SpaceConnect Association

What SpaceConnect Association does

SpaceConnect Association is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association founded in June 2026 to represent non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellite operators — primarily low Earth orbit constellations — before U.S. and international regulators. It was established by four founding members: Amazon (Project Kuiper), Globalstar, Iridium Communications, and Telesat (Canada), and notably excludes SpaceX/Starlink. The organization is staffed by 1-10 employees led by Executive Director David Redl (former NTIA Administrator) and General Counsel Julie Kearney (first Chief of the FCC Space Bureau).

The association's stated mission is to advocate for a competitive, multi-provider NGSO market on three policy pillars — innovation, resilience, and access — opposing single-provider dependency in space-based connectivity. Its active advocacy agenda covers spectrum access, market-entry frameworks, equivalent power-flux density limits, WRC-27 spectrum debates, and the EU Space Act, with public alignment to FCC reforms including the new Part 100 licensing framework and the 2027 upper C-band spectrum auction.

Its business model is membership-funded advocacy rather than commercial product or service delivery. The association generates no disclosed revenue from pricing or contracts; its operating budget is implicitly supported by dues from its four founding operator-members. It disseminates positions through its website, LinkedIn, Twitter/X, email, and press releases, and does not sell technology, products, or commercial services to downstream customers in the defense, enterprise, or consumer connectivity segments it cites as beneficiaries of its policy work.

Name

SpaceConnect Association

Legal name

SpaceConnect Association

Website

https://spaceconnectassociation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2026

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SpaceConnect Association is a Washington, D.C. trade association founded in 2026 that advocates for non-geostationary satellite operators, with founding members Amazon, Globalstar, Iridium, and Telesat, led by former NTIA and FCC officials.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Satellite Industry Trade Association

NAICS

Satellite Telecommunications (51741), Satellite Telecommunications (517410)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

International Science, Technology & Space Cooperation Organizations (BPADAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Satellite Broadband Internet Access (Consumer/SMB) (HDAIAJAA)

Keywords

• Satellite industry advocacy
• NGSO policy advocacy
• Spectrum regulatory affairs
• Satellite trade association
• LEO industry lobbying

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SpaceConnect Association is a trade association that provides policy advocacy, industry representation, and regulatory engagement on behalf of non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellite operators. It advocates for competitive, multi-provider NGSO market frameworks covering spectrum access, market entry, and space stewardship, engaging with international institutions, governments, and industry stakeholders to promote innovation, resilience, and global access.

Product overview

SpaceConnect Association is a trade association, not a product company. It does not offer commercial products or services for sale. The organization provides advocacy, policy representation, and industry coordination services for its member companies (NGSO satellite operators) in the non-geostationary orbit satellite communications industry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Policy Advocacy and Industry Representation Advocacy on behalf of NGSO satellite operators before Congress, federal agencies, and international institutions on regulatory frameworks including spectrum access, equivalent power-flux density limits, WRC-27 spectrum debates, and EU Space Act provisions. Targeted at member companies in the NGSO satellite communications industry.
• Regulatory Engagement Services Direct engagement with U.S. and international regulatory bodies and governments to promote NGSO-friendly policies, technological neutrality, procedural fairness, and global harmonization of regulatory frameworks. Targeted at member NGSO satellite operators and supporting businesses.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Amazon (Project Kuiper)coreOthersFounding member of SpaceConnect Association. Amazon's Project Kuiper is one of the four founding NGSO operators that established the association to advocate for competitive multi-provider satellite markets. Amazon participates as a member company benefiting from unified industry advocacy on spectrum access and regulatory frameworks.
• GlobalstarcoreOthersFounding member of SpaceConnect Association. Globalstar operates NGSO satellite communications systems and participates as a member company benefiting from unified industry advocacy on spectrum access and regulatory frameworks including equivalent power-flux density limits and WRC-27 spectrum debates.
• Iridium CommunicationscoreOthersFounding member of SpaceConnect Association. Iridium operates NGSO satellite communications constellation and participates as a member company benefiting from unified industry advocacy on spectrum access and regulatory frameworks.
• Telesat (Canada)coreOthersFounding member of SpaceConnect Association. Canada's Telesat operates NGSO satellite systems and participates as a member company. Telesat benefits from advocacy on international regulatory frameworks including EU Space Act provisions in Brussels.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Satellite Industry Association (SIA): The principal US trade association for the commercial satellite industry, including NGSO operators. Directly comparable as a satellite-industry advocacy body, but with broader membership spanning GEO and NGSO and a longer institutional track record at the FCC and on Capitol Hill.
• GVF (Global VSAT Forum): An international trade association focused on the satellite communications industry, including ground-segment and operator stakeholders. Comparable as a global satellite-industry advocacy and standards body, with overlap in NGSO-relevant policy debates.
• ESOA (EMEA Satellite Operators Association): European-headquartered trade association representing satellite operators on regulatory matters including spectrum and EU policy. Directly comparable as an operator-led advocacy body and a natural counterpart/competitor for SpaceConnect on EU Space Act advocacy.
• Commercial Spaceflight Federation: US trade association representing commercial spaceflight and launch industry participants. Comparable as a recently-formed-style industry advocacy organization focused on commercial space, with overlapping regulatory interests on spectrum access and orbital stewardship.

Emerging players

• Space ISAC (Information Sharing and Analysis Center): Industry-funded organization focused on space-cyber threat information sharing. Comparable as an emerging industry coordination body in the space sector with overlapping members and adjacent (resilience) themes to SpaceConnect's mandate.
• World Teleport Association (WTA): Trade association focused on the teleport and ground-segment ecosystem that supports satellite operators. Comparable as a sector-specific advocacy and member-services organization adjacent to NGSO operators' value chain.

Others

• International Astronautical Federation (IAF): Global federation of space agencies, industry, and professional societies. Comparable as an international space-sector coordinating body where SpaceConnect could participate, though focused more broadly on civil and scientific space activity.

Broad incumbents

• Aerospace Industries Association (AIA): The largest US aerospace and defense industry trade association. Comparable as a broader-incumbent policy advocate covering aerospace and space sectors, including satellite industry members, with deeper legislative relationships than SpaceConnect.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SpaceConnectOrg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spaceconnect-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about SpaceConnect Association