The past few weeks have seen all of the major geostationary satellite operators release their latest financial numbers. Analysts from Quilty Space have examined the results and their comments are not good. Referring, for example, to Telesat’s numbers, Quilty said: “Few operators have given a more damning assessment of the prospects for GEO connectivity than […]

A report from analysts at Quilty Space says that SpaceX has filed with the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and requesting permission to modify Starlink’s architecture and establish what it calls SpaceX V3. The filing refers to SpaceX’s plans for a 30,000-satellite constellation (specifically, 29,988 satellites), of which the FCC has already authorised an initial […]

A report from analysts at QuiltSpace says that Elon Musk’s Starlink broadband-by-satellite system is missing out business with airlines, themselves rapidly adopting satellite delivery for their in-flight communications and entertainment services. Quilty praises Starlink for hitting the maritime industry “like a tsunami” and swallowing up cruise lines, yachts, and merchant vessels at such high rates […]

Analysts from Quilty Space say that Starlink’s progress is exceeding expectations and will generate a $6.6 billion (€6.1bn) in revenues in 2024. “Back in 2015, when SpaceX and OneWeb announced these mega-constellations, many industry veterans scoffed,” said Chris Quilty, founder of Quilty Space. “They remembered past satellite broadband ventures failing in the 1990s.” Quilty’s failing […]

Analysts at Quilty Space pose the question of whether Elon Musk’s plans for SpaceX’s all-new Starship giant rocket can achieve scale. For example, after November’s launch of its second-ever Starship vehicle, Musk posted a picture of four more Starships lined up in one stage or another of assembly, and which he described as “the last […]

ViaSat-3 Americas is a potential lost satellite having suffered a malfunction on its giant antenna following its launch. A report from analysts at Quilty Space says: “[The problem with the satellite], after a heartbreaking seven years in the making saw shares of VSAT plummeted 30 per cent in the immediate aftermath despite management’s assurances of […]

Analysts at Quilty Space say that the first half-year of 2023 will achieve six confirmed orders of new geostationary satellites. That would be considered more or less normal except that five of these orders are in the extremely modest sub-1000 kgs class. As at the end of June this translates into just one geostationary craft […]

Analysts at Quilty Space say they estimate the satellite direct-to-device (DTD) market holds the promise of burgeoning into a multibillion-dollar industry. “It comes as no surprise that in the race to equip unmodified smartphones with satellite connectivity, various players are jockeying for position. Who crosses the finish line first, or even who stays in the […]

Analysts at Quilty Space report that OneWeb’s Gen-1 network will be slightly smaller than originally anticipated. A tweet from OneWeb’s CTO confirmed that the company’s last launch, a May/June Falcon 9 mission, will carry only 16 OneWeb satellites. That means the final Gen-1 satellite count will be 634, or 14 less than the original plan […]

A report from analysts at Quilty Space (the former Quilty Analytics) takes a forensic look at the reasons behind the collapse of Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Orbit, and reports on what contributed to the project’s failure and entry into Chapter 11 reconstruction. Quilty reminds readers that Virgin Orbit was unveiled back in 2012 and has […]