Marcin Frąckiewicz, Author at TechStock²

Satellite Technologies FAQ

Sputnik 1, launched by the Soviet Union on October 4, 1957, was the first artificial satellite. Explorer 1 became the United States’ first satellite in 1958. As of 2025, there are roughly 11,000+ active satellites orbiting Earth, with tens of thousands of pieces of inactive satellites and debris. Geostationary satellites orbit about 35,786 km (22,236 miles) above the equator and stay fixed over one ground spot. Most satellites use solar panels with large arrays and rechargeable batteries to power their instruments and systems, including during eclipses. The first known accidental collision of two satellites occurred in 2009. Starlink is SpaceX’s

6 June 2025

Where Satellite Phones Are Illegal?

Bangladesh bans satellite phone use; possession can lead to arrest and imprisonment. North Korea prohibits all unauthorized communication devices, foreigners must surrender phones and privacy is not guaranteed, with detention possible. India restricts satellite phones to government‑approved Inmarsat devices, requiring a license (No Objection Certificate) from the Department of Telecommunications before bringing one in. China maintains a de facto ban on private sat phones, requiring registration for limited state use and has deployed jammers in some areas to block unapproved devices. Chad bans satellite phones under any circumstances, with Thuraya explicitly outlawed and Iridium sometimes tolerated. Myanmar (Burma) effectively bans

6 June 2025

Communication · International Law · Legal Issues · Satellite Phones · Technology

DJI Matrice 4E and Matrice 4T Series Drones: Comprehensive Report

The DJI Matrice 4 Series was launched in January 2025 and comprises two models, Matrice 4T (Thermal) and Matrice 4E (Enterprise), both with foldable airframes and about 1.22 kg takeoff weight. The Matrice 4T adds a radiometric thermal camera (640×512 px, 12 µm, 30 Hz) and a built-in near‑IR spotlight with a 6° field of view, covering roughly 100 m range. The Matrice 4E targets geospatial tasks, pairing a 20 MP wide camera with a 4/3″ sensor and mechanical shutter, plus 48 MP medium and 48 MP tele cameras enabling up to 112× hybrid zoom. Both drones use the O4

5 June 2025

Aerial photography · DJI · Drones · Reviews · Technology

Military Satellite Services: Complete Guide to Secure Communications

The United States operates the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) constellation, delivering jam-resistant, global, protected military communications including nuclear command and control links. Navstar GPS is a 31-satellite global navigation system that provides precise positioning, navigation, and timing to guide munitions such as JDAM and to synchronize encrypted networks. Defense Support Program (DSP) and the Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) form the U.S. early-warning constellation that uses infrared sensors to detect missile launches worldwide. U.S. Keyhole KH-11 optical reconnaissance satellites (and successors) provide high-resolution imagery from space. Russia operates the Liana ELINT constellation, including Lotos-S1 in low orbit and Pion-NKS in

4 June 2025

Defense · Military · NASDAQ:IRDM · NYSE:BA · NYSE:GD · NYSE:LDOS · NYSE:LHX · NYSE:LMT · NYSE:MAXR · NYSE:NOC · NYSE:RTX · Satellite · Secure Communications · Technology

Aviation Satellite Services: Benefits, Providers, and New Technologies

By late 2022, more than 10,000 aircraft worldwide were equipped with in-flight connectivity, and about 65% of airlines planned further IFC investments in the next few years. Aireon’s space-based ADS-B payloads on Iridium NEXT have been operational since 2019, enabling global real-time tracking and supporting ICAO’s 15-minute GADSS position reporting standard. COSPAS-SARSAT, a global satellite distress system, relays 406 MHz ELT signals from aircraft to ground stations to coordinate search and rescue and has saved thousands of lives. Global Navigation Satellite Systems—GPS (USA), GLONASS (Russia), Galileo (EU), BeiDou (China)—provide precise positioning, while SBAS like WAAS and EGNOS offer 1–2 meter

4 June 2025

Aviation · Connectivity · NASDAQ:IRDM · NASDAQ:VSAT · Providers · Satellite · Technology

Maritime Satellite Services: Complete Guide to Ship Connectivity & Communications

L-band MSS terminals, such as Inmarsat FleetBroadband and Iridium Certus, provide global coverage with compact antennas but limited data throughput. Ku-band VSAT (12–18 GHz) has been the maritime workhorse, Ka-band HTS (26–40 GHz) offers higher capacity, while C-band deployments are restricted near shore due to interference and large dish requirements. GEO satellites offer broad coverage with about 600 ms latency, while LEO Iridium NEXT, a 66-satellite constellation upgraded 2017–2019, provides true global L-band coverage and was recognized as a GMDSS provider in 2020. SpaceX Starlink and OneWeb have emerged as disruptive LEO players in maritime, with Starlink signing on nearly

4 June 2025

Communications · Maritime · Satellite · Ship Connectivity · Technology

Global Drone Market Outlook (2025–2030)

In 2024, the total global drone market was about $73 billion, with forecasts to reach roughly $163–165 billion by 2030 at around a 14% CAGR. Some analyses forecast growth from about $30 billion in 2022 to $260.5 billion by 2030, implying a 27–39% annual growth rate. By 2030 the market’s major segments are projected to be: Consumer about $11.6B, Commercial about $55B, Military about $90B, Delivery about $10.5B, and Agricultural about $22.5B in annual revenue. DJI dominates the consumer drone market with an estimated 70–80% global share, over 90% in some sub-categories, led by Phantom and Mavic series as of

2 June 2025

Drones · Global Trends · Market Analysis · NASDAQ:ESLT · NYSE:NOC · Reports · Technology

Satellite Phones: A Comprehensive Report

Iridium, a LEO network, started service in 1998 and operates 66 active cross-linked satellites, delivering near-global coverage, with the Iridium NEXT second-generation network launched in 2019. Globalstar uses 48 satellites (24 second-generation as of 2013), has no inter-satellite links and relies on ground gateways, and Apple’s Emergency SOS on iPhone 14 uses about 85% of Globalstar’s capacity for emergency texts. Inmarsat operates a GEO fleet of about 11 satellites, offers IsatPhone handheld services, the IsatPhone 2 provides ~8 hours of talk time and 160 hours of standby, and Inmarsat expanded with I-4/I-6 series after its 2023 acquisition by Viasat. Thuraya

2 June 2025

Communication · Gadgets · Mobile Devices · Satellite · Technology

Starlink Global Availability and Impact Report

Starlink is available in over 100 countries as of mid-2025, spanning North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania, and parts of South America. As of late 2024, Starlink had surpassed 4 million subscribers. Starlink offers five service types: Residential, Roam, Business (Priority), Maritime, and Aviation. Typical speeds range from about 50 Mbps to 150+ Mbps, with most users above 100 Mbps under good conditions, and latency around 20–50 ms. Monthly pricing ranges from about $90–$120 in well-connected markets, with discounts to roughly $30–$50 in developing regions. The United States was the first to receive Starlink, with public beta in mid-2020 and

2 June 2025

Coverage · Impact · Internet · Satellite · Starlink

Starlink and the Satellite Internet Market (2025) – Comprehensive Report

Starlink uses a direct-to-consumer model with a Starlink kit (dish antenna + WiFi router) and monthly service, priced around $100–$120 per month, with the kit originally costing about $599 (some markets as low as $350). Speeds reach roughly 50–200 Mbps down and 10–20 Mbps up, with latency around 20–40 ms, far lower than geostationary satellites. Starlink Roam for RVs, Maritime for ships (initially about $5,000 per month with dual terminals for ocean coverage), and Aviation with dedicated aero antennas (about $150,000 hardware and $12,500–25,000 monthly for unlimited in-flight Wi‑Fi) illustrate its multi-sector strategy. In 2023 Starlink began beta mobile-phone connectivity

1 June 2025

Connectivity · Market Report · NASDAQ:TMUS · Satellite Internet · Space Industry · Starlink

Global Satellite and Space Industry Report 2025: Market Overview and Outlook to 2030

In 2024, the global space economy reached $415 billion in revenue, up 4% from 2023. Commercial satellite activities totaled about $293 billion in 2024, representing 71% of the global space economy. The number of operational satellites rose from roughly 3,371 in 2020 to 11,539 by the end of 2024, a more than threefold increase. SpaceX dominated US launches in 2024, conducting 138 of 145 orbital launches with Falcon 9/Heavy rockets and Starship test flights. In 2024, the United States accounted for about 65% of global launch revenue; China performed 68 orbital launches, and Europe conducted 3. Global government space spending

1 June 2025

Future Outlook · Industry Report · Market Analysis · Satellite Industry · Space Technology

Satellite Technology in Military and Defense: A Global Overview

The United States operates roughly 120–130 dedicated military satellites, spanning KH-11 imaging, SBIRS/DSP early warning, AEHF/Milstar communications, and the Wideband Global SATCOM network. Russia maintains about 70–80 active military satellites, including the Persona and Bars-M reconnaissance systems, the Liana ELINT network, the GLONASS navigation constellation, and the Tundra early-warning fleet. China operates approximately 60–70 military satellites, featuring the Yaogan reconnaissance fleet, the Beidou 35-satellite GNSS, and the Shentong/Tianlian military communications satellites, along with an active ASAT program. India demonstrated an ASAT capability in March 2019 with Mission Shakti, destroying a satellite in low Earth orbit. Israel’s Ofek series has operated

29 May 2025

Defense · Global Overview · Military · NASDAQ:BKSY · NASDAQ:PL · NASDAQ:VSAT · Satellite Technology · Security