The Satellite 2025 (Satshow) conference & exhibition took place on 10-13 March in downtown Washington, DC. Many companies that engage in satellite communications (SATCOM), including defense-related satellite communications, were present. Argentina had a footprint in Satshow, led by the Argentine Agency for Investments and International Trade (Agencia Argentina de Inversiones y Comercio Internacional). The aerospace and defense agency INVAP was present and Zona Militar spoke with Christian Tisot, deputy vice president of INVAP’s space division and business development, about his company’s present and future.
Tisot explained that the company’s current major space project is the construction of the ARSAT-SG1 geo-satellite for Argentina. The system is expected to be ready by 2026 and launched in 2027. “This is our second-generation satellite,” the company explained.
As for potential customers and contracts, the INVAP executive explained that INVAP now wants to expand its presence outside Argentina by pursuing clients in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. “We have a lot of contacts among Latin American countries. Our common language, culture, and proximity give us an advantage,” Tisot said.
ZM asked INVAP how the company can set itself apart from other companies that offer similar products. “We develop our own technology, which allows us to offer solutions to customers tailored to their needs;” Tisot also added, “we can provide solutions in the K, U, C, and Ka bands, as well as others.” He explained that because INVAP is currently producing smaller satellites, the cost of the platform will be lower for the client. Moreover, the Argentine company can provide technical expertise to help a customer with a nascent space program.
Achieving international customers will be a challenge, as other South American countries have their own domestic space programs that they want to expand. For example, Brazil already operates the Alcântara space center. Similarly, Peru’s Ministry of Defense and Air Force want to build a spaceport in Northern Peru, probably in Piura region. Early this year, the Peruvian Space Agency CONIDA and NASA signed an agreement for the potential launch of rockets from the South American country. Also, last year, the presidents of Brazil and Chile signed a cooperation agreement on space affairs.
INVAP is developing primary radars for Argentina’s armed forces to improve control of the country’s air space. Tisot declined to discuss the status of the contract and future deliveries of military radars.
Satshow demonstrated that space is becoming crowded and more competitive. Major SATCOM companies were present, like ALL.SPACE, Cobham, and Iridium. Defense companies that work on defense SATCOM issues were also in attendance, such as L3 Harris, Airbus, BAE Systems, Boeing, Honeywell, Northrop Grumman, and Thales. Israel’s SATCOM company, Gilat, launched its new defense division at the expo, Gilat Defense.
Argentina had a small pavilion with booths for several companies, like INVAP and ARSAT; however it was not the only country to do so. Italy, Taiwan, and Turkiye (led by Turkish Aerospace and ASELSAN) also had their pavilions. At the same time, there were several European companies eager to expand their image and promote their services, like Denmark’s QuadSAT, Spain’s Hispasat, and Sweden’s Ovzon.
As for speakers at the expo, they included US Navy Vice Almirant Frank Whitworth, director of the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, and senior executives from SATCOM and defense companies like Booz Allen Hamilton, Intelsat, L3Harris, Sierra Space, and York Space Systems.
One curious factor about Satshow was the significant lack of US military personnel walking the expo’s floor. The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), a US intelligence agency, had a booth at the expo, but ZM confirmed that it was completely empty. Breaking Defense noted that NRO and the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) pulled out of attending Satshow. The Trump administration has issued confusing directives about restricting “non-essential” traveling by federal officials, while the new Department of Government Efficiency makes brutal cuts across the federal budget. Satshow took place in downtown Washington, DC, so it is bizarre that NRO and MDA could not attend. The next major defense expo in the greater DC area is Sea Air Space in early April. The attendance of military personnel will give the defense industry a better idea of the impact of Trump’s controversial executive orders.
As for INVAP, participating in a high-profile SATCOM expo like Satellite will expand the company’s international image. Time will tell if these expos will help the company gain international clients.
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