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Transformation of the EMEA Satellite Operators’ Association to the Global Satellite Operators’ Association

December 15, 2021

Chief Executives of the world’s leading satellite operators announced in Paris on the occasion of World Satellite Business Week 2021 that ESOA, the EMEA Satellite Operators Association, is expanding to include satellite operators from all world regions and will change its name to GSOA, the Global Satellite Operators’ Association. They also announced that seven new members – Amazon, APT, ARSAT, Intersputnik, Lockheed Martin, Omnispace and Star One – had already agreed to join GSOA.

GSOA will remain the only CEO-driven satellite industry association. It will focus on a core mission of providing a unified voice and a platform for collaboration for satellite operators globally to ensure their continued success and for broadening the opportunities for policymakers and industry players to leverage satellite services to fulfil their objectives.

“The creation of GSOA reflects a strong belief in the satellite communications sector that a strong, global voice is needed to ensure that the sector is well positioned to helping create a more connected and sustainable world,” said Stephen Spengler, ESOA Chairman and CEO of Intelsat. “The fact that new members are already joining us is a demonstration of support for GSOA’s mission and the need to ensure that, together, we have a strong voice in shaping the communications ecosystem of the future.”

Leading Change

GSOA is structured to drive industry leadership in the face of three key trends: unparalleled innovation in the space sector, an insatiable demand for all types of connectivity, and a need to bring sustainability to space. In this regard, the GSOA Board has approved three broad industry goals.

GSOA is committed to:

On earth: extending connectivity globally where other networks don’t, connecting unconnected communities, schools, households, planes, ships, businesses, humanitarian agencies, peacekeepers and governments, aiming to increase the number of satellite data connections by 250% by 2030 and increase the data consumed by those connections 15 fold.

In space: preserving the space environment for future generations by designing, launching and operating satellites in a responsible way and minimising the creation of space debris.

For all: supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals by providing access to secure, reliable and sustainable broadcast & broadband connectivity to people, schools, enterprises, organisations and devices wherever they may be, whether on the move, at work, or at play.

ESOA to GSOA

With the industry’s multi-orbit offering, the satellite sector will respond to the great majority of connectivity requirements presented by the data driven economy of tomorrow. From bridging crippling social, education, healthcare and other divides that exist due to the lack of communications infrastructure on all continents to enabling a host of 5G and IoT use cases for different vertical sectors.

Satellite operators will continue to build on the successes of ESOA which include providing the support the industry needed to push ahead with 5G standards and vital leadership on issues such as satellite spectrum and space sustainability. Through GSOA, the satellite sector will now be able to drive such global activities leveraging a global operator base.

GSOA will provide its members with the opportunity to shape the future of the satellite communications industry and the frameworks in which it operates by participating in key activities that impact the sector. Specifically, GSOA members will be able to engage in cross-sector initiatives, drive common positions, represent the industry on topics such as spectrum and 5G in events on all continents and contribute to ITU work concerning the development agenda, emergency communications and of course spectrum.

The association will continue to have a CEO-led Board, which has proved invaluable to the success of the ESOA to date, a strong Secretariat, and member-driven working groups that execute the broad agenda set by the Board.

“This is an important change that will help ensure the industry is positioned well into the future”, said Aarti Holla-Maini, the secretary general of ESOA. “We also recognize that there are other industry associations who will want to understand the implications of this change and we look forward to working with them to ensure the satellite communications sector has the strongest possible, unified global voice.”

The Global Satellite Operators Association now counts among its members: Airbus CIS, Amazon, Amos Spacecom, APT, Arabsat, Arsat, Avanti, Azercosmos, Echostar-Hughes, HellasSat, Hispasat, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Intersputnik, Lockheed Martin, Nigcomsat, Nilesat, Omnispace, OneWeb, Rascomstar, SES, SSI-Monacosat, Star One, Telenor, Telesat, Telespazio, Thuraya, Turksat, Viasat and Yahsat as well as representatives of the broader space industry including Airbus Defence and Space, Arianespace, Astroscale, Mansat, ST Engineering and Thales Alenia Space.