GSO Satellite Orders Rebound Will Be Only Partial, NSR Analyst Says

The 2015-2017 dip in commercial geostationary orbit (GSO) satellite communications orders came from temporary challenges, and orders are expected to grow again as operator bullishness improves and the launch environment stabilizes, Northern Sky Research analyst Carolyn Belle blogged Monday. But market pressures still point to operators buying fewer GSO satellites than traditionally, NSR said. "For manufacturers, this means a light at the end of the low order tunnel -- but one less brilliant than when they entered in 2015." It anticipates an average annual order rate of 20 satellites for 2017-2021, growing to 22 satellites annually between 2022-2026 -- levels lower than the 24 satellites annually averaged before 2015.