SES Government Solutions (SES GS) is bringing Planet Labs onto its team for a recently awarded NASA contract to develop and demonstrate near-Earth communication services. NASA awarded SES GS a $28.96 million contract on April 20, along with contracts to Inmarsat Government, Kuiper Government Solutions, SpaceX, Telesat U.S. Services, and Viasat. This Communications Services Project (CSP) will develop high-rate and…

Comtech Telecommunications recently established two new business lines focused on satellite ground technologies in a bid to capitalize on multi-orbit and supply chain trends in the satellite industry, business unit leaders tell Via Satellite.  Comtech Satellite Network Technologies, Inc., a U.S. corporation, is led by Daniel Gizinski and will be based in a new Comtech’…

The FCC granted AST SpaceMobile an experimental license for U.S.-based testing of its satellite direct to cell connectivity with the BlueWalker 3 satellite. AST SpaceMobile announced the approval on May 2.  BlueWalker 3 is a test satellite designed to communicate directly with unmodified cell phones to test AST SpaceMobile’s technology and service model. The satellite…

NASA is working with six American satellite communications companies to develop commercial near-Earth space communication services. On Wednesday, the agency awarded $278.5 million in contracts to Inmarsat Government, Kuiper Government Solutions, SES Government Solutions, SpaceX, Telesat U.S. Services, and Viasat. This Communications Services Project (CSP) will develop high-rate and high-capacity two-way communications to replace NASA’s…