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SpaceX’s Rise Under Trump 2.0 Welcomed by Asia’s No. 1 Satellite Company

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For SKY Perfect JSAT (9412.T), Asia’s leading satellite company, the rise of Elon Musk’s SpaceX under the second Donald Trump presidency is not seen as a challenge but rather as an opportunity, according to the company’s president, Eiichi Yonekura. The Japanese firm plans to deepen its relationship with SpaceX, especially after announcing a $230 million investment in Planet Labs’ low-Earth orbit satellite Pelican, aimed at expanding its satellite imagery business.

Yonekura emphasized that the rapid advancements of SpaceX have been instrumental to the growth of JSAT, citing the company’s reliance on SpaceX rockets to launch its satellites into space. He added that the relationship has been beneficial, as the company is “probably the biggest SpaceX customer in Asia” and is set to expand its satellite operations with the launch of Planet Labs’ Pelicans, which will use SpaceX’s Falcon 9 for their deployments.

Musk’s close ties with Trump are also believed to have had an influence on U.S. space policies, with a stronger emphasis on Mars exploration. Reports suggest that the Trump administration may eliminate the National Space Council, a move that could potentially benefit SpaceX due to Musk’s lobbying efforts.

JSAT, which operates 17 geosynchronous communication satellites—the largest fleet in Asia—plans to enter the low-orbit satellite business by constructing a constellation of 10 Planet Pelicans by 2027. The company aims to generate 23 billion yen ($151 million) in revenue from satellite data services by fiscal year 2030, primarily from national security clients.

SpaceX’s development of the reusable Falcon 9 booster has revolutionized the cost structure of satellite launches, helping to lower costs significantly. While JSAT currently depends heavily on SpaceX for launches, Yonekura noted that if access to SpaceX boosters were to be restricted, JSAT would consider working with long-time European partner Arianespace or Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, whose H3 rocket is expected to become competitive within the next four to five years.

 

Blue Origin’s New Glenn Rocket to Challenge SpaceX with Inaugural Launch

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Jeff Bezos’ space company, Blue Origin, is preparing for the debut launch of its New Glenn rocket on Sunday, marking a significant step toward competing with SpaceX’s dominance in spaceflight. The New Glenn, a towering 30-story rocket, represents Blue Origin’s decade-long, multibillion-dollar investment into the burgeoning satellite constellation market, aiming to challenge SpaceX’s Falcon 9, which has been the backbone of many satellite missions.

New Glenn’s success would set the stage for Amazon’s Kuiper broadband internet satellite constellation, positioning it as a competitor to SpaceX’s Starlink network. For Blue Origin, this is a pivotal moment, as the company has yet to send anything into orbit since its founding 25 years ago. Although it has successfully launched and landed the smaller New Shepard rocket, this launch marks its first attempt at Earth orbit.

Scheduled for 1 a.m. ET (0600 GMT) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, New Glenn will carry its first payload—a Blue Ring satellite designed for satellite servicing and national security. The rocket is more powerful than the Falcon 9, with a larger payload capacity, although it still lags behind SpaceX’s Starship, which is under development for larger and more ambitious missions.

Blue Origin has secured several satellite contracts, including with Eutelsat’s OneWeb, Telesat, and AST SpaceMobile, positioning New Glenn in a strong market for satellite constellations. The rocket’s reusable core stage will also make its first landing attempt on a drone ship, mimicking SpaceX’s reusability success.

Despite delays and leadership changes over the years, Blue Origin is now fully focused on New Glenn’s success, with CEO Dave Limp pushing for a fast-paced launch schedule. The launch is critical not only for competition but also as a certification flight for the U.S. Space Force, which could lead to lucrative national security payload contracts in the coming year.