Amazon to Operate Globalstar Satellites, Launch Own System by 2027
Amazon told PCMag: “We expect the transaction to close in 2027, and at that point we plan to operate Globalstar’s existing satellite fleet, and their upcoming low Earth orbit satellites being manufactured by MDA Space, before deploying a next-generation DTD system of our own.” https://t.co/qlhr4fIsaG
Higher-Frequency Ka-Band Boosts Bandwidth, Shrinks Antennas, Worsens Propagation
To understand the Amazon acquisition of Globalstar start with physics. The wavelength becomes shorter as you move from L-band up to Ka-band spectrum which provides more hertz for moving bits and enables smaller antennas, but higher frequency means worse propagation. https://t.co/YcG2qfwol2
Due Diligence Saved Us: Globalstar Went Bankrupt
I did due diligence on a potential Globalstar acquisition in ~ 1999-2000. We passed for a number of reasons. Globalstar filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on February 15, 2002. Adding a mobile component to the Leonbroadband system improves scale. https://t.co/GVvgIb0cD4
Amazon Leo to Deploy Ka‑Band mmWave by 2026
Amazon Leo plans to launch services commercially by mid-2026 according to Andy Jassy. The spectrum for user links is millimeter wave (Ka band). Shannon-Hartley Theorem: C = B \log_2(1 + S/N) Where: •C = channel capacity (bits per second) •B = bandwidth (Hz) •S/N =...
Melting Ice Halts Algae Rain, Drives Whales Offshore
Gray whales sift through seafloor sediment for tiny crustaceans called amphipods. When sea ice melts, algae on the underside falls to the seafloor, feeding the amphipods. Without enough ice, the "rain" of nutrients stops. Great whales are showing up in...
Board Liquidated Teledesic Despite $4/Share Payout, Shaping NGSO Regulation
Wrong. A decision was made by the board In 2002 to liquidate Teledesic even though there was enough capital to pay out shareholders almost $4 a share. Hundreds of millions paid. No bankruptcy. Teledesic's win at WRC created regulatory category...
Higher Prices Slash Doritos Sales Despite Intense Flavor
Price increases tank Doritos sales even though: "A single Dorito has more extreme nacho flavor than a peasant in the 1400s would get in his whole lifetime." https://t.co/cEFaC1yu9b
Writing Books Feels Like a Marathon You Keep Running
Woke up and found myself writing an outline for my 8th book. This was me sleep walking, except instead of walking I was writing a book proposal. Writing a book is like running a marathon. When I finish I say...
Blue Origin Advances New Glenn: Multiple Second Stages in Integration
"At least two New Glenn second stages (GS2) appear in final integration, complete with insulation blankets. Complete tank sections for at least four more stages await insulation, while bulkheads and barrel sections indicate yet another unit in the works." https://t.co/JPS90rT2WC...
Waha Gas Prices Plunge to Near -$10 per MMBtu
"Over the past week, spot prices at the Waha gas trading hub in the Permian Basin fell as low as -$9.75 per million British thermal units, with expectations that it could hit -$10." https://t.co/camxY0zKrz
AI Excels at Tasks, Still Fails at Jokes
“The models have improved tremendously, and if you give them an agentic task, they will just go for hours and move mountains for you. Then you ask for a joke and it has a stupid joke, a crappy joke from...
Redundancy Wins: Embrace Failures in Space Systems
Almost everything in space involves tradeoffs because: physics. “Failures happen no matter what you do. That means the software and systems you use has to cope. That means replicate everything. Two pieces of crap are better than one.” Rob...
COTS Electronics Survive
Operators can use commercial off the shelf [COTS] electronics in satellites, with a mission life of 3-7 years. A radiation-hardened part can last 15 years. Many modern satellites use radiation tolerant parts. SpaceX, Planet Labs and Kuiper/LEO all...
ITU Lacks Power; National Regulators Face Crowded LEO Orbit
The ITU is a UN treaty organization which has zero power to create or enforce rules. Regulators from specific countries (eg FCC) are tasked with enforcement. The treaties never contemplated tens of thousands of satellites in a small number of...
Safety Margins, Not Altitude, Limit Low‑Earth Satellite Density
The barrier to how many satellites can be in a particular low Earth orbit is effectively the distance required to provide a "margin of safety" to avoid collisions. Filing with the ITU before others allows the system to claim a...
