Satellite Insights Weekly: Independent Satellite Communications Analysis

Three changes to Starlink terminal limits inside a year: SpaceX's worldwide 100 mph cap in March, Ukraine's February cutoff at the government's request, and October's cap in Ukraine.

What Ukraine's Starshield Speed Limit Tells Commercial Starlink Customers

Terminals used by Ukraine's forces lost their link above 100 mph, and every government involved disclaims the order. What that shows a business buyer about who sets a terminal's limits.

Orbital energy cost against launch price, from Starcloud's $30 per kilogram to the $500 its chief executive cited in March, at two spacecraft masses, beside the four-cent terrestrial figure.

Deep Dive: Starcloud's Orbital Data Center Math Needs a $30 per Kilogram Launch

Starcloud's white paper puts a data center in space at one twentieth of the cost of one on the ground. Rerun with 2026 launch prices and spacecraft mass, the same arithmetic gives two to five times more.

The uplink half of Europe's 2 GHz satellite band in three rows: Viasat and EchoStar halves today, the proposed optional 2027 to 2029 extension, and six proposed blocks by category.

Deep Dive: SpaceX's Carrier Playbook Meets Europe's 2 GHz Rules

SpaceX bought its way to US carrier status. In Europe, the 2 GHz MSS rules reserve two of three blocks for EU operators and freeze incumbents' rights during the bridge.

A lattice cell tower marked at the FCC's 33 and 66 percent terrestrial coverage benchmarks, a small dashed satellite above it, and an 800 MHz antenna drawn about six times larger.

SpaceX's 800 MHz Deal Is a Tower Deal

SpaceX's Grain spectrum will run on towers and rooftops, not satellites. Why that makes American Tower, Crown Castle and SBA the deal's early winners.

The Delta and Starlink Fight Is About Who Holds the Passenger's Login

Musk says Delta wanted a portal. Delta says the portal was never the problem. Why the loyalty login, not the satellite, decides airline Wi-Fi awards.

Satellite Insights Deep Dive on the AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon direct-to-device joint venture: one buyer, a pooled spectrum lever, and SpaceX outside its reach.

Deep Dive: 0.0002 Percent of the Traffic, and One Company to Buy It

The carriers' new D2D venture is a single buyer with a spectrum pool. SpaceX holds its own spectrum and does not need it. AST SpaceMobile does.

Iridium stockholders approved the Rocket Lab acquisition on September 24, 2026; the deal now waits on FCC consent to transfer Iridium's licenses.

Iridium Shareholders Said Yes to Rocket Lab. The Stock Is Still $5 Short of the Deal Price.

Iridium stockholders approved Rocket Lab's $54-a-share acquisition on September 24, 2026. What the collar does, why the FCC is the last gate, and why Iridium still trades about 10 percent below the deal price.

Starship Flight 14 lifted off September 28, 2026, and deployed 26 Starlink V3 satellites, the first operational payload flown on Starship.

Starship Reached Orbit With 26 Starlink V3 Satellites. Here Is What They Cost Everyone Else.

SpaceX's Starship Flight 14 reached orbit with 26 Starlink V3 satellites on September 28, 2026. What ten times the capacity per satellite means for OneWeb, Amazon Leo, Telesat, SES and Viasat, and why the FCC's spectrum vote matters as much as the launch.

Bar of Amazon Leo's remaining contracted launch capacity by vehicle: Ariane 64, Vulcan and New Glenn hatched as grounded, Falcon 9 solid as flying, marker at 2,836 satellites still required.

Amazon Ordered Six More Ariane 6 Launches Just as a Turbopump Problem Slowed the Rocket

Amazon Leo expanded its Arianespace order as a turbopump problem slowed Ariane 6, with Vulcan and New Glenn grounded. What it means for its FCC dates.

Grid of Astranis Block 3's five launch seats as reported in April 2025, January 2026 and September 2026, with MB Group and stc group highlighted as the two customers who took seats.

Why stc Group Bought a Satellite Instead of Leasing One

stc group bought a dedicated Astranis small GEO satellite rather than lease capacity. What ownership buys a national carrier, and what it has yet to prove.

Why is Airbus Building OneWeb Satellites in France Now?

Eutelsat ordered 229 more OneWeb satellites from Airbus, built in Toulouse. The Florida plant that built the first 600 went under review twelve days earlier.

What Amazon Is Actually Buying at Globalstar

Globalstar books 63% of revenue from Apple and is being sold to Amazon for a sum its revenue cannot explain. The answer is in the spectrum and landing rights.

Independent weekly intelligence on satellite communications, written from 40 years on the operator and ground-segment side.

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