The pulse of the satellite industry: questions and answers for senior executives 2023

This report looks at the questions that industry leaders in the satellite communications (SATCOM) industry want answers to in 2023. It is based on a survey conducted by NSR, an Analysys Mason company.

The results of NSR’s annual survey are a unique source of information about industry trends and issues that demand attention.

This year’s survey elicited around 200 responses, illustrating the industry’s growing curiosity and concern about the future of satellite and space technology.

The responses span a wide range of topics, although most fall into four categories: 

• telecoms
• low-Earth orbit (LEO) and medium-Earth orbit (MEO) satellites
• SpaceX/Starlink
• direct-to-device (D2D) communication.

In this report, we discuss six of the most commonly asked (burning) questions in the industry today in order to provide thought-provoking insights and actionable strategies and to start engaging discussions that will shape the trajectory of the SATCOM industry.

Questions asked in the survey

• Which telecoms trends should satellite players be most aware of?
• With a challenging economic outlook for 2023, what are the prospects for the SATCOM industry?
• Are SpaceX/Starlink and Amazon’s Kuiper the largest threats to the SATCOM industry?
• Can satellite direct-to-device technology live up to the hype?
• Where should satellite operators look for growth?
• Satellite–telecoms integration: how do we get there?