Using Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Eutelsat, the third-largest satellite operator in the world by revenue, launched 20 satellites on Sunday for its communications network—its first action after the merger of two European firms last year.
TakeAway Points:
- Eutelsat, the world’s third-biggest satellite operator by revenue, launched 20 satellites for its communications network on Sunday, using Elon Musk’s SpaceX in its first move since the merger of two European companies last year.
- A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket took off with Eutelsat satellites from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base at 0513 GMT.
- The former chief technology officer of OpenAI, Mira Murati, is seeking investment for her new artificial intelligence business from venture capitalists.
Eutelsat launches first rocket
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket took off with Eutelsat satellites from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base at 0513 GMT.
“This is the first OneWeb launch of the satellites since the merger,” CEO Eva Berneke said in an interview. “We will be launching more satellites over the coming years.”
The Paris-based group formed by the merger in September last year of France’s Eutelsat and Britain’s OneWeb has a constellation of over 600 low-earth orbit satellites that cater to broadcasters, telecom companies, and radio stations.
“We really want to integrate into the telecom ecosystem,” Berneke said. “Satellites are an interesting niche in the overall connectivity ecosystems where telcos are the big boys in the class and satellite will always be a smaller part.”
Eutelsat counts telecom operators such as France’s Orange and Australia’s Telstra as clients and is in talks with others such as AT&T in the U.S.
The company, which has a backlog of orders of $4 billion, is waiting for countries such as India and Saudi Arabia to open up.
India, a market set to grow 36% a year to $1.9 billion by 2030, is in the process of allowing satellite services. It has experienced friction between domestic players and companies such as Starlink.
“We have some of our backlog sitting in the Indian market… It sits there until India gets open; the day it gets open, we’ll start building,” Berneke said.
The company is also in talks with aviation companies to offer in-flight connectivity, including internet browsing, and expects revenue to start increasing from next year, she said.
Former OpenAI technology chief to raise capital for new AI startup
Mira Murati, former chief technology officer at OpenAI, is raising funds from venture capitalists for her new AI startup.
The new company aims to build AI products based on proprietary models, said one of the sources who requested anonymity to discuss private matters. It is not clear if Murati will assume the CEO role at the new venture.
While the talks are in the early stages, Murati’s new venture could raise over $100 million given her reputation and the capital needed to train proprietary models, one of the sources said, cautioning that the figures have not been finalized.
Barret Zoph, a prominent researcher who left OpenAI on the same day as Murati in late September, could also get involved in the new venture, the sources added.
The Information previously reported that Zoph is planning a new startup and that Murati has been recruiting OpenAI employees to join her new venture.
Mira Murati
Murati at OpenAI spent over six years spearheading transformative projects like ChatGPT and DALL-E. She was a key figure in OpenAI’s multibillion-dollar partnership with Microsoft , its largest financial backer.
Murati’s meteoric rise at OpenAI has cemented her name as one of the most prominent executives in the fledgling field of artificial intelligence.
Murati joined OpenAI in June 2018 and was promoted to CTO in May 2022, according to her LinkedIn profile. Prior to OpenAI, she worked at augmented reality startup Leap Motion and Tesla.
She frequently appeared alongside OpenAI CEO Sam Altman as the public face of the ChatGPT maker. When OpenAI in May launched its GPT-4o model, which is capable of having realistic voice conversations, Murati led the presentation.
Her abrupt resignation in late September marked the latest high-profile exit from the ChatGPT maker as the company undergoes major governance structure changes, including removing the control of the non-profit board. Murati, who briefly served as interim CEO last year when Altman was ousted by the non-profit board, cited a desire for personal exploration for her departure.
Murati joins a growing list of former OpenAI executives launching startups, including rivals such as Anthropic and Safe Superintelligence.
