KTSAT and AscendArc Partner to Provide HTS-Powered Affordable Internet Access to 650 million people in Asia
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - September 4, 2025
AscendArc, a U.S.-based satellite technology company, has announced a landmark partnership with KTSAT, the satellite arm of Korea Telecom (KT Group), to launch a next-generation High Throughput satellite in 2027. The project aims to significantly lower the cost of internet access for underserved communities across the Asia-Pacific region, where hundreds of millions remain unconnected or under-connected due to infrastructure and affordability challenges.
The new high throughput satellite, designed and manufactured by AscendArc, will be positioned by KTSAT in geosynchronous orbit and is expected to serve up to 650 million people across the continent. With only ~70 per cent of the population in Asia still able to access some form of internet, over 200 million people still remain unconnected. Millions more remain underserved with limited access due to high costs, poor connection and limited infrastructure.
KTSAT, a wholly owned subsidiary of KT Group, has a long history of operating commercial and government satellite platforms. Originally a government entity, KT Group remains Korea’s premier national telecom carrier. KTSAT is further expanding its footprint in Asia, with ambitions to become a global satellite communications leader.
Founded in 2023 by satellite industry veteran Chris McLain, AscendArc is pioneering a radical new approach to satellite design and manufacturing. Drawing on experience from Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and SpaceX, McLain’s team has developed a modular, assembly-line production model that dramatically reduces the production costs, while significantly enhancing performance.
The AscendArc satellite introduces a material shift in how communications satellites are designed and deployed. Built using a scalable, assembly-line production model, it is now the most cost-efficient satellites in the industry, both in terms of upfront cost and most importantly up to 20x cheaper cost-per-Mbps delivered than all other satellite constellations currently in operation.
The high throughput satellite is designed for geosynchronous orbit – a path around Earth where a satellite moves at the same speed that Earth rotates. This means the satellite stays above the same general area of the planet all the time. By lowering the financial and technical barriers, AscendArc’s approach enables any country in the world with the opportunity to own and control its own sovereign satellite network, without relying on or risking interference from foreign satellite companies located abroad.
Mr. Young-soo Seo, CEO of KT SAT, stated : “The AscendArc’s high throughput satellite design will be a dramatic step forward for our industry and KT SAT is proud to spear-head that effort with this procurement. By leveraging flexible satellite resources, KT SAT plans to proactively respond to the growing global demand for data and further strengthen our leadership in the market.
”“The goal for KTSat is not just to compete, but to dramatically expand access to the internet throughout the Asian region. Over half of the world’s population has very limited or no access to the internet, and the primary reason is cost. Access to the internet has become a critical component of economic advancement, so our poorest citizens who are without it are simply being left behind. The cost of terrestrial fibre solutions has stagnated, and so there is too often a negative return on investment to deliver access to more remote or poor regions. And while some recent new satellite options have helped, they simply do not lower the cost enough to penetrate as far as needed. AscendArc stood out for its cost-efficiency, flexibility, and scalability. Our high throughput satellite will serve as the cornerstone of regional expansion.”
Chris McLain, CEO of Ascend Arc, said: “Our goal is to democratize access to space. AscendArc satellites are not only affordable, but they’re also designed to empower nations to operate their own sovereign satellite programs, free from foreign control. ”“The company wishes to express our gratitude to KTSat, both for their extensive due diligence into our satellite technology, and confirmation of AscendArc’s ability to deliver the most competitive solution ever to be seen by satellite. Our goal is not just to augment what other satellite solutions have achieved, but to push that advance significantly forward, bypassing the costly expansion of fibre networks.”
About AscendArc
Founded in 2023, AscendArc is dedicated to driving the affordability of internet and communications access. The company has fundamentally re-designed how to build and launch a satellite to geosynchronous orbit, allowing for a dramatic decrease in cost while also exponentially increasing its throughput performance.
About KTSAT
Founded in 1970, KTSAT (wholly owned subsidiary of KT Group, the dominant telecommunications operator in Korea) has steadily expanded its capabilities to include numerous geosynchronous satellites providing satellite access and managed services throughout the Asian region and subcontinent.
Communications:
AscendArc, Inc. KTSAT, Inc.
Brent Perrott, sales Eunwoo Kim, Marketing
brent@ascendarc.com eunwoo.kim@kt.com
