Interview with David Cavaillolès, Chief Executive Officer, Arianespace
David Cavaillolès is the Chief Executive Officer of Arianespace. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of ArianeGroup, Arianespace’s parent company.
David Cavaillolès began his career in the French public sector holding positions of responsibility in the finance, innovation and industry sectors. He was appointed ministerial advisor for French space policy in 2017, working notably on securing the Ariane programme and preparing the future of space launchers in Europe.
He then joined Capgemini in 2019 where he held various management positions contributing to the company’s business development, with a specific focus on technology.
He is a graduate of prestigious French higher education institutes Ecole Polytechnique and ENSAE Paris.
Mr. Cavaillolès, you joined Arianespace a little over a year ago. Could you introduce yourself and share your vision?
It has now been more than a year since I took the helm of Arianespace. Arianespace carries a legacy that is unique in Europe, and my priority has been clear from day one: to make Ariane 6 a lasting commercial success and to fully restore Europe’s autonomous access to space.
My approach is built on three pillars: strong customer focus, operational innovation, and the continuous transformation of our organization to gain agility and competitiveness. The space sector is evolving rapidly. Competition is no longer only technological; it is economic and political as well. We must therefore perform on every front.
I am deeply convinced that Europe has exceptional strengths, world-class engineers, cutting-edge technologies, and a solid industrial base. Our challenge now is to accelerate and remain at the highest global level.I am text block. Click edit button to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
One year after your arrival, where does Ariane 6 stand?
Ariane 6 is now fully operational, with 100% mission success since its inaugural flight: that is six out of six flights operated so far, with the most recent one on 12 February being an extremely complex flight, as it was the first Ariane 64 launch for our customer Amazon Leo. This reliability is the foundation of trust!
2025 was a year of ramp-up and consolidation. In 2026, we are entering a phase of acceleration, with a set of institutional and commercial launches, and an aim of 7 to 8 launches. Our objective is to quickly increase cadence toward 9 to 10 launches per year as soon as possible.
The precision of orbital injection and the operational robustness demonstrated so far confirm to customers worldwide that Ariane 6 is a trusted, mature solution capable of delivering complex missions with consistency. This is not only an industrial achievement, but a strategic milestone!
The vessel “Canopée” transports components of the Ariane 6 rocket from Europe to Kourou in French Guiana. This specialized cargo ship is partially powered by wind, helping to reduce fuel consumption and its carbon footprint.
What are Ariane 6’s key differentiating strengths?
Ariane 6 was designed to be more versatile, industrially simpler, and more competitive.
It can serve all major orbits for Earth observation, telecommunications, positioning, and scientific missions. It also responds to both civil and military needs, reflecting the dual nature of space today.
The Ariane 64 configuration, with four boosters, is particularly suited for large-scale constellation deployments in low Earth orbit. Its re-ignitable Vinci upper stage provides great flexibility for complex missions and enables controlled deorbiting, contributing to responsible space operations.
The Guiana Space Centre remains a strategic asset. Its near-equatorial location optimizes performance, and its infrastructure embodies decades of operational excellence.
Amazon has become one of your major customers, with 18 dedicated launches. What does this contract represent?
Amazon is indeed our largest commercial customer, with 18 Ariane 6 launches planned. The first one took place successfully on February 12, deploying 32 satellites into orbit and carrying nearly 20 tonnes, the heaviest payload ever transported by Ariane 6.
I experienced that launch from Kourou. It was a day filled with emotion and tension. The mission was extremely complex, with multiple critical phases. Minute after minute, as data came in, we realized the flight was unfolding perfectly. When confirmation arrived that all satellites had been successfully deployed, it was an immense relief and a tremendous joy.
This mission was not a routine flight. It was the first Ariane 64, twice as powerful as the two-booster version, and it carried an exceptionally demanding payload configuration. Its flawless execution demonstrated that Arianespace can be trusted with complex, large-scale constellation deployments.
This contract illustrates two things: the confidence of the international market, Amazon selected Ariane 6 even before its inaugural flight and demonstrates the relevance of our offer for mega-constellations. It also proves that we can deploy satellites in large batches while ramping up production cadence.
Ariane 6 completed its first launch of the year, marking the first mission for Amazon Leo constellation and the debut of the Ariane 6 heavy version, equipped with four boosters.
How do you position Arianespace in an increasingly competitive global environment?
Competition today is global. Success depends on performance: optimizing mission preparation, reducing costs, increasing cadence, and anticipating market needs.
Executing a mission like the Amazon Leo deployment, with that level of complexity and precision, is something relatively rare on the global stage today. It demonstrates both technical maturity and operational robustness.
But performance alone is not enough. The environment in which we operate also matters. The Guiana Space Centre is a fully civil and neutral spaceport. For many customers, particularly those with sensitive or strategic payloads, this neutrality and strict confidentiality framework are decisive. We can implement mission-specific operational protocols when required, especially for defense-related missions. That flexibility is part of our value proposition.
What role does Asia play in your strategy?
Asia has always been central to Arianespace’s story. During the peak of the GEO satellite era, we held more than 60% market share in the region; a clear illustration of how strategic Asia has long been for us. Today, the region is one of the fastest-growing space markets in the world, with strong institutional and commercial momentum in South Korea, India, Japan, and China.
We are the only launch service provider with two offices in Asia. Being physically present allows us to stay close to our partners’ regulatory, technical and strategic expectations.
With Ariane 6 fully operational and ramp-up underway, we are ready to support ambitious institutional and commercial projects across the region.
The launch took place on 12 February 2026 and successfully injected 32 Amazon Leo satellites into orbit.
The debate around European sovereignty in space is very present. What is your position?
European strategic autonomy in Space is essential. Ariane has always been a pillar of that sovereignty. But European independence is not inward-looking. A strong and autonomous European launch capability contributes to balance in the global ecosystem. In today’s geopolitical environment, many countries seek diversified and reliable launch options.
For most partners, Ariane represents a stable, neutral and predictable alternative. The combination of European autonomy and a civil, non-aligned spaceport offer reassurance in terms of confidentiality and strategic independence.
The dual civil-military nature of space is a reality. Ensuring autonomous and secure access to space is not only a European priority; it is increasingly a shared objective among nations that wish to preserve their strategic flexibility.
How do you approach the ongoing transformation of Arianespace?
The successes of Ariane 6 are milestones, not an endpoint. The sector evolves rapidly, and we must continue transforming.
Our objective is to become more efficient, faster, and more competitive. We must anticipate the future, adapt our model, and continuously learn from every launch.
What message would you like to share with the Asian space community?
Space today is strategic, global, and interconnected, and Asia plays a central role in shaping the future of space. With Ariane 6 fully operational, a successful first Ariane 64 mission, and ramp-up firmly underway, Arianespace stands ready to support Asia’s institutional and commercial ambitions.
Our commitment is clear: reliability, confidentiality, professionalism and long-term vision.
Interview with Jean-Philippe Gillet, President Fixed Data Vertical, SES
Jean-Philippe Gillet is President, Fixed Data Vertical at SES. A seasoned telecoms executive with over 20 years of leadership experience, he joined Intelsat (now part of SES) in 2003 and served in senior roles including VP & GM of the Networks Business Unit and VP of Sales for EMEA, driving global expansion and customer-focused connectivity solutions. Previously, he held senior sales positions at GlobeCast North America and began his career at Orange. He holds an MSc in Information Technology from SKEMA Business School and a Bachelor’s in Computer Science from SUPINFO. He is a French and British citizen.
Asia-Pacific is experiencing one of the fastest digital transformations in the world, yet its connectivity landscape remains deeply uneven. Highly connected urban centres coexist with remote islands, mountainous terrain, and vast maritime corridors where terrestrial infrastructure is limited or vulnerable. At the same time, the region faces some of the world’s most frequent natural disasters, which regularly disrupt fibre and power networks. These realities are reshaping how governments, enterprises, and network operators think about connectivity. Increasingly, the focus is shifting toward resilient, hybrid architectures that integrate terrestrial infrastructure with multi-orbit satellite capabilities to ensure reliable, high-performance communications across even the most challenging environments.
Asia-Pacific is one of the fastest-growing digital regions in the world. What are the key connectivity challenges shaping the satellite sector here?
Asia-Pacific is defined by both opportunity and vulnerability. It includes highly digitised economies alongside remote island nations and rural populations still underserved by terrestrial infrastructure. At the same time, it is one of the most disaster-prone regions globally, with typhoons, earthquakes, and flooding regularly disrupting fibre and power networks.
The central challenge is resilience. Fibre remains critical, but recent disruptions across the Pacific Islands and Southeast Asia have shown that terrestrial networks alone are not sufficient. Governments and enterprises increasingly recognise that hybrid infrastructure, integrating satellite and terrestrial networks, is essential for communication continuity.
Another major trend is performance expectations. Satellite is no longer viewed as a backup technology. Enterprises in mining, maritime, manufacturing, and energy expect low latency, and secure, scalable bandwidth. Meeting these expectations requires architectural evolution, not incremental upgrades.
Multi-orbit capability is often described as a game changer. Why does it matter particularly for APAC?
Each orbit brings distinct strengths. GEO systems provide broad regional coverage and stability. MEO offers a balance of low latency and high throughput. LEO networks enable very low latency and strong mobility performance.
In a region as geographically diverse as Asia-Pacific, a single-orbit approach cannot address every need. A cruise vessel in the South Pacific, a mining site in Western Australia, and a disaster-response team in the Philippines all require different performance profiles.
A multi-orbit architecture allows traffic to be routed intelligently across GEO, MEO, and LEO layers depending on the application and network conditions. If terrestrial infrastructure fails, traffic can be shifted. If demand spikes in a financial hub or port city, capacity can be dynamically reallocated.
This flexibility is particularly important in Asia-Pacific, where infrastructure gaps coexist with highly advanced digital economies. Multi-orbit networks enable inclusive connectivity while delivering high performance, without compromising a trade-off between the two.
Direct-to-device (D2D) connectivity is gaining momentum. How do you see it evolving in Asia-Pacific?
Direct-to-device (D2D) connectivity is an important development because it extends connectivity directly to standard mobile devices, particularly in areas with limited or no cellular coverage. In a region with vast rural and maritime zones, this has clear implications for safety, disaster response, and inclusion.
In Asia-Pacific, D2D could enable mobile network operators to extend coverage across islands, mountainous regions, and maritime corridors. It also supports sovereign connectivity objectives for governments and provides redundancy in emergency communication.
Most D2D services today rely on low-Earth orbit (LEO) networks due to latency requirements. However, the broader opportunity lies in integrating LEO with other orbital layers to enhance resilience and scalability.
Multi-orbit architectures can support D2D services for commercial and government markets. In such models, LEO satellites connect directly to devices, while higher orbits such as MEO can efficiently backhaul traffic to ground infrastructure. Our collaborations with Lynk Global specifically explores how inter-satellite relays and existing teleport networks can reduce the need for extensive new ground stations, improving capital efficiency and resilience.
Ultimately, D2D is not about replacing terrestrial networks, but integrating and complementing satellite and cellular into a single, seamless unified connectivity ecosystem.
Maritime and coastal regions benefit from satellite-enabled coverage where terrestrial infrastructure is limited (photo courtesy of Getty Images)
Resilience has become a policy priority across APAC. How should governments and operators approach future-proof infrastructure?
Resilience must be built in by design, not added later. In many APAC markets, economic losses from natural disasters are rising. Communications outages compound those losses by disrupting emergency coordination, financial services, and supply chains.
Hybrid architectures that combine fibre, mobile networks, and satellite offer practical redundancy. Multi-orbit capabilities further enhance this by ensuring that if one orbital layer or ground segment experiences disruption, traffic can be rerouted.
Regulatory foresight is equally important. Spectrum discussions in preparation for global forums such as WRC-27 highlight the need for balanced frameworks that protect incumbent services while enabling innovation. Asia-Pacific’s diversity means regulatory approaches must remain adaptable to regional needs while ensuring coexistence between geostationary and non-geostationary systems.
Constructive collaboration between operators, governments, and regulators will determine how effectively the region leverages satellite to close digital gaps and strengthen resilience.
We often hear about different satellite orbits – GEO, MEO and LEO. Where does MEO fit in, and how is it shaping next-generation connectivity?
Each orbit serves a distinct purpose, and understanding their complementary roles is key to understanding the future of satellite networks. What makes MEO particularly relevant in today’s environment is how it is being designed. Next-generation MEO systems are increasingly software-defined, enabling operators to dynamically steer beams, adjust bandwidth allocation, and optimise performance in near real time.
Next-generation satellite systems such as O3b mPOWER demonstrate how MEO can support thousands of dynamically configurable beams, enabling tailored performance for different applications without relying on static coverage models.
This flexibility is particularly relevant in Asia-Pacific, where traffic patterns can vary significantly driven by seasonal tourism, maritime routes, major public events, or emergency response scenarios. Rather than relying on static coverage footprints, operators can allocate resources precisely where they are needed, optimising both latency and capacity.
Equally transformative is the rise of intelligent orchestration. Modern satellite networks increasingly use automation and AI-enabled platforms to monitor performance across multiple orbital layers, optimise spectrum efficiency, and provision services dynamically. This reduces operational complexity while improving consistency for mission-critical applications.
The broader industry shift is clear: satellites are evolving from fixed-capacity platforms into programmable, integrated infrastructure. As they align more closely with cloud-native and terrestrial networking models, they are becoming an integral part of a unified, intelligent global communications ecosystem.
Modern ground stations and intelligent power systems form a key layer in resilient, multi‑orbit networks (photo courtesy of Getty Images)
How do you see satellite and terrestrial networks converging over the next decade in APAC?
We are moving toward a fully integrated, non-terrestrial and terrestrial ecosystem. The distinction between “satellite” and “ground” networks will increasingly blur from a user perspective.
Cloud integration, edge computing, and software-defined networking are enabling satellites to function as seamless extensions of terrestrial infrastructure. In maritime and aviation, this convergence is already visible. In enterprise and industrial sectors, it is accelerating.
Direct-to-device (D2D) capabilities will further reinforce this integration, allowing everyday smartphones and IoT devices to connect beyond traditional coverage zones. Multi-orbit backhaul will underpin these services, ensuring scalability and robustness.
For Asia-Pacific, this convergence represents both a resilience strategy and a growth opportunity. It supports digital inclusion for remote communities, strengthens emergency response capabilities, and enables advanced applications in automation, logistics, and mobility.
Ultimately, the region’s connectivity future will not be defined by a single orbit or a single technology. It will be defined by intelligent orchestration across space and ground – designed to ensure that even in the face of disruption, connectivity remains constant.
Interview with Carlin Charteris, Regional Vice President & General Manager, Viasat Australia
Carlin Charteris is Regional Vice President, Viasat Australia. He is responsible for leading Viasat’s technology and commercial markets across the region and working with partners and prospects in preparation for the launch of the ViaSat-3 satellite platform in APAC. This includes responsibility for the design, construction and integration of the ViaSat-3 Asia-Pacific satellite ground infrastructure.
Carlin has 25 years of experience in the telecommunications industry with senior management, architecture and software/hardware R&D leadership roles at Viasat, nbn, Vodafone, Nokia and Telecom NZ.
Carlin studied Bachelor of Science (BSC) at Auckland University and Electronic and Computer Engineering at (Manukau Institute of Technology), Stanford University Graduate School of Business, USC Marshall School of Business.
Can you provide an overview of Viasat’s presence in APAC and how the company is currently supporting services in the region?
APAC is one of the most dynamic satellite markets in the world, and our footprint has expanded rapidly — accelerated by our acquisition of Inmarsat and our multi-orbit strategy. Across the region, we support airlines with high-performance in-flight connectivity; maritime operators with managed, resilient ship-to-shore networks; and enterprise, government, and defense users with secure, mission critical communications. That mix spans Ka-band broadband, resilient L-band services, and partner networks, which together are designed to give customers coverage, performance, and continuity from land to sea to air.
We’re combining flexible, high-capacity satellites with increasingly distributed ground architecture to meet rising demand – from mobility and enterprise to government applications that require assured access for real-time mission operations. Ultimately, Viasat aims to help customers by delivering increased reliability and performance wherever and however connectivity is needed, including offering the security and resilience required when operating across diverse geographies, climates and contested areas.
Viasat is developing advanced satellite solutions to support sovereign nations and regional operations. (photo courtesy of Viasat Inc.)
Where are you seeing the biggest market demands for satellite services today across APAC?
Mobility remains a major growth driver, especially commercial aviation and maritime. Simultaneously, we’re seeing fast growth in next-generation enterprise and government requirements – including for remote operations, disaster response, and secure communications through a range of different platforms across domains (land, air and sea). It’s through these various applications where resilient, multi-orbit connectivity is becoming the preferred option, as opposed to either a GSO or NGSO-only network solution.
The advancement of new positioning, navigation and timing services is another area where we see demand in APAC and other regions. Precise positioning and navigation services can support numerous sectors, including aviation, maritime, agriculture, and emergency response.
Another growth area is connectivity for remote and underserved communities. From isolated islands to rural interiors, governments and operators are prioritizing digital inclusion and driving demand for broadband that overcomes terrain and infrastructure gaps. Satellite is essential here – extending reach, ensuring continuity, and supporting critical public services.
Beyond those, APAC is emerging as a prime market for largescale IoT, connected vehicles, and early satellite-to-mobile services. These use cases need ubiquitous coverage, network resilience, and streamlined integration. The region’s geography – vast coastlines, island nations, mountainous interiors – makes satellite a practical complement to terrestrial networks to extend reach and bolster reliability when users encounter “dead zones” in coverage.
In 2025, Viasat launched its VS3 F2 satellite and expects to launch VS3 F3 in the second half of 2026. (photo courtesy of ULA)
What can you share about the upcoming launch of ViaSat-3 F3? What is different about this latest generation satellite, and what services will it support in APAC?
We’re extremely excited about the capacity and flexibility ViaSat-3 F3 will add to our network and specifically bring to our APAC coverage. The F3 satellite is expected to more than double our currently available Ka-band network capacity – and the ability to dynamically shift and direct capacity where it’s needed based on demand will add significant value. It’s through this dynamic beamforming that ViaSat-3 satellites can redirect capacity in near real-time to high-demand “hot spots” and support on-the-move platforms. That flexibility will help address one of the region’s central challenges: providing broadband connectivity for highly concentrated, temporal demand across busy air, sea, or land ports or hubs, as well as highly trafficked air routes, sea lanes, and urban corridors.
The ground segment is equally important. Instead of relying on a handful of large gateways, the network uses hundreds of distributed Satellite Access Nodes (SANs). The distributed design provides resilience against potential disruption due to weather, fiber cuts, or natural disasters, ensuring end-user services remain connected. Security is also integrated end-to-end – reflecting lessons from defense communications and cyber disciplines and aligning to government needs and critical infrastructure users in APAC.
Viasat is advancing global air traffic management and flight safety by deploying an Iris Test Facility into the Asia Pacific region. (photo courtesy of Viasat Inc.)
How is Viasat approaching Direct-to-Device connectivity, and what opportunities does this create for APAC markets?
We look at D2D as a phased journey. Today, we already enable near-global IoT and machine-to-machine services over L-band with very high availability – supporting energy, logistics, environmental monitoring, and emergency response.
Looking ahead, we’ve outlined a path toward native 5G, standards-based D2D in partnership with industry through a shared, open architecture constellation model designed to interoperate with terrestrial networks and deliver cost-effective services at scale. The goal is to leverage harmonized L- and S-band spectrum assets suited to mobile-optimized performance (resilient in multi-path and adverse weather) and to give mobile operators and governments sovereignty aligned option rather than a closed, vertically integrated system.
For APAC, that means improving national resilience, enabling sovereign satellite-to-mobile coverage in remote areas, powering connected vehicles and maritime safety, and creating new ways for telcos to extend service coverage and revenue without duplicative infrastructure.
Multi-orbit capabilities and services are being pursued by many providers. How do you view multi-orbit, what does that strategy look like, and why does it matter to customers?
We don’t view orbits as competing ideologies – GEO versus LEO – but as complementary layers. Users want reliable, cost-effective performance where and when they need it. Multi-orbit is the optimal way to deliver that – blending the strengths of all orbits to meet different application and bandwidth requirements, and integrating terrestrial links when appropriate. Then orchestrate it as one resilient, unified service.
You can see this in practice. In maritime, for example, a managed service can bond Ka-band GEO broadband, LEO broadband, terrestrial LTE, and resilient L-band into one seamless experience, with strong adoption momentum. In aviation, multi-orbit networks are being integrated to scale with free passenger connectivity even at the busiest hub airports, while also enabling richer media and operational applications. The throughline is orchestration: dynamically placing capacity where demand peaks and sustaining continuity during weather, interference, or platform congestion.
Multi-orbit is part of our product portfolio to provide customers with assured, resilient and sustainable connectivity solutions leveraging Viasat and third-party asset capabilities.
NexusWave provides fully managed bonded connectivity services onboard Pacific Basin Shipping vessels. (photo courtesy of Viasat Inc.)
What are you most excited about as you look forward to the rest of 2026?
Three things stand out. First, the anticipated launch and service entry of ViaSat-3 F3 – bringing a step change in flexible, high-capacity GEO capability – to support mobility, enterprise, remote communities, and government users as digital demand accelerates. Second, the maturation of our capabilities for truly seamless multi-orbit services across the region, from ships to aircraft to remote enterprises, underpinned by smarter orchestration and bonding across bands and networks. Third, the momentum toward advanced NTN and D2D services using standards-based open architecture, enabling satellite-to-mobile connectivity at scale and integrating non-terrestrial and terrestrial networks to deliver a frictionless experience for end users. All three trends point to the same destination: more reliable, sovereign aligned, and sustainable connectivity that helps APAC’s economies grow while keeping people and critical infrastructure connected when it matters most.