THAT COMPLEXITY CAN NOW FIT INTO THE SIZE OF A SHOEBOX.

world’s satellite data.

For example, smartphones have done wonders for shrinking form factors of satellites that are typically the size of a school bus. “All that complexity can now fit into the size of a shoebox, which means the cost of iterating and putting something into space is decreasing at the same rate. Companies like Kepler can now raise just a few million (dollars) and launch a spacecraft.”

Speed to market also makes for a stronger business case out of the gate, he adds.

“This is a fast-growing market that will be intensely competitive over the next few years. Being first to validate your technology is very important in building a business and moving forward. What Kepler did in getting into space as quickly as it did is a very, very strong move to win that race.”

Another contributor to fast iteration is launch availability. That’s an area in which Canadian companies have an advantage, Slifierz said.

“Kepler benefits from being a Canadian company because there are a lot fewer restrictions on where we can launch vehicles from. They were able to use a Chinese rocket. That would not have been possible (if it were a U.S. company).”

Then there is a market eagerly awaiting innovation on all communications fronts. According to Hamid Arabzadeh, chairman and CEO of Ranovus Inc., an Ottawa-based optical internet solutions company, satellite communications will play a significant role in a world consumed by IoT devices.

“There are remote regions that want immediate access but the cost of bringing fibre cable is prohibitive. Satellite would be ideal in those circumstances. Being able to build a solution that costs less to launch overcomes one of the biggest satellite communications challenges.”

Satellite is also unique in its ability to capture the entire world, said Kevin Tuer, vice-president, strategic initiatives at Communitech in Waterloo, Ont. “What it all comes back to is finding the applications and uses for the data. The entire industry is focused on evolving this. It’s driving the apps, which in turn (are) driving infrastructure companies like Kepler and SkyWatch. Now the task is figuring out the business models.”