Latest news with #spacecommerce
Reuters
08-07-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Space industry urges US Congress not to axe system that prevents satellite collisions
WASHINGTON, July 8 (Reuters) - Hundreds of U.S. companies on Tuesday urged Congress to back off a plan to kill a small federal office tasked with managing satellite traffic in space, a badly needed civilian effort initiated by President Donald Trump's first administration but now imperiled by cuts. The White House's 2026 budget proposal seeks $10 million for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Space Commerce, an 84% cut from the office's 2025 funding that would terminate Traffic Coordination System for Space (TraCSS), a civilian system to help prevent satellite collisions and alert operators of potential crashes. Four-hundred and fifty companies from seven different industry groups, including Elon Musk's SpaceX and Amazon's (AMZN.O), opens new tab Kuiper satellite unit, wrote in a joint letter on Tuesday to the Senate committee overseeing NOAA that without funding TraCSS, "U.S. commercial and government satellite operators would face greater risks – putting critical missions in harm's way, raising the cost of doing business, and potentially driving U.S. industry to relocate overseas." The rise of vast satellite constellations like SpaceX's Starlink and heightened military and commercial activities in Earth's orbit have driven up risks of collisions between the roughly 12,000 active satellites in space and thousands more pieces of uncontrollable junk, prompting efforts to create what is essentially a civil air traffic control system for space. Audrey Schaffer, vice president of strategy and policy at space-tracking firm Slingshot Aerospace, said the cuts would forfeit an opportunity to shape global space traffic control as the U.S. did decades ago for international air traffic control standards, while Europe and China develop their own satellite traffic systems. "It's really important that there be coordination amongst these different systems, so we don't have this fragmented system," Schaffer said. "If the U.S. doesn't have a system that it brings to the table, I'm not really sure how the U.S. exercises any leadership in the establishment of international space traffic management." The Pentagon has long managed a space traffic database called Space-Track, but defense and industry officials argue that responsibility detracts from its national security mission and risks conflating an essential safety service with military interests as other countries seek improvements to global satellite coordination. The space industry in 2020 praised Trump's first administration for directing the NOAA office to absorb the Pentagon's space-tracking function and improve efforts to fuse satellite position data from countries and companies. The office has since released a trial version of TraCSS currently in use by some companies ahead of a full release planned for early next year. But the Trump administration in a budget document last month explained it wants to terminate TraCSS because it did not complete the system during the prior administration and that private companies "have the capability and the business model" to do space traffic coordination on their own. The two largest space industry organizations - the Commercial Space Federation and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics - wrote in another letter protesting the termination of TraCSS to senators on Monday that "industry believes that maintaining a basic SSA service at no cost to the end user is inherently a government function."
Zawya
08-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Space industry urges US Congress not to axe system that prevents satellite collisions
Hundreds of U.S. companies on Tuesday urged Congress to back off a plan to kill a small federal office tasked with managing satellite traffic in space, a badly needed civilian effort initiated by President Donald Trump's first administration but now imperiled by cuts. The White House's 2026 budget proposal seeks $10 million for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Space Commerce, an 84% cut from the office's 2025 funding that would terminate Traffic Coordination System for Space (TraCSS), a civilian system to help prevent satellite collisions and alert operators of potential crashes. Four-hundred and fifty companies from seven different industry groups, including Elon Musk's SpaceX and Amazon's Kuiper satellite unit, wrote in a joint letter on Tuesday to the Senate committee overseeing NOAA that without funding TraCSS, "U.S. commercial and government satellite operators would face greater risks – putting critical missions in harm's way, raising the cost of doing business, and potentially driving U.S. industry to relocate overseas." The rise of vast satellite constellations like SpaceX's Starlink and heightened military and commercial activities in Earth's orbit have driven up risks of collisions between the roughly 12,000 active satellites in space and thousands more pieces of uncontrollable junk, prompting efforts to create what is essentially a civil air traffic control system for space. Audrey Schaffer, vice president of strategy and policy at space-tracking firm Slingshot Aerospace, said the cuts would forfeit an opportunity to shape global space traffic control as the U.S. did decades ago for international air traffic control standards, while Europe and China develop their own satellite traffic systems. "It's really important that there be coordination amongst these different systems, so we don't have this fragmented system," Schaffer said. "If the U.S. doesn't have a system that it brings to the table, I'm not really sure how the U.S. exercises any leadership in the establishment of international space traffic management." The Pentagon has long managed a space traffic database called Space-Track, but defense and industry officials argue that responsibility detracts from its national security mission and risks conflating an essential safety service with military interests as other countries seek improvements to global satellite coordination. The space industry in 2020 praised Trump's first administration for directing the NOAA office to absorb the Pentagon's space-tracking function and improve efforts to fuse satellite position data from countries and companies. The office has since released a trial version of TraCSS currently in use by some companies ahead of a full release planned for early next year. But the Trump administration in a budget document last month explained it wants to terminate TraCSS because it did not complete the system during the prior administration and that private companies "have the capability and the business model" to do space traffic coordination on their own. The two largest space industry organizations - the Commercial Space Federation and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics - wrote in another letter protesting the termination of TraCSS to senators on Monday that "industry believes that maintaining a basic SSA service at no cost to the end user is inherently a government function." (Reporting by Joey Roulette in Washington; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Space industry urges US Congress not to axe system that prevents satellite collisions
By Joey Roulette WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Hundreds of U.S. companies on Tuesday urged Congress to back off a plan to kill a small federal office tasked with managing satellite traffic in space, a badly needed civilian effort initiated by President Donald Trump's first administration but now imperiled by cuts. The White House's 2026 budget proposal seeks $10 million for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Space Commerce, an 84% cut from the office's 2025 funding that would terminate Traffic Coordination System for Space (TraCSS), a civilian system to help prevent satellite collisions and alert operators of potential crashes. Four-hundred and fifty companies from seven different industry groups, including Elon Musk's SpaceX and Amazon's Kuiper satellite unit, wrote in a joint letter on Tuesday to the Senate committee overseeing NOAA that without funding TraCSS, "U.S. commercial and government satellite operators would face greater risks – putting critical missions in harm's way, raising the cost of doing business, and potentially driving U.S. industry to relocate overseas." The rise of vast satellite constellations like SpaceX's Starlink and heightened military and commercial activities in Earth's orbit have driven up risks of collisions between the roughly 12,000 active satellites in space and thousands more pieces of uncontrollable junk, prompting efforts to create what is essentially a civil air traffic control system for space. Audrey Schaffer, vice president of strategy and policy at space-tracking firm Slingshot Aerospace, said the cuts would forfeit an opportunity to shape global space traffic control as the U.S. did decades ago for international air traffic control standards, while Europe and China develop their own satellite traffic systems. "It's really important that there be coordination amongst these different systems, so we don't have this fragmented system," Schaffer said. "If the U.S. doesn't have a system that it brings to the table, I'm not really sure how the U.S. exercises any leadership in the establishment of international space traffic management." The Pentagon has long managed a space traffic database called Space-Track, but defense and industry officials argue that responsibility detracts from its national security mission and risks conflating an essential safety service with military interests as other countries seek improvements to global satellite coordination. The space industry in 2020 praised Trump's first administration for directing the NOAA office to absorb the Pentagon's space-tracking function and improve efforts to fuse satellite position data from countries and companies. The office has since released a trial version of TraCSS currently in use by some companies ahead of a full release planned for early next year. But the Trump administration in a budget document last month explained it wants to terminate TraCSS because it did not complete the system during the prior administration and that private companies "have the capability and the business model" to do space traffic coordination on their own. The two largest space industry organizations - the Commercial Space Federation and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics - wrote in another letter protesting the termination of TraCSS to senators on Monday that "industry believes that maintaining a basic SSA service at no cost to the end user is inherently a government function." Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
National Post
27-05-2025
- Business
- National Post
Intelsat Wins India Approval for Direct Broadcast Services
Article content Article content MCLEAN, Va. — Intelsat, operator of one of the world's largest integrated satellite and terrestrial networks, became one of the first foreign satellite operators to receive approval from the Indian government to provide extensive satellite coverage directly to India's broadcast media companies, a significant regulatory achievement that puts Intelsat on an accelerated path to offering new services and further India investment. Article content The company has secured authorization for four geostationary (GEO) satellites providing C-band coverage over India: IS-17, IS-20, IS-36 and IS-39 satellites. The approved satellite fleet will primarily serve India's dynamic broadcast media industry, enabling enhanced content delivery and distribution capabilities across the subcontinent and from India to other regions of the world. This regulatory milestone underscores Intelsat's commitment to expanding its presence in India and fostering technological advancement in the region. Article content 'This approval represents a significant step forward in Intelsat's contribution to India's space commerce sector, a source of great national pride,' said Gaurav Kharod, Regional Vice President for Asia Pacific at Intelsat. 'Our extensive satellite network with four satellites covering the region will provide Indian broadcasters with reliable, high-quality connectivity solutions that meet their evolving needs. This authorization enables us to better serve our customers and contribute to India's growing media landscape.' Article content Following the authorization from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), Intelsat won new business from three of India's largest media companies. This new and expanded service will see Intelsat deliver the full portfolio of media content to viewers in India. Article content About Intelsat Article content Intelsat's global team of professionals is focused on providing seamless and secure, satellite-based communications to government, NGO and commercial customers through the company's next-generation worldwide network and managed services. Bridging the digital divide by operating one of the world's largest and most advanced satellite fleet and connectivity infrastructures, Intelsat enables people and their tools to speak over oceans, see across continents and listen through the skies to communicate, cooperate and coexist. Since its founding six decades ago, the company has been synonymous with satellite-industry 'firsts' in service to its customers and the planet. Leaning on a legacy of innovation and focusing on addressing a new generation of challenges Intelsat team members now have their sights on the 'next firsts' in space as they disrupt the field and lead in the digital transformation of the industry. Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content
Associated Press
27-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Intelsat Wins India Approval for Direct Broadcast Services
MCLEAN, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 27, 2025-- Intelsat, operator of one of the world's largest integrated satellite and terrestrial networks, became one of the first foreign satellite operators to receive approval from the Indian government to provide extensive satellite coverage directly to India's broadcast media companies, a significant regulatory achievement that puts Intelsat on an accelerated path to offering new services and further India investment. The company has secured authorization for four geostationary (GEO) satellites providing C-band coverage over India: IS-17, IS-20, IS-36 and IS-39 satellites. The approved satellite fleet will primarily serve India's dynamic broadcast media industry, enabling enhanced content delivery and distribution capabilities across the subcontinent and from India to other regions of the world. This regulatory milestone underscores Intelsat's commitment to expanding its presence in India and fostering technological advancement in the region. 'This approval represents a significant step forward in Intelsat's contribution to India's space commerce sector, a source of great national pride,' said Gaurav Kharod, Regional Vice President for Asia Pacific at Intelsat. 'Our extensive satellite network with four satellites covering the region will provide Indian broadcasters with reliable, high-quality connectivity solutions that meet their evolving needs. This authorization enables us to better serve our customers and contribute to India's growing media landscape.' Following the authorization from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), Intelsat won new business from three of India's largest media companies. This new and expanded service will see Intelsat deliver the full portfolio of media content to viewers in India. About Intelsat Intelsat's global team of professionals is focused on providing seamless and secure, satellite-based communications to government, NGO and commercial customers through the company's next-generation worldwide network and managed services. Bridging the digital divide by operating one of the world's largest and most advanced satellite fleet and connectivity infrastructures, Intelsat enables people and their tools to speak over oceans, see across continents and listen through the skies to communicate, cooperate and coexist. Since its founding six decades ago, the company has been synonymous with satellite-industry 'firsts' in service to its customers and the planet. Leaning on a legacy of innovation and focusing on addressing a new generation of challenges Intelsat team members now have their sights on the 'next firsts' in space as they disrupt the field and lead in the digital transformation of the industry. Follow Us on Social Media: LinkedIn = Instagram = YouTube = View source version on CONTACT: Media Contact: Melissa Longo [email protected]; +1 240-308-1881 KEYWORD: UNITED STATES INDIA NORTH AMERICA ASIA PACIFIC VIRGINIA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TECHNOLOGY SECURITY SATELLITE OTHER TECHNOLOGY AEROSPACE TELECOMMUNICATIONS NANOTECHNOLOGY MANUFACTURING SOFTWARE AUDIO/VIDEO NETWORKS INTERNET MOBILE/WIRELESS HARDWARE ELECTRONIC DESIGN AUTOMATION DATA MANAGEMENT CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SOURCE: Intelsat Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 05/27/2025 12:30 AM/DISC: 05/27/2025 12:29 AM
