Latest news with #ProjectKuiper
Time of India
21 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
'No more conversion of equity in Voda-Idea'
Jyotiraditya Scindia Communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said government has no plans to provide any relief on the AGR (adjusted gross revenue) front to telecom companies after the Supreme Court struck down their plea for a waiver of interest and penalty. In an interview with TOI, the minister also made it clear that beleaguered Vodafone Idea will not receive any further equity conversion from government beyond the current 49%, and it's now the company's responsibility to take care of profit and loss and the balance sheet. Excerpts: Struggling Vodafone Idea has come to govt time and again for support. How long can you give this long rope to the company? Every company has to chart its own path. Profit and loss and the balance sheet are the responsibility of the management of each company - be it BSNL, Vodafone Idea, Jio, or Airtel. Based on govt policy, we converted close to Rs 36,000 crore of Vodafone Idea's dues into equity. We are today at 49%. I do not see us increasing that equity stake in the near future, at all. It's the responsibility of each company. How long can you wait for a turnaround? At least some bit of accountability is needed because this is public money going into saving a company... They have to define their own path at end of the day. That's the job of CEO of Vodafone Idea. Are you in regular touch with them? I don't believe in meddling in a company's affairs, whether it be a PSU or where govt has a stake. But if and when they come to us, we certainly meet them and hear them out. SC has refused relief to telcos on AGR matter. Does govt plan to bring out legislation to protect the companies from penalty and interest? There's nothing on my table at this point, so I can't comment. I think the Supreme Court has ruled on the matter, and that's where it stands. . Trai has given its recommendations On satellite communications. When will DoT approve them? We will start processing it. The department will look at it and then take a call. When will satcom services begin? I can't give you a very definitive timeline, but I can assure you that we are trying to do this sooner rather than later. Any healthy market has a mix of local and global players. Elon Musk is coming with Starlink and Amazon wants to come with Project Kuiper. Do you think it's good to have global competition? I can only say my market is open for you. Whoever wants to come into my market, check all the boxes in terms of the rules and regulations and processes, we want you here. For me, the choice for my customers is paramount. Just like the fixed line space or the mobile space or the broadband space, similarly in satellite, I want competition. Everyone is welcome here. Tick the boxes. Hurry up and start business. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
How many satellites could fit in Earth orbit? And how many do we really need?
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. In the last five years, the number of satellites orbiting Earth has more than doubled and will likely double again within a similar timespan, thanks to the efforts of private companies such as SpaceX. But while these spacecraft can provide important benefits, they are also causing multiple issues that are only just being realized by scientists. So, how many satellites can we expect to see in our skies in the coming decades? And — more importantly — how many is too many? As of May 2025, there are around 11,700 active satellites in orbit around Earth, ranging from military spy satellites and scientific probes to rapidly growing private satellite networks. But the rate at which spacecraft are being launched into space is increasing year-on-year. The biggest contributor to this trend is SpaceX's Starlink constellation, which currently has around 7,500 active satellites in orbit — more than 60% of the total number of operational orbiting spacecraft, Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard & Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics who has been tracking satellites since 1989, told Live Science. All of these have been launched since May 2019. However, other organizations are also beginning to develop their own "megaconstellations," such as Amazon's Project Kuiper and China's "Thousand Sails" constellation. It is also getting easier to put new satellites into space thanks to the reusability of rockets, such as SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, which is being used to launch multiple competing satellite networks. Other companies are also exploring new ways of launching larger payloads, including shooting hundreds of satellites into space at once using a giant spinning cannon. Related: There was nearly 1 rocket launch attempt every 34 hours in 2024 — this year will be even busier All of this activity has left researchers wondering how many satellites could eventually end up orbiting our planet and what problems they might cause along the way. "Megaconstellations are planning to cover most of the Earth's surface," Fionagh Thomson, a senior research fellow at the University of Durham in the U.K. who specializes in space ethics, told Live Science. But there is still "a large amount of uncertainty" over how large they might get and how damaging they could become, she added. It is difficult to estimate how many satellites will be launched in the future because satellite companies often change their plans, Aaron Boley, an astronomer at The University of British Columbia in Canada who has extensively studied the potential effects of megaconstellations, told Live Science. "Companies update their plans as they develop their systems, and many proposed systems will never be launched. But many will," Boley said. Proposals for more than 1 million private satellites belonging to around 300 different megaconstellations have been submitted to the International Telecommunications Union, which regulates communications satellites, according to a 2023 study co-authored by Boley. However, some of these, including a proposed 337,000-satellite megaconstellation from Rwanda, are unlikely to come to fruition, the researchers noted. The proposed number seems massive, but most private satellites have short lifespans. For example, the average Starlink satellite spends around five years operational, after which it falls back to Earth and burns up upon reentry. So even if all 1 million proposed satellites are launched, they will not all be orbiting Earth at once. While it is tricky to predict how many satellites will be launched and when, researchers have estimated a maximum number of spacecraft that can coexist within low-Earth orbit (LEO) — the region of space up to 1,200 miles (2,000 kilometers) above Earth's surface, where a vast majority of private satellites operate. Above this upper limit, or carrying capacity, satellites would likely start constantly crashing into one another. McDowell and Boley, as well as other astronomers — including Federico Di Vruno at the transnational Square Kilometer Array (SKA) Observatory and Benjamin Winkel at the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Germany — all believe that the carrying capacity for LEO is around 100,000 active satellites. Above this number, new satellites will likely only be launched to replace those that come to the end of their operational lives. It is unclear exactly when this carrying capacity will be reached. However, based on the current rate of increasing launches, several experts told Live Science that it could happen before 2050. Given the impending rise in satellite numbers, researchers are hard at work trying to figure out what problems they may cause. A major issue associated with megaconstellations is space junk, including rocket boosters and defunct satellites, that will litter LEO before eventually falling back to Earth. If space junk collides , it could create thousands of smaller pieces of debris that increase the risk of further collisions. If left unchecked, this domino effect could render LEO effectively unusable. Researchers call this problem the "Kessler syndrome" and are already warning that it should be tackled now, before it is too late. Megaconstellations also threaten to severely limit ground-based astronomy in two main ways: First, light reflecting off satellites can interfere with optical astronomy by photobombing telescopes as they pass overhead; Second, electromagnetic radiation that unintentionally leaks from communications satellites can interfere with radio astronomy by obscuring signals from distant objects, such as faraway galaxies. If the carrying capacity is reached, some experts fear that the level of radio interference could render some types of radio astronomy completely impossible. Related: Controversial paper claims satellite 'megaconstellations' like SpaceX's could weaken Earth's magnetic field and cause 'atmospheric stripping.' Should we be worried? Satellites can also impact the environment via greenhouse gases that are emitted during rocket launches, as well as through metal pollution that is accumulating in the upper atmosphere as defunct satellites and other space junk burn up upon reentry. Given all these potential impacts, most researchers are calling for companies to reduce the rate at which they launch satellites. "I don't think a full stop on satellite launches would work," Boley said. "However, slowing things down and delaying the placement of 100,000 satellites until we have better international rules would be prudent." While private satellites help monitor Earth and connect rural and disadvantaged communities to high-speed internet, many experts argue that these benefits do not outweigh the potential risks. Others are more skeptical and question whether the payloads being put into orbit will really do any good or if they are just a way for companies to make more money. "Do we really need another CubeSat in space that allows us to take selfies?" Thomson asked. "And in reality, does connecting remote communities [to the internet] help solve systemic issues of inequality, poverty and injustice?" RELATED STORIES —Chinese scientists call for plan to destroy Elon Musk's Starlink satellites —World's 1st wooden satellite arrives at ISS for key orbital test —Geomagnetic storm sends 40 SpaceX satellites plummeting to Earth Many benefits could also be achieved with fewer satellites. The proposed numbers are so high, mainly because there are so many different companies competing to provide the same services. "It would be better to cooperate more, in order to need fewer satellites," Winkel told Live Science. "But I find that highly unlikely given the current situation in the world."
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
4 Monster Stocks to Buy Right Now and Hold for 20 Years
Amazon and Shopify are two different kinds of e-commerce businesses that both have incredible models and tons of opportunity. MercadoLibre is a tech disruptor in Latin America, an underpenetrated region. SoFi represents the future of banking in the U.S. 10 stocks we like better than Amazon › Market volatility over the past few months could lead investors to sell and take their winnings home before things get worse. But investing success means riding out the short-term waves and holding on to long-term winners. The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) has already made up whatever it lost in value earlier this year, and it would have been a shame to have sold at a low and missed out on the quick rebound. If you can hold on for at least 20 years, you can choose excellent stocks and let them work their magic on your investments. Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), Shopify (NASDAQ: SHOP), MercadoLibre (NASDAQ: MELI), and SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ: SOFI) are four monster stocks that should reward you well over the next 20 years. Amazon is the leader in e-commerce and cloud computing, two massive growth industries. It has about 40% of the U.S. market share in e-commerce and about 30% of the global market for cloud computing. Both of these industries are growing organically, and Amazon is benefiting from these organic tailwinds. Shoppers know Amazon as the king of e-commerce, and the company is heavily investing in keeping its lead there. But management has identified generative artificial intelligence (AI), primarily through the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud-computing business, as its main growth driver over the next few years. Amazon said it would invest upwards of $100 billion in 2025 alone to keep building out this business, and it offers a huge assortment of features and tools to every size and stripe of client. AWS itself generated a 17% year-over-year increase in sales in the first quarter and has a $117 billion annualized revenue run rate. Management expects that with generative AI, that rate will increase. "We thought AWS had the chance to ultimately be a multihundred-billion-dollar revenue run rate business," CEO Andy Jassy recently said of the pre-generative AI opportunity. "We now think it could be even larger." Advertising and streaming continue to grow and add value to the business, and Amazon is investing in new concepts like Zoox autonomous vehicles and Project Kuiper broadband. It has a huge growth runway, and its stock should keep rewarding investors over many years. You won't see Shopify on any list of highest e-commerce sales because it doesn't sell products, it sells e-commerce services, like websites and payment processing. But its gross merchandise volume (GMV) is similar to Amazon's e-commerce sales, giving you a picture of Shopify's important and dominant position in the e-commerce space. Shopify is also benefiting from the organic tailwinds of e-commerce growing as a percentage of retail sales. According to eMarketer, e-commerce accounted for 20.3% of retail sales in 2024, and that's expected to increase to 23% by 2027. Even that's still a small percentage, and with each percentage point translating into trillions of dollars, Shopify has a long growth runway. It also continues to identify new ways to expand its market share and help its clients increase their sales. It has gone from a platform helping small businesses get online to targeting large businesses with individual e-commerce components. It offers a full-service omnichannel platform combining physical and digital retail, and it's making a bigger move into international, where there are several bigger players. International sales only accounted for 30% of the total in Q1, and that could be a huge growth driver in the coming years. Patient investors should expect Shopify to be a top stock as it keeps growing and innovating for the foreseeable future. MercadoLibre is similar to Amazon in that its core business is e-commerce, but it has dipped its toes into several other businesses that are driving fantastic growth. It operates in Latin America and offers a host of digital services in both e-commerce and financial technology. It consistently reports strong growth across metrics, such as a 40% increase in GMV year over year and a 72% increase in total payment volume in the 2025 first quarter. The opportunity here is enormous because Latin America lags many other global regions in both e-commerce and digital penetration. In fact, 85% of sales are still offline, and some of its regions are underbanked, leading to a greater necessity for digital financial services. Because its regions are still in their early innings in its industries, there are so many levers MercadoLibre can pull to move growth. It's doing so step by step, bringing in new, unique visitors to its ecosystem and generating higher purchase frequency. It's launching all sorts of innovative services, such as a new, free streaming initiative powered by its growing ad business. MercadoLibre has a wide-open runway and tons of opportunities to grow its business and stock gains. SoFi is a digital financial disruptor offering all banking services online. It targets the young professional who's just starting their financial journey and appreciates SoFi's tech focus and easy-to-use interface. Although its core business is lending, it has successfully expanded into a large array of financial services like bank accounts and investing tools. These are fee-based products that have low costs and are becoming incredibly profitable. Even the lending business is bouncing back as interest rates go lower, and lending revenue increased 25% year over year in Q1. Financial services, though, more than doubled, and contribution profit increased 299%. It's adding members at a high rate and generating higher engagement through cross-selling and upselling, and SoFi has a massive growth opportunity over the next 20 years as it gets closer to its ambition of becoming a top-10 U.S. bank. Before you buy stock in Amazon, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Amazon wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $653,389!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $830,492!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 982% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 171% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of May 19, 2025 John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Jennifer Saibil has positions in MercadoLibre and SoFi Technologies. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, MercadoLibre, and Shopify. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 4 Monster Stocks to Buy Right Now and Hold for 20 Years was originally published by The Motley Fool
Al Arabiya
4 days ago
- Business
- Al Arabiya
Amazon launches first Kuiper internet satellites, taking on SpaceX's Starlink
The first 27 satellites for Amazon's Kuiper broadband internet constellation were launched into space from Florida on Monday, kicking off the long-delayed deployment of an internet-from-space network that will rival SpaceX's Starlink. The satellites are the first of 3,236 that Amazon plans to send into low-Earth orbit for Project Kuiper, a $10 billion effort unveiled in 2019 to beam broadband internet globally for consumers, businesses and governments - customers that SpaceX has courted for years with its powerful Starlink business. Sitting atop an Atlas V rocket from the Boeing and Lockheed Martin joint-venture United Launch Alliance, the batch of 27 satellites was lofted into space at 7 p.m. EDT pm from the rocket company's launch pad at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Bad weather scrubbed an initial launch attempt on April 9. Kuiper is arguably Amazon's biggest bet under way, pitting it against Starlink as well as global telecommunications providers like AT&T and T-Mobile. The company has positioned the service as a boon to rural areas where connectivity is sparse or nonexistent. The mission to deploy the first operational satellites has been delayed more than a year - Amazon once hoped it could launch the inaugural batch in early 2024. The company faces a deadline set by the US Federal Communications Commission to deploy half its constellation, 1,618 satellites, by mid-2026, but its slower start means Amazon is likely to seek an extension, analysts say. Hours or possibly days after the launch, Amazon is expected to publicly confirm initial contact with all of the satellites from its mission operations center in Redmond, Washington. If all goes as planned, the company said it expects to 'begin delivering service to customers later this year.' ULA could launch up to five more Kuiper missions this year, ULA CEO Tory Bruno told Reuters in an interview this month. Amazon said in a 2020 FCC filing that it could begin service in some northern and southern regions at 578 satellites, with coverage expanding toward Earth's equator as the company launches more satellites. The Web services and e-commerce giant's Project Kuiper is an ambitious foray into space, with a late start in a market dominated by SpaceX. But Amazon executives see the company's deep consumer product experience and established cloud computing business that Kuiper will connect with as an edge over Starlink. Amazon launched two prototype satellites in 2023 in tests it said were successful, before de-orbiting them in 2024. It had been relatively quiet about the program's development until announcing its first Kuiper launch plans earlier this month. 'Room for lots of winners' Elon Musk's SpaceX, with a unique edge as both a satellite operator and launch company with its reusable Falcon 9, has put more than 8,000 Starlink satellites in orbit since 2019, marking its 250th dedicated Starlink launch on Monday. Its deployment pace has hastened to at least one Starlink mission per week, each rocket with roughly two-dozen satellites on board to expand the network's bandwidth and replace outdated satellites. That quick pace has helped Musk's company amass more than 5 million internet users across 125 countries, upend the global satellite communications market and woo military and intelligence agencies that have sought to use Starlink and its manufacturing line for sensitive national security programs. Amazon Executive Chairman Jeff Bezos has voiced confidence that Kuiper can compete with Starlink, telling Reuters in a January interview 'there's insatiable demand' for internet. 'There's room for lots of winners there. I predict Starlink will continue to be successful, and I predict Kuiper will be successful as well,' he said. 'It will be a primarily commercial system, but there will be defense uses for these LEO constellations, no doubt,' he added, referring to low-Earth orbit. Amazon in 2023 revealed its Kuiper consumer terminals, an LP vinyl record-sized antenna that communicates with Kuiper satellites overhead, as well as a smaller terminal whose size it compares to its e-book Kindle device. The company expects to make tens of millions of the devices for under $400 each. Amazon in 2022 booked 83 rocket launches from ULA, France's Arianespace and Blue Origin, Bezos' space company, snagging the industry's biggest-ever launch deal as it prepared to begin Kuiper deployment.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Global Satellite Internet: The Future of High-Speed Connectivity
"The global satellite internet market is expanding as satellites provide high-speed internet access to even the most remote areas." BOSTON, May 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the latest study from BCC Research, the demand for Global Satellite Internet Market is projected to reach $23.6 billion by the end of 2029, growing at a CAGR of 27.7%. Satellite internet has rapidly evolved, rivalling fiber and cable with faster speeds and lower latency. Key advances include LEO satellite constellations and HTS technology, enhancing coverage and data capacity. This report examines trends in the global satellite internet market, using 2023 as the base year and forecasting market values from 2024 to 2029. Revenue projections are segmented by orbit and end-user, with a regional analysis of the Americas, Europe, APAC, and MEA. It also explores emerging technologies shaping the industry and profiles leading companies, highlighting their market share and recent developments. Interesting facts SpaceX's Starlink and Amazon's Project Kuiper aim to provide high-speed broadband, especially in remote areas. Although still developing, both projects are gaining attention for their potential to revolutionize telecom. Project Kuiper plans to launch 3,236 satellites, while Starlink, with a target of 42,000, already has 6,073 operational as of December 16, 2024. With a larger satellite network, Starlink holds a significant advantage in achieving broader global coverage. Factors contributing to the growth include: Growing demand for instant communication: The increasing need for instant communication is driven by the rise of digital connectivity, 5G, and real-time data sharing across industries. Increasing investments in low Earth orbit satellite constellations: Rising investments in low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations aim to enhance global connectivity, enabling faster and more reliable internet access. Implementation of satellite internet in remote locations: The deployment of satellite internet in remote areas ensures reliable, high-speed connectivity where traditional broadband is unavailable. Essential tool during disaster management: An essential tool during disaster management, satellite internet ensures seamless communication and rapid response in crisis-affected areas. Request a Sample Copy of the report Global Satellite Internet Market Report Synopsis Report Metric Details Base year considered 2023 Forecast period considered 2024-2029 Base year market size $5.6 billion Market size forecast $23.6 billion Growth rate CAGR of 27.7% for the forecast period of 2024-2029 Segments covered Orbit, End User, and Region Regions covered Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Middle East and Africa Countries covered U.S., Canada, Mexico, South America, U.K., Germany, France, Italy, China, Japan, and India Market drivers • Growing demand for instant communication. • Increasing investments in low Earth orbit satellite constellations. • Implementation of satellite internet in remote locations. • Essential tool during disaster management. This report addresses the following questions: 1. What is the market's projected size and growth rate?The market is projected to reach $23.6 billion by the end of 2029, at a CAGR of 27.7%. 2. What factors are driving the growth of the market?The key factors driving the market include growing demand for instant communication and increasing investments in low Earth orbit satellite constellations. 3. What segments are covered in the market?By Orbit, End-User and Region. 4. Which orbit segment will be dominant over the forecast period?Over the forecast period, the LEO orbit segment is expected to dominate the market. 5. Which region has the largest market share?Americas holds the largest share of the market. Market leaders include: Bentley Telecom Ltd. Eutelsat Communications S.A. Gilat Satellite Networks Hughes Network Systems LLC Kepler Communications, Inc. SES S.A. SkyDSL Europe B.V. Starlink Telesat Viasat Inc. Related reports include: Global Private 5G Network Market: The global private 5G network market is growing as businesses adopt secure, high-speed 5G networks for industrial, enterprise, and smart city applications. These private networks offer enhanced reliability, low latency, and better data security compared to public 5G services. High-speed Data Converters: Global Markets and Growth Forecast: The high-speed data converters market is driven by demand for fast, efficient data processing rises across the telecommunications, automotive, and healthcare industries. The market's growth is driven by advances in AI, 5G, and IoT technologies. Navigate Uncertainty with Confidence In times of rapid change and uncertainty, having the right insights can make all the difference. At BCC Research, we're here to support innovation and help you stay ahead. Our custom research reports provide a comprehensive, 360-degree view of your market landscape—giving you the clarity you need to make informed decisions. We believe that timely, expert market intelligence should be accessible to all. That's why, for a limited time, we're offering 30% off the price of any BCC Research report to help more organizations gain access to our latest data and insights. Purchase a copy of the report direct from BCC Research. For further information on these reports or to purchase one, contact info@ About BCC Research BCC Research market research reports provide objective, unbiased measurement and assessment of market opportunities. Our experienced industry analysts' goal is to help readers make informed business decisions, free of noise and hype. Contact Us Corporate HQ: 50 Milk St., Ste. 16, Boston, MA 02109, USAEmail: info@ +1 781-489-7301 For media inquiries, email press@ or visit our media page for access to our market research library. Any data and analysis extracted from this press release must be accompanied by a statement identifying BCC Research LLC as the source and publisher. 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