| | | | Steely Newsletter Issue #028 |
| Read all about British policy requiring satellites to improve their space domain awareness, Magnestar's software solution to the space industry's satellite signal interference problem, AST SpaceMobile’s prototype satellite making it's first 5G connection, and so much more! |
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| | C4ISRNET | Courtney Albon | 09-21-2023 The U.K. Space Command is considering a policy to require satellites to carry a space domain awareness sensor to avoid collisions in the increasingly congested space environment. The Ministry of Defence is leading development of a Space Sector Plan that will likely push for stronger policy around space domain awareness requirements for satellite operators. The increase in commercial activity in space and debris from inactive or destroyed satellites has led spacefaring governments to invest more in sensors that can observe and track that activity. Allied nations have also been working to increase their collaboration in this area, forming the Combined Space Operations Center in 2018 as a way to more easily share information about what they’re seeing in orbit. |
| Payload | 09-20-2023 The rising demand for satellite communication has exposed the limitations of using radio frequencies such as ground terminal bottlenecks or the brief window during which a ground station can liaise with a LEO satellite while it’s in view. Laser links offer a solution, enabling near-real-time data transmission through a network of satellite-to-satellite relays. Laser links have several advantages over RF links, including higher bandwidth, lower power requirements, narrow beams, and no licensing requirements. With NASA phasing out its TDRSS constellation, commercial space companies are stepping up to build new laser link networks. |
| TechCrunch | Aria Alamalhodaei | 09-19-2023 Satellite operators are increasingly concerned about signal interference as more satellites are launched into orbit. Magnestar's software platform, 24/7x, conducts interference simulations and runs specific calculations to ensure that the radio frequency environment remains clean. The technology is embedded into a "peer-to-peer" operator sandbox, so operators can communicate with each other and send data back and forth in a standardized, autonomous way. Magnestar's technology can perform 10 times the number of simulations compared to existing tech, and the software also catalogues coordination agreements, which can help companies manage and adhere to these agreements. |
| Space News | Jason Rainbow | 09-19-2023 AST SpaceMobile announced that its test satellite, BlueWalker 3, relayed the first 5G phone call to a smartphone in a cellular dead zone. In a separate test, the satellite achieved download rates of 14 megabits per second, beating the 10 Mbps speeds it recorded over 4G in June. AST SpaceMobile is developing a space-based cellular network that will enable subscribers to stay connected beyond the reach of cell towers. AST SpaceMobile is still waiting for regulatory approval from the FCC to launch its commercial service. |
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| | Via Satellite | Rachel Jewett | 09-20-2023 Airbus has selected Intelsat and Panasonic Avionics as managed service providers for its Airspace Link HBCplus in-flight connectivity solution. HBCplus is a flexible satellite connectivity solution that allows airlines to connect with selected managed service providers and line-fit or retrofit aircraft with certified terminals and radomes. Intelsat and Panasonic will be adding Ku-band, multi-orbit LEO and GEO connectivity into the program, and both companies are distributors of OneWeb’s LEO capacity. Airbus also selected Safran Passenger Innovations (SPI) as its Ku-band satcom hardware supplier, integrating Get-SAT’s electronically steerable antenna (ESA). The ESA will offer simultaneous and multi-beam connectivity, with entry into service in 2026. |
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🏛️US Government Satellite News |
| Breaking Defense | 09-21-2023 Northrop Grumman is building 36 data transport satellites for the Space Development Agency's Tranche 2 Transport Layer Beta program. The satellites in T1 Tracking will feature a wide field-of-view infrared sensor, optical communications terminals, and a Ka-band payload for communications and will interconnect with the Transport Layer satellites. Northrop Grumman is working with commercial partners such as Airbus and Mynaric to quickly build the satellites and bring them to market. The company is also using rapid prototyping and digital engineering to accelerate the development process. |
| Via Satellite | Rachel Jewett | 09-21-2023 The FCC adopted new rules to expedite space and earth station applications, including allowing NGSO license holders to have multiple unbuilt systems without their applications being dismissed. The new rules also establish timeframes for public comment, permit applications for frequencies without international allocations, and streamline processing for adding space stations as points of communication. The FCC is still seeking comment on printing and maintaining paper copies of licenses, and establishing time frames or "shot clocks." |
| Space News | Sandra Erwin | 09-19-2023 CACI International's optical communication terminal passed initial ground tests for Space Development Agency (SDA) satellite contracts. SDA is deploying a layered network of satellites that will use laser links to communicate with each other. CACI is one of several manufacturers pursuing SDA contracts, and its terminal must pass a more difficult interoperability test to fly on Tranche 1 satellites. SDA has invested in an optical communications testing facility at NRL to ensure that laser terminals are interoperable before they are launched to orbit. |
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