Tag Archives: satellite constellation

The Federal Communications Commission approved SpaceX’s request for modification of its license for its Starlink satellite constellation. The modified license will allow SpaceX to move the operational altitude for its 2,814 satellites to the range of 540 to 570 kilometers, reduce the number of satellites in the constellation from 4,409 to 4,408 and change the minimum earth station elevation angle for gateway and user beams.

HawkEye 360 announced that its Cluster 2 satellites meant to geolocate radio frequency signals and deliver RF geospatial intelligence data to customers have completed functional testing and reached initial operating capability status. Cluster 2 is composed of three satellites that launched in January aboard a SpaceX-built Falcon 9 rocket and features GNSS antenna to detect GPS interference and increased computing capabilities capabilities for onboard data processing.

SpaceX has filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission seeking a blanket license to operate Earth Stations in Motion equipment that will communicate with its Starlink satellite constellation, SpaceNews reported Monday. “Granting this application would serve the public interest by authorizing a new class of ground-based components for SpaceX's satellite system that will expand the range of broadband capabilities available to moving vehicles throughout the United States and to moving vessels and aircraft worldwide,“ the regulatory filing reads.

Isotropic Systems has raised over $40 million in a round of funding led by telecommunications company SES and will use the capital to further develop its multibeam antenna. Boeing's HorizonX Global Ventures, Firmament Ventures, Space Angels, Promus Ventures' Orbital Ventures fund and the U.K. government's Future Fund participated in the funding round.

OneWeb has now raised $1.4B in total funding after it received additional investments from Hughes Network Systems and SoftBank Group. The additional funding provides OneWeb with needed capital to come up with a constellation of 648 satellites in low-Earth orbit by the end of 2022 to deliver broadband connectivity and low-latency communication services to customers worldwide.

Small satellite maker Blue Canyon Technologies has wrapped up a critical design review of its X-SAT Saturn-class satellite bus for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Blackjack program.

Dave Bettinger, a three-decade satellite communications industry veteran, has been named CEO of Electro Optic Systems' SpaceLink subsidiary. He will oversee the design, operations and delivery of SpaceLink's medium Earth orbit satellite relay system.

Gwynne Shotwell, president and chief operating officer of SpaceX and a three-time Wash100 awardee, discussed in a video interview posted Monday about the company's partnership with Microsoft to bring the Starlink satellite connectivity to the latter's Azure cloud computing platform.

Bill Gattle, president of space systems at L3Harris Technologies, said the Space Development Agency's procurement of communications and missile warning satellites in mass quantities reflects a “fundamental transformation“ in how the Department of Defense buys space platforms, SpaceNews reported Tuesday.

The emergency response division of Washington's state military started connecting to SpaceX's Starlink satellite constellation in August using user terminals to deliver internet service to wildfire-ravaged areas, CNBC reported Tuesday.

Kratos Defense and Security Solutions is working on new ground infrastructure that could be used to support proliferated low-Earth orbit constellations of small satellites, Breaking Defense reported Monday. “We think that p-LEO is a big deal. And there's got to be a revolution that has to hit the ground segment,“ said Phil Carrai, president of space, training and cyber division at Kratos.

Pradman Kaul, president of Hughes Network Systems, said the company believes its investment in satellite company OneWeb has paved the way for Hughes to offer low-Earth orbit broadband connectivity to compete for the Federal Communications Commission's Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, SpaceNews reported Wednesday.

Boeing has secured a contract from SES to develop four more 702X satellites for the latter's satellite constellation in the medium-Earth orbit.

OneWeb has requested approval from the Federal Communications Commission to add 48K satellites to its existing constellation in low-Earth orbit.

Lockheed Martin's space business has released a new app that allows individuals to set and visualize different arrangements of a satellite constellation surrounding Earth, Air Force Magazine reported Monday.