Four Low Earth Orbit Operators, Including Amazon, Form SpaceConnect Association

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Amazon, Iridium, Telesat, and Globalstar jointly announced on Wednesday the formation of the SpaceConnect Association, an industry group that will represent the interests of non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellite operators in areas such as policy and spectrum management.

David Redl, the association's executive director, said at a media roundtable on Tuesday that SpaceConnect will advocate for competitive choice, open markets, responsible space management, and global equity. Redl previously served as the head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Julie Kearney, who previously served as the first director of the Space Bureau at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will serve as the association's general counsel.

Redl noted that the four founding companies share common interests on issues such as Equivalent Power Flux Density (EPFD), and that existing industry associations, due to their consensus-based operating model, cannot form a unified position when members disagree. Therefore, these companies chose to jointly establish SpaceConnect to more effectively aggregate and express the specific voice of NGSO satellite operators.

All four members are also members of the Satellite Industry Association (SIA), the leading U.S. satellite industry trade group. Redl said that while SpaceConnect will collaborate with other satellite industry organizations on broader ecosystem issues, it will specifically represent the unique interests of NGSO satellites.

SpaceX, the largest low Earth orbit operator, has not joined the association. Redl said SpaceConnect "absolutely welcomes" dialogue with SpaceX, emphasizing that the scope of issues each focuses on differs. The association's focus will include EPFD—spectrum sharing between geostationary orbit (GEO) and NGSO systems—spectrum issues ahead of the 2027 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC), and the European Union Space Law. Redl described the EU Space Law as legislation aimed at promoting protectionism, and said SpaceConnect will work to break down such barriers to global open markets.

The association is open to low Earth orbit operators beyond communications applications, with Redl noting that issues such as open markets and orbital management are equally relevant to these operators.

This article is compiled by Wedoany. All AI citations must indicate the source as "Wedoany". If there is any infringement or other issues, please notify us promptly, and we will modify or delete it accordingly. Email: news@wedoany.com