Maxar wins mystery commercial GEO order amid market slowdown

TAMPA, Fla. — Maxar Space Systems announced an order March 3 for a commercial geostationary communications satellite without disclosing its customer’s identity, a rare move for the industry.The California-based company said in a brief news release the spacecraft would be based on its Maxar 1300 series platform, the largest in the manufacturer’s product line with a mass of up to 6,800 kilograms.It is Maxar’s first order for a commercial communications spacecraft destined for geostationary orbit (GEO) since it announced a contract to build ES XXV for Dish Network in April 2023.Caleb Henry, director of research at Quilty Space, said the firm has tracked fewer than five similarly undisclosed commercial GEO communications satellite orders in the past decade.“Some that do become public turn out to be satellites for national governments, as was the case for Egypt with the Tiba-1 satellite, and South Korea with the Anasis-2 satellite,” Henry said.“National security concerns can motivate countries to order GEO satellites without disclosing their production.”Maxar declined to comment.Uncertain marketDemand for traditional GEO satellites remains historically low amid a shift toward large constellations in low Earth orbit (LEO). Even Eutelsat, which is embracing multi-orbit capabilities, recently said it is closely reviewing its future GEO investment needs as the satellite communications market continues to evolve.Manufacturers used to vie for 15-20 large GEO orders annually, but only six for commercial communications were placed in 2024, according to Novaspace principal advisor Maxime Puteaux — the lowest number in two decades after years of steep declines.Satellite nameCustomerManufacturerAl Yah 4Space42AirbusAl Yah 5Space42AirbusThaicom 9ThaicomAstranisOrbith-1OrbithAstranisUzmaUzma BerhadReorbitJCSat-31Sky Perfect JSATThales Alenia SpaceCommercial companies ordered only six geostationary communications satellites in 2024, according to Novaspace, and half were small satellites. Credit: NovaspaceEurope’s Thales Alenia Space said Feb. 10 it had secured a contract to build THOR-8 for Space Norway in the only other commercial GEO order announced so far this year, slated to launch in 2027.Still in GEOMaxar did not say when its mystery satellite could launch or provide other details about the contract.“The commercial GEO communication market remains an important focus for us,” Maxar CEO Chris Johnson said in the news release.“We are committed to delivering quality solutions that add value for our customers, and this new order highlights our ability to provide scalable platforms for diverse mission needs.”While the traditional GEO communications market has been on a downward trend, companies including Astranis, Swissto12 and Reorbit point to growing demand for much smaller geostationary satellites — closer in size to a dishwasher than a school bus — designed for regional needs. How Maxar’s latest order fits into this evolving landscape remains to be seen.