SpaceX, Amazon, OneWeb, etc.
In the satellite utilization service war between private space companies,
Who will be the winner!

It's become a familiar sight to see SpaceX launching rockets and reusing the first stage.
Space tourism businesses led by Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin are making the fantasy of traveling to deep space a reality.
We are now in a private-led 'new space era' where the private sector is developing space technology and growing the market.
In the new space era, there is one area of ​​the space industry whose importance and opportunities we often overlook: satellite utilization services.
Satellite utilization services refer to satellite communications that enable communication anywhere in the world, satellite observation that allows observation and photography anywhere in the world, and satellite navigation services that allow more precise identification of the locations of people and objects.

"Space Business Revolution" covers the satellite communications, satellite observation, and satellite navigation service industries among various space industries.
We will summarize how the satellite utilization service market was formed, introduce major global companies such as SpaceX, OneWeb, and Eutelsat, and examine the fierce competition among them.
Through this, we will examine the global status, outlook, and opportunities of the satellite utilization service industry.
It also presents examples of how satellite services can be used to help developing countries and our global neighbors affected by conflict or natural disasters, and suggests the potential for the space industry to effectively contribute to international development and emergency relief efforts.

The author is a professional manager in the satellite, communications, and IT fields who has worked in various fields at KT Group for 32 years, including as the head of the US branch, head of the group's management team, chief of staff, and CEO of KT Sat.
"Space Business Revolution" is the culmination of the author's knowledge, know-how, and experience gained while working in the space industry.
We will provide insights into the current market and business ideas to those who wish to venture into the space business in the future.

In other private-sector-led industries, economies of scale work over time, reducing the cost of manufacturing products.
However, the manufacturing costs in the space development industry do not naturally decrease.
It is not easy to reduce manufacturing costs because rockets, satellites, and spacecraft must be manufactured by hand, as mass production through standardization is difficult.
In particular, launch vehicle rockets are disposable, making it difficult to reduce costs.
But a revolution in rocket building occurred in the private sector.
--- p.23 Currently, no other rocket manufacturer can afford SpaceX's rocket launch costs.
Ariane rockets manufactured by Arianespace of Europe, which once held the top spot in the global rocket launch market share while competing with traditional rocket manufacturing defense companies in the United States, also lost the launch market due to lack of price competitiveness.
SpaceX currently holds the undisputed world lead in rocket launches.
--- p.26 According to a survey by the Satellite Industry Association (SIA), the global space industry's economic size is estimated to be $400 billion in 2023.
The commercial satellite industry, excluding government space budgets and commercial manned spaceflight budgets, accounted for $285 billion.
Among these, launch vehicle manufacturing and services account for $7.2 billion (2.5 percent), satellite manufacturing $17.2 billion (6.0 percent), satellite utilization services $110.2 billion (38.6 percent), and ground equipment manufacturing $150.4 billion (52.7 percent) account for a large portion.
Typically, the space industry tends to think only about launch vehicle manufacturing and launch services.
However, when looking at the global space industry or market, the ground equipment including terminals and satellite utilization service industries occupy a much larger proportion.
--- p.35 The construction and operation of space stations, which require enormous capital and technological capabilities, have also become the domain of New Space.
Private companies could operate advanced factories on the space station, performing tasks that would be impossible on Earth, such as producing high-precision instruments and mixing high-purity chemicals.
Because we can test processes that are only possible in places where microgravity is present.
Research and development and product manufacturing utilizing microgravity will be key activities for private space stations.
--- p.41 Eutelsat and SESSociete Europeenne des Satellite are commercial satellite communication operators in Europe and have launched many satellites, providing global coverage.
Eutelsat, established in 1977 in Paris, France as a public enterprise, is developing and enabling European countries to jointly use satellite communication services.
It launched its first satellite in 1983 and continues to launch new satellites, operating more than 36 geostationary satellites by 2024.
It provides broadcasting, dedicated line, and internet services to Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
It was privatized in 2001 and listed on the European stock exchanges in 2005 (the French government holds approximately 18 percent of the shares as of April 2025 through state-owned banks and investment funds).
--- p.56~57 Recently, direct communication services between low-orbit communication satellites and general smartphones are attracting attention.
D2D Direct to Device or D2C, Direct to Cell service.
The core of the D2D service is that it allows communication by transmitting and receiving satellite signals from a regular mobile phone used for mobile communication on the ground, rather than a separate satellite phone.
Apple announced in November 2022 that the iPhone 14, equipped with a different modem chip than its existing phones, will be able to send and receive L-band (1-2 gigahertz) signals to send SMS text messages in emergency situations.
Initially, it was offered for free for two years, and iPhone 14 users extended the free usage period for one year.
Satellite signals are provided by Globalstar satellites, and 85 percent of the total network capacity, which allows direct connection to satellites via general smartphones, is allocated for Apple users.
This allows Apple phones to send emergency text messages even in deserts, mountains, and remote areas without ground cell towers, in countries where service is available.
--- p.86~87 Several years before launching a communications satellite into Earth's orbit, satellite communication operators must apply to the ITU for orbit and frequency usage through the government of the country to which the operator belongs.
The right to use orbital resources primarily rests with the respective countries and their governments.
The country in question, together with its satellite communications operator, registers an application for use, or more precisely, a coordination application, with the ITU.
The international principle for granting orbital and frequency use is to give priority to the country that registers first. The ITU reviews applications for use, identifies satellite operators that may cause interference, notifies them, and then requests coordination with these operators.
From this point on, the adjustments must be completed within seven years, the satellite must be manufactured, and it must be launched into the corresponding orbit.
--- p.94 Many private companies around the world want to develop and service launch vehicles like SpaceX, but they are still limited to small launch vehicles that can carry small satellites.
Small launch vehicle companies aim to service satellite payloads weighing less than 1,000 kilograms.
Representative companies include Rocket Lab, Firefly, Relativity Space, and ABL in the US, Isar Aerospace in Germany, and Skyroot Aerospace in India.
In Korea, startups such as Innospace, Perigee Aerospace, and Unastella are developing small launch vehicles.
As of the end of 2024, only Rocket Lab and Firefly, private launch vehicle developers, have successfully completed commercial launches.
--- p.120 Satellite images have been developed primarily in the public sector, defense and security fields, and are still actively used today.
It is now in the early stages of commercialization for application in economic and industrial fields.
In the public sector, satellites have been used to obtain weather forecasts, national geographic information, and agricultural and plant growth information.
Meteorological satellites in geostationary orbit forecast the weather by monitoring the ever-changing amount and direction of clouds.
Additionally, low-orbit observation satellites are operated to regularly monitor changes in the national territory and produce or update maps.
The defense sector requires much more sophisticated and higher resolution observation images.
Satellite images for military purposes must be capable of reconnaissance, target identification, and change detection, and because decision-making based on accuracy is crucial, securing detailed images at the meter level or smaller is essential.
--- p.130 There are countries that do not have global coverage but have their own systems that do not rely on other countries' navigation systems and only serve their own local areas.
In preparation for the global navigation system, it is called the Regional Navigation Satellite System (RNSS), and India and Japan have completed or are planning to complete the system through satellite launches.
South Korea has finalized plans to build the Korean Positioning System (KPS) in 2021.
--- p.153 In aid and relief activities targeting conflict zones, disaster sites, and poverty-stricken areas, it is of utmost importance to accurately understand the situation on the ground.
We need to continuously monitor in real time the extent of the damage, where refugees and displaced people are moving, and whether roads to access the site have been destroyed.
Previously, teams were sent in as advance teams to collect and understand field information, but there were limitations in accuracy and data scale.
Approaching the scene is not only physically dangerous, but also often poses a threat to the safety of the relief team.
In such cases, utilizing satellite communication, satellite observation, and satellite navigation technologies and services can enable relatively accurate and comprehensive collection of on-site information.
It is also effective in carrying out disaster recovery, relief, and support activities, and can safely achieve results by monitoring the situation in real time.
--- p.179 There are various cases of solving problems using satellite navigation and drones.
In developing countries where the majority of the population is engaged in agriculture, improving agricultural productivity is a very important task.
By quickly detecting and preventing the occurrence of pests and diseases such as rice blast and rice planthopper, we can prevent them from spreading to other regions.
At this time, drone-mounted cameras and sensors detect color changes in crop leaves to determine the presence of pests and diseases. GPS data can be used to create maps of pest-infested areas, and drones can be used to precisely spray pesticides in these areas.
When growing a single crop, such as rice, coffee, or pineapple, on a farm basis, pest control using drones is a very important means of preventing the spread of diseases and pests.

--- p.208