Related Party Transactions

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2023

Related Party Transactions [Abstract]

Related Party Transactions Disclosure

12. Related Party Transactions

Aireon LLC and Aireon Holdings LLC

The Company’s satellite constellation hosts the Aireon® system, which provides a global air traffic surveillance service through a series of automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (“ADS-B”) receivers. The Company formed Aireon in 2011, with subsequent investments from the air navigation service providers (“ANSPs”) of Canada, Italy, Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom, to develop and market this service. The Company and other Aireon investors hold their interests in Aireon Holdings LLC (“Aireon Holdings”) through an amended and restated LLC agreement (the “Aireon Holdings LLC Agreement”). Aireon Holdings holds 100% of the membership interests in Aireon, which is the operating entity.

In June 2022, the Company entered into a subscription agreement with Aireon Holdings and invested $50.0 million in exchange for an approximate 6% preferred membership interest. The Company’s investment in Aireon is accounted for as an equity method investment. The carrying value of the Company’s investment in Aireon was $46.6 million as of June 30, 2023. The prior investments by the Company were previously written down to a carrying value of zero.

At each of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company’s fully diluted ownership stake in Aireon Holdings was approximately 39.5%, which is subject to partial future redemption under provisions contained in the Aireon Holdings LLC Agreement.

Aireon has contracted to pay the Company a fee to host the ADS-B receivers on its constellation, as well as fees for power and data services in connection with the delivery of the air traffic surveillance data. Pursuant to an agreement with Aireon (the “Hosting Agreement”), Aireon will pay the Company fees of $200.0 million to host the ADS-B receivers, of which $86.5 million had been paid as of June 30, 2023. These fees will be recognized over the life of the satellites, or approximately $16.0 million per year. Additionally, Aireon pays power fees of up to approximately $3.7 million per year. Aireon also pays data services fees of $19.8 million per year for the delivery of the air traffic surveillance data under a data transmission services agreement. Pursuant to ASU 2016-02, the Company considers the Hosting Agreement an operating lease. The Company recognized $4.0 million of hosting fee revenue for each of the three months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022 and $8.0 million for each of the six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022. There were no Aireon receivables under the Hosting Agreement as of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022. The Company recorded power and data service revenue from Aireon of $5.9 million for each of the three months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022 and $11.7 million for each of the six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022.

Under two services agreements, the Company also provides Aireon with administrative services and support services, the fees for which are paid monthly. Aireon receivables due to the Company under these two agreements totaled $2.2 million as of both June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022.

The Company and the other Aireon investors have agreed to participate pro-rata, based on their fully diluted ownership stakes, in funding an investor bridge loan to Aireon. The Company’s maximum funding commitment for the bridge loan is $10.7 million. No bridge loan amounts were outstanding as of June 30, 2023 or December 31, 2022.

Satelles

In the first quarter of 2023, the Company entered into a stock purchase agreement with Satelles, Inc. (“Satelles”) and invested $10.0 million, in addition to its previous equity investment in Satelles. The Company's fully diluted ownership stake in Satelles was approximately 19.5% as of June 30, 2023, and the investment in Satelles is now accounted for as an equity method investment. The carrying value of the Company’s equity investment in Satelles was approximately $22.9 million as of June 30, 2023.