Innovative Manufacturer Satellites Joins the Satellite Industry Association

Washington, D.C., November 19, 2019 – The Satellite Industry Association (SIA) today announced that satellite manufacturer Satellites, a joint venture of and Airbus, has joined SIA as its newest member.  Earlier this summer, Satellites announced the opening of a new innovative high-volume, high-speed advanced satellite production facility on the Florida Space Coast.

The new factory, located in Exploration Park, FL manufactures broadband internet satellites, using industrial-scale mass production which dramatically reduces costs and production times.  Traditionally, larger satellites have been custom built, costing tens of millions of dollars to build, and taking months and even years to produce a single spacecraft. The new Satellites facility is capable of manufacturing a complete broadband communications satellite at the rate of two per day.

“Thanks to innovative companies such as Satellites, the commercial satellite industry is undergoing dramatic and revolutionary changes and the Association is very pleased to welcome our newest manufacturer,” said Tom Stroup, President of SIA.  “Lower manufacturing costs not only increase accessibility to space, but the Company’s new broadband satellites are designed to dramatically bridge the digital divide in both rural America and around the globe.  SIA looks forward to working with our newest innovative member company.”

“We are excited to join SIA,” said Tony Gingiss, Chief Executive Officer of Satellites. “SIA brings together a wide range of space industry expertise and Satellites is proud to join this distinguished group as we help redefine satellite value propositions, expand global connectivity and ultimately make space far more accessible for all.”

About Satellites

Satellites is a joint venture between Airbus and that was formed in 2016 to design and manufacture the satellites for the constellation. In the process, Satellites has revolutionized satellite manufacturing by being the first to utilize commoditization and mass production techniques to dramatically reduce production times and costs. Our mission is not limited to the program. Through our partnership with Airbus, we are offering to the market a standardized, mass produced satellite platform and payload interface that can be compatible with many different payloads, providing end-users with dramatic cost savings and opening the door for missions that were previously unthinkable.

About The Satellite Industry Association

SIA is a U.S.-based trade association providing representation of the leading satellite operators, service providers, manufacturers, launch services providers, and ground equipment suppliers. For more than two decades, SIA has advocated on behalf of the U.S. satellite industry on policy, regulatory, and legislative issues affecting the satellite business. For more information, visit www.sia.org.

SIA Executive Members include: AT&T Services, Inc.; The Boeing Company; EchoStar Corporation; Intelsat S.A.; Iridium Communications Inc.; Kratos Defense & Security Solutions; Kuiper Systems LLC; Ligado Networks; Lockheed Martin Corporation; ; SES Americom, Inc.; Space Exploration Technologies Corp.; Spire Global Inc.; and Viasat, Inc.

SIA Associate Members include: ABS US Corp.;  Airbus Defense and Space, Inc.; Analytical Graphics, Inc.; Artel, LLC; Blue Origin; Eutelsat America Corp.; ExoAnalytic Solutions; Globalstar, Inc.; Glowlink Communications Technology, Inc.; HawkEye 360; Hughes; Inmarsat, Inc.; Kymeta Corporation; Leonardo DRS; Lynk; Omnispace; Satellites; Panasonic Avionics Corporation; Peraton; Planet; Speedcast Government; SSL; Telesat Canada; and XTAR, LLC.

SIA Affiliate Members include: The Aerospace Corporation; AQYR Technologies; COMSAT; Comtech EF Data; Envistacom, LLC; Integrasys LLC, Kencast; Media Broadcast Satellite; NB+C; Newtec; ; Radeus Labs, Inc.; RUAG Space; Sheppard Mullin; and Wiley Rein LLP