As we close out 2024, I reflect on two years at ST Engineering iDirect and nearly 25 years in the satellite industry.
It’s been a remarkable journey—one that has taken me through the complexities of designing, building, and managing networks, selling connectivity services, and working across commercial and military markets worldwide. I’ve been fortunate to have had the unique opportunity to work across the entire satellite ecosystem, from ground systems to space segments.
This firsthand experience drives my advocacy for standards-based solutions. Over the past two years at iDirect, I’ve raised my voice to champion the importance of breaking down silos and fostering industry-wide interoperability; across the entire ecosystem.
It’s not just my voice—it’s become a collective effort. Together with other leaders at iDirect, our partners, and respected thought leaders across the industry, we are driving a movement to build a stronger, more collaborative satellite ecosystem. One that interoperates across satellite networks and integrates with terrestrial networks.
Why change now? Why address the silos we’ve lived with for so long? The answer lies in the growing complexity of the satellite landscape and the urgent need to simplify, streamline, and scale our efforts to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving market.
I’d like to provide a few of the many reasons why this deserves immediate attention:
- Networking is fundamentally about connecting. Networking means connecting resources — bandwidth, infrastructure, and data. But resource sharing at scale is only possible when all players operate on common standards.
- The concept of a global network demands collaboration. Satellite networks remain costly to build, hard to adapt, and constrained by regional laws and regulations. No single operator, or even a small consortium, can deliver a truly global network without partners. A global network requires multiple participants, and multiple participants require standards.
- Flexibility is the new benchmark for networks. The modern connectivity ecosystem demands networks capable of dynamic, real-time adjustments. Whether it’s managing bandwidth as a plane moves between beams or satellites, or reallocating resources during peak demand. Without standards, options for flexibility are highly limited.
- Multi-orbit success depends on standards. Standardization is key to enabling seamless transitions and ensuring multi-vendor and cross-orbit integration, transforming this diversity into a cohesive, scalable solution for the industry’s future.
- Automation needs a foundation. Advances such as automation and orchestration are transforming how satellite networks operate. But their scale is limited without standardization.
- AI thrives on data, and standards make data sharing possible. AI is ready to revolutionize satellite communications, but it can’t be “intelligent” without large pools of shared data to analyze. And there’s no data sharing at large without standards.
- This is a major pivot point. Operators are pouring resources into new satellite constellations and next-generation ground systems. If standardization isn’t baked into this current wave of innovation, we’ll be left with a fragmented ecosystem.
- Silos are growth inhibitors. As networks grow more complex, and the ecosystem becomes more diverse, silos will only stifle growth. Interoperability through standardization is the key to unlocking the next wave of innovation, bringing new users into our market.
Ground infrastructure is as vital as space systems
So, perhaps now you can see why I and the iDirect team are so passionate about standards. And we’re not just talking, we’re executing.
Even before I joined iDirect, the company launched an ambitious and timely movement called “New Ground.” The premise is that ground infrastructure cannot be an afterthought. Choosing a ground system is as important as selecting a space segment partner. In fact, it’s the ground infrastructure that often limits or enables satellite innovation.
Ground technology plays a unifying role in the flow of connectivity and in the ecosystem at large. And once again, the move to standards is one that will be largely driven by ground segment players. That was the main idea behind New Ground.
iDirect is gaining ground
This year, we delivered on the New Ground promise in a big way when we launched our Intuition system at SATELLITE. The design philosophy that underpins Intuition has struck such a powerful chord that it has been the non-stop topic of customer meetings, media interviews, and industry events.
We designed Intuition on two levels. We are taking advantage of technology advancements such as automation, orchestration, and virtualization to address the complexity of modern satellite operations and transform how satellite networks are deployed and managed. But Intuition is more than a software platform; it’s a foundational step toward industry-wide standards.
We want the Intuition community to break free from silos and embrace seamless collaboration and easier growth. As more players adopt standardized approaches, platforms like Intuition will serve as the backbone for an ecosystem that is more adaptable to the growing demands of a connected world.
We need to move diagonally
And that brings me to an important issue in our industry: business models.
The satellite industry has long been divided between vertically integrated and horizontally distributed ecosystems. In a letter to our customers this fall, I proposed a third approach: diagonal integration. This hybrid model blends the strengths of vertical and horizontal models to foster innovation and collaboration.
While diagonal integration is a new term, the reality is already present in the marketplace. Here are some examples:
- Strategic consolidation of operators. Previously distinct vertical and horizontal operators are merging resources, creating integrated solutions that allow for greater efficiency and scalability across operations.
- Shift to managed service offerings. Satellite operators are moving beyond selling bandwidth to provide managed services that add value, such as smarter tools and better resource management, to meet growing market needs.
- Collaboration between the space and ground segments. Satellite manufacturers are increasingly working with ground segment providers to maximize the capabilities of next-generation software-defined satellites.
- Partnerships with telecom and cloud providers. The industry is forging alliances with mainstream telecom and cloud providers to integrate satellite networks into broader connectivity ecosystems.
We are moving in lock step with key partners
At iDirect, we embrace diagonal integration with our Intuition ground system, which is designed to help the ecosystem work together more easily and to scale collaboration because that is the surest path to sustainable growth.
This year, we deepened our contributions to initiatives such as DIFI and WAVE, addressing long-standing challenges of vendor lock-in and system incompatibility.
Moreover, our involvement in 3GPP working groups and support for upcoming releases is paving the way for satellite’s seamless integration with terrestrial 5G and 6G networks. This alignment with global wireless standards ensures that satellite connectivity remains a vital component of next-generation communications.
Our collaboration with Microsoft and AWS yielded new advancements on the virtualization of our satellite hub network processing and modem capabilities, leveraging commercial off-the-shelf components and cloud computing to their fullest potential.
Silos are a thing of the past
Let me re-pose the question that prompted this call for standards. Why are we all-in on this priority? And what is the urgency?
In simple terms, our industry is changing. We’re maturing beyond the era of silos as satellite communications become a key enabler of the larger telecommunications environment. As a niche market outside of traditional communications, silos were accepted. Companies were focused on developing unique technologies, carving out market niches, and establishing early competitive advantages.
Each silo represented a pocket of innovation. But in a maturing market, these silos must integrate. If not, they will begin to limit growth. Fragmentation leads to inefficiencies, duplication of effort, and challenges in scaling technologies to meet broader market demands.
As industries mature, adopting standards becomes essential, as it allows stakeholders to create a unified system where shared frameworks and interoperability benefit everyone involved.
The clock is ticking
We can’t afford to be complacent. End users are now pushing the industry to deliver seamless, global connectivity. Regulators need frameworks that work across borders, technologies, and access methods. Legacy businesses need to compete with new players.
The future of our businesses is at stake – but our opportunity has never been greater. We must rise to meet these demands with urgency and unity. And the only path forward is through collaboration, which means committing to standardization.
It’s been a momentous year at iDirect, and the industry. Personally, this has been the most rewarding year of my career, and I thank every one of our amazing customers and partners for giving me and the iDirect team your trust. Together, we can move our market forward and shape how the world connects.
Please have a restful and joyful holiday. I’ll see you on the road in 2025.
Warm regards,
Don Claussen
CEO, ST Engineering iDirect