The space and satellite industry is celebrating 25 years of innovation, highlighting the ongoing transition from providing video to delivering connectivity. Trade association GVF, itself founded 25 years ago, is highlighting these developments with an award.
Digital television arrived in space approximately a quarter century ago, and technology has invited investment firms and strategic investors into the industry, Pacome Revillon, chief executive at space and satellite consultancy Euroconsult, noted during the “GVF Excellence Award Finalists: Celebrating 25 years of progress and contribution to society” webinar on Wednesday.
Eutelsat, Hughes, Inmarsat, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (NASDAQ:KTOS) and SES (EPA: SESG) are finalists for the GVF Quarter Century of Excellence Award to be presented on Sept. 14 at Euroconsult’s World Satellite Business Week event in Paris.
Today, the industry is focused on data, Revillon said. This refers both the delivery of data via satellite communications and the use of data in operations, with the increasing prevalence of software-defined satellites and a cloud-enabled ground.
TV remains a focus
Some of the nominees highlighted the role TV still plays in their business. Even though revenues have been falling for some time, they remain high.
“We serve around 1 billion TV viewers,” said Natale Lettieri, chief service operations officer at Eutelsat.
Meanwhile, SES delivers video direct to home as well as broadcast, noted Andrew Ruszkowski, SES vice president of O3b mPower commercial development. “Over the past 25 years, SES has led the way in technical and commercial innovation with its [direct to home] (DTH) business and O3b constellation,” Ruszkowski told Connectivity Business News.
Focus on safety
Inmarsat Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Allison Horrocks highlighted the maritime-focused provider’s contribution to safety at sea. The Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), completed in 1999, provides 99.9% network availability, and “1.6 million lives are protected under this service daily,” she said during the webinar.
The space-ground link
Systems specialist Kratos Defense & Security Solutions was the only nominee that does not own a satellite network. Kratos is a defense contractor, software provider and infrastructure provider.
“Only through advances on the ground can the industry utilize and monetize all of the innovations that have been created with the newer satellite payloads and their associated … constellations,” Stuart Daughtridge, vice president of technology and business development at Kratos, said during the webinar.
“With the increasing complexity of multi-satellite, multi-orbit, multi-payload operations, we believe the pace of innovation in space and ground has to be linked: The two are becoming one unified network, not two parallel networks.”
Hughes builds terminals and is also a satellite operator
Hughes, which also manufactures terminals for other satellite operators, provided broadband service to 1.4 million subscribers at the end of Q1 2022, according to June’s earnings release by parent company EchoStar (NASDAQ: SATS).
The Connectivity Business Summit 2022 is a free webinar series addressing key issues in satellite technology and investment. View the agenda here. Register here to attend.
