The 43rd annual SATELLITE Conference and Exhibition (SATELLITE 2024) recently concluded its highly anticipated event in Washington DC, from March 18-21. The event had an impressive attendance of 14,768 individuals from 113 different countries making the foremost gathering for professionals in the satellite and space industry. Notably, this year's conference reflected the increasing mainstream adoption of satellite technologies and warmly welcomed diverse end-user communities.
SATELLITE 2024 showcased a remarkable growth in its exhibitor numbers, with 450 companies from over 30 countries participating. The exhibition space spanned 88,000 net square feet, marking a substantial 24 percent increase from the previous year and setting a new record as the largest show floor in its 40+ year history.
“SATELLITE 2024 hosted more attendees and exhibitors than any other year. In just three years after having to close our doors early due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have broken our attendance record two years in a row,” said Lindsey Fuller, Senior Vice President of SATELLITE 2024. “The most exciting statistic for us was discovering that one-third of attendees were attending the event for the first time. Many of these first-time attendees were coming from industries outside of satellite and space technology, which speaks to the growth of our community.”
Conference Highlights:
Intelsat CEO Dave Wajsgras delivered a fireside keynote shedding light on the company's transition from solely providing media networks capacity to becoming a comprehensive, end-to-end solutions provider. He also hinted at several potential deals in progress, including ventures into medium-earth orbit and land mobility services.
Another standout fireside session featured Glenn Latta from Delta Air Lines and Paul Gaske, COO of Hughes, stressing the critical importance of inflight connectivity (IFC) for commercial airlines. They emphasized the necessity for IFC to not only be accessible and scalable but also equipped with cutting-edge technology to meet the increasing demand for seamless internet connections.
The Opening General Sessions, sponsored respectively by Thales Alenia Space and Maxar, provided platforms for lively discussions among satellite industry leaders. Topics ranged from global broadband connectivity and technological advancements to the challenges faced by legacy operators amidst competition from emerging players like Starlink. Gwynne Shotwell, president and COO of SpaceX, touched on several developments — including updates with Starlink, the recent John Deere deal, and Starship’s test flight — in addition to announcing SpaceX’s next frontier: plug-and-play lasers.
During the Wednesday Opening General Session, sponsored by Maxar, executives from Comtech, Viasat, EchoStar, Iridium, Globalstar and John Deere discussed about the practical challenges of satellite and cellular convergence.
The conference also honored notable figures and innovations within the industry. MDA Space CEO Mike Greenley and 3GPP NTN Standards were recognized with the 2023 Satellite Executive and Technology of the Year awards, announced by Via Satellite during the Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, March 20.
"SATELLITE 2024 featured its strongest-ever conference program offering to attendees, " said Jeffrey Hill, Executive Chairman for SATELLITE 2024. "All-access pass-holders enjoyed access to more than 400 high-level speakers and nearly a dozen keynote presentations from industry thought leaders at U.S. Space Force, the NRO, Space Development Agency, Delta Airlines, John Deere, the ITU, the FCC, SpaceX, T-Mobile, Carnival Cruise Lines and more."
Exhibition Highlights:
During the 8th Annual Startup Space pitch competition, ten entrepreneurs had the opportunity to showcase their ideas in front of a panel of judges. The participants vied for the chance to secure private pitch meetings with a select group of influential space investors. This year’s winner, Trust Point, is developing a commercial next-generation GNSS to provide performance, security and reliability improvements for GPS users.
A notable addition to the event was the debut of the Via Satellite Theater, which brought a glimpse of conference content directly to the show floor. Across nine sessions held throughout the week, attendees were given various presentations that consistently drew in eager crowds, often resulting in standing-room-only situations. Topics explored ranged from the integration of AI in space ventures to discussions on the future space economy, addressing connectivity requirements for both air and sea end-users, exploring direct-to-device connections, leveraging earth observation data, etc.
Moreover, attendees were given exclusive access to firsthand insights into the latest technological advancements from industry leaders. Through live demonstrations, engaging presentations, and new product launches, companies such as SEAKR Engineering, ST Engineering iDirect, Viasat, and Nanoavionics showcased their innovative offerings. This showcase also featured contributions from Constellations Podcast by Kratos, SpaceBridge, Keysight Technologies, Blue Canyon Technologies, Globalstar, SatixFy, Capgemini America, and Beyond Gravity, providing attendees with an overview of the cutting-edge developments shaping the future of the satellite and space industry.
SATELLITE 2025 will be held March 10-13, 2025, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center located at 801 Mt Vernon Pl NW, Washington, DC.
Click here to see everything RF's coverage of SATELLITE 2024.
