Californian space communications start - up Audacy has signed commercial agreements worth more than $ 100 m , just months after it was cleared by the US Federal Communications Commission to run its inter - satellite data relay network . US firms make up more than half of the deals , with the rest in Asia - Pacific and Europe . Audacy They include satellites for non - stationary orbit , Earth observation satellites , launch vehicles and missions into deep space . Demand for low Earth orbit space data is growing and up to 20,000 new satellites are expected to start operations over the next five years , company CEO Dr . Smith said .
Californian space communications start - up Audacy has signed commercial agreements worth more than $ 100 m , just months after it was cleared by the US Federal Communications Commission to run its inter - satellite data relay network . US firms make up more than half of the deals , with the rest in Asia - Pacific and Europe . They include satellites for non - stationary orbit , Earth observation satellites , launch vehicles and missions into deep space . Demand for low Earth orbit space data is growing and up to 20,000 new satellites are expected to start operations over the next five years , company CEO Dr . Smith said .