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14 Jul 21. The 2nd Space Operations Squadron, part of Space Delta 8 headquartered at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, operationally accepted GPS III Space Vehicle 05, the newest satellite in its modernized Global Positioning System constellation June 29, 2021. The satellite enables enhanced worldwide Military Code (M-code) coverage.
Operational acceptance occurs when the satellite is handed from the acquisition community, which purchased the satellite and contracted for its launch, to the operational squadron to execute global operations.
The 2nd SOPS performs the command and control mission for the GPS constellation for both military and civil users. The satellite is part of the U.S. Space Force’s modernization priorities.
“The capabilities this satellite provides are exactly what we need to protect the interests of the United States in, from, and to space, and to enable Joint terrestrial and space operations,” said U.S. Space Force Lt. Gen. Stephen Whiting, Space Operations Command commander. “We must continue to modernize our existing space architectures with new technologies to provide our warfighters with uninterrupted access to the information they need, when they need it.”
“We are very excited because this new block III satellite completes our worldwide (military-code) coverage,” said U.S. Space Force Lt. Col. Michael Schriever, 2nd SOPS commander. “Now we will be able to broadcast the military signal globally in accordance with interface compliance requirements which our team, along with our 19 SOPS counterparts, have been working around the clock to achieve.”
GPS III Space Vehicle 05 is the latest next-generation GPS satellite. It is the 24th M-Code signal-enabled GPS space vehicle on orbit, completing the constellation’s baseline requirement to provide military forces a more-secure, harder-to-jam and spoof GPS signal. GPS III satellites provide significant capability advancements over earlier-designed GPS satellites on orbit, including three times better accuracy; up to eight times improved anti-jamming capabilities; and a new L1C civil signal, which is compatible with international global navigation satellite systems, to improve civilian user connectivity.
The Lockheed Martin-built satellite, named “Neil Armstrong” after the famous American astronaut, launched June 18, 2021, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. The satellite separated from its SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket about 90 minutes into its flight, and then spent the next several days using an onboard rocket to reach its final orbit approximately 12,500 miles above Earth.
Globally, more than four billion military, civil and commercial users depend on GPS’s positioning, navigation and timing signals for aviation, telecommunication, banking, farming and more.
15 Jul 21. Lockheed Martin Opens Advanced Manufacturing Facility to Expand Orion Spacecraft Production. Florida-based Factory of the Future Features Digital Transformation Tools to Support Upcoming Missions to the Moon and Beyond. Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] opened its Spacecraft Test, Assembly and Resource (STAR) Center today. The STAR Center features business and digital transformation innovations that will expand manufacturing, assembly and testing capacity for NASA’s Orion spacecraft program and ultimately, future space exploration.
Lockheed Martin currently assembles the Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I and II Moon missions at the nearby Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout (O&C) building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The addition of the STAR Center provides much-needed space for the new production phase of Orion, allowing future Orion spacecraft – starting with the Artemis III mission – to be built faster.
“The STAR Center is a spacecraft factory of the future and is the centerpiece of our commitment to build sustainable and affordable capabilities for NASA to send astronauts to explore the Moon and eventually Mars,” said Lisa Callahan, Commercial Civil Space vice president and general manager at Lockheed Martin Space. “We are using advanced manufacturing capabilities and digital-first technologies to speed production and improve quality to get Orion from factory to space faster than ever before.”
Lockheed Martin acquired the building that formerly housed the Astronaut Training Experience attraction and spent 18 months and nearly $20 million renovating and modernizing the 55,000 square-foot space into a digitally-transformed factory of the future.
Digital Transformation Means Efficiencies
The STAR Center showcases Lockheed Martin’s ability to implement the latest digital transformation technologies, along with the company’s existing production expertise, to scale Orion production and deliver spacecraft faster than ever before.
Those include integrating the STAR Center into Lockheed Martin’s Intelligent Factory Framework (IFF), an edge computing platform that secures, scales and standardizes device connectivity through various IT platforms. This digital-first approach streamlines production and maximizes agility by connecting devices virtually. Lockheed Martin has already deployed IFF to seven locations and is scaling across the entire company.
In addition, more than 30 machines at the STAR center will be connected to this IFF, as well as machines at NASA’s O&C, giving all production team members at both facilities real-time access to valuable data. The center also employs remote access, monitoring and alerting technologies for equipment, plus smart tools such as virtual reality and augmented reality.
Room to Grow
Under Lockheed Martin’s production contract with NASA, the agency has committed to order Orion vehicles for six missions, with the potential to add another six through 2030.
Elements of the spacecraft that take large amounts of floor space and that are built and tested outside the normal spacecraft assembly flow will be moved to the STAR Center. This gives production teams more room at the O&C facility to assemble and test more Orion spacecraft simultaneously and quicker.
Production activities include:
- Assembly and test of Orion aeroshell heat shield and backshell panels, including thermal protection system installation
- Crew module and crew module adapter wire harness fabrication and testing
- Propulsion and environmental control and life support systems assembly and testing
- Electrical ground support equipment production
14 Jul 21. Airbus teams with Clearbox Systems for next-generation Australian military satcom. Airbus has added Canberra-based satellite ground control segment expert Clearbox Systems as its second partner in its teaming arrangement for its bid to deliver next-generation military satellite communications (satcom) capability to Australia under the JP9102 program.
Designated Team Maier, the teaming arrangement is designed to deliver a sovereign military satcom solution for Australia and to grow the defence and space ecosystem for the long term. Airbus will bring on board partners across space, technology and academia, enabling further innovative solutions and niche capabilities to the Commonwealth, in this unique approach.
Team Maier aims to benefit from Clearbox’s experience in supporting Australian Defence Force’s control segment for its current military wideband satcom, commercial wideband satcom, and military narrowband satcom systems.
An integral component of the satcom system, the control segment manages a network of devices, sensors, signals and payloads to ensure successful transmission.
According to Jeremy Hallett, CEO of Clearbox Systems, being part of Team Maier is an exciting opportunity to apply their technology to the new capabilities Airbus will bring to Defence under JP9102.
“Our world-leading, Australian-developed satcom control segment technology helps the Australian Defence operate a flexible, resilient and agile satcom service for the warfighter,” Hallett said.
Clearbox will be upgrading the current systems to the JP9102 requirements, including ongoing sustainment.
Martin Rowse, Airbus campaign lead for the JP9102 program, is confident that the collaborative approach will be mutually beneficial.
“Clearbox brings a wealth of experience and expertise to Team Maier.”
“Supporting Clearbox’s growth while building a true partnership to deliver the best solution possible to Australia.”
“We are committed to reinforcing our longstanding commitment to the Commonwealth of Australia, and Clearbox joining Team Maier is a key part of our strategy to enable the Australian Defence Force to achieve its strategic objectives of Shape, Deter, and Respond across the Indo-Pacific region now and into the future,” Rowse said.
Airbus has been responsible for delivering all secure beyond line of sight communications to the UK MOD for 18 years, owning and operating the Skynet military communications satellite fleet.
Skynet 5 satellites have been crucial to keeping armed forces in theatre in touch with each other and bases back in the UK. The satellites have also provided a key part of service personnel being able to keep in touch with loved ones back home as part of the WelComE welfare communications service. (Source: Defence Connect)
13 Jul 21. BAE Systems Chooses Spirent Federal CRPA Test System. BAE Systems has selected Spirent Federal Systems, the leading provider of positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) test solutions, to provide a CRPA Test System to support M-Code military GPS technology development. BAE Systems is developing an advanced military GPS receiver and improving the capabilities of size-constrained and power-constrained military GPS applications, including precision-guided munitions and handheld devices. Spirent Federal is uniquely qualified to provide essential test equipment and support in the pursuit of resilient, accurate PNT data in GPS-degraded Navigation Warfare (NAVWAR) situations.
The Spirent CRPA Test System is a development of the unrivaled GSS9000 Series platform and can test …
- Controlled Reception Pattern Antennas (CRPAs)
- MNSA and AES M-code
- jamming and spoofing threats and mitigation
- ultra-high-dynamic vehicle applications
- inertial navigation systems
- additional encrypted military signals, Y-code and SAASM
- and more
CRPAs provide proven and effective protection against jamming in high-interference environments. The Spirent CRPA Test System can simulate 16+ individual elements with a separate RF output per antenna element. For the 16-element test system, concurrent simulation of GNSS signals, signals from spoofers and/or repeaters, and interference from multiple jammers—including BFEA jamming waveforms—results in over 1,000 simultaneous independent channels/signals simulated across a phase-calibrated precise wavefront.
“The CRPA Test System is the culmination of over 35 years of R&D and industry leadership and is perfectly positioned to help with next-generation MGUE modernization. Our robust M-code test capabilities support BAE Systems’ advances in M-code technology,” said Ellen Hall, President/CEO of Spirent Federal.
Spirent can provide GNSS and interference signal simulation solutions for every stage in the CRPA design and verification process. To learn more, visit Spirent Federal’s CRPA Test System page. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
13 Jul 21. Thales Alenia Space Partners With Hellas Sat for the 5G Satellite Backhauling Demo. Thales Alenia Space at the forefront of the 5G technology deployment. Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), and Hellas Sat performed a successful 5G demonstration in Greece in the presence of the Ministry of Digital Governance, represented by Athanassios Staveris-Polykalas, Secretary General of Telecommunications & Posts.
As operator, Hellas Sat aims to provide 5G network to remote areas in Greece and Cyprus. To do so, the experiment consists in backhauling the connection between a 5G Core Network and a 5G gNB through Hellas Sat 3 / Inmarsat S EAN satellite. In this case, the satellite is not only a complement to terrestrial 5G network but a fully integrated part of it by receiving 5G network from Earth and then returning it to remote areas where traditional backhauling technologies (wired, fiber, radio beams) are not suitable for technical and/or economic reasons. This experiment reinforces the bounds between Thales Alenia Space and the Greek space industry.
Hellas Sat 3/Inmarsat S EAN, is a co-branded geostationary telecommunication satellite, which was built by Thales Alenia Space on the Spacebus 4000 C4 platform and launched on June 29th, 2017 from Kourou in French Guyana. The Hellas Sat 3 payload used for this demo delivers DTH (Direct To Home) and Telecom services in Europe, Middle East and Southern Africa, maintaining and expanding Hellas-Sat’s business reach with additional capacities.
Christodoulos Protopapas, CEO of Hellas Sat, declared: “With the completion of 20 years of operations, Hellas Sat is exploring the new era of 5G communications providing satellite connectivity solutions to remote areas.”
Following the previous, and first, 5G satellite backhauling demonstration made with South Korean operator KT SAT in February 2021, Thales Alenia Space continues to showcase its expertise as 5G system integrator for the future 5G NTN Radio Access Technology and to prove that its satellites are ready for 5G. Thales Alenia Space plays a pioneering role within all the initiatives designed to seamlessly integrate satellite communications in the 5G network infrastructure. Thales Alenia Space participates in several projects including the Omnispace future constellation of hybrid satellites for 5G which will be intended for the Internet of Things, SaT5G (Satellite And Terrestrial Network for 5G), a project launched as part of the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 program to incorporate space components in 5G telecom systems, and the ALIX project funded by ESA to support the standardization of satellite aspects in 5G, in relation to the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), which is in charge of defining 5G systems.
Marc-Henri Serre, Executive Vice President of Thales Alenia Space’s Telecommunications Business Line, declared: “At Thales Alenia Space, we are honored to support Hellas Sat with this 5G demonstration. This marks another step in our partnership and reinforces Thales Alenia Space’s expertise in 5G. Also, this shows that we are pioneers and that our satellites fits with all the challenges of our changing world.” (Source: ASD Network/Thales)
13 Jul 21. Germany establishes new military space command. The German military has announced the creation of a separate command dedicated to space, becoming the latest of a handful of nations prioritizing more resources and missions among the stars.
The Ministry of Defence introduced the new space command in a July 13 ceremony at the German Space Situational Awareness Centre in Uedem, located in the country’s North Rhine-Westphalia region.
Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer provided a keynote speech for the event.
The military is “responding to the increasing significance of space for our state’s ability to function, the prosperity of our population, and the increasing dependency of the armed forces on space-supported data, services and products,” the ministry said in a statement.
Since 2009, the German Air Force, or Luftwaffe, has used the center to monitor space assets, order maneuvering of systems and recommend evasion routes to commercial satellite operators, according to the German Aerospace Center. In fall 2020, the Air and Space Operations Center, or ASOC, was inaugurated there in response to NATO’s declaration of space as a new operational domain at the alliance’s 2019 meeting in London, England.
As with NATO, the emphasis for ASOC was more on space as a defensive domain, with the aim of protecting German systems and further investing in space situational awareness, according to the German Institute for International and Security Affairs.
Berlin is not alone in its efforts to create a separate military space entity. The U.S. Space Force was established in late 2019 as a separate military branch under the Department of the Air Force, and now boasts a separate budget line from the Air Force and its own representation on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, with Chief of Space Operations Gen. Jay Raymond. While initial Space Force personnel were transferred in from space-related units within the Air Force, the nascent service will soon welcome its first — and soon to be former — Marines, soldiers and sailors.
The U.S. officially reestablished its Space Command on Aug. 29, 2019, which is technically the second iteration of an American space command. Established in 1985, the first Space Command was ultimately merged into U.S. Strategic Command in 2002 as part of the military reorganization following the Sept. 11 attacks.
In fall 2020, France renamed its Air Force to become the Air and Space Force, after creating its new space command Commandement de l’espace in 2019. The United Kingdom also established a separate space command in spring 2021 as a joint command staffed with personnel from the British Army, the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force and the civil service.
NATO has named space as one of its top seven priorities for emerging and disruptive technologies, or EDT. The member nations’ defense ministers endorsed a new strategy in March to ensure the alliance fosters these technologies through increased cooperation with innovation hubs and nontraditional industry, and to protect EDT investment from export issues and outside influence. (Source: Defense News)
13 Jul 21. Government fund will support new ideas for cleaning up space. Space firms are being invited to apply for a share of up to £800,000 in funding from the UK Space Agency to develop ideas for space debris removal missions. One of the biggest global challenges facing the space sector is orbital congestion and space debris. There are currently an estimated 900,000 pieces of space debris including old satellites, spent rocket bodies and even tools dropped by astronauts orbiting Earth. Space debris can stay in orbit for hundreds of years and present a real danger to the rapidly increasing number of new satellites being launched each year. The UK Space Agency is looking to fund two active debris removal feasibility studies through its Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST) programme, which aims to make space safer and more sustainable. The feasibility studies will develop a debris removal mission concept and system design. The deadline for applications is 19 July 2021 [Updated: 9 July] and the opportunity is open to businesses, non-profits and academics.
Jacob Geer, Head of Space Surveillance and Tracking at the UK Space Agency, said, “Space debris is a growing issue but there are real opportunities for the UK to lead the world in developing and marketing technologies to solve the problem. This funding could give space firms the scope and support to make real breakthroughs. As we progress further into this new age of space mega-constellations, the UK Space Agency will work with the industry and international partners to ensure humanity can utilise space safely and sustainably. The surge in new missions to refuel, repair or reposition old spacecraft in orbit could present a real opportunity for the UK.”
This is the latest investment the UK Space Agency is making in cleaning up space. In 2020 it awarded seven UK companies a share of over £1m to help track debris in space. It also recently awarded £2.5m to Astroscale to develop the technology to remove communication satellites. The UK is also the leading contributor to the European Space Agency’s Space Safety programme which provides collaboration and funding opportunities for UK scientists and industry.
One collision with space debris could create thousands of small, fast-moving fragments which can damage the satellites that provide everyday services such as communications, weather forecasting or satellite navigation.
Today’s announcement follows a new publication by UKSpace highlighting the importance of In-orbit servicing (IOS) capabilities for national security and economic growth. The report acknowledges the UK is ahead of the curve in important areas like close proximity operations, as demonstrated by Astroscale’s recent ELSA-d mission. It predicts that technologies and skills developed through IOS, including debris removal, could deliver massive benefits to society, with revenues worth tens of billions of pounds to the UK.
New figures released by the UK Space Agency this month show strong growth in the UK space sector. Income rising from £14.8bn in 2016/17o £16.4bn in 2018/19, representing a growth of 5.7 per cent in real terms, while employment is up by 3,200 from 41,900 to 45,100. Research and development spending rose 18 per cent in real terms from £595m in 2016/17 to £702m in 2018/19. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
12 Jul 21. With all three Gunsmoke-J satellites on orbit, the Army is ready to test space-based targeting. It’s no secret that the U.S. Army wants to be able to target threats using imagery satellites, and now the service has a trio of bread loaf-sized cubesats on orbit to help test that capability.
The Army is keen to use the vantage of space to find and target beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) threats. While satellite imagery has traditionally been a product of the intelligence community, the development of relatively affordable yet highly capable small satellites that can operate in low Earth orbit has convinced military leaders that it can play a tactical role on the battlefield. In a demonstration last fall, the Army was able to show that it could take images from satellites on orbit down to Earth, process them with artificial intelligence to find threats, and deliver targeting data to weapon systems in about 20 seconds. That speed is opening a whole slew of possibilities to commanders, enabling them to “see” further down the battlefield in near real time than ever before.
While plans aren’t set, the Department of Defense is considering building out a new constellation of imagery satellites for tactical use.
That demonstration used images from commercial satellite constellations, but now the Army has its own trio of imagery satellites to further develop this capability. The Army’s Gunsmoke-J program has launched three cubesats to use “emerging advanced electronics to allow the use of dedicated intelligence assets to provide tactically actionable targeting data to war fighters on a responsive and persistent timeline,” according to an annual budget proposal. Gunsmoke-J is a Joint Capability Technology Demonstration conducted by the Army Space and Missile Defense Command and Assured Position Navigation and Timing/Space Cross Functional Team.
The program was initially slated to be completed in 2019, but rideshare delays pushed the launch date to this year. While the first satellite in the Gunsmoke-J program was launched and deployed in March by Rocket Lab, the final two cubesats were placed into orbit on June 30. All three took somewhat different paths into space. The second satellite launched aboard a Cygnus cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station back in February. However, the Gunsmoke-J payload wasn’t deployed until shortly after the Cygnus spacecraft departed the station at the end of June.
Meanwhile, the third satellite was launched into space aboard a Virgin Orbit LauncherOne rocket, designed to launch in air off a modified 747 aircraft. The mission departed from the Mojave Air and Space Port in California before flying out over the Pacific Ocean to launch the rocket, which then carried the cubesat to its destination orbit — about 300 miles above the Earth’s surface.
“This deployment and same day launch of two separate Gunsmoke-J satellites is a major step toward demonstrating what we believe will be enabling tactical warfighter capability,” said Wheeler “Chip” Hardy, division chief, USASMDC Technical Center Space Directorate’s Space Applications Division. “We are excited to be at this point after five years of development. This is the culmination of a lot of hard work by a lot of people to get to this point. We look forward to the verifying demonstrations and a possible future transition of the technology to the tactical forces.”
According to the Army’s annual budget request, the satellites will complete a number of on-orbit demonstrations in 2021, culminating in a military utility assessment. Gunsmoke-J will then be transitioned to an Army program of record.
“We are very excited because now we can begin our checkout and mission operations as our work is part of a science and technology demonstration effort,” said Gunsmoke Deputy Program Manager Rebecca Nagurney. “If the Gunsmoke experiments are successful, then this work could lead to future systems, which would enhance long-range precision fires in support of the war fighter.” (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
12 Jul 21. Nanosatellites Could Play Pivotal Role in Defense Against Enemy Missiles. Two Missile Defense Agency nanosatellites — known as CubeSats — that launched June 30 into low-earth orbit from the Mojave Air and Space Port in California could play a large role in the future of U.S. missile defense. The CubeSat Networked Communications Experiment Block 1 — part of MDA’s Nanosat Testbed Initiative — uses small, low-cost satellites to demonstrate networked radio communications between nanosatellites while in orbit. MDA will conduct a 90-day demonstration, with a mission extension of up to one year, to ensure the two CubeSats can navigate properly, receive and send signals to radios and networks and operate as intended.
“These satellites will test key technologies that mitigate risk for systems, such as the Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor,” Walt Chai, MDA director for space sensors, said. “The CNCE Block 1 mission will demonstrate the viability of advanced communications technologies using reduced size, weight and power in support of missile defense communications architectures.”
MDA is developing the Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor payload. When eventually deployed on satellites in low earth orbit, it will detect and track hypersonic and ballistic missile threats and provide critical data to the Missile Defense System and the warfighter.
“The missile defense architecture will require communications between interceptors, sensors and command and control systems to quickly identify, track and destroy incoming enemy missiles before they reach their targets. The CubeSats will allow the agency to demonstrate the capabilities quickly and affordably,” Chai said.
CubeSat missions allow for flexibility that includes rapid follow-on flights featuring planned, incremental technology improvements with overall greater cost efficiency than using larger, more traditional satellites.
“The ability to use CubeSats for low-cost access to space is essential in maturing technologies for future applications in missile defense,” Shari Feth, head of the Innovation, Science and Technology directorate at MDA, said. “For the NTI efforts, we only need something small to take technology experiments to space in order to test in the relevant environment and gather accurate data. CubeSats are the perfect platform for this.”
CubeSats are a subset of the small satellite family of satellite systems known as nanosatellites. A small satellite is generally considered to be any satellite that weighs less than 300 kilograms (660 pounds). Within the small satellite family, CubeSats are defined by standardized characteristics such as shape, size and weight.
The standard CubeSat “unit” is referred to as a 1U. A 1U CubeSat is a 10 centimeter cube with a mass of up to about 1.33-1.5 kg. CubeSats typically range in size from 1U to no more than 27U in size.
By conforming to very specific CubeSat standards, reduced mission costs are realized — including costs associated with transporting CubeSats to, and deploying them into, space, Feth said.
Most CubeSats are produced as commercial off-the-shelf products. This is due, in part, to the standardization inherent to CubeSats, making mass-produced components and off-the-shelf parts attractive for commercial vendor production.
The cost per satellite is about $1.3m versus hundreds of millions required for traditional satellite construction. The hardware was built, and the bus and payloads were integrated, under a Rapid Innovation Fund contract.
“The ability to leverage the rapid advances in commercial CubeSat technology, as well as the growing base of commercial small launch providers, enables a unique testing capability never before available,” Eric Cole, NTI project lead for MDA, said. “The ability to test in the relevant environment of space enables testing to achieve higher technology readiness levels, making the technology transition path into operational systems much more viable.”
According to Jeff Keller, chief engineer for technology maturation at MDA, a primary advantage to maturing technology through NTI is the ability to divide complex challenges into discrete parts. “This allows us to effectively balance risk and cost by utilizing a series of phased demonstrations. Each mission leverages lessons learned from the previous mission,” he said.
The overall result is that engineering and development of CubeSats is less costly than more highly customized small satellites. CubeSat payloads also enjoy the cost benefits from commercial CubeSat technology, but they tend to be more specialized for the missions selected by the CubeSat user.
Commercial applications for CubeSats range from communications, remote sensing to environmental applications. For MDA’s CNCE Block 1 experiment, there could be commercial applications for the communications technologies being demonstrated, Feth said.
“We leveraged the department’s Small Business Innovation Research and Rapid Innovation Funding programs to select the cutting edge CubeSat vendors,” Yazmin Carroll, director of MDA’s technology maturation unit, said. The vendors provide the spacecraft and payloads to meet the NTI mission needs in support of key missile defense technology maturation.”
MDA and industry have worked together to uniquely define and tailor a quality, safety, and mission-assurance approach to balance risk and technology development costs. MDA and industry have also worked together to align industry standards and best practices to improve CubeSat technology development efforts, Keller said.
The CubeSats went to space aboard a VOX Space LLC, a subsidiary of Virgin Orbit, LauncherOne rocket as part of a payload-sharing arrangement with the DOD Space Test Program.
Other agencies involved in CNCE Block 1’s CubeSat development and experimentation are: defense department-led Mobile CubeSat Command and Control, or MC3, ground station network, Space Dynamics laboratory (Mission Integrator), Space Micro Inc. (Payload) and Blue Canyon Technologies (Spacecraft Bus). (Source: US DoD)
13 Jul 21. DST, UniSA, SmartSat CRC explore LEOsat comms. DST Group is exploring how constellations of small, smart satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) can open up opportunities for Defence. Underpinned by Defence’s Resilient Multi-Mission Space STaR Shot, these opportunities are expected to lead to enhanced operational capabilities across surveillance; space situational awareness; position, navigation and timing; geospatial intelligence; and resilient global communications.
The project is being carried out through the SmartSat CRC research consortium, and brings together Defence scientists with experienced subject matter experts from the University of South Australia (UniSA).
Equipping space satellite clusters with an increasing level of autonomy requires the development of flexible and interconnected communications architectures and protocols. DST Group scientist Dr Balachander Ramamurthy is leading a DST and UniSA team that is investigating this emerging, rapidly developing field.
Dr Ramamurthy says the aim is to introduce some novel communications technologies in future space missions, extending what was available for DSTG’s inaugural cubesat mission, the Buccaneer Risk Mitigation Mission.
To create more resilient communications between satellites, ground networks and users, his team is investigating beamforming techniques using multiple antennas. Some of the recent ground-breaking developments in terrestrial communications systems such as 5G networks have come about as a result of what’s known as massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) and cooperative systems.
The team is exploring how these technologies can be used with small satellite clusters in several ways including to securely task space missions for near real-time operations, and to enable an efficient network of active space sensors to process data before sending it back to a ground network.
Through Defence’s Resilient Multi-Mission Space STaR Shot, Dr Ramamurthy plans to demonstrate exemplar satellite communications to address effects and countermeasures. He says success will be measured by how many of the outcomes of this SmartSat CRC project eventually find their way into space to support Defence capabilities. (Source: Rumour Control)
12 Jul 21. The German ‘new space’ industry is booming. So why isn’t Berlin buying in? On a balmy June afternoon, members of the defense and space industries, regional lawmakers, and other observers gathered just outside of Munich, Germany, to witness the opening of new space company Mynaric’s first serial production facility.
The company, which launched in 2009 as a spinoff from the German Aerospace Center, will build laser communication equipment at scale out of its 1,600-square-meter facility. Per the company, Mynaric’s announced contracts for hardware delivery are currently all for U.S.-based customers, including the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the Space Development Agency. A few memoranda of understanding have been signed with customers in Europe and the rest of the world, a spokesperson said.
That situation is illustrative of many “new space” companies based in Germany. NATO allies like the United States and France are dedicating evermore resources to military space assets; notably, both Washington and Paris have separated some of their space-related bureaucracies away from their airborne military branches, with the new U.S. Space Force and the French Space Command, respectively.
Germany, on the other hand, has articulated the importance of space, but has yet to put many actual euros behind the statement, observers say. That comes in part from Berlin’s longstanding investments in the automotive and machining sector — where much of the government’s research and development funds go — and an ongoing reluctance to dedicate more resources to the country’s military budget.
But German-based companies like Mynaric and microsatellite launcher Isar Aerospace are betting that, in the long run, Germany and other European governments will understand the value of their products — not just for the commercial market but also for government and defense uses.
“Google is easy to use. Using satellites isn’t quite as easy, yet,” Mynaric CEO Bulent Altan said at the opening event of the production facility.
Mynaric is counting on that bet: Officials announced plans to produce 2,000 units per year by using a diversified supply of commercial off-the-shelf components as well as specific proprietary, built-to-print components selected for their scalability and redundancy.
The company is currently providing its optical cross-link terminals for DARPA’s Blackjack program, which seeks to prove the viability of a proliferated small satellite constellation in low Earth orbit. Mynaric also worked with other cross-link providers as well as the Space Development Agency to develop an interoperability standard to ensure laser cross-links on the U.S. military’s small satellites can communicate effectively with commercial constellations in development by Amazon, SpaceX, OneWeb, Telesat and more.
The “new space” sector arrived with a bang in the last half decade, thanks to rapid developments in launch capability, reduced launch costs and the business case for small-satellite technology showing promise. While there is currently an appetite for these companies to work on both American and European commercial programs aimed at creating major space-based constellations, the vast majority of government-funded programs still reside in the United States.
Some European government leaders want to get more involved. Space has been a traditional driver for many large nations’ militaries, but the “new space” technology sector may be more appropriate for Germany since it applies to smaller use cases, said Thomas Sattelberger, a member of the German Bundestag from the state of Bavaria and a member of the nation’s Free Democratic Party.
Speaking on a panel at Mynaric’s facility opening ceremony, Sattelberger noted that Germany could find a viable business model in being “hidden deep-tech champions.”
Defense projects are fighting for research dollars against the long-established automotive industry, Sattelberger said. “The country has long rested on the laurels of building cars and machinery,” but if those funds were put toward space technology efforts, that could push those efforts through the often fatal “investment valley of death.”
Many companies could benefit from such a shift in resources. A 2020 report commissioned by the aerospace trade support group Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie, or BDI, showed that 92 related companies were founded in Germany over the past 20 years. More than one-third of those companies launched in the last five years.
Many of these companies are using venture capital to build themselves up. Mynaric was formerly VC-backed before going public in 2017.
Isar Aerospace, which emerged in 2018 out of a student research group at the Technical University of Munich, has raised more than $100m in venture capital, said CEO Daniel Metzler.
However, it has been difficult for Isar to receive European or German government funding, he said.
“When we have applied for European grants, for example, we’ve just always been told that it’s too easy for us to get venture capital,” meaning government funding would be deemed needless, he explained.
Much of German government funding goes toward the automotive industry because it is “by far the biggest job-creating industry,” Metzler noted. Another challenge is that many government officials don’t fully understand the space industry, he added. Meanwhile, “in the U.S., we were seeing billions and billions [of dollars] flowing into U.S. companies developing launchers, developing satellite constellations.”
Germany risks losing these new space companies to neighbors like Luxembourg and Switzerland if the government doesn’t start investing itself in “anchor contracts” or additional research grants, Sattelberger said. An anchor contract involves a government agreeing to procure certain quantities of a commercial product or system that meets mission requirements, allowing the commercial venture to remain viable and keep the product cost effective.
Traditionally, even when Germany has allocated space contracts, they have all gone to the major prime contractors like Airbus, Thales and OHB.
“Germany and Europe in general need a system change in space based on the American model. Instead of developing and implementing space projects on their own, governments should purchase services and award more contracts to especially innovative ‘new space’ companies,” said Matthias Wachter, BDI’s head of international cooperation, security policy, raw materials and space. “The best way to strengthen the dynamic ‘new space’ ecosystem is through more government anchor contracts.”
So far, it’s been particularly difficult for these new space companies to break into the German defense sector. German Navy Rear Adm. Christian Bock, director of NATO’s Center of Excellence for Operations in Confined and Shallow Waters, acknowledged during the panel that the government has been slow to accept military space applications, which made it difficult to develop the optimistic spirit needed to advance the sector.
“As the military, we’re not exactly sexy,” he noted.
Space is “somehow pretty far away for the German military,” Wachter added. “That’s a big mistake because without space, future wars are definitely lost.”
While Isar Aerospace doesn’t have any military-related contracts, Metzler sees defense becoming “more and more important,” as platforms such as the Franco-German-Spanish Future Combat Air System will rely significantly on in-space connectivity, and agencies like NATO are placing a greater emphasis on space capabilities.
“Going forward, I definitely see the defense industry as a very, very big driver,” Metzler said. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense News)
08 Jul 21. QinetiQ Satellite to Support European Union Horizon 2020 Programme. The European Space Agency (ESA) has confirmed the appointment of QinetiQ to deliver and operate an important new satellite that will support technological innovation, de-risking and concept testing for public agencies and commercial enterprises in Europe. The EU Horizon 2020 IOD/IOV initiative will provide organisations with new opportunities to capitalise on affordable access to space demonstration and validation. Such services are essential for driving advances in new space technologies and capabilities, and the European Commission is committed to maximise European competitiveness, independence and service sustainability in space technology and innovation.
The new satellite will feature the latest generation of QinetiQ’s highly successful PROBA platform. The P200 platform has been developed to provide inherent flexibility – demonstrated by previous PROBA missions carrying up to 28 payloads. It is not only compatible with a wide range of launch rockets but also has simple electrical interfaces, standard protocols and optional specifications for a diverse array of payloads. Up to 13 different IOD/IOV experiments will be on-board of this new satellite.
The P200 platform features improved operational performance from new avionics and propulsion systems, and on-board autonomy greatly reduces operational costs. PROBA-1, for example, was launched on a one-year technology demonstration mission in 2001 but, on completion of its original assignment, was converted for operational observation and is still in orbit and providing invaluable data.
Development and systems integration for this new satellite will capitalise on QinetiQ’s dedicated new cleanroom facilities at Kruibeke in Belgium. A ground control system will also be installed in the premises and will provide continuous management and monitoring.
“We’re delighted to be working on such an important mission for so many organisations at the cutting edge of space technology,” says Frank Preud’homme, Business Development Director of QinetiQ’s space business. “The new satellite funded by the European Union will play a catalytic role in helping to bring exciting and significant new innovations to market and maximising European progress and competitiveness in the burgeoning space sector. It is particularly pleasing to be working on a programme that will open yet another chapter in the long and impressive in-orbit testing heritage of our PROBA satellite platforms and will also capitalise fully on our recent investment in new production facilities.”
The European Space Agency is pleased to implement the IOD/IOV initiative, which is another important constituent of the European Union framework Programme for Research and Innovation. It is a further important contribution for ensuring EU non-dependence and competitiveness in technologies through a regular, sustainable, cost-effective and responsive IOD/IOV service in the European Union. (Source: ASD Network)
08 Jul 21. Space Force opens facility to improve war-fighting capabilities. The U.S. Space Force opened a new satellite operations center July 7 at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico designed to advance the still nascent service’s space war-fighting capabilities.
The Rendezvous and Proximity (REPR) Satellite Operations Center was established by the Space and Missile Systems Center’s Innovation and Prototyping Directorate as a new workspace to drive on-orbit experimentation and demonstrations with prototype satellites and payloads.
“The REPR Satellite Operations Center allows us to carry out on-orbit experiments and prototyping efforts, develop innovative concepts of operation, and demonstrate game-changing technology for the United States Space Force and our mission partners,” said head of the directorate, Col. Timothy Sejba, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The $17m facility will be part of the Research, Development, Test & Evaluation Support Complex located at Kirtland. The 5,930-square-foot space includes an operations floor, mission planning and collaboration areas, and conference rooms.
“The REPR Satellite Operations Center was constructed by applying innovative architecture and pulling in the latest technology available, allowing operators the ability to command multiple missions concurrently, dramatically increasing the Space Force’s mission capabilities,” said Dan Crouch, senior materiel leader of the Innovation and Prototyping Directorate’s Prototype Operations Division.
The center is just the latest space-related facility established at Kirtland Air Force Base, which serves as a home to SMC’s Innovation and Prototyping Directorate, the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Space Vehicles Directorate, and the Space Rapid Capabilities Office. In November, AFRL opened the Deployable Structures Laboratory, a $4m building dedicated to developing deployable space structures. A few months later, AFRL began construction on the $3.5m Skywave Technology Laboratory, which will house its space environment research. Most recently, AFRL announced the opening of a $12.8m Space Warfighting Operations Research and Development, or SWORD, lab to track objects on orbit, advance satellite cybersecurity, and develop autonomous capabilities. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
09 Jul 21. Northrop Grumman Joins Space Park Leicester. Company to collaborate with academia and industry partners to help advance the UK’s space market. Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOCE) is joining Space Park Leicester to co-locate with the researchers, scientists and engineers who will lead exciting future developments in the UK and international space market. Space Park Leicester, developed by the University of Leicester and opened this week, represents a collaborative community and manufacturing hub for academia and industry to research, develop and grow the UK’s space industry.
“As a premier provider of space, ground and launch systems, Northrop Grumman develops cutting edge technologies that ensure security and advance human discovery on space missions with global implications,” said David Pile, regional director, Space Systems, Northrop Grumman UK. “The UK Ministry of Defence has identified space as a key priority for government and industry, and through our presence at Space Park Leicester, Northrop Grumman aims to help deliver on this priority.”
In addition, Northrop Grumman is aiming to create additional opportunities for UK SMEs to enter and grow within the space sector, through the Open Innovation Space consortium, of which it is a member.
Since the dawn of the space age, Northrop Grumman has played vital roles in military, civil and commercial space missions. From manufacturing communications and scientific satellites, vital sensors and payloads, and launch vehicles and propulsion systems, to establishing the on-orbit satellite servicing market, Northrop Grumman continues to be an innovative pioneer in the space domain providing reliable, agile and affordable space solutions for customers worldwide.
05 Jul 21. Fleet Space Launched Their Beamforming Smallsat, Centauri 4. In a world first, according to the company, C4 – which is only the size of a shoebox – has been integrated with digital beamforming technology, making this Fleet Space’s, and the world’s, most advanced smallsat payload yet delivered to orbit.
The payload includes a highly innovative, lightweight ,beam-steering antenna, AI-driven computer server and satellite modem, all designed in-house by the Fleet team. These features will help transform the ability of worldwide industry to manage and control in real time their emote assets, through the IoT communications payload onboard as well as connect thousands of sensors monitoring critical infrastructure across the world in real time, 24 hours a day.
Centauri 4 was one of 88 government, military and commercial satellites released at 525 km into LEO on the “Transporter-2” mission, pushed toward an SSO, pole-to-pole, Earth orbit.
With the ability to shape and steer multiple beams in their smallsats, and therefore reduce interference, Fleet Space can perform more work, transfer more data and do it in flexible and secure ways that have never before been possible at this scale. This sovereign capability in communication from space in smallsats has already attracted the attention of key world players including the defense community, with this launch positioning Fleet Space and Australia at the forefront of providing innovative communications technologies from space.
The Fleet Space smallsats are servicing IoT customers who will reap the rewards of collecting and organizing vast amounts of data from every remote corner of the Earth. Critical infrastructure customer use cases include tracking power outages, receiving alerts of unwanted encroachments along easements and bushfire risks, through to applications in defence, mining and logistics.
This launch is the second successful one this year for Fleet Space, as the firm plans on a further 16 smallsast being launched during 2022 and 2023. With a planned constellation of 140 smallsats to be established by 2027, about 50 will need replacement every year as their LEO decay, and this could generate a lifetime revenue of $1.82bn.
CEO Flavia Tata Nardini said, “in only a few hours we have managed to launch our nanosatellite, catch our nanosatellite in its first pass and then switch on its payload. This usually takes weeks if not up to a month, so to achieve this in only a few hours, I am blown away. This act demonstrates how efficient the team is here at Fleet Space and working with our avionics partner Tyvak International, to enable this switching on only hours after launch. The agility of our product is incredible, and we are ‘business as usual’ this afternoon as we continue to service our global customers.”
To be delivered into orbit at 450 km above the Earth, Centauri 4 is the size of a shoebox and has been integrated with digital beamforming technology, making this Fleet Space’s most advanced payload. This is a major achievement for the company to incorporate this tech in a smallsat payload, due to the small craft’s power and volume constraints, and this will allow for substantial increases in throughput of customer data, service a higher number of customer portals at once as well as increase data reliability and security by reducing the impact of interference. C4 will implement Fleet Space’s first 3D printed antenna system, completely designed in-house.
“Space is no longer the sole domain of governments and multi-billion dollar satellites. Space is open for business, and we’re only just starting to tap into what is possible,” said Fleet Space CEO Flavia Tata Nardini. “With our digital beamforming technology, we are changing space and making it accessible. With a crowded radio spectrum containing all of the world’s wireless communications, bandwidth efficiency is everything. Our engineers have managed to fit this incredible technology in the vacuum of space on a tiny nanosat. This is where Fleet Space’s technology makes it world first. I have been working and launching nanosatellites for more than 10 years now and I have never been so excited by a technological breakthrough such as this latest generation of the payload. This and the new 3D printed antennas that my amazing team have built at Fleet Space. We can finally demonstrate how powerful nanosatellites can be in the comms world. We call this payload the Knight. Look at it, you can understand why!”
Additionally, there is a 2nd experimental payload which will have an even greater increase in data capacity — this new generation payload is a huge milestone in the company’s planned constellation of 140 smallsats.
Now with the ability to shape and steer multiple beams in their nanosatellites and, therefore, reduce interference, Fleet Space can perform more work, transfer more data and do it in flexible and secure ways never before possible at this scale. The firm’s smallsats are servicing IoT customers who will reap the rewards of collecting and organizing vast amounts of data from every remote corner of the Earth. Critical infrastructure customer use cases include tracking power outages, receiving alerts of unwanted encroachments along easements and bushfire risks, through to applications in defence, mining and logistics.
Fleet Space smallsat on-orbit. Image is courtesy of the company.
Fleet Space already has five smallsats on-orbit in their LEO constellation. With significant growth in the company’s development of cutting-edge technologies, the company’s capabilities of their agnostic hybrid satellite, low-powered, wide area network (LPWAN) are being used for the development of remote, massive, IoT applications, on the Earth, the Moon and Mars, through the firm’s Seven Sisters Lunar Mission. (Source: Satnews)
07 Jul 21. OQ Technology Celebrates Two Accomplishments, A 5G Test Spectrum License And First European 5G Test Center For LEO Satellites. Two reasons for cause to celebrate come from OQ Technologies which has been granted an experimental license for accessing critical satellite 5G frequencies by the Luxembourg Ministry of Media and Communication, and the company has established the first European 5G Satellite Test Center (STC) for LEO (low Earth orbit) satellites. Both advancements, together with the successful launch of it’s first commercial 5G IoT satellite last week, are aimed at speeding up the company’s product development and global expansion.
What the 5G license, issued by the Luxembourg regulatory authority (ILR) in June, enables OQ Technology to do will be able to accelerate its service provisions for the Internet of things (IoT), including smart cars, drones, transport, logistics and maritime, especially in remote regions. The license allows the company to test and improve its commercial product portfolio of 5G IoT user devices. OQ Technology will also be able to optimize its cell-tower 5G software stack aboard its satellites.
At its new 5G STC in Leudelange, near its headquarters in Luxembourg, OQ Technology will be able to test all required in-orbit validation, terminals and payloads as well as 5G IoT devices and satellite performance for targeted 5G frequencies compatible with terrestrial mobile and satellite mobile bands. And because it’s the only 5G test center for satellites in LEO, it’s ideal for companies who need to test their IoT prototypes before they are put into mass production.
“We have made immense progress this year towards solving the continued lack of terrestrial 5G networks and expensive VSAT satellite costs by growing our constellation and ground infrastructure,” said Omar Qaise, CEO of OQ Technology. “Our LEO Constellation Control Center together with the recent agreement for a Leaf Space ground station will form the initial cornerstones for operating our future fleet of satellites as well as other third-party missions.”
In combination, the new 5G STC and the recently opened LEO Constellation Control Center enables OQ Technology to demonstrate its capabilities and the quality of its services to European customers and mobile operators. In particular, it allows mobile and terrestrial operators to test and validate how their existing network would integrate with OQ Technology’s satellite based 5G connectivity in regions not covered at all by terrestrial networks or at least not by that particular operator. It saves them the complex effort and time consuming task of creating a patchwork of individual network arrangements with local operators, worry about shipments, and traveling across the world dealing with country individual regulatory aspects.
Another important aspect of the test center is the capability to test possible interference between mobile, terrestrial and satellite networks. An important regulation issue, which members of the ITU (International Telecommunications Union) and 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) are also in the process of discussing.
The facility also lets OQ Technology improve its commercial product portfolio of 5G IoT user devices. It allows it to optimize various elements onboard the satellite payloads such as its cell-tower 5G and NB-IoT software stack and the scheduling mechanism. And it can test different chipsets, hardware and antennas from various suppliers envisaged to be used in the user terminals.
The 5G license grant is a result of OQ Technology’s application last year to use part of the terrestrial and satellite spectrum for complementary satellite and mobile 5G services. The license specifies access to three distinct frequency bands:
- Two mobile satellite frequency bands: one with global coverage and complementary with terrestrial mobile services; the other is used for a specific ITU (International Telecommunication Union) region.
- A band, under review by the ITU with in the upcoming World Radio Conference, to be used for satellite IoT services.
- A band used for terrestrial mobile services. (Source: Satnews)
08 Jul 21. Hellas Sat’s Live Demo Accomplishes 5G Satellite Backhauling. Hellas Sat has successfully completed a live demonstration of the provision of 5G networking to remote areas by backhauling the connection between a 5G Core Network and a 5G gNB through Hellas Sat 3, a geostationary telecommunication satellite, which was built by Thales Alenia Space on the Spacebus 4000 C4 platform.
Artistic rendition of the Hellas Sat 3 on-orbit, courtesy of the company.
The demonstration took place during an event that marked Hellas Sat’s 20-year anniversary that was organized in partnership with KT-SAT, ST Engineering iDirect, Thales Alenia Space, and Vodafone Greece to showcase the satellites’ role in the 5G ecosystem to broaden coverage.
Using satellite communication backhaul links, the satellite was fully integrated into the 5G network and received 5G transmissions from the Earth and then delivered these to remote areas. This technology enables increased coverage in areas where traditional backhauling technologies (wired, fiber, radio beams) are not suitable for technical and/or economic reasons.
The connection of the Hellas Sat 3 satellite to the 5G network has been enabled by the use of Thales Alenia Space and ST Engineering iDirect hub and modem equipment as well as Vodafone’s 5G licensed spectrum. Specifically, Vodafone Greece provided bands from its 5G spectrum in 2100 MHz and 3600 MHz frequency zones which support the roll-out of its 5G network in Greece, bringing new possibilities to citizens and businesses, through Gigabit speeds and lower latency.
The world’s first router for hybrid satellite-terrestrial 5G transmission developed by KT-SAT was also showcased at the event. During the showcase, 5G terminals were connected to the router to simultaneously transmit and receive various types of data, or utilized separate routes, to and from a 5G network and a satellite. The terminals successfully maintained normal service operations with the Hellas Sat satellite connectivity, even after the 5G network was intentionally disconnected.
The successful, hybrid-terrestrial-satellite 5G transmission showed how this technology can enable 5G-based automated machinery or moving vehicles to maintain its network connection when 5G coverage becomes unavailable, or a natural disaster has occurred.
Christodoulos Protopapas, CEO of Hellas Sat, said, “With the completion of 20 years of operations, Hellas Sat is exploring the new era of 5G communications providing satellite connectivity solutions to rural areas.”
Mike Jeong, Senior Director of KT SAT’s Marketing and Sales, said, “We are pleased to be part of this event and demonstrate Hybrid solution to share our view towards a new era of telecommunication by satellite and 5G. This will be a great start of our partnership with Hellas Sat and all members of KT SAT hope to bring more discussions and opportunities together in near future to develop innovative satellite solutions.”
Marc-Henri Serre, Executive Vice President of Thales Alenia Space’s Telecommunications Business Line, said, “At Thales Alenia Space, we are honored to support Hellas Sat with this 5G demonstration. This marks another step in our partnership and reinforces Thales Alenia Space’s expertise in 5G. Also, this shows that we are pioneers and that our satellites fits with all the challenges of our changing world.”
Nikos Plevris, Head of the Vodafone Transmission and Transport Department and Group Networks Strategy & Engineering in Greece said, “At Vodafone we want to be a catalyst for tomorrow’s networks. Our cooperation with Hellas Sat demonstrated the possibilities of 5G networks and confirmed the role that satellites communications could have in expanding coverage in remote areas.” (Source: Satnews)
07 Jul 21. WORK Microwave Reaps Award From EUTELSAT. WORK Microwave has signed a new multi-million-dollar agreement with Eutelsat — they will be using WORK Microwave’s Ka- and Q-/V-band converters on their ground segment equipment during the next phase of their connectivity strategy, offering ultra-high data throughput via its KONNECT VHTS satellite. Eutelsat’s High Throughput Satellites (HTS) are key to bridging the digital divide as they are optimized to deliver affordable and high-quality broadband to consumers, professionals and companies beyond the range of fiber and ADSL. With 230 spot beams and an overall capacity of about 500 Gbps, KONNECT VHTS will provide two-way broadband connectivity across Europe and beyond. KONNECT VHTS will enable Eutelsat to provide fiber-like connectivity to end users at fiber-like pricing.
Supporting the full ITU bandwidth range of the Ka- and Q-/V-bands, WORK Microwave’s converters offer a rich feature set and unparalleled performance, according to the company. Leveraging the converters, Eutelsat can achieve excellent phase noise, gain flatness, spurious response, and group delay.
“Data consumption is skyrocketing around the world, and the goal of our KONNECT VHTS satellite is to enable easy, affordable, and fast internet delivery,” said Guillaume Benoît, broadband system and connectivity manager at Eutelsat. “Following the selection of WORK Microwave’s solution on Eutelsat KONNECT infrastructure for our broadband services in Europe and in Africa, we are pleased to confirm its use for our KONNECT VHTS ground infrastructure. With WORK Microwave’s well-engineered converter solutions, we can improve the reliability and performance of our ground infrastructure.”
“We’re thrilled to be awarded this new contract with Eutelsat, one of our longtime customers and an operator that is well-known for driving technology innovation,” said Dr. Thomas Fröhlich, CEO at WORK Microwave. “Our converters offer a multichannel architecture that allows wider coverage of each frequency band for broadband applications, which is a real technological breakthrough for Eutelsat. Overall, this deployment reinforces our strong partnership with Eutelsat and validates their trust in WORK Microwave’s technology and the unmatched quality we provide for the Q- and V-band. This contract confirms the globally recognized leadership of WORK Microwave for state-of-the-art frequency converters in Q- and V-Band.” (Source: Satnews)
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