Intelsat

European satellite communications provider SES is to buy U.S.-based rival Intelsat in a bid to tackle competition from other low-Earth-orbit services.

Satellite service provider Intelsat is looking to meet increased demand from airlines for inflight connectivity onboard their regional aircraft.

Livermore, California-based Aalyria describes itself as a software-defined and optical networking communications pioneer.

Out of Intelsat’s 58 geostationary satellites in orbit, about 10% are candidates for mission extension or repair.

Three months after confirming it was exploring a merger with Intelsat, Luxembourg-based satellite operator SES said June 22 that the talks are off.

Intelsat has ordered its fourth satellite life extension servicing from Northrop Grumman’s SpaceLogistics subsidiary.

Intelsat is considering creating a network of Mid-Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites to further improve connectivity for airlines.

SWISSto12 has received a contract to build three small geostationary communications satellites for Inmarsat.

Built by Ball Aerospace and integrated with Intelsat’s 40E communications satellite, TEMPO is to provide hourly monitoring of pollutants.

TEMPO and the Intelsat 40E communications satellite are planned for launch from Cape Canaveral.