Advanced real-time communications and continuous situational awareness play a pivotal role in making high-pressure decisions in the toughest emergency situations. When a natural disaster destroys the existing communications infrastructure or if the emergency scenario is in a remote area beyond the reach of terrestrial networks, satellite communications is the only tried and tested method for maintaining this crucial connectivity. It becomes a lifeline in these critical situations.

In recent years, satellite tracking has started to unearth some of the worst emissions offenders with measures put in place to both pinpoint and monitor the sheer amount of global greenhouse gas emissions. But understanding where the issues lie is just the start. Satellite tracking coupled with the Internet of Things (IoT) will take the fight against climate change a giant step further.

The global human population is growing at a rate of one percent a year. In November 2022, it hit eight billion. This poses challenges, including to our ability to feed the planet. Technologies enabled by a flexible satellite infrastructure can help but we need to embrace those developments and support innovators with generous and sustained funding. This starts with trusting in the power of technology to help us grapple not only our current problems, but also the problems that will inevitably arise in the future.

The move from hardware to software in satellite ground infrastructure is more than just digital transformation for greater efficiency - it opens the door to a future of new revenue and growth opportunities, cost savings, and a level of competitiveness not seen before in the industry. ATLAS Space Operations is a leader in leveraging network virtualization and modernization to capture these opportunities.

Milbank’s Dara Panahy has been practicing law in the space and satellite arena since 1997. He’s guided many companies through the legal requirements, commercial arrangements, and securing financing to engage in space businesses and, as a result, he’s watched the space economy unfold from a front row seat. We caught up with Panahy and asked some difficult questions about the laws governing the industry; who is liable for space debris; the SpaceX monopoly; the growing specter of space weaponry; and when we might see humans on Mars.

Alongside the technical and operational difficulties that must be overcome to set up and run a satellite communications service, navigating a complex regulatory environment is high on the list of issues operators face. One regulatory element, often shrouded in complexity, is the concept of “landing rights”. As satellite operators seek to expand their reach and deliver innovative services worldwide, landing rights emerge as both a critical enabler and a formidable challenge.

As innovations in Digital Intermediate Frequency (DIF) continue, close collaboration between solutions providers is essential for establishing a new open standard.

Despite a rough ride on Wall Street, Terran Orbital is soaring to new heights. With a second state-of-the-art manufacturing facility soon to come online and an impressive backlog of orders, the company’s future looks bright. We sat down with Marc Bell, Co-Founder and CEO of Terran Orbital to get an inside look at how he has navigated the ups and downs of bringing the company public and is now forging a decisive growth trajectory.

We depend on satellites for our global wellbeing. Without them, civilization as we know it would quickly disintegrate, leaving us in chaos and uncertainty. Space debris and congestion are posing a double threat to orbital safety, and we need to address it now.

Connectivity is now an integral part of our day-to-day lives, with consumers and businesses alike utilizing connected applications to enhance daily routines as well as to access and manage essential services. It’s also a critical component of disaster preparedness, response, and recovery, and in these situations, satellite networks are often the only infrastructure that can be relied upon to provide critical communication.

The Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) is focused on delivering quality low-cost satellites and missions to customers around the world. To date, SFL has developed 76 successful satellites and has a total onorbit heritage of 318.8 years operational. We met with Dr. Robert Zee, SFL’s Director, to discuss technological breakthroughs; the microspace approach to building satellites; and some exciting projects on the horizon.

As the number of active satellites in orbit continues to grow at a rapid rate, heritage components evolve to bridge the gap between cost, mass production, and performance.