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Terran Orbital Corporation, a global leader in satellite-based solutions primarily serving the aerospace and defense industries, announced its membership in the Mobile Satellite Services Association (MSSA). An industry effort to advance the development of direct-to-device (D2D) and IoT connectivity through an ecosystem of Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) providers that are committed to seamlessly extending mobile coverage globally.
MSSA – launched in February 2024 – seeks to develop a global ecosystem utilizing L- and S-band spectrum already allocated and licensed for mobile satellite services (MSS), which is well-suited for integration into a broad range of mobile devices. Through the coordinated deployment of technical standards and enhancement of regulatory frameworks, the MSSA drives new initiatives to foster support for MSS-based services leveraging the 3GPP mobile standards.
The Association’s founding members, along with other ecosystem players, support integrating terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) to deliver scalable, sustainable, and affordable connectivity to any device, anytime, anywhere. Emerging D2D services can expand connectivity and enable competition across multiple large and diverse segments, including cellular, industrial, government, agriculture, automotive, and others.
"The D2D market holds immense potential to transform mobile connectivity," said Marc Bell, Co-Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer at Terran Orbital. "However, achieving this vision requires overcoming hurdles in the business case for constellations. By joining forces through the MSSA, industry leaders like Terran Orbital can contribute our expertise in efficient satellite manufacturing to bring down production costs and enable the D2D market to flourish. Through collaboration, we can establish best practices and models that ensure the success of this exciting new frontier in mobile connectivity."
"We are growing this open forum for collaborative development of recommended technical specifications and best practices to support an environment for the integration of terrestrial and satellite networks and allow for a seamless roaming experience," said Mark Dankberg, Board Chairman of MSSA. "Attracting organizations like Terran Orbital strengthens our effort to collectively support an emerging D2D ecosystem."
