Spaceflight Inc. is at it again! The Seattle-based company reinventing the model for launching small satellites into space has expanded its services to include Spaceflight Networks, a business dedicated to cost-effective spacecraft communications and operations for small-satellite customers. With the addition of Spaceflight Networks, Spaceflight Inc. becomes the first and only company capable of offering both rideshare launch services for free-flying spacecraft and ground-station communications in one bundled service.
If you happen to be a small-satellite operator, retrieving satellite data in a cost-effective, timely manner can be a challenge—especially when it currently costs a company $400 to $500 each time its small satellite makes contact with a ground station. Spaceflight Inc., which has coordinated the launch of 76 small satellites on behalf of its customers, recognized this emerging market need for a cost-effective communications option for satellite operators—many of which send dozens of satellites into space at a time. In response, they developed Spaceflight Networks, a network of global ground stations sighted to minimize communications latency and optimized for small-satellite constellations.
Spaceflight Networks’ global ground stations will provide an out-of-the-box, convenient communications solution designed to make satellite communications as simple as operating a mobile phone, and with commercial pricing set well below the industry standard. The network will operate similar to a conventional cellular network, allowing satellite operators to choose from a list of supported spacecraft radios and then purchase a data plan for use of the network—either a dedicated antenna lease and monthly payment, or ad-hoc access and pay-by-the-minute plan.
Recently, my colleagues and I had the pleasure to work with Spaceflight Inc. to announce this expansion of services to its key markets. The news received interest from a number of influential local, national and space industry journalists, many of whom are becoming increasingly more familiar with this leader in the burgeoning small satellite industry.
Following is a roundup of articles generated by the news (not including reposts):
- SpaceNews
- Via Satellite
- Gigaom
- Puget Sound Business Journal
- SatNews
- Parabolic Arc
- NewSpace Watch (requires subscription)
- Seradata Space Intelligence
- SpaceMart
- Space Newsfeed
The first Spaceflight Networks ground station will be operational in Q1 2015 and located in the company’s home state—Washington—with additional globally dispersed ground stations coming online through 2017. As the company’s PR partner, I certainly look forward to celebrating this milestone and to supporting the company’s continued growth and innovation in the small-satellite industry.