As it competes for inflight Wi-Fi business, Viasat is spending more than $2 billion to add capacity. https://t.co/VWtxzF23VC ...

Core Insights - SpaceX's Starlink is rapidly transforming the in-flight Wi-Fi sector, with major airlines like Alaska Airlines and Virgin Atlantic adopting its satellite internet services [2] - The Middle East is becoming a strategic focus for SpaceX, with ongoing negotiations with Emirates Airlines, which operates the largest Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 fleets [2][3] - Starlink's low Earth orbit satellite network offers seamless global internet access with latency of 20-40 milliseconds, significantly better than traditional satellite systems [2][6] Company Overview - SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk in June 2002, is a leading player in the aerospace industry, focusing on rocket launches, low Earth orbit communications, and deep space transport [3] - Starlink aims to provide high-speed, low-latency internet access globally, particularly in remote areas, and is also targeting the aviation and maritime sectors [6][8] - Starlink has established a significant presence, covering 57 countries and serving over 2 million users, positioning itself as a dominant player in the satellite internet market [6] Competitive Landscape - The satellite internet market is highly competitive, with players like OneWeb and Amazon's Project Kuiper also aiming to deploy low Earth orbit satellites for global internet services [6][8] - Starlink's first-mover advantage and scale have allowed it to maintain a leading position despite increasing competition [6] Industry Trends - The development of satellite internet is seen as a crucial next phase in internet evolution, driven by growing demands for communication capacity and coverage [8][9] - In China, low Earth orbit satellite internet construction is accelerating, with initial commercial applications expected to target industries like maritime shipping [9]

Core Viewpoint - The article outlines significant events in the commercial space sector in both China and the United States since 2025, highlighting advancements, launch plans, and collaborations in the industry [4]. Group 1: China's Commercial Space Milestones - On January 25, 2025, the second phase of the Hainan commercial space launch site began construction, with plans for new liquid rocket launch pads capable of at least 32 launches per year per pad [5]. - The first successful mission from the Hainan launch site occurred on March 12, 2025, marking the operational status of China's first commercial space launch site [5]. - The fifth batch of satellites for the Qianfan constellation was launched on March 12, 2025, deploying 18 satellites in a single launch [5]. - The "Hainan Free Trade Port Satellite Constellation" project was officially launched on April 24, 2025, with a completion target within three years [5]. - On May 14, 2025, the world's first space computing constellation was launched, with 12 satellites sent into orbit by the Long March 2D rocket [5]. - The first batch of low Earth orbit satellites for the "Hainan Free Trade Port" was successfully launched on July 30 and August 4, 2025 [6]. - By October 2025, the Jili constellation is expected to have 64 satellites in orbit, forming a global satellite IoT communication network [7]. Group 2: United States Commercial Space Milestones - On February 5, 2025, Maxar Intelligence launched two Earth observation satellites, marking the deployment of the first batch of the "WorldView Legion" satellite constellation [9]. - Firefly's "Blue Ghost" lunar lander successfully soft-landed on March 2, 2025, making it the first commercial company to achieve a complete lunar landing [9]. - NASA awarded contracts worth $278.5 million to six companies, including SpaceX and Viasat, on April 21, 2025, to develop near-Earth orbit satellite communication services [9]. - On July 17, 2025, the U.S. Space Force released principles for resource allocation, indicating a shift towards opening government resources to the commercial sector [10]. - Firefly Aerospace went public on August 7, 2025, with a valuation exceeding $7 billion [10].

Company Overview - Viasat is a global communications and defense technology company operating in two segments: Communication Services and Defense and Advanced Technologies (DAT) [1] - The Communications Services segment includes fixed broadband, government, maritime, and inflight communications, while the DAT segment focuses on defense-technology platforms for information security, cyber defense, and tactical networking [1] Activist Involvement - Carronade Capital Management LP, an activist investment firm, owns 2.60% of Viasat and has called for the separation of the DAT business through a spin-off or IPO [2][3] Financial Performance - Viasat's revenue breakdown shows Communications contributing 73% of revenue and 80% of EBITDA, while DAT accounts for 27% of revenue and 20% of EBITDA [4] - The Communications segment is experiencing a decline in broadband revenue, down over 27% year over year, but other areas like Government and Inflight Communications (IFC) are growing at approximately 25% and 22% respectively [5] - Viasat's share price has significantly underperformed, down 21.12%, 51.56%, and 57.98% over the past 1, 3, and 5 years [4] Market Perception and Misunderstanding - Carronade argues that Viasat is misunderstood by the market, perceived as a small-cap legacy satellite company overshadowed by competitors like Starlink [5] - The DAT business is highlighted as a hidden gem with best-in-class EBITDA margins of 28% and significant growth potential in next-generation defense technologies [6][7] Valuation Analysis - Carronade estimates the DAT business could be valued between $6.3 billion to $16.2 billion based on a 20-times to 51-times EBITDA multiple, while the entire company has an enterprise value of approximately $8 billion [8] - The Communications segment is valued at $4.9 billion, with an additional $1 billion from a legal settlement, leading to a total valuation range for Viasat of $48.93 to $112.49 per share, representing a potential return of 76% to 304% [8] Strategic Direction - Carronade's proposal to spin-off or IPO the DAT business aims to unlock intrinsic value and mitigate negative market sentiment surrounding the satellite business [8] - Viasat management has indicated consideration of selling parts of the DAT business, suggesting alignment with Carronade's value proposition [9]

Well, joining me now for more is Andrew Shannon. He runs Procure Space ETF, ticker UFO. It's one of the largest funds dedicated to the space economy.It was the first one out into the marketplace. And of course, you're also the CEO and co-founder of Procure AM. It's great to have you here. >> Great to be back.>> What are your thoughts on this Firefly IPO today that we got. It was 25 times overs subscribed. And Firefly just sort of dovetales into what we've already seen from some of the other what I would cal ...

Core Insights - Gogo has received FAA approval for its Plane Simple® Ka-band tail mount terminal for Gulfstream GV and G550 aircraft, marking a significant milestone in the rollout of the Plane Simple antenna series [1] - The terminal enhances connectivity by optimizing the SD Modem Unit integrated with the SD Gateway Router, providing high-speed broadband to devices [1] - Gogo's offering is designed to be compatible with Viasat's next-generation GX satellites, which will improve data transmission capabilities and support advanced connectivity features [2][3] Company Developments - The STC for Gulfstream GV and G550 adds to existing approvals for Gulfstream G650 and G650ER, with ongoing work for Gulfstream G500 and G600 models expected to be completed later this year [1] - Gogo's CEO highlighted that the new STC provides operators with increased speed, data, and service plan flexibility, aligning with a multi-orbit, multi-band strategy for global connectivity [3] - Gogo's connectivity service plans cater to both in-production and legacy aircraft under the Gulfstream Connectivity Service program [3] Industry Position - Gogo is positioned as a unique multi-orbit, multi-band in-flight connectivity provider, offering tailored solutions for business and military/government aviation [4] - The company integrates Air-to-Ground technology with high-speed satellite networks to ensure consistent global connectivity, supported by a dedicated customer support team [5] - Gogo aims to set new standards in reliability, security, and innovation within the aviation connectivity sector [5]

Milestones - The Long March 8 rocket successfully launched 18 satellites into orbit from China's first commercial spaceport, marking the operational use of the launch site and validating its dual-launch capability [1][3] - The Qianfan constellation, operated by Shanghai Yuanxin Satellite Technology Co., is China's first large-scale low-Earth orbit commercial satellite network, designed for broadband communication and internet access [3] Company Developments - Intuitive Machines' IM-2 lunar lander mission ended prematurely after the lander tipped over, but it completed some scientific tasks before battery depletion, providing valuable experience for future lunar exploration [4][5][6] - Apex Space's first satellite, Aries SN1, has been operational for a year and has been utilized by defense agencies for sensitive payloads [7][8] - Isar Aerospace secured its first Asian customer, ElevationSpace, for its Spectrum rocket, which is set to launch a 200 kg spacecraft in 2026 [9][10] - Maxar Space Systems announced a mysterious commercial GEO satellite order from an undisclosed client, indicating ongoing interest in the GEO market despite a shift towards LEO [11][12] - Thales Alenia Space won an order from SKY Perfect JSAT for the JSAT-31 satellite, which features a fully software-defined design [13][14][15] - NASA praised the success of the Blue Ghost 1 mission as evidence of the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program's effectiveness [16] - Firefly Aerospace's upcoming INCUS mission will deploy three small satellites to study cloud convection, scheduled for launch in 2026 [17][18] - Argotec introduced a modular satellite platform, Hawk Plus, designed for flexible mission requirements [19][20] - Viasat and Space42 signed a memorandum to jointly develop a direct-to-device satellite prototype, aiming to enhance global connectivity [21][22][23] - SES announced a strategic partnership with Lynk Global to enter the direct-to-device market, supporting satellite constellation development [24][25] - Rocket Lab plans to acquire Mynaric to strengthen its position in space communications, with an initial purchase price of $75 million [26][27] - Relativity Space appointed Eric Schmidt as CEO to accelerate the development of the Terran R rocket, which has a backlog of $2.9 billion in orders [28][29][30] - Swissto12 is set to build small GEO satellites focused on the Asian market, utilizing patented 3D printing technology [31][32] - Star Catcher Industries received funding from Space Florida to test its satellite power transmission technology [33][34][35] - Danti is expanding its AI-driven Earth data search engine to a broader government market, integrating various data sources for real-time insights [37][38] Financing Activities - Xingtiangong completed a D-round financing, focusing on the development of its reusable Hyperbola-3 rocket [40][41] - Deep Blue Aerospace raised nearly 500 million RMB for the development of its Nebula series reusable rockets [42][43][44] - SatixFy received £1.8 million from the UK Space Agency to develop advanced satellite reconfiguration software [45][46][47]