Industry leaders share their key talking points for SATELLITE 2021 and debate the impact of LEO and ground technology questions facing the industry.
Tom Choi of Airspace Internet Exchange asks how billions of dollars of LEO hardware in space turn into sustainable revenues, and how FSS operators can expand capacity while driving pricing lower. On phased array antennas: “We haven’t yet seen from third party providers a remarkable low-cost antenna for LEO systems. When LEO antennas are below $200 and priced below $60 per Mbps — then customers will really pay attention.”
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SKY Perfect JSAT’s Teruo Yamashita asks what will be the next major M&A moves, and notes a collaborative research group with Japan’s Riken institute is developing the world’s most compact space laser for debris removal. “Space debris removal will be a reality once this advanced technology has been released.”
Spacecom CEO Dan Zajicek says next-generation digital technologies will be game changers: “They will allow us to deploy completely ‘generic’ satellites — capable of quickly changing service area, orbital slots, type of service. We will be able to adjust and address the market’s ever-changing needs.” He urges caution: “Big challenges remain for providing sustainable and consistent operations. The demand for greater capacity via a cost-effective offering is an important trend.”
Yamashita observed: “NGSO operators are gaining momentum, and the industry is no longer a village society. There have been major changes in every decade, and GEO operators have always been at the center of the changes.” Choi concluded that despite talk of GEO’s decline to LEOs for more than five years, “GEO FSS industry continues to march on and customers are still coming to the satellite operators for requirements and capacity.” VS
