E-Space
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Short description|Satellite communications company}}
{{for|the fictional alternative universe|Full Circle (Doctor Who)}}
{{Infobox company
| name = E-Space
| logo =
| image =
| image_size =
| image_caption =
| type = Private
| foundation = 2022
| founder = Greg Wyler
| location = Toulouse, France{{cite news |last1=Kelvey |first1=Jon |title=OneWeb founder's new venture aims to make satellites that fight space debris |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/space/oneweb-space-debris-satellites-b2009782.html |access-date=2 November 2022 |work=The Independent |date=8 February 2022}} and Arlington, Texas{{cite web | last=Butler | first=Anna | title=Arlington lands three company headquarters in a single night | website=Dallas News | date=2024-04-24 | url=https://www.dallasnews.com/business/real-estate/2024/04/24/arlington-lands-three-company-headquarters-in-a-single-night/ | access-date=2024-04-25}}
| key_people = Greg Wyler
| products = Satellites
| revenue =
| aum =
| num_employees =
| industry = Satellite constellation
| homepage = {{URL|https://www.e-space.com/}}
}}
E-Space is a satellite communications company. Created by Greg Wyler, E-Space satellites are designed to form a "constellation" of small satellites designed to resist fragmenting if struck in orbit.{{cite news |last1=Fernholz |first1=Tim |title=The entrepreneur behind mega constellations wants to make them safe |url=https://qz.com/emails/space-business/2124595/the-entrepreneur-behind-mega-constellations-wants-to-make-them-safe/ |access-date=2 November 2022 |publisher=Quartz |date=10 February 2022}}
The company has said that its satellites have also been designed to clean up small pieces of orbital debris,{{cite news |last1=Hollinger |first1=Peggy |title=Founder of OneWeb to join tech's race for space |url=https://www.ft.com/content/0db57559-a8d0-4e9b-aeef-e3e7d796d635 |access-date=1 November 2022 |publisher=Financial Times |date=2 February 2022}} as well as to provide communications services to governments and businesses.{{cite news |last1=Fernholz |first1=Tim |title=Greg Wyler's E-Space is a satellite firm expecting a disaster |url=https://qz.com/2125896/greg-wylers-e-space-is-a-satellite-firm-expecting-a-disaster |access-date=1 November 2022 |publisher=Quartz |date=10 February 2022}}
It launched its first three demonstration satellites in May 2022.{{cite news |last1=Rainbow |first1=Jason |title=Megaconstellation startup E-Space expands leadership team |url=https://spacenews.com/megaconstellation-startup-e-space-expands-leadership-team/ |access-date=2 November 2022 |publisher=Space News |date=24 August 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Jewett |first1=Rachel |title=Rocket Lab Catches Booster With Helicopter After Successful Launch |url=https://www.satellitetoday.com/launch/2022/05/03/rocket-lab-catches-booster-with-helicopter-after-successful-launch/ |access-date=5 November 2022 |publisher=Satellite Today |date=4 May 2022}}
History
E-Space was publicly launched in 2022 by satellite and space entrepreneur Greg Wyler, who previously founded OneWeb and O3b Networks.{{cite news |last1=FitzGerald |first1=Drew |title=The 5G Space Race: A host of aerospace companies and startups are vying to develop satellite networks that can talk to smartphones |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/race-to-win-satellite-based-5g-smartphone-market-11665775234 |access-date=5 November 2022 |publisher=Wall Street Journal |date=17 October 2022}} Based both in France and the United States,{{cite news |last1=Rainbow |first1=Jason |title=E-Space sheds more light on sustainable megaconstellation plan |url=https://spacenews.com/e-space-sheds-more-light-on-sustainable-megaconstellation-plan/ |access-date=1 November 2022 |work=Space News |date=7 April 2022}} the company was created to form a network of inexpensive, small satellites to provide services to governments and businesses.
At launch, it raised $50 million from Prime Movers Lab and other investors.{{cite news |last1=Jewett |first1=Rachel |title=New Greg Wyler Startup E-Space Raises $50M in Funding |url=https://www.satellitetoday.com/business/2022/02/07/new-greg-wyler-startup-e-space-raises-50m-in-funding/ |access-date=5 December 2022 |work=Via Satellite |date=7 February 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Rainbow |first1=Jason |title=E-Space buys RF hardware developer CommAgility |url=https://spacenews.com/e-space-buys-rf-hardware-developer-commagility/ |access-date=17 January 2023 |work=Space News |date=5 December 2022}}
In February 2022, Wyler told the Financial Times that E-Space would launch up to 100,000 satellites in orbit within a decade, and that their satellites were the "first to be designed to clean space." He said that E-Space technology enables their satellites to collect orbital debris.{{cite news |last1=Alamalhodaei |first1=Aria |title=OneWeb founder Greg Wyler's new startup wants to launch a 'sustainable' satellite mega-constellation |url=https://techcrunch.com/2022/04/27/oneweb-founder-greg-wylers-new-startup-wants-to-launch-a-sustainable-satellite-mega-constellation/ |access-date=2 November 2022 |publisher=TechCrunch |date=27 April 2022}} He also said E-Space satellites are designed to be resilient to a chain reaction of orbital collisions known as a Kessler event.{{cite news |last1=Fernholz |first1=Tim |title=Greg Wyler's E-Space is a satellite firm expecting a disaster |url=https://qz.com/2125896/greg-wylers-e-space-is-a-satellite-firm-expecting-a-disaster |access-date=1 November 2022 |publisher=Quartz |date=10 February 2022}}
E-Space's first three demonstration satellites were launched via Rocket Lab launch vehicles in May 2022. As of August 2022, the company had filed for 300,000 satellites through the country of Rwanda.{{cite news |last1=Rainbow |first1=Jason |title=Megaconstellation startup E-Space expands leadership team |url=https://spacenews.com/megaconstellation-startup-e-space-expands-leadership-team/ |access-date=2 November 2022 |publisher=Space News |date=24 August 2022}} In November of that same year E-Space also became one of the first companies in the world to be listed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's official satellite registry, thus providing legal permission for E-Space to provide land communications traffic in that country.{{cite news |last1=Holmes |first1=Mark |title=E-Space Makes Progress to Offer Service in the Middle East |url=https://www.satellitetoday.com/broadband/2022/11/10/e-space-makes-progress-to-offer-service-in-the-middle-east/ |access-date=17 January 2023 |work=Via Satellite |date=10 November 2022}}
In December 2022, E-Space announced its first acquisition with the purchase of CommAgility, a unit of the publicly-traded company Wireless Telecom Group that specializes in cellular and satellite signal management.{{cite news |last1=Joosting |first1=Jean-Pierre |title=E-Space buys CommAgility to acquire 5G NTN source code |url=https://www.eenewseurope.com/en/e-space-buys-commagility-from-the-wireless-telecom-group-for-5g-source-code/ |access-date=17 January 2023 |work=eeNews |date=6 December 2022}}
Technologies
E-Space satellites are smaller than most other commercial satellites,{{cite news |last1=Warwick |first1=Martyn |title=E-Space plans a constellation of 300,000 LEO satellites |url=https://www.telecomtv.com/content/access-evolution/e-space-plans-a-constellation-of-300-000-leo-satellites-45686/ |access-date=1 November 2022 |work=Telecom TV |date=14 October 2022}} and are designed to "crumple" if struck in space. The satellites are also designed to collect space debris, and to automatically deorbit at the end of their lifespans to prevent leaving additional debris.{{cite news |last1=Alamalhodaei |first1=Aria |title=OneWeb founder Greg Wyler's new startup wants to launch a 'sustainable' satellite mega-constellation |url=https://techcrunch.com/2022/04/27/oneweb-founder-greg-wylers-new-startup-wants-to-launch-a-sustainable-satellite-mega-constellation/ |access-date=2 November 2022 |publisher=TechCrunch |date=27 April 2022}}
References
{{reflist}}