Amazon, Globalstar, Iridium,and Telesat have formed the SpaceConnect Association, a trade group representing the non-geostationary (NGSO) satellite sector.
SpaceConnect will be a 501(c)(6) organization.
David Redl was announced as the executive director of the SpaceConnect Association. He previously was with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Julie Kearney, who was the first Chief of the FCC’s Space Bureau, is general counsel.
“NGSO satellite systems are transforming the way the world connects, creating new opportunities for economic growth, national security, and global innovation,” Redl said in the announcement.
“SpaceConnect will be a strong, unified voice advocating for modern, forward-looking policies that reflect the unique capabilities of NGSO technologies. As governments around the world make critical decisions about spectrum, market access and space stewardship, we are committed to working with policymakers and stakeholders to enable a competitive, secure and resilient connectivity ecosystem.”
Kearney said the SpaceConnect Association will foster innovation while ensuring safe and responsible operations. It will advocate updated licensing processes, efficient spectrum access and industry-led best practices.
The NGSO sector is hot and potentially will benefit by the leadership and connections of a trade group. In late April, Nokia and the Rural Wireless Association (RWA) co-hosted a webinar entitled “Supplemental Coverage from Space: Extending Rural Connectivity.” A key takeaway of the presentation was that non-terrestrial networks (NTN) are a complement to rural users of terrestrial networks, not a replacement.
In May the FCC approved spectrum sales to AT&T and Starlink. The AT&T deal with EchoStar was announced in August 2025. It was for approximately 30 MHz of spectrum in the 3.45 GHz mid-band and approximately 20 MHz nationwide in the 600 MHz low-band for about $23 billion. In September 2025, EchoStar sold AWS-4 and H-block spectrum licenses to SpaceX for approximately $17 billion.
Starlink, which has launched the most low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites, is not a member of the SpaceConnect Association.
