Author: starpathwp-production

2025 marks a defining moment for satellite direct-to-device (D2D). D2D is evolving from a niche emergency service to a scalable communications model, linking smartphones, IoT devices, and businesses through satellites. While most of the conversation around D2D has so far centered on consumer applications, there is an emerging opportunity in the commercial sector that should…

The U.S. Space Force has awarded Iridium an infrastructure transformation contract worth up to $85.8 million for lifecycle upgrades to the Enhanced Mobile Satellite Services (EMSS) service center.  The award announced Tuesday from Space Systems Command (SSC) Commercial Space Office (COMSO) is a 5-year indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract called System Infrastructure Transformation and Hybridization…

A Russian intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) fired from an underground silo on the country’s southern steppe Friday on a scheduled test to deliver a dummy warhead to a remote impact zone nearly 4,000 miles away. The missile didn’t even make it 4,000 feet. Russia’s military has been silent on the accident, but the missile’s crash…

By the time the second group of NASA astronauts reach the Moon later this decade, the space agency would like to have a lunar rover waiting for them. But as the space agency nears a key selection, some government officials are seeking an insurance policy of sorts to increase the program’s chance of success. At…

For decades, the satellite industry has relied on astronauts as our primary recruitment tool. The logic was straightforward: inspire kids with images of humans floating in space and driving on the moon, and some percentage will pursue STEM careers that eventually lead them to our sector. It worked. I get the appeal. The most awe-inspiring…

As the fast-evolving commercial satellite sector looks to leverage the advantages of Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO), situated at the edge of space in orbits between 250 and 400 kilometers above the Earth’s surface, several satellite firms see it as transformative for commercial and defense space applications. “VLEO is incredibly exciting because it’s a new…

The end of the year is a great opportunity to take stock of the past year and reset for the year ahead. That’s a theme that we’ve tried to bring into this Via Satellite edition. This year I tackled “10 Tech Trends to Impact the Space and Satellite Industry,” talking to experts like retired Lt.…

NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) has selected Globecomm Systems as the prime contractor for a next-generation satellite modem program. Globecomm will deliver qualified solutions based on the Datum Systems M7XC software-defined satellite modem.  The Datum M7XC modem is designed for multi-orbit capability and software-selectable waveforms in a ruggedized form factor. The companies said these…