Quote from: Welsh Dragon on 10/26/2017 08:40 pmQuote from: Kryten on 10/26/2017 08:30 pmIf this spreads throughout the industry, it could be trouble for big launchers like Falcon Heavy and NG.I quote: - "low volume, to launch up to 4 at a time (stacked)", ie 8 tons, firmly into FH territory.Launching stacked from 2 to 8 tonnes is brilliant, since they can fly the same sats on anything from Antares and Soyuz to Ariane 5/6 and Falcon Heavy. Really opens up the market.
Quote from: Kryten on 10/26/2017 08:30 pmIf this spreads throughout the industry, it could be trouble for big launchers like Falcon Heavy and NG.I quote: - "low volume, to launch up to 4 at a time (stacked)", ie 8 tons, firmly into FH territory.
If this spreads throughout the industry, it could be trouble for big launchers like Falcon Heavy and NG.
Those SES specs were their vision for the future, not an actual order.
Big news in satellite communications today: SES (one of the biggest GEO satellite operators, and owner of the O3b MEO constellation too), has announced the design or its future GEO sats:- fully digital, for completely flexible spectrum/footprint allocation- use of less expensive commercial components- low mass, at 2000kg- low volume, to launch up to 4 at a time (stacked)- short lifetime, less than 7 years- cheap, at less than 50M$ to build- 18 month from contract to GEO slot (vs more than 30 currently)That's the same philosophy as for the next-gen O3b constellation built by Boeing: fully digital with a phased-array antenna for maximum flexibilityThe source is Peter B. de Selding:https://www.spaceintelreport.com/ses-tells-satellite-builders-prepare-total-rethink-business/It seems to me they want to exploit SpaceX's reusable rockets fully: quick and cheap launch is required for that kind of satellite
Lockheed Martin, which 3D printed both halves of the 46-inch titanium fuel tank domes on an American-made Sciaky EBAM 110 machine, announced last week that the tanks met or exceeded the performance and reliability required by NASA, allowing it to become a standard product option on LM 2100 satellites.
GomSpace Sweden signed a contract with Astrocast, a Swiss nanosatellites provider, to deliver a propulsion system for each of the 10 nanosatellites in the first orbital plane of the new Astrocast constellation. This will be the first propulsion system operating on a constellation of 3U cubsesats.
A consortium comprised of U.S. U.K., and Canada-based private equity companies agreed to buy Inmarsat for $3.4 billion. The consortium, made up of Apax Partners, Warburg Pincus International, and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), disclosed the proposal for the takeover last week, although it was made on Jan. 31. Lansdowne Partners, which currently owns 11.4 percent of the company, backed the deal, according to a report from Bloomberg.
Kymeta – the communications company that is completing the connectivity fabric for everything, everywhere — announced a new partnership with Türksat, one of the world’s leading companies providing satellite communications across a wide area extending from Europe to the Middle East and Africa, at SATELLITE 2019. The partnership will bring connectivity solutions to Türksat customers for voice, data, internet, TV, and radio broadcasting.
.@BoeingSpace kicks off #WSBW by announcing its 702X line of satellites for GEO orbit. Based on @SES_Satellites mPower MEO sats, under construction. 702X starts at 1,900kg for lighter GEO version, w/ 25-Kw, 1-Tbps models at upper end. Delivery w/in 3 yrs of contract.
Iridium said Sept. 16 that the new seven-year, $738.5 million contract ensures continuity for voice, data, broadcast and other services to Defense Department and associated users.
Iridium’s 2013 contract was worth $400 million, or roughly $80 million per year. Under the new deal, Iridium stands to receive $105 million per year on average.