Commercial modeling and analysis software company Analytical Graphics joined the Satellite Industry Association, the trade group said Monday.

Satcom growth opportunities are particularly focused on high-throughput satellites (HTS), but even in a decade there will still be a sizable fixed satellite service market with nearly $10 billion in 2026 revenue, Northern Sky Research analyst Blaine Curcio blogged Thursday. The analyst said that by 2026, FSS will provide about 40 percent of satcom revenue, down from 90 percent today, reflecting more the growth of HTS than an FSS decline. Satcom opportunities remain in trunking services for local and mobile networks and in video distribution, though there also are challenges, such as either finding ways to make trunking capacity "stickier" for the customer or otherwise accepting commoditization and trying to compete on price, the NSR expert said.

Iridium and smallsat company Magnitude Space (MS) signed a memorandum of understanding to look at collaboration on space-based IoT services through development of low-power global area network (LPGAN) technologies, Iridium said Thursday. Netherlands-based MS is planning a constellation of 18 to 24 smallsats to deliver LPGAN connectivity for agricultural applications, with services to commercially start in Q2, Iridium said. It said the MS MoU points to Iridium interest "in exploring collaborative partnerships with complementary NewSpace players, particularly those in the SmallSat low-power arena." Iridium said that beyond MS, it's working on a variety of other IoT-centric partnerships focused on low-power applications.

Instead of having nine satellites active with three spares, O3b wants FCC approval for a "10+2" orbital configuration. In an International Bureau filing Tuesday seeking modification of its authority to serve the U.S. market, the company said the change would allow it to "respond to urgent customer demand" for more capacity in the U.S., Caribbean and Latin America, and the activated spare satellite would use the same bands laid out in the market access grant. It said implementation of the change would have to start in early October, and O3b requested expedited action. It said its nine currently active satellites are separated by 40 degree spacing, and that would change to 36 degrees when there are 10 active satellites.

El Al Israel Airlines will use ViaSat's in-flight internet system for its in-flight connectivity services aboard its 16 new Boeing 787 Dreamliners, ViaSat said Wednesday. It said the El Al jets will connect to ViaSat-2 and the Ka-Sat satellite jointly owned with Eutelsat.

EchoStar's EchoStar III satellite, which suffered communications problems after an anomaly in July (see 1708030037), was recovered and retired, the company and manufacturer Lockheed Martin said Wednesday. EchoStar said a command and control link was re-established and deorbit maneuvers performed, putting the satellite in a graveyard orbit more than 350 kilometers above the geostationary arc. It also said EchoStar III's fuel and pressurants have been depleted, its batteries drained and its systems shut down. The satellite was launched in 1997.

Six of Planet's earth observation SkySat Earth constellation satellites arrived at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California for scheduled October launch on a Minotaur rocket, the satellites' manufacturer, SSL, said Tuesday. It said the constellation -- which Planet gained through its acquisition earlier this year of Terra Bella (see 1704190010) -- will double Planet's high-resolution imaging capabilities.

The first voice call employing nano-satellite technology was made, Sky and Space Global (SAS) said Tuesday. The U.K. company said the three smallsats, launched in June, also demoed the ability to facilitate text messaging and exchanges of voice recordings and images. SAS said with validation of its narrowband communications services, it will focus on building its planned 200-satellite constellation, to be fully deployed by 2020.

A Dish Network subsidiary and the insurance company and contractor it's suing over attorney fees and costs from separate litigation agreed to settle, said a docket 17-344 stipulated motion (in Pacer) Friday in U.S. District Court in Denver. Dish Network California Service sued Zoom Communications and insurer Evanston Insurance in February, seeking indemnification from all attorney fees and costs it incurred after it was sued in 2010 by the parents of a California minor struck and killed in 2009 by a Zoom employee doing Dish installation or repair work. The Dish subsidiary sought $600,000, plus interest and fees. Now, both sides said they reached preliminary agreements to settle and are finalizing terms.

Intelsat and Indian teleport operator Lamhas signed a multiyear deal for increased and extended media distribution satellite services via Intelsat 20, Intelsat said Sunday. It said Lahmas is using Intelsat 20 for delivery of broadcast services to new and emerging channels.