News Analysis

Iridium Reports financial 3Q 2021 Results and Updates its 2021 outlook

MCLEAN, Va. – October 19, 2021 – Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: IRDM)  today reported financial results for the third quarter of 2021 and updated its full-year 2021 outlook. Net loss was US$ 2.1 million, or $0.02 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2021, as compared to net loss of US$ 4.0 million, or $0.03 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2020.

Comtech Announces US$ 100 Million Strategic Growth Investment

Melville, NY, October 18, 2021-- Comtech Telecommunications Corp. (NASDAQ: CMTL), a leading global provider of next-generation 911 emergency systems and secure wireless communications technologies, today announced a US$100 million investment by current shareholder White Hat Capital Partners LP, an investment firm focused on sustainable value creation in technology companies serving mission-critical applications, and Magnetar Capital, a leading alternative investment manager with approximately US$ 13.8 billion of assets under management.

Rocket Lab Acquires Space Software Company Advanced Solutions

Long Beach, Calif., October 12, 2021--Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB), a launch services and space systems company, today announced it has completed the acquisition of Advanced Solutions, Inc. (ASI), a Colorado-based aerospace engineering firm delivering mission proven space software, mission simulation and test systems, and Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) solutions, for US$ 40 million plus the potential for an additional US$ 5.5 million performance earnout based on CY 2021 results.

Clouds on the Ground

by Robert Bell

New York City, NY, October 11, 2021--Satellite operator SES recently announced that it was seeing strong uptake for its Cloud Playout service, as customers embraced it for management and playout of linear TV channels over satellite.  Creating the service was a shrewd move for a satellite operator that generates 60% of total sales from its video business.  After initial resistance, US and European broadcasters have been shifting media management and playout to the cloud to take advantage of its robust content management and scheduling applications and the scalability of the cloud.  In its press release, SES cited an Ethiopian broadcaster, which suggested that the customer uniquely trusted SES to successfully guide its entry into cloud processing. 

The Satellite Industry in Transition

by Elisabeth Tweedie

Los Angeles, Calif., October 10, 2021--As we are all aware the satellite industry is in a state of flux, maybe a state of transition.  The low earth orbit (LEO) constellations have been grabbing headlines for several years now, and many of us, have pointed to the lessons of the 1990s and predicted that few, if any of them would last long enough to become viable businesses.  And that still may be the case.  

Eutelsat Raises Stake in OneWeb to Become its Second Largest Shareholder

Paris, France, October 6, 2021–Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) has exercised a call option on a portion of the latest OneWeb funding round subscribed by Bharti, for a consideration of $165 million, taking its shareholding from 17.6% to 22.9%, making it the second largest shareholder in OneWeb.

Maury Microwave Aquires dBmCorp

Ontario, Calif., Oct. 5, 2021--Maury Microwave, Inc., an RF calibration, measurement, and modeling solutions backed by Artemis Capital Partners announced today that it has completed the acquisition of dBmCorp, Inc..

OneWeb Completes TrustComm Acquistion, Creating OneWeb Technologies

London, U.K., September 22, 2021--OneWeb, the low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications company, announced today that it has completed its acquisition of Texas-based TrustComm Inc., a provider of managed satellite communications and professional services to commercial and governments organizations. OneWeb announced the planned acquisition of TrustComm in May 2021 and received all necessary regulatory approvals enabling the transaction to close.

Seraphim Space Acquires Arqit Quantum

London, UK, September 21, 2021--Seraphim Space Investment Trust plc (LSE: SSIT) announced the acquisition of the holding of Arqit Quantum Inc. from the Seraphim Space LP (Seraphim Space Fund) . As set out in the IPO prospectus, Seraphim Space will acquire four assets from the Seraphim Space Fund for newly issued ordinary shares in the Company. This acquisition represents the second of those transactions to complete.