These are devices weighing less than 500 kg, particularly dedicated satellites with flexible payloads that allow service providers to adapt their capacity to changes in demand.
Astranis is a US manufacturer of low-cost small geostationary communications satellites in the Ka and Ku bands. On the other hand, Reorbit is a Finnish start-up that, since June 2022, has landed in Bariloche, Argentina, through an agreement with VENG to manufacture and export satellites from its headquarters in the province of Córdoba. Both companies offer the service of deploying small geostationary communications satellites for operators and service providers seeking flexible connectivity capacity without the need to manufacture, launch, or operate the satellite.
Among the business deals reached so far in the region, the Argentine company Orbith recently declared to Convergencialatina that they have commissioned Astranis to build their first satellite, which is expected to be operational by early 2025.