💫 Satellite Market Experiences a Geostationary Renaissance

The catalyst for this trend is not only the large-scale renewal of the Russian fleet—with the Federal State Unitary Enterprise “Russian Satellite Communications Company” (RSCC) contracting four satellites in 2025 and three more in 2026—but also a surge in activity across the global civil market. Since the beginning of 2025, global operators have placed orders for at least 10 new geostationary communications satellites. These orders have clearly divided the market into two technological poles: traditional heavy platforms and innovative small geostationary satellites (Small GEO).

Heavy Class: Bet on Capacity and Software-Definability

The large-scale satellite segment (massing over 1,000 kg) is dominated by established players offering proven platforms with long design lives (at least 15 years) and a focus on premium commercial niches.

• JSAT-32 (Japan): Ordered by operator SKY Perfect JSAT from Thales Alenia Space, this satellite is built on the Spacebus-4000B2 platform with a launch mass of 3.7 metric tons. The Ku/Ka-band spacecraft is optimized for mobile broadband and TV broadcasting in the Japanese region, with a scheduled launch in 2027. The modernization program, which also includes the JSAT-31 and Superbird-9 satellites, costs the operator approximately €1.1 billion, including the ground segment.
• Thor 8 (Norway): Space Norway (which absorbed Telenor Satellite) has contracted a 4-ton satellite from Thales Alenia Space for the key European orbital slot at 1° West. The spacecraft will provide secure communications for government and commercial needs in the EMEA region and support Scandinavia’s traditional pay-TV market. Launch is slated for 2027.
• EchoStar 26 (USA): This heavy 6.8-ton spacecraft is being built by Lanteris Space Systems (formerly Maxar Space Systems, which rebranded in October 2025 following a corporate split) on the classic 1300 bus. The satellite will deploy to the full-CONUS 119° West orbital slot for the DISH TV broadcast platform in 2028.
• OmanSat 1 (Oman): The country’s first national satellite, ordered from Airbus, is based on the innovative OneSat platform featuring a 100% software-defined digital Ka-band payload. Aimed at ensuring Oman’s digital sovereignty, the spacecraft is scheduled for launch in 2029.
• Es’hail-3/Turksat-Biruni: A 2026 contract under which Qatari Es’hailSat and Turkish Turksat pooled their ground and spectrum assets. This high-throughput satellite (HTS) is being built by Thales Alenia Space on the flexible, software-defined Space Inspire platform to operate at the 50° East slot.

Small GEO: Disruptive Engineering from Startups

In parallel, a resilient niche has emerged for small GEO spacecraft (massing under 1,000 kg), offering a radical reduction in data transmission costs through breakthrough engineering solutions.

• Neastar 1 (Singapore): Singaporean operator Astrum Mobile has ordered a small satellite from Swiss startup SWISSto12 based on the HummingSat platform to implement direct L-band satellite-to-device connectivity.
• AscendArc Deals (USA): The American startup burst into the market with a revolutionary architecture. Its small satellite for South Korean operator KT Sat will deliver a record-breaking throughput of 500 Gbps, despite being 10 times lighter than traditional giants. This is achieved through a rigid 4.5-meter reflector antenna that fits into a Falcon 9 fairing without requiring on-orbit deployment, combined with a solid-state payload. In December 2025, the startup also signed an agreement with leasing firm Space Leasing International (SLI) for the supply of two GEO spacecraft valued at $200 million, introducing aviation-style leasing frameworks to the space sector.
• Chunghwa-1 (Taiwan) and HUEGO (Hungary): Two sovereign programs designed to protect national infrastructure. Taiwan’s backup micro-GEO satellite from Astranis is expected to launch in 2026. Hungary’s HUEGO, being developed by Northrop Grumman on the GEOStar-3 platform, is scheduled for 2030 as the core of the national HUSAT program.

A New Architecture for the Orbital Market

The current upswing in the civil GEO sector demonstrates an important shift in operator strategies. Small geostationary spacecraft are not displacing heavy platforms; rather, they complement them organically, capturing narrow regional niches or providing emergency redundancy. The primary drivers of long-term demand in the industry have become the widespread governmental push for digital sovereignty—driving orders for sovereign networks—and the need to deeply integrate satellite capacity into mobile device and broadband ecosystems.