News Analysis

by Robert Bell

New York, NY, December 5, 2018--Professional basketball great Koby Bryant once said “Everything negative – pressure, challenges – is all an opportunity for me to rise.” That is the story of 2018 for the global teleport industry.  It has been navigating a period of unprecedented change in market demands, applications, pricing, costs and investment needs – and it has been creating opportunities for a new wave of growth in the process.  Or as comic legend Milton Berle put it, “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.”

by Elisabeth Tweedie, Associate Editor

London, UK, December 5, 2018--A year-end summary of key events is always a difficult task. How to select, which ones to highlight out of the many things that have happened and are still unfolding? This article focuses on Europe, the Middle East and Africa, (EMEA), so I have to start with Yahsat and Thuraya.

Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., Dec. 3, 2018 — SpaceX successfully launched today SmallSat Express to a low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Carrying 64 payloads, this mission represented the largest single rideshare mission from a U.S.-based launch vehicle to date. A series of six deployments occurred approximately 13 to 43 minutes after liftoff, after which Spaceflight began to command its own deployment sequences. Spaceflight’s deployments are expected to occur over a period of six hours.

Farmington, Connecticut, Dec. 3, 2018 — United Technologies has announced the completion of its acquisition of Rockwell Collins and the company's intention to separate its commercial businesses, Otis and Carrier (formerly CCS), into independent entities.

The December 2018  Year-end issue of  the Satellite Executive Briefing magazine  focusing on a Year-end review of the top stories and key trends in the global satellite industry  sponsored by The Spaceconnection Featuring:

EMEA Satellite Market Update by Elisabeth Tweedie

Asia-Pacific Satellite Market Update by Peter Galace

Latin American Satellite Market Update by Bernardo Schneiderman

Welcome to the Smallsats Satellite-IoT Express by Hub Urlings

An Opportunity to Rise by Robert Bell

INTERBEE 2018 Show Report by Naoakira Kamiya

PLUS Mergers and Aquisitions, Executive Moves, Market Briefs  and many more. Click here to read or download the file

Munich, Germany, November 27, 2018 — Rohde & Schwarz has acquired Pixel Power Limited, a Cambridge, UK- based company, which offers innovative graphics, master control and integrated playout systems for broadcasters and playout facilities. These systems enable dynamic content to be delivered more efficiently for linear TV, mobile, online and OTT/VOD.

Cape Town, South Africa, November 13, 2018—Advantech Satellite Networks, an established vendor and global market leader of broadband satellite communications systems announced here at the Africacom Conference and Exhibition that it will now be doing business as Spacebridge Inc.

Chicago, Il., Nov. 9, 2018 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Safran [EPA: SAF] have received regulatory approvals for a joint venture so they can begin designing, building and servicing aircraft Auxiliary Power Units (APUs)—onboard engines that are primarily used to start the main engines and power aircraft systems while on the ground and, if necessary, in flight. The companies also named Etienne Boisseau as Chief Executive Officer of the joint venture.

by Hub Urlings

Amsterdam, the Netherlands, November 8, 2018--In the last quarter of 2018 a real small sat express consisting of the Indian PSLV and the American SpaceX Falcon-9 launchers will bring a large number of small satellites into an sun synchronous orbit.  After long delays more than 80 small satellites from more than 30 customers from around 20  countries,  that are waiting anxiously to have their small satellites launched into orbit.

by Lou Zacharilla

A man walking along a cliff feels the ground give way beneath him.  He manages to clutch at a root extending from the face of the cliff, which saves him from falling 1,200 feet onto jagged rocks in the surf below. But as he hangs, on he cannot climb back up.  He shouts, “Is anyone up there!?”