Europe
“SpaceX’s Rise Under Trump 2.0: Welcome, Asia’s No.1 Satellite Company”
• SKY Perfect JSAT, Asia’s largest satellite company, is not averse to the rise of Elon Musk’s SpaceX under the second Donald Trump presidency.
• The Japanese firm plans to see deeper ties with SpaceX, with a $230 million investment in Planet Labs’ PL low-Earth orbit observation satellite Pelican.
• Yonekura cites high dependence on SpaceX rockets for satellite launch and potential benefits from Trump’s closeness to SpaceX.
• JSAT operates 17 geosynchronous communication satellites and plans to build a constellation of 10 Planet Pelicans in 2027.
• JSAT aims for 23 billion yen ($151 million) in sales from the satellite data businesses in fiscal year 2030.
• SpaceX has reduced rocket launch costs by developing the reusable Falcon 9 booster.
• JSAT plans to work with European partner Arianespace or Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries 7011 if it loses access to SpaceX boosters.
