During Q4, AST SpaceMobile is due to launch five of its massive ‘Block 1 BlueBird’ 5G-ready satellites into orbit. These satellites will deliver 5G signals.  In Q1 2025, AST has stated it will start launching its Block 2 BlueBird versions, which it says will be “ten times more powerful” and downloading at least 14 Mb/s […]

SpaceX’s Starlink has slashed prices in some US states for new subscribers to its broadband-by-satellite service. The normal upfront joining fee for the Starlink kit has been $599 (€552.2m) in the US. That price, considered something of a barrier to entry by some critics, is down to $299 in 29 US states and $499 in […]

Pacôme Révillon, CEO of Novaspace (the name of the merged Euroconsult and SpaceTec) says that SpaceX’s Starlink broadband by satellite system has been “transformative” in terms of its maritime customers. Speaking to Constellations, Révillon said that shipping is a highly complex environment, not least because of the variety of rules and obligations and just like […]

Eutelsat’s OneWeb constellation could soon be active over India thanks to its Indian shareholders Bharti Airtel. The latest reports from India suggest that OneWeb’s permissions to operate over India could be approved later this month. Elon Musk’s Starlink, despite favourable comments from India’s prime minister Modi, is still suffering regulatory delays. Starlink has received permission […]

SpaceX successfully launched its Test flight #4 of its giant Starship rocket on June 6th. The upper stage of the world’s most powerful vehicle made its way on track to a controlled soft-splashdown in the Indian ocean. While this was the fourth test flight, it was the first not to suffer any sort of mishap […]

Omnispace, a would-be mega-constellation satellite operator, is alleging potentially harmful interference to its licensed frequences by SpaceX’s Starlink broadband-by-satellite signals. A May 30th letter from Omnispace to the FCC argues that SpaceX’s experimental licence “violates the terms of its authorisation by operating at an altitude inconsistent with the [FCC] filing.” The letter to the FCC […]

SpaceX has confirmed it is working with T-Mobile in the US to launch its Starlink direct-to-cell (DTC) service commercially “this autumn”. This suggests that Starlink will be available – albeit in limited applications – while its rival AST SpaceMobile will only have just started to launch its satellites into orbit. Starlink has a global broadband […]

A combination of SES and its mPOWER mid-Earth orbiting (MEO) satellites and Starlink’s fleet of low-Earth (LEO) orbiting fleet have been awarded the contract for on-board connectivity by Resorts World Cruises. The Asia-based cruise line is installing the SES and Starlink equipment on the fleet’s flagship Genting Dream vessel. There are similar future plans for […]

Elon Musk congratulated his staff and SpaceX technicians on May 20th for topping 3 million Starlink customers in 99 countries. But behind the scenes there could be serious problems ahead for Starlink, and in particular for its ‘direct-to-smartphone’ ambitions. The background focuses on recent transmissions carried out on a UK-registered satellite by SpaceX. The satellite […]

Elon Musk’s Starlink broadband-by-satellite system has now equipped the entire Carnival Corporation cruise fleet of more than 90 ships with its equipment. Carnival operates its ships under its own name and also AIDA Cruises, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn, P&O Cruises, Costa Cruises, P&O Cruises and Cunard. Carnival Corporation CEO Josh Weinstein said Starlink’s […]