Sky and Space Global

Sky and Space Global (UK) Ltd was a British satellite communications venture established in 2015 to develop a low-cost narrowband communications network based on CubeSat-class nanosatellites. Its proposed system was intended to provide connectivity across equatorial regions, particularly where terrestrial mobile infrastructure was limited or unavailable. The company planned a constellation of approximately 200 small satellites in low Earth orbit, using inter-satellite links and automated systems to monitor spacecraft health and manage the communications network. The business model focused on wholesale bandwidth and connectivity rather than conventional consumer mobile-network ownership. Sky and Space Global expected its satellites to support voice, messaging, machine-to-machine communications, data services, and connectivity through intermediary devices such as Wi-Fi hotspots. Its principal target area was a band extending roughly 15 degrees north and south of the equator, including parts of Africa and Latin America. The company established operations or branches in the United Kingdom, Israel, and Australia, reflecting its engineering, commercial, and capital-markets activities. The venture became publicly traded through a reverse merger with Burleson Energy Limited, followed by an initial public offering on the Australian Securities Exchange in May 2016. It subsequently raised further capital and announced commercial and technology relationships with organizations including Sat-Space Africa, Virgin Galactic, GomSpace, Flextronics Israel, Ayecka Communications Systems, Globalsat Group, and SocialEco. Its first three demonstration spacecraft, known as the Three Diamonds, were built by GomSpace and launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation in 2017. The satellites were intended to demonstrate the company's network concept and support early commercial services. Sky and Space Global's plan depended on deploying a much larger constellation and obtaining additional financing. The company originally described a 200-satellite system, with launches planned across several orbital planes and replacement of part of the fleet over time. Funding pressures later caused it to scale back its near-term plan, with an announced target of only eight satellites by the end of 2020. The planned network did not develop into a full operational constellation. The company entered voluntary administration in April 2020. It was delisted by the ASX in August 2021 after failing to satisfy continuing listing requirements and pay annual listing fees. A further voluntary-administration process was reported in October 2025, followed by a resolution to wind up the company and the appointment of Cor Cordis as liquidators. The available material indicated that shareholders were not expected to receive a distribution from the liquidation. Sky and Space Global is therefore best understood as a defunct satellite-communications start-up whose principal commercial identity was tied to an unrealized equatorial nanosatellite network.

Sky and Space Global (UK) Ltd was incorporated in November 2015 as a satellite communications company focused on small spacecraft and narrowband connectivity. Its concept was to use a constellation of 3U CubeSat-format satellites in low Earth orbit to serve equatorial regions. The company envisaged approximately 200 satellites distributed across one equatorial and four near-equatorial inclined orbital planes. The intended service zone extended approximately 15 degrees north and south of the equator. The proposed satellites were designed to operate at an altitude of approximately 500 to 800 kilometres, with a stated design life of five to seven years. The architecture included inter-satellite links and autonomous monitoring and management capabilities. Sky and Space Global also planned to replace a portion of the constellation annually, ultimately deorbiting older spacecraft after their useful lives. The satellites were expected to use S-band and L-band spectrum for communications, S-band links between satellites, and S-band and UHF frequencies for control and telemetry. The company pursued a public-market route through a reverse merger with Burleson Energy Limited. This transaction enabled a backdoor listing on the Australian Securities Exchange, followed by an IPO completed on 31 May 2016. Sky and Space Global raised approximately $4.5 million in that offering and obtained additional capital through a second public offering in November 2016. The company's capital strategy was intended to fund satellite development, launches, ground infrastructure, and commercial trials. Its initial spacecraft demonstration consisted of three satellites called Blue Diamond, Green Diamond, and Red Diamond, collectively known as the Three Diamonds. GomSpace built the satellites, which were launched by ISRO on a PSLV-XL rocket in 2017. The company announced that the spacecraft supported early commercial services, including arrangements involving Sat-Space Africa and BeepTool. In August 2016, it had signed a service contract with Sat-Space Africa for wholesale bandwidth. The company also obtained United Kingdom Ministry of Defence approval in September 2016 to use UHF frequencies for command and telemetry of the demonstration satellites through the end of 2019, subject to a possible extension. Sky and Space Global developed a network of partnerships around its proposed system. It announced a binding agreement with Virgin Galactic in 2016 for four dedicated LauncherOne missions, while GomSpace was associated with the construction of the initial and planned constellation satellites. In 2017, the company announced a non-binding memorandum with Globalsat Group to test and offer its service in Latin America. It also explored user hardware: Flextronics Israel signed a memorandum concerning end-user devices, and Ayecka Communications Systems was contracted to develop prototype hotspots that could connect ordinary mobile devices over Wi-Fi to the satellite network. A further memorandum with SocialEco examined integration with an inexpensive smartphone and the possibility of direct satellite connectivity. The full constellation did not materialize as originally planned. By December 2019, the company had reduced its near-term objective to eight satellites by the end of 2020, citing funding constraints. This reflected the difficulty of financing a capital-intensive space network while moving from demonstrations to commercial scale. On 6 April 2020, Sky and Space Global entered voluntary administration, according to an ASX announcement published the following day. The company was later delisted by the ASX on 30 August 2021 after failing to satisfy continuing requirements and pay its annual listing fees. A further voluntary-administration process was reported in October 2025. At a subsequent meeting in November, the company was resolved to be wound up and Cor Cordis was appointed liquidator. Publicly reported information indicated that shareholders were not expected to receive a return. The company is consequently recorded as defunct rather than as an active satellite operator.

• 2025

  Winding-up process

  [1]Sky and Space Globalen.wikipedia.org

  A further administration process culminated in a resolution to wind up the company and the appointment of Cor Cordis as liquidators.

• 2021

  ASX delisting

  [1]Sky and Space Globalen.wikipedia.org

  Sky and Space Global was delisted after failing to meet continuing listing requirements and pay annual listing fees.

• 2020

  Voluntary administration

  [1]Sky and Space Globalen.wikipedia.org

  The company entered voluntary administration in April.

• 2019

  Constellation plan scaled back

  [1]Sky and Space Globalen.wikipedia.org

  Funding difficulties led the company to reduce its near-term satellite deployment target to eight satellites by the end of 2020.

• 2017

  Three Diamonds launched

  [1]Sky and Space Globalen.wikipedia.org

  The Blue, Green, and Red Diamond demonstration satellites were launched on an ISRO PSLV-XL mission.

• 2017

  Latin American testing partnership explored

  [1]Sky and Space Globalen.wikipedia.org

  A non-binding memorandum with Globalsat Group covered testing and potential service distribution in Latin America.

• 2016

  Reverse merger and ASX listing

  [1]Sky and Space Globalen.wikipedia.org

  The company merged with Burleson Energy Limited and completed an IPO on the Australian Securities Exchange on 31 May.

• 2016

  First wholesale service contract

  [1]Sky and Space Globalen.wikipedia.org

  Sat-Space Africa signed an agreement covering bandwidth from the planned Three Diamonds demonstration satellites.

• 2016

  LauncherOne agreement announced

  [1]Sky and Space Globalen.wikipedia.org

  Sky and Space Global announced plans to secure four dedicated Virgin Galactic LauncherOne missions.

• 2015

  Company incorporated

  [1]Sky and Space Globalen.wikipedia.org

  Sky and Space Global (UK) Ltd was incorporated in November as a venture focused on nanosatellite-based narrowband communications.

A low-cost, infrastructure-light satellite communications provider intended to extend narrowband connectivity to equatorial and underserved markets through a constellation of small satellites and intermediary user devices.

• Demonstration satellites · 2017

  Three Diamonds

  Blue Diamond, Green Diamond, and Red Diamond were three 3U CubeSat-format spacecraft built by GomSpace to demonstrate Sky and Space Global's narrowband satellite communications concept. They were launched by ISRO on a PSLV-XL mission in 2017. The company intended them to support early commercial and technical trials, including services associated with Sat-Space Africa and BeepTool.

• Low Earth orbit communications network

  Planned equatorial satellite constellation

  The proposed flagship network comprised about 200 nanosatellites in equatorial and near-equatorial low Earth orbits. The satellites were intended to use inter-satellite links and automated network-management functions to provide narrowband connectivity across a zone around the equator. Funding constraints later reduced the near-term plan to eight satellites, and the full constellation was not realized.

• Connectivity equipment · 2017

  Satellite-connected hotspots

  Ayecka Communications Systems was contracted to develop prototype hotspots that would allow standard mobile devices, tablets, and similar equipment to connect to the planned satellite network through Wi-Fi. The hotspot concept was intended to reduce the need for specialized satellite handsets and support the company's wholesale connectivity model.

• 2025

  Wind up the companyOther

  Background

  A further voluntary-administration process was reported after the company's earlier administration and delisting.

  Action taken

  A November meeting resolved that the company should be wound up, with Cor Cordis appointed as liquidators.

  Aftermath

  The reported liquidation outcome indicated that shareholders were not expected to receive any funds.

  Source

• 2020

  Enter voluntary administrationOther

  Background

  The company was unable to continue as a functioning listed satellite venture.

  Action taken

  Sky and Space Global entered voluntary administration in April 2020.

  Aftermath

  The company was later delisted from the ASX and ultimately proceeded toward liquidation.

  Source

• 2019

  Scale back the near-term constellation planStrategy

  Background

  The original business plan called for a constellation of approximately 200 satellites, but the company faced funding constraints while attempting to move from demonstration spacecraft to commercial deployment.

  Action taken

  Sky and Space Global announced a reduced target of eight satellites by the end of 2020.

  Aftermath

  The reduction signaled a narrower deployment strategy, but the company subsequently entered voluntary administration in 2020 and did not develop the planned full network.

  Source

1. 1Sky and Space Globalen.wikipedia.org