is particularly significant; as a variant capable of carrying 7000 kg to LEO, it is tailored for the high-volume “bus” launches required to build out the 13,000-satellite Guowang constellation.

Simultaneously, the deployment of Yaogan 47 continues the expansion of the People’s Liberation Army’s space-based surveillance network. Western analysts typically categorize the Yaogan series as dual-use or military assets used for maritime monitoring and optical reconnaissance, critical for the PLA’s anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) strategies.

2025 Launch Cadence Outlook

With these four successful missions, China is on track to exceed its 2024 record. The integration of commercial providers is also accelerating; CAS Space is preparing a Kinetica-1 solid rocket for launch from Jiuquan later this week, further augmenting the state-owned CASC manifest. The operationalization of the Hainan commercial pad suggests that 2025 will see a definitive shift toward coastal launches, allowing for larger payload fairings and reduced risk of falling debris over populated inland areas.

PARIS — While the industry’s gaze is fixed on the mega-constellation race in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Eutelsat Group has delivered a potent reminder that Geostationary (GEO) real estate remains the financial bedrock of the global space economy.

The operator confirmed this morning a five-year capacity renewal with beIN MEDIA GROUP, locking in the broadcaster’s presence at the 7/8° West orbital slot. This is not merely a vendor contract; it is a strategic fortification of one of the world’s most valuable orbital neighborhoods against the encroaching tide of IP-based streaming.

The “Hotbird” Economics: 66 Million Reasons to Stay in GEO

To understand the weight of this deal, one must look at the unique physics of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) market. Unlike Europe or North America, where fiber and cable penetration is high, MENA relies heavily on Direct-to-Home (DTH) satellite for primary television access.

The 7/8° West slot (occupied by EUTELSAT 7 West A and EUTELSAT 8 West B) is a “Hotbird”—an orbital position where satellite dishes on the ground are permanently pointed.

• Reach: The neighborhood now reaches 66 million TV homes (updated from earlier 50M estimates), representing 95% of the satellite homes in the region.
• The Moat: For a broadcaster like beIN, moving away from 7/8° West would mean asking 66 million households to physically repoint their dishes—a suicidal commercial move. This creates a “defensive moat” for Eutelsat that LEO constellations cannot easily breach.

SatNews Analyst Note: While Starlink and OneWeb offer low-latency connectivity, they cannot compete with the point-to-multipoint economics of GEO video. Sending a 4K live soccer match to 66 million users via IP unicast requires massive bandwidth; sending it via GEO widebeam requires a single transponder.

Stabilizing the Core While Building the Future

This renewal comes at a critical juncture for Eutelsat’s balance sheet. The company is in the midst of a complex integration with OneWeb, pivoting to become a multi-orbit operator.

• The LEO Growth: Eutelsat’s LEO revenues surged +70% in Q1 2025, signaling the future is bright.
• The GEO Reality: However, the Video segment still accounts for nearly 47% of total revenues. Recent quarters have seen a “secular decline” (-10.5% in Q1) in video revenues due to cord-cutting in mature markets and sanctions on Russian channels.

By securing a 5-year commitment from a Tier 1 client like beIN—on the heels of similar renewals with MBC Group and BHS Telecommunications—Eutelsat effectively puts a “floor” under its video revenue decline. This stable cash flow is the “fuel” required to fund the CAPEX-heavy expansion of the OneWeb Gen 2 constellation.

The Content Stakes: World Cup & Premier League

beIN MEDIA GROUP holds some of the most expensive exclusive rights in the world, including the FIFA World Cup, UEFA Champions League, and the English Premier League for the MENA region.

• Reliability: For live sports, “buffering” is unacceptable. The dedicated throughput of Ku-band capacity on EUTELSAT 8 West B ensures 99.999% availability during high-traffic events, a metric that terrestrial internet in the region still struggles to match consistently.

While data moves to LEO, mass-market video remains firmly anchored in the Clarke Belt. Eutelsat has successfully defended its most profitable fortress, buying time and capital to win the multi-orbit war.s for both government and commercial sectors are already being executed under this new framework.

By Chris Forrester — The past few days have seen the business pages full of reports that Elon Musk’s SpaceX could have a value of some $800 billion. The reports had plenty of credibility and built on the truly fabulous success of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 reliability and the similar success of its Starlink broadband system. A second rumour talked of an IPO (an Initial Public Offering) being mounted towards the end of 2026.

Musk promptly scotched the $800 billion reports, saying they were not accurate, and adding: “SpaceX has been cash flow positive for many years and does periodic stock buybacks twice a year to provide liquidity for employees and investors.”

Bloomberg, in its report on the rumours, explained that SpaceX was preparing to sell insider shares in a transaction. Those share sales could indeed value the firm as much as $800 billion. “Such a sale would allow some investors and employees to cash in on some of their holdings,” said Bloomberg.

He also said (on ‘X’) that “valuation increments are a function of progress with Starship and Starlink and securing global direct-to-cell spectrum that greatly increases our addressable market.”

Musk also updated the market that SpaceX is no longer dependent on NASA for a revenue stream.” While I have great fondness for NASA, they will constitute less than 5% of our revenue next year. Commercial Starlink is by far our largest contributor to revenue.  Some people have claimed that SpaceX gets ‘subsidized’ by NASA. This is absolutely false.”

But an $800 billion valuation (itself having doubled over the past year) could just be a precursor to future growth and potential greater valuation. And an increase in overall valuation rathe depends on Musk’s next steps.

Step 1 is already well in hand, and that is the development of SpaceX’s giant – and ruinously expensive – Starship rocket. Gaining success for Starship would reduce the cost per kilogram of launching into orbit, and would cement Musk’s ambition for humankind to be “interplanetary”.

Step 2 is also well in hand, and is represented by Musk’s ‘direct-to-consumer’ schemes. Note we say ‘schemes. First move is to boost the current 8 million broadband customers (up from 7 million in August 2025, and 6 million in June 2025). The potential for 9 million by Spring 2026, and perhaps 10 million by the end of next year is clear.

Step 3 would follow Step 2, and see Musk extend his current Direct-to-Cell (D2D) connectivity. D2D was the hottest of hot topics at the Paris World Satellite Business Week, and again at SatNews’ Silicon Valley Space Week in October. Tarun Gupta (Chief Product Officer and Co-founder of Skylo Technologies) told delegates that Today’s messaging-based services for Internet of Things, or Automotive as well as consumers and emergency SOS or on wearables. How people use these is up to their imaginations. We are seeing dramatic increases in messaging services, and there are plenty of new applications being built on top of these services.”

The larger question is not just whether Musk will extend his existing D2D service (answer: He will), but whether his already connected users will adopt a Starlink Mobile service, and at what cost? Tarun Gupta addressed the challenges, saying: “Everyone seemed to be talking about connectivity when in the middle of a hike in the Yosemite. The reality is that a study we carried out last winter showed that 60% of the users in a trial suffered signal loss when on their way to work! There must be an overlay, and it must work.”

He said that Skylo’s exiting SMS satellite service was seeing plenty of traction from users in New York, New Jersey and other regions which would normally be considered to be well-served by telco. MSS, he said, would make a real difference to the business models. He added that we were not years away from guaranteeing very real connectivity and seamless switching from terrestrial to satellite.