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16 Sep 21. L3Harris Increases Indiana Campus Size and Expands Workforce to Support Growing DOD Satellite Work.
Highlights:
- Scaling to deliver future missile defense satellite programs
- Addresses Department of Defense growing need for resilient satellite networks
- Expansion builds upon successful weather tracking programs
L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX) has increased the size of its campus and is expanding its workforce in Fort Wayne, Indiana to address the Department of Defense’s growing and urgent need for advanced, resilient satellites.
“Our customers face rapidly evolving threats now, not in years,” said Ed Zoiss, President, Space and Airborne Systems, L3Harris. “We’ve increased our investment and expanded our capacity prior to receiving program awards so we can help them address threats without hesitancy.”
Members of Indiana’s congressional delegation participated in a dedication Sept. 16 for the new building.
“Hoosiers welcome the expansion of L3Harris Technologies facility right here in Fort Wayne. This campus will address the Department of Defense’s urgent need for satellite programs and invest in innovative technology, while also bringing new jobs to the northeast Indiana workforce,” said Sen. Todd Young.
“The expansion of the L3Harris Technologies facility in Fort Wayne is a win for the economy of Northeast Indiana, and an example of Hoosiers working hard with fellow Americans to achieve a common goal of protecting the United States,” said Sen. Mike Braun. “I’m proud this state-of-the-art defense technology will be developed in Indiana, which will help keep us all safe.”
“At its new facility, L3Harris will develop technology to detect hypersonic missiles and defend against adversaries like Russia and China, track weather patterns around the world and boost our economy,” said U.S. Rep. Jim Banks. “This investment is a victory for America and a victory for northeast Indiana.”
The new classified facility provides the space for our missile defense satellite programs. It will support engineering, integration, testing and program management and brings the total size of the L3Harris campus to 150,000 square feet.
“Our expertise in electro-optical/infrared technology and our fresh approach to the problem set garnered the trust of the Space Development Agency and the Missile Defense Agency,” Zoiss said.
The Space Development Agency awarded L3Harris its tracking layer prototype program to develop and integrate an end-to-end satellite system in October 2020. The Missile Defense Agency awarded the company a prototype contract to develop the Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor in January. L3Harris is also expanding its Palm Bay, Fla., site to increase satellite production capacity. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
13 Sep 21. Infinity Avionics set to launch high-res camera into space in 2022. Infinity Avionics is set to launch high-resolution cameras into space next year to expand Australia’s spacecraft surveillance and monitoring services. The Canberra-based company has begun developing the camera – dubbed the Holmes Imaging System – with HEO Robotics, a satellite inspection provider, and Australian National University.
The UNSW Canberra Space spin-off has already launched products such as CubeSat low-resolution cameras and on-board computers – but this will mark its first high-resolution camera in orbit.
Igor Dimitrijevic, CEO and co-founder of Infinity Avionics, said, “The state-of-the-art camera range designed and built in Australia will improve the Earth observation and space domain awareness capabilities of Australia.”
The company’s other cameras – the SelfieCam and SelfieCam-Video – have been used for low-resolution monitoring, and Dimitrijevic said both have been successful.
“Infinity Avionics is well poised to design and manufacture world-leading space camera solutions in Australia.”
Infinity’s camera will allow real-time monitoring of spacecraft.
“It’s like a webcam or dashcam so you can see what your own satellite is doing in space,” said Damith Abeywardana, Infinity’s chief operating officer. (Source: Space Connect)
15 Sep 21. UK Space Command: Step one for space domain awareness is bringing data together. The first step in improving the United Kingdom’s space domain awareness is bringing existing data together, said the head of the country’s new Space Command.
“There are so many different sensors out there already, it is about initially bringing that data together, understanding that data, using that data so we’ve got a single picture and understanding of what is going on,” said Air Vice-Marshal Paul Godfrey at the DSEI 2021 trade show in London Sept. 15.
The Vice-Marshal noted that about 11,000 satellites had been launched since 1957, with about 7,500 still up there. Only 4,500 are operational, he added, 1,200 of which were launched just last year. With that increased congestion, UK Space Command needs to know what’s on orbit and where it’s going in order to protect its own satellites.
The UK primarily relies on terrestrial optical radars for space domain awareness, although eventually its capabilities will include on orbit sensors, said Godfrey.
“In terms of enhanced space domain awareness, we are developing foundational capability in sensors and data … and continuing our research and development program for [civilian and military] international sensors,” said Godfrey.
The UK recently gained a trove of new space domain awareness data from the United States Space Force. The American service announced Aug. 14 it had signed a data sharing agreement with the UK, granting the Ministry of Defense access to its Standardized Astrodynamics Algorithm Library, or SAAL — a collection of algorithms and information about orbital physics that helps the Space Force determine the trajectory of objects in space.
That agreement was signed as part of Operation Olympic Defender, a multinational coalition of space-faring countries spearheaded by the United States to deter hostile action in space and address the issue of orbital debris. The Space Force took over the initiative from U.S. Space Command in May 2020, and is currently located at the Combined Space Operations Center at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.
The UK was the first international partner to join Operation Olympic Defender in 2019 and was the first to gain access to SAAL.
“Why would you not be a part of that?” asked Godfrey rhetorically.
UK Space Command was established in April 2021 following a global trend of nations reorganizing their military space efforts after the creation of the U.S. Space Force in 2019, but it only officially stood up July 29. UK Space Command has grown swiftly in the subsequent months. Beginning with just three members, the organization now boasts 430, said Godfrey.
(Source: Defense News)
17 Sep 21. South Korea pushes indigenous military space development. South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) announced on 16 September that the country will indigenously develop and operate a new Space Launch Vehicle (SLV) from Naro Space Center in Goheung County from 2024.
The facility, which is located around 485 km from Seoul, is operated by the state-run Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI). The announcement comes after the MND’s Agency of Defense Development (ADD) revealed on 15 September that it had carried out successful combustion tests of a new solid-propellant rocket engine on 29 July.
The planned SLV will be used to launch reconnaissance micro-satellites into low Earth orbit to provide early warning against “anomalies in the detection area” – understood to be missile launches from North Korea and other significant military activity. The ADD also noted that development of such technologies only became possible after restrictions imposed by the US-South Korea missile guidelines agreement were lifted.
The announcement came as South Korea prepares to launch its indigenous Nuri SLV from the Naro Space Center in October. The vehicle is powered by domestic liquid-fuel engines and is capable of placing a 1.5-tonne satellite into orbit at altitudes of 600 km to 800 km. The first SLV mission will carry a dummy satellite payload, with plans to expand the envelope to two dummy satellites for the second mission scheduled for 19 May 2022.
Meanwhile, South Korean defence companies Hanwha Systems and LIG Nex1 announced on 15 September they were awarded contracts by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) for work related to the ANASIS-II (Army Navy Air Force Satellite Information System-II) military communications satellite.
Hanwha Systems said it was awarded a US$307 m contract to establish a network control system as well as manufacture portable ground terminals compatible with the ANASIS-II satellite, which launched into space in July 2020.
LIG Nex1 disclosed that it had won a US$183 m contract to mass produce terminals for the new military satellite communication system by 2025. The company noted that these new terminals will provide increased datalink transmission performance as well as security.
DAPA earlier announced on 19 August that the government plans to invest US$13.5 bn over 10 years to boost the development of indigenous defence-related space technologies and reduce the country’s reliance on US reconnaissance assets. (Source: AMR)
16 Sep 21. Northrop Grumman’s LEO Satellite Payload for DARPA Revolutionizes Positioning, Navigation and Timing. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Blackjack program has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) a contract for Phase 2 development of an advanced, software-defined positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) payload, with options to build units destined for space flight.
Northrop Grumman’s advanced, software-enabled positioning, navigation and timing payload has been developed to keep forces on target in difficult environments against advanced threats – even if the availability of existing satellite navigation systems are degraded or denied.
The PNT payload work is led by Northrop Grumman’s Future PNT Systems Operating Unit in Woodland Hills. The team supports the DARPA Tactical Technology Office’s goal of achieving capable, resilient and affordable national security space capabilities from low Earth orbit (LEO).
“Northrop Grumman’s software-defined Positioning, Navigation and Timing technology will offer military users an agile new signal from LEO that is not dependent on existing satellite navigation systems,” said Dr. Nicholas Paraskevopoulos, chief technology officer and sector vice president, emerging capabilities development, Northrop Grumman. “Warfighters depend on assured PNT for traditional missions like force projection and joint operations, but also for emerging autonomous and distributed missions.
The PNT payload features Northrop Grumman’s Software Enabled Reconfigurable Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Embedded Architecture for Navigation and Timing (SERGEANT) capability. The Phase 2 development effort is valued at $13.3m if all options are exercised through emulation, critical design and build.
13 Sep 21. UNSW, RAAF satellite successfully separates for deeper research. The collaboration between UNSW Canberra and the RAAF announced its latest move in the M2 satellite mission, successfully separating into two over the weekend for deeper research. According to the Air Vice-Marshal Cath Roberts, the M2 mission is Australia’s “most complex” CubeSat – miniature satellite – mission.
The M2 comprises of 6U CubeSats that were launched from New Zealand in March for the research of formation flying, satellite control, surveillance and more.
Now, UNSW Canberra Space has conducted a controlled separation of the satellites into two smaller ones, known as M2A and M2B.
Russell Boyce, director of UNSW Canberra Space, said on LinkedIn the separation occurred at 2:55pm Canberra time on Friday.
“A careful drift will be followed by formation stabilisation employing LEO aerodynamics, and then it will be time for next steps,” he said.
The two CubeSats will be able to communicate with each other and also with ground stations on Earth, allowing for a broader range of data surveillance and less lag time.
“This collaboration allows small satellites to be used for evaluation of technologies that may eventually be placed onto more complex space systems, such as large communications or earth observation satellites,” AVM Roberts said.
She said the initiation of formation flying is a milestone for the defence space domain, as the separation will allow for deeper “on-orbit research”.
“The two satellites are packed with payloads such as optical telescopes, which are informing future Defence surveillance concepts,” she added.
Courtney Bright, UNSW Canberra’s flight operations lead announced the achievement on LinkedIn, and said it has been in the making for a long time.
She captured two photos of the CubeSats 17 seconds after the separation, but said it was a “challenge” of its own.
“We had to juggle large uncertainties in the physical separation time, the drift rate of the two spacecraft, separation-induced rotation, as well as lighting conditions when we were constrained to execute the separation approaching eclipse,” Bright said.
Each of the CubeSats are equipped with advanced radios and telescopes to gather remote sensing information.
One of its significant features is that is can process information through advanced artificial intelligence techniques, which can be reconfigured during flight.
The UNSW Canberra team was able to successfully perform in-space AI using on-board computing as part of this next step – an Australian first.
Air Commodore Philip Gordon said UNSW Canberra engaged with around 30 Australian companies for the M2 mission.
“M2 is not only significant for Defence’s space domain, but also for advancing Australia’s burgeoning space industry,” he said.
“This is an example of the world-class space capabilities on offer by Australian industry and academia – showcasing their depth of talent, ingenuity and collaborative spirit.” (Source: Space Connect)
13 Sep 21. Defence, UNSW testing orbital control and surveillance in space. The next phase of the RAAF’s M2 space mission has begun with the controlled separation of the M2 satellite into two smaller cubesats, M2A and M2B, by UNSW Canberra. The M2 mission is a collaboration between the RAAF and UNSW Canberra and by sharing information about the mission Defence seeks to increase the transparency and predictability of this activity.
“This collaboration allows small satellites to be used for evaluation of technologies that may eventually be placed onto more complex space systems, such as large communications or earth observation satellites,” said the Head of Air Force Capability, Air Vice-Marshal Cath Roberts.
The M2 mission has been in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) since being launched in New Zealand by Rocket Lab in March. The separation into two smaller cubesats enables planned research into formation flying, satellite control mechanisms, maritime surveillance, space domain awareness, and inter-satellite communications.
Air Vice-Marshal Roberts said the M2 mission is Australia’s most complex CubeSat mission. “The initiation of formation flying is a landmark moment for the Defence Space Domain. This allows testing of satellite separation mechanisms, and facilitates on-orbit research. The two satellites are packed with payloads such as optical telescopes which are informing future Defence surveillance concepts.”
In a world first, M2 is carrying the first neuromorphic cameras to be placed into orbit. Western Sydney University’s International Centre for Neuromorphic Systems (ICNS) leads development of these biology-inspired event based cameras, delivering advanced capability for tracking small and fast-moving objects.
The UNSW Canberra Space team also achieved an Australian first, performing in-space Artificial Intelligence (AI) inferencing using on-board computing. This represents a significant step towards developing intelligent, networked satellite constellation technologies.
M2A and M2B will be able to communicate with each other as well as ground stations on earth, giving better quality data, with greater detail and less lag time.
The RAAF’s Director General Air Defence and Space, Air Commodore Philip Gordon, said UNSW Canberra Space engaged with a supply chain of approximately 30 Australian companies and organisations for the M2 satellite mission.
“M2 is not only significant for Defence’s Space Domain, but also for advancing Australia’s burgeoning space industry. This is an example of the world-class space capabilities on offer by Australian industry and academia – showcasing their depth of talent, ingenuity and collaborative spirit,” he said. (Source: Rumour Control)
10 Sep 21. Future Air, Space Force Tech Demos To Focus On INDOPACOM, SPACECOM.
“Our secretary has been very clear that he wants us to move rapidly from experimentation and demonstration to fielding,” says Air Force Chief Architect Preston Dunlap.
Editor’s note: This piece was originally published Sept. 2, in a format that described Dunlap’s comments about INDOPACOM and SPACECOM as being focused on ABMS. After publication, Dunlap reached out to clarify that those comments were not about ABMS, but rather broader tech experimentation. As a result, Breaking Defense decided to pull the original article and republish at a later time with more details from Dunlap.
Over the next year, the US Air Force plans to shift its focus on tech development and experimentation efforts towards capabilities that can be rapidly transitioned to operators at US Space and Indo-Pacific Commands, according to Preston Dunlap, chief architect for the Air Force and Space Force.
Dunlap told the Potomac Officers Club (POC) last week that he is “excited that we’ve got real clear focus to be able to support INDOPACOM, SPACECOM and their Air and Space Components, amongst all the other Combatant Commanders in FY22.”
The goal, he explained, is not just to bring in new technologies, but to inject them into current capabilities while making sure that those current capabilities themselves can be integrated on the battlefield. Thus, during the next fiscal year, his office will be conducting what Air Force leadership now dubs “force integration exercises” to test out both the new tech and operational concepts in the field.
“Our secretary has been very clear that he wants us to move rapidly from experimentation and demonstration to fielding,” Dunlap told the POC.
“We had great success this year bridging the so-called ‘valley of death’ by integrating and deploying real capabilities, like DARPA’s data translation program known as STITCHES — which was mere inches from falling off the cliff,” Dunlap told Breaking Defense this week in follow-up comments. “We’ll look to drive similar capability transitions through multiple force integration activities next year, culminating with Pacific Iron and Valiant Shield in the summer.”
STITCHES — which (brace yourself) stands for System-of-Systems Technology Integration Tool Chain for Heterogeneous Electronic Systems — was first demonstrated in one of the Air Force’s Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) experiments last August. It was transferred into an Air Force program following the July 8-28 series of experiments sponsored by Dunlap’s office, under the new moniker Architecture Demonstration and Evaluation.
Pacific Iron is an annual Pacific Air Forces exercise; this year’s event was held in Guam in July. Valiant Shield is a joint exercises in the Indo-Pacific theater held every two years, last staged in September 2020.
ABMS Synergy
Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, as first reported by Defense News, has stated that ABMS in particular needs more direct focus on rapidly putting new tech in the hands of operators.
At last month’s annual Space Foundation Space Symposium, Kendall also signaled his wish to create more synergy between Space Force activities and those of the ABMS effort — noting that he expected the new space acquisition czar to focus on the “technical integration” of space systems with ABMS and DoD’s overarching goal of a Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2) network.
ABMS was designed to build a military Internet of Things as one of the Air Force’s key contributions to the JADC2 development, and at its inception in 2019 was focused on experiments called “On-Ramps” to try out new technologies and capabilities brought to the table by industry. Last November, it was transferred out of what can be thought of as its “incubation” stage of experimentation to an acquisition program of record being managed by the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO). At the time, the Air Force said the ABMS experiments would continue under Dunlap’s shop.
That apparently has changed, with the third and final ABMS On-Ramp being held last October. While the Chief Architect’s office has continued to lead experiments to develop new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, to fill technology gaps — including those that could be relevant to ABMS and JADC2 — the office is now focusing more broadly on building what the service dubs “an integrated architecture” and other tech needs identified as critical by Kendall’s office.
Dunlap and team are attempting to organize some $65 bn in department-wide modernization programs, of which ABMS is just one, around so-called mission architectures — that is, create organizational and technical structures to ensure various individual programs are designed to be able to actually work together and accomplish their given mission when handed over to commanders and operators.
“There’s a list of mission architectures that we think are important; three of those capture a strategic dimension, an operational dimension, and a tactical dimension,” Dunlap told the POC. “One of those is ‘decision superiority,’ which is a key element of being able to understand the deterrence space before conflict and understand the battle space in conflict.”
At the operational level, he said, the focus is “distributed, survivable operations,” which the Air Force has branded as Agile Combat Employment. “So, that’s anywhere from being able to have runway repair capabilities, to distributed communications and redundant pathways, to missiles, to UAS defense, to recognition that we’re going to get disrupted or jammed no matter where we are,” Dunlap explained. “Therefore, we’ve got to be able to flexibly maintain operations on the move and multiple locations, and have resiliency across the network.”
The third area — “one that DoD spends a lot of time on and probably will for a long time” — is “rapid kill chains,” Dunlap said. This involves moving data from sensors to shooters as rapidly and efficiently as possible, he explained.
That capability, to link sensors to shooters at machine speed, is at the heart of ABMS — and is enabled by a number of programs across the Air and Space Forces. It is also at the heart of DoD’s overarching JADC2 strategy signed out in June by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
Dunlap noted in his POC remarks, however, that the concept of JADC2 continues to be less than fully defined.
“I think one of the difficulties that we have when we try to put our arms around what JADC2 is — and I ask people this question all the time — what is not JADC2?,” he said. “It’s very difficult to separate out what is and what isn’t, and everyone has a slightly different view on that.”
Instead, Dunlap suggested, the Air Force and DoD writ large might focus conceptually on how to best be able to manage modern warfare — that is, “to understand the operational environment and make sense of it, and take actions, whether you’re alone and unafraid at the forward edge or behind enemy lines, or you’re back helping orchestrate and orient others in the battle space.” (Source: glstrade.com/Breaking Defense.com)
09 Sep 21. Thuraya + Cobham SATCOM Sign An MSS Tech Provisioning Agreement. Al Yah Satellite Communications Company PJSC (“Yahsat” or, together with its subsidiaries, “the Group”) has selected Cobham SATCOM to deliver a comprehensive mobile broadband system, including ground infrastructure and products, to operate as part of its next-generation Thuraya 4-NGS system.
Cobham SATCOM’s expertise and capabilities will further enhance Yahsat’s Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) advanced broadband data services, enabling the Thuraya 4-NGS ground network with 4G and 5G capabilities and features. Yahsat seeks to increase its share in the global satellite data services market which is currently valued at more than $5 bn and is projected to reach more than $19 bn by 2027.1
Artistic rendition of the Thuraya-4 satellite.
Cobham SATCOM’s solutions will also increase connection speeds, enabling integrated end-to-end customer solutions and expand Thuraya’s ecosystem to provide pioneering features in the mobile SATCOM sector. The partnership will enhance Yahsat’s services to several key customer segments in land, maritime and aeronautical, including military, government and enterprise.
This partnership agreement is transformative for the Group, its customers and business partners and will enable the provision of best-in-class solutions, delivery of mobile satellite connectivity at the highest speeds in the market and broaden Yahsat and Thuraya’s product and service offering, creating a platform for further innovation and development of features and applications across a wide range of sectors. Critically, it further strengthens Yahsat’s position as an industry leader and lays a solid foundation to support future growth.
The contract with Cobham SATCOM will specifically drive a range of commercial and government focused terminals for land, maritime and aeronautical applications. The award of this contract to Cobham SATCOM reflects its extensive 30-year experience as the global leader in L-band ground infrastructure, and further cements their leadership in L-band.
Yahsat and its subsidiaries continue to make further investments in its Thuraya 4-NGS system to create a diverse and agile platform to drive ongoing innovation across a broad suite of MSS products and applications. Thuraya 4-NGS is planned for launch in the second half of 2023, with operations commencing in 2024.
Ali Al Hashemi, Group Chief Executive Officer at Yahsat, said, “We are excited to announce our partnership with Cobham SATCOM, a well-established and experienced industry player. This partnership is representative of Yahsat’s commitment to build on our strong mobile satellite solutions legacy by expanding our reach and delivering advanced technological solutions to our clients. I am confident that this agreement will further strengthen our position as an innovative market leader and enable us to capture future growth. This announcement reinforces our ability to deliver the industry’s most diverse solutions and products to meet the current and future mobile satellite connectivity needs of our customers. By partnering with Cobham SATCOM we will be able to broaden and enhance our product and service offering, creating a platform for further innovation and development of features and applications to increase our global market share. This agreement is a main building block for Thuraya 4-NGS.”
Leif Ottosson, CEO at Cobham SATCOM, said, “Today is monumental for Cobham SATCOM. It marks a new and innovative partnership with Yahsat, reinforces our position as a leading MSS infrastructure and terminal provider and will be critical to evolving satellite communications. We were selected by Yahsat because they believe in our relationship and trust our solutions. We look forward to a fruitful partnership with Yahsat and Thuraya for years to come, initially building the Thuraya 4-NGS ground infrastructure and terminals to deliver the highest connectivity speeds globally.” (Source: Satnews)
06 Sep 21. Collaboration On The Development Of Small GEO Satellites Initiated By Swissto12 + Saturn Satellite Networks. SWISSto12, a provider of payload systems for telecommunication satellites based on 3D printing technologies, and Saturn Satellite Networks, a developer of small GEO satellite missions, have signed a collaboration agreement whereby they join forces to build and market GEO telecom missions based on both MicroGEO, ISN and Nationsat satellites.
Artistic rendition of the Nationsat Standard satellite, courtesy of Saturn Satellite Networks.
These missions will deliver highly competitive connectivity from GEO orbit based on small and affordable satellites, thereby enabling new application cases for satellite connectivity that complement the offering of larger legacy satellites.
Artistic rendition of the Intelligent Space Node (ISN) satellite, courtesy of Saturn Satellite Networks.
In this collaboration, SWISSto12 will make its end-to-end advanced flexible payloads available to be matched with three different classes of smallsat platforms: the MicroGEO, the Intelligent Space Node (ISN), or the Nationsat which are all enabled by the cutting edge bus, with proven GEO heritage from Saturn’s affiliate company, NovaWurks and its HISat technology.
SWISSto12 will lead the marketing of turnkey GEO telecom satellites based on the MicroGEO platform of approximately 2kW payload power, while Saturn Satellite Networks will lead the marketing of turnkey GEO telecom and high throughput satellites (HTS) based on the ISN and Nationsat platforms of approximately 5kW payload power. These classes of satellites complement each other in the emerging segment of smaller GEO telecommunication satellites and offer a complete set of solutions to address specific requirements of satellite operators.
Missions addressed range from BSS and FSS spacecraft, which can provide a competitive replacement option for aging satellites, to HTS satellites for flexible global coverage or offering regional coverage for existing or emerging operators. Available frequencies range from C-band to Q/V-band.
The partnership capitalizes on the experience of spacecraft and payload engineering teams from both companies with workforce based both in Europe and the U.S.
“There is a lot of opportunity in MicroGEO satellites which is currently not addressed. Combining best of breed payload and platform solutions through this cooperation enables missions that can truly handle the performance and cost challenges of smaller missions in GEO while mitigating the risks of space,” said Dr. Emile de Rijk, CEO of SWISSto12. “We are extremely excited to enable new mission opportunities for the satellite communications industry together with Saturn.”
“This cooperation with SWISSto12 strengthens our mission to provide robust and affordable satellite platforms for nations lacking the resources for affordable space-based services using a national asset. Our innovative satellite platform designs, combined with SWISSto12’s payload technology and expertise improve our satellite products and provides nations, satellite operators, and most importantly, end users, an affordable, reliable service from GEO,” said Thomas Choi, CEO of Saturn Satellite Networks. “We are very pleased to work with SWISSto12 to bring novel designs using flight proven technologies and innovative solutions to our customers.” (Source: Satnews)
07 Sep 21. CPI Debuts Their New Family Of Solid State 80W Ka-Band GaN SSPAs. Communications & Power Industries LLC (CPI) is introducing a new line of 80 watt Ka-band GaN solid state amplifiers (SSPAs) and block upconverters (BUCs) at the Satellite 2021 exhibition, which is occurring from September 7 through 10 in National Harbor, Maryland.
The 80 watt Ka-band GaN SSPA/BUC is the newest addition to CPI’s GaNLink™ line of GaN-based amplifier and RF products. The amplifier/BUC is perfect for LEO and MEO applications as it is compact, efficient and powerful. It has been designed to mitigate the memory-effect phenomenon, ensuring optimal performance at the advertised linear power point even in multi-carrier applications.
This new 80 watt GaNLink™ amplifier, model SB49KOA, is a form-fit-function replacement for CPI’s 40 watt GaAs model B3KOA, allowing for a seamless upgrade in output power and delivering double the linear power with no increase in power consumption. (Source: Satnews)
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At Viasat, we’re driven to connect every warfighter, platform, and node on the battlefield. As a global communications company, we power ms of fast, resilient connections for military forces around the world – connections that have the capacity to revolutionize the mission – in the air, on the ground, and at sea. Our customers depend on us for connectivity that brings greater operational capabilities, whether we’re securing the U.S. Government’s networks, delivering satellite and wireless communications to the remote edges of the battlefield, or providing senior leaders with the ability to perform mission-critical communications while in flight. We’re a team of fearless innovators, driven to redefine what’s possible. And we’re not done – we’re just beginning.
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