NGSO trade association launches without industry giant SpaceX

A composite image of 33 exposures captures reflective Starlink satellites, making them appear to streak over the sky of southern Brazil. Credit: NASA / Egon Filter

TAMPA, Fla. — Amazon and several other non-geostationary satellite operators have formed a trade association to represent their fast-growing market, with SpaceX notably absent despite having by far the largest NGSO constellation.

Globalstar, which Amazon is seeking regulatory approval to acquire, is also an anchor member of the Washington, D.C.-based SpaceConnect Association, alongside Iridium and Telesat.

David Redl, former head of the U.S. National Telecommunications and Information Administration, was appointed to lead the association as executive director.

Julie Kearney, who joined law firm DLA Piper in 2025 two years after becoming the first chief of the Federal Communications Commission’s Space Bureau, is general counsel for the association.