{"id":53405,"date":"2023-05-23T22:11:02","date_gmt":"2023-05-23T14:11:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/how-to-break-the-global-launch-bottleneck\/"},"modified":"2023-05-23T22:11:02","modified_gmt":"2023-05-23T14:11:02","slug":"how-to-break-the-global-launch-bottleneck","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/how-to-break-the-global-launch-bottleneck\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Break the Global Launch Bottleneck"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The past few years has seen an upsurge in activity in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO), led by megaconstellations of broadband satellites from SpaceX\u2019s Starlink and OneWeb, followed by flocks of Earth observation, IoT, and military satellites.  <\/p>\n<p>Within the next decade, Amazon\u2019s Project Kuiper and Telesat\u2019s Lightspeed constellations will send even more smallsats into that orbit. Meanwhile, telecommunications companies are joining forces with satcom providers to eventually enable satellite-based communication to smartphones. At the same time, the price of heavy launches to LEO has experienced a 95 percent price decrease over the last four decades, from $65,000 per kilogram, to just $1,500 per kilogram.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0luu5UeSDiPvoRyz9aN9_VS_060123_DGTL_cover-300x225.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"width: 120px; height: auto;\" decoding=\"async\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0luu5UeSDiPvoRyz9aN9_VS_060123_DGTL_cover-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0luu5UeSDiPvoRyz9aN9_VS_060123_DGTL_cover-800x599.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0luu5UeSDiPvoRyz9aN9_VS_060123_DGTL_cover-640x480.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0luu5UeSDiPvoRyz9aN9_VS_060123_DGTL_cover.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\">\t\t\t<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"fs-5 mt-0\">Explore the June 2023 Issue<\/h3>\n<p class=\"mb-0 fs-smaller text-balance\">Check out more from this issue and find your next story to read.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<button class=\"btn btn-primary\" type=\"button\" data-bs-toggle=\"offcanvas\" data-bs-target=\"#offcanvasMENU\" aria-controls=\"offcanvasExample\" aria-label=\"button\" style=\"white-space: nowrap;\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\tView More <i class=\"bi bi-arrow-right-circle\"><\/i><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/button><\/p>\n<p>Taken together, these events would suggest a boom period for launch providers, were there not only a handful of rockets ready for service. The sparsity of available systems has customers scrambling for a spot on the manifest as Kuiper and Starlink book up years\u2019 worth of capacity. But space stakeholders caution that this fear of current launch undersupply, and an assumption about future megaconstellations, may be hiding the polar opposite situation in the future.<\/p>\n<p>Several events over the past year have prompted observers to wonder over the immediate future of launch supply. Russia\u2019s ongoing war in Ukraine has kept most from using Moscow\u2019s Soyuz rockets, and Japan\u2019s initial H3 rocket launch in March suffered a second-stage engine failure, causing it to self-destruct. <\/p>\n<p>In Europe, Arianespace\u2019s Vega C also suffered a launch failure in March, likely taking it out of rotation for the rest of the year, and the European launcher will soon launch the final Ariane 5 rocket before the debut of Ariane 6. Virgin Orbit is going through bankruptcy following its own failed mission from the U.K. in January. And United Launch Alliance (ULA) is reportedly, as of this article\u2019s writing, up for sale, and has sold out the final launches of its Atlas V heavy-lift vehicle, while the next-generation Vulcan waits in the wings. <\/p>\n<p><script>var AIAD_fcd45f981d570e35cee941b23edc69c7_6a696499c8023;googletag.cmd.push(function(){var AIMAP_29b58f13885ebf8ea6b032f958eb0748 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([992, 100], [[970, 90], [970, 250]]).addSize([768, 100], [728, 90]).addSize([320, 100], [320, 50]).build();var AIMAP_737ce075cc05dd766c8f8ea08f3faa73 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([768, 100], [728, 90]).addSize([320, 100], [320, 50]).build();var AIMAP_21fe3bcfb86a8660aba4e721ee9338f3 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([1200, 100], [970, 250]).addSize([768, 100], [600, 300]).addSize([320, 100], [300, 250]).build();AIAD_fcd45f981d570e35cee941b23edc69c7_6a696499c8023 = googletag.defineSlot('\/987\/satellitetoday.com\/via-satellite-digital-issue-ads', [ [600, 300], [300, 250], [970, 250] ], 'div-gpt-ad-1774631144891- 0-6a696499c8024').defineSizeMapping(AIMAP_21fe3bcfb86a8660aba4e721ee9338f3).setCollapseEmptyDiv(true).addService(googletag.pubads());   });<\/script><script>googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1774631144891- 0-6a696499c8024'); });<\/script><\/p>\n<p>All the while, multiple companies that based their business models on small-launch vehicles half a decade ago have pivoted to building medium- to heavy-lift rockets instead, delaying their entry into the market. <\/p>\n<p>The result is an environment that leaves launch customers in a tricky bind, wary of taking risk on a new rocket that is unproven or has already failed. That leaves only a handful of options, with SpaceX firmly in the most dominant position, and other options from Rocket Lab, Northrop Grumman, and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).<\/p>\n<h3>No More Russian Rockets<\/h3>\n<p>The international space sector was among many affected by Russia\u2019s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Moscow\u2019s space agency Roscosmos announced it would cease the sale of its RD-180 rocket engines to the United States as a retaliation against economic sanctions imposed by Western governments. Meanwhile, companies including OneWeb canceled all future launches aboard Soyuz rockets. All in all, about 15 percent of the global launch capacity went offline overnight after February 2022, observers note.<\/p>\n<p>While no one predicted Europe\u2019s largest ground war since World War II would emerge last year, stakeholders were already preparing for reduced partnerships with Russia. For ULA CEO Tory Bruno, it was clear that the relationship between Moscow and Washington D.C., alongside its allies, has been \u201con a downward trend for some time.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>The Atlas V rocket, which uses RD-180 engines, sold its final launches back in 2021; the last 19 are scheduled between July 2023 and 2029, and missions include Amazon\u2019s Project Kuiper and the U.S. Space Force\u2019s National Security Space Launch (NSSL) effort. The NSSL initiative is directly tied to a desire to end the U.S. government\u2019s reliance on Russian-made propulsion systems for military space launches, Bruno notes. In 2014, Congress directed the Air Force to seek alternatives to Atlas V after Russia\u2019s invasion of Crimea that same year. <\/p>\n<p>When U.K. spacecraft builder In-Space Missions was founded in 2015, the idea was to take advantage of low-cost Russian launch capabilities, says CEO Doug Liddle. But by 2018, that was already \u201coff the cards,\u201d as many of In-Space\u2019s customers came from the defense world and weren\u2019t comfortable with the idea of using rockets from Moscow.<\/p>\n<p>The company has suffered some setbacks with two launch failures in recent years. In-Space Missions co-designed and built the Prometheus-2 cubesats alongside the U.K.\u2019s Dstl Office and Airbus, which were lost in the Virgin Orbit LauncherOne failure in January. Before that, a failed 2020 Rocket Lab Electron launch saw its demonstration Faraday-1 satellite fall into the ocean.<\/p>\n<p>While In-Space is currently on SpaceX\u2019s Falcon 9 manifest, Liddle says he is \u201ckeenly aware\u201d of how challenging it is to get on an affordable launch before summer 2025. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re investigating some of the newer, smaller launch options,\u201d he says. \u201cThey\u2019re not as affordable, but they are sooner. You can make an argument on your business case, in some instances that actually, the higher price, but getting something up a year earlier, is the smarter decision to make.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><script>var AIAD_fcd45f981d570e35cee941b23edc69c7_6a696499c848f;googletag.cmd.push(function(){var AIMAP_29b58f13885ebf8ea6b032f958eb0748 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([992, 100], [[970, 90], [970, 250]]).addSize([768, 100], [728, 90]).addSize([320, 100], [320, 50]).build();var AIMAP_737ce075cc05dd766c8f8ea08f3faa73 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([768, 100], [728, 90]).addSize([320, 100], [320, 50]).build();var AIMAP_21fe3bcfb86a8660aba4e721ee9338f3 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([1200, 100], [970, 250]).addSize([768, 100], [600, 300]).addSize([320, 100], [300, 250]).build();AIAD_fcd45f981d570e35cee941b23edc69c7_6a696499c848f = googletag.defineSlot('\/987\/satellitetoday.com\/via-satellite-digital-issue-ads', [ [600, 300], [300, 250], [970, 250] ], 'div-gpt-ad-1774631144891- 0-6a696499c8490').defineSizeMapping(AIMAP_21fe3bcfb86a8660aba4e721ee9338f3).setCollapseEmptyDiv(true).addService(googletag.pubads());   });<\/script><script>googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1774631144891- 0-6a696499c8490'); });<\/script><\/p>\n<h3>The Bottleneck Bind<\/h3>\n<p>Access to space has always been limited by launch supply, points out Paul Lionnet, research and managing director at the Paris-based trade association Eurospace.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLaunchers have always been rather rare, because they are expensive to develop, they\u2019re expensive to build, they\u2019re expensive to operate, and they\u2019re dangerous,\u201d he tells Via Satellite. <\/p>\n<p>The industry has seen launch capacity slumps before, he notes. After the Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy in 2003 that killed all seven astronauts on board, flight operations for the shuttle were suspended for two years. At the same time, Ariane 5 was struggling to launch successfully after years of engine test failures. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt one given moment in time, the two biggest launchers were out of the market for almost two years,\u201d says Lionnet. \u201cThis is where we had, for the first time since the Cold War, a slump in the launch activity worldwide.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The current bottleneck in the market is putting launch customers in a bind. After the slew of launch failures in recent months, satellite builders and providers may be more wary of signing onto a manifest for a brand-new rocket. <\/p>\n<p>It can be difficult for potential customers to perform due diligence on a newer, or smaller, launch provider, Liddle notes. \u201cIf I was buying a component for my spacecraft, I would spend time with the manufacturer, I\u2019d look under the hood,\u201d he says. \u201cWe would have design reviews where they would share detailed schematics. When you\u2019re buying a small launch, you don\u2019t get that same level of visibility.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>With a company like SpaceX, whose Falcon 9 rocket achieved the highest number of launches for a single rocket type in a calendar year with 60 launches in 2022, \u201cyou know what you\u2019re getting,\u201d Liddle continues. <\/p>\n<h3>Where Did the Microlaunchers Go? <\/h3>\n<p>Less than five years ago, investors were pouring cash into small-launch upstarts, and companies espoused the business value of the coming megaconstellations, believing the small rocket size and lower cost would mean thousands and thousands of launches for dozens of prospective microlaunch providers.<\/p>\n<p>Companies like Relativity Space and Firefly Aerospace began developing smaller rockets that could carry less than 1,200 kg into LEO, arguing that this would be the most cost-effective way to launch these millions of small satellites into space, and replenish them when needed. <\/p>\n<p><script>var AIAD_fcd45f981d570e35cee941b23edc69c7_6a696499c88d5;googletag.cmd.push(function(){var AIMAP_29b58f13885ebf8ea6b032f958eb0748 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([992, 100], [[970, 90], [970, 250]]).addSize([768, 100], [728, 90]).addSize([320, 100], [320, 50]).build();var AIMAP_737ce075cc05dd766c8f8ea08f3faa73 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([768, 100], [728, 90]).addSize([320, 100], [320, 50]).build();var AIMAP_21fe3bcfb86a8660aba4e721ee9338f3 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([1200, 100], [970, 250]).addSize([768, 100], [600, 300]).addSize([320, 100], [300, 250]).build();AIAD_fcd45f981d570e35cee941b23edc69c7_6a696499c88d5 = googletag.defineSlot('\/987\/satellitetoday.com\/via-satellite-digital-issue-ads', [ [600, 300], [300, 250], [970, 250] ], 'div-gpt-ad-1774631144891- 0-6a696499c88d6').defineSizeMapping(AIMAP_21fe3bcfb86a8660aba4e721ee9338f3).setCollapseEmptyDiv(true).addService(googletag.pubads());   });<\/script><script>googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1774631144891- 0-6a696499c88d6'); });<\/script><\/p>\n<p>Now, it has become clear that heavy-class launch vehicles remain the system of choice in the market. In-Space Missions\u2019 Liddle notes: \u201cIf you\u2019re trying to ship freight across the Atlantic, you don\u2019t use small boats. It\u2019s exactly the same here.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>While Firefly Aerospace is ramping up production on its small launcher Alpha, the Texas-based company is also co-developing a new medium launch vehicle alongside Northrop Grumman, due to enter the market in 2025 in support of commercial and government missions. <\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Relativity Space earlier this year announced plans to shift away from its Terran-1 micro-launcher program, which was due to enter the launch market this year, toward Terran-R, a rocket capable of carrying between 12,500 and 40,000 kg to space and slated to debut in 2026. <\/p>\n<p>The company first focused on Terran-1 because that was the size of vehicle its potential customers expressed interest in, says Josh Brost, Relativity Space\u2019s senior vice president of revenue operations. Now, the market demand is clearly pointing toward a need for a heavier rocket, he adds.<\/p>\n<p>Relativity\u2019s work on the Terran-1 launcher ultimately served as a risk reduction study for Terran-R, he notes. \u201cIt allowed us to collect huge amounts of data, and demonstrate lots of different tools, and really increase customers\u2019 confidence that we have the team that can pull off that bigger system,\u201d he says. To date, Relativity has signed $1.65 billion in binding contracts for Terran-R once it enters the market in 2026, and is backed by more than $1.3 billion raised from U.S. investors, per Brost.<\/p>\n<p>He claims the delayed entry to market actually works out in Relativity\u2019s favor, as he says the vast majority of launch capacity through 2025 is already accounted for. <\/p>\n<p>For some stakeholders, the business case for small launchers to support megaconstellations never quite added up. A proliferated LEO constellation provider would spend years establishing its initial constellation if they were only launched one by one on micro launchers, notes ULA\u2019s Bruno. The needs of SpaceX and OneWeb require a rapid deployment process, meaning dozens launched at a time, for an inexpensive launch cost. <\/p>\n<p>There is a market for small launchers to send up small research-and-development missions or to replace individual satellites, but it remains a relatively inefficient business plan compared to a heavy-class rocket, says Lionnet. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere are a lot of things that don\u2019t scale down: the operations room, the communication systems, the separation system,\u201d he tells Via Satellite. \u201cA small launch has always been less reliable, more complex, and more expensive than a medium or heavy launch.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><script>var AIAD_fcd45f981d570e35cee941b23edc69c7_6a696499c8d5b;googletag.cmd.push(function(){var AIMAP_29b58f13885ebf8ea6b032f958eb0748 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([992, 100], [[970, 90], [970, 250]]).addSize([768, 100], [728, 90]).addSize([320, 100], [320, 50]).build();var AIMAP_737ce075cc05dd766c8f8ea08f3faa73 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([768, 100], [728, 90]).addSize([320, 100], [320, 50]).build();var AIMAP_21fe3bcfb86a8660aba4e721ee9338f3 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([1200, 100], [970, 250]).addSize([768, 100], [600, 300]).addSize([320, 100], [300, 250]).build();AIAD_fcd45f981d570e35cee941b23edc69c7_6a696499c8d5b = googletag.defineSlot('\/987\/satellitetoday.com\/via-satellite-digital-issue-ads', [ [600, 300], [300, 250], [970, 250] ], 'div-gpt-ad-1774631144891- 0-6a696499c8d5c').defineSizeMapping(AIMAP_21fe3bcfb86a8660aba4e721ee9338f3).setCollapseEmptyDiv(true).addService(googletag.pubads());   });<\/script><script>googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1774631144891- 0-6a696499c8d5c'); });<\/script><\/p>\n<h3>How Can Launch Companies be Profitable? <\/h3>\n<p>The launch business by itself has never been a profitable one, notes Lionnet, who has studied the economics of the space industry for three decades. The upfront costs to develop a reliable spacecraft are significant, and even the most robust launcher from a reputable company can suffer failures and setbacks, as was the case with Arianespace\u2019s Vega C. <\/p>\n<p>Many of the newer launch providers are being supported by venture capitalists and other external investments as they develop their systems. But as interest rates have skyrocketed globally, cash is becoming more scarce, potentially leading to more bankruptcies in the future.<\/p>\n<p>To avoid that outcome, some companies are diversifying their portfolios to better cushion the launch business. Rocket Lab, for example, now has a robust Space Systems business building components and spacecraft that in recent quarters has brought in more revenue than the launch business. <\/p>\n<p>Firefly Aerospace is pitching itself as not only a launch provider, but more as an \u201cend-to-end space transportation business,\u201d as it continues to produce Alpha small launchers, and hones the new medium-lift launcher alongside its Blue Ghost lunar lander and Space Utility Vehicle products.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLooking ahead, Firefly\u2019s evolving line of launch vehicles and spacecraft will provide more access to space and support more advanced missions over the next five to 10 years,\u201d says Bill Weber, Firefly CEO. \u201cThis includes responsive launch, de-orbit, and reentry services in LEO; in-space mobility, logistics, and payload hosting in GEO [Geostationary Orbit]; lunar deliveries and orbital services in cislunar space along with Moon sample returns to Earth; and transport services to nearby planets such as Mars and Venus.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>From Bottleneck to Oversupply?<\/h3>\n<p>Observers note that the current crunch in the launch market could dissipate in just a few years. By 2026, numerous new rockets are supposed to be ready for lift-off, including Relativity Space\u2019s Terran-R, SpaceX\u2019s Starship, Blue Origin\u2019s New Glenn, ULA\u2019s Vulcan, and Arianespace\u2019s Ariane 6, as well as small launchers from Isar Aerospace and ABL Space Systems, and others. Meanwhile, the European Space Agency (ESA) is also developing new reusable rocket concepts via its Prometheus rocket engine program.<\/p>\n<p>An April 2023 report from consulting group McKinsey on the launch market report lays out three prospective scenarios for launch demand through 2030, with the highest demand case forecasting more than 65,000 new satellites in orbit by the end of the decade. This includes not only small satellites filling up proliferated LEO constellations currently in place, but also heavier systems in other orbits. <\/p>\n<p>The low-case scenario for launch demand assumes 18,000 satellites with a mass of 54 kilograms would be in orbit by 2030; its base case scenario forecasts 27,000 active systems, with 4,000 to 5,000 satellites being launched per year. The base case also assumes that SpaceX\u2019s forthcoming Starship super heavy-class launcher achieves its desired daily launch rates by 2030, and that other rockets currently in development all successfully enter the launch market.<\/p>\n<p>Lionnet warns that this future plethora of launch systems could lead to oversupply, if the prospective notion of thousands and thousands of new small satellites doesn\u2019t end up transpiring. Space tech observers have long been wary of the current megaconstellation wave ending up like the 1990s-era space-telecom bust. In that era, companies planned over two dozen proliferated LEO systems; only two \u2013 from Iridium and Globalstar \u2013 actually made it off the ground and into orbit.<\/p>\n<p><script>var AIAD_fcd45f981d570e35cee941b23edc69c7_6a696499c91a4;googletag.cmd.push(function(){var AIMAP_29b58f13885ebf8ea6b032f958eb0748 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([992, 100], [[970, 90], [970, 250]]).addSize([768, 100], [728, 90]).addSize([320, 100], [320, 50]).build();var AIMAP_737ce075cc05dd766c8f8ea08f3faa73 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([768, 100], [728, 90]).addSize([320, 100], [320, 50]).build();var AIMAP_21fe3bcfb86a8660aba4e721ee9338f3 = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([1200, 100], [970, 250]).addSize([768, 100], [600, 300]).addSize([320, 100], [300, 250]).build();AIAD_fcd45f981d570e35cee941b23edc69c7_6a696499c91a4 = googletag.defineSlot('\/987\/satellitetoday.com\/via-satellite-digital-issue-ads', [ [600, 300], [300, 250], [970, 250] ], 'div-gpt-ad-1774631144891- 0-6a696499c91a5').defineSizeMapping(AIMAP_21fe3bcfb86a8660aba4e721ee9338f3).setCollapseEmptyDiv(true).addService(googletag.pubads());   });<\/script><script>googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1774631144891- 0-6a696499c91a5'); });<\/script><\/p>\n<p>Starlink\u2019s success thus far is due to one major factor, Lionnet notes: \u201cSpaceX had the cash and capability to roll out the constellation, and they did it fantastically well.\u201d But should other companies\u2019 megaconstellation dreams not materialize, the rocket suppliers who are too slow to market, or can\u2019t bring their launch costs down enough, may miss out on the next decade\u2019s capacity.<\/p>\n<p>Launch customers say that all they\u2019re looking for are a handful of dependable, flight-proven systems, where due diligence can be performed prior to purchasing services.<\/p>\n<p>In the meantime, \u201cthere is an element of the Wild West in how the offerings are being developed and sold,\u201d says Liddle.<strong class=\"Annotation -strong\"> VS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em class=\"Annotation -emphasis\">Vivienne Machi is an award-winning reporter based in Stuttgart, Germany<\/em><\/p>\n<p>,<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"widget-title\">In This Issue<\/h2>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<!-- post id 405031:  \/code\/wp-content\/themes\/ai-beehive\/template-parts\/content\/post-snippet.php --><\/p>\n<figure class=\"overflow-hidden w-100 me-3\">\n<p>\t<img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"300\" height=\"167\" src=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/QczScu3ZQjCMOevY2hrV_ED_Note-300x167.jpg\" class=\"img-responsive wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" style=\"\" decoding=\"async\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/QczScu3ZQjCMOevY2hrV_ED_Note-300x167.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/QczScu3ZQjCMOevY2hrV_ED_Note-800x446.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/QczScu3ZQjCMOevY2hrV_ED_Note-640x357.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/QczScu3ZQjCMOevY2hrV_ED_Note.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\">\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"fs-4 w-100 line-clamp-3\">\n<p>\t\t\t\tAddressing the Bottleneck in the Launch Market<br \/>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<p><!-- .post-snippet --><\/p>\n<hr class=\"my-3 d-block d-md-none\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- post id 405017:  \/code\/wp-content\/themes\/ai-beehive\/template-parts\/content\/post-snippet.php --><\/p>\n<figure class=\"overflow-hidden w-100 me-3\">\n<p>\t<img width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/jlePF7jzSxu8Q4PX8c0O_VS_060123_DGTL_Broadband-300x225.jpg\" class=\"img-responsive wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" style=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/jlePF7jzSxu8Q4PX8c0O_VS_060123_DGTL_Broadband-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/jlePF7jzSxu8Q4PX8c0O_VS_060123_DGTL_Broadband-800x599.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/jlePF7jzSxu8Q4PX8c0O_VS_060123_DGTL_Broadband-640x480.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/jlePF7jzSxu8Q4PX8c0O_VS_060123_DGTL_Broadband.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\">\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"fs-4 w-100 line-clamp-3\">\n<p>\t\t\t\tCan the Satellite Industry Woo Federal Regulators to Win Broadband Funding?<br \/>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<p><!-- .post-snippet --><\/p>\n<hr class=\"my-3\">\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<!-- post id 405021:  \/code\/wp-content\/themes\/ai-beehive\/template-parts\/content\/post-snippet.php --><\/p>\n<figure class=\"overflow-hidden w-100 me-3\">\n<p>\t<img width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/zNxcPXsXRdKnw3xpEfjn_VS_060123_DGTL_Hyperspectral-300x225.jpg\" class=\"img-responsive wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" style=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/zNxcPXsXRdKnw3xpEfjn_VS_060123_DGTL_Hyperspectral-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/zNxcPXsXRdKnw3xpEfjn_VS_060123_DGTL_Hyperspectral-800x599.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/zNxcPXsXRdKnw3xpEfjn_VS_060123_DGTL_Hyperspectral-640x480.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/zNxcPXsXRdKnw3xpEfjn_VS_060123_DGTL_Hyperspectral.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\">\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"fs-4 w-100 line-clamp-3\">\n<p>\t\t\t\tHyperspectral Imaging Attracts a Host of Space Startups<br \/>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<p><!-- .post-snippet --><\/p>\n<hr class=\"my-3 d-block d-md-none\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- post id 405024:  \/code\/wp-content\/themes\/ai-beehive\/template-parts\/content\/post-snippet.php --><\/p>\n<figure class=\"overflow-hidden w-100 me-3\">\n<p>\t<img width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/TYZIvLoFQRmgJYCQ1SAd_jheT2hHSRi61jxYDXQEu_VS_030122_DGTL_6-300x225.jpg\" class=\"img-responsive wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" style=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/TYZIvLoFQRmgJYCQ1SAd_jheT2hHSRi61jxYDXQEu_VS_030122_DGTL_6-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/TYZIvLoFQRmgJYCQ1SAd_jheT2hHSRi61jxYDXQEu_VS_030122_DGTL_6-800x599.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/TYZIvLoFQRmgJYCQ1SAd_jheT2hHSRi61jxYDXQEu_VS_030122_DGTL_6-640x480.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/TYZIvLoFQRmgJYCQ1SAd_jheT2hHSRi61jxYDXQEu_VS_030122_DGTL_6.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\">\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"fs-4 w-100 line-clamp-3\">\n<p>\t\t\t\tSpace Investment in 2023: Better Than Expected?<br \/>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<p><!-- .post-snippet --><\/p>\n<hr class=\"my-3\">\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<!-- post id 405028:  \/code\/wp-content\/themes\/ai-beehive\/template-parts\/content\/post-snippet.php --><\/p>\n<figure class=\"overflow-hidden w-100 me-3\">\n<p>\t<img width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/RQVOAW5gQiCCee0nqc1l_iss068e026591_large-300x200.jpg\" class=\"img-responsive wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" style=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/RQVOAW5gQiCCee0nqc1l_iss068e026591_large-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/RQVOAW5gQiCCee0nqc1l_iss068e026591_large-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/RQVOAW5gQiCCee0nqc1l_iss068e026591_large-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.satellitetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/RQVOAW5gQiCCee0nqc1l_iss068e026591_large.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\">\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"fs-4 w-100 line-clamp-3\">\n<p>\t\t\t\tWill Arab Countries Become the New Space-Tech Powerhouse?<br \/>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<p><!-- .post-snippet --><\/p>\n<hr class=\"my-3 d-block d-md-none\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The past few years has seen an upsurge in activity in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO), led by megaconstellations of broadband satellites from SpaceX\u2019s Starlink and OneWeb, followed by flocks of Earth observation, IoT, and military satellites. Within the next decade, Amazon\u2019s Project Kuiper and Telesat\u2019s Lightspeed constellations will send even more smallsats into that orbit. Meanwhile, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":53406,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-53405","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53405"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=53405"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53405\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/53406"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=53405"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=53405"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=53405"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}