22 Nov 24. The ADF appears to be rapidly filling the gap left by the axing of JP9102 after Fleet Space announced it had successfully tested two-way voice and data transfer via satellite.
The Australian company said it delivered advanced satellite communications with “reduced cost and added resilience” to support Defence’s “space strategy priorities”.
Fleet’s reprogrammed Centauri 6, which transmitted the data, also significantly operates in a favoured Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
It comes weeks after the federal government axed the $3 billion “JP 9102” project to deliver a new military satellite communications capability for Australia, led by Lockheed Martin Australia (LMA).
Defence Minister Richard Marles argued days later that it was because multiple low-Earth orbit satellites are more secure from attacks than a single geostationary spacecraft, as planned by the defence prime.
On Thursday, Fleet said its demonstration was enabled by “advanced microsatellite architectures” that are a “critical innovation breakthrough necessary for the development of sovereign multi-orbit space systems with resilient narrowband SATCOM capabilities”.
“In March, Fleet Space successfully demonstrated push-to-talk capabilities by reprogramming its Centauri-4 satellite while in orbit – making it the world’s smallest voice-enabled satellite,” said the company.
“Building on this achievement, Fleet Space’s Centauri-6 satellite – launched in April on SpaceX’s Bandwagon-1 mission – was reconfigured to perform full duplex SATCOMs with a re-engineered waveform developed by Safety from Space and SmartSAT CRC, with support from the University of South Australia (UniSA) and the Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG).”
At this month’s MilCIS industry event in Canberra, Air Commodore Peter Thompson – one of the most senior figures involved in Defence space capability – argued JP9102 was changed because the threat from adversaries had altered.
“JP 9102 is not dead … that money is still there,” he said. “We’re just working out the best way to use it in the current environment.”
He added he understood the “shock” of the announcement but insisted it was the “right decision for us”.
“Defence isn’t going to waste money on something that is no longer the best use of our money that we’ve got.”
JP 9102 was only signed off just 18 months ago, with prime contractor Lockheed Martin beating big hitters, including Boeing, Northrop Grumman Australia, and Optus, to become the “preferred tenderer”.
However, it’s unknown whether Lockheed formally had the final contract signed after it entered the last stages of negotiation.
If approved, JP 9102 would have created more than 200 direct jobs, while Lockheed Martin itself pressed ahead with making key appointments for its staff to oversee it.
Speaking to the ABC after Defence released a 187-word statement confirming the changes to JP 9102, Marles said that since the tender was announced eight years ago, industry has created technology that can “literally shoot satellites out of the sky”.
“But we’ve also seen technologies develop where you have thousands of microsatellites in a much more distributed way providing the same effect,” he said.
Marles added that Australia needs to deliver communications capability that is more “distributed” and “resilient”.
“We believe we can do that in this way faster and more cost-effective. So, this is frankly moving with the times and making sure that we have the capability that we need which meets the threats and the opportunities that we have in the future.” (Source: Space Connect)
19 Nov 24. Link 16, Lasers Provide Top Comms on Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. As the Space Development Agency continues to build out the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, the agency’s director, Derek Tournear, said Link 16 will continue to be the top option for communications provided by that satellite constellation because it’s the foundation that American soldiers and U.S. allies rely on the most.
“One of our operating modes in SDA is that we do not require a lot of changes to user equipment,” Tournear said. “I said … we’re going to field a few 100 satellites, let’s take the onus on ourselves to modify those satellites so they can go down to legacy radios, so we don’t force the Army, Navy, Air Force, to field tens of thousands of new radios, because that’s very difficult.”
The PWSA system will eventually include hundreds of satellites, delivered in tranches every two years, with each tranche providing more capability than the last.
The network of hundreds of optically connected satellites will deliver two primary capabilities to warfighters on the ground. The first is beyond line-of-sight targeting for ground and maritime time-sensitive targets, which includes mobile missiles and ships, for instance. The system will provide the ability to detect those targets, track them, calculate a fire control solution and deliver that solution down to a weapons platform so the target can be destroyed. The second capability is similar to the first but for enemy missiles already in flight.
Link 16 will be a big part of the PWSA, Tournear said. Link 16 is a radio system broadly used by the United States and its allies across the globe.
“There are tens of thousands of these terminals already out there,” he said. “Our uniform personnel are already , already know how to use these systems. We designed our system to primarily go down to that tactical radio.”
But the U.S. military and its allies have need for greater bandwidth than what Link 16 provides, Tournear said, and that’s where laser communications come in.
“There’s a lot of missions that need higher data rate than Link 16,” he said. “In the future, you’re going to want to have a lot of aircraft that want to move a lot of data. You’re going to want to have ground systems that have this low latency connectivity, that want a lot of data connected, that you’re not able to get with Link 16 or other systems. That’s where the laser comes in. It’s not ever going to be as prolific a user base as Link 16 … but we do see it growing, and you’ll have thousands of those laser comm terminals in the future.”
Early on in development of the PWSA, Tournear said, laser communications has been part of the plan. Demonstration satellites launched in 2021, he said, successfully demonstrated space-to-space laser communication, for instance. They also demonstrated the ability to do space-to-ground communications as well.
“In Tranche 0 and then operational in Tranche 1, those laser comm systems are going to be used for space-to-space, space-to-ground and space-to-air,” he said.
Tournear said tradeoffs were made to optimized laser communications for both space-to-space and space-to-air communications.
“We did that because we recognize that the spectrum is contested. … The enemy gets a vote in contesting spectrum, as well as just getting spectrum approval — much more difficult in the realm than in the optical realm,” he said. “We chose to go with that standard. And that’s our future going forward.” (Source: U.S. DoD)
20 Nov 24. Intellian Technologies Inc., a leading global provider of resilient multi-constellation satellite user terminals and communications solutions, has announced the opening of its new GMDSS Development Center in Busan, South Korea. This center is dedicated to advancing Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) solutions, including the development of GMDSS VHF and MF/HF radio systems and NAVTEX, with the first products expected to launch in 2025.
Building on the development of the GMDSS Safety Display Terminals announced last year for Inmarsat and Iridium, Intellian’s expansion into GMDSS radio solutions demonstrates a significant commitment to enhancing maritime safety. The GMDSS, overseen by the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization (IMO) under the Safety Of Life At Sea (SOLAS) convention, is a critical regulatory framework designed to protect the 1.9 m seafarers worldwide. It mandates essential global maritime safety requirements, including radio and satellite communications, for vessels over 300 gross tons and passenger ships carrying more than twelve passengers on international voyages.
The new GMDSS radios from Intellian will include Medium Frequency (MF) and High Frequency (HF), and Very High Frequency (VHF) systems, forming a comprehensive part of Intellian’s expanding GMDSS portfolio. A NAVTEX (navigational telex ) solution is also being developed. This is an international automated system used on ships to distribute Maritime Safety Information (MSI) such as navigational warnings, weather forecasts, weather warnings, and search and rescue notices.
The GMDSS Development Center is strategically located in Busan, home to South Korea’s busiest port and the sixth-busiest port globally. Positioned within the Southeastern Maritime Industrial Region, the center benefits from a thriving maritime industry and access to highly-experienced marine electronics professionals.
Eric Sung, CEO of Intellian Technologies Inc., commented: “The development of GMDSS systems represents an exciting new chapter for Intellian. By integrating GMDSS systems into our product portfolio, we are providing our partners and maritime customers with the ability to meet all their communication needs through Intellian. The establishment of the GMDSS Development Center in Busan, supported by R&D teams in HQ and the L-band Center of Excellence in London, underscores our commitment to delivering high-quality GMDSS products that will set a new standard in maritime safety.”
About Intellian Technologies, Inc.
Intellian is driven by a passion for innovation and an agile responsiveness to customer needs. As the crucial link between satellite networks and millions of people on Earth, Intellian’s leading technology and antennas empower global connectivity across oceans and continents, organizations, and communities. Strategic thinking, an obsession with quality, and a proven ability to deliver enable Intellian to invent for the future, creating mutual success for partners and customers as the world’s connectivity needs evolve.
20 Nov 24. ICEYE to lead industry consortium to deliver advanced space technologies and analytics to Finnish Government F-35 Industrial Participation program. The program demonstrates the Finnish willingness to develop and adopt advanced dual-use space technologies for space-enabled Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. ICEYE, the global leader in Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite operations for Earth Observation, will be the consortium lead in an industrial participation program for the Finnish Ministry of Defense F-35 program. The consortium will develop advanced space and joint intelligence technologies, and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities for military users such as the Finnish Defense Forces.
The consortium, comprised of ICEYE, and prominent Finnish industry players Insta, Huld, DA-Group, and the Finnish Meteorological Institute as a supplier, will work together with Lockheed Martin on advancing technological development. This will include the progression of disruptive capabilities such as analytics with Artificial Intelligence (AI), and encompass mobile ISR cell development, advanced analytics, and high-performance SAR imaging for all weather and light conditions, making it especially suitable for the demanding Arctic weather and light conditions of NATO’s Northern Flank. Space-based intelligence remains a vital tool to support military operations across the land, sea, and air, and the program demonstrates Finnish willingness to develop and adopt advanced dual-use technologies that enhance operational efficiency and effectiveness on the modern battlefield.
The partnership between leading innovators within the defense and aerospace industry aims to support the Finnish Defense Forces with the goal to enhance the security of supply and strengthen Finland’s position as a leader in cutting-edge aerospace technology. The advanced capabilities will also present opportunities for further expansion and collaboration with NATO Allies and other friendly nations, paving the way for export growth for the members of the consortium.
“ICEYE’s role in leading the industry consortium marks a significant milestone. This partnership aligns with our ambition to strengthen information capabilities and develop advanced technologies, ensuring that the Finnish Defense Forces and Allies can be equipped with the vital knowledge and capabilities required to maintain the strategic advantage,” said Pekka Laurila, Chief Strategy Officer and Co-founder of ICEYE.
Lockheed Martin Space will contribute its next-generation sensor processing framework and artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled Global Automated Target Recognition (GATR) system. The cloud-based GATR software automates satellite image analysis by using deep learning algorithms and open-source libraries to quickly identify and classify objects in large areas across the world.
“Lockheed Martin’s advanced mission solutions will provide the Finnish Defense Forces with enhanced situational awareness and reliable decision support for multi-domain operations,” said Rod Drury, Lockheed Martin Space’s vice president for Global Business. “This international technology collaboration demonstrates Lockheed Martin’s commitment to advancing the 21st Century Security capabilities of our NATO allies and mission partners.”
Through strategic partnership with the Finnish Defense Forces and previous fighter jet acquisitions, technology company Insta has decades of experience in demanding defense solutions. Insta has a strong focus on developing state-of-the-art command and control (C2) systems and modern solutions utilizing data and AI that help execute successful multi-domain operations.
“The most important prerequisite for multi-domain operations is a real-time situational picture. We want to engage in a unique collaboration with top domestic and international experts, thereby ensuring the continuous development of situational awareness security and performance in an increasingly networked world. We bring to the project our deep understanding and world-class expertise in how different sensor data can be processed and integrated into the C2 systems, and possibly further into the corresponding systems of NATO Allies,” tells Petri Reiman, Senior Vice President from Insta.
Huld has over 35 years of expertise in the space domain, along with extensive experience in national security and defense. “Huld is proud to see this important initiative start, as we have been planning this inspiring project with partners for a long time. We foresee utilizing our best experience in both digital systems and product design to develop this capability with our partners, and to contribute to Finland’s national defense and the safety of our society,” said Matti Anttila, Director, Defence & Space, Huld.
“Security innovations are DA-Group’s driving force. In this consortium, we will bring our innovations for the common good and be better with our partners. We have proven before that we can do big things. DA-Group is now waiting to start working and gain results within the time frame,” said Pekka Airola, Chief Executive Officer of DA-Group.
“The Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) is the main national public organization in the field of space-related services and research in Finland. This partnership on advanced satellite information with key Finnish industrial players, and Lockheed Martin further strengthens FMI’s role as a satellite data and data products provider,” says Jyri Heilimo, Head of FMI Arctic Space Centre.
19 Nov 24. Australian Space Industry Hub expands into defence and aerospace. The plan aims to focus on dual-use capabilities and provide a pivotal gateway for start-ups and SMEs entering these sectors.
Opening in 2022, the National Space Industry Hub (NSIH), run by Cicada Innovations, is an incubator providing a co-working space and access to mentoring, resources, and networking opportunities.
“NSW has become a magnet for investment in space tech, and its initiatives like the National Space Industry Hub that are empowering entrepreneurs to solve real-world problems through space-enabled technologies,” Investment NSW Deputy Secretary Rebecca McPhee said.
“We’re incredibly proud of the hub’s achievements over the last three years with resident businesses generating more than $72m in commercial revenue and 160 jobs. The expansion of the hub’s services to defence and aerospace will ensure we can support more businesses to progress cutting-edge technology.
“We can’t wait to host the International Astronautical Congress in Sydney next year – the Olympics of the space industry – where we can showcase the hub’s achievements and demonstrate to the world how NSW and Australia is emerging as a global leader in space.”
Cicada said that since its creation, every dollar invested by the NSW government into the program has attracted 74 of the 82 NSIH-supported businesses.
It added those businesses have collectively raised more than $52m in private capital, securing $4m in grant funding and generating more than $72m in revenue from more than 200 customers, all while creating 160 jobs.
The NSIH program has also created three spin-outs and filed 16 patents across diverse products, while a number of residents and alumni were on the recent Waratah Seed 1 satellite: Deneb Space, Spiral Blue, Contactile, Extraterrestrial Power, EurokaPower, and Mawson Rovers.
“Australia has the capability and frameworks in place to deliver space operations to a global market. The expansion of the National Space Industry Hub into defence and aerospace will also drive innovation across a broad range of future-critical industries like quantum computing, cyber security, AI, autonomous systems, robotics, space technologies, and more,” Cicada Innovations chief executive officer Sally-Ann Williams said.
“These industries are vital to shoring up Australia’s economic resilience, national security, and technological advancement long into the future. They will also help us address the complex challenges posed by global geopolitical dynamics, technological disruption, and the increasing demand for sovereign capabilities.
“We look forward to working with the NSW government to build these strengths and deliver further impact for many more years to come.” (Source: Space Connect)
19 Nov 24. Comtech Appoints Daniel Gizinski as New President of Satellite & Space Communications Segment. Comtech Telecommunications Corp. (NASDAQ: CMTL) (“Comtech” or the “Company”), a global technology leader, announced today the appointment of Daniel Gizinski as President of the Company’s Satellite & Space Communications (“S&S”) segment. With extensive industry leadership experience and a collaborative, hands-on approach to solving customer challenges, Gizinski will play a central role in advancing Comtech’s S&S strategy, including its expanding portfolio of next-generation satellite solutions and vision as a pure-play satellite and space communications company.
Gizinski brings over 15 years of experience in satellite communications engineering, operations, product strategy and executive management to his new role as President of the S&S segment, including key leadership positions throughout the Comtech organization. With a proven track record of driving growth and fostering innovation, he will oversee all aspects of the S&S segment, including product development, operations, and market expansion.
Gizinski will also lead new initiatives to strengthen Comtech’s global partnerships and enhance the Company’s S&S offerings to meet the evolving demands of government, commercial, and international markets.
“I am honored to have Daniel’s proven and trusted leadership in this critical executive role, as he guides Comtech’s space and satellite business and confidently creates and capitalizes on new opportunities to deliver on our commitments to customers, partners, and shareholders around the world,” said John Ratigan, President and CEO of Comtech. “Daniel’s appointment as President of S&S will also be central to helping Comtech realize our vision as a pure-play satellite and space communications company. His deep customer relationships and unique understanding of industry growth trajectories will help ensure Comtech continues to drive innovation and meet the needs of customers for decades to come.”
Gizinski’s appointment underscores Comtech’s ongoing commitment to delivering trusted, resilient multi-orbit connectivity and communications solutions to some of the world’s most demanding customers.
“Comtech’s S&S business is well positioned to capitalize on our ongoing industry transformation,” said Daniel Gizinski, President of Comtech’s S&S segment. “I am a firm believer in having a customer-first mentality, and as a trusted ally of our partners, I will continue to roll up my sleeves and collaborate with our commercial and government customers to solve their toughest challenges. I look forward to leading this team as we execute on John’s vision and plan to make Comtech a pure-play satellite and space company, ensuring we have the right people, processes, and solutions needed to rapidly deliver on the growing demands we’re seeing from our customers.”
Prior to his appointment as President of the Company’s S&S segment, Gizinski served as Chief Strategy Officer and President of the Comtech Satellite Network Technologies (“CSNTI”) division. Gizinski also held prior appointments as the Company’s Chief Strategy Officer from 2022-2024 and President of CSNTI in 2022.
During his tenure at Comtech, he has held various senior management positions, including serving as Vice President of Product and Strategy for Comtech Systems, Inc. Earlier in his career, Gizinski held program management and leadership roles at General Electric, Sierra Nevada Corporation, and L3Harris Technologies. Gizinski holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Virginia and a master’s degree from Duke University.
Comtech’s S&S segment is a U.S.-based, leading provider of advanced modems and high-power amplifier technologies, and a market leader in troposcatter technologies. The S&S segment has an innovative portfolio of these mission-critical technologies and serves some of the world’s largest defense contractors and allied foreign governments, as well as multiple U.S. government agencies, including branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Space Force, among others.
15 Nov 24. Space Force targeting more affordable GPS satellites. The Space Force wants its next fleet of GPS satellites to be smaller, cheaper and more resilient — and it’s looking to a mix of commercial and defense firms to help design those spacecraft.
Four companies — Sierra Space, L3Harris, Astranis and Axient, which was recently acquired by Astrion — won study contracts in late September to draft early concepts for the Space Force’s Resilient GPS program, or R-GPS. In five to eight months, the service plans to choose at least two companies to finalize their designs and build prototypes. It will then pick one or more firms to build the first eight satellites, which it wants ready for launch by 2028.
The program, expected to cost $1 bn over the next five years, comes amid growing concern from Pentagon and other government leaders about GPS vulnerability. The system, which guides weapons and helps military units navigate, has been a target for Russia in its war with Ukraine, using electronic warfare to jam signals on a regular basis. Users have also reported increased spoofing incidents, a method of manipulating GPS data to confuse a receiver about its location. This can be done using relatively cheap software-defined radios.
The Space Force is targeting $50 to $80 m per satellite — a fraction of the $250m it costs for just one Lockheed Martin-build GPS IIIF spacecraft. That lower unit cost will allow the service to launch dozens of satellites designed to fly for about five years that can be upgraded with new capabilities on a regular cycle.
The approach is modeled off the Space Development Agency’s strategy for fielding large constellations of small missile tracking and data transport satellites and is one that the Space Force wants to apply to other missions, like space domain awareness. Proliferation, and the lower unit costs that help enable it, is what the service hopes will bring resiliency to these constellations.
For GPS, larger numbers of small satellites augmenting the larger spacecraft that make up the current constellation should make it harder for enemies to target the fleet and will ensure there’s a backup capability when they do, the Space Force says. The satellites will have a range of civil signals as well as M-code, a more secure military signal with anti-jam capabilities.
Designing for affordability
The firms tapped to draw up concepts for the program told Defense News they’re trying to balance affordability with enhanced capabilities as they consider satellite design options.
Erik Daehler, vice president of defense, satellites and spacecraft systems at Sierra Space, said the company’s approach involves designing modular spacecraft with payloads that could be upgraded through on-orbit software upgrades or swapped out in future development blocks.
That sort of flexible design, he said, could allow the Space Force to launch groups of satellites carrying different payloads.
“The idea is to stay in front of the adversary’s evolution and, in fact, get ahead of them so they don’t know what’s launching on each satellite that we put up,” Daehler said.
In a more traditional development program, it can take years to add new capability onto a hot production line of more complex satellites. Sierra Space wants to make that process more seamless, which Daehler said should ultimately make it more affordable.
“We want to make it so that the capability is an order of magnitude less expensive than the existing constellation and be able to be upgraded every time you have a LEAP with minimal impacts,” he said.
While designing the satellite for flexibility, the company is also prepared to draw a hard line on what’s known as “requirements creep” — the tendency for the Defense Department or other customers to change requirements in a way that drives major changes to a system’s design.
“We’re not redesigning the platform dramatically to match a payload,” Daehler said. “Instead, we’re saying, this is the payload capacity you can put on the platform.”
L3Harris, a key player in U.S. positioning, navigation and timing programs for the last 50 years, plans to draw from that experience in its R-GPS design. The company is the prime contractor for the Air Force Research Laboratory’s experimental PNT program, Navigation Technology Satellite-3, or NTS-3, which is slated to launch in the coming months.
“We’re really excited to see that get on orbit and start demonstrating the advanced capabilities that come from our ability to leverage our heritage and pivot into something that’s new and innovative,” Andrew Builta, vice president of the company’s space payload and constellation portfolio, told Defense News. “With Resilient GPS, our intent is to marry those two things.”
L3Harris hasn’t announced its program partners, but Builta said it is looking to commercial suppliers for things like its satellite bus and is looking at ways to keep its schedule as tight as possible.
“One of the key tasks we have in these early phases is to evaluate the market from a bus perspective,” he said. “What is the true timeline for us to be able to go out and procure the materials and get through testing and all the things that you need to be able to launch a system and ensure that it works on orbit as opposed to a demo or an experiment?”
Kent Nickle, executive director of rapid integrated space solutions at Astrion, said the company is aiming to drive down cost by developing a modular satellite designed to “do a little bit of everything.”
In the initial study phase, the systems engineering firm is looking for the right approach to meet the program’s baseline requirements and potentially build on them with more capability, like boosted M-code and regional military protection, which provides additional anti-jam technology.
Astrion’s R-GPS supplier team includes K2 Space, a startup that will provide a satellite bus. Radiance Technologies will build the payload and STC will help with architecture and integration.
Nickle, who worked in the Air Force’s space launch enterprise for more than 15 years, said the Space Force’s approach to R-GPS makes it easier for smaller, non-traditional firms to be involved in the program.
“If it was a traditional winner-take-all type of thing, the government’s going to be less inclined to take risks,” he said. “They’ve allowed other companies to participate which, in the end, benefits the entire industry, but benefits the government too.”
Astranis is one of those firms that’s new to the PNT mission. Founded in 2015, the company’s focus is on building small, maneuverable satellites for higher orbits, equipping them with top-notch digital processing capabilities.
CEO John Gedmark told Defense News that when the Space Force started soliciting ideas for R-GPS early this year, the company took some time to consider whether its existing satellite bus and elements of its payload were the right fit for the mission.
“After we spent some time really digging in on it, the answer was yes,” Gedmark said. “So, we’re leaning forward on it, and we see huge potential here.”
Astranis is proposing its new line of satellites, Nexus, for R-GPS. It already has orders from customers for more than 10 satellites, and Gedmark said the company is preparing its production facilities to build “many dozens” of satellites in the next few years. The firm has partnered with Xona Space Systems to provide PNT algorithms for its payload.
Funding stability
The Space Force’s R-GPS strategy emphasizes speed, evidenced in its plan to launch the first satellites within four years.
In April, the Air Force announced it would use authority from Congress to shift $40 m in funding from elsewhere in the Space Force’s budget to begin development on Resilient R-GPS before it’s approved as part of the fiscal 2025 budget cycle. Those authorities, known as quick-start, were approved in the Fiscal 2024 National Defense Authorization Act.
Some in Congress have been skeptical of the effort, questioning whether the quick-start process is the best pathway. The House Appropriations defense subcommittee proposed cutting the program’s budget request in its mark of the FY25 defense spending bill.
“While proliferation may provide some advantages, it is not clear how these additional satellites increase the resilience against the primary jamming threat to GPS, compared to alternative concepts for position, navigation, and timing systems being pursued elsewhere in the Department of Defense,” lawmakers said in a report accompanying the bill, released June 12.
Cordell DeLaPena, Space Systems Command’s program executive officer for military communication and PNT, told reporters last month the service is working with the subcommittee to address their concerns. While there’s been progress, he said, there are still several open issues, including concerns about whether there are enough terminals available to support more GPS satellites.
“Every time we speak to the [lawmakers], we move the ball a little bit,” he said. (Source: Defense News)
18 Nov 24. Ligado’s $39bn lawsuit against federal government can move forward, judge rules. A judge today ruled in part against the US government’s move to dismiss the suit, marking the latest turn in a saga over who will control spectrum the DoD says it needs for military GPS.
A federal judge has ruled that Ligado Networks can move forward with its lawsuit against the US government, a major win for the communications company.
In October 2023, Ligado sued the government for $39 bn over claims that officials at the Departments of Defense and Commerce took “unlawful actions” to, in effect, improperly seize without compensation the firm’s L-band spectrum. In January, the government had asked a judge to dismiss the suit.
Today Judge Edward J. Damich of the US Federal Claims Court ruled in part in favor of Ligado and in part for the government over aspects of the case, but ultimately said the case “may proceed.”
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“Ligado is encouraged by the decision and looks forward to pursuing its case to hold the government accountable for the just compensation it owes the company.,” a Ligado spokesperson said in an email.
“In the Order, the Court agrees with Ligado’s position that the spectrum bands it was licensed to use by the FCC are property vis-à-vis the Department of Defense,” per the statement. “Accordingly, and as long argued by Ligado, the Department’s unauthorized occupation of the spectrum, which has blocked Ligado’s ability to use its own property, is a constitutional taking that must be compensated by the government.”
The ruling marks the latest episode in the decades-long drama over Ligado’s plan to use L-band spectrum to develop a wireless cell phone network, which the Departments of Defense, Commerce, Transportation and a number of other federal agencies insist could interfere with signals from the Global Position Satellite (GPS) network. In 2020, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted over department objections to grant Ligado the license to build a 5G network.
GPS is used by myriad military weapon systems; the US air traffic control network; trains, planes and automobiles for navigation; and everyday citizens trying to find their way from here to there using interactive maps on their cell phones. The concern from defense officials has been that it will impact everything from soldiers trying to navigate on the ground to missile guidance systems.
One complication for Ligado, according to expert Tim Farrar, is the Pentagon has not revealed which specific systems the department believes are at risk due to classification, so the firm has been hamstrung in mounting a counterargument.
The Senate Armed Services Committee in June included language in the National Defense Authorization Act that would force the Pentagon to reveal that information, but it is unknown if that language will survive the final NDAA negotiations, currently ongoing.
Farrar, an independent consultant on spectrum issues, told Breaking Defense, “This is what it comes down: Is there going to be some justification for Ligado’s claim of occupation, and if this will be a fight over the provision in the policy bill, because that’s what would provide Ligado with the leverage to discover some evidence to support that claim.”
Outside of the courtroom, Ligado’s situation may end up being very different following the electoral victory of president-elect Donald Trump.
To counter China, Trump’s administration should build on Biden AI memo
In this op-ed, the Middle East Institute’s Mohammed Soliman argues the Trump administration should build upon President Joe Biden’s AI memo rather than dismantle it.
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Under Trump’s first administration, key administration officials pushed hard to open up the spectrum in order to boost economic growth. Leading the pushback at the time on behalf of the Pentagon was then-SASC chairman Jim Inhofe. However, Roger Wicker, the Republican from Missouri widely expected to take over the SASC leadership come January, was more sanguine about the situation, perhaps a sign that there will be less Senate pushback on Ligado’s spectrum moves going forward.
Notably, Trump has announced he will nominate FCC member Brendon Carr as his FCC chair. In 2020, Carr, along with the rest of the FCC, voted to support Ligado’s application, and he was a vocal supporter of opening up spectrum for economic benefits. (Carr is also reportedly close to Elon Musk, who has sought to reduce oversight of systems such as the SpaceX Starlink satellite network, another issue that falls under the FCC.)
“This was an internal Trump administration back and forth last time around, and we’ll have to see what the positions are of people in this administration,” said Farrar. “Ultimately, its going to be down to this administration to settle Ligado’s claim, if it does need to be settled.” (Source: Breaking Defense.com)
16 Nov 24. SpaceX launches secretive ‘Optus X’ spacecraft. SpaceX on Monday launched a secretive satellite dubbed ‘Optus X’, which is believed to be a collaboration between the telco and Northrop Grumman on behalf of Defence.
The launch firm gave little away about the TD7 mission and even ended the usual webcast before the payload deployed “at our customer’s request”.
While SpaceX reportedly confirmed TD7 was a “communication satellite”, other outlets speculated it could be an earlier announced ‘roadside assistance in space’-style servicing vehicle.
Optus has not publicly confirmed its involvement, but outlets called the spacecraft ‘Optus X’ after the FAA used the term in its flight schedule and the US Space Force in its launch weather forecast.
The payload blasted off onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 and will reportedly be positioned in geostationary orbit at 87.75 degrees.
News website Space & Defence reported that Optus X is built on the GeoStar-3 bus by Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems.
“The X in the name is believed to refer to a military X-band payload previously used by Optus on its 2003-era C1 satellite,” it claimed.
“That satellite was partially funded by Australia’s defence department and had a dual military/civilian purpose. An Optus spokesperson would only say they procured the spacecraft on behalf of another organisation.”
It comes after Space Connect’s sister brand, Defence Connect, reported in 2022 how Northrop subsidiary SpaceLogistics would install extension pods on the on-orbit servicing vehicle called the Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV).
The vehicle would contain so-called ‘extension pods’ (MEP) that could help extend the lives of other satellites running out of fuel, as well as provide “repair” and “relocation” services.
Optus completed a purchase agreement with SpaceLogistics to install one of the MEPs on its D3 satellite in 2025.
“Our contracts with SpaceX and Optus are tangible evidence of our momentum and commitment to deliver second-generation on-orbit servicing technologies to the satellite industry,” SpaceLogistics said.
“We are thrilled to have Optus as our premier MEP customer as we continue pioneering the future of space and expanding the realm of what is possible with on-orbit servicing and sustainment.”
Defence Connect reported how the MEP is tipped to provide six years of life extension for a typical 2,000-kilogram satellite in GEO.
“Optus’ partnership with SpaceLogistics will leverage their cutting-edge MRV and MEP capability to increase the life of Optus’ D3 satellite. This innovative move along with the future launch of Optus 11 will benefit our customers,” Optus said. (Source: Space Connect)
14 Nov 24. Northrop Grumman eyes 2026 launch of robot-armed satellite servicer. The Naval Research Laboratory delivered a pair of robotic arms for Northrop Grumman’s Mission Robotic Vehicle. Northrop Grumman’s SpaceLogistics subsidiary is eyeing a 2026 launch for its next-generation satellite servicing vehicle, the Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV). Equipped with robotic arms developed by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), the MRV aims to extend the lifespan of satellites in geostationary orbit more than 22,500 miles above Earth.
NRL announced Nov. 14 that the pair of robotic arms completed crucial thermal vacuum testing and are now at Northrop’s satellite integration facility in Dulles, Virginia. The arms were developed under a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) contract.
“This robotic payload promises to transform satellite operations in geostationary orbit, reduce costs for satellite operators, and enable capabilities well beyond what we have today,” said NRL’s director of research Bruce Danly.
Broader range of services
SpaceLogistics is using the robotic arms for the MRV under a partnership with DARPA. The company has already secured three customers for its MRV services — two satellites from Intelsat and one from Optus. These clients will receive Mission Extension Pods (MEPs), propulsion jet packs that can add approximately six years of operational life to aging satellites.
“There’s about 500 satellites in GEO today and about 10 or more of those each year reach their end of life because they’ve run out of fuel,” SpaceLogistics President Rob Hauge told SpaceNews. The company expects to attract additional commercial and government customers for MRV missions before and after the 2026 launch.
SpaceLogistics is positioning the MRV as a versatile solution in the space-servicing market, which includes satellite repair, repositioning, and debris removal. The MRV’s robotic arms will enable more sophisticated tasks, such as detailed inspections and repairs and satellite relocations, said Hauge.
“Our primary focus is delivering on commitments to our existing customers, but we’re engaged in ongoing discussions with other commercial and government operators who are interested in MRV’s advanced capabilities,” he said. The MRV will stay in orbit for several years.
Hauge said the MRV builds upon Northrop Grumman’s experience with its Mission Extension Vehicles (MEV), which have successfully serviced two Intelsat communications satellites.
The 350-kilogram MEPs represent a more affordable option compared to the much larger MEVs. The mission extension pods, unlike the MEVs, do not have their own rendezvous and docking systems, which helps reduce costs, Hauge explained. The pods will be launched to a transfer orbit and use electric propulsion to reach geosynchronous orbit, where they will dock with the MRV.
The MRV will then transport each pod to its client satellite, using one of the robotic arms to attach it to the client’s engine nozzle. Once installed, the MEP assumes propulsion responsibilities, maintaining the satellite’s orbital position and enabling necessary maneuvers without depleting its original fuel supply. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Space News)
15 Nov 24. Naval Research Lab Completes Development of Satellite-Servicing Robotics. United States Naval Research Laboratory Naval Center for Space Technology, in partnership with Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, has successfully completed development of a spaceflight qualified robotics suite capable of servicing satellites in orbit, Oct. 8. Under DARPA funding, NRL developed the Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites Integrated Robotic Payload. This transformative new space capability was delivered to DARPA’s commercial partner, Northrop Grumman’s SpaceLogistics, for integration with its spacecraft bus, the Mission Robotics Vehicle.
“The recent completion of thermal vacuum testing marks a major milestone toward achieving the program’s goal of demonstrating robotic servicing capabilities on orbit in the near future,” said NRL Director of Research Bruce Danly. “NRL’s contributions to the robotic payload are an essential part of realizing this vision, which promises to transform satellite operations in geostationary orbit, reduce costs for satellite operators, and enable capabilities well beyond what we have today. In fact, the anticipated capabilities are potentially revolutionary for both national security and civil applications.”
As DARPA’s robotic payload developer for the RSGS program, NRL looked to the future to design, build, integrate and test groundbreaking satellite servicing capabilities.
“This collaboration unlocks new servicing opportunities for both commercial and government satellites, enabling usual-close inspections, orbital adjustments, hardware upgrades, and repairs,” said Bernie Kelm, NRL NCST superintendent of the spacecraft engineering division. “We’ve created advanced spaceflight hardware and software that will significantly enhance satellite servicing operations, including all robotic controls.”
Satellites in geosynchronous orbit, positioned approximately 22,000 miles above Earth, are crucial for military, government and commercial communications, Earth-observing science and national security services.
Currently, spacecraft face significant challenges, in part because of the inability to perform in-orbit repairs or upgrades. To compensate for the lack of servicing options, satellites are often loaded with backup systems and excess fuel, leading to increased complexity, weight and cost. Should this project prove successful, satellites can receive in-orbit upgrades based on new technology to extend their service life, Kelm added.
“The military regularly fixes aircraft, tanks, ships and trucks that break. We upgrade aircraft and ships with the latest radars, computers and engines,” said Glen Henshaw, NRL senior scientist for Robotics and Autonomous Systems. “Satellites are the only expensive equipment we buy that can’t be repaired or upgraded once they are in the field, and this costs the taxpayer money. RSGS is intended to change this situation; we intend to demonstrate that we can upgrade and repair these valuable assets using robots.”
Thermal Vacuum (TVAC) Testing Process
The test campaign put the robotic payload through its paces across the range of temperatures it will face while on-orbit and under vacuum conditions similar to space. Engineers tested all aspects of the payload including avionics, cameras and lights, and demonstrated all operations, with each of its two robotic arms including launch lock deployments, calibrations and tool changing. The test also verified SpaceWire communications and robotic compliance and visual servo control modes.
“NRL’s Team RSGS has spent nearly 10 years focused on the goal of completing this first of a kind, robotic servicing payload,” said William Vincent, NRL RSGS program manager. “The completion of IRP TVAC represents a huge milestone and countless hours of work from an incredible group of dedicated personnel. Like sending a child off to college for the first time, shipping the IRP to Dulles is a bittersweet experience.”
NRL worked for over two decades to mature the technology enabling the RSGS program. RSGS is designed to safely and reliably repair and upgrade valuable commercial, civil and national security satellites, some of which cost over a bn dollars. In the near future, robotic satellite “mechanics” may extend the useful life of satellites by upgrading a variety of capabilities including new electronics, propulsion and sensors capabilities. RSGS robots could demonstrate broad servicing as a precursor to building large structures in-orbit which could include the next great observatory, solar power stations or other revolutionary new systems.
“We hope that this will eventually lead to spacecraft that are more modular and easier to maintain,” Henshaw said.
Following its anticipated 2026 launch on the Northrop Grumman’s MRV spacecraft bus, the robotic payload will undergo initial checkout and calibration with full operational servicing missions to follow.
“We will proudly watch RSGS as it provides resilience for the current U.S. space infrastructure and takes the first concrete steps toward a transformed space architecture with revolutionary capabilities,” Vincent said.
About the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory
NRL has a long-standing relationship with academia and industry as a collaborator, contractor, and through technology transfer partnership mechanisms, such as commercial licensing, cooperative research and development agreements and educational partnership agreements.
NRL is a critical link within the Navy’s research, development and acquisition chain and naval research enterprise. Through NRL, the Navy has direct ties with sources of fundamental ideas in industry and the academic community throughout the world and provides an effective coupling point to the research and development chain for Office of Naval Research. NRL is a scientific and engineering command dedicated to research that drives innovative advances for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps from the seafloor to space and in the information domain. NRL is located in Washington, D.C. with major field sites in Stennis Space Center, Mississippi; Key West, Florida; and Monterey, California, employing approximately 3,000 civilian scientists, engineers and support personnel. (Source: U.S. DoD)
11 Nov 24. SpaceX launches Koreasat-6A on Veterans Day to improve items including the GPS position error from current 15-33 meter to 1.0-1.6
SpaceX was successful in launching the 3.9-ton (3.5 metric tons) Koreasat-6A, on Monday, November 11, Veterans Day, at 12:25 PM EST where it will proceed to geostationary orbit 22,236 miles (35,786 kilometers) above Earth where the orbital speed matches Earth’s speed of rotation, enabling spacecraft to “hover” over the same patch of ground that is used for spy and weather satellites, and communication such as Koreasat-6A.
“Built on Thales Alenia Space’s proven Spacebus 4000B2 platform, KoreaSat-6A will be fitted with six BSS transponders and twenty FSS transponders to cover all of South Korea,” the company added.
Last year Thales Alenia Space stated, “KoreaSat-6A will replace the current KoreaSat-6 satellite and will deliver both fixed satellite service (FSS) and broadcasting satellite service (BSS) to South Korea.”
Today’s launch was record breaking as it was the 23rd mission for this rocket’s first stage, that totaled a mark set by two other Falcon 9 boosters.
KASS is expected to improve the GPS position error to 1.0-1.6 meter from the current 15-33 meter level in real time to ensure positioning reliability throughout the country. Also KASS has been considered as a future technology as it could be applied to various fields, mainly public safety, transportation, defense and science.
It improves the positioning and navigation performance provided by global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) for a number of different sectors, especially aviation. It has been developed to meet international standards by International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), improving the accuracy and reliability of global positioning system (GPS) signals and better ensure flight safety and efficiency, while also reducing the environmental impact of air travel.
This will be the 23rd flight for the Falcon 9 first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched CRS-22, Crew-3, Turksat 5B, Crew-4, CRS-25, Eutelsat HOTBIRD 13G, O3B mPOWER, PSN SATRIA, Telkomsat Marah Putih 2, Galileo L13, and 12 Starlink missions. After stage separation, the first stage will land on Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. (Source: Satnews)
11 Nov 24. SES under considerable market pressure, within hours from high to ‘all time low.’ November 7th saw satellite operator SES present its latest set of numbers. By and large the all-important analysts thought they were solid, and there was an initial uptick with share prices jumping from €3.50 to €3.81. But within a few hours that optimism had vanished and SES suffered the ignomany of falling to a 52-week ‘all time low’ of just €3.44. November 8th saw a further decline to €3.39 by the end of the day and yet another all time low.
SES CEO Adel Al-Salah had presented the results and the company’s forecasts were largely endorsed by market analysts. He explained that SES was using Starlink, itself a very successful and powerful, simple, standard constellation able to serve a large part of the demand. However, he also argued that SES has built a sophisticated infrastructure and service model that Starlink may find hard to replicate.
SES is offering managed services, installation services, cybersecurity services, multi-orbit services that Starlink is not offering. SES also guarantees capacity availability whereas Starlink sells its capacity on a best-effort basis. Therefore, SES is well positioned to service a certain segment of the market that require such services.
Sami Kassab, an analyst at investment bank BNP/Paribas, noted that Starlink has a distribution partnership with SES in its valuable Cruise market. “We continue to believe that comparing SES to Starlink is like comparing a Ford pick-up truck to a Ferrari. Both are cars that take you from A to B but both are designed and commercialized to address different customer segments,” advised Kassab.
“Out of the 320 cruise ships sailing the seas, SES mPower capacity is currently installed on 100, a number likely to increase in the short to medium term. These cruise ships coupled to the recently awarded NATO contract are taking up almost all of the capacity currently available on mPower. Upcoming launches of extra mPower satellites (in December 2024 and 2025 and 2026) will treble the total capacity available on that new constellation,” said Kassab.
But perhaps the best news from SES referred to the recently awarded IRIS² giant contract for a highly secure new constellation which will bring together the combined assets of SES, Eutelsat and Spain’s Hispasat.
Kassab said, “On IRIS², SES disclosed that they will start generating revenues from this project next year. These are likely to be limited engineering-work related revenues. Further revenues will be generated throughout 2025-2030 for the roll out of the ground system and the delivery of various contract milestones. Capacity revenues (the vast majority of project related revenues) are to start materializing once the system has entered into service in 2030. All European nations will be anchor customers of IRIS² and use capacity on a take or pay basis for the HardGov layer of the system. This coupled to other undisclosed built-in mechanisms leads to reaffirm our view that IRIS² will lead to a guaranteed minimum Internal Rate of Return (IRR) for SES and underpins management’s confidence in delivering a double-digit IRR on that project. We continue to see IRIS² as a very supportive development for European satellite operators.”
The bank’s summary said, “After 10 years of underlying decline in Group EBITDA, management confirmed that it is expecting to see ‘at least stable revenues and EBITDA in 2025’. Our forecasts are unchanged. The 14 percent dividend yield looks increasingly sustainable and attractive. Satellites and SES remain high risk investment cases but we reaffirm our Outperform on the stock.” (Source: Satnews)