Telesat has joined the Rural Broadband Consortium, a group of tech firms led by Mobile Network Operator (MNO) C Spire working to bridge the digital divide and bring broadband access to rural areas. Airspan Networks, Microsoft, Nokia, and Siklu, are also in the group. Rural Broadband Consortium was formed last year and has been testing…

Inmarsat Government has ordered a Multi-Purpose Terminal (MPT) 46WGX from Orbit Communications Systems, the companies announced on Thursday. The order comes after the two companies signed a co-development agreement in March.  The new 18-inch Ka-band multi-purpose terminal is intended to meet the need for worldwide connectivity with Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). Delivery of the satellite…

What does it mean when people say that the satellite industry is becoming more “software-defined?” Does it mean that physical infrastructure is being replaced with more flexible, adaptive software? Does it mean that the satellite industry is becoming a lot more like the software industry? Or both?  In this episode of On Orbit, we interview Kratos…

Viasat revealed its plans to launch a Real-Time Earth (RTE) facility in Alice Springs, Australia. Viasat has partnered with the Center for Appropriate Technology Ltd (CfAT), an Aboriginal not-for-profit science and technology company based in Alice Springs, which will build and own the facility through its wholly-owned commercial subsidiary CfAT Satellite Enterprises Pty Ltd, and Indigenous…