Space-based internet startup Astranis said Friday that its first commercial internet satellite will be unable to provide continuous coverage to Alaska due to a malfunction with both spacecraft’s solar panels.
The San Francisco-based company launched the dedicated internet satellite for Alaska, called Arcturus, on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy at the beginning of May. Shortly after, the company reported that it was performing nominally. But Astranis CEO John Gedmark said the satellite “abruptly experienced” a pointing issue with the solar array drive assembly, the component that rotates the solar arrays relative to the sun. As a result of this issue, the solar arrays are no longer capable of providing adequate power to the spacecraft.
“This …
