SATMAGAZINE WORLDWIDE SATELLITE MAGAZINE JUNE 2020
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Worldwide Satellite Magazine
SatMagazine June 2020
Cover image is courtesy of BlackSky.
Publishing Operations Senior Columnists This Issue’s Authors
Silvano Payne, Publisher + Executive Writer Chris Forrester, Broadgate Publications Sandro Delucia
Simon Payne, Chief Technical Officer Karl Fuchs, iDirect Government Services Brad Grady
Hartley G. Lesser, Editorial Director Bob Gough, Goonhilly Earth Station Ryan O’Hara
Pattie Lesser, Executive Editor Rebecca M. Cowen-Hirsch, Inmarsat Shivaprakash Muruganandham
Donald McGee, Production Manager Ken Peterman, Viasat Lluc Palerm
Andy Bernard, Sales Director Giles Peeters, Track24 Defence Carlos Placido
Teresa Sanderson, Operations Director Koen Willems, Newtec Vivek Suresh Prassad
Sean Payne, Business Development Director Daniel Smith
Dan Makinster, Technical Advisor Peter Wegner
Table of Contents Advertiser Index
InfoBeam
Thales Alenia Space: 4 Advantech Wireless Technologies, Inc. (A Baylin Company) . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
World Teleport Association: 6 Arabsat Satellite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Virgin Orbit: 14 AvL Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
RHEA Group: 15 Comtech EF Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Kleos Space + Global Spatial Technology Solutions: 25 CPI Satcom Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions: 53 DH Satellite (DH Antenna) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Thales Alenia Space: 26 Es’hailSat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Euroconsult: 28 Gilat Satellite Networks - Wavestream . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Globalstar: 29 Hughes Network Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
eSAT Global + G8Way Technologies: 42 Isotropic Networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 (Cover)
SpaceX Demo-2 Mission: 58 + 59 Kratos Defense and Security Solutions, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
Features Radeus Labs, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Productive Isolation: A Forced Moment Of Reflection . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 RF-Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
by Daniel Smith, AstroAgency Santander Teleport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Executive Spotlight: Charles Miller, CEO, Lynk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Satellite Innovation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Optimizing A CubeSat With Architected Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 SatService GmbH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
by Ryan O’Hara, nTopology Singapore Exhibition Services — ConnecTechAsia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Seraphim Space 2020 Predictions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 SpaceBridge (formerly Advantech Satellite Networks) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Driving Workforce Development + Economic Opportunity . . . . . . . . . .32 W.B. Walton Enterprises, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Considerations Before Boarding The Digitalization Voyage . . . . . . . . . .38
by Sandro Delucia, Speedcast
Space Innovations Are Closing The Journey of Distance And Time . . . .40
by Dr. Peter Wegner, BlackSky Global
Satellite Technologies Empower Business Ops In The Northern Sea Route . . .44
Satellite Ground Network Virtualization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
by Carlos Placido, Brad Grady, Lluc Palerm,Vivek Suresh Prassad and Shivaprakash Muruganandham
SatMagazine is published 11 times a year by Satnews Publishers, 800 Siesta Way, Sonoma, CA, 95476 — USA.
Phone: (707) 939-9306 / Fax: (707) 939-9235 © 2020 Satnews Publishers
We reserve the right to edit all submitted materials to meet publication content guidelines, as well as for grammar and spelling errors, or to move articles to an alternative issue to
accommodate publication space requirements, or remove content due to space restrictions or unacceptable content. Submission of articles does not constitute acceptance of said
material by Satnews Publishers. Edited materials may, or may not, be returned to author and/or company for review prior to publication. The views expressed in Satnews Publishers’
various publications do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Satnews Publishers. All rights reserved. All included imagery is courtesy of, and copyright to, the respective
companies and/or named individuals.
SatMagazine Page 2 June 2020
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InfoBeam
Title A PROMISE for Thales Alenia Space
This is a fully innovative concept of a library
open to all countries in the European Union that
will contain the processing units for future space
missions for telecommunications, navigation, Earth
Observation (EO) and exploration.
According to Ángel Álvaro, who is responsible
for R&D at Thales Alenia Space, added that this
system of blocks already existed in the digital
arena but not in the analog arena. The company
will be able to build in a single chip systems that
include both parts, thereby sensibly reducing the
cost and size of the circuits. From taking
measurements, to controlling a camera,
controlling a motor... all within a single chip. This
is really an important step for the future of the
European space industry.”
Moreover, a prototype chip will be produced to
guarantee the proper functionality of all library
contents. The project team estimates a 20 to 40%
reduction in the lead time for new Mixed Signal ASIC
fully based on the PROMISE library. In terms of cost,
the design and production of a new Mixed Signal
ASIC will be reduced by a factor of 5, meaning that
Thales Alenia Space leads the consortium of a project called the number of recurrent units needed to make a new design profitable
PROMISE (PROgrammable MIxed Signal Electronics) that will will go from 200 (with the current technology) down to 85.
provide technological independence to Europe in future space This project will enable the design of many of the chips that will be
missions and guarantee its competitiveness in the field. used in future satellite megaconstellations. Considering a single ASIC
based on PROMISE per constellation, it means a volume close to
PROMISE, which will debut in 2022, is an integral part of the 3,000 units over 5 years. The project follows the trends in the sector:
HORIZON 2020 research and innovation program of the European the space market is increasingly trending toward satellite
Commission, which has European autonomy in space as one of its miniaturization and mass production for constellations, drastically
pillars. The European aerospace industry depends today on non- reducing production costs and accelerating development cycles.
European countries, such as the USA, where most of the Mixed Signal These trends, combined with initiatives to reduce launch costs, will
ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit) are produced, the make space more accessible to the independent private sector,
electronic chips considered to be the “brains” of the satellites and scientists, academia and the population at large.
one of the elements that are more costly to produce. Thales Alenia Space in Spain is leading the PROMISE consortium
The PROMISE project will develop a library of blocks designed and along with major satellite manufacturer Thales Alenia Space in France,
tested to be used in these chips, allowing to cut by one third the lead plus the small businesses ISD (Greece) and MENTA (France), and the
time of these satellite components and to sensibly reducing its cost. R&T institutes IMEC (Belgium), IT (Portugal) and VTT (Finland). The
Eduardo Bellido, the CEO of Thales Alenia Space in Spain, said the PROMISE project was officially kicked off in Tres Cantos (Madrid) on
company is proud to lead from Spain a revolutionary and pioneering January 24, 2020.
initiative in the continent that will enable the development of Despite the current global situation caused by COVID-19, the
satellites fully “Made in Europe.” PROMISE will position the European partners have already started working on the project. The final
space industry at the forefront of cost-competitive solutions and results will be presented to end-users and the general public in a
enable participating companies to take a leading role in the space workshop scheduled for the second half of 2022.
projects of the future.
www.thalesgroup.com/en/global/activities/space
SatMagazine Page 4 June 2020
InfoBeam
World Teleport Assocation Tackles Cybercriminals Vs. Teleports
Title
The World Teleport Association (WTA) has
released How Cybercriminals Break into Your
Teleport, a new research report that shares
insights about how hackers operate and what
vulnerabilities they look for in a teleport. The
report pushes past confusing jargon to arm
readers with the knowledge needed to make the
right cybersecurity choices for their teleports.
“It’s tough for the executives of small-to-midsize
teleport operations to provide adequate
protection against cyberthreats,” said executive
director and report author Robert Bell, adding,
“There are so many competing priorities for
investment and management attention. The
jargon of cybersecurity can also be hard to
penetrate to find real answers. In this report, we
cut through the jargon to focus on the
motivations and methods of the people on the
other end of the cyberattack. Understanding
them better equips executives to decide on
priorities and make smart investments.”
WTA Members can access the report by
signing in to their accounts on the WTA website.
This report is available exclusively to WTA
Members — access this direct infolink for
additional information...
Every discussion of cybersecurity descends,
sooner or later, into a fog of words that only
people who are cybersecurity experts
understand. They can talk all day about cross-site
scripting, SQL injection and buffer overflow
vulnerabilities — and decision-makers will be
none the wiser.
What’s missing is a shared understanding of — not what the bad Since 1985, the World Teleport
guys are doing — but how they go about their work. Association (www.worldteleport.org) has focused on improving
When you understand how hackers work, decisions about what to the business of satellite communications from the ground up. At
defend and how best to defend it gets easier. the core of its membership are the world's most innovative
As any cybersecurity expert will tell you, the biggest risks you face operators of teleports, from independents to multinationals,
come from people who have painstakingly honed the skills needed to niche service providers to global carriers. WTA is dedicated to
break into your digital domain and find your valuables. How do they advocating for the interests of teleport operators in the global
go about targeting your teleport and breaking through its defences? telecommunications market and promoting excellence in teleport
Cybersecurity will always be complex, but it is an activity conducted business practice, technology and operations.
by human beings, and to know them is to know the real enemy.
www.worldteleport.org/
SatMagazine Page 6 June 2020
Productive Isolation: A Forced Moment of Reflection
By Daniel Smith, Founder and Creative Director, AstroAgency
With the flourishing satellite market, the rapid growth of the There is no doubt that the commercial space sector lacks immunity
nanosat market segment and the evolution of smallsat launchers, from the current situation. It is an unexpected and unsettling time for
to complement the markets for the larger GEO satellites and us all and a deeply concerning time for the industry. The OneWeb
Remote Sensing satellites, space is an ever-increasing success story news seemed to come out of nowhere, as the COVID-19 era claimed
for economies around the world. its first major space scalp.
Launches have been stood down around the world. Project
With higher productivity and skills than many industries, current revenue developments in satellites and launchers have had to be frozen. The
of $350 billion per annum, and projected revenues of more than $1 only real glimmer of a silver lining is that we are all in this together,
trillion by 2040, there are a number of reasons to find encouragement collectively sharing the same difficulties and worries, on a scale that
from the eye of this particularly brutal economic and public health our industry, and indeed the whole of humanity, has not experienced
storm. for decades, if ever, before now.
SatMagazine Page 8 June 2020
Yet, while certainly not attempting to play
down the serious and tragic human health factor
in any way, or the job losses and hits
reverberating outside of the space sector, we
need to search for opportunities that we can
gain from this awful situation, in order to help us
rise above the dark clouds.
Society understandably devotes a lot of time
focusing on countless negatives and potential
long-term ill effects of the virus on people’s lives
and world economies; however, we should also
take a moment to analyze, evaluate and
generally find upsides from a situation that
leaves us little choice to do much more.
At the start of the Coronavirus situation, our
team would keep each other positive by now
and again adding “#ProductiveIsolation” at the
end of emails, or saying the phrase as we signed
off from teleconferences. Like the many space
startups in the UK and around the world, we
knew that our jobs would be put under
significant strain for the foreseeable future, with
potential clients throughout the space sector
sure to think twice about investing with a new
communications partner, while current clients
would look for ways to cut costs and, for once,
marketing would top their list. Yet, we also
realized that this would be a chance to complete
the tasks that we had been putting off, usually
favouring the endless pursuit of the next lead.
Our focus had to switch to finding ways to
stay productive and positive, essentially
mitigating the inevitable damage by boosting
our results in other areas. We are fortunate not to
have manufacturing facilities or teams of
engineers that would be unable to work during
this period, in fact, as a company that was built around the idea of On a personal level, you may be considering finally picking up that
using remote working to allow our employees to cover as many guitar or taking those Spanish lessons and in the same way, there are
geographical space clusters as possible whilst keeping our carbon items on our business ‘to-do’ lists that we’ve been putting off for
footprint low, we are fortunate enough to be used to remote working. months and months, tasks that are there for good reason, but that
The key to survival though, would be our ability to remain never seem to rise to the summit of priority mountain. During a
constructive during the quiet weeks of intense isolation ahead. period where we are physically restricted from doing other things,
Space is no different from any other industry in the way that isn’t it time to elevate some of these neglected tasks and finally get
organizations set priorities and collect tasks on their ‘to-do’ lists. Now, them done?
in the current situation, it may be time for us to finally cross certain One particular item that is often low on the list of space industry
tasks off. organizations is sharing news on recent developments. Our sector is
always so focused on the next milestone, the next test, the next
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www.spacebridge.comtechnological advancement. And rightly so, with investors to please If you have been operating in the space industry for years,
and developmental targets to hit — however, we often forget that generating revenues and have never felt the need to ‘shout’ about
those same investors, as well as our team members and, indeed, the your achievements because you are fortunate enough to have a full
general public, want to hear about and share progress. order book, then that is undoubtedly a great position to be in.
For a sector that is more exciting than any other, we often struggle If COVID-19 has proven anything, it is that the commercial
to take a moment to broadcast our success stories, organizational environment can change very rapidly, and even the most profitable
changes and future plans. Yet, every day, there are organisations all companies cannot afford to become complacent. Putting sales orders
over the world doing astounding things in the space sector, activities aside, what about brand awareness and company value? What about
that they simply don’t take the time to celebrate publicly, or which looking for new methods to improve return on investment? What
they are too modest to shout about, much to the detriment of about the competitor that is determined to move ahead of your
company morale, brand awareness and wider industry well-being. business and is right now planning how he or she can promote their
Your brand awareness counts and now might just be the time to organization’s strengths? What about inspiring your staff, not to
boost it. mention enthusing future generations of scientists and engineers,
Given that the space sector is a vibrant industry that focuses on whilst reaching out to new partners that can expand your technical
doing genuine good for the planet and its inhabitants, whether that and business applications in ways you had not even considered? And
be though the provision of internet across difficult to reach locations, what about strengthening your connections with your existing client
satellite navigation, remote sensing for agriculture, fisheries and base, and enriching the value of those relationships?
urban planning, the Internet of Things (IoT), the monitoring of forest It’s likely that this period could be used to grow your social media
fires and, indeed, the wider effects of climate change, it is perhaps a presence, or to set up an editorial in space journals and publications,
surprise that there is not wider awareness in the importance of space or secure speaking slots at virtual conferences to help educate the
to people in their everyday lives. wider community regarding your achievements. You could take
Put simply, space supportsmany individual’s daily activities and advantage of a rare opportunity to project your sector knowledge as
benefits them in ways they are frequently unaware of, not to mention thought leadership.
the economic positives brought about from the support of supply Why not seize this rare moment to turn at least some of the
chains everywhere. Raising awareness of the positive work being negatives into a positive, and cross off the “share news” or “update
carried out by companies throughout the global space market is a website content” task from your list?
collective challenge that can be solved if companies each take a Eventually, this dystopian situation will improve and we will come
moment to highlight the individual role they play. out of it. Whether everything will return to ‘normal’ is difficult to say
This positive promotion could have a range of benefits for us all for some, but the space sector is in a strong position to drive growth
including, but certainly not limited to, gaining and maintaining and lead the recovery through manufacturing products and enabling
sufficient investment for the longer development timescales normally applications that will help us better understand not just this virus, but
associated with space related projects. the next challenges coming our way.
The old adage that engineers and technical experts are not Our industry is a real force for good and can become so much
interested in marketing themselves may be exaggerated, but it is greater still. Given the strong underlying need for the space industry
not completely false. During a period where clients and orders are to underpin other sectors and help return them to growth, space
being threatened, would it not make sense to wave a flag and bring activity will not only survive, but thrive.
in new leads? However, if you want to do more than survive, if you want your
With this unexpected period of reflection, more than ever before, individual organization to come out of this crisis stronger in certain
we have a chance to tidy up our shop window and prepare for the areas than you were before, and better prepared than competitors, to
future — starting with finding new opportunities to boost our re-start operations, then our advice would be to embrace your ‘to do’
business in preparation for the moment that isolation ends, by list, turn it upside down and start practicing #ProductiveIsolation.
showcasing the positives being generated from the work that you do.
Ultimately, we all need customers. Commercial space is built on www.astroagency.co.uk
the requirement for revenue generation and growth. Your clients of
Photos are courtesy of Unsplash, Franki Chamaki and Brent Cox
today and tomorrow will want to know your story and there is no
better time to tell it, to demonstrate the positives around what makes
your work different and important enough to be shared.
SatMagazine Page 12 June 2020InfoBeam
TitleVirgin Orbit's Demo Mission: The Good + the Not-So-Good
Virgin Orbit conducted a launch demo of the company's air- Virgin Orbit’s decision to begin production of multiple rockets well in
launched rocket on May 25 in the skies over the Pacific Ocean, advance of this test flight will enable the team to progress to the next
just off the California coast. attempt at a significantly faster pace, shortly after making any
necessary modifications to the launch system.
The company successfully completed all of the pre-launch
procedures, the captive carry flight out to the drop site, clean Virgin Orbit CEO Dan Hart said that the team
telemetry lock from multiple dishes, a smooth pass through the performed their prelaunch and flight operations with
racetrack, terminal count, and a clean release. incredible skill. Test flights are instrumented to yield
data and we now have a treasure trove of that. We
After being released from the carrier aircraft, the LauncherOne rocket accomplished many of the goals set for this flight,
successfully lighted its booster engine on cue — the first time the though not as many as all would have liked.
company had attempted an in-air ignition. Nevertheless, this is a big step forward. The Virgin
Orbit engineers are already poring through the data. and the next
An anomaly then occurred early in first stage flight, and the mission rocket is waiting. The company will learn, adjust and begin preparing
safely terminated. The carrier aircraft Cosmic Girl and all of its crew for the next test, which is coming up soon.
landed safely at Mojave Air and Space Port, concluding the mission.
virginorbit.com
The company’s next rocket is in final stages of integration at their
Long Beach manufacturing facility, with a half-dozen other rockets for
subsequent missions not far behind.
SatMagazine Page 14 June 2020InfoBeam
Title Why the time for a cyber-range is now...
At a time when providing space capabilities is shifting from the
preserve of governments to the private sector, there’s an
increasing need to use cyber to secure space assets, including
orbital, ground, links and people.
This type of capability is already in use around the world, albeit
mainly behind the closed doors of government or agency
establishments. However, the emergence of commercially available
cyber-ranges provides the opportunity to cost-effectively analyse the
cyber threat, assess vulnerabilities and design responses in the
space domain.
RHEA Group provides such a
Hit Your Target
capability for ESA, based in Redu,
Belgium. The first dedicated Cyber
Range for Space, the facility provides the
capability to create virtual architectures,
including space and, when required, non-
space asset emulation.
This enables operator training and
system of systems test and evaluation, and
provides a safe and secure setting to
understand and successfully manage space
operations in a hostile cyber environment.
Having an ability to understand and
protect our own space assets and
capabilities from cyber threats doesn’t
mean we can or should stop assessing the
international context.
It is urgent that a flexible, multilateral
space and cybersecurity regime is
developed. It may be that we take a leaf
out of the approach taken by the space
community in terms of promoting
behavioural norms; creating an
international ‘community of the willing’
made up of able states and other critical
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NASA’s Evolutionary Xenon Thruster; Image: NASA
CEFD_SatMag 2_3_Target_2020.indd 1 12/10/19 1:13 PM
SatMagazine Page 15 June 2020The first cell tower in space. Image is courtsy of Lynk.
Executive Spotlight: Charles Miller
Chief Executive Officer, Lynk
Charles Miller is co-founder and CEO of Good day, Mr. Miller. Would you please tell the readers of
Lynk. He is a serial space entrepreneur with your background and why you are particularly suited to
30 years’ experience in the space bring Lynk’s mission to fruition?
industry. Charles has been the founder or co-
founder of multiple private ventures and Charles Miller (CM)
organizations. He is a national leader in the Lynk is doing something that most people said was impossible. Bringing
creation and development of public-private “Lynk’s mission to fruition” required ignoring conventional wisdom and
partnerships in commercial space to serve going to first principles. It also required deep knowledge of space
public needs. technology and an entrepreneurial mindset and persistence. As a serial
space entrepreneur who started his career in the 1980s, I have
One of Charles’ previous startups is NanoRacks, which has accumulated decades of space tech knowledge, some of which is only
delivered more than 700 payloads to space and is the current now becoming useful. Plus, I have inherited my Mom’s stubborn streak.
world leader in nanosatellite launches. Charles served as NASA’s If you look at the background of my career you will notice some
Senior Advisor for Commercial Space from 2009-2012 where he themes… not following the crowd, a willingness to be misunderstood
advised NASA leadership on commercial public private and be looked on as a “radical,” and a willingness to ask lots of
partnerships. At NASA, he managed USG teams that developed questions and risk looking stupid. Or you can just call me stubborn.
strategies for commercial development of reusable launch
vehicles, on-orbit satellite servicing, orbital debris removal, Having founded NanoRacks, certainly one of the leading
microgravity applications, lunar development, space firms involved in smallsat mission launches, what drew
communications, and space solar power. Charles’ clients have you to create and also run Lynk in the first place?
included NASA, DARPA, the USAF, and many private commercial
space firms.
SatMagazine Page 16 June 2020Astronauts at ISS with the Lynk payload. Photo is courtesy of NASA. CM stimulating commercial space. Around 2010-11, it became clear to me I was looking for the killer app for small satellites. My search for the that cubesats were ready for prime time. When I left NASA in 2012, I killer app for small satellites actually came before Nanoracks. put together a team to search again for the “killer app” for small In 2004-2005, when my Nanoracks co-founder, David Anderman, satellites. We examined a lot of ideas, most of which we threw away and I first discussed the ideas that became Nanoracks, we were both as “not good enough.” focused on “What can we do with these things called ‘cubesats’ that The crystallizing idea for what became Lynk came from our co- are coming out of universities?” founder, Margo Deckard, who was doing data analytics for a nonprofit We agreed that, someday, cubesats would become good enough to on the use of satellite terminals to help with the Ebola crisis in Africa. do some great things. But at that time, cubesats had significant The non-profit had provided aid workers with satellite terminals to shortcomings across a series of issues. David and I agreed that these communicate and wanted to know how they were being used. It was small satellites were not yet ready for prime time, but that someday very difficult to get the satellite antennas into Africa, and they were so they would be. expensive that you could not put them everywhere they were needed. David then came up with the brilliant idea to marry cubesats with the They did not scale well. International Space Station (ISS), which we also had been studying. We Margo noticed that most of the Ebola aid workers were using these fleshed out David’s idea, built the plan, which became Nanoracks. In satellite antennas to send text messages from their phone. She then 2008, we spun Nanoracks out of Constellation Services International asked me “Can you connect a satellite directly to a phone?” While (our company at the time) to become its own separate company. conventional wisdom suggested this was impossible… the job of the I then went to work at NASA Headquarters as a NASA senior entrepreneur is to find areas where conventional wisdom is wrong. That advisor for commercial space, where I led a NASA-wide activity at is where the big opportunities lie. SatMagazine Page 17 June 2020
Since that moment, my team has invented a series of How will the service be delivered?
breakthrough innovations and has now proven that we
can do it from space. It helps to surround yourself with CM
brilliant people such as my co-founders Margo The service will be sold to phone subscribers through their Mobile
Deckard and Tyghe Speidel, who invented many of Network Operators (MNOs). We want to make the experience as
our key technologies and a number of others at Lynk. seamless as possible to the end user. You will have one phone, and one
phone plan. How you pay for this depends on your phone company.
Mr. Miller, what, exactly, is Lynk? Eventually, every MNO in the world will use Lynk’s service — it will just
be the way it is done.
CM Today, Lynk has signed trial agreements with more than three dozen
Lynk has developed the technology that allows a partners, including more than two dozen MNOs representing approximately
satellite in orbit to connect directly to the standard 1.5 billion mobile phone subscribers in more than 60 countries.
mobile in your pocket. No change to the phone How will the “cell network in space” be implemented? We will take
Margo Deckard (top), required. Lynk is building a constellation of satellites a phased approach to launching our mega constellation of satellites
Tyghe Speidel (bottom).
that will connect your phone to the wireless phone into orbit. We will start building a big constellation of several thousand
network anywhere in the world. micro satellites in Earth orbit around 500 km in altitude. However, we
This has major implications for how you live your life, your think it is dumb idea to make people wait five years for us to build the
productivity, your safety, and the safety of your friends and family. Lynk full constellation before beginning to use our service. We can start
is a safety net for people working or traveling in remote locations and providing periodic services early on. After launching only a few dozen
providing relief agencies and first responders a highly reliable means spacecraft, we will start providing people with periodic once-per-hour
of communication when responding to natural disasters. coverage in remote and rural areas.
Once per hour service is a big deal in remote areas where you have
How does the technology work? zero connectivity — it could save your life or transform your farming or
fishing business. As we continue to launch spacecraft, it will become
CM once every 30 minutes, then once every 10 minutes, then it will be
Mobile phones connected to terrestrial towers generally have a range continuous. But we will be making money while this is happening.
limited to around 35 kilometers if the line-of-sight is not interrupted by
hills, buildings or foliage. The signal can travel much further, but the Has Lynk demo’d the company’s connectivity
reception range is artificially limited by the highly accurate time frames capabilities? If so, please tell us about the results.
of the mobile phone protocol. However, with Lynk’s patented
technology, the phone signal can reach a satellite flying across the sky CM
in a 500 kilometer altitude orbit. On February 24, 2020, Lynk achieved a world first when it successfully
Our satellites are sensitive enough to connect to your phone. sent a text message from a satellite in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to an
Because there is so much overwhelming demand from the 5.2 billion ordinary mobile phone on Earth. We have posted a recording of this
phone users, we plan to start with text messaging, after which we will event on our website. Lynk successfully repeated the test multiple times,
grow to broadband services directly to your phone. Lynk’s technology including with independent observers. This breakthrough represents a
will allow standard mobile phones, without any changes in hardware key step in advancing Lynk’s vision to provide broadband connectivity
or software, to stay connected everywhere on the planet — no matter everywhere, directly to your phone.
what happens.
Has the company managed to bring MNO partners into the
fold? If so, could you tell us who those partners are and
what the subscriber service will require of Lynk.
SatMagazine Page 18 June 2020CM When you review your career to date, when you think back
Lynk has signed trial agreements with more than two dozen Mobile upon all of the assignments you have handled, which
Network Operators (MNOs) representing approximately 1.5 billion bring a true sense of satisfaction to you?
mobile phone subscribers in more than 60 countries. We are not
disclosing the names of the MNOs at this time. CM
In the 1980s and 1990s, I was a leader in the grassroots space
What is the ultimate goal of Lynk? movement before I started my first space company. In the face of huge
resistance, we articulated the “NewSpace” vision that space commerce
CM and “cheap access to space” were the keys to opening the space
Our goal is to provide everyone everywhere mobile connectivity. We frontier for humanity, and the key to bringing more of the benefits of
want to change your life for the better with connectivity, no matter what. space to Earth.
If you have a bad day, our goal is to be there to help save your life. We persuaded Congress to pass a law in 1996 requiring NASA to
When hurricanes or earthquakes take out the phone towers, there will buy “commercial space station cargo delivery services,” which many
be immediate and instant backup for emergency responders to save thought was a crazy idea. We were the radicals.
you and your loved ones. When fires or tornados threaten to destroy Today, watching all the successful companies that have been created,
your remote community, you will receive timely notice and be given watching NASA change how it does space, and watching the rapid
effective directions on what you need to do. When your truck, boat, development of reusable launch vehicles by companies like SpaceX and
ATV, or snowmobile breaks down in a remote area, or you break your Blue Origin, brings a great sense of satisfaction.
leg while hiking in the mountains, you will always be able to call for
help. Nobody should ever die because they have a phone in their lynk.world
pocket that was not connected.
What crucial challenges do you foresee for the satellite
communications industry this year? What solutions do
you believe could offset some of those concerns and how
could they be applied to drive successful
implementations?
CM
With the COVID-19 crisis, I think we are going to see the collapse of a
lot of satellite ventures, as well as bankruptcies in adjacent industries,
such as small satellite launch. I worry that the investment industry will
get the wrong lesson from so many failures and cut off future investment
to the next crop of NewSpace ventures.
Select this direct link to view an extended Lynk video...
While the excuse will be COVID-19, I think the real lesson is you
need to understand space technology and have a well thought out
business model. I hope investors learn the difference between a good
business model and a bad business model. Because the day is coming
soon when we will have fully reusable launch vehicles from companies
like SpaceX and Blue Origin. When they start flying everything is
going to change, and a lot more investment will be poured into the
space industry.
SatMagazine Page 19 June 2020Optimizing A CubeSat With Architected Materials
Designing for additive manufacturing enables higher performance and lighter weight
By Ryan O’Hara, nTopology
In today’s strategic information environment, the ability to rapidly some researchers are taking a closer look at additive manufacturing
respond to ever-changing technology needs is an essential asset (AM, aka — 3D printing). By leveraging a computational, Architected
for any organization that provides critical services to its customers. Materials approach to designing the bus, this primary physical
structure upon which the satellite subsystems are mounted can be
Perhaps nowhere else is this more prevalent than in the high-demand made lighter, stronger and quickly re-sizeable to accommodate
field of space operations. With the recent revolution in launch and specific satellite loads.
exploration through private and commercial options, there is an The structural bus forms the backbone of the satellite and provides
unprecedented opportunity for increased space access. the basic infrastructure necessary for the satellite to function. The
One avenue for access that has garnered significant attention of late physical modularity of the bus and payload system allows for a
is “ridesharing,” a popular methodology for launching numerous smallsat to be easily configured. However, there is a significant
satellite payloads together on a structural “bus” into Low Earth Orbit process expense when satellite integrators are forced to manage and
(LEO). Such shared payloads can host a variety of smallsats, often control the use of high-failure fasteners and complex assembly
grouped in multiple 10 cm cubic units, with the 3Unit cubesat being processes to prevent these fasteners from loosening during operation.
the most popular. Some 1,000 cubesSats have been launched as of
January 2019, most of them successfully. Functions of the satellites Software for AM Enables Creation of Architected Materials
include Earth Observations (EO), amateur radio, scientific experiments,
and more. Researchers at the U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) have
The use of cubesats is enabling a shift in focus from large single leveraged advanced computational engineering and design software
satellites to smaller distributed networks of multiple ones. As an capabilities to increase the stiffness of a structural bus while reducing
aggregate, these can provide capabilities similar to larger satellites, but weight, part count, and delivery lead time. Space satellites require
through a much lower-cost and lower-risk system. materials with superior stiffness to weight ratios to provide structural
With increased use of these smallsats and the need for design and integrity while minimizing mass.
performance optimization of the structural bus that supports them,
Image 1 a,b,c,d. (Left-to-right): Previous aluminum alloy cubesat bus (chassis) design, and close-up detail, contrasted with Inconel cubesat bus redesign and close-up detail. The
direct-to-manufacturing capability in nTop Platform software enabled the creation of an additively manufactured alternative structure that was half the weight of the aluminum alloy
design, with a 20 percent increase in stiffness.
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CPI SMP Satcom Products | www.cpii.com | satcommarketing@cpii.com | +1 (669) 275-2744Designing a high-stiffness structural bus was made possible through
the reduction in its volume via a three-dimensional honeycomb
structure. This structure was composed of unit cells of a thin-wall, triply
periodic minimal surface (TPMS) known as a gyroid.
Experimental tests were performed to identify the unit cell type,
period, and size that would deliver the highest stiffness to weight unit
cell for a 3U cubesat structural bus.
Several critical technologies were used to produce a cubesat that
could be rapidly built with AM equipment driven by nTop Platform
software and its advanced-geometry engine. The software delivers an
algorithm-based modeling environment that enables engineers to
create lightweight and optimized parts with functional requirements
built directly into the model.
Critical to the reduction in weight for this cubesat bus was the use of
a high stiffness thin-walled structure capable of meeting the launch and
payload delivery requirements of a launch-provider customer.
Designing a high-stiffness structural bus was made possible through
the reduction in its volume via a three-dimensional honeycomb
structure. This structure was composed of unit cells of a thin-wall, triply
periodic minimal surface (TPMS) known as a gyroid.
Experimental tests were performed to identify the unit cell type,
period, and size that would deliver the highest stiffness to weight unit
cell for a 3U cubesat structural bus.
The modeling technology in the software made it possible to
perform a design of experiments (DOE) that enabled the identification
of the highest stiffness-to-weight structure extremely quickly.
(Please see Image 2.)
Identifying the Optimal Material, Designing it for AM
The researchers explored the potential of various metamaterials for the
bus structure via computational evaluation. Using the software to query
the performance of thin-wall periodic implicit surfaces, they identified
a superior stiffness-weight ratio thickness, periodicity value and low
coefficient of thermal expansion with Inconel718.
Image 2. (Top) internal lattice and gyroid design options generated in nTopology software This Nickel Super Alloy is of higher density than the lower-density
and (bottom) 3D-printed samples of options printed on a Concept Laser M2 Cusing machine.
aluminum alloy that has been more traditionally used for satellite
Several critical technologies were used to produce a cubesat that chassis; using Inconel718 enabled the production of a metal material
could be rapidly built with AM equipment driven by nTop Platform structure with much finer features as compared to using the aluminum
software and its advanced-geometry engine. The software delivers an alloy. Application of this ideal structure and material to a lightweight
algorithm-based modeling environment that enables engineers to 3U cubesat bus design enabled a lighter and stiffer chassis than would
create lightweight and optimized parts with functional requirements have been possible with the traditional alloy.
built directly into the model. Next, the software’s Direct-To-Manufacture (DTM) capability made it
Critical to the reduction in weight for this cubesat bus was the use of possible to realize the production of the minimized wall thickness
a high stiffness thin-walled structure capable of meeting the launch and design of the cubesat (just 250 microns).
payload delivery requirements of a launch-provider customer.
SatMagazine Page 22 June 2020Image 3. (Clockwise from left) Additively manufactured cubesat bus sections on the build platform as removed from the Concept Laser AM; a top-down view showing the gyroid design inside
the extremely thin walls that provided stiffness and durability; a software image showing the complexity of the gyroid design enabled by the implicit-algorithm based, field-driven design
technology of nTop Platform.
This software-driven, manufacturing output technology provides an Upon completion of the design, a fully printed and secondarily
unprecedented level of control of the fabrication process that was processed cubesat was achieved in 3.5 business days. The structural
previously unachievable in other geometry creation and bus was evaluated and certified to meet the requirements for launch
editing software. Inherent to this is the ability to slice the native model using a shaker table and NASA GEVS launch profile certification
to prepare it for manufacturing without the need to generate an methodology.
intermediate STL file—which historically has created significant speed With a short delivery time, it is now possible to produce a cubesat
bumps to production in AM systems. structural bus that can be easily reconfigured based on changing
satellite mission requirements.
Quality Parts, Faster Coupled with the ability to deliver this modularity with increased
stiffness and lower weight, this rapid capability represents a
The final key enabling technology associated with the new cubesat bus revolutionary step forward for the satellite design community.
design was the use of AM through the Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) For the study described here, a 3U cubesat was used for
process with a Concept laser M2 Cusing machine. demonstration purposes; however, larger AM machines could be used
Employing nTopology’s DTM technology and Inconel 718 (Nickel to enable much larger satellite systems (6U, 12U, 27U, etc.).
Super Alloy with) it was possible to realize a structure that was half the This ability to create and produce such advanced structures
weight of a similar aluminum alloy design with a 20 percent increase extremely rapidly is something that can be employed in a variety of
in stiffness. aerospace and other industrial applications.
By designing specifically for additive manufacturing, the
researchers were able to reduce the number of parts in their bus ntopology.com
design from 150 to less than 25, which represents a 6x reduction in www.afit.edu
possible failure locations due to vibration-induced loosening
of fasteners.
SatMagazine Page 24 June 2020InfoBeam
Kleos Space + Global Spatial Technology Solutions Engage in MoU
Title
Kleos Space S.A. (ASX: KSS, Frankfurt: KS1) has partnered with
GSTS to provide enhanced Maritime Domain Awareness
capability to GSTS’s OCIANA product suite.
GSTS (Global Spatial Technology Solutions) is a wholly-owned
Canadian company that provides innovative decision-support
solutions for the maritime market through the use of Artificial
Intelligence (AI) and Big Data analytics. GSTS predictive technologies
empower future-friendly decision-making to help the maritime,
security, logistics and service sectors navigate tomorrow... today.
Kleos data will provide a valuable addition to GSTS services and data
solutions by supporting vessel detection, classification and identification. Kleos’ satellites will be in a 37-degree inclination orbit, covering
crucial shipping regions for defense and security customers including
Kleos’ Scouting Mission satellites that are in Chennai, India, awaiting the Strait of Hormuz, South China Sea, Australian coast, Southern US
launch on Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) PSLV C49, will coast as well as the East and West African coast.
detect and geolocate maritime radio frequency transmissions to
provide global activity-based intelligence, enhancing the intelligence, The Memorandum of Agreement signed by Kleos and GSTS allows
surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities of governments and the companies to collaborate and develop marketable solutions
commercial entities when Automatic Identification System (AIS) is and to validate the technical feasibility and usability of
defeated, imagery unclear or targets out of patrol range. collaborative solutions.
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SatMagazine Page 25 June 2020InfoBeam
Future EGNOS navigation system upgrades contract from ESA goes to Thales Alenia Space
The European Space Agency (ESA) has awarded two contracts to The new concept would thus provide “safety of life” aeronautical
Thales Alenia Space, the joint company between Thales (67%) and services, including approaches with vertical guidance, thanks to inputs
Leonardo (33%), concerning EGNOS (European Geostationary from GPS and Galileo via EGNOS.
Navigation Overlay Service). “Today’s contracts are key for satellite navigation in Europe and
bolster Thales Alenia Space’s European leadership in state of art
These contracts, fully financed under the European Commission satellite navigation systems, including Safety of Life services”, said
H2020 programme concern study phases on the system evolution. Benoit Broudy, head of the Navigation business at Thales Alenia
They will call on Thales Alenia Space’s expertise as program prime Space in France. He added,“Our successes on export markets, as in
contractor for over 25 years to study and develop upgrades for the South Korea, validate our innovative approach that allows us to offer
EGNOS satellite navigation system. increasingly powerful and agile solutions to meet the evolving
The first contract concerns possible upgrades for EGNOS requirements of customers from around the world.”
aeronautical services, designed to improve performances in order to EGNOS, a European Union flagship program, is a satellite
increase landing safety under limited visibility conditions (from current navigation system designed to improve positioning signals delivered
CAT-I to CAT-II), over the current EGNOS footprint, focused on Europe. by GPS. Developed by Thales Alenia Space as prime contractor,
The second contract will study changes required to extend its EGNOS was first deployed in 2005, began operating in open service
aeronautical services worldwide. Based on state-of-the-art mode in 2009 and provided Safety of Life service starting in 2011. The
technologies, this upgrade will call on the A-RAIM (Advanced GNSS R&D activities are financed by the European Commission H2020
Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring) concept and the global programme. They are managed by the European Space Agency
coverage of the Galileo satnav constellation. through a delegation agreement from the European Commission.
RAIM is an already deployed technology that assesses the integrity
of signals in the receivers that are part of a global positioning system, www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2014/09/EGNOS_covering_Europe
mainly GPS. Galileo will now be incorporated in the advanced version
of this concept, A-RAIM, to provide enhanced horizontal guidance www.thalesgroup.com
performance, not possible with RAIM using only GPS.
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Euroconsult notes A COVID-19 setback for the maritime connectivity market
In its latest research titled, “Prospects for Maritime Satellite
Communications,” Euroconsult projects that the previously
growing maritime connectivity market will experience a Xavier noted that despite the presence of fixed contracts, docked
significant setback due to the Covid-19 pandemic. vessels will likely result in a lower average revenue per user for
connectivity services.
Maritime VSAT connectivity reached an all-time high of 28,200 The cruise industry was also a major demand driver for maritime
connected vessels at the end of 2019 but because of the current satellite connectivity. In some cases, service provider revenues
health crisis, the previous projection of 49,300 terminals by 2023 has reached $110,000 per month for the largest cruise ships. This is
been reduced to 40,600 units. expected to be the market segment most impacted by the current
In 2019, the Maritime satellite VSAT communications market health environment, with most ships temporarily docked.
experienced high growth with the total number of terminals Euroconsult forecasts that the cruise industry slowdown will
increasing by 17.5 percent year over year. continue for several years, prompting cost-reductions and delaying
VSAT services revenue grew by 11 percent to approach $1.3 demand for new vessels.
billion. Increasing demand from passengers, as well as regulatory Even as fast internet connectivity has become a requirement for
pressure on communications and crew welfare were major factors cruise ship passengers, there will be a sharp decrease in VSAT
pushing maritime operators to install new generation satellite systems services revenue in 2020 and projections are that it will take until 2025
on their vessels. for revenues to reach 2019 levels again.
Pacôme Révillon, CEO of Euroconsult, said that despite the current
setback, the fundamentals of maritime connectivity should continue www.euroconsult-
to apply, with strong demand from the shipping industry as well as for ec.com/shop/index.php?id_product=130&controller=product
leisure and business connectivity and operational applications. In light
of technology advances and the appetite for applications and
bandwidth, the company expects the industry to return to growth in
two years’ time.
He continued that the research provides detailed analysis of five
market segments including merchant shipping, the cruise industry,
offshore energy production, fishing, and private yachting, all of which
are expected to reflect some slowing in the current environment.
Merchant shipping is the largest market segment for VSAT with
17,700 connected vessels and revenues of $565 million in 2019.
Xavier Lansel, Senior Consultant at Euroconsult and Editor of the
“Prospects for Maritime Satellite Communications” research, noted
that because of the current limits on international trade and the
economic downturn resulting from the pandemic, new ship deliveries
and the subsequent VSAT installations they entail are forecast to slow.
SatMagazine Page 28 June 2020You can also read
