The 2025 Mobile Satellite Innovation Awards, held during the SATELLITE 2025 event in Washington, D.C., highlighted numerous advancements within the satellite mobile technology sector. Organized by the Mobile Satellite Users Association (MSUA), this prestigious event acknowledged various organizations for their significant contributions to the industry. At the heart of this year’s awards was the emerging theme of multi-orbit connectivity, a transformative force that has been making significant strides in the satellite industry. Dr. Paul Jacobs, CEO of Globalstar, delivered a compelling keynote address that underscored the innovative spirit celebrated throughout the event, setting an enthusiastic tone for the proceedings.
Highlighting Transformative Satellite Technology
A compelling fireside chat featuring Chris Quilty, Co-CEO of Quilty Space, and Barbee Ponder, General Counsel and Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at Globalstar, shed light on the transformative impact of satellite technology on modern communication infrastructures. Their discussion delved into the wide-ranging benefits and applications of satellite advancements, emphasizing their importance in sectors like disaster response, humanitarian aid, global enterprise, national security, and space exploration. The insights shared by Quilty and Ponder helped attendees appreciate the critical role of satellite technology in enhancing connectivity and resilience across various domains.
MSUA President Roger Lanctot, who boasts a 33-year legacy of advocating for satellite services, underscored the increasing significance of multi-orbit connectivity in driving industry progress. He praised the industry for its impactful contributions to critical global areas and highlighted how the advancements in satellite technology are paving the way for more efficient and reliable communication solutions. The discussions and insights during the event showcased a future-focused optimism, with an emphasis on the potential of satellite technology to drive innovation and address global challenges.
Recognizing Industry Leaders
The MSUA 2025 Satellite Mobile Innovation Awards recognized a variety of noteworthy achievements across several categories. The “Company to Watch” award was presented to Space42, which emerged as a key player following the merger between Bayanat and Yahsat. Space42 was recognized for its integration of geospatial analytics, AI-based smart mobility solutions, and upstream satellite operations. Their innovative GIQ platform leverages artificial intelligence to optimize business processes and enhance mobility solutions, positioning them as a leader in the field.
Intelsat was honored with the “Aerospace Mobile Innovation” award for its pioneering multi-orbit network, which integrates over 50 GEO satellites, Eutelsat OneWeb’s 648 LEO satellites, and other satellite networks to provide reliable in-flight connectivity. Their unique combination of GEO capacity and LEO network delivers low latency and efficient coverage, significantly reducing operational costs for airlines and demonstrating a remarkable advancement in aerospace mobile technology.
Advances in Industrial and Land Mobile Connectivity
In the realm of industrial IoT, Iridium’s Certus 9704 Module and Development Kit garnered the “Industrial IoT Mobile Innovation” award by revolutionizing satellite IoT with enhanced data capabilities. This innovation enables larger file transfers, faster message speeds, and enriched data, picture, and audio messaging for industrial and remote personnel applications. Iridium’s advancements have set a new standard for satellite IoT, making significant strides in improving connectivity for industrial operations.
Intelsat’s FlexMove Fleet received the “Land Mobile Innovation” award for providing high-throughput global connectivity for on-the-move operations. This managed IP-based satellite solution bridges terrestrial connectivity gaps and plans to transition to a comprehensive multi-orbit framework. The FlexMove Fleet’s ability to offer seamless connectivity in challenging environments highlights Intelsat’s leadership in land mobile innovation, ensuring consistent communication for various applications.
Iridium’s Certus GMDSS was awarded the “Maritime Mobile Innovation” prize, recognizing its groundbreaking advancements in maritime satellite communication safety. This global service supports distress alerts, safety voice communications, Maritime Safety Information (MSI), and additional services like LRIT and SSAS. Iridium’s solution provides robust, weather-resilient broadband service for maritime operations, enhancing safety and efficiency at sea.
Recognizing Excellence in On-Orbit and Rail Communication
Endeavour Technology’s nSpire platform earned the “On-Orbit Connectivity Innovation” award for its comprehensive connectivity diagnostics tool. Supporting various networks including GEO, MEO, LEO satellites, cellular, and air-to-ground networks, nSpire offers a unified view of network performance and identifies service interruptions. By providing critical connectivity scoring and ensuring service reliability, Endeavour Technology has demonstrated its commitment to enhancing on-orbit connectivity solutions.
Globalsat, in collaboration with Viasat Enterprise, was recognized with the “Outstanding Leadership in Use of a Mobile Solution” award for their work in enhancing Brazilian railway communications. By integrating Inmarsat L-Band satellite communications with LTE/4G networks, Globalsat developed a seamless communication solution that enhanced operational control and safety across challenging terrains. This collaboration underscored the potential of satellite technology to transform infrastructure and improve safety in diverse applications.
Exceptional Achievement in Humanitarian Aid
MSUA President Roger Lanctot presented two President’s Awards, acknowledging exceptional contributions within the industry. The first award was given to ST Engineering iDirect for their outstanding work in Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Response. Their Public Safety Solution, which supports multi-band compatibility and various waveforms, offers the flexibility and efficiency crucial for dynamic public safety scenarios. By dynamically allocating bandwidth, the solution ensures optimized network performance under varying traffic demands or adverse conditions.
The second President’s Award honored Erwan Emilian for his dedicated service as the outgoing MSUA Chairman. Rebecca Cowen-Hirsch, incoming Chair and Senior Vice President of Government Policy and Strategy at Inmarsat, praised Emilian’s steady leadership and vision for MSUA’s mission. His four years of service and ongoing commitment as the organization’s treasurer were celebrated, reflecting his significant contributions to the association’s growth and success.
Innovative Network Solutions and Space Sustainability
The 2025 Mobile Satellite Innovation Awards took place during the SATELLITE 2025 event in Washington, D.C., showcasing the latest advancements in the satellite mobile technology sector. This prestigious occasion, orchestrated by the Mobile Satellite Users Association (MSUA), recognized several organizations for their groundbreaking contributions to the field. This year, the awards spotlighted the groundbreaking theme of multi-orbit connectivity, a revolutionary development that has been driving significant progress in the satellite industry.
One of the notable highlights of the event was the keynote address delivered by Dr. Paul Jacobs, the CEO of Globalstar. Dr. Jacobs’ engaging speech captured the essence of the innovative spirit that the awards aimed to celebrate, effectively energizing and inspiring attendees. His address underscored the future potential of satellite technologies and the critical developments yet to come.
The emphasis on multi-orbit connectivity represents a shift in how satellite technology is perceived and utilized. This innovation is poised to offer more reliable and versatile communication solutions, expanding the reach and capabilities of satellite services. The MSUA’s initiative to honor such advancements encourages further innovation and recognizes the pivotal role these technologies play in connecting the world. The event stood as a testament to the relentless pursuit of innovation and excellence within the satellite mobile technology industry.
