| | | | Steely Newsletter Issue #010 |
| Read all about edge computing's future impact on satellite technology, Russia's cyber-attack on ViaSat's satellites in 2022, the FCC's potential satellite-cellular merger and so much more! |
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| | | Via Satellite | Cameron Scott | 05-12-2023 Space-based edge computing involves placing computing power at the edge in space, providing computing power in remote locations that lack an on-premise data center. It allows for the delivery of space-based value-added services to remote locations around the world. Space-based edge computing can eliminate risks of cloud data transfers by processing data locally, save time and money through shorter download times to Earth, improve the efficiency of space infrastructure, and reduce emissions from cloud computing by replacing terrestrial data storage centers. |
| Via Satellite | Rachel Jewett | 05-12-2023 NASA's TBIRD mission has set a new record for space-to-ground optical communication by achieving a data rate of 200 gigabits per second. The TBIRD payload was built by MIT Lincoln Laboratory and integrated into NASA's PTD-3 Satellite. This is part of NASA's SCaN program. The spacecraft broke its own record of 100 Gbps, which it had set in June 2022. Beth Keer, the mission manager for TBIRD, believes that the advancements in detector speeds and sensitivities will enable space science instruments to fully take advantage of the power of laser communications. |
| ZDNet | Adrian Kingsley-Hughes | 05-08-2023 The Iridium satellite network consists of 82 satellites orbiting approximately 500 miles above the Earth, which allows people to communicate from anywhere on the planet as long as there is a clear view of the sky. When combined with the Garmin inReach Messenger, a small device that can fit in your pocket, you can send and receive messages, share your location, and even call for emergency assistance from a global response center that operates 24/7. This technology enables global connectivity and safety for people no matter where they are in the world. |
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| 🛡️Satellite Cybersecurity News |
| InfoSecurity Magazine | Kevin Poireault | 05-09-2023 The cyber attack on Viasat's KA-SAT satellites in Ukraine in February 2022, known as AcidRain, led to one of the largest formal attributions of a cyber-attack to a nation-state in history, with nearly 20 countries accusing Russia of responsibility. The incident highlighted the need for better cybersecurity in the space industry and the EU has already implemented changes to improve the industry's cybersecurity posture through its Network & Information Systems (NIS2) directive, which now considers space critical infrastructure. |
| YouTube | Bloomburg Originals | 04-13-2023 "When Viasat’s network was hacked at the start of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, the Ukrainian government scrambled to connect troops— and the satellite internet industry got a wakeup call. Bloomberg's Katrina Manson tells us more." |
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| | | SatNews | 05-11-2023 "The Global Satellite Operators Association (GSOA) and the Global VSAT Forum (GVF) are combining their respective associations —the new combination takes effect on June 1, 2023, and will result in GSOA becoming a trade association comprised of 70 member companies that span the entire, global satellite ecosystem resources, experience and relationships that have been developed over their combined 48 years of existence to provide a strong, single voice for the satellite industry." |
| Riviera | Martyn Wingrove | 05-10-2023 Marine technology company KVH has launched its One OpenNet program, allowing vessels with non-KVH antennas to access its communications network via any very small aperture terminal (VSAT). Previously, only vessels with KVH hardware could use the firm's high-throughput global network. The update, which is a software-only change, will offer consistent airtime across fleets with different terminals. |
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| 🏛️US Government Satellite News |
| The EurAsian Times | 05-13-2023 A Chinese reusable space vehicle has demonstrated the ability to dock with or capture another object multiple times during orbit, suggesting the presence of "robotic arms" that could be used to damage or destroy an enemy satellite. Such highly manoeuvrable spacecraft could be used to surveil, disrupt, and attack opponents' space-based assets, or to retrieve or interact with friendly ones. The technology is seen as a potential weapon and may be used to disrupt enemy space-based platforms through electronic warfare jamming or high-powered microwave beams, among other methods. The US Space Force views China as the most immediate threat and is transitioning to a "proliferated network of smaller satellites". |
| Space News | Sandra Erwin | 05-12-2023 The US Space Development Agency (SDA) is planning to procure 100 "Alpha" satellites to build a military constellation in low Earth orbit. These satellites will be part of the Transport Layer Tranche 2, which also includes 72 "Beta" satellites. The Alpha satellites will have three optical communications terminals, Ka-band and Link 16 payloads, and will be split between two vendors. The constellation aims to provide global coverage for US military users and will be SDA's largest procurement to date. |
| The Hill | Roger Cochetti | 05-08-2023 The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is exploring the merger of satellite and cellular communications to allow smartphones to communicate through either a cell tower or a satellite. This represents a revolutionary integration of what has been considered two separate technologies and regulatory environments. While satellite and cellular communications have been around for decades and viewed as separate, the advances in miniaturization, microchip technologies and the cost reduction of launching satellites into orbit have set the economic and technological stage for the first-ever merger of satellite and cell communications. |
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