Small satellite providers have experienced exponential growth in the past decade, seeking market share in the imaging, ship-tracking, and weather data industries with the intention of delivering a lower- cost and higher time-resolution product. However, it is unclear whether this business model can be successfully applied to the telecom segment of the satellite industry. Telecom is the largest segment of the satellite industry, and currently it is dominated by large satellites due to the energy requirements of high-throughput radios and the inherently volume-restrictive design of small satellites. Companies such as OneWeb, SpaceX. and others are working to create constellations of small communications satellites with the intent of providing global coverage. Is there enough demand within the telecom sector to support this new wave of smallsats? Will smallsats be able to capture a substantial market share of the $100+ billion telecom industry segment, perhaps by creating new markets in previously under-serviced continents? Or, do larger satellites have the competitive advantage due to their heritage and form-factor?
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