- Global geopolitical tensions are reshaping satellite business models and creating increasingly complex regulatory environments
- SES and Telesat cite supply chain bottlenecks as satellite and launch demand accelerates across the industry
- Despite innovation, satellite networks are slowed by long development cycles
SAT SHOW 2026, WASHINGTON DC – Geopolitical changes coupled with rapid market evolution have created a complex environment for satellite network operators, panelists said Tuesday.
Between ongoing conflict in Iran and Ukraine, a ramp in global defense spending as well as economic uncertainties from tariffs and the like, the current geopolitical landscape has brought about “a fundamental change to our business model,” said SES CEO Adel Al-Saleh.
Because SES is a European operator with a sizable U.S. presence, navigating the different regulatory environments is a real challenge, he noted. “We don’t launch constellations to be local. Even GEOs cover very large portions of the world.”
Despite the inherently global nature of satellite communications, geopolitics have escalated conversations around “the importance of sovereignty,” said Eutelsat CEO Jean-François Fallacher, as governments seek the ability to secure and control their own space-based assets.
Mark Dankberg, CEO and co-founder of Viasat, echoed Al-Saleh in that heightened tension is forcing satellite operators to “rethink almost everything” about the industry.
“If you look at geopolitical hotspots around the world, it’s not just the military systems that are being attacked, it’s the commercial ones as well,” he said.
While the current global landscape undoubtedly presents challenges, Telesat CEO Daniel Goldberg acknowledged that these challenges also open opportunities for low-earth orbit (LEO) providers in connectivity.
He pointed out Starlink satellites have been critical for communications and emergency services in Ukraine. For Telesat’s part, the operator announced it’s adding 500 MHz of military Ka-band spectrum to its Lightspeed constellation. “We’ve been strongly encouraged by allied governments to make that change,” Goldberg said.
Supply chain pressure is mounting as Amazon Leo and other satcom players ramp rocket launches. For SES, which recently invested in Lynk Global to support the latter’s LEO satellite and direct-to-device deployments, Al-Saleh noted bottlenecks in obtaining both space and ground infrastructure components.
“We want to have a supply chain that’s trying to be able to manufacture every month and be able to launch multiple times a year,” he said. “If you look at the traditional supply chain, it is constrained.”
As for Telesat, Goldberg said the company procures most of its satellite equipment from third parties, which puts it at a “potential competitive disadvantage to our competitors who are vertically integrated” and have better control over their production.
Satellite operators must also navigate a sea of rapid technological changes in an industry that’s “still very much cemented in a traditional development cycle,” said Al-Saleh.
“We can’t afford to test the system in space five years after we have the idea. We want to be testing in space every year,” he added.
To not be left behind, satellite operators need to be agile and frequently update their system – much like how phone manufacturers approach software updates – said Lynk Global CEO Ramu Potarazu in a separate fireside chat today.
“You have to test as best you can on the ground, but be prepared to iterate when you’re in space,” Potarazu said, noting the importance of embracing failure and then learning from it.