News Analysis

Carlsbad, Calif., December 21, 2020–Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global communications company, today announced it entered into a definitive agreement to acquire RigNet, Inc. (NASDAQ: RNET), a leading provider of ultra-secure, intelligent networking solutions and specialized applications, in an all-stock transaction that values RigNet at an enterprise value of approximately US$ 222 million based on Viasat’s share price as of the date of the agreement and RigNet’s net debt at September 30, 2020.

Bethesda, Md., Dec. 20, 2020--Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE: LMT) today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AJRD) for US$ 56 per share in cash, which is expected to be reduced to US$ 51 per share after the payment of a pre-closing special dividend. This represents a post-dividend equity value of $4.6 billion and a total transaction value of $4.4 billion including the assumption of net cash.

Jacksonville, Fla., December 15,  2020--Redwire announced today that it has acquired LoadPath, a developer of payload adapters, deployable structures, and thermal products for the space industry. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Melville, NY, December 9, 2020--Comtech Telecommunications Corp. (NASDAQ: CMTL) today reported its operating results for the first fiscal quarter ended October 31, 2020 and updated its financial targets for fiscal 2021. The company reported consolidated net sales of US$ 135.2 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $14.3 million (or 10.6% of consolidated net sales) exceeded Comtech's expectation for its first quarter of fiscal 2021. 

New York City, NY, December 8, 2020–The World Teleport Association (WTA) today published its annual rankings for the Top Teleport Operators of 2020. The annual rankings of companies by revenue and revenue growth are compiled by surveying teleport operators around the world as well as referencing the published results of publicly-held companies.

The December 2020 issue of  the Satellite Executive Briefing magazine  sponsored by The SpaceConnection is now available.  Featuring:

The Satellite Industry in a Post-Pandemic World by Elisabeth Tweedie

Constellation Watch: China's Incubating Answer to Starlink by Blaine Curcio

Satellite's Year 2020:  Virtually Experienced... by Martin Jarrold

And Yet... by Lou Zacharilla

Better Satellite World Series: Mission to the Future

PLUS Product and Services Spotlight, Mergers and Acquisitions, Executive Moves, Market Briefs, Vital Statistics, and many more. Click here to read or download the file

by Elisabeth Tweedie

London, UK, December 4, 2020--“And now for something completely different.”  Words first uttered by John Cleese in 1971, and repeated by Lorraine Whitfield, Chief Events and Marketing Officer, Euroconsult, at the opening of this year’s World Satellite Business Week.  Words that sum up, not only this conference, being the first time that WSBW has been a virtual conference, but words that also sum up this year for most of us.   

by Blaine Curcio

Hong Kong, December 4, 2020--Many things have happened in the satcom industry in 2020. We as an industry have responded to Covid with a flurry of webinars, virtual conferences, LinkedIn posts, and an endless variety of podcasts. Meanwhile, satellite operators have been evolving, with 5G spectrum reallocation moving full steam ahead in some markets (including my home market of Hong Kong, one of the world’s leading assassins of C-band for satellite). 

by Lou Zacharilla

New York City, NY, December 3, 2020--Given the choice between wrestling a live alligator in a Florida pond and living through the events of 2020 again, I would take my chances with the gator.  As we finish our current orbit around the Sun, we have experienced 365 days, 5 hours, 59 minutes and 16 seconds that felt like a Martian year.  

McLean, Va., December 1, 2020 – Intelsat today completed its acquisition of the Commercial Aviation business of Gogo, creating the world’s leading provider of inflight broadband connectivity to the commercial aviation industry.