On Orbit

While sovereign satcom systems are not a new idea, sovereignty has become a critical issue in the satellite industry over the last year as geopolitical trends push nations to want more control over their communications and space data. This episode of On Orbit features Keith Blanchet, vice president of Global Government for ST Engineering iDirect, to dig into this global trend.  Sovereignty can involve control over space and ground assets, spectrum, cryptography, and supply chains. Blanchet gives insight into the challenges that nations work through as they make decisions about sovereign networks like affordability, local expertise, and managing scope creep, and how commercial providers work closely to meet national needs. He also talks about how multi-orbit orchestration is playing a key role as nations look to build hybrid architectures and partner with their allies. This episode of On Orbit is sponsored by ST Engineering iDirect 

In-space manufacturing on a large scale is a capability that has seemed like science fiction but is now moving closer to reality. Rendezvous Robotics, which came out of stealth mode last month, is one startup working on the challenge of how we will build a future in space.  This episode of On Orbit features co-founder Dr. Ariel Ekblaw to hear more about the autonomous, modular tiles that Rendezvous Robotics is developing to dock and build structures in space, and what this could mean for structures like large phased array antennas, solar panels, or in-space manufacturing sites.  Ariel is also the founder of the Aurelia Institute, which works to democratize space access through education and outreach. She shares her passion for building the future of human life in space, which she gave a Ted Talk on earlier this year, and how she envisions a future in space where humans don't just survive, but thrive.   

The satellite industry is going through a digital transformation. In this episode of On Orbit, we're joined by a group of experts representing RF manufacturing, and both parabolic and electronically scanned antennas for a look at digitization at the edge.  Guests include Simon Swift, engineering director of ETL Systems; Dave Nicoll, strategic business director of Holkirk Communications; and John-Paul Szczepanik, CTO of All.Space. The discussion covers what digitization at the edge looks like for both conventional antennas and ESA terminals, and how it allows users at the edge with small, portable terminals to have the resilience of multiple networks without the need for multiple physical modems.  This episode of On Orbit is sponsored by ETL Systems. For more information, visit etlsystems.com. 

Back from Paris, Via Satellite Editor Mark Holmes joins On Orbit host Rachel Jewett to unpack some of the top takeaways from World Space Business Week. Two themes drove much of the conversation during the week — direct-to-device (D2D) and defense. Spectrum was a big topic of conversation with SpaceX's big spectrum buy and Viasat and Space42 unveiling a new shared spectrum approach to D2D. And while defense demand is not new, it's driving conversations from satellite connectivity, imagery, and manufacturing, as Europe in particular is working though what increased defense spending means for space capabilities.  Change was another theme this year with a new venue, and lots of new faces getting together to learn about the space and satellite industry. The editors cover some of the top storylines from the week, and their favorite parts of being in Paris in September.

 Over the past year, Umbra has expanded its business from operating a commercial SAR constellation to also offering Mission Solutions — where it develops bespoke and custom space systems for the U.S., and its partners and allies.   This episode of On Orbit features Jason Mallare, vice president and general manager of Umbra's Mission Solutions business. Jason describes Umbra's culture as "customer-obsessed," and talks about how his team takes the learnings from operating its own constellation and uses that experience to help customers fulfill their own unique missions. Jason sees rising demand for space systems from defense and intelligence around the world, and explains why sovereignty is an important issue for these customers.   This episode of On Orbit is sponsored by Umbra.  

The relationship between the commercial space industry and the Space Force has evolved in recent years. While the Space Force using commercial capabilities is not new, the "buy before build" philosophy has marked a change in acquisition strategy.  Space Systems Command's Commercial Space Office (COMSO) was set up two years ago to better integrate commercial capabilities. This week's On Orbit podcast episode features Lt. Col. Tim Trimailo, director of the Commercial Space Office. Trimailo took the helm of COMSO in April.  Trimailo says that while COMSO has spent time seeding the landscape of commercial capabilities, the focus is shifting to delivering operational capabilities to the warfighter. He also shares the latest on the Commercial Space Augmentation Reserve, the Proliferated Low Earth Orbit, or PLEO IDIQ contract, and takeaways from a recent wargame around space domain awareness.  This interview was part of the GovMilSpace Digital Series, a virtual event that brought together U.S. and allied space, defense, and intelligence leaders to address the evolving threats and priorities shaping tomorrow's missions. The series is available on-demand, with a panel discussion and video interviews featuring the Space Development Agency, UK Ministry of Defense, German BSI, and more. Registration is now open for GovMilSpace 2026, where these critical conversations continue in person during SATELLITE Week.

In this week's episode, On Orbit interviews Beau Legeer, director of Imagery and Remote Sensing at Esri. While Esri doesn't operate its own satellites, the company integrates commercial satellite data into its ArcGIS software offering, working to make satellite imagery accessible and user friendly for its customers.    Beau talks about how the barrier to entry to exploiting satellite imagery has dramatically decreased from his start in the industry, when images were still processed on tape. And now, advances in AI models and even business models and subscriptions are lowering that barrier to entry even further to allow for more widespread adoption of satellite imagery.    This episode is sponsored by AvL Technologies. AvL Technologies is a leading manufacturer of multi-band and multi-orbit satellite communications ground terminals, serving both government and commercial markets. With terminals ranging in size from 60 cm  to 4.6 m AvL provides efficient, cost-effective solutions for voice, video, and data connectivity without the need for specialized training. AvL's innovative and visionary approach to engineering and design ensures the critical requirements of today's missions are met. For more information please visit avltech.com.  

This episode of the Future Space Economy series focuses on how space is shaping the future of medicine. Host Jeff Hill is joined by Eascra Biotech CEO and co-founder Mari Anne Snow and Jana Stoudemire, senior executive, Barrios Technologies, to discuss some exciting new developments in bringing medical and pharmaceutical research to space.  Eascra Biotech is a nanomedicine company that was selected for NASA's Igniting Innovation: Science in Space to Cure Disease on Earth program to study a new application for their Janus Base Nanoparticles (JBNps) on the ISS. The program just launched to the ISS this past May. Snow talks about what they've learned about the ISS mission and how the space industry can better communicate the value of space as a research environment for the pharmaceutical industry.  Stoudemire is working to establish a new business at Barrios Technologies supporting the development of economically sustainable and profitable uses of space. After a career in pharma, biotech and medical devices, Stoudemire transitioned to lead life science research in microgravity as part of the team managing the International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory, and roles with Space Tango and Axiom Space. This episode is part of the Future Space Economy webcast series, sponsored by MDA Space.

The past few years have seen an uptick in partnerships between satellite and telcos as mobile operators look to expand the reach of their networks. Direct-to-device has garnered many of the headlines in this area, but the satellite-telco convergence also encompasses satellite broadband, backhaul, and IoT. This week, we hear from Tim Hatt, head of Research and Consulting for GSMA Intelligence, with perspective from the mobile industry's side of the satellite/telco convergence. GSMA Intelligence provides forecasts and research for the global mobile ecosystem. The mobile ecosystem is closely watching the rollout of satellite constellations, and GSMA Intelligence is now tracking more than 100 partnerships between mobile operators and satellite companies. Tim talks about how mobile operators see working with satellite as a differentiator, some of the issues at play as direct-to-device begins to commercialize, and why we shouldn't overlook the potential of standards-based satellite IoT.

While the satellite connected car has long been seen as a future market for the satellite industry, it hasn't broken through into the mainstream yet. But recent developments in standards and technology are bringing this closer to reality. This week's episode features two experts in vehicle connectivity from BMW Group, Olaf Eckart and Georg Schmitt, for a discussion on the path to integrating satellite connectivity into vehicles.  Eckart and Schmitt explain the use cases where satellite makes sense for vehicles, some of the challenges specific to the automotive industry, and the roadmap for integrating satellite into vehicles from narrowband, wideband, to broadband. The first mass market applications with non-terrestrial network (NTN), narrowband IoT applications are expected to be deployed from 2027 on.  They are part of the 5G Automotive Association (5GAA), and the discussion covers vehicle demonstrations that 5GAA recently hosted with satellite companies in Paris. The automotive industry is looking to benefit from the work that has been done to integrate satellite into mobile networks, and Eckhart and Schmitt talk about how standards have driven new momentum in the work between automakers, MNOs, and satellite players.

NASA's James Webb Telescope has captivated the public with incredible discoveries that include dying stars, distant galaxies, and signs of life on other planets. The telescope launched in December of 2021 after 25 years in development. In this episode, we explore the history of the James Webb project, its journey to space, its breakthrough findings, and potential follow-up programs that could build on its success.  Via Satellite Executive Editor Jeffrey Hill interviews Scott Willoughby, who served Northrop Grumman's vice president and program manager for the James Webb Space Telescope, and Dr. Bhanu Sood, deputy chief technologist, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Sood has served as NASA's risk assessment process owner for microelectronics on a number of flagship programs including JWST.  This episode is part of the Future Space Economy webcast series, sponsored by MDA Space.   

With the start of hurricane season fast approaching, recent reports show that cuts and staff vacancies at the National Weather Service and NOAA could impact public safety services. Earlier this month, CNN reported that a number of NWS weather forecast offices do not have a meteorologist-in-charge due to layoffs, early retirements, and vacancies.  In this episode, On Orbit interviews Dan Harkins, COO of Tropical Weather Analytics, about how the upcoming hurricane seasons could be impacted by cuts and vacancies, and the critical role that government weather satellites play in keeping the public safe.   While the U.S. is talking about investing in a massive-scale Golden Dome for missile defense, Harkins argues the country should consider a similar investment into weather monitoring capabilities — given how extreme weather events lead to loss of life, and disruption for both people and businesses. Aside from cutbacks, Harkins talks about what is missing in government weather monitoring capabilities, and how commercial companies play a role. 

On Orbit interviews Femi Ishola, founder and CEO of Phemotron Systems, winner of the 2025 Startup Space competition at SATELLITE. Ishola is from Lagos, Nigeria, and has worked and studied all over the world including in Japan, Australia, and the U.S. Now he is taking his global experience developing space systems to use small satellites to solve challenges in Africa.  Phemotron Systems plans to launch its first satellite next year, an Earth observation satellite with an AI engine for onboard edge computing, called AI-Motherbox-1. Ishola wants to establish the company as a key satellite integrator in Africa, help grow the space industry, and expand Africa countries' access to satellite solutions. He hopes his startup space win encourages more investment in the African space industry. 

The third season of the Future Space Economy series kicks off with a discussion about the financial outlook for new and upcoming applications that fall under the "Future Space Economy" category. These include: space transportation, space stations, tourism, research, robotics, and Moon/Mars missions.  This episode features guests Dara Panahy, partner in the Milbank LLP Transportation and Space group; MDA Space CEO Mike Greenley; Meagan Crawford, managing partner of SpaceFund, Raphael Roettgen, general partner of E2MC Ventures; and Dave Diaz, a Loudon County, Virginia, economic development official.  This episode was recorded at SATELLITE 2025, and includes a live Q&A segment from the webinar rebroadcast. Check out some of the ideas for upcoming 2025 Future Space Economy webcast episodes. 

As innovation has accelerated in satellite communications in the past five years, it has put pressure on hardware and software providers to deliver greater performance and more flexible capabilities. While technology in space tends to get a lot of attention, its hardware on the ground that makes delivering services from space possible.  Last month during SATELLITE, On Orbit interviewed Daniel Gizinski, president of Comtech's Satellite and Space Communications Segment about changes happening in the satellite ground segment, and how Comtech is evolving its offerings along with those changes. This conversation digs into what's new in Comtech's Elevate 2.0 VSAT platform, and digital common ground modem line. Gizinski also talks about the customer needs that drove these products, like sovereign communications, and reconfigurability.  This episode of On Orbit is sponsored by Comtech. For more information, visit comtech.com

Navigating the space regulatory environment can be one of the biggest challenges for companies whether they are startups or established operators. Consulting firm River Advisers is trusted for its strategic regulatory advice to satcom operators, assisting with market access, licensing, and spectrum management.  On Orbit host Rachel Jewett spoke with River Advisers CEO Alexis Martin on the first day of the SATELLITE conference in D.C. about some of the most pressing regulatory issues impacting the satellite sector right now, like developing regulatory regimes for direct-to-device connectivity and differences in the international regulatory landscape. He also details growing interest in commercial communication services around the Moon and how this will require coordination at the next World Radiocommunication Conference, WRC-27. Martin also talks about how River Advisers, formerly known as ManSat, is evolving how it services clients.  This episode of On Orbit is sponsored by River Advisers. For more information, visit riveradvisers.com/

Space journalist and TV personality Sarah Cruddas joins the On Orbit podcast this week ahead of her appearance as guest host at SATELLITE 2025.  Sarah has had an exciting career in space journalism and communications from being a weather presenter and science correspondent to being a TV personality, industry consultant and author. She's extremely passionate about how space technology can make life better on Earth, and wants to see the industry get out of its bubble and do a better job of communicating why space technology matters.  Sarah tells the story of how she covered the final Space Shuttle launch and landing in 2011 using a satellite dish to send a signal back to the BCC, and how she took a scientific look at reports of alien activity and UFOs as part of her work on two TV shows. We also talk about what she's looking forward to at SATELLITE, from the keynotes, GovMilSpace program, and networking opportunities to connect with folks in the industry. This episode is sponsored by AvL Technologies. AvL Technologies is a leading manufacturer of multi-band and multi-orbit satellite communications ground terminals, serving both government and commercial markets. With terminals ranging in size from 60 cm  to 4.6 m AvL provides efficient, cost-effective solutions for voice, video, and data connectivity without the need for specialized training. AvL's innovative and visionary approach to engineering and design ensures the critical requirements of today's missions are met. For more information please visit avltech.com, or visit AvL at the SATELLITE Show at Booth 2118 in the Exhibit Hall.

This week on On Orbit, we hear from Madeleine Chang, director of policy for the Satellite Industry Association about the policy priorities SIA is advocating for with the new Trump administration. SIA has put together a set of priorities with agreement from its more than 50 member companies, representing a broad swath of the satellite industry. These priorities include streamlining regulations, curbing space debris, and improving space procurement, and spectrum management.  The second Trump administration is widely expected to be bullish on space capabilities, but the outlook is changing day-by-day with issues like changes in federal funding and tariffs. Madeleine points out that when SIA advocates for the satellite industry, it's not just to advance business in the satellite industry, but because of how satellite supports critical use cases that satellite supports like PNT, national security, reliable communications, disaster relief, and more.  

We often hear space described as congested and competitive but Dr. Brien Flewelling likes to describe the situation in space as dense, dynamic, and deep. This means that space traffic is getting denser as there are more spacecraft in orbit; it's deeper with spacecraft in more orbits; and more dynamic as spacecraft maneuver more frequently. It's "not your dad's space domain awareness," he says. Brien is the director of Strategic Program Development at ExoAnalytic Solutions. He joins the On Orbit podcast this week for a conversation about space domain awareness (SDA) and how NATO coordinates SDA. He shares his takeaways from the NATO Edge and Spacepower conferences in December, about how NATO can have better coordination in space domain awareness with greater adoption of commercial capabilities. He answers what really happens when a satellite breaks apart in orbit, how decision-making in space is evolving to be more autonomous, and what's needed to keep pace with everything being launched to orbit today.

This episode of the Future Space Economy series explores the dangerous, yet increasingly likely hypothetical situation that a space-faring nation breaks the Space Treaty of 1967 and brings nuclear weapons into space.  Host Jeffrey Hill interviews space law and policy experts Senjuti Mallick, business operations manager for COMSPOC, and Tatiana Sainati, partner at Wiley Rein.  Senjuti and Tatiana weigh in on what governments are doing right now to expand space situational awareness (SSA) capabilities to protect commercial interests in space. And whether these dangerous developments change the way we view satellites and spacecraft as critical infrastructure, and why SSA is one of the key investments governments and industry can make in space.  More about the Future Space Economy series here: https://www.satellitetoday.com/content-collection/future-space-economy/