On Thursday morning the third ViaSat-3 satellite successfully lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center on a Falcon Heavy rocket, marking a major milestone in the very important (and rather delayed) program to massively boost capacity in GEO orbit.
Telesat Lightspeed
A Subtle Shift in Messaging
Parsing the language of a press release can be an interesting challenge. Subtle changes over the past couple months with Southwest Airlines’ IFC play are worth digging in to.
Hughes Snags Air India IFC Contract, Tweaks Antenna Plans
A new customer, new antenna hardware, and new progress on a slightly stalled deployment are all highlights from Hughes Networks’ IFC program in recent weeks.
ThinKom’s Nexus Delivers High Performance in a Compact Package
The next big thing from ThinKom is impressively small. The ThinAir Nexus antenna brings ThinKom’s proven multi-orbit performance to market in a footprint matching LEO-only ESAs.
Lightspeed Slips, Shifts Capacity to Mil-Ka
Full global availability of the Telesat Lightspeed constellation schedule slipped into 2028, owing to hardware production issues.
A Curious IFC Shift
Operating a multi-supplier IFC portfolio is not unique. Still, sometimes those shifts come as a surprise. A report this week very much fits in that latter category to me.
Southwest Swaps to Starlink
Southwest Airlines will swap a sizable portion of its fleet to the Starlink inflight internet solution, and quickly. More than 300 planes are expected to fly the new system by the end of 2026.
Considering Connectivity In, Over, Around, and Beyond China
Airbus announced plans to add the Chinese Spacesail (Qianfan) LEO constellation to its HPCplus portfolio, opening the door to conversations about how else it might end up in service for airlines.
Etihad Expands Viasat Inflight Internet Commitment
For the past few years Etihad has been rolling out Viasat’s inflight internet service on its new aircraft. This week the carrier confirmed it will shift its connectivity portfolio fully to Viasat’s Amara multi-orbit offering.
CesiumAstro Scores Skylark Terminal Testing Agreement with TCI
Antenna manufacturer CesiumAstro is moving towards on-wing testing of its Skylark inflight phased array terminal, thanks to an agreement with TCI Aircraft Interiors.