Project Bromo: An Escape Hatch, Not a Fortress

So much ink, both literal and digital, has already been spilled on “Project Bromo.” And while there is a part of me who thinks there is little left to add, there are inconsistencies and omissions that I feel are worth clarifying. As a result, this will be a special edition of the market report, with our regularly scheduled programming returning next week.

The Starlink Boogeyman

Project Bromo is necessary to compete with Starlink. This is an annoyingly prevalent line that makes no sense. Starlink builds its own satellites, which it launches aboard SpaceX rockets. The company then offers high-speed internet connectivity to both consumers and businesses. Starlink also doesn’t manufacture satellites for other companies. Neither Airbus Defence and Space, Leonardo, nor Thales is offering a Starlink competitor. They do not compete.

There is an argument to be had that Starlink fueled a shift to low Earth orbit satellite-based telecommunications away from the larger Geostationary (GEO) satellites…