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Leading Satellite Industry CEOs & Top Execs to Gather in Paris for World Satellite Business Week
Countering the prolonged economic slump affecting most of the world, top executives of the global satellite communications industry will be looking back at another year of steady growth and profits as they gather in Paris September 6-10 for World Satellite Business Week.
The week-long meeting, viewed as a must-attend event for the satellite industry’s CEOs and other leaders, draws over 500 top executive delegates from 40 countries. The main event, the World Summit for Satellite Financing, is now in its 14thyear, while the Symposium on Earth Observation Business is entering its 2ndyear. The conference is produced by Euroconsult, the leading international research and analyst firm specializing in the satellite sector.
The multi-billion dollar satellite industry is made up of companies that build, launch, and operate satellites vital to the global networks used by broadcast companies, telecommunications networks, defense and security agencies, Earth observation firms and a wide range of service provider companies. Over the course of the week-long conference, top executives from these companies will share insights and opinions on where the industry may be headed for the coming year and what opportunities may lay ahead for firms that can secure financing for major new projects and expansions. CEOs and business leaders from companies such as SES, Intelsat, Eutelsat, Telesat, Inmarsat, AsiaSat, RSCC, Iridium, HNS, Viasat, O3B Networks, Lockheed Martin, EADS Astrium, Arianespace, Société Générale, Morgan Stanley and Coface will be represented at the World Summit for Satellite Financing.
Despite the global economic downturn that began in late 2007, the satellite sector has continued to post a strong performance; with steady growth in most industry segments (see Table 1 below). Digital broadcasting and broadband satellite communications for a variety of uses continue to require increasing transponder capacity, driving growth in the years to come. New satellite projects from emerging regional operators and space countries continue to boost transponder supply and demand, with a record of 30 commercial GEO comsats ordered in 2009 and still solid prospects for 2010. Government demand for commercial satellite communications, driven by the conflict in Afghanistan, has reached record levels, as have security agency and environmental requirements for satellite imagery with government demand for commercial data projected to reach $2.6 billion by 2019, up from only $735 million in 2009.
Entering its second year, the Symposium on Earth Observation Business will examine the factors driving growth in this rapidly-expanding sector. Euroconsult forecasts that overall procurement of commercial satellite Earth observation (EO) data will reach over $4 billion by 2019. This forum will feature top-level speakers from DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, Astrium Services, Ball Aerospace, Google Total, NOAA, Eumetsat, NGA, the UK MoD among others, discussing their business models and providing insight into the opportunities they see in the Earth observation industry.
AsiaSat Revenues, Profits Jump More than 20 Percent
AsiaSat saw its 2010 first half-year profits and revenues increase more than 20 percent, according to the operator’s latest financial results issued Aug. 19.
AsiaSat’s first-half revenues were $88.9 million in 2010 compared to $70.1 million in 2009, a 30 percent increase. Profits jumped from $32.6 million to $39.2 million, driven by growth in its SpeedCast subsidiary. The VSAT services and broadband provider generated revenues of $12.2 million in the first six months of 2010, beating its 2009 standings by 34 percent.
Spacecom plunges as Amos runs low on fuel
Shares of Spacecom Communication, operator of the Amos family of satellites, dropped over 6% in the last hour of trading yesterday on NIS 2 million in turnover, well above average.
The fall came after the company released a statement to the stock market saying its interim Amos-5i satellite is running out of fuel. Its resources will not last until the scheduled launch of the Amos-5 in June 2011.
Spacecom will be forced to find alternatives for African telecommunications customers serviced by Amos-5i. The firm estimated the financial damage at $12 million.
Amos-5i started life as AsiaSat 2 and Spacecom contracted for exclusive use of the satellite in January from AsiaSat so it could start providing service to Africa earlier.
Analyst Uri Licht of IBI investment house said Spacecom’s strategy was to buy a satellite to use until the launch of Amos-5 and to build its business on the satellite. Since the Amos-5i failed too early, Spacecom will be forced to find other satellites and lease bandwith from them to serve existing customers.
Licht said he expects Spacecom to start building its African customer base for Amos-5 now, based on the alternatives to Amos-5i.