For decades, military communications from space relied primarily on geostationary satellites positioned 22,000 miles above Earth. These distant spacecraft provide secure, reliable voice and data connectivity for United States defense operations worldwide, with a small club of operators — Intelsat, Viasat, SES and Eutelsat — dominating a market that has been dramatically disrupted by the rise of Starlink.

To continue reading this article:

Register now to read
3 free articles this month.

You’ll also receive our weekly Editor’s Choice, SpaceNews This Week and Opinions newsletters. Opt-out at any time.

Sign in to an existing account

Get unlimited access to SpaceNews.com, the SpaceNews app and our digital monthly magazine for less than $5 per week.

$280

On a campus or library network? Check for access.

Cancel anytime. Sales tax may apply. No refunds. Terms and conditions apply.

See all subscription options

Sandra Erwin writes about military space programs, policy, technology and the industry that supports this sector. She has covered the military, the Pentagon, Congress and the defense industry for nearly two decades as editor of NDIA’s National Defense...