News Analysis

Petah Tikva, Israel, March 9, 2023 - Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. (Nasdaq: GILT, TASE: GILT), announced today that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire DataPath, Inc. (DPI), which will be a core component of Gilat’s Defense growth strategy. DataPath is a provider of trusted communications for the US DoD Military and Government sectors. The acquisition is another step in Gilat’s initiative to increase its presence in the growing Defense market. Gilat expects its annual revenues in the Defense sector to increase by approximately US$ 50 Million following the closing of the acquisition, accoridnign to the company.

Geneva, March 6, 2023-The digital connectivity divide separating the globe's least developed countries (LDCs) from the world as a whole shows no sign of narrowing. In fact, it is widening on key factors, according to ITU's Facts and Figures: Focus on Least Developed Countries. 

The March 2023 issue of the Satellite Executive Briefing magazine focusing on the LEO and Smallsats Markets sponsored by Comtech is now available.  Featuring:

The LEO Satellite Market by Elisabeth Tweedie

Trends in the Small/Medium Satellite Launch Market by Bernardo Schneiderman

TECHBrief: Capacity Management and ITU Filing Made Easy by Alvaro Sanchez

The Business of Space  by Martin Jarrold

by Bernardo Schneiderman

Los Angeles, Calif., March 1, 2023--The use of small and medium satellites for applications such as remote sensing, observation, communication, and space exploration is expected to drive the growth of the Satellite Launch Vehicle market (SLVM) during the next decade.
Analytics firm BryceTech which issues a quartely update on the launch market, reported that in the 4th quarter of 2022, Smallsats represented 89% of spacecraft launched 39% of total upmass (see graph).  The number of satellites launched by application are the following: communications 80%, Remote Sensing 10%, Technology Development 7%, Scientific 1% and others 1%.

Solna, Sweden, February 21, 2023--Ovzon reports record quarter and eventful start to 2023. Highlights of the results include:

MCLEAN, Va. February 16, 2023 – Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: IRDM)  today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full-year 2022 and issued its full-year 2023 guidance. Net loss was US$ 0.8 million, or US$ 0.01 per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2022, as compared to net loss of US$ 5.9 million, or $0.04 per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2021. Operational EBITDA (“OEBITDA”)(1) for the fourth quarter was US$ 107.0 million, as compared to US$ 93.4 million for the prior-year period, representing a year-over-year increase of 15%. These results benefitted from gains in subscriber equipment and engineering and support, in addition to broad-based growth in commercial service revenues.

Cape Canaveral, Fla., February 7, 2023--On Monday, February 6 at 8:32 p.m. ET, SpaceX launched the Hispasat Amazonas Nexus mission from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This was the sixth launch and landing for this Falcon 9 first stage booster, which previously supported the launch of SES-22, ispace’s HAKUTO-R Mission 1, and three Starlink missions.

Wallops Island, Va. January 24, 2023--Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) a  launch and space systems company, today successfully launched its 33rd Electron rocket and first mission from Virginia. The “Virginia is for Launch Lovers” mission lifted off at 18:00 EST on January 24th from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (LC-2) at Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport within NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility. The mission deployed three satellites to a 550km orbit for leading radio frequency geospatial analytics provider HawkEye 360. Rocket Lab has now successfully deployed a total of 155 satellites to orbit from the Company’s three launch pads across the U.S. and New Zealand.

Austin, Tex., January 17, 2023 – CesiumAstro Inc., a provider of  phased array communications technology for space and airborne systems, announced today it has acquired TXMission Ltd., a United Kingdom-based communications company that develops software-defined radios and modems for satellites, ground stations, HAPS (high-altitude platform systems), and airborne platforms. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.