Sponsored By Viasat
www.viasat.com/gov-uk
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10 Feb 22. Exploring GNSS alternatives for weapon systems. DASA is exploring innovative solutions for military navigation. The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is pleased to launch a new Market Exploration called Alternative Navigation for Weapon Systems, which aims to explore alternatives to Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNNS) for military navigation. This Market Exploration is being run on behalf of Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) and seeks to understand the range of technologies used for commercial positioning and navigation systems.
Do you have an innovative solution? Read the full Market Exploration now and submit your idea.
What alternatives are there for military grade navigation?
GNNS such as Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Galileo are widely used for commercial and military positioning and navigation, but these systems are vulnerable to jamming and spoofing.
In this market exploration, we want to explore alternative navigation technologies that could be developed and trailed within the next 3 years.
The potential system should:
- be developed to an operational level in either a civilian or on military application
- currently be at a Technology Readiness Level of 4 or above
- not be solely reliant reliance on GNSS
- have the potential to be further developed to meet military specifications
- have sufficient accuracy to monitor position during deployment to within 5 metres.
We would be particularly interested in innovations from non-traditional defence suppliers and have a dedicated team of DASA Innovation Partners who can discuss your innovations and the Defence sector with you.
Key dates
The market exploration is currently open. The deadline to submit proposals is April 7 2022.
Submit your innovation
Do you have an in-depth understanding of emerging capabilities, technologies, initiatives and novel approaches that may help reduce our reliance on GNNS? Let us know about your technology and help inform DE&S in potential methods for alternative military navigation.
(Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
10 Feb 22. RFA and Southern Launch sign agreement for launch facilities. RFA ONE secures opportunity to launch from South Australia. Rocket Factory Augsburg AG (RFA), Europe’s leading launch service provider, has partnered with Southern Launch, a South Australian rocket launch service provider. The partnership allows for the German launcher RFA ONE to be launched from Southern Launch’s launch sites; the Whalers Way Orbital Launch Complex in South Australia. Southern Launch’s orbital complex provides direct ascent into sun-synchronous and polar orbits. The agreement will enable RFA to provide flexible, low-cost, and precise launch services with its RFA ONE from a regional spaceport in the Asia-Pacific region. This three-stage small rocket, with its highly efficient staged combustion engine and orbital stage, can deliver up to 1,350 kg to a 300-km polar orbit. The rocket is 30 meters high and 2 meters wide and has reached important milestones in its development over the past year. The RFA ONE is expected to launch up to fifty times a year in the future, delivering satellites into near-Earth orbit quickly and reliably at a highly competitive price point.
The first engagement between RFA and Southern Launch was at the International Astronautical Congress, Washington in 2019, and the parties are now very pleased to have finalized and to be signing a launch services agreement at the Global Space and Technology Convention in Singapore.
Jörn Spurmann, Chief Commercial Officer at RFA, says: “Launching from South Australia allows us to offer our launch services in a highly customer-oriented way from a regional spaceport in the Asia-Pacific region. It marks a central milestone in our strategy for a globally distributed launch capability. With various launch sites around the world, we minimize our customers’ logistics and time constraints and lay the infrastructural foundation for a weekly launch cadence. Southern Launch offers a comprehensive and competitive service to launch our rockets. We could not have wished for a better partner.”
Lloyd Damp, Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are excited to announce this partnership with Rocket Factory Augsburg AG, which will see their launcher RFA ONE launched into space from Southern Launch’s sites in South Australia. This partnership further demonstrates Australia’s world-class space launch capabilities to the international space industry.”
About Rocket Factory
Rocket Factory Augsburg was founded in 2018 with the mission to significantly reduce launch costs in the space industry. The company’s goal is to develop a launch vehicle prototype by the end of 2022 which can launch satellites into low Earth orbits on a weekly basis at unmatched prices. The RFA ONE launch vehicle combines three key competitive advantages: An extremely customer focused service through our orbital stage with precise in-orbit delivery, at a highly competitive price, made possible by our superior staged combustion technology, industrial automation and low-cost structure.
About Southern Launch
Southern Launch is an innovative space company providing launch services, launch sites and bespoke rocket subsystems and designs to customers. The company operates the Whalers Way Orbital Launch Complex located at the tip of the Eyre Peninsula to support orbital launches into the highly sought after polar and sun-synchronous orbits. In addition to the Whalers Way Orbital Launch Complex, Southern Launch operates the suborbital Koonibba Test Range, the southern hemisphere’s largest overland suborbital rocket testing facility. The Range extends out 145 kilometers and covers over 10,000km2, making it the perfect location to launch and recover rocket and satellite technologies in the uninhabited national parks to the north. The Range provides a critical steppingstone for companies to validate their technology’s performance before launching their rockets and satellites into orbit.
Southern Launch is committed to providing Australia with a world-class orbital launch complex, whilst simultaneously contributing to material habitat improvement, consequent biodiversity improvement and the long-term survival of local fauna and flora species.
The Australian company is privately owned and headquartered in Adelaide, South Australia.
09 Feb 22. Dstl announces 2022 satellite launch. The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) will launch its first satellites in 2022 in the next phase of growing the UK’s space research capabilities.
The satellites demonstrate further progress towards the government’s ambition that by 2030 the UK will have the ability to monitor, protect and defend our interests in and through space. The two Prometheus 2 CubeSats will operate in low Earth Orbit, 550km above the Earth.
Built by In-Space Missions Ltd in Alton and designed with Airbus Defence and Space, the 2 tiny satellites (just 30cm x 20cm x 10cm), comparable to the size of a shoebox, will provide a test platform for monitoring radio signals including GPS, and sophisticated imaging, paving the way for a more collaborative and connected space communication system with our combat allies.
The mission is a collaborative project with Dstl’s international partners and Airbus Defence and Space UK who will share the satellite’s operations, with additional ground stations being provided by Dstl’s international partners and Airbus.
These satellites will support MOD’s science and technology activities both in orbit and on the ground through the development of ground systems focused at Dstl’s site near Portsmouth.
The satellites will host a wide array of payloads including a hyperspectral imager, Global Positioning System receivers, a wide-field-of-view imager and multiple software-defined radios.
Lessons learnt from this demonstration will be used to de-risk key technologies, generate the next wave of collaborative science and technology experiments, enhance international collaboration and Dstl’s own satellite operations capability as it looks to lead a growing number of space and ground demonstrator missions.
Mike O’Callaghan, Dstl’s Space Programme Manager, said: “Over the next decade the UK will spend an additional £1.4bn on space to enhance our space domain awareness, develop a UK-built intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance satellite constellation and a supporting digital backbone in space, underpinned by Dstl science and technology research.”
Prometheus 2 will be the first directly-owned Dstl satellites and shows the power of collaboration with both commercial and our international partners. The Prometheus 2 satellites will also provide an exciting new opportunity to further develop our new ground station in Portsmouth.
Richard Franklin, Managing Director of Airbus Defence and Space UK, said: “Investing in, developing and proving new technologies and services, with our customers, is a key part of our strategy. On this occasion the opportunity to engage and promote SME capabilities is even more rewarding and demonstrates that we partner to solve real problems.
The Prometheus 2 CubeSats will help us further improve what we can offer our customers and is tangible proof that our active engagement with SMEs is delivering results for the future UK space sector as a whole.
Tony Holt, Chief Technology Officer, In-Space Missions, said: “We are thrilled to be building and operating the spacecraft for this ground-breaking Dstl mission and honoured to be collaborating with such high calibre UK and international partners. This is an exciting time for the space industry in the UK and we are delighted to be part of the team delivering Prometheus 2.”
Find out more about Dstl’s space science and technology capability and how to work with us. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
09 Feb 22. SpeQtral announces SpeQtral-1 quantum satellite mission for ultra-secure communications. SpeQtral, an emerging leader in quantum-secure communication systems, announces today at the Global Space and Technology Convention, the official kickoff of its forthcoming Quantum Key Distribution (“QKD”) satellite mission in space, SpeQtral-1.
The SpeQtral-1 satellite is expected to be launched in 2024, and is primed to be one of the first few QKD satellite missions to be launched by a commercial entity. It will demonstrate the technological feasibility of intercontinental out-of-band symmetric key delivery with a focus on addressing practical commercial requirements of end users. In this commercial pilot phase, entities interested in securing their data communications with QKD would be able to use SpeQtral-1 to receive quantum keys.
SpeQtral’s QKD technology solution is a crucial element in building global quantum-secure communication networks. QKD uses quantum physics, as opposed to current mathematically-based encryption technologies, to distribute symmetric encryption keys that can be used to secure communication networks. SpeQtral’s QKD platform enables the creation and distribution of computationally uncrackable encryption keys, by leveraging the laws of physics instead of mathematical algorithms.
The satellite mission is supported by Singapore’s national space office, the Office for Space Technology and Industry (“OSTIn”) under its Space Technology Development Programme (“STDP”). Together with the recent financing round led by Xora Innovation, this private-public partnership will accelerate the development and realization of space-based quantum communications. “The development and launch of the SpeQtral-1 satellite will be an important milestone that marks the commercialization of QKD capabilities that have been built up through Singapore’s investments in quantum research. OSTIn is pleased to support this mission by SpeQtral, which is testament to the deep technical capabilities of our local space startups and the richness of our space ecosystem.”, said David Tan, Executive Director, OSTIn.
SpeQtral will work with local and international partners in executing the vision to realise global QKD. The Centre for Quantum Technologies at the National University of Singapore, which SpeQtral has spun out from, will be a collaborator on this mission. The SpeQtral-1 satellite will also be an important part of the prospective End-to-End International Use cases for Operational QKD Commercial Applications and Services (“INT-UQKD”) programme supported by the European Space Agency (“ESA”). This programme includes the participation of a consortium of European entities in establishing a Singapore-Europe QKD link.
Chune Yang Lum, Co-founder and CEO of SpeQtral, said “We are thrilled to have the full support of OSTIn in executing the SpeQtral-1 mission, and share a common vision that space-based quantum communications will be a game-changing strategic technology in communications security. With the SpeQtral-1 satellite mission planning and development in full gear, we are poised to accelerate our engagements with international partners and end-users in securing global data communication networks.”
About SpeQtral (https://speqtral.space/):
There is a tremendous need for robust technologies and systems that can handle the significant security challenges posed by quantum computing innovation. Supported by a world-class, multidisciplinary team of quantum scientists, cryptographers and engineers, SpeQtral is on a mission to secure the world’s networks for the fast-approaching quantum revolution.
About OSTIn:
The Office for Space Technology & Industry (OSTIn) is Singapore’s national space office. OSTIn is responsible for nurturing the development of space technologies to serve national needs and growing a globally competitive space industry in Singapore. To support these objectives, OSTIn seeks to foster an enabling regulatory environment for Singapore’s space activities, build international partnerships and contribute to the development of multilateral norms on space. (Source: PR Newswire)
09 Feb 22. Kleos partners with Satellogic. Kleos Space (ASX: KSS), a space-powered radio frequency reconnaissance data-as-a-service (DaaS) company, has partnered with NASDAQ-listed geospatial analytics company Satellogic (NASDAQ: SATL) to pursue government and commercial tenders.
Satellogic is a leading provider of high-resolution satellite imagery to governments and commercial customers globally, and currently has 17 satellites in low earth orbit. Its high-resolution, high-frequency earth observation platform improves access and affordability of geospatial data for mainstream applications.
Kleos’ currently has 8 satellites in orbit, with a further 8 launching H1 2022 from which they produce their Guardian LOCATE data products delivering processed geolocated radio frequency transmissions collected over key areas of interest. It can be used to validate or tip and cue existing datasets or establish a baseline pattern of behaviour.
Under the partnership, Kleos’ RF data will be layered with other types of earth observation data as a comprehensive offering to advance and deliver ISR capabilities. The integrated datasets improve situational awareness and bring critical insights which enable decision-making at scale for government customers. The partnership opens the doors for collaboration on current opportunities as well as many future opportunities.
Kleos’ Chief Revenue Officer, Eric von Eckartsberg, said, “Satellogic is a complementary geospatial data and analytics provider, and we are leveraging our combined products and technology to secure large-scale government and commercial tenders. Satellogic will lead the tender response on opportunities, and we look forward to supporting them with our precision radio frequency geolocation data, low earth orbit technology and industry know-how. We’re really looking forward to unlocking new capabilities from the fusion of these datasets and are confident our customers, both government and commercial, will realize significant benefits.
“Collaboration is key in advancing geospatial technology for complex and global-scale missions. We believe this partnership will accelerate the development and deployment of breakthrough ISR capabilities to enable more effective and timely strategies in identifying and mitigating emerging threats,” explained Matt Tirman, President at Satellogic North America.
Kleos’ radio frequency geolocation data enhances the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities of governments and commercial entities. It improves the detection of illegal activity, including piracy, drug and people smuggling, and border security challenges. Its global activity-based data complements existing commercial datasets, as it does not rely on the presence of positioning systems, such as GPS or AIS.
Kleos currently has eight satellites in orbit with launches for its Patrol and Observer Missions scheduled for April and June 2022 respectively. The Patrol and Observer Missions will each increase Kleos’ daily global coverage by 119 million km².
Satellogic is projected to scale its constellation with 60+ satellites in orbit by 2023 for weekly global coverage, and 200+ by 2025 for daily global coverage. Each satellite has a daily data collection capacity of 300,000 km2 and is equipped with high-resolution multispectral imagery, hyperspectral imagery, and full-motion video capabilities.
07 Feb 22. USAF commits millions to demonstrate ‘Space Internet.’ The Air Force plans to enable and demonstrate a space internet that the military can use to connect and communicate via constellations of commercial spacecraft operating in various orbits. In a presolicitation the Air Force Research Laboratory released this week, officials confirmed intent to award two to five contracts worth up to $40m each for “multi-band, multi-orbit communication experiments.” The work would span a couple years, and AFRL already has sights set on some use cases of interest.
“Satellite communications in the Arctic region, above 55-degrees latitude, are currently extremely limited,” officials wrote in the announcement. “Emerging commercial space internet constellations may offer an opportunity to rapidly and affordably provide unprecedented communications capacity to this region, on par with that available in lower latitudes.”
Another application the lab is exploring is for airborne communications.
These experiments mark the latest component of the lab’s Defense Experimentation Using Commercial Space Internet, or DEUCSI program, which originally launched in 2017. Specifically, the service aims to connect military platforms through multiple commercial space internet constellations in different orbit regimes—such as low-, medium-, and geosynchronous earth orbits using the emerging “common user terminal” capabilities. Ideally, military users would be able to tap into services from different providers or orbits, depending on their needs.
“Future military operations will be multi-domain and will be conducted with unprecedented speed,” officials wrote. “Establishing and maintaining dominance in such a scenario requires the ability to distribute information from, to, and through all domains and make decisions at a speed our adversaries cannot match.”
The deadline for proposals from those interested in participating in this effort is set for Dec. 15, 2023. (Source: Defense Systems)
08 Feb 22. Abort! Gilmour, SENER building smart software for rocket terminations. Gilmour Space Technologies and a global engineering group have joined forces to develop a system that can identify abnormalities in a rocket before launching – and its set to save significant costs and time.
Queensland-based Gilmour Space is one of the leading space companies in Australia and is developing the first sovereign-built rocket.
Built with SENER Aeroespacial, the Autonomous Flight Termination System (AFTS) is expected to be ready for Gilmour Space’s Eris rocket launch later this year.
“The AFTS continually monitors critical rocket parameters to verify the health and performance of the vehicle,” told David Doyle, Gilmour Space Eris program manager, to Space Connect.
“If it senses an anomaly – for example if the rocket is pointed in the wrong direction or is too far off the approved trajectory – then it will automatically turn the engines off, preventing the rocket from leaving the approved flight corridor.”
Like the automatic system that shut down Astra Space’s Rocket 3.3 for NASA’s ELaNa 41 mission on Monday, the AFTS is a smart hardware/software system with “autonomous decision-making capacity” which will have the ability to terminate the mission if need be.
According to Doyle, the system will undergo a strict certification process and any chance of potential rocket breakup after AFTS activation will be considered by the Australian Space Agency during the risk assessment, conducted by a third party.
The launch will then only be approved if risk to public safety is less than that from commercial aviation, he added.
SENER is already working on the first phase of development, which includes creating the software that will collect and analyse flight parameters and detect deviations from the normal trajectory.
The companies aim to reduce the need for costly manual systems that typically control intervention when terminating missions, which will also allow for more users to launch from places other than traditional launch facilities.
Doyle said that typical flight safety systems require constant connection to the rocket and a person on the ground to monitor, plus factoring in human judgement and reaction times.
“These manual flight termination systems require narrower flight corridors, which translates to higher development and launch costs,” he said.
But with the AFTS, faster “reaction times” mean not only larger flight windows but lower development costs, which would ultimately benefit customers, Doyle added.
SENER said this would add to the company’s increasing portfolio of developing onboard systems for space and defence capabilities.
“This new contract reinforces our position as a leader in a growing market in Europe, that of medium-cost space systems that offer good performance and high reliability,” said Augusto Caramagno, director of Institutional Programs at SENER Aeroespacial.
CEO Adam Gilmour of Gilmour Space said the company is confident it will have a “robust” system ready for the Eris rocket launch in the second half of 2022. (Source: Space Connect)
08 Feb 22. Thales to equip French military tanker aircraft with secure satcom solution.
- In 2025, Thales will deliver satellite stations to the French Ministry of the Armed Forces. Once integrated into the Phénix MRTT1 tanker aircraft, these stations will enable broadband connections anywhere in the world, and will be able to withstand jamming in aggressive electromagnetic environments.
- The high availability of these stations, their compact design and flexibility of integration make them high-performance tools capable of connecting large military or government aircraft such as the MRTT, A400M and AWACS.
- The contract is the first of its kind in Europe, and further consolidates Thales’s leadership in secure, resilient satellite connectivity and its ability to provide a sovereign solution backed by the know-how of France’s defence industrial and technological base.
As part of France’s SYRACUSE IV military satellite telecommunication programme, the French defence procurement agency (DGA) has awarded Thales and its partners the 17-year MELISSA2 contract for the development, integration and support of aircraft satcom stations.
To meet the connectivity needs of the French Air and Space Force as high-intensity conflict returns, Thales will provide a resilient, high-data-rate satellite station capable of connecting large military aircraft in all circumstances.
The Thales terminal is derived from a proven satcom product that has accumulated over 30,000 flight hours on commercial airliners. The militarised version is specifically designed to maintain connectivity with command centres in jammed environments and severely degraded flight and weather conditions. It operates with France’s SYRACUSE IV sovereign satellite system and is also compatible with any allied military or commercial satellites.
This ARINC3 standard satcom station uses the military and civilian Ka bands. It is installed on the fuselage of large aircraft,such as the MRTT tanker, A400M transport and AWACS surveillance planes.
The Thales teams and their partners successfully overcame a host of technical challenges to design a highly compact device, despite aeronautical and electromagnetic constraints, achieve extremely high-precision pointing to maintain a stable link with the satellite during aircraft manoeuvres, and manage cyber threats.
This first in aviation further consolidates Thales’s leadership in the European market for secure, resilient military satellite communications. For over 10 years, Thales has provided critical STANAG 4606 compliant communications for NATO and the land and naval forces of 12 countries in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
The industrial organisation put in place by Thales for the MELISSA contract includes partners recognised by the DGA, such as the French SME Eclipse,4 as well as Thales’s Gennevilliers and Cholet industrial competence centres and its Brive production facility. This organisation will guarantee timely delivery of the contract and the long-term sovereignty of the supply chain, and will consolidate the expertise of France’s defence technological and industrial base in the area of satellite technology.
“The DGA’s decision to equip France’s military tanker aircraft with our secure satellite communication solution is a source of great pride for the Thales teams and reflects our unique know-how and European leadership in secure, resilient satellite connectivity. This ultra-high performance sovereign solution will be a key asset for the French forces engaged in high-intensity conflict missions.” Jean-Claude Schmitt, Vice President, Network and Infrastructure Systems, Thales.
03 Feb 22. Airservices and Skykraft to trial space-based surveillance and communications. Australia’s air traffic management provider, Airservices Australia, has partnered with space services company Skykraft to support the development of a space-based communication and surveillance air traffic management capability. Under the collaboration, Airservices will share its air navigation, technical engineering and air traffic management expertise to support the design, development and validation of the system, as well as support Skykraft to conduct space-based proof-of-concept trials of the satellite constellation from June 2022.
Airservices Chief Customer Experience & Strategy Officer Peter Curran said Airservices was increasingly looking to the integration of space-based technologies to enhance air traffic management services.
“This is a great opportunity to support an Australian company develop new sovereign capability that has the potential to provide near continuous surveillance reporting and higher fidelity communications that not only benefits Airservices and our customers, but the global aviation industry,” said Curran.
“Space-based technologies provide significant opportunity to enhance safety, efficiency, predictability and capacity, while reducing overall infrastructure costs associated with the current ground-based networks.”
Skykraft Executive Chairman Air Vice Marshal (retd) Mark Skidmore said the partnership would support the rapid maturation of Skykraft’s satellite constellation which enables surveillance and communication with aircraft at all altitudes and across land and sea.
“Airservices’ understanding of the ATM requirements and needs will help us design and develop the constellation, as we prepare a 300kg payload for a SpaceX launch in June 2022, to commence our proof-of-concept trials, and strive towards a constellation launch in 2023,” said Skidmore.
This collaboration builds on the December 2020 Memorandum of Understanding between Airservices Australia and Skykraft which saw the organisations establish how they will work together in a collaborative operating model. (Source: http://rumourcontrol.com.au/)
07 Feb 22. SBIRS GEO-5 Operationally Accepted After Exceeding On-orbit Testing Expectations. Satellite Showed 40% Improvement Over Predecessors’ Average Testing Times. The fifth Space Based Infrared System Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (SBIRS GEO-5) satellite built by Lockheed Martin, has been operationally accepted by the U.S. Space Force less than a year after being launched into orbit. The early missile warning satellite is a “Go-Fast” success story, completing all on-orbit testing with accelerated analysis, resulting in a 40% improvement over GEO-1 through GEO-4 average testing times. The Space Force announced Friday that its Space Operations Command has accepted SBIRS GEO-5 as operationally capable and has presented it to the U.S. Space Command for operational use. The satellite is now being operated by the Space Delta’s 2d Space Warning Squadron (2 SWS) at Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado.
Enhanced LM2100 Combat Bus™ SBIRS GEO-5 was launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on May 18, 2021, marking the first military satellite launch of Lockheed Martin’s LM2100 Combat Bus™. The enhanced LM2100 bus has become a game changer for military satellite design, providing satellite production efficiency, enhanced resiliency options and much more flexibility for additional payloads and sensors.
The bus is an enhanced space vehicle that also provides greater cyber-hardening against growing threats, improved spacecraft power, propulsion and electronics, common components and procedures to streamline manufacturing, as well as a flexible design that reduces the cost to incorporate future, modernized sensor suites.
On-orbit Testing Exceeds Expectations
Once SBIRS GEO-5 was separated from the upper-stage of its rocket, satellite operations personnel began a series of planned transfer orbit maneuvers to place it into its final orbit. The satellite reached its intended orbit and began checkout activities of its light shade, solar arrays, and antennas. Once Space Systems Command (SSC) and Lockheed Martin completed checkout activities, the teams tuned and calibrated the payload sensors and readied them for warfighter use.
“SBIRS GEO-5 exceeded performance expectations during on-orbit testing,” said Michael Corriea, Lockheed Martin OPIR Mission Area Vice President. “With the declaration of operational acceptance less than a year from launch, the LM 2100-built GEO-5 completed all on-orbit testing and analysis 40% faster compared to GEO-1 through GEO-4 average testing times.”
SBIRS GEO-5 is the fifth of six SBIRS GEO satellites built by Lockheed Martin for SSC. Its addition will ensure that the U.S. will continue to deliver critical missile warning, missile defense, technical intelligence and battlespace awareness data to the warfighter for years to come. As for SBIRS GEO-6, it will also feature a LM2100 Combat Bus™ and is currently on track for a summer 2022 launch.
The two new SBIRS Combat Bus™ satellites will join the Space Force’s constellation of missile warning satellites, equipped with powerful infrared surveillance sensors that protect our nation 24-7. These sensors collect data that allow the U.S. military to detect missile launches, support ballistic missile defense, expand technical intelligence gathering and bolster situational awareness on the battlefield.
07 Feb 22. Kendall floats commercial space ideas to VP Harris. Kendall’s memo was “a proactive effort by the department to support the Vice President, and ensure the Department of Defense can support Biden Administration efforts to foster a broader role for the commercial space sector in supporting a more resilient space capabilities,” an Air Force official told Breaking Defense. As the Pentagon and the Intelligence Community grapple with how to harness runaway commercial space innovation, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall has sent an unsolicited list of suggestions to Vice President Kamala Harris, the chair of the National Space Council, Breaking Defense has learned. The six-page memo was informal — not routed through the Office of the Secretary of Defense, nor directly requested by Harris’s office. Instead, it appears to be an effort by Kendall to put forth ideas that fit into the Dec. 31 United States Space Priorities Framework, which pledged to support the US commercial space industry in global market competition while leveraging “new commercial space capabilities and services to meet national security requirements.”
“The paper you’ve referred to was not in response to a specific question. It was a proactive effort by the department to support the Vice President, and ensure the Department of Defense can support Biden Administration efforts to foster a broader role for the commercial space sector in supporting a more resilient space capabilities,” a Department of the Air Force official said in an email.
Kendall himself mentioned the memo at a close-door meeting sponsored by the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress in late January, several industry sources present said, although he was coy about its contents. However, judging by Kendall’s comments, these sources said they weren’t expecting any ground-breaking changes in the go-slow approach the Pentagon and the IC have been taking toward commercial industry.
Nonetheless, Kendall’s move is striking for several reasons.
First, it comes prior to Senate confirmation for the Biden administration’s two top Defense Department space officials: John Plumb, nominated as the assistant secretary for space policy; and Frank Calvelli, for assistant secretary of space acquisition, a new position created by Congress to serve as the first independent space acquisition authority. (Both men have backgrounds in the IC, which has been slow to reckon with the explosion of space innovation around the world.)
Second, it comes prior to the completion of yet another shakeup of Space Force’s acquisition hub, Space Systems Command in Los Angeles, that Kendall himself launched late last year.
Finally, it also comes at a time when there is increasing frustration in both industry and Congress about what they see as a lack of follow-through in official rhetoric about the need to link commercial and national security assets into a more affordable, more resilient framework of space systems in the face of growing adversary threats — something often referred to as a “hybrid architecture.”
Commercial capabilities in a number of technical areas increasingly match or surpass those of national security satellite systems, at a much lower price. However, concerns about protecting the US defensive edge against adversaries and hidebound acquisition practices continue to stand in the way of DoD and the IC in taking full advantage of that fact.
“The capabilities provided by commercial firms can be used to complement government space systems across a wide range of national security missions and fill in gaps in capabilities where the U.S. government has lagged,” explains a new study by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). “The challenge for the military and intelligence community is understanding how to leverage commercial capabilities for military advantage while protecting national security and maintaining the health and competitiveness of U.S. companies in the global remote sensing market.”
While the CSIS study, called “Commercial Space Remote Sensing and Its Role in National Security,” is focused on the burgeoning Earth observation industry, its conclusions are in general applicable to other space sectors, such as communications, as well.
In particular, CSIS hones in on the fact that for many in DoD and the IC, leveraging commercial industry means simply buying up commercial know-how and technology, and inserting it into bespoke national security systems built specifically for DoD. But this acquisition model is increasingly outdated, the authors argue.
“Buying space systems as products does not fully access the innovation and capabilities in the commercial space remote sensing market. Many commercial space companies are built around a services-based business model where the data collected can be sold to more than one customer,” the study says. “The product-based model puts relatively more risk on the government in terms of up-front costs, technology obsolescence, operating costs, and capacity limitations. Buying remote sensing as a service allows the government to leverage private capital and put more of these risks on the companies involved and, by extension, their investors.”
Further, it notes that restrictive national security regulations on commercial acquisition — such as the NRO’s plans to impose “shutter control” on commercial firms contracted to provide electro-optical satellite images — not only will backfire, but also are just not effective, because these capabilities are rapidly proliferating and easily available on the global market.
As one government official put it, DoD and the IC have yet to come to terms with if, let alone when, it makes sense to move from acting as a “prime” contractor to instead acting as a “customer.” However, the official said, more and more senior national security space officials are looking “in the right direction” toward a more open embrace of commercial capabilities as they ponder how to balance competing equities. (Source: Breaking Defense.com)
04 Feb 22. Arianespace to serve OneWeb’s ambitions, will orbit 34 additional satellites with Soyuz.
- After the successful launch of NASA’s Webb Space Telescope on December 25 with Ariane 5, Arianespace is back to the Guiana Space Center (CSG) with Soyuz for a February 10 lift-off.
- The first Arianespace mission of the year will orbit 34 additional OneWeb satellites.
- With this mission, Arianespace will exceed 100 satellites launched on Soyuz from the CSG, while OneWeb’s fleet will be brought to 428 satellites on Low Earth Orbit.
Scheduled for February 10 at 03:09 p.m. local time (06:09 p.m. UTC), Arianespace’s Soyuz Flight VS27 will mark the European launch service provider’s first flight of the year. Performed from the Soyuz Launch Complex (ELS) at Sinnamary, French Guiana, Flight VS27 will put 34 of OneWeb’s satellites into a near-polar orbit at an altitude of 450 kilometers. The total duration of the mission will be 3 hours and 33 minutes and will include nine satellite separations, after which the satellites will subsequently raise themselves to their operational orbit.
This thirteenth launch for OneWeb will deliver high-speed, low-latency connectivity services to a wide range of customer sectors including aviation, maritime, backhaul services, as well as governments, emergency response services and more. Central to its purpose, OneWeb seeks to bring connectivity to every place where fiber cannot reach, and thereby bridge the digital divide.
Once deployed, the OneWeb constellation will work with user terminals that are capable of offering 3G, LTE, 5G and Wi-Fi coverage, providing high-speed access globally – by air, sea and land.
The next OneWeb missions through 2022 will enable the start of OneWeb’s global services this year.
OneWeb Satellites, a joint venture between OneWeb and Airbus Defence and Space, is the constellation’s prime contractor. The satellites were built thanks to its leading-edge satellite manufacturing process that can build up to two satellites a day on a series production line dedicated to the assembly, integration, and testing of the satellites.
Arianespace offers proven launch solutions, fully adapted to the requirements of constellations and validated by the market. The 34 OneWeb satellites on Flight VS27 will be the 561st to 594th constellation satellites launched by Arianespace and will put at over 100 the number of satellites launched on Soyuz from the CSG. (Source: ASD Network)
07 Feb 22. ViaLite Adds Resilience to Critical GPS Timing Services. ViaLite’s RF over fiber systems can carry GPS/GNSS timing signals over long distances with very low signal degradation. However, the same cannot be said of GPS signals before they reach the GPS/GNSS antenna, as these weak radio waves are highly susceptible to jamming or spoofing. Timing-critical infrastructures in areas such as defense and cyber security can now be protected from this kind of attack by installing one of ViaLite’s new GPS Protection Packages. The packages integrate either the GPS Resilient Kit or OtoSphere™ Protection Module products from Focus Telecom for jamming protection. The GPS Resilient Kit has two GPS antennas, which enables the direction of the attack to be pinpointed. At its heart is the small OtoSphere Protection Module, which has a unique interference filtering algorithm that combines the patterns from the two omnidirectional antennas. The module can analyze the direction the interference is coming from and feed it into its algorithm, directing a null towards the unwanted signal to reject and reduce disruptions. Using OtoSphere, GPS receivers are up to 50 times more resilient to jamming attacks on positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) systems compared with having no protection. The GPS receiver is able to continue working normally throughout the attack.
“ViaLite customers typically need the highest grade of reliability and service, particularly for critical infrastructure timing applications. With the increase in jamming threats, both land-based and maritime, these Focus Telecom anti-jamming products are a perfect complement to our range of GPS/GNSS signal distribution solutions,” said Richard Jacklin, ViaLite Director of Sales.
04 Feb 22. Leaf Space Successfully Enables 13 Satellites on SpaceX Transporter-3 Rideshare Mission. Leading Ground Segment as-a-Service Provider Establishes Communications Within Hours of Deployment. Leaf Space, a leading provider of ground segment as-a-service (GSaaS) solutions, announced today that it has established successful communications with all 13 satellites from five different customers including D-Orbit, NanoAvionics, Kepler Communications, Sen and Fossa Systems, that the company supported on SpaceX’s latest Transporter-3 rideshare mission. Customers were able to interact and communicate with their assets in just a few hours from deployment, following the launch on Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral on Jan. 13. This successful deployment demonstrates Leaf Space’s wide range of capabilities to support customers with varying mission needs and specifications. Use cases included in this launch range from providing a testbed for bringing space-to-ground and space-to-space connectivity (Kepler), to improving the maintenance and planning of water and electricity networks (NanoAvionics), to space logistics technology and transportation solutions (D-Orbit) and more. We were able to move through our LEOP and commissioning very quickly and Leaf Space was a key part of that,” said Jake Urbanek, Director of Service Operations at Kepler Communications. “We were not only able to communicate with our satellites within days of the launch, but we were also able to complete a whole batch of critical operations within those first days as well.” Leaf Space continues to grow it’s customer base and list of capabilities while also expanding its distributed global ground station network.
“These types of rideshare missions are the future of commercial space and our technology services are perfectly positioned to support customers with growing constellations across a wide variety of missions and needs,” said Jonata Puglia, CEO and co-founder of Leaf Space. “It is no longer necessary for satellite operators to spend time and resources building their own infrastructure, Leaf Space’s flexible and cost efficient solutions allow operators to focus on their missions, providing optimal value to customers.”
About Leaf Space
Leaf Space is pioneering the concept of ground segment as-a-service (GSaaS) for forward-thinking satellite and launch operators around the world. Since its inception in 2014, Leaf Space has focused on developing the highest quality ground station services and technology with the goal of creating the most efficient and valuable ground segment solutions available on the modern space market. Leaf Space is based in Lomazzo, Italy and is funded by RedSeed Ventures, Whysol Investments, and Primo Space. (Source: PR Newswire)
03 Feb 22. 0-G Launch and Global Aviation Ventures Sign Agreement on Joining Forces for Zero-Gravity Flights and Horizontal Air-Launch Services. Agreement Signed to Procure, License and Operate a Fleet of Specially-Modified Zero-Gravity Flight Aircraft, as well as Providing Air-Launch Services for the Space and Defense Industries.
-G Launch, a Washington DC-based provider of the Space Jet™ aircraft for microgravity services and horizontal rocket air-launch, and Global Aviation Ventures (GAV), a firm with extensive expertise in the growth, development, funding and exit of startups in the aviation, aerospace and defense sectors, announce the signature of their agreement to join forces on deploying a global fleet of specialized aircraft to provide much-needed services to the fast-growing Space economy, which is slated to grow into a $1trn industry within the next decade.
As part of this agreement, 0-G Launch and GAV will jointly procure, license and operate specially-modified commercial jets to provide global microgravity services for consumer zero-gravity flights, testing of science payloads before sending them to Space, and astronaut training. In addition, these specialized aircraft will be equipped for horizontal air-launch and testing of hypersonic vehicle and small orbital rocket developers, by lofting these customer’s payloads under its fuselage at up to 40,000 ft.
“Our agreement with GAV is a unique opportunity for 0-G Launch to join forces with one of the industry’s top teams of entrepreneurs with proven industry expertise in procuring and managing all aspects of a future global aircraft fleet. We can’t be more pleased to have them as joint partners in our exciting venture for the fast-growing Space industry,” said Robert Feierbach, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of 0-G Launch.
“We began looking at 0-G Launch a few months ago, and were very convinced that the business prospects with the innovative services the Space Jet™ fleet will provide to the Space industry are a very clear and profitable industry opportunity,” said Robert Allen, Managing General Partner of Global Aviation Ventures. “We’re excited to put our GAV team expertise in this industry to work, together with 0-G Launch, to establish and grow our global business opportunities.”
About 0-G Launch
0-G Launch is a Washington DC-based company that offers the Space Jet™ airborne platforms using specially-modified commercial aircraft to provide high-precision microgravity and cost-effective rocket air-launch capabilities to the fast-growing Space industry. Among its services, it will provide microgravity parabolic flights for equipment R&D and testing, astronaut training and consumer zero gravity flight experiences globally, as well as testing & horizontal air-launch services for orbital rockets and hypersonic vehicle developers, offering the best economics, availability and flexibility in the market. At 0-G Launch, we’re “Bringing Earth Closer to Space.” (Source: PR Newswire)
03 Feb 22. USSF selects L3Harris to advance ATLAS space domain awareness programme. L3Harris will integrate the government’s equipment and handle ATLAS application deployment. The US Space Force (USSF) has chosen L3Harris Technologies to integrate and fast-track its Advanced Tracking and Launch Analysis System (ATLAS) space domain awareness programme.
In 2018, the US Air Force initiated work to introduce the ATLAS, which will serve as the replacement to the Space Defence Operations Centre (SPADOC).
The new project is intended to improve and modernise USSF’s space domain awareness and capability to detect and counter anti-satellite threats.
L3Harris has been developing applications under a new architecture, which aims to enable ATLAS to tackle increased debris, anti-satellite tests, adversarial threats, and commercial constellations.
Under this recent deal, L3Harris will incorporate the US Government’s equipment and manage ATLAS application deployment.
L3Harris space and airborne systems president Ed Zoiss said: “Anti-satellite threats have increased and require attention now.
“We are responding to the urgency by partnering with the Space Force to modernise space domain awareness assets that are key to understanding and acting on those threats.”
SPADOC started operations in the 1990s to support the safety of flight operations, oversee space objects, and process space events such as anti-satellite launches.
L3Harris has been supporting space superiority missions for more than three decades. It will leverage its capabilities to develop technologies that help control the space domain and safeguard assets. Last December, the company finished a critical design review (CDR) of the Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS) prototype. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
31 Jan 22. COSMO-SkyMed 2GEN FM2 Mission Experiences A Successful SpaceX Launch. On Monday, January 14, SpaceX was able to finally launch the COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation FM2 mission to LEO from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Following three days of poor weather and one recalcitrant cruise ship, all resulting in four days of launch delay, the Falcon 9 launch vehicle roared into action and lifted the satellite to its intended orbit. The first stage booster used for this mission previously supported the launch of Arabsat-6A and STP-2. After stage separation, Falcon 9 will return to Earth and land on Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. One half of the fairings supporting this mission previously supported Transporter-1, Transporter-2 and one Starlink mission, and the other half previously supported SAOCOM 1B, Transporter-2 and one Starlink mission. (Source: Satnews)
02 Feb 22. Joining Forces For Advanced Antenna Technologies Are Kratos + Kymeta + Kratos Enhances Their EO/RS SC For Their OpenSpace Platform. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: KTOS) has engaged in a strategic partnership with Kymeta to jointly develop products and solutions that will enable modern, virtualized, ground systems to better leverage the capabilities of next generation, mobile, satellite antennas. Among the broader goals of the partnership are to advance the ability of ground systems to support, leverage, manage, and control electronically-steered and multi-purpose antennas to better support the capabilities of software-defined and multi-beam satellites. This effort will initially focus on joint development of a software-defined remote terminal that will support a variety of dynamic satellite connectivity applications, including support for multi-orbit use cases where connectivity to LEO, MEO, and GEO satellites through the same antenna are desirable. The space industry is immersed in a renaissance, driven by technology breakthroughs such as smallsats, proliferated LEO constellations, software-defined payloads, multi-orbit services, and more. On the ground, commensurate advances in satellite networks are occurring, as witnessed by the growth of ground-as-a-service providers, mobile communications-on-the-move, and virtualized ground systems. These advances at both ends of the space/ground connection mean that satellite systems must come to act more dynamically, adapting on-the-fly to changing needs, conditions, service levels, and business or mission requirements. The Digitally-Transformed Remote Terminal will combine a Kymeta ESA with a software-defined uCPE (Universal Customer Premises Equipment) based on Kratos OpenSpace technology, all in a unified terminal package. The OpenSpace Platform is the first and only commercially available software-defined and orchestrated ground system that allows satellite and communications operators to advance the digital transformation of their satellite networks.
In order to deliver a solution that dynamically adapts to changes at the space layer while also supporting multiple functions at the network’s edge, the jointly developed products will conform to industry standards, including the IEEE-ISTO Std 4900-2021: Digital IF Interoperability Standard, v1.0 from the Digital IF Interoperability (DIFI) Consortium (DIFI). Both companies believe that common standards are essential for the space industry to realize the opportunities on the horizon and to advance the industry’s integration with the larger global communications infrastructure. Both are founding members of DIFI, an independent organization created to develop and promote standards for interoperability in space and satellite systems.
According to Greg Quiggle, Vice President of Space Product Management at Kratos, “This modem/antenna interface assumes an analog, static, one-for-one relationship at a time when the space layer has evolved to include highly dynamic multi-orbit networks and software-defined payloads. Remote terminals must digitally transform, embracing the unique capabilities of electronically steered antennas (ESA) and universal customer premise equipment (uCPE) to dynamically enable multi-beam, multi-band, and multi-use at the network edge.”
“Kymeta is excited to partner with Kratos, a leader in the space network virtualization revolution, to jointly develop a digital ground terminal that leverages the Kymeta u8 antenna technology,” said Lilac Muller, Kymeta’s Vice President of Product Management. “The Kymeta u8 is a software-defined platform that unlocks the potential of future capabilities in both terrestrial and space-based networks in geostationary and non-geostationary orbits.”
Additionally, Kratos is enhancing their Earth Observation & Remote Sensing Service Chain (EO/RS SC) for their OpenSpace Platform. The new release adds features that enable satellite operators and Ground Station-as-a-Service (GSaaS) providers to increase automation, accelerate deployment times and further optimize operating and capital expenditures.
The OpenSpace Platform is the first fully virtualized and orchestrated satellite ground system. Service chains, such as the EO/RS SC, run on the OpenSpace Platform to seamlessly integrate and automate the tasks of service delivery in a fully virtual environment. The new release of the EO/RS SC enables customers to support the current and next generation of EO/RS satellites by providing fully orchestrated Telemetry, Tracking, and Command (TT&C), high-throughput wideband data downlink and packet processing of mission data.
Kratos’ OpenSpace family of solutions enables the digital transformation of satellite ground systems to become a more dynamic and powerful part of the space network. The family consists of three product lines: OpenSpace SpectralNet for converting satellite RF signals to be used in digital environments; OpenSpace quantum products, which are virtual versions of traditional hardware components; and the OpenSpace Platform, the first commercially available, fully orchestrated, software-defined ground system. These three OpenSpace lines enable satellite operators and other service providers to implement digital operations at their own pace and in ways that meet their unique mission goals and business models.
Addressing the intensive bandwidth needs of today’s missions, the EO/RS SC delivers more than a gigabit-per-second of downlink throughput. It does so running solely on commercially available, off-the-shelf x86-based computers without specialized hardware or enhancements. Operators can deploy and reconfigure these service chains in minutes running in public cloud, private data center environments or hybrid cloud environments.
“The new, enhanced capabilities of the OpenSpace EO/RS SC and the ability to orchestrate those functions within the OpenSpace Platform dramatically lower the cost of downlinks, while raising the performance for missions,” said Christopher Boyd, Senior Director of Product Management at Kratos. “Virtual TT&C modems, wideband receivers, and stream processing/recorders are orchestrated as a service chain along with the automated configuration of physical functions such as digitizers and antenna control systems to support fully automated EO sensing mission services from the antenna all the way to post satellite pass processing.” (Source: Satnews)
30 Jan 22. Joining Forces To Launch The 1st Kenyan Smallsat Are EnduroSat + SayariLabs. SayariLabs, first Kenyan space company, provider of satellite services and space-based solutions to governments, industries, and academic institutions in Africa and beyond, and EnduroSat, a provider of software-defined smallsats and space services for business and academia, have signed a commercial agreement to launch TAIFA-1 (“one nation” from Swahili), the first Kenyan, 3U, software-defined smallsat.
In the past decade, East Africa has been hit with heavy droughts and wildfires, causing water crisis, and damages of local agriculture and food supplies. TAIFA-1 will be loaded with a hyperspectral, Earth Observation (EO) camera that will capture environmental, wildlife, agricultural and land use mapping, all in the battle to halt the calamities in the region.
EnduroSat and SayariLabs also signed an MOU, which is another milestone for this partnership and the upcoming, joint space projects of the two companies. EnduroSat organized a two-week educational training program, dedicated to space systems and engineering and covering all aspects of mission analysis, design, and space craft assembly for the engineering team of SayariLabs.
“Over the past decades, space and satellite industries have been reserved for the wealthy and mighty. SayariLabs is on a mission of democratizing these industries for all interested players in the African region and in making Kenya a space giant in the next generation. With the advancement of technology this fantasy is quickly becoming a reality. Our partnership with EnduroSat, a leading company in this industry, is a major game-changer and it strengthens our hope and belief of being a major space and satellite solution provider in Kenya, the African region and other parts of the world,” said Aaron Nzau, the Founder and CEO SayariLabs
“I am really proud to have the opportunity to support SayariLabs in their efforts to bring space closer to thousands of people in Kenya. Working alongside their team has been an amazing experience for us and I cannot wait to see the innovations and the positive impact that they plan to have, realized in practice. EnduroSat has been for long time a true believer in open, responsible and accessible space and this is yet another step in this direction,” said Raycho Raychev, Founder and CEO of EnduroSat
EnduroSat provides software-defined smallsats and space services for business, exploration, and science teams. Its focus is on the development of next generation space commercial services and exploration programs. With an annual growth of 250%+, it is one of the fastest growing space companies in Europe. Proud member of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), EnduroSat’s team exceeds 100+ talented developers, engineers, and scientists, currently serving more than 120+ clients worldwide. Customers for the Shared Satellite Service include 1) commercial space companies focused on IoT, remote sensing, meteorology, and Earth observation, and 2) research organizations: space agencies, universities, and institutes.
SayariLabs is the first Kenyan space startup company established in 2020 to provide satellite services and space-based solutions to governments, industries, and academic institutions in Kenya, as well as in the African region and other parts of the world. the company’s focus is on being the commercial market leader for satellite manufacture and space exploration activities in Africa and beyond. We are honored to be the first Kenyan satellite manufacturing startup company to be supported by the Kenya Space Agency, and partnering with EnduroSat from Bulgaria, in achieving our first satellite mission – TAIFA – 1. With our team of eight dedicated and talented Kenyan engineers, SayariLabs intends to grow and serve customers in several technology areas including the IoT industry, remote sensing, meteorology, earth observation and build more partnerships with research organizations, academic institutions, and MDA’s (Ministries, Departments and Agencies) within governments. (Source: Satnews)
31 Jan 22. Ursa Space Systems 1st AWS Partner To Be Invited Into The ISV Accelerate Program. Ursa Space Systems has been accepted into the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Independent Software Vendor (ISV) Accelerate Program, a co-sell program for AWS Partner Network (APN) Partners who provide software solutions that run on or integrate with AWS. This program helps Partners drive new business and accelerate sales cycles by connecting the participating ISVs with the AWS Sales organization. Through the AWS ISV Accelerate Program, Ursa Space receives focused co-selling support from AWS, access to further sales enablement resources, reduced AWS Marketplace listing fees, and incentives for AWS Sales teams. Ursa Space is the first AWS aerospace Partner to be awarded the opportunity to participate in the ISV Accelerate Program. This is the latest in a series of announcements between Ursa Space and AWS, underscoring the growing relationship and shared desire for faster, more accessible, and easier to digest satellite-derived data.
“The focused co-selling support that we receive through the AWS ISV Accelerate Program allows us to extend our sales reach dramatically and to do so efficiently. By utilizing AWS Sales teams, we’re not only casting a wider net, but also targeting an ideal audience of customers that are already using AWS solutions and services,” said Nicole Robinson, President of Ursa Space Learn more about the requirements and benefits of the AWS ISV Accelerate Program at this direct link.: https://aws.amazon.com/partners/programs/isv-accelerate/ (Source: Satnews)
02 Feb 22. Yahsat Gains Government Contract To Build + Supply Advanced, Secure, MILSATCOM For Naval + Commercial Vessels. Al Yah Satellite Communications Company PJSC (“Yahsat”) has announced that its dedicated government arm, Yahsat Government Solutions (“YGS”), has been awarded an AED 24m contract by Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) to provide advanced and secure satellite communication services. Yahsat will design, deliver and integrate the satellite communication systems in vessels produced by ADSB. The Company will work closely with ADSB, an expert in new build, repair, maintenance, refit and conversion of naval and commercial vessels, to include secure and reliable end user communications solutions using YGS’ terminal over Yahsat’s wide satellite network, ideal for naval satellite communications. The satellite communication systems to be commissioned on the vessels have been designed, integrated, assembled and factory tested in-house by the YGS team, demonstrating the Group’s dedicated efforts to strengthen local resources and capabilities to support customers’ needs.
Ali Al Hashemi, Group Chief Executive Officer at Yahsat, said, “We are proud that ADSORB has selected Yahsat to provide these innovative satellite communication solutions for its vessels. This agreement is a major milestone for Yahsat and one that demonstrates our increasing role in delivering more value to our customers. Furthermore, this collaboration is another key step towards advancing the nation’s long-term industrialization strategy and serves as a testament to the leading role Yahsat is playing in building the UAE’s satellite communication and manufacturing capabilities, strengthening its position as a global hub for space science and technology.” (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 millions 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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