Page 54 - SAMENA Trends - September 2021

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Satellite Operators See Acquisition Opportunities

Companies that operate both geostationary some intellectual property that we found regional satellite operators to expand the
satellites and low Earth orbit constellations interesting and a fantastic team that we company’s geographical footprint. “To be
say they see opportunities to acquire can leverage,” he said. “It felt like the right honest, this is a good time to acquire,”
complementary firms but cautioned that opportunity.” Johnsen left the door open he said. “There are good deals out there
a long-projected consolidation of the to additional deals. “We obviously haven’t in GEO.” That doesn’t mean, though, that
industry isn’t likely in the near future. In been very acquisitive in the past,” he said. a consolidation of satellite operators is
a panel discussion at the Satellite 2021 “If there was something that met the imminent. “This is the conference where,
conference here Sept. 7, Bret Johnsen, right requirements, I think it’s something every year, people ask if this is the year
chief financial officer of SpaceX, discussed we would look at.” Neil Masterton, chief consolidation will happen,” said Matt
his company’s quiet acquisition of Swarm executive of OneWeb, said his company is Desch, chief executive of Iridium. “It still
Technologies, a company operating a focused on small, targeted deals, citing as hasn’t, for the most part. But ultimately,
constellation of smallsats providing an example the company’s acquisition in some will have to.” “I’m not sure where
internet-of-things services. Neither May of TrustComm, a managed satellite we are as an industry,” he added. “Right
company announced the deal, which communications provider, giving OneWeb now we’re in a very choppy environment.
was disclosed only when Swarm filed a access to the U.S. government market. There’s a lot of companies not doing all
request with the Federal Communications “These are capability fillers which help us on that well.” Desch said Iridium is open to
Commission in August to transfer its our organic build out,” he said. “We will look considering acquisitions, but doesn’t feel
licenses to SpaceX. That deal is still going at other, very small ‘tuck-ins’ that basically pressured to do so given its strong cash
through a regulatory review known as enable us to build out our capabilities flow. “I don’t think there will be suddenly
Hart-Scott-Rodino, he said, and he did to serve our customers.” Among GEO a flood of mergers,” he concluded. “Unless
not disclose the terms of the acquisition. satellite companies, Hadi Alhassani, vice everything falls apart, and then maybe
The reasons he offered for the deal are president and chief strategy officer of people will grab things quickly. But I think
similar to what Swarm disclosed in its FCC Arabsat, said his company is evaluating that’s still some time away.”
filing. “We identified a company that had a couple potential acquisitions of other

TurkSat, UK's Inmarsat Sign Partnership Deal on Communications Satellite

Ka-band is the first and only high-speed
mobile broadband network to seamlessly
span the world, according to Inmarsat.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Demirel
said the agreement would be good global
cooperation, noting that Turkstat will
have the opportunity to create a joint
global capacity with Inmarsat. Dickinson
also said the company wants to improve
its relations with Turkstat, stressing the
importance of Turkstat’s capacity to
meet the needs of users in Turkey and
the region. "This is a really important step
for Inmarsat to expand its Global Xpress
Ka-band network," he said. With the
announcement of Turkey’s national space
program this February, the implementation
UK-based satellite communication Services deputy general manager, and of programs for the creation of satellites
company Inmarsat and Turkish satellite Inmarsat Vice President of Satellite for various purposes has accelerated. As of
operator TurkSat have signed a first Operations Mark Dickinson at Satellite this January, the number of active Turkish
partnership agreement for the Turksat 5B 2021, the world's largest satellite fair, satellites in Earth orbit had reached seven,
communications satellite, which is set held in Washington, DC. Under the deal, a number made possible thanks to the
to go skyward at the end of the year. The Inmarsat Global Xpress services will be successful launch of the fifth-generation
deal announced Thursday was signed carried in Turkey over the Turksat 5B telecommunications satellite Turksat 5A.
by Selman Demirel, Turksat Satellite satellite. Global Xpress operating in the

54 SEPTEMBER 2021