| | | | Steely Newsletter Issue #029 |
| Read all about NASA's CALIPSO satellite mission coming to an end after 17 years, how multi-orbit satellite services promise seamless connectivity to those operating in the harshest of conditions, how OneWebb and Intelsat are planning to compete with SpaceX's Starlink in the military/government sector, and so much more! |
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| | SciTechDaily | Charles Hatfield | 09-28-2023 CALIPSO, a NASA-CNES lidar satellite, concluded its 17-year mission in 2023. It enhanced global understanding of climate, weather, and air quality, making significant contributions, such as observing the 2020 Australian wildfires and aiding in volcanic ash detection. CALIPSO's legacy includes fostering an international scientific community and successful partnerships. |
| Via Satellite | Marisa Torrieri | 09-26-2023 Multi-orbit services combine signals from different orbits (LEO, MEO, and GEO) to ensure seamless connectivity, even in the most challenging environments. Initial applications for multi-orbit services support high-stakes use cases, such as mission-critical energy industry applications, government and military applications, and in-flight internet services. Ground equipment and integration are essential for multi-orbit connectivity, and a handful of equipment manufacturers are making news for rolling out technology that supports hybrid networks. |
| C4ISRNET | Courtney Albon | 09-15-2023 Space-based communications market is dominated by SpaceX’s Starlink constellation. Longstanding satellite operators like OneWeb and Intelsat are positioning themselves to compete in military and government services. OneWeb has launched hundreds of satellites and is set to merge with Eutelsat, a French SATCOM provider. The merger will allow OneWeb to expand its coverage to new orbits. Intelsat has also been working to bolster its position in the SATCOM market by establishing its global government and satellite services business. The company is also looking to expand its global, GEO-based satellite network to include operations in medium Earth orbit. |
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🛡️Satellite Cybersecurity News |
| Wired | Justin Ling | 09-25-2023 Amid increasing internet censorship, cybersecurity researchers have devised a novel solution called eQsat, a trojan horse in the form of a satellite feed disguised as a television station. It carries uncensored news and information, evading repressive regimes' efforts to shut down access to the open internet. eQualitie, the cybersecurity firm behind eQsat, aims to help civil societies in countries with aggressive internet filtering. While this solution has limitations, such as one-way communication, it presents a new tactic to counter internet censorship. However, it remains a constant cat-and-mouse game with authoritarian regimes. Internet shutdowns are on the rise, and eQsat is one example of innovative attempts to combat this challenge. |
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| | Space.com | Mike Wall | 09-28-2023 Iran's Revolutionary Guards launched its third military satellite, Noor 3, on September 27, 2023, atop a Qasem rocket. Noor 3 is an imaging satellite and will likely work in concert with Noor 2, which was launched in March 2022. The United States and its allies watch Iran's launch activity vigilantly because the rockets used to launch satellites are similar to missiles that can deliver weapons. |
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🏛️US Government Satellite News |
| The Verge | Jon Porter | 09-28-2023 SpaceX has won a one-year contract with the US Space Force to provide satellite communications via its Starshield program. The deal is worth up to $70 million and will support 54 mission partners across the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard. Starshield is a secured satellite network for government entities that will be offered alongside SpaceX's civilian-focused Starlink satellite internet service. The services will be provided over SpaceX's existing Starlink satellites. The deal comes after a period of intense scrutiny of SpaceX's role in Ukraine, where it has provided internet connectivity to the country's military. SpaceX founder Elon Musk has said that Starshield will be owned by the US government and controlled by the Department of Defense Space Force, leaving Starlink as a civilian network that's not a participant to combat. |
| Forbes | Loren Thompson | 09-28-2023 The US military is increasingly reliant on space systems, but Russia and China are developing capabilities to disable them. The US is responding by reorganizing its space activities, creating a Space Force, and dedicating more money to securing its space advantages. A new Pentagon report outlines six generic options for defending US space systems: disaggregation, distribution, diversification, protection, proliferation, and deception. The report also emphasizes greater reliance on commercial space systems and cooperation with allies. Space has become more than an enabler of military operations, it is now a warfighting domain in its own right. The Pentagon must therefore posture for fighting far above the traditional fields of battle. |
| Breaking Defense | Theresa Hitchens | 09-25-2023 Virginia-based startup BlueHalo has passed a first milestone in testing of a new antenna system to upgrade the Space Force's antiquated Satellite Control Network (SCN). SpRCO, created by Congress in the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act awarded a contract to BlueHalo for demonstration and delivery of its BADGER system, a multi-band, deployable ground terminal. BlueHalo is moving rapidly to a full-scale BADGER build next year. The initial SCAR program plan was to field 12 of the BADGER units, but that plan is somewhat up in the air due to a lack of funds. |
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