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CPI SMP Satcom Products | www.cpii.com | [email protected] | +1 (669) 275-2744 Publishing Operations Senior Columnists This Issue’s Authors Silvano Payne, Publisher + Executive Writer Chris Forrester, Broadgate Publications Martyn Acreman HU Hai Simon Payne, Chief Technical Officer Karl Fuchs, iDirect Government Services Brad Bode Mike McNally Hartley G. Lesser, Editorial Director Bob Gough, Goonhilly Earth Station Rob Coleman Alex Miller Pattie Lesser, Executive Editor Rebecca M. Cowen-Hirsch, Inmarsat Kevin Corbley Tore Morten Olsen Donald McGee, Production Manager Ken Peterman, Viasat Chris Forrester Brian Rider Andy Bernard, Sales Director Giles Peeters, Track24 Defence Chris Formeller Bob Stanton Teresa Sanderson, Operations Director Koen Willems, ST Engineering Newtec Simon Gwozdz Dana Turse Sean Payne, Business Development Director Dan Makinster, Technical Advisor

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The Forrester Report: OneWeb—One Step Forward… But… ...... 6 Advantech Wireless Technologies, Inc...... 9 by Chris Forrester, Senior Contributor APSCC Asia-Pacific Satellite Communications Council ...... 69 Executive Spotlight: Mike Carey, Founder + CEO, ATLAS Space Operations .14 Arabsat Satellite ...... 67 The Future Is SATCOM As A Service ...... 14 AvL Technologies ...... 13 by Brad Bode, ATLAS Space Operations Bechmark Space Systems ...... Cover Selecting The Correct 5G Spectrum ...... 22 C-COM Satellite Systems Inc...... 19 by HU Hai, AsiaSat Comtech EF Data ...... 15 Solar Empowerment — The Super Power Of Smallsats ...... 30 CPI Satcom Products ...... 3 by Dana Turse, Roccor Mission Microwave Technologies, LLC ...... 23 New Space—The Rapidly Evolving Ground Segment ...... 34 ND SatCom Products GmbH ...... 7 Kratos Constellation conversation with Pacôme Révillon, Euroconsult NORSAT International Inc...... 27 Phishing Penetration Test Measures Crew Vigilance ...... 38 RF Design ...... 11 by Mike McNally, GTMaritime RUAG Space ...... 25 Raising The Smallsat Bar ...... 40 Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC) ...... 43 by Kevin Corbley Satellite Innovation 2020 Virtual ...... 2 The Tech Behind Satellite Internet ...... 44 SpaceBridge ...... 5 by Alex Miller, Viasat STN Ltd. (Satellite Telecommunications Network) ...... 33 A Rocket From Singapore ...... 46 Terrasat Communications Inc...... 37 by Simon Gwozdz, Equatorial Space XMW Inc...... 17 Market Forces Driving New Approaches To Satellite Lines ...... 48 by Brian Rider, LeoStella Microwave Weather Observation From Space ...... 50 Conversation with Gregory Porter, Weather Stream, Ltd. High Density Electronic Interconnects For Satellites ...... 54 SatMagazine is published 11 times a year by Satnews Publishers, 800 Siesta Way, Sonoma, CA, 95476 — USA. by Bob Stanton, Omnetics Connector Corporation Phone: (707) 939-9306 / Fax: (707) 939-9235 © 2020 Satnews Publishers It’s Time For A Change… Of Mindset At Sea ...... 58 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 by Tore Morten Olsen, Marlink alternative issue to accommodate publication space requirements, or remove content Heritage Packaging Technology In New Space ...... 62 due to space restrictions or unacceptable content. Submission of articles does not constitute acceptance of said material by Satnews Publishers. Edited materials may, or by Rob Coleman, TT Electronics 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 Satellite Imagery: Native Resolution Compared To Synthetic Resolution . .64 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. by Chris Formeller, Maxar Technologies Powering The Smallsat Rideshare Boom ...... 68 Conversation with Ryan McDevitt, Benchmark Space Systems Advanced Materials Support Growth In Space-Based Systems ...... 72 by Martyn Acreman, Materion Corporation

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[email protected] The Forrester Report: One Web—One Step Forward... But... Huge Challenges Lay Ahead By Chris Forrester, Senior Contributor

Would-be mega constellation operator OneWeb Global, OneWeb claims they will commence commercial broadband notwithstanding the firm’s bankruptcy position, has stated they will operations by the close of 2021, with a debut service covering the UK, re-start populating their satellite constellation this December with Alaska, Northern Europe, Greenland, Iceland, the Arctic seas an Arianespace-organized launch of a Soyuz rocket that will lift 34 and Canada. to 36 LEO satellites to orbit. OneWeb stated, “This amended agreement [with Arianespace], which remains subject to confirmation and consummation of OneWeb’s OneWeb stated they have restructured their core agreement with restructuring plan, is an important milestone for OneWeb as it plans to Arianespace and that the new schedule puts the firm’s business back emerge from the Chapter 11, with HM Government and Bharti Global on track to complete the full constellation by the end of 2022. as the prevailing bidders in OneWeb’s bankruptcy sale process. It OneWeb stated the company expects to emerge from bankruptcy confirms that the company will be well-placed to offer enterprise-grade with its new owners, the UK government and India’s Bharti Global, connectivity services for communities, businesses, and governments in during Q4 this year. a short timeframe.”

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Making Missions Possible A OneWeb satellite launch.

Looking at the fine print, it seems that Arianespace’s multi-million Prior the bankruptcy OneWeb had contracts in place with Virgin euros contract from OneWeb has been heavily revised. OneWeb wants Orbit, but they have been cancelled and are the subject of a legal action three fewer rocket launches. Each launch will carry 34 to 36 OneWeb between Virgin and OneWeb. satellites and the full OneWeb constellation should be in orbit by the OneWeb is in a 50/50 joint-venture with Airbus to build its satellites end of 2022. at a factory in Florida. The new Arianespace agreement calls for 16 The new launch manifest will see Arianespace carry out 16 launches rocket launches, each one carrying 34 to 36 satellites at a time. This on their Europeanized Soyuz rockets. This means that two Soyuz December’s launch will increase the overall OneWeb fleet size to 110 launches have been cancelled and also that OneWeb is no longer the satellites on-orbit. debut customer on the all-new Ariane 6 rocket. OneWeb has also provided a list of the existing contracts and leases Arianespace’s Soyuz vehicle has already successfully placed three that it wishes to ‘reject’ during its bankruptcy process. The court will batches of OneWeb satellites into orbit; however, the bankruptcy make the final decision regarding such ‘rejections’ and those affected brought all plans to a halt. The original scheme expected one Soyuz have until September 28 to lodge protests. The bankruptcy court will rocket launch to happen every month throughout 2021, building up to hear arguments on October 2. a fleet of some 650 satellites. The list of the proposed rejected contracts is long and includes Just 74 craft are currently on-orbit. Arianespace stated the launch Airbus Defence & Space, EchoStar as well as Hughes Network Systems, manifest will kick back in during December of this year with 36 satellites a Will-i-Am business (I.am.equity), Intelsat, Kymeta Corporation, on board. Qualcomm, Coca-Cola, Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Orbit, Deloitte, The current plan will see two Soyuz launches managed at KPMG, Qualcomm and many others, including SoftBank. Arianespace’s usual Kourou, French Guiana, launch site. Other Soyuz Some OneWeb staffers and former employees are also affected. launches will happen from either Baikonur or Russia’s new launch facility Greg Wyler via his Nevada-based 1110 Ventures LLC company and who at Vostochny in Russia’s Far East. founded the company, as well as Brian Holz, who worked for a time at OneWeb and who will lose a share purchase agreement signed in 2017. Both names are in the ‘rejected’ list.

SatMagazine Page 8 October 2020

However, the position of the UK government in the OneWeb rescue and restructuring is far from clear. It would seem that Airbus is far from enthusiastic about relocating out of Florida. Moreover, there are comments that the UK plans to use the OneWeb fleet as a substitute Galileo or GPS scheme, which has also created some major doubts. The UK government will own about 45 percent of OneWeb which it will formally buy once the satellite operator emerges from its Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Bharti of India is the other major investor in OneWeb with a similar share. However, a meeting of the A OneWeb satellite. influential UK parliamentary all- OneWeb’s bankruptcy court heard on September 22 that the company’s party Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) committee was unsecured creditors will drop their $1.6 billion claim and, instead, adopt held in September and which heard evidence from various experts a much-reduced and mediated global settlement. OneWeb has asked on the prospects for OneWeb — those experts held mixed views the bankruptcy court for permission to modify various disclosures that about the deal. Additionally, one expert. Dr. Tim Farrar (of TMF would reflect the new settlement which reflects the decision of the Associates) was forbidden from addressing the committee. Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors. OneWeb had offered $6.1 This upset the BEIS Committee’s Chairman Darren Jones who million to settle the unsecured creditor claims and has now agreed to subsequently complained to UK Business Secretary of States Alok pay at least $9.3 million. This would represent some 16.8 percent of the Sharma via a letter that stated, “At 3:00 p.m. yesterday, after the ‘unsecured’ claims. department had been informed of witnesses on Monday and publicly

Five OneWeb satellites at the Airbus manufacturing facility. Photo is courtesy of Airbus.

SatMagazine Page 10 October 2020 announced on Wednesday morning, your department contacted my Sharma has subsequently said that Tim Farrar’s evidence could be clerks to inform us that you did not ‘authorize’ one of our witnesses to heard confidentially, as Sharma did not want his comments to influence attend. To be clear, you have no such power to authorize witnesses to the UK [and India] bid for OneWeb which has not yet closed. my committee and it is a gross interference with the work of Parliament As to the actual BEIS hearing, the committee heard Professor Marek for the government to intervene in this way. As chair, I have acted in Ziebart, Professor of Space Geodesy at University College London, say good faith to build a relationship of mutual cooperation and respect that OneWeb’s newly developed production systems could be with your department which I had expected to receive in return.” transformative for the industry. “Traditionally in satellites you would

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SatMagazine Page 11 October 2020 design a satellite, put loads of often novel instruments in it, then test it challenges associated with this area, so it depends if the intent [of the in a clean room to make sure it would work in space,” he said. “But if investment] is a predictable commercial investment or is it access to you’re building your constellation of satellites that are very similar, you transformative technology with recognition of the potential for change and can build and extensively test one then mass produce the rest. That’s a evolution in future.” new paradigm in satellite product and OneWeb has done well to solve There is also reportedly disagreement among UK government a lot of the challenges.” officials over OneWeb as a potential replacement for the European Professor Ziebart said that OneWeb had been turning out two Galileo system. The Sunday Telegraph newspaper reported that some satellites a day at its Florida factory prior to the bankruptcy. He are arguing that it would be easier for the UK to re-join the 10 billion added that the UK’s plan of using OneWeb as a substitute for its euros Galileo project despite the UK’s imminent departure from the EU. non-participation in Europe’s Galileo satellite positioning system The Galileo system is managed by the European Space Agency. could be problematic. “If you’re on the Earth and want to do Bizarrely, and despite the UK’s departure from the EU, the UK’s Galileo communications, you just need to be able to see one satellite,” he satellites are still partially built in the UK. Bremen, Germany-based OHB explained. “To do [positioning] you need to be able to see four builds the craft with the Galileo payloads supplied by Surrey Satellite simultaneously, which means your visibility to the satellites becomes a Technology Ltd. in the UK. much more demanding process.” He explained that each of the OneWeb satellites would last only Senior Contributor Chris Forrester is a well-known about three years or so, whereas a Medium Earth Orbiting (MEO) broadcasting journalist and industry consultant. He satellite (such as the Galileo and US GPS craft) only need replacing reports on all aspects of broadcasting with special every 10 to 15 years and, thus, the OneWeb system could be emphasis on content, the business of television and expensive. “I’m not completely against the idea, but if we’re going to emerging applications. He founded Rapid TV News have it as the thing we rely on for [positioning] I think that’s very risky.” and has edited Interspace and its successor Inside Carissa Christensen, CEO/Founder of Bryce Space and Technology, Satellite TV since 1996. He also files for Advanced-Television.com. a well-regarded analytics and engineering firm working in the sector, in In November of 1998, Chris was appointed an Associate (professor) her evidence to the committee said that adapting existing satellites for of the prestigious Adham Center for Television Journalism. new uses can be very tricky. “There is a widespread view that large LEO constellations have the potential to be transformative. There are risks and

Artistic rendition of Galileo satellites on-orbit. Image is courtesy of ESA.

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SET-UP BY ONE PERSON IN MINUTES Visit AvL @ LIGHTWEIGHT IATA-COMPLIANT Satellite Innovation 2020 Virtual, Oct. 6 - 8 CHECKABLE CASES avltech.com Executive Spotlight The Future Is Mike Carey SATCOM As A Service Space Operations Founder & Chief Strategy Officer, ATLAS Space Operations by Brade Bode, CTO & Co-Founder, ATLAS Space Operations

ATLAS Space Operations Founder and Space — the final frontier. Those words echo in the brains of Chief Strategy Officer, Mike Carey, has generations. We grew up thinking about what it would be like to been a vocal part of the satellite zoom from solar system to solar system watching the blur of stars communications and technology as we approach the speed of light. Everything seemed within reach industry’s dialogue since the onset of the until we grew up and realized… worldwide push to work from home due to COVID-19. Mike has previously It’s all so complicated. Humans communicating, much less travelling, to touched on best practices regarding space is a business for those who possess an appetite for risk. It’s not communications and team management, hard to see why. We are sending and receiving data from something but he says that there’s still a dynamic missing from the dialogue travelling around 27,400 km/h. This is an amazing accomplishment and that is already happening in professional circles. We sat down with a testament as to how far we’ve come in 60 years; however, it’s a far cry Mike to find out more. from becoming a multi-planetary species. Many private satellite companies have achieved a consistent

Good day, Mr. Carey. Would you please tell us about your business model that carries them to profitability. The ones that have background and how you decided to leverage your career succeeded typically find a way to sell or service the U.S. Government at ATLAS Space Operations? (see Spire and Planet). Others spend vast sums of money only to burn Mike Carey (MC) out, restructure and hope to come out stronger (i.e., Iridium, OneWeb). Simply put, building satellites and operating ground stations is I served in the US Air Force for 32 years prior to co-founding ATLAS expensive and filled with risk. At ATLAS Space Operations, we Space Operations. I enlisted as an avionics technician, where I learned specialize in building sites across the globe from the Mojave Desert to the basics of RF communication, RADAR, and electronic systems and Ghana to Alaska. was ultimately promoted to Major General. I had the privilege of being We have built sites in places where, typically, providers may not a space operations officer for the majority of my time in service, and decide to tread and, as a result, have seen the complexities involved covered the waterfront of missions from satellite command and control first hand. When satellite manufacturers are building their business to space surveillance, launch operations, nuclear operations, cyber model, they have two choices: outsource antenna time or build their operations and missile defense missions. own ground network. Transitioning from the Air Force to ATLAS was very easy in that Neither of these choices presents the best option, due to limitations ATLAS Space Operations supports the needed infrastructure to enable inherant with outsourcing and the expense of building one’s own on-orbit spacecraft by providing communications for their operational network. The entire process requires highly specialized, expensive command and control. engineers as well as large capital investment to purchase the necessary I’ve had decades of experience in satellite communications and hardware, build complicated networks and then execute time- telemetry service, so it was a natural fit to establish a more modern consuming, day to day operations. Only in the last few years have means of providing the service commercially. companies begun to offer a wider range of shared antenna assets that meet the needs of many clients. Could you give us a brief history of the company and how Some companies mandate common hardware across their networks. and why the firm was established? That requirement may reduce risk to both the client and vendor, but MC such also reduces flexibility. Meanwhile, others digitize radio frequency data and stream it to the client — that requires specific, cloud-based ATLAS was founded on the principle of lowering the cost barrier to baseband equipment to process very large amounts of data. Both space-based data. Industry incumbents reflect much of the Cold War- solutions have drawbacks. era infrastructure their government customers became accustomed to, which resulted in high costs to new entrants in the space sector. Costs

SatMagazine Page 14 October 2020 had been driven down in launch and satellite manufacturing, but there Mandating common site hardware baselines passes the problem had not been any innovation within the ground segment. onto the manufacturers to design their satellite with, and sometimes Sean McDaniel (CEO) and Brad Bode (CTO) envisaged a modern around, the baseband hardware, effectively dictating design choices satellite ground network that was cloud-enabled over a decade ago, ahead of time and that means the satellite manufacturer must select but it wasn’t until 2014 when Mike Rendine joined them that the idea the ground network provider before locking in their satellite builds. became a reality. Initially an LLC under Assured Space Access Without managing that decision, additional risk is levied upon the Technologies, Inc. — a company owned by Sean McDaniel and Mike already high-risk endeavor of launching a satellite. Rendine — ATLAS was incorporated in 2015. Streaming digitized radio frequencies (in either IQ pairs or Vita 49 In 2017, we planted the headquarters flag in Traverse City, format) requires increasing bandwidth (120 Mbps for S-band, 1-10 Michigan. It is in Michigan where we found the investment interest, Gbps for X-band), which comes with equally massive recurring monthly optimal business environment, operating costs and talent to thrive. ISP fees. Amazon Web Services Ground Station accomplishes just that We are now more than 30 employees strong,with over a dozen from their data centers around the world. However, the higher the data antennas in operation around the world. rate, the more expensive the compute power required to process.

Many firms in the space communications and data market sectors describe themselves as “disruptors” in these space industries… does ATLAS Space Operations fall into that category and, if so, how?

MC Many firms do claim to be disruptors, but it’s more credible when a third party states it about a company. In 2017, ATLAS was named by Morgan Stanley as one of the top twelve industry disruptors. To be clear, we disrupted a calcified segment of the industry that over-charged for telemetry and data, compelled clients to adhere to their availability, and was not attuned to modern software and cloud- hosting Being cloud-agnostic insinuates one doesn’t care about the cloud interface, and leaves it to the New Realities of customer. ATLAS’ software service is multi-cloud capable, flexible and enabled. We’re not agnostic Network Traf昀c about much.

Mike, ATLAS has been vocal about its Internet traf昀c is increasing globally based on the new realities of remote connectivity – willingness and ability to transition to a teleworking, distance learning, telemedicine, webinars and video conferencing. It’s likely we’ll work-from-home model. What were some see long-lasting changes to the way we live and work. Given the higher traf昀c volumes and network complexities, it is imperative for operators and service providers to have satellite contributing factors that allowed ATLAS to infrastructure solutions that provide performance, reliability and quality of experience. At make a smooth transition? Comtech EF Data, we have the solutions for the new realities of network traf昀c!

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CEFD_SatMag 2_3_NewRealities_rev.indd 1 9/16/20 12:21 PM SatMagazine Page 15 October 2020 MC You have a choice to process the data in the cloud and pay the large As I like to say, the single most important aspect of ATLAS’ culture monthly cost of a high-powered Elastic Compute instance (EC2) or must allowing us to adapt to the rapidly evolving situation over the past purchase a massive pipe into the AWS virtual network, pull down your months is our approach to internal communications — but there is data and process it on physical hardware at your own data center. something that has been missing from the conversation. Additionally, these sites are limited to only locations where AWS I believe the tools that companies use, and how they test and refine data centers already exist. However, what if you wanted a site in Tahiti? their use of those tools, will either enable them, or stall their efforts The price for 1 Gbps would make even the best planned business when the unforeseen happens. models crumble. Whether you’re working with email or virtual meetings, it’s critical to This approach requires deep pockets, data centers and a business have a plan in place for your company’s use of digital communication. model that can wait for ISP prices to decrease. In the commercial / What we are seeing now is people who weren’t using these tools private sector, this is not sustainable and is more suited for the deep beforehand trying to play catch-up for lost time. pockets of the public sector (which may be their actual target).

When you say tools, we’re talking about web apps? There had to be alternatives.

MC When ATLAS approached this problem, we knew we wanted to disrupt Sort of. The majority of communication occurs through the internet - the SATCOM business model by overhauling the legacy-built industry now more than ever — but the tools we’re using are sometimes a (Amazon and KSat Lite didn’t exist at that time). We could not — and substitute for interactions that would have normally been conducted in would not — repeat the mistakes of the big SATCOM players. person. The key is to find tools that enable your company to work in a We would build a flexible system that was compatible with any way that most efficiently supports efforts to work remotely. ground site hardware and deliver decommutated data streamed in real When I say “tools” I’m referring to services like Teamwork, Gchat, time — arriving at our solution took some time to accomplish. ATLAS Zoom, Chime, Teams, Discourse, etc. — these are all tools we’ve been wanted a solution that could work with a baseline internet speed of 100 using and assessing the effectiveness of for a while. Mbps, be tolerant of power and connectivity issues as wel as reduce As we shifted our work out of the office, it was a matter of refining the complexity of integration. and expanding our toolset, rather than testing and implementing. We When building a global network in a wide range of areas such as were able to transition from collaborating in person to collaborating by Barrow, Alaska, to Tahiti, we required the software to be fault tolerant video. It’s the utility that we are able to derive from these services, and as well as tolerant of hardware changes. the ways in which they bridge physical gaps, that makes them tools. As a network provider, we knew that forcing a single set of site hardware would never solve the problems of the global community of What practices do you think made ATLAS better prepared satellite operators. But could we adapt most hardware to work with a for a situation such as this? majority of clients? The first challenge is to remove the cost of each client integrating MC directly to the hardware. Why? Because expecting clients to integrate For our team, it wasn’t so much a matter of going out of our way to to what might be ever changing site hardware would be cost adopt remote working practices, but rather an extension of how our prohibitive. To do so, we needed to “abstract” away knowledge of the team has always worked. ATLAS was founded as a distributed team, hardware from the client and place the emphasis on a universal API. and roughly half of our team continues to work remotely. The API had to allow for establishing real time The ability to interact with our staff in a productive and meaningful telemetry/commanding, streaming detailed metrics about each piece way — regardless of where they were — was an innate part of our of hardware, overriding of hardware settings (e.g., center frequency) growth and normal business practice. per pass and being consistent across multiple programming languages. As a result, our readiness wasn’t necessarily “how do we prepare for a highly contagious disease that will fundamentally change work as we know it,” but rather “how do we best ensure that we are prepared for the unexpected?”

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Xtreme MicroWave www.xmwinc.com As a result, ATLAS has supported more than 40,000 satellite contacts and has been streaming metrics on a per pass basis for 4 years now. Furthermore, with hundreds of millions of metrics delivered, and quickly approaching a billion, ATLAS has extensive knowledge on hardware, site, and satellite performance through data analytics. A clear and consistent API that abstracts clients from the site hardware has another major benefit: scalability. When a client asks to be added to a new site, they do not need to write new software or adapt to changes in the hardware. The API is the same regardless of ground site hardware mix. Additionally, the streaming metrics are hierarchical, which means they also remain the same (e.g., carrier lock is site.hardware.modem.carrier.lock regardless of baseband manufacturer). But, what about the retrieval of files or streaming of data? If the hardware is different at each site, won’t that potentially change the An ATLAS Space Operations virtual meeting. formats for commanding and telemetry downlink? Leaders must constantly consider alternate operating scenarios, and ATLAS recognized this issue early and developed a patented piece building in flexibility adds to your resiliency. In military, space, and of software called the Freedom™ Pass Server (FPS) to abstract the technology settings, teams are always working to be as well prepared streaming data into one format usable no matter the hardware type — as they can be without necessarily knowing the details of how a i.e, sites with Amergint, Zodiac,or RT Logic hardware all stream and challenge will present itself. accept a standardized format. A scenario in which everyone who isn’t deemed essential in the office The benefit is clear: a universal interface no matter the mix of site must begin to work from home wasn’t on many peoples’ radar, but as hardware. A secondary benefit of the Freedom™ Pass Server is a function of our dynamism and day-to-day expectations of work and increased security. ATLAS only has one entry point into the ground site communication, it has been an occasion that we are able to rise to. hardware via our cloud-based system. No client is allowed direct access to common hardware (custom It was just this practice of having already worked in a hardware can be used, but is on an entirely separate network). Clients semi-remote fashion that allowed you to be prepared? accessing the FPS do so through the cloud, never actually tunneling into the ground site directly. One site firewall, one network entry point, MC increased security. Well, that’s certainly a big part of it, but I think that largely it’s due to If the space community is to encourage new ideas and capital the mindset of resiliency and readiness that our team has. What made investment, we must simplify the satellite and ground system interfaces. us strong is that from our inception, we focused on our customers’ Both satellite manufacturers and ground system providers need to needs and let those parameters guide us. Among those needs was the move towards more universal systems and standards. Without them, ability to offer continuous, lights-out operation. the industry will continue to build elegant and beautiful one-off That’s why you see features in our software that allow for customers solutions that do not scale well. It wasn’t until Software as a Service to schedule communication with their satellite remotely, and the ability (SaaS) took off that the internet revolution was fully realized. to reach out to our team and tailor our offerings to their needs — we The space industry needs its own Software as a Service revolution don’t need to be in the same room as them to do that, and we don’t for ground systems to propel us towards a future with ubiquitous space need to be in our office to do it. access and, ultimately, being the multi-planetary species we dreamed That didn’t happen because we thought it was important to do of as kids. business that way, it happened because we knew it would be important for our customers. Author Brad Bode is the CTO and Co-Founder of ATLAS Space Operation.

SatMagazine Page 18 October 2020

ATLAS Space Operations Network Operating Center.

Interesting. Surely there were still changes that you Traditionally, the bulk of this work could happen in person, with experienced in making this transition though, what conversations in an office space or in passing. Now, if a team member differences have you noticed within your team as a result wants to know something or get feedback, they can’t look in my office of moving to work-from-home? and see that I’m busy, they can’t wait until I walk by — now they have to check my availability and reach out. The good news is that this has MC caused us to think far more critically about our time. There have absolutely been changes, and I believe that each change How long does a meeting need to take? Most platforms default a offers a valuable commentary on the way that we were doing work, and new meeting to one hour — do we need that? This causes us to focus it has informed the way that we approach our future of work. on a smaller number of topics, it causes us to shorten the dialogue It’s boiled down to a question of efficiency for us. In a pursuit to regarding those topics, and it causes us to be conscientious of others’ spend time wisely, to be prepared, to maintain satellite communications time so that we can each maximize our efficiency as individuals and as systems that remain resilient even when travel is shut down entirely, we a team. All of this allows us to spend more time providing world class have really had to refocus on the most efficient way to get those things service and capabilities to our customers. done. Another change that has stood out is that I’m seeing and speaking To answer your question, I think that there are two key takeaways. to people more frequently. If I didn’t have something scheduled with One is time management. We need a way to display to the rest of our another team member, it’s possible that I wouldn't have any substantive team what our availability is, how long a given task will take, how much task-related dialogue with them for a few days. time we will need to finish a project and what the priorities of our work are to be accomplished.

SatMagazine Page 20 October 2020 Now, the intervals that I see people at have been drastically As you review your career to date, what projects or shortened. Every morning I see the team, we get to discuss anything missions truly bring a sense of satisfaction to you? important and reach out to people that we might not normally have interacted with on a regular basis. MC This means that the time it takes for a decision to be made has been Wow, that’s a fun question. Between my time with ATLAS and my 30 drastically reduced. If there’s a problem, or if someone just needs a yrs. in the Air Force, there are many events, projects and missions that go/no-go, that can happen in a few seconds when we’re all together I am very proud of. The most satisfying, however, share one thing in — there’s no back-and-forth and verifying with other stakeholders; common: the people. Talented and passionate people tackling a managers are there and can drive rapid change. difficult task... and succeeding... that is what’s satisfying to me. A few examples are when ATLAS accomplished its first mission using Are there any pitfalls in the industry that you’ve witnessed our Freedom™ software and we dazzled the customer, exceeding their as this situation has progressed? expectations. Or watching our team travel to the far reaches of the world to establish a new ground station. It was the ATLAS team in MC Ghana, Tahiti, Guam and Japan, for example that did the hard work I certainly think that the government — and really at all levels — has its along with the software team that brought our vision to life. work cut out for it. Specifically, in roles where employees are meant to My time in service was satisfying when we helped others and solved work with classified material, we’ve seen projects come to a complete hard problems. Establishing the US Space Range, National Security standstill. It’s a hard issue for them to tackle. By design, their Space Institute, and several other organizations that are now key to the infrastructure is set up so employees cannot take their laptop home and new U.S. Space Force were each uniquely satisfying — but each time, continue work. it was because of the people around me. As we’re seeing now, though, there must be some solution moving forward. In a world where we can’t have people share tight spaces or Any final thoughts? use the same paths of travel, how do you keep the gears moving? I think that this will serve as a learning experience and in the future, you’ll MC see brand new contingency plans, maybe too many, that take this sort The bottom line for me, and the entire ATLAS team, is that we have of scenario into mind. been served well by cultivating a work environment where we distinctly prefer to work together, while appreciating that we must be prepared to work remotely. Communication, infrastructure, technology — it’s all part of the solution, but a mindset of preparedness and resiliency is what will get you through times like this. Now as we plan to come back into the workplace, at least a good portion of us, there are new considerations that we are addressing. As with ATLAS, other companies will find varying levels of comfort amongst their employees. Being respectful and supportive through active communication and planning will enable continued operations in what is definitely a fluid environment.

Be well and press on.

atlasground.com

The ATLAS Freedom™ Software Platform, a global ground network management system that provides a simplified, intuitive solution to SATCOM..

SatMagazine Page 21 October 2020 AsiaSat’s Tai Po Earth Station.

Selecting The Correct 5G Spectrum By HU Hai, Senior Communications Systems Engineer, AsiaSat

Higher data rates, ultra-low latency and massive machine-type However, as we should argue, C-band is not the correct band to support connections, these are some of the promises of the fifth the key performance indicators (KPIs) that are promised by 5G. generation (5G) mobile communication that have caught For decades, the use of satellite has complemented landline tremendous media attention. infrastructure to connect the world’s underserved regions, with C-band spectrum being used by GEO communication satellites to provide In order to make 5G possible, mobile operators have taken up a comprehensive coverage over a continental-wide footprint. The current number of different frequency bands, including C-band spectrum, C-band 5G network deployment amounts to only a transitional phase which has been used by satellites for over five decades. In a number for the mobile industry, however it has significantly disrupted the of countries and regions, some portions of C-band spectrum have existing C-band satellite services. been seized upon by mobile operators to “kick-start” the 5G To understand the interplay between 5G and satellite commercial deployment. communications, we should first look at whether all the talks about using C-band 5G to unlock the benefits of 5G is as good as it seems.

SatMagazine Page 22 October 2020 Family of X, Ku and Ka-Band BUCs from 12-400 Watts

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Available with Full Ka-Band Coverage for LEO/MEO/GEO Terminals and Gateways We have selected two of the key 5G KPIs, user experienced data rate 100 MHz C-band spectru m, 64T64R AAS with 200 W total output and latency for a closer look. The other 5G KPIs are shown in the radar power, inter-beam interferences, and the gradually increased number chart of Figure 1, including peak data rate, spectrum efficiency, mobility, of users served by the multiple beams formed by the 5G antenna array. connection density, network energy efficiency and area traffic capacity [2]. A typical 5G 64T64R C-band AAS array elements distribution is shown in Figure 2(a). The digitally-formed single beam without steering is shown in Figure 2(b) where the highlighted angular range is the targeted 5G coverage sector. Applying different digital beamforming (DBF) weightings to the array elements, the beam side-lobe levels (SLL) as well as beam nulls can be controlled to reduce the co-channel interference to other users. The digitally-formed beam can be electrically steered in azimuth, elevation or both directions. Besides, the phased array can also form multiple beams for one or multiple users at the same time. However, when the number of simultaneous beams increases, the inter-beam interferences can become severe and may degrade the link performance.

Figure 1. 5G KPI radar plot [1]. Source: ITU, IMT Vision – Framework and overall objectives of the future development of IMT for 2020 and beyond, 2015

5G KPI — User Experienced Data Rate It will be shown that operating a 5G network using C-band cannot achieve the user data rate KPI — not even by a long shot. The 5G user experienced data rate KPI of 100 Mbps (as shown in Figure 1) can be achieved on simulations or tests under ideal conditions, e.g., single user, with no inter- or intra-sector beam interferences [3] [4]. However, if the number of beams (inter-beam interference), available bandwidth, antenna and RF power performances are counted in the simulation, it can be found the realizable data rate will be far less than expected when the number of users increases. Evidently, much wider bandwidth at a much higher frequency than the C-band spectrum must be used to reach the KPI goal. Figure 3. Throughput per beam vs. number of beams simulation. In this simulation, we try to estimate the average throughput per user that a 5G active antenna system (AAS) can deliver to the end users when The simulated throughput per beam vs the number of simultaneous multiple beams generated by the AAS uniformly populate the desired beams is shown in Figure 3, where it can be seen more than 450 Mbps coverage sector. The factors to be taken into account include a total per beam can be achieved when the number of beams is small. When the beam number increases, the throughput per beam will drop significantly to 50 Mbps or lower due to interference and the limited resources (e.g. power, bandwidth and time slot) allocated to each beam / user. It can be found the user experienced data rate KPI of 100 Mbps can only be met when there are fewer than 18 simultaneous users (assuming one beam serves one user) to fully load the base station capacity. It has to be mentioned the data rates achieved in this simulation are still the ideal values. In real situation, there must be other interferences and Figure 2. The 64T64R 5G AAS (a) array elements distribution, and (b) the formed single beams (array factor) using different side-lobe weighting. The highlighted 120 deg angular range is the targeted 5G sector coverage

SatMagazine Page 24 October 2020 Big minds for small satellites

Small satellites need a smart brain. And this is exactly what our new on board computer for cons- tellations (cOBC) offers. The cOBC controls and monitors the satellite’s platform, payload and other subsystems. We also offer our cOBC in combination with our world leading navigation product and constellation interface unit products, all embedded in one single unit. RUAG Space is a leading supplier of products for satellites and launchers, both for institutional and commercial businesses. We help you make your satellites smarter!

@RUAGSpace RUAG Space @ruaginternational www.ruag.com/space | [email protected] losses such as inter-sector interference, intermodulation interference, data applications. Moreover, satellite is specialized in broadcasting, and adjacent channel interference, channel fading, clutter loss and it can distribute TV, videos and other real-time information efficiently penetration loss that may further lower the achievable individual user to a large number of users which is difficult to be achieved by a cellular data rate. network using data streaming. The best way to achieve the KPI of 100 Mbps for practical use of 5G is to increase the user bandwidth. Obviously C-band, like the other low 5G KPI – Latency frequency band used by the existing 3G and 4G networks, does not For most applications, the end-to-end (E2E) latency performance is not have the bandwidth to accommodate such needs/requirements. dominated by the first link of the communication network, but the entire However, if we move to mm-wave (e.g., f = 26 GHz) or higher bands, communication chain between the user and the application server. the available spectrum can be increased by several times or more and Therefore, the 5G latency of 1 ms in the KPI radar chart (shown in Figure the data rates can also be increased by several multiples [3] [4]. 1) is highly misleading. The relatively higher propagation loss at mm-wave band can be compensated by the reduced coverage range and the increased gain 1) In fact, 1 ms represents the 5G requirement for the ultra- of array antennas packed with more elements on both the base stations reliable and low latency communications (URLLC) application and the end user terminals. Thus, by choosing to use a much smaller air latency TRadio, which is the delay between 5G radio access wavelength at a higher frequency band, 5G base stations can be network (RAN) air interfaces of the base station and the user designed to be much smaller, easier for massive integration and equipment [2]. Such an example is illustrated in Figure 4, where deployment. It could be just like the path of 4G deployment, where the both ends (the sensor and the actuator) are located within the number of coverage cells gradually increases while the cell radius is coverage of the same 5G base station. reduced from tens of kilometers (macro cell) down to tens of meters

(pico- or femto-cell), aiming for much better user experienced data rate. 2) TRadio includes the radio signal air propagation time and the On the other hand, a satellite can accommodate a variety of data physical layer processing time, e.g. time for channel coding, rate requirements of the end user terminals, including burst data rate, cyclic redundant check (CRC) attachment, modulation mapping time-averaged data rate and sustainable data rate. [5], but does not take into account other delays in the communication chain, which amounts to only a tiny fraction of Burst data rate is best used for sensing and exploration the total E2E latency. In other words, 5G simply cannot bend applications, e.g., Internet of Things (IoT), oil and gas the physical law of signal propagation and reduce the lagging prospecting, LEO satellite Earth Observations (EO), where the of the entire communication path, such as the path between data transmissions from the remote sensors to the hub station USA and Hong Kong, to sub-millisecond level. are in short bursts within a relatively long period. The transient data rate requirement can be medium to high, but the total data 5G can only improve the latency within the mobile network. As volume is low. illustrated in Figure 5, E2E internet latency T, the total time to bring an end user data packet to the destination application server, is Time-averaged data rate describes common consumer contributed by different latency terms: TRadio + TBackhaul + TCore [6] communication applications, such as internet browsing, +TTransport . messaging, etc. In these applications, not all users send or The first three terms add up to the mobile latency, which is dictated receive data at the same time. Some fluctuation in waiting time by 5G network. TRadio is the Air latency. TBackhaul is the time for is acceptable, thus the data rate requirement is defined in a time- building connections between the 5G base station and the 5G core averaged manner. network. Generally, fiber is used for this connection and the latency can be higher than those connected by microwave links. TCore is the 5G Sustainable data rate describes data intensive applications, core network’s processing time consumed by mobility management such as video streaming and backbone network trunking, where entity (MME), software-defined network (SDN) and network function the actual data transmission rate is constant over time. virtualization (NFV), etc. Finally, TTransport is the delay to data communication between the 5G core network and the application For a satellite network, the aforementioned data rate requirements can servers on the internet / cloud. Generally, TTransport is dictated by the be met by different access configurations. For example, single-carrier conditions of the external networks, such as the distance between the per channel (SCPC) can be used to handle sustainable data rate 5G core network and the external server, bandwidth and applications while TDMA configuration can properly handle the burst communication protocols used. The E2E internet latency for general

SatMagazine Page 26 October 2020 WAYFARERTM 1.2m Ku-Band Manual Fly-away Antenna

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For more information, visit www.norsat.com/wayfarer-series/ internet applications can vary from a few tens of ms up to seconds, Tactile internet applications on the upper right corner of Figure 6 while the mobile latency can be several to tens of ms for the existing which require not only ultra-low latency but also extremely high data LTE system. rates that must be resolved with a much wider operating bandwidth in a higher frequency band.

Figure 4. Factory automation industry communication latency illustration [5]. Source: ITU, The Tactile Internet, ITU-T Technology Watch Report, 2014

Figure 6. Different use cases and their needs for speed vs required latency [7] Source: GSMA Intelligence, Understanding 5G: Perspectives on future technological advancements in mobile, 2014

Traditional satellite communications can backhaul 5G network for most of its targeted applications. Unlike ground mobile networks, satellite networks exhibit relatively longer but stable latency. As satellites have been used for communications for five decades, many matured methods have been developed to mitigate the latency effect in the two-way satellite data communications. The typical latency

Figure 5. A typical 5G latency component illustration [6]. sensitivity and the likely transmission medium for different applications Source: IEEE, A survey on low latency towards 5G: are compared and summarized in Figure 7, where it shows satellites can RAN, core network and caching solutions, 2018 be used as the medium to carry traffic of most applications. Most 5G use cases can tolerate the overall latency (E2E internet latency) of the existing communication networks. Only a few specific applications require ultra-low latency, but not all of them can be benefited from 5G. For example, the autonomous driving and factory automation industries whose communication latency is dominated by the mobile latency (see Figure 4) may thank 5G for the reduced latency that helps to meet the stringent sensing and responding delay time requirement. On the contrary, the communications for high frequency trading (HFT) business may see no difference using 4G or 5G, since the low latency it requires may not be dominated by the mobile network. The other common internet applications such as messaging, video chatting, internet browsing, music and video streaming, are all Figure 7. Latency sensitivity and the likely transmission medium of different applications unsusceptible to mobile network latency. The typical latency vs data [8]. Source: ESOA, Latency in Communications Networks, 2017 rate requirements for different applications are compared in Figure 6, where most applications can be served with the legacy mobile 5G is often touted as a next-generation technology that will transform network except for augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and the world, which warrants taking C-band spectrum away from satellite-

SatMagazine Page 28 October 2020

Finally, the use of a GEO satellite for 5G backhaul ignores the point- to-multipoint ability of satellite to provide geographically diverse services and will not bring a sustainable business model to satellite industry. Providing reliable communications links, wide area coverages and significantly increased capacity per beam, a modern GEO satellite can serve many different business sectors across the world, with mobile backhaul being only one of them. With today’s satellite technology, there is no doubt that a GEO satellite is capable of providing backhaul for partial or full-scale 5G data using wide or narrow beams. However, the extra satellite data traffic brought by the booming 5G business will have a short-lived impact — the demand will fade away as more landline connections Figure 8 Mobile communication technology timeline in UK [9]. Source: Ofcom, Laying the foundations for ‘5G’ mobile, 2015 become available. based applications. The real story may not be so simple. www.asiasat.com First, the 5G KPIs may look attractive, but they can only be achieved with the deployment of higher frequency bands down the road. Looking References [1]. ITU, “IMT vision –Framework and overall objectives of the future at the history of mobile communication technology (as shown in Figure development of IMT for 2020 and beyond,” Recommendation ITU-R, 8), it appears to take a whole decade or even longer to complete the M.2083-0, Sep. 2015. handover from one generation to the next. [2]. 3GPP, “Study on scenarios and requirements for next generation access technologies,” 3GPP TR 38.913, v15.0.0, Jun. 2018. The reallocation of C-band spectrum seems to support the launch of [3]. HTCL, “Test report for trial of 5G base station and user equipment 5G, but it provides only an incremental improvement over existing operating at 26/28 GHz bands and 3.5 GHz band,” Mar. 2019. Available service and will not shorten the 4G to 5G transition. online at https://www.ofca.gov.hk/filemanager/ofca/en/con- For realizing the KPI goals, the 5G network will eventually have to tent_669/tr201904_01.pdf. [4]. D. Morley, “Real-world performance of 5G,” Technical Paper for migrate to higher frequencies with much wider available spectrum. If it SCTE·ISBE, 2019. Available online at does not, 5G will turn out to be a wasteful investment with little benefits https://www.nctatechnicalpapers.com/Paper/2019/2019-real-world- to the society. performance-of-5g/download. [5]. ITU, “The tactile internet,” ITU-T Technology Watch Report, Aug. 2014. Second, any direct comparison of spectrum use by satellite and 5G [6]. I. Parvez, A. Rahmati, I. Guvenc, A. Sarwat and H. Dai, “A survey on low may be shortsighted and misguided because the benefits of C-band latency towards 5G: RAN, core network and caching solutions,” IEEE often extend beyond the borders of a domestic market. Satellite can Communications Surveys & Tutorials, vol. 20, issue 4, 2018. complement landline infrastructure by bringing much-needed [7]. GSMA Intelligence, “Understanding 5G: Perspectives on future technological advancements in mobile,” 2014. Available online at connectivity to the underserved regions. The current reallocation of C- https://www.gsma.com/futurenetworks/wp- band spectrum for 5G network amounts to only a transitional phase for content/uploads/2015/01/Under-standing-5G-Perspectives-on-future-technol the mobile industry, but it has disrupted the decades long of satellite ogical-advancements-in-mobile.pdf. [8]. ESOA, “Latency in communications networks,” 2017. Available online at communications. https://www.esoa.net/Re-sources/1527-ESOA-Latency-Update-Proof4.pdf. Over the last 30 years, the satellite infrastructure provided by C-band [9]. Ofcom, “Laying the foundations for ‘5G’ mobile,” 2015. Available online has proven itself to be essential for providing broadcast and emergency at https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/latest/media/media- communication services, which cannot be measured by the amount of releases/2015/6ghz. [10]. Euroconsult, “Assessment of C-band usage in Asian countries,” Jun. revenues generated from the use of the spectrum [10]. 2014. Available online at http://www.casbaa.com/publication/assessment-of- c-band-usage-in-asian-countries-2/.

SatMagazine Page 29 October 2020 A solar eclipse with autora. Image is courtesy of NASA.

Solar Empowerment — The Super Power of Smallsats By Dana Turse, Director of Emerging Products, Roccor

For decades their diminutive size has been their weakness. The concept was first practically demonstrated in 1974, following the However recent advancements in power and propulsion Mariner 10 spacecraft that exhausted the attitude control fuel — NASA’s technologies allied with increasing capability in miniaturized mission controllers pointed the spacecraft’s solar arrays to create a payloads and avionics could turn a smallsat weakness into a differential solar pressure that correctly pointed the Mariner 10 while superpower and unlock a new era of agile satellite operations... the completing its survey of Mercury. timing of this technological confluence couldn’t be more critical.

The number one factor limiting the lifetimes and mission ranges of most satellites is exhaustion of chemical propellants — running out of gas. LEO birds have to fire thrusters to combat orbital decay and adverse attitude torques from magnetic field and gravity gradient interactions and atmospheric and solar pressure effects. GEO birds burn fuel to persistently dance the dance of orbital station keeping that keeps them perfectly on a post dictated by the International Telecommunications Union. Deep space satellites can go only as far as their limited number of trajectory-changing thrust maneuvers can take them. While there are numerous, non-chemical propulsion systems that provide at least an order of magnitude higher specific impulse (Isp) or NASA’s Mariner-10 spacecraft. Artistic rendition is courtesy of NASA. fuel efficiency when compared to chemical engines, they all produce low thrust and have seen only marginal use in the era of large satellites. During the past decade, several technology-demonstration missions However, that situation is changing — the industry is learning how to have proven that large solar sails can effectively propel a satellite on do more with less satellite mass. long-duration missions. Starting with Japan’s IKAROS mission in 2010, At the top of high-Isp propulsion technologies are extremely large, and including the more-recent LightSail-2 and NanoSail-D missions, deployable, solar sails that convert sunlight’s photonic pressure into an solar sail engineering has become feasible. inexhaustible propulsion force.

SatMagazine Page 30 October 2020 Concept illustration of NASA’s Solar Cruiser Mission. Image is courtesy of NASA.

NASA’s NEA Scout Mission and the proposed Solar Cruiser Mission Solar Cruiser builds on flight heritage from the recent 10 m2 will be the first operational missions to use this innovative propulsion NanoSail-D sail (photo, bottom left) and the upcoming 86 m2 NEA capability. Solar Cruiser’s scientists want to take advantage of it by Scout sail (photo, bottom right) that will be launched on the Artemis 1 having the satellite fly ahead of the Sun-Earth line and out of the ecliptic mission that’s scheduled to occur for late next year. plane, thereby enabling novel observations of coronal magnetism and When coupled with the new generation of dramatically lighter-weight providing heretofore unavailable and vital clues as to the origins of solar satellite systems, solar sailing is poised to become a practical alternative wind, coronal heating, and space weather eruptions. to chemical propulsion for celestial missions that want to fly free from A team led by NASA Marshall Spaceflight Center, including partners the gravitational “shackles” Johannes Kepler dictated 400 years ago. Roccor, Ball Aerospace, and NeXolve, are currently working on the Solar Cruiser “Sailcraft” that will deploy a 1,600 m2 sail from a small bus.

NEA Scout is a CubeSat designed to study asteroids close to Earth and will launch on an Artemis I mission. This time-lapse video shows a deployment test of NEA Scout's solar sails NASA’s NanoSail-D in expanded form. Photo is courtesy of the agency. conducted on June 28, 2019. The test was performed in an indoor clean room at the NeXolve facility in Huntsville, Alabama. Image is courtesy of NASA.

SatMagazine Page 31 October 2020 beginning to hinge on our awareness of — and our ability to protect against — any nefarious operations in cislunar space. Indeed, the newly formed U.S. Space Force (USSF) is charged with this mission, while its progenitor, the U.S. Air Force, is working hard to accelerate technology readiness for a new era of agile, military satellite operations. In parallel with our work on NASA’s Solar Cruiser Mission, Roccor is currently working with an unnamed government customer to develop a 2 kW deployable solar array to power a next-generation SEP system on a 100 kg-class smallsat. This project is an operational demonstration of an agile smallsat platform with roughly 10 times per mass the electric propulsion capability of Eutelsat 115 West B. If these near-term solar sailing and electric propulsion missions Solar array-powered Xenon Hall thruster . succeed as planned, we will then see the emergence of the true Two decades ago, NASA’s Deep Space 1 mission was the first to superpower of smallsats. Ever-increasing smallsat payloads combined prove the principle of solar electric propulsion (SEP) using a solar-array- with solar sailing and electric propulsion capabilities will produce powered ion thruster to propel the spacecraft on an orbiting sentinels that possess nearly limitless performance, agility and asteroid-encountering non-Keplerian trajectory. mission lifetimes. In 2015, Eutelsat 115 West B was one of the first commercial satellites to use solar electric propulsion exclusively for station-keeping www.roccor.com and orbital maneuvering. Post Falcon 9 rocket and approximately eight months of meticulously timed, orbit-raising maneuvers to its assigned Dana Turse is director of R&D programs for GEO post, the 2,205 kg satellite entered service in early 2016. Roccor. She is an inventive mechanical engineer The satellite’s suite of ion thrusters are powered by two, large, solar who specializes in advanced composites and arrays that span 33 meters and generate an estimated 5 kW of power mechanisms. Her credits are many, including to charge a massive bank of lithium-ion batteries. recently being named chair of the High Strain Why do we care that we can fly satellites with essentially Composites Technical Subcommittee of the limitless maneuverability? American Institute of Aeronautics and Our world is becoming wholly dependent on the ever-increasing flow Astronautics (AIAA)... the first woman to ever of data to and from satellites in the extremely crowded space between hold the position. She is the co-inventor of several, deployable LEO and GEO orbits. As the risk of accidental collisions between these booms and antenna technologies and has worked on a number satellites increases, so does the risk of intentional interruption of of patents, including a self-deploying solar array, a slit tube satellite services by “bad players” in the international community. locking longeron, a furlable shape-memory spacecraft reflector Indeed, our lifestyle, our livelihood and our national security are with offset feed, several deployable structures with collapsible structural members, and a deformable sandwich panel. Prior to joining Roccor in 2016, Turse served as manager of deployable space structures and senior mechanical engineer at Composite Technology Development in Lafayette, Colorado. Turse received her degree in mechanical engineering from Colorado State University.

Manufactured by Boeing Defense and Space, EUTELSAT 115 West B is the first all-electric satellite of EUTELSAT’s fleet. Artistic rendition is courtesy of Boeing.

SatMagazine Page 32 October 2020

New Space—The Rapidly Evolving Ground Segment and the Forecast for the Future A Kratos Constellations Interview with Pacôme Révillon, Chief Executive Officer, Euroconsult

Pacôme Révillon is the Chief Executive Looking at other sectors, the aviation industry is expected to connect Officer of Euroconsult, and he is based in potentially more than 6,000 aircraft in the next three to five years, with Paris, France. In his 18 years of work in the the installation of new ground and aero terminals. In defense, forces sector, Pacôme leads Euroconsult’s strategy, are increasingly relying on a combination of military and commercial operations and consultations with high-level systems, thus efforts are underway to modernize and upgrade the clients, particularly in the satellite ground architectures and terminals. broadcasting, communications and finance In the Earth Observation (EO) market, the desire for expanded, low market segments. latency global coverage will drive installations in the coming year, particularly in strategic locations.

In this interview, Kratos host John Gilroy spoke with Pacôme, With Amazon's ground stations, KSAT, and now Viasat whose company recently published their ‘Ground Segment and others, we’ve seen the introduction of cloud-enabled Market Prospects: Forecasts to 2020.’ Pacôme shared his ground services. With these developments, how do you insights on how the explosion in satellite capacity and new see the ‘As-a-Service’ market evolving in the future? technologies in orbit are creating a ripple effect throughout the ground. While High Throughput Satellites (HTS) and new mega- PR constellations are often the focus of the industry, innovation in The concept of "As-a-Service" could a ring a bell in at least two the ground segment will be critical to unlocking the success of directions. In the SATCOM market, with satellite operators as direct these end-to-end systems. customers of the ground segment, their role is shifting from simply providing capacity like they used to, to increasingly providing managed capacity and services. Welcome Pacôme. The news for the past couple of years This transition looks more like an "As-a-Service.’ In the EO market, has been dominated by companies planning or deploying particularly as new constellations get deployed, we see the increased multi-constellations and high-throughput satellites. Now rationale for sharing as a way to optimize their CapEx spending, while the attention is turning to the ground. What is happening at the same time multiplying the points of contact on the ground. The and how is that affecting growth of the ground segment? ‘As-a-Service’ model extends the ability to deliver services in a shorter period of time. Pacôme Révillon (PR) Following the investment made by AWS, I wouldn’t be surprised if Yes, that’s correct. As you noted, the ground is now getting more other companies that own data centers or that are focused on data attention given the essential role it plays in unlocking and realizing all transfer and geospatial information also enter the market. Outside the the value of these innovations in space. And there are a number of U.S., we could see companies in Russia or China, such as an Alibaba, growth factors in the different markets. also focus on providing these services over the next decade. Certainly the larger constellations are a key driver for innovation and As it relates to the satellite operators and telecom companies, deployment for two obvious reasons; the sheer number of ground sites particularly in context to the 5G environment, those relationships will that are required for new programs, which can range from dozens to evolve as to who will be the ultimate owner of the ground segment in well over a hundred sites, along with all the associated equipment and valued geographic markets. antennas that are required. There are also the end-user related aspects of SATCOM, and the need to better support transmission capabilities or different frequency bands, such as Ka. Ka-band is still in its infancy in many areas, such as Asia, where a combination of universal access public programs, Wi-Fi hotspots and cellular will drive its growth.

SatMagazine Page 34 October 2020 where most of the satellite operators and leading service companies are. However, in terms of global infrastructure and where the vast majority of the networks and ground segment would be deployed, that could be in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, which is a function of demographics and where a lot of those services would be consumed.

When we look at the ground infrastructure, there seems to be lots of pressure to make it more productive and efficient, yet lower cost. Is that attainable?

PR We’re seeing pressure across the entire satellite industry to deliver more cost-efficient end-to-end solutions. The focus initially on space infrastructure is now addressing all parts of the industry. For the ground segment, one aspect for example is manufacturing, and gaining economies of scale with more international base end equipment. Another is rethinking manufacturing processes to deliver a significantly larger number of units more quickly. Another important aspect is the consolidation and reorganization of the ground segment that we’re likely to see as more companies join forces or come together to be able to manage larger complexity and to optimize costs.

Earlier, we talked about ground as-a-service. Looking around the world, where do you see most of the Typically when companies go to an ‘as-a-service’ model growth for the ground segment occurring? and move into the cloud, standardization becomes a factor because that makes it all possible. What role do you PR believe standardization will need to play from a ground In terms of global volume and dollars over the next few years, the vast perspective, especially as operators look at 5G as an majority of the clients and revenues will still be in the U.S. and Europe, integral part of their strategy?

SatMagazine Page 35 October 2020 PR While that primarily involves terrestrial assets, it could also involve Standardization is a key concept, one that’s also been a challenge for satellite networks as part of their global enterprise services, meaning large parts of satellite industry in the past. But looking at the next they’ll want to apply the same tools and methods to manage both their decade, standardization must play a role in order to maintain the terrestrial and satellite-based services. relevance of satellite-based solutions. That could happen with further standardization of hardware, but more so through software to facilitate You say ‘dynamic’ and ‘flexible’ about change to the ground a transition to more digital driven management of the assets. That segment. What needs to happen for the SATCOM market to would be the way to integrate more seamlessly both the satellite continue to be viable, to make money in this area? infrastructure and ground segments across different networks and constellations — especially to better integrate with the terrestrial PR telecom networks. If you look at the global nature, one absolute critical aspect for the entire satellite sector and ecosystem is to make sure that end users, On that note, let’s talk about terrestrial networks. They’ve whoever and wherever they are, can embrace the new satellite-based been using enabling technologies such as software- solution for connectivity or imagery or other resources. defined networking, open orchestration and provisioning The legacy services that used to generate most of the revenues systems for a while. How are those newer concepts for the industry will transition to a more data-driven model to a impacting the satellite market? certain extent, closer to the terrestrial telecoms and information and communications technology (ICT) industry, where you will have an PR exponential growth in the volume of data you need to exchange These concepts will resonate in the satellite industry in order to address and carry. the major requirements that aren’t fully realized yet. In order to do that, you will need to have a fully efficient, end to-end The first requirement is more seamless management of larger solution. Using concrete examples, constellations, VHTS satellite networks of satellite payloads and ground stations. If you look at our systems, the promise of terabit satellites and terabit systems and traffic satellite environment by 2025 or so, you’ll need to integrate all that can only happen if a new generation of ground antennas, mobile withend-users in mind. antennas in particular, is cost-effective enough, and flexible and reliable We're talking about multiple constellations, with up to hundreds or enough to support those networks. Talking about the end-users, we talk thousands of satellites combining assets in different orbits, where about cheap, highly flexible antennas and units that the end-users will different ground stations around the world will need to operate in a very be able to enjoy. dynamic manner to accommodate the traffic, the needs of the end In that respect, the innovation and the ability to provide that users, and status of the network. equipment at scale and at a lower cost is critical. It's innovation in the You’ll need to manage all that activity in a largely centralized manner, manufacturing process and even digital transformation. Industry 4.0 is considering a lot of those assets could be distributed remotely around a big word but certainly more of that will applied to the satellite the world. industry, including the ground segments. Digital RF, digitizing a good The second part that’s very important is that we are transitioning to part of the RF chain is one good example where innovation can take a sector where you will need to dynamically adapt resource allocation place. That's an important part. for different clients and applications. Think of mobility, where you will If you think of a baseband equipment modem of 10 years ago and be moving and transitioning from one asset to another with different today, capabilities have changed quite dramatically. I think the same levels of capacity, resources, or applications being run on them. will have to apply to the entire ecosystem, compared to previous. Also, Compared to the more fixed nature approach, where many clients had areas such as cybersecurity, will also take on more importance in the a fixed allocated resource and a fixed set of applications running, clearly future, and will have to be addressed, whether for commercial or the industry will have to move to a much more flexible approach to government solutions. dynamically manage applications and resources, almost by the second. Further, you’ll need integration between the satellite and the terrestrial, mostly 5G environments. Operators of terrestrial infrastructure use open orchestration to manage their resources and run processes through their entire network.

SatMagazine Page 36 October 2020 the new leaders in the industry to embrace the new complexity and be able to have even more ambitious innovations, strategies and policies moving forward. We'll see a change in the ecosystems. Between those potential new leaders or reorganized companies, and the startups that emerge to challenge them, smaller-sized companies will be challenged to exist and will have to really reinvent themselves. Putting you in a time machine, what changes do you think If they want to remain players in the future environment, they will will happen from the ground perspective in five years? have to specialize in high value solutions, addressing niche requirements to maintain differentiation. These contributions to the PR overall efficiency of the industry and the ability to differentiate and Five years from now, we’ll really see a change, with a completely new innovate in a continuous manner will be hallmarks of this major wave generation of deployed ground segments. Five years was considered over the next five years in the ground industry. a good cycle for a new generation of baseband equipment and that has been accelerating. Considering the new infrastructure in orbit, we'll Listen to Constellations podcasts as they become available. See the have an accelerated upgrade of legacy equipment of the number of full list of interviews and subscribe at this direct Kratos link... gateways and ground segments and the deployment of new solutions all around the world. www.euroconsult-ec.com In the U.S., I expect to see a deeper transformation of the ground segment industry. I’d be very surprised if there was not a number of www.kratosdefense.com/constellations-podcast mergers, acquisitions, and partnerships that would allow companies to scale and get access to new capabilities or technologies. That will allow

SatMagazine Page 37 October 2020 Phishing Penetration Test Measures Crew Vigilance By Mike McNally, Global Commercial Director, GTMaritime Now being offered — free of cost — is a penetration testing service Last autumn, GTMaritime started offering a penetration testing from GTMaritime that enables customers to evaluate the ability of service free of charge to its shipping company customers. The service their personnel to identify phishing attacks. involves sending a selection of crafted spoof phishing messages to crew to test for alertness and for response. Shipping companies choosing GTMailPlus and other solutions from the These realistic but ultimately harmless simulated attacks offer an GTMaritime portfolio are employing best-in-class technology to prevent effective way of gathering quantitative evidence on the alertness of the the vast majority of phishing attempts from ever reaching crew. frontline staff most exposed to hoax emails. However, threats are continually evolving. Hackers are constantly By revealing weaknesses in training provision and identifying attempting to come up with new ruses to outwit software-based instances where common hallmarks of illegitimate requests are missed, protections and, occasionally, malicious messages do slip through. the free service allows customers to pinpoint where educational For this reason, crew cannot afford to become complacent in the resources can be enhanced or redirected, knowledge gaps plugged belief that, with a technological safety net in place, everything and awareness raised. that trickles down to their inbox is trustworthy and can be taken at face value. Test Results Were Surprising On the contrary, they must remain vigilant: the few malicious We recently completed a two-round penetration test for an established messages that do reach human eyes will have a higher than average shipping company. chance of resembling an authentic request and may employ advanced For the initial test, the vessel operator in question sent one spoof social-engineering techniques which make them harder to recognize. message that appeared to come from a Port Authority requesting basic Quality ship operators understand this and take a holistic approach identifying information about the vessel and its owner. Sixteen ships, to cyber defence. To supplement the work done by technological tools, comprising a mix of tankers, bulk carriers and managed vessels, were such as GTMailPlus by GTMaritime, they routinely offer staff training on selected for the exercise. Half of these vessels correctly identified the what to look out for and work to ensure they stay ever on the alert to message as a phishing attempt and ignored it — half complied with the these dangers. request and supplied the requested information. Of the latter group, However, it can be difficult to gauge exactly how well these measures in no case was the message escalated to management for a second are working or to identify areas that would benefit from improvement. opinion or advice on how to proceed with the request. In the same way that cyber criminals are constantly refining their The 50-50 split certainly raised pulses at company headquarters, as techniques, ship operators, too, must continually adapt. the spoof email was written in poor English and emanated from a

SatMagazine Page 38 October 2020 mysteriously unnamed port authority — both common traits that should “The Anti-Phishing penetration test highlighted that whilst we have ring alarm bells. To determine if the same result would be found if more technological tools in place to help prevent phishing attacks, we are detailed information was requested, a second test was employed. still reliant on our staff to be vigilant,” said a vessel operator “We are This time the message that supposedly came from a port authority using the results to help format our security procedures going forward had a personalized subject line that mentioned the target vessel’s name and will run future penetration tests to ensure their effectiveness.” and IMO number. There is mounting evidence cyber criminals include At GTMaritime, the company believes that technological and human references to familiar people or organizations, and that adds a veneer components are equally important in developing cyber-resilience. of authenticity to the message that encourages the targeted recipient While customers can rely on us to handle the technical defenses, to lower their guard.The rogue message requested a crew list, cargo the exercise described in this article clearly demonstrates the declaration (or, if in ballast condition, intended cargo and loading port, usefulness of penetration testing in bringing to light and addressing if known), whether armed guards were on board or had been over the the human-element. past three months (and name of security company engaged) as well as other information. Clearly, if intelligence of this sort was passed to www.gtmaritime.com/ pirates, it could jeopardize the safety of vessel and crew. The response to this second test showed a marked improvement Mike has more than 25 years' experience working in over the first message. Eight recipients immediately detected the industry both at sea and in senior maritime something was amiss and ignored the request. Encouragingly, three communications management positions. He began were now suspicious enough to escalate the approach to the head his career at sea, working on offshore tugs and office for guidance on how to proceed. Head office personnel were commercial fishing vessels before becoming a deck kept in the dark about the test but reacted correctly, advising vessels officer on Getty product tankers. After coming not to send any data and also alerted their IT departments. ashore, he joined Globe Wireless, a major global Even so, five vessels still obligingly followed the instructions in the maritime satellite service reseller. During two decades at the message without properly considering either the safety or commercial company, he oversaw an exponential growth in sales figures and ramifications of such particulars falling into the wrong hands. The was instrumental in introducing VSAT, Iridium and iFusion line of testing resulted in heightened awareness and enhanced procedures Fleet Broadband solutions into its range of services. Several years Following the penetration tests GTMaritime provided the vessel prior to Inmarsat taking over Globe Wireless McNally was retained operator with educational materials for both staff and IT personnel. by Inmarsat in Switzerland to manage maritime distribution The operator took an enlightened view of the results, seeing them partners for its new Global Xpress service, ultimately becoming as an opportunity to learn, rather than apportion blame. It later shared Vice President Sales for the Americas. Before joining GTMaritime the full findings in a company-wide security bulletin in the hopes that in 4Q18, he spent the three years prior, as Managing Director for using real data rather than hypothetical scenarios to present the Telemar USA, overseeing its successful merger into Marlink. dangers would drive home the need for vigilance.

SatMagazine Page 39 October 2020 An SFL-built Kepler smallsat.

Raising The Smallsat Bar By Kevin P. Corbley, Consultant

The cubesat market continued to heat up over the summer with The origin of the cubesat revolution can be traced to the 2001 Small Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) announcing the company was adding Satellite Conference in Logan, Utah, where Professor Bob Twiggs, then a new line of high-performance, low-cost cubesat buses to an from Stanford University, challenged attendees — especially academics already robust offering of nano- and microsatellites. — to build satellites the size of a 10x10x10 cm cube. SFL was among the first organizations to accept the cubesat The announcement by SFL underscores the fact cubesats have reached development challenge and was the first internationally to launch the point where they are now widely accepted as viable platforms for cubesats originating from the USA, Denmark and Canada (SFL’s own commercial missions. CanX-1) in 2003. These Cubesats were launched in tandem with MOST, “For the first 10 years after the Cubesat concept Canada’s first space telescope, a 53 kilogram smallsat also developed was introduced in 2001, they were used primarily for by SFL in collaboration with an industrial partner. educational purposes and some proof-of-concept Although it develops smallsats for commercial customers worldwide, missions, mostly by universities,” said SFL Director SFL is based at, and part of, the University of Toronto Institute for Dr. Robert E. Zee. “But more recently their suitability Aerospace Studies (UTIAS) and often engages students in its smallsat for operational data-service missions has been development projects. In this regard, SFL is akin to a teaching hospital recognized, as several factors have lowered their in the healthcare system — delivering top-notch, professional services costs and facilitated their development and launch.” while training interns and the next generation of elite professionals. Zee sees exponential growth in coming years as commercial An SFL team composed of graduate students built and launched the NewSpace organizations leverage the advantages of cubesat platforms first cubesat, CanX-1, in 2003 for education and research purposes, to create disruptive new space-based businesses, often involving multi- mainly as a programmatic pathfinder into the world of cubesats. satellite constellations. While the Toronto organization continued by building and launching another cubesat in 2008 — a state-of-the-art, barrier-breaking, triple cubesat, CanX-2 — the company turned its attention to developing

SatMagazine Page 40 October 2020 The common form factors served as catalysts for rapid growth in this sector of the smallsat industry as standardized dimensions paved the way for component product offerings, unassembled platform kits and launch clustering. This drove the cost of cubesats down while allowing the world’s aerospace engineering students to inexpensively gain valuable hands- on experience building real satellites. Standardization also supported the philosophy behind cubesats — fast mission development and multi-satellite launches, explained Zee. With standard bus form factors, several companies began fabricating low-cost deployers, or launch containers, that could SFL’s CAN-X 2 smallsat. accommodate any cubesat, thanks to the strict platform dimensions. These deployers are fully enclosed jack-in-the-box systems into which the satellites are packed at their point of assembly for shipping somewhat larger, high-performance nanosatellites and microsatellites, directly to the launch site. fulfilling the requirements of operational and pathfinder missions in “For the launch provider, integrating a deployer with their launch communications, remote sensing, ship tracking, and space astronomy vehicle is much simpler and more streamlined than attaching a satellite for commercial and government customers. directly,” said Zee. “These factors made it much less expensive to In the first decade of the millennium, cubesats did not yet rank as launch dozens of cubesats on a single rocket, improving overall mission highly on the satellite utility scale. Hence, SFL’s primary focus was on economics especially for satellite clusters and constellations.” larger satellites. (MOST, after all, was the first smallsat in the world to From the perspective of the launch provider, cubesats were attractive have accomplished a scientifically challenging mission with stringent because of reduced coordination requirements arising from common attitude control.) form factors and fully enclosed dispensers that allowed for physical As the years progressed, so, too, did advances in SFL technology. isolation of their contents. SFL microspace missions have included SFL’s trusted attitude control and, in some cases, formation-flying capabilities. Other core SFL- Growing the Smallsat Market Pie developed components include modular (scalable) power systems, The aggressive development schedules, increasingly attractive onboard radios, flight computers, and control software. economics and rapidly improving technology inevitably caught the Most recently, SFL celebrated the launch of two smallsats the firm attention of commercial operators, including entrepreneurial developed for GHGSat Inc. of Canada and SPACE-SI in Slovenia — organizations looking to offer disruptive space-based services with GHGSat-C1 and NEMO-HD, respectively. Even as it launched 27 fast returns on investment. Planet Labs, now Planet, is widely regarded distinct smallsat missions over the past 22 years, SFL kept an eye on as a trailblazer in the operational deployment of cubesats and their the rapidly evolving operational potential of cubesat technology as a constellation of Dove satellites now includes hundreds of smallsats complement to its mission-proven nano- and on-orbit micro-platforms. Artistic rendition of Planet’s DOVE smallsats on-orbit. What is a Cubesat? “Cubesats are defined as much by their physical structure as their development philosophy,” said Zee. “Both factors play a role in their growing appeal for operational missions.” Unlike generalized nano- and microsatellites that are differentiated by their mass, cubesats are built to standardized form factors based on one-liter units. A 1U platform is a 10 cm cube, for example, while the 2U and 3U Cubesats are roughly 10x10x20 cm and 10x10x30 cm, respectively. Those were the original standardized form factors, although now 6U (10x20x30 cm), 12U (20x20x30 cm) and 16U (20x20x40 cm) are available.

SatMagazine Page 41 October 2020 In a classic case of expanding the smallsat pie rather than cutting it Accelerated Cubesat Development into smaller pieces, cubesats will continue to attract new entrepreneurial Another trend becoming popular in the cubesat era is accelerated players into the space-based services market in the future just as satellite development for demonstration missions. Due to the short nanosatellites and microsatellites have accomplished. lifespan needed for these satellites to prove a specific technical concept “Cubesats have matured significantly since 2001 and their inclusion as economically as possible, the development process can be fast in commercial business models means they are a natural expansion of tracked to get the disruptive satellite into orbit with a higher (but our microspace business, which we will continue to serve and enhance managed) risk and reward profile. as always,” said Zee. “We are now offering this accelerated development process, which SFL’s new line of high-performance, low-cost 3U (THUNDER), 6U we simply call our NewSpace quality approach, for Cubesats missions (SPARTAN) and 12U/16U (JAEGER) cubesat buses complement the intended for demonstration purposes,” said Zee. “For operational company’s legacy suite of space-heritage nano- and microsatellites, missions involving a single or a few satellites, the standard SFL fulfilling mission size requirements from 3 to 500 kg, as well as any microspace development approach continues to be offered for long budget and performance objectives. durations (i.e. many years) on-orbit.” Zee acknowledges that there is both a disruptive and operational Another application of the NewSpace quality approach is found in use of cubesats. There will be entrepreneurial organizations that will mega constellations, such as Kepler’s smallsats. These are operational inexpensively prove their technological concepts with cubesats and constellations involving a large number (e.g., hundreds) of cubesats on- then switch to larger, longer-life, nano- or microsatellites for fully orbit. For these missions, routine replenishment is built into the business operational deployment of their business model. Other companies will plan because new satellites with the latest technologies must be build their businesses around cubesats due to the nature of their developed and launched to maintain competitive advantage. missions — today’s available technology allows them to operationally In that scenario, which is only possible due to the low cost of use these platforms successfully. cubesats, the satellites aren’t designed for long operating lives. Companies, such as Kepler Communications of Toronto, will rely on Furthermore, due to the large numbers in production, imperfect yield cubesats for their operational constellation as were used in their through test or on-orbit may be acceptable. demonstration missions to provide global data backhaul services for “An accelerated development process can be applied for these wideband and Internet of Things (IoT) applications. The operational massive commercial constellations,” said Zee, stressing that, while satellites, referred to by Kepler as its Gen1 constellation, will assembly and testing procedures may be quickened, there are no incorporate significant upgrades from the demonstration satellites and shortcuts taken with the core technology. offer higher data capacities. “Every satellite we build — whether cubesat, nanosat, or microsat As a consequence of developing a cubesat for Kepler’s Gen1 — incorporates the same flight heritage, avionics, and attitude control constellation (image to the right), SFL has established an entire line of high that we have developed and refined after developing 52 distinct performance spacecraft. SFL specifically developed a platform for Kepler satellites – either launched or launching soon,” said Zee. “The fact that that is tailored to accommodate their commercial communications payload our new cubesats leverage a robust line of heritage SFL technology and operational capabilities. SFL provided training and technical support means that our customers are getting the very best technology and the to Kepler as they created a manufacturing workflow to build and maintain highest chance of commercial success.” their planned constellation of 140 satellites. This successful collaboration established a formula for collaboration with other NewSpace companies www.utias-sfl.net in the future. Kevin Corbley has been a Colorado-based business consultant SFL-built smallsat for Kepler. specializing in the geospatial and aerospace industries for more than 25 years. He may be reached at [email protected].

SatMagazine Page 42 October 2020

Due of their highorbits, Viasat’s geostartionary satellites can cover lage areas on the ground with service. The Tech Behind Satellite Internet By Alex Miller, Editor, Viasat Corporate Blog

The way most internet works these days is a simple, three-part central station, the internet signal is delivered via fiber to a large process: The internet service provider (ISP) obtains the internet antenna (called an “Earth station”) on the ground, which then moves signal via fiber from a collection of data servers, moves that signal the signal via radio waves up to the Viasat satellite. to a central station, or hub, and then distributes that signal to the In this model, the satellite is functioning similar to that of a central modems of individual subscribers. office and that “last mile” is more like 22,300 miles — the altitude at which the Viasat satellites orbit. The signal comes back down to your Those first two parts tend to be the easiest to accomplish, while the home or office and is captured by an antenna (dish) outside the home third — getting the signal to those modems — is the tricky part. That that’s aligned with the satellite. From there, the signal goes into a cable final leg is often called “the last mile” and, for many homes without through a hole in the wall that connects to a modem — just like any adequate internet service, it’s that last mile (or multiple miles) from the other ISP. hub that makes the difference. If you think about cable or fiber ISPs, they require a technician to Spectrum and Spot Beams come out and wire each location, then connect that to the local hub. As most homes are already fully cabled, it’s relatively simple to connect all the homes in a neighborhood. If your home is not in a populated area where it makes economic sense for the ISP to serve you with short runs from the hub to your home, it’s less simple. In the case of cable or fiber, it may mean they don’t serve you at all. For DSL from the phone company, they might serve you, but the farther you are from the nearest central station, the worse that service becomes. That’s why satellite internet became a way to bridge the digital divide for people outside the cable and fiber zone. Satellite ISPs such as Viasat work in essentially the same three-step fashion; however, instead of a

SatMagazine Page 44 October 2020 One of the questions often heard when talking to new customers is this is accomplished and that has resulted in a highly efficient use of whether they can use the same dish they already have for satellite TV. the radio spectrum the company has been allocated. This, in turn, That is certainly a good question, but the answer is a firm “no.” allows Viasat to deliver more bandwidth to all of those modems. The main reason for this is that satellite TV only goes in one direction, As we’ve increased the power of our satellites, Viasat has also had broadcasting video signals from the satellite to the home with no to up our game on the ground. Just as more towers equate to better “return flight.” Internet signals have to go both ways, and as the signals coverage for your smartphone, more of those Earth stations adds up to to and from the satellite are not broadcast like video, there’s a greater a stronger network for the company’s offered satellite services. amount of bandwidth needed to move all of that data. Simultaneously, moving the processing functions into the cloud has That leads to another interesting element about how Viasat delivers allowed us to create smaller, less-expensive Earth stations than we did internet via satellite. While the video satellites can broadcast one way previously. That helps make it economical to install more of them. in a very large beam that can cover an entire continent, doing so for internet would be a waste of that bandwidth. The TRIA Think of a radio station at, say, 97.3 FM. If you’re within 50 or so We’ve touched on all the main components of how Viasat delivers miles of that broadcast, you’ll get your local station at that frequency. satellite internet; however, there’s one more element to mention In the next state over, your rock station at 97.3 might be a country because it’s something you actually see positioned at your home. station, as the distance has allowed for a re-use of that portion of the What many call “the dish” is actually a couple of different things. The radio spectrum. dish itself is simply a reflector: a piece of stamped steel aimed at the Viasat satellites receive the Ka-band of the radio spectrum near 30 satellite that works to focus the signal read by the TRIA. This is the metal GHz and transmit near 20.2 GHz and the signal is deployed in what are box at the end of the arm that’s connected via cable to your modem. called “spot beams.” These are aimed at specific areas on the ground “TRIA” is an acronym for and they overlap (see illustration in Figure 1). If we’re using the same “transmit-receive integrated part of the spectrum for this, then how does that work? assembly” but all that’s needed to know is that it’s essentially a radio that can send and receive signals. The TRIA also has a powerful amplifier in it to enable it to push A look at the TRIA and reflector dish. Because our satellites are over the equator, a signal back to the satellite that is you’ll notice these antennas anywhere above the equator always point south. on-orbit. Along with your modem, the TRIA is the real workhorse at your location — not the larger dish. A modem, by the way, serves as the interface between the radio signals received via the TRIA and your computer or router. The modem also accomplishes other work, such as authentication to ensure you’re a member of the network and to modulate and demodulate the signal. Even if the basics of how the signal gets to you from the satellite are relatively simple, it does involve a great deal of complex technology to make it all possible. It’s a technology Viasat works on constantly to improve. The company’s goal is to ensure high-speed internet access is possible to obtain just about anywhere on Earth over the next few years. This illustration shows how one-way beams from a video satellite differ from the spot beams Viasat uses to deliver internet with a two-way beam. www.viasat.com The answer is we break down the bands using different polarizations. In case you’re not an electrical engineer, just think of it Alex Miller is the editor of the Viasat corporate blog. as different colors. A veteran newspaper reporter and editor, Alex has Within a single spot beam, we can use a number of different colors been with Viasat since 2012 and works out of the to carry the signal, reusing that same bit of spectrum. Viasat has company's office in Denver, Colorado. dedicated quite a bit of effort over the past decade to improving how

SatMagazine Page 45 October 2020 A Rocket From Singapore By Simon Gwozdz, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Equatorial Space Nestled between Malaysia and Indonesia, the tiny city-state of explained Simon Gwozdz, the founder and CEO of the two-year old Singapore is more traditionally associated with semiconductor startup company. manufacturing, ship-building, oil refining and aerospace “We see a growing interest for these orbits from tropical nations maintenance rather than with satellite launch segment — and yet, around the globe — which want the 90-or-so minute revisit rates which despite its compact size, one company believes it can make a dent come from it. At the same time, we will be able to serve the traditional on the burgeoning smallsat launch segment with its unique sun-synchronous launches as well,” Gwozdz added. approach to both propulsion and launch operations. However, the access to equatorial launch sites is not the only ace up the company’s sleeve. As Gwozdz explained, the key differentiation is Equatorial Space (ESS), aptly named after its home island’s one-degree- not geographic, but technological. north geographic location, is working on a sea-launched vehicle The Volans, slated for its first flight in late 2021, will become the very affectionately known as Volans, which, just like its constellation first purely hybrid launch vehicle in history — while the solid-fuel and namesake, will soar from the ocean and into space. The company liquid-oxidizer propulsion architecture is not new, it was previously believes it can price the rocket at $4.5 million per mission — lower than plagued with poor regression rates and structural stability of the solid incumbents, and most importantly, deliver payloads into underserved fuels, such as HTPB and paraffin wax. niches in equatorial Low Earth Orbit (LEO) “HRF-1 is our proprietary solid fuel. It’s non-toxic, non-explosive “The benefits of a low-latitude launch site are in but at the same time offers regression rates the range of inclinations available. Unlike in GEO, comparable with that of paraffin wax. The difference plane adjustment maneuvers are very delta-v is - we don’t have to worry about the excessive inefficient in lower altitudes, in order of 1.4 slivers and complex port geometries that other kilometers per-second. That makes access to companies suffer. We can get a very healthy flow equatorial LEO, with its high revisit rates with modest rate from a single, circular port which makes the James Anderson Simon Gwozda constellation sizes, really tough for operators now,” entire system rather straightforward to put

SatMagazine Page 46 October 2020 together,” noted James Anderson, a veteran rocket engineer and the firm’s Chief Technical Officer (CTO). Will it be enough to emerge victorious in the increasingly contested sphere of dedicated launch services? “Actually, considering the diversity of upcoming missions, I’d expect more segmentation than consolidation in launch services. Depending on the risk tolerance, price point, schedule and orbital flexibility, and naturally - form HRF-1 is a unique solid fuel proprietary to ESS that has undergone five years of testing in ground firings. HRF-1 solves the historical challenges of hybrid rocket propulsion, and factor of the satellites, the clients delivers superior and stable performances to enable this game-changing technology to take flight. Photo is courtesy of the company. expectation will be just as diverse,” stated Gwozdz, “it’ll keep us all very Finding an appropriate launch site in a region with little room to busy for years to come.” spare wasn’t easy — the initial attempts to arrange the flight in Thailand Yet, technological breakthroughs and encountered some hurdles. advantageous location is not enough to Now, the company is working with a partner company in Malaysia to warrant a healthy, space tech, eco- ensure safe and effective conduct of the upcoming test. system. Southeast Asia’s regulatory “We often envy teams in the US and Europe for having such a framework remains sparse and straightforward access to testing ranges ready to accommodate rocket incomplete, especially in areas as testing. Such activities are still a novelty in Southeast Asia, and it takes complex as orbital launch licensing. The quite a bit of effort.” said Gwozdz. region’s airspace as well as its many, key Nevertheless, the team remains undeterred in its vision to become marine passages are notoriously packed. the SpaceX of Singapore. “We are looking “Unlike most of the prominent companies in business, Equatorial into the regulatory comes from very humble, cash strapped beginnings. Our Low Altitude aspect - and luckily, Demonstrator is a big deal for us, because despite all of that we’ve the government is managed to build what is, to the best of my knowledge, the very first warming up to the privately built guided rocket vehicle in the region. While we’ve got idea of having a cut of plenty of work left ahead of us, we are quite glad to have come this Praveen Ganapathi Perumal the global launch far,” Gwozdz added. market. I’m confident The company has already seen quite some market interest, with we will collectively work it out before we Letters of Intent with nearly $100 million in potential value signed with are ready for our orbital mission,” said clients in and outside Singapore. But for the team behind the magic, Praveen Ganapathi Perumal, the Chief its not only about the money. Operating Officer (COO) at Equatorial “We’ve grown tired of watching others doing great things in space Space. “Most importantly, we need to — we want to be more than spectators, and while our current focus is prove ourselves.” firmly in the launch segment, our ambitions go far beyond that — we The company is currently gearing want to play our part in our interplanetary future as much everybody towards its inaugural test flight - with a else,” confessed Gwozdz, “launchers are, ironically, the low hanging rocket it calls the Low Altitude fruit before we reach beyond LEO.” Demonstrator being readied at its facility in western Singapore. www.equatorialspace.com “While the target apogee isn’t too high, just 1,500 meters, the main goal is to demonstrate our guidance, navigation and control system,” added Praveen.

SatMagazine Page 47 October 2020 Market Forces Driving New Approaches To Satellite Lines

By Brian Rider, Chief Technology Officer, LeoStella

There’s a new space race — and access to space has never been commercial business models than ever before. To keep pace with easier. Affordable launch options, off-the-shelf satellites and investors’ financial targets, space executives are laser focused on comprehensive mission services all enable organizations to develop growth and profit. That doesn’t always mean the lowest cost satellite unique, revolutionary services and products without the need to — it often means the satellite that can produce the most value, day-in be experts on the complexities of satellites and space architecture. and day-out, becomes the selected platform. Businesses and investors need commercially, operational More people, businesses and organizations are participating in this constellations. Like a military operational system, these constellations once limited and exclusive industry. Highly creative ideas on how to need to meet the expectations for up-time, system throughput, and leverage space technology are emerging on a constant basis with no data and service quality, but at a fraction of the cost. end in sight. We have just scratched the surface of what is possible. It’s not enough anymore to just get “something” into space — the Much of this innovation is being fueled by satellites that are space infrastructure needs to produce product at the rate and quality inherently scalable and flexible. Satellites are now built to support a built into the commercial business plans. wide range of performance metrics while preserving the cost and schedule benefits of production line manufacturing. Scalability, Software Definition, Intelligent Manufacturing The industry is quickly adapting to this new approach by moving These market forces can be addressed with scalable and software- away from a project/mission focus to a product line focus with defined bus product lines that are applicable across a wide range of continuous manufacturing and on-going technology evolution. applications and combined with intelligent manufacturing. Marrying Investors are taking note and are placing big bets on the most these two elements will greatly reduce the cost and timeline for volume promising applications. production. Initially, the satellite buses need to be scalable to leverage common Market Forces designs while providing high degree of relevance to application With the commercialization of space comes new priorities and requirements. Commercial off-the-shelf satellites and components are expectations. Satellite design decisions are more closely coupled to just one part of the equation — they are only useful if they meet the

SatMagazine Page 48 October 2020 needs of the specific applications. The next stage for the industry is to The space industry is going to experience an increase in the provide smallsat buses that can easily scale capabilities with emergence rate of innovative business models. The commercialization interchangeable modules to create a variety of configurations. of space is still in its early days, but it has reached an important A classic example is the difference between Earth Observation (EO) inflection point. imaging satellites and communication satellites. EO satellites need a The cost of space has decreased significantly, a new approach for high degree of pointing stability, agility, and on-board data processing. satellite product lines is taking hold, and manufacturing capabilities are Communication satellites do not require such optical stability and significantly more sophisticated, positioning many businesses to agility but need significantly more power generation, greater storage succeed with their own creative uses of space infrastructure. capacity and larger payload envelopes. Product lines that are designed Investors are taking note of the industry’s potential and supplying to include scalability can bridge that gap by tailoring power, agility, significant funds. With these factors, the industry is poised to stability, thermal control, downlink data rates, propulsion, and other key experience a wave of market acceleration. performance metrics while keeping the same core satellite architecture, The innovations and capabilities seen today are just the tip of this avionics, configurable software, and manufacturing process. massive industry iceberg. Secondly, the next generation of satellites also require a high degree of software flexibility that maintains a core and constantly evolving bus www.leostella.com operations software, but that can be easily adapted to support the various, scalable configurations. Additionally, the software should be Author Brian Rider has spent his career developing high quality capable of supporting application specific on-orbit behavior or space systems for a variety of missions, including concepts of operations (CONOPs) as well as a variety of space-to- earth imaging, weather monitoring, astronomy, ground and space-to-space command and data interfaces. optical communications, and interplanetary Third, the satellites need to be built as product lines with a common exploration. Prior to joining LeoStella, Brian was core architecture and a high degree of common components. To be the Director of Imaging at BlackSky and was part successful in this, intelligent manufacturing will need IoT connected of the leadership of the satellite engineering equipment, digital processes, statistical process optimization, inventory- group. Brian has a passion for space missions and rich manufacturing processes and supply chain integration to materials believes strongly in the benefit of leveraging emerging requirement planning (MRP). This will allow new product lines to be built technologies to create new capabilities in the space domain. at similar scale, with predictability and at the volume of other complex commodities typical in the non-space tactical and scientific industries.

Figure 1: Example configurable satellite product line and intelligent manufacturing process at LeoStella making dozens of the same core satellite with multiple scalable configurations for different applications.

SatMagazine Page 49 October 2020 Microwave Weather Observation From Space A conversation with Gregory Porter, Meteorologist/Director of UK Business Development, Weather Stream, Ltd.

It is difficult to name a country, economy, or activity that is not for multiple launches during 2021, OMS will provide their GEMS data somehow influenced by weather. Some people spend an inordinate to Weather Stream and other select private and public users. amount of time and effort worrying about what the weather might be and often wishing for a better forecast. Whether considering a Why are passive microwave sounders crucial to Earth personal walk in the park, or a government looking to best plan Observation (EO) efforts? for a critical weather event, improved and more detailed weather information is always welcome. Gregory Porter (GP) Passive microwave radiometers measure the natural radiation emitted Daily weather reports include high-definition visual images from satellites by the earth at specific frequencies. The characteristics of the operated by governments and commercial firms. Such images are readily microwave signals emitted from the earth provide well-defined available and document what can be seen as frequently as every thirty information at the sensor, enabling the determination of what the radio seconds. While impressive, most of these images show only the tops of waves have encountered as they traverse clouds, precipitation, and clouds and storms. To look inside and through the clouds and better other atmospheric conditions. As the only viable technology to gather understand the dynamics of weather, technologies such as passive information at multiple altitudes within clouds, passive microwave microwave, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), and infrared must be employed. delivers unique value for multiple use cases. This conversation with Gregory Porter, director of To achieve better and more accurate weather forecasting and UK business development for Weather Stream, Ltd., nowcasting, the weather industry should move toward integrating or and a certified meteorologist, explored what is blending data from multiple sources and observation technologies. To currently being done with satellite-based sensors in the date, we have been observing weather in silos, keeping data from weather landscape to improve weather predictability. different collectors compartmentalized. Weather Stream has proprietary access to data Each technology contributes to the overall picture and can add value from the Orbital Micro Systems’ (OMS) Global and definition, but technologies such as passive microwave are under- Environmental Monitoring System (GEMS) sampled. The current government-driven observation model has constellation of cubesats that are equipped with focused on visual technologies more than microwave. Expanding the passive microwave radiometers. With one satellite on orbit and plans global capacity to capture measurements within storms, using passive

SatMagazine Page 50 October 2020 microwave sounders, can change the value and usability of weather Take the example of North Atlantic Storm Dennis, which battered information in commercial and public markets. parts of Iceland, Ireland, and the UK with catastrophic flooding, damaging winds, and rough seas in mid-February, 2020. The storm What are some critical meteorological challenges facing was named the second strongest non-tropical storm on record in the governments and commercial entities that could be better North Atlantic. mitigated through improved frequency of weather data As it reached peak intensity February 15, the storm was well outside collection and different observation technologies? the range of ocean buoys that would typically relay key observations on temperature, wind speed, wave height, and precipitation rates. The GP only source of information on this storm was from satellites, which The primary challenges break down into categories of resolution and themselves only have certain instrumentation capable of capturing coverage. There are significant observation gaps in temporal resolution observations under specific atmospheric conditions. — the time between live observations. The geostationary GOES-16 satellite captured impressive visual Other gaps exist in spatial resolution, relating to areas of the images of this enormous storm, and some microwave observations of Earth that are observed less frequently or sometimes not at all. With the storm were also captured by MetOp satellites, but the temporal better resolution and coverage in time and space, meteorologists resolution of these observations was not sufficient to clearly access the can make better assessments of storm strength, and gain better intensity of the storm. With more decisive information that could be understanding of the storm track and propensities which could available through additional microwave observations, civil authorities threaten people and commerce. may have been better prepared for the devastating effects of the storm.

Figure 1. Storm Dennis captured by GOES-16

SatMagazine Page 51 October 2020 It’s logical that more frequent observations will improve accuracy and When data collection from satellites occurs hours, or even days apart, enable real-time decisions based on observed information rather than the data is insufficient for useful weather predictions. Over oceans we are modeled expectations. The OMS GEMS fleet of satellites is planned to basically blind between satellites, leaving commercial traffic and weather observe the entire earth’s surface roughly one time per hour by 2022. tracking systems to operate in free-run with little to no information. This will be a significant bolstering of the current stream of weather observations feeding models. How does passive microwave differ from other satellite- With existing government-owned satellites, microwave soundings based weather data collection technologies? are taken every three to six hours for much of North America and Europe, and revisits in other parts of the world can be days apart, so there is ample opportunity to improve. GP The forecast and storm-track images most people see are output While passive microwave is one of multiple sensing technologies that from complex models which interpret and interpolate data to estimate provide critical information to comprehensive weather models, it has what things should look like between sampled datapoints. However, some significant performance advantages. weather doesn’t always comply with the rules of the models. The Microwave is considered an All-Sky technology as it works in the unpredictability of weather is one reason to eliminate or shorten same way and provides consistent information in daylight or night and temporal gaps, thereby improving forecasts. with cloudy or clear skies. This enables the ability to see into clouds. The low spatial resolution aspects of weather observation are most One of the biggest limitations of satellite instruments employing evident over oceans. Alternative data sources such as land-based radar other technologies is that most cannot see through the clouds, and provide excellent pictures of storm conditions such as precipitation nothing other than microwave can see what is happening and where density, but only reach about 50 kilometers beyond the coastline. Over the activity is taking place inside the clouds. Without this penetrating oceans, there are few opportunities to observe precipitation returns, a view, predicting weather conditions is somewhat akin to diagnosing a significant indicator of storm strength. car engine problem without lifting the hood.

Figure 2 “Recent progress in all sky radiance assimilation,” Geer, Bormann, et al., ECMWF Newsletter, No. 161 ­ Autumn 2019. https://www.ecmwf.int/en/newsletter/161/meteorology/recent­progress­all­sky­radiance­assimilation

SatMagazine Page 52 October 2020 When you can only observe what is happening on the upper surface, Are there commercial markets for improved density and it can be very difficult to accurately diagnose or model a problem. frequency of microwave weather observations? Of the multiple observation technologies, microwave provides the most versatile utility, but all contribute to making model outputs GP complete and useable. Figure 2 on the previous page is an excellent Weather Stream is beginning to open new markets for dense and illustration of different observation technologies published by the frequent microwave observation data. In the past, microwave data was European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), one not inherently valued because it was not available with the regularity of the world’s leading sources for weather forecast information. deemed necessary for effective forecasting. It is important to note that visual and infrared observations can With revisit intervals below the one-hour mark, the details of internal produce high-resolution images of the first thing they encounter – which cloud dynamics will be of more use and value to weather analysts. At the may be the tops of clouds. Microwave observations can measure the projected resolution, GEMS data could be the foundation for integrated conditions at multiple altitudes from surface to the troposphere nowcasting models that have only been dreamed of previously. regardless of obstructions. Any industry looking for a more dynamic observation of weather will benefit from more microwave data. Commercial markets such as How many microwave sounders are in use today? transportation and insurance have unmet needs for frequent weather data to empower business decisions and enable expansion to new GP products and geographies. There are approximately 12 microwave radiometers providing weather Analysts and users will soon be presented with data in volumes and observation data from orbit. With such a small number of instruments detail they have never experienced, and we anticipate that in addition taking measurements, the addition of the first GEMS satellite in 2019 to the applications we’ve identified, a vast array of opportunities, increased the size of the observation pool by six to eight percent. markets, and products will evolve from the data analytics ecosystem. Because it is a cubesat, the cost to put it in place was a small fraction of The marketplace will likely determine the optimum temporal the larger systems in space. With each addition to the GEMS constellation, frequency that makes business sense, but until that saturation point is the total amount of observed data available for input to models will reached, Weather stream will leverage the growing GEMS constellation increase substantially. In addition to cost, operating in Low Earth Orbit to deliver unmatched data that can better inform business decisions (LEO) enables higher definition due to a smaller observation spot than and help assure safety across the globe. instruments in higher orbits, and revisits are more frequent than the larger systems. Each GEMS satellite covers the earth every 10 to 11 hours. www.orbitalmicro.com Currently, microwave data is underutilized due to the resolution gaps discussed earlier. However, with more data of a single type which can Gregory Porter is the Director of UK Business Development and provide a clearer look at cloud dynamics or cloud physics, the weather Lead Meteorologist for Orbital Micro Systems and is responsible world has a tremendous opportunity to improve general knowledge for expanding the company’s engagement with partners and and modeling. customers throughout the EMEA region. As a certified meteorologist, he is a key contributor to shaping the company’s What is the potential for “Weather Radar” type information market-ready weather data offerings to address critical needs of away from population centers and land masses? commercial and public-sector customers globally. Porter is posted in Edinburgh, Scotland, the home of OMS’ primary data GP center, the International Center for Earth Data (ICED). The idea of weather radar over oceans is of interest to anyone who Porter has extensive expertise in aviation and weather crosses or uses that space. The simple fact is there is a direct correlation science garnered from working for the U.S. Federal Aviation between better information and safety and efficiency. Administration on air traffic planning and management, authoring More frequent and more detailed observed data inputs to models weather related materials for NOAA (National Oceanic and will decrease errors and improve accuracy. When available data over Atmospheric Administration), and as a meteorologist and oceans can be reliably measured at revisit rates of less than one hour, weather forecaster for the U.S. National Weather Service and we can begin to consider the model outputs as a type of weather radar The Washington Post newspaper. away from land.

SatMagazine Page 53 October 2020 High Density Electronic Interconnects For Satellites By Bob Stanton, Director of Technology, Omnetics Connector Corporation

Revolutionary designs and low-profile stacking make for more The electronic components, connectors and cable used within the efficient satellites and add new opportunities in space. Evolving Solar Orbiter were selected to support a variety of new scientific analysis from the simple cubesat and the Mars Curiosity era, we are seeing systems from RF to X-radiation, while operating under extreme thermal revolutionary methods in satellite construction. New component challenges. A number of the interconnections required had to be quite devices are offering improved solutions to our space industry from small and rugged. communication and location management to surveillance, research Space qualified Nano-D connectors meet the specifications needed and deeper space travel. to survive operation within the system and be mounted on the probe of the STIX telescope. PZN connectors were selected for board-to-wire The new Solar Orbiter is a collection of work from countries around the interconnections and are being used to match size and weight world and is collecting data images from its STIX reductions of high-density performance. (Spectrometer/Telescope for Imaging X-Rays) and its EUI (Extreme The PZNs also provided a low-profile interconnection system that Ultraviolet Imager). The goal is to understand more about solar flares, improved dense packing of the electronics. The PZNs beryllium copper hot spots, gamma radiation bursts and how that affects us on Earth. spring pins, at .025” pitch, are plated with nickel and gold, offering

SatMagazine Page 54 October 2020 continuous signal integrity through extreme shock and vibration. As cubesat signals now operate at lower voltage and lower current Reaching from process boards to sensors, detectors and actuators can levels, heat is reduced.This allows squeezing in additional carry up to 1 ampere of current in the Teflon® insulated wiring. circuitry.The standard 10cm cube with defined mass of 1.33 kilograms Larger satellites are also embracing newer, high density per unit can also be stacked into multiple 2U and 3U cubes to fit electronics: modules are being powered by advanced CMOS silicon, within a taller frame. Gallium Arsenide, Gallium Nitride and even MEM, electro-mechanical These modular stacked sets of cubesat units are assembled and chip technologies. then loaded, transferred into space and released using launch tools Satellite weight and size are dramatically reduced simultaneously as such as the NASA Launch device, or the “ISIPOD CubeSat Deployer” functional capability increases.The newer chip technologies can also that is used by the European Space Agency. As cubesat increases provide the satellite with more data collection, faster signal processing circuit density, multiple new functions, wiring and connectors become and low energy satellite position and control systems at significantly a critical, neural network within each cube as well as from cube to reduced voltage and current levels. This extends the power supply life cube. An electrical network of interconnections from circuit to circuit, and reduces the level of power collection required and stored on the from power source to circuit and from sensors to detectors, must fit satellite itself. into the platform. Space system designers can launch more satellites for significantly Wiring and signal protection technology in all satellite sizes have lower costs and even put extra or back-up satellites in space for later become a serious part of the process of doing more in less space... use. Individual satellite repair may evolve to enable the process of while in space. For example, surveillance data collected on the in-space replacement of components and remote programming while satellite is transferred using high-speed, differential, digital signaling destroying those satellites that are unable to function. at rather low voltage levels.

SatMagazine Page 55 October 2020 These MIL-DTL-32139 nano-miniature connectors are approved for space programs and inspected per EEE-INST-002. All materials exceed the NASA outgassing specifications and perform well during deep space travel that endures significant thermal cycles. Nano-D connectors, at .025" pitch, have reduced size and weight by as much as four times that of standard micro-D connector and eight times that of previous D-sub footprints.Nano-Ds are polarized and shrouded by liquid crystal polymer insulators. The pin-to-socket strength and “lobed” housing alignment system makes these connectors capable of more than 2,000 mating cycles. Multiple pin counts and mixed signals can be built-into one connector to reduce the number of cables running from one module to another. Board-mount options include both surface-mount and through-hole variations. Wire and cable are designed to exactly meet the design needs of the system. Space connector shell finishes include nickel-plated aluminum, stainless steel, and titanium depending on the system System EMI (electromagnetic interference) can penetrate cable designer. shielding, adding noise that compromises the data. Lower voltage Connector selection design and testing is a critical item for signal-swing can be compromised by physical changes that affect the engineers in the correct selection for space products. They should cable impedance due to tight routing inside the cube stack. depend on specifications such as the NASA specification EEE-INST- RF data must be run on high quality, micro-sized, coaxial connectors 002. This instrument provides instruction on selecting, screening and and cable must be made and qualified to NASA specification 8736.4. qualifying parts for use on NASA GSFC space projects. Space grade connectors must offer an exact fit within the miniature, Most space-certified connector companies offer NASA screening physical design and offer sustained physical reliability from lift-off to per EEE-INST-002. Table 2J in the NASA spec contains specific long term flight. inspection instructions for Nano-Sized connectors. These additional Low, outgassing materials are required to prevent circuit screening requirements exceed some earlier points within the MIL- degradation and must survive extreme temperature variations. In DTL-32139. cubesats, PZN connectors for board to wire lines are being used to match size and weight reduction with NASA expectations for high density performance. The low weight and rugged performance of “Space Grade” Nano-D connectors are often selected for increased density and reliability.

SatMagazine Page 56 October 2020 NASA defines three levels of screening: Omnetics and other Space Qualified Connector suppliers are poised to offer unique connector and cable systems designed to an • Level 1 for the highest level of reliability or for applications application’s specific needs. Today’s solid modelling systems offer nearly deemed mission-critical immediate imagery that exhibits how the interconnects can fit within new structures. • Level 2 for high reliability New 3-D material models are built within a couple of days for trial pieces to fit neatly into cramped size and shapes. Satellite system • Level 3 for standard reliability. designers are encouraged to call connector developers and look into the standard connectors available that can be used or quickly modified Designers are wise to work with connector manufacturers that adhere to enhance their system layout. to these screening levels. The Curiosity Rover is operating on Mars today and is now awaiting www.omnetics.com arrival of the Perseverance. Significant additions for control, data transmission and especially soil and environmental analysis are Author Bob Stanton is the Director of Technology expected from the Perseverance program. Advanced electronics for for Ommetics Connector Corporation. data gathering, analysis and data storage offer an exciting opportunity.

SatMagazine Page 57 October 2020 It’s Time For A Change.. Of Mindset At Sea By Tore Morten Olsen, President, Maritime, Marlink

“The potential of digitalization and the imperative of far higher level of compliance and disclosure, whether ships have a decarbonization mean shipping needs to embrace secure, basic network or complex ship-wide systems. regulated networks”, said author Tore Morten Olsen, President, Just as all shipowners that want to maintain their competitive Maritime, Marlink position and improve efficiency need a plan for digitalization and sustainability, they will need one for cyber compliance too. The maritime industry is going through a period of unprecedented change and disturbance — physical events, technology changes and policy shifts are acting on shipping and ports in almost equal measure. Three Key Challenges The enduring change is that digitalization and decarbonization will Shipping is experiencing the rapid adoption of digital tools and services impact the future of the industry. The pace of these effects will increase for understandable reasons — any technology that promises greater in velocity over time, as barriers to entry fall and demands for efficiency and reduced costs will gain traction; however, challenges improvement increase. must also be faced head-on by the industry. To achieve this requires the rethinking of our attitudes to the The first is that digitalization demands full commitment. Rather than technology that will drive digitalization and enable decarbonization. treating business units or assets as discrete elements, it demands that The regulatory agenda is another driver of this platform for change. companies undergo a top to bottom transformation, so that ‘the Regulation is about to become much more important for all owners business’ and its business model is enabled by sets of common digital deploying any kind of IT or digital systems. Regulation will demand a tools, processes and services.

SatMagazine Page 58 October 2020 Research conducted for Marlink found that large parts of the maritime industry already consider themselves ‘digital-ready.’ More than two- thirds of the companies stated this included a clear and established strategy for satellite communications (SATCOM) and IT solutions. However, while these companies agreed they are ‘digital-ready,’ only 30 percent of them believe they were well-advanced in progress with their digital transformation strategies. In other industry sectors where digitalization is taking place, the figure is closer to 60 percent. The second issue is sustainability. A digital business should be a much more efficient business, but it will also have to meet increasingly stringent regulation and performance improvements to satisfy charterer and consumer demands. In the short term this has meant increasing efficiency to reduce emissions and save cost. In the long term, it will mean adopting new performance technologies and fuels, not all of which are yet available. The third driver, cybersecurity, continues to be an issue of concern within the industry, despite progress in raising awareness of the risks, from the chief executive to the chief mate. It was not long ago that IT departments were lobbying for the resources to build a cybersecure business infrastructure based on expected threat rather than experience. A series of cyber-attacks and hacks changed all that, not the least being that the world’s largest shipping company could have its operations all but halted, as the recipient of collateral damage to a cyber-attack that was actually aimed elsewhere.

The Digital Building Blocks The relentless need to reduce costs and remain competitive has overturned the recurrent perception that the maritime industry is slow in adopting innovations and new technologies. While this may not always have been the case in the past, it appears digital technology has been adopted by large parts of the industry, but the scope and degree of sophistication vary significantly. The first building block is connectivity, which has become ubiquitous far beyond the required minimums, with market dynamics increasing choice of services and driving down costs for end users. Options are increasingly wide and blended from VSAT through L-band to 4G, with sophisticated connectivity supporting cloud storage approaching The second is accurate and timely data. A decade ago, owners were applications like ‘edge computing’ with data processing happening scratching their heads at uses for Internet-of-Things (IoT) functionality onboard vessels. until it became obvious that it could extend beyond high value cargoes Nearly half of the shipowners and managers polled by Marlink ranked to vessel components, even to the hull and main propulsion systems, new and better ship to shore connectivity as the most valuable providing data and information on operating status and condition. technology, with the second most valuable identified as standardized Low cost and higher value data has increased transparency for all networks and IT infrastructure onboard ship. Overall integration of concerned and owners and charterers alike quickly realized that having systems and ship-to-shore equipment was ranked as the third more data on the voyage itself can drive down voyage costs and most valuable. incentivize the reduction of pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

SatMagazine Page 59 October 2020 This matters because, in the space of a little over a decade, new targets on environmental efficiency will force the industry to adopt new working practices. Most critically, this includes new fuels as the means of complying with International Maritime Organization (IMO) targets on the reduction of carbon intensity on a vessel by vessel basis. Collection, analysis and interpretation of every bit of data from ship systems at that point becomes critical — potentially the difference between success or failure to comply. The data that ships produce on their emissions will be reported automatically and this data will inform not just regulations but market measures, including the cost at which lenders make capital available to shipping companies.

Cyber Critical Systems New technology and the need for sustainability are two fundamental forces acting on the maritime industry; the other is security of the IT networks on which both rely. The IMO has adopted cyber-security related amendments to the International Safety Management Code (ISM Code), while the tanker sector has already made similar requirements part of Tanker Management Safety Assessment (TMSA) version 3. While the first represents mandatory regulation, the second is a ‘license to operate’ for owners carrying hazardous cargoes. The ISM Code will require demonstration that action has been taken to address cyber security. TMSA will require shipowners to demonstrate that they have the latest available IT operating system and other software updates as well as specific security patches, either as part of a Port State Lastly, the need to improve efficiency — against a still volatile fuel oil Control inspection or in pre-qualifying a vessel to carry cargo. price curve — has seen the range and scope of voyage management The industry’s largest, long term players are likely to already meet applications increase exponentially. these requirements; however, for an operator with limited IT outfit, From the back of any reasonably modern ship’s bridge, it is possible they present an unwelcome burden. For one with a sophisticated to actively improve vessel routing to avoid weather or risk areas, more network encompassing IT and OT, it presents an additional series of accurately schedule passage and arrivals, download navigation chart tasks for crew unless it can be managed with a minimum of data as well as receive safety updates; all without touching the additional administration. regulated front of bridge network. Compliance with voluntary cyber security guidelines until now have tended to succeed or fail on the basis of the human element, relying Decarbonization on an intention to do the correct thing. It is precisely this lack of Digitalization will ultimately create a two-tier shipping market, transparency over how the tasks are performed and the updates divided into those owners and operators who have the best access to recorded that the regulation seeks to change. the latest information and those who do not possess such access. Marlink estimates that at least 50 percent of software updates are The difference between this relatively recent position and the days still performed by the collection of physical media, such as a CD for of employing simple but effective means of checking vessel arrivals or manual update with the balance performed ‘over the air’ and departures, or bidding for cargoes, is that almost anyone who wants automatically applied. can pay to access the data on vessel positions, port traffic, weather or other information.

SatMagazine Page 60 October 2020 Supporting The Change Finally, our use of advanced cloud technology enables the transfer Marlink realized some years ago that as maritime connectivity continued of data with far higher compression and greater efficiency, offering an to improve, so would shipowners need to shift toward deeper intriguing glimpse into where the industry is going in terms of access relationships with partners who could support their digitalization and to data and navigation content for ships. decarbonization strategies and provide them with integrated, This means a greater number of maritime information vendors can compliance solutions. digitalize their products and improve access by mariners to high quality At the heart of our digital enablement strategy is IT Link, which allows data and applications. This enables services such as ITLink to provide shipping companies to develop, test and deploy IT solutions fleetwide. ‘over the air’ security and other updates and offers the potential to This can extend from operating system patches or upgrades to provide further applications and digital content for safety, operations applications and even complete ERP systems. and route optimization.

The Future Has Arrived Regardless of short term shocks and disruptions, the course ahead for the shipping industry is set. In the medium term, as owners engage with more complex IT network requirements, they will be able to enjoy expanded access to cloud-based applications and storage, increasing asset connectivity and bringing ‘virtual’ systems and applications onboard. The ability of shoreside personnel to maintain and troubleshoot IT networks and to provide crew with the tools they need to demonstrate cyber resilience and compliance means that seafarers can concentrate on safe operations rather than be distracted by technology. As the long term trend sees the cost of IT capex, opex and compliance fall over time, the resulting gains in terms of improved voyage performance and vessel efficiency will combine to improve shipping’s environmental profile. This will move the industry toward the goal of digitalized, decarbonized and cyber-secure operations.

marlink.com/

Tore Morten Olsen holds a M.Sc in Telecommunications from the Norwegian Technical Marlink is enabling owners to transfer these tasks away from crew University from 1993, and has participated in toward specialists onshore who can develop and implement the Executive MBA programs at Wharton Business School programs they need, test them for robustness and share them across a in the United States, Insead in France and Stockholm fleet with a single click. School of Economics in Sweden. He has 25 years of When it comes to IMO2021 compliance, that means crew no longer experience in the satellite communications sector, have to worry about proving their systems have the latest updates. IT starting out as a technical product manager in 1994 and moving Link’s intuitive dashboard provides inspectors with single view of on to hold several senior management positions with Telenor, system status. Marlink and Astrium Services / Airbus Defence and Space, and Unlike some asset management application providers, Marlink now most recently heading up the maritime division as President believes the data from these shipboard systems is the property of the of Maritime at Marlink. shipowner and that the enhanced visibility of asset condition is something that they should be able to act on, knowing the data is secure and confidential.

SatMagazine Page 61 October 2020 Heritage Packaging Technology In New Space By Rob Coleman, Technical Sales Manager, TT Electronics

New Space designers are renewing their interest in traditional TO Technology Takes New Space Back To The Future metal case devices. While hermetic devices have been popular Commercial missions and New Space design have pushed circuit board design choices over the last few decades, the appeal of design from using ceramics to the use of FR4 board materials. The compliance and reliability has designers revisiting the Transistor attachment of large-scale surface mount parts can be cause for concern; Outline (TO) JEDEC packages that were once the go-to option for it is now a caution in ESA’s Space Product Assurance Classification space electronics. ECSS-Q-ST-70-38C that component suppliers must ensure CTE compliance when these designs are employed within Class 1 boards, There was a time when designers of small signal componentry turned such as glass fiber epoxy or glass fiber polyimide resins. to TO-18 and TO-5 devices, as well as TO-66 and TO-3 packages which While lower mass advantage can be achieved with UA and UB are considered ideal for high-voltage and high-power applications. packages, soldering of the devices is a technically challenging Industry evolution and design challenges drove engineers to embrace process that adds design risk. Packages with larger mass and surface more modern metal case hermetic packages such as TO-257, TO-254, areas are also vulnerable to failures, for example SMD-05 and SMD- and TO-258. While these were easier to deploy than their more 1 based designs. traditional case counterparts, over the last two decades, even they were Joint areas are particularly susceptible to stress fractures, increasing ultimately displaced by their surface mount equivalents. the risk of catastrophic mission failure. Cracking can also occur in SMD UA and UB packages are often deployed for small signal use, while packages mounted above a large ground plane and exposed to the SMD-05 and SMD-1 are recognized for applications demanding extensive thermal cycles common in space electronics. Figure 1 on the increased power. Today, the need for proven compliance and reliability following article page demonstrates a potential solution to this is driving a return to the TO metal cases of earlier design days. problem, a CTE compliant mounted package or carrier featuring dual lead connections.

SatMagazine Page 62 October 2020 Upgradable value TO solutions offer options to optimize configurations, including the ability to mix technologies or manufacturers’ die within the package. TO packages can also mitigate the risk of poor soldering of surface mount packages onto PCBs where visual inspection is not easily managed. In this innovative fourth age of space, successful designs may demand either or both metal case leaded devices or surface mount technologies. Both may support the mission, and both must be tested in accordance to Mil standards or ESA specifications using Figure 1. screening options such as NS1 Traditional leaded packages also require engineering expertise, due and NS2. to stray inductances that can introduced via additional lead length over The NS1 sequence includes traceability to all materials and surface mount packages. This can affect switching performance and operations, and provides an assurance foundation for manufacture must be mitigated by expert circuit layout, designed to prevent using robust, controlled, space-proven processes and designs. NS2 oscillation within the circuit. provides next level assurance by adding baseline mechanical and In contrast, metal case transistors are proven to offer some degree electrical screening. of compliance, with the leads acting as an expansion route during Metal transistors offer a simplified path to upgrade, in contrast to thermal shocks. Metal case transistors are generally better at dissipating surface mount options. For example, footprints are identical between system heat, especially valuable as switching applications become the plastic TO-220 package and the TO-257. Prototyping can be faster, chips become smaller, and both reach their respective control managed using low cost components, proofing a design that can easily limitations. Extra care is required when a gold flash is present on the be transferred to more robust packaging optimized for harsher lead termination. Gold contamination within a PCB soldering environments. connection can make the joint more brittle, making it essential to This advantage has great impact in New Space design, as cost remove the gold flash and its associated risk prior to assembly. effectiveness of components is a key growth driver of higher volume When commercial off the shelf components are used, they are satellite constellations in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Heritage technology typically solder dipped with RoHS compliant sac type solders. However, clearly has continued influence on New Space design, providing lead finished solders are more reliable in mission critical setting and are compliance and reliability that has long-term engineering value. often approved under the RoHS regulation by exception for military, avionic and space applications. www.ttelectronics.com Similar reliability concerns are why tin-plated terminations on plastic devices are often not used, a caution against the known risk of tin With more than 30 years’ experience in the whiskers which can quickly short out transistors. semiconductor and space industries respectively, Rob When producing a PCB for space electronics, it is imperative that is one of the founders of TT’s New Space RoHS compliant and non-RoHS compliant solder assemblies, for Electronics® and is the company’s technical expert in example wave soldering or reflow systems, are manufactured separately this field. Connect with Rob at to prevent cross-contamination of sac and leaded solder. [email protected] or via LinkedIn.

SatMagazine Page 63 October 2020 Satellite Imagery: Native Resolution Compared To Synthetic Resolution

By Chris Formeller, Senior Imagery Product Manager, Maxar Technologies

Following the company’s recent announcement introducing high- Native & Synthetic resolutions definition (HD) technology, which demonstrated how HD visually Before comparing native and synthetic resolutions, let’s define what improves satellite imagery, Maxar received many questions about each means. what exactly this technology is doing to the image and how it differs from the original satellite image. Here is some additional Native resolution refers to the pixel size of the original image insight into the technology and the difference between native straight from the satellite. Native resolution data is a direct result resolution and synthetic resolution. of the satellite altitude and characteristics of the optics (or camera lens) and the sensor. The algorithms that are used to create new pixel sizes is called resampling. Resampling algorithms are mathematical models that Synthetic resolution is a native resolution image that is processed leverage a preset approach to process the native pixels into a different to adjust the size of the pixel from the native resolution pixel size. size, although this is an over-simplification of the process. This process can increase or decrease the size of the native pixels A large number of these algorithms have been around since the start through various tools to meet a customer’s requirements. of the industry, with many stock algorithms available in commercial, off- the-shelf, geospatial tools and open source software. Geospatial There are many different approaches to create synthetic resolution. The professionals have long understood each algorithm has strengths and simplest approaches (such as Cubic or Lanczos) interpolate the native weaknesses with a defined use case scenario. Of course, not all resolution data from a single image to create a new pixel, while more professionals will follow the best practices of these algorithms, causing complex methods combine different images, merging the information some to be misused, providing false perceptions at smaller pixel sizes. together to create a new image. Sometimes, these approaches are also However, what Maxar has done with the HD technology is to advance referred to as “super-resolution.” the science of resampling considerably further, offering a balance of All these approaches offer differing levels of quality. Some algorithms maximizing the information in our native pixels with the need to offset use a simplistic approach to add pixels and provide color in the newly artifacts such as noise that is typically introduced through a resampling created pixel using a sampling of surrounding pixels, while other algorithm. The net result is an industry-superior technique that was algorithms use a more complex mathematical model to adjust the pixel specifically designed to use on Maxar’s high-resolution imagery to sizes. In most cases, these models are not normally designed for broad create synthetic resolution pixels that resemble native pixels. use.

SatMagazine Page 64 October 2020 The visual above conveys a basic view of a native resolution image underoing Maxar’s Approach With HD Technology processing to create a small, pixel-sized product. Maxar has developed many innovations through the years that produce a higher quality, visual experience. For example, AComp provides a When To Use Native Or Synthetic Resolution better visual experience by improving the usability of our imagery and Most customers require native resolution imagery when they wish to offers a clear view of features on the ground. run their own algorithms and tools to extract information or they have Maxar designed HD technology specifically for our satellites and specific use cases that require the native pixel size to be available. For ground systems to maximize the capability to aesthetically refine Maxar example, more experienced analysts prefer to do their own sharpening imagery with precise edges and well-reconstructed details. and fine-tuning and want their pixels to be as pure as possible. Our approach intelligently increases the number of pixels through Synthetic pixel users are looking for better aesthetics and are not a complex mathematical model that has been tuned to the specific trying to run proprietary raster processing tools. These customers are requirements of our imagery, resulting in a superior visual looking to expedite workflows and favor more image processing for experience over algorithms that are created for general use across improved visuals to help identify smaller features on the ground. all raster datasets. However, no matter how small the pixel size might be, the native resolution of the image will determine the level of information that can Does HD Really Make Maxar Imagery Better? be derived from the final processed image. Data that doesn’t exist in It’s easy to compare a natively collected 30 cm image with its 15 cm HD the native resolution image cannot be created from itself. image to show the improvements. When you see the two images side by side, it becomes clear that the HD image allows the end user to better visualize details and make more informed business decisions.

SatMagazine Page 65 October 2020 Preliminary results have shown that the ML algorithm dramatically increases its average precision of detecting features when run on HD imagery versus the native resolution. Maxar also leveraged the firm’s GeoHIVE crowdsourcing platform to quantify the value of HD. A broad mix of users were asked to identify light poles, looking at both natively collected imagery along with imagery processed with HD. The GeoHIVE crowd had a 50 percent error rate using the natively collected images; however, after the same imagery was processed with HD, the error rate dropped to 10 percent.

The Best Foundation HD is an incredibly powerful algorithm that intelligently increases the number of pixels. It is important to understand that we are not changing the natively collected resolution of an image. Instead with HD, we are getting the most quality, value and information from our highest resolution and most accurate satellite constellation. Maxar’s HD technology provides customers with more options to meet different requirements: Select a native 30 cm image to get the highest resolution 15 cm HD image, or leverage more of Maxar’s native 50 cm imagery with HD processing to have more 30 cm HD imagery available. HD technology is available for all customers and used to improve the company’s Core Content Strips (System-Ready, View-Ready & Map- Ready) and our Mosaic (Metro, Dynamic & Vivid) basemaps. To quantify the value of HD beyond visual comparisons, the company decided to use machine learning (ML) algorithms to provide an Access this direct infolink to learn more about HD... unbiased result. A process of testing HD imagery was started against its natively collected resolution to see if HD will help a feature www.maxar.com identification algorithm identify more within the imagery.

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Artistic rendition of smallsats on-orbit powered by Benchmark Space Systems Halcyon Propulsion Systems. Image is courtesy of the company.

Powering The Smallsat Rideshare Boom A Conversation with Ryan McDevitt, Chief Executive Officer, Benchmark Space Systems

Benchmark Space Systems is enabling a new age of affordable firepower to drive rideshare market growth and ROI with faster, space access with non-toxic chemical propulsion solutions that are safer missions to orbit — and deorbit. accelerating small sat rideshare deployments to prime orbital locations. More smallsat missions are hitching affordable rocket There’s been a big focus on low-cost, smallsat rideshares rideshares to sub-optimal locations in space, but the time it takes to sub-optimal space. However, these missions really to complete the journey to a prime orbital slot could be the need an equally affordable and fast connecting flight to difference between a solid ROI and a financial bust. their prime orbital slot to have a real shot at success in The types of propulsion systems vary as much as the missions space... would that be a correct statement? they are propelling through space – requiring hours, days, sometimes even Ryan McDevitt (RM) months to maneuver small satellites into Yes, some small satellite missions are completed in a year or two. If it their optimal orbit. That can have a takes several weeks, even months for electric propulsion systems to major impact on the overall success of a push payloads into their ultimate orbital locations, you’ve already eaten new space mission. Ryan McDevitt, into a big percentage of mission time and a significant chunk of your Benchmark Space Systems CEO, tells financial investment. SatMagazine that environmentally- friendly propulsion now has the

SatMagazine Page 68 October 2020 Benchmark Space Systems saw this growing challenge in the small satellite propulsion market and we have designed exclusively non-toxic chemical propulsion solutions that are equally eco-friendly as electric with one-thousand times the thrust of electric propulsion. That game-changing combination of powerful green propulsion is already redefining the smallsat propulsion market and has led to some milestone deals for our patented end-to-end systems. Our non-toxic propulsion solutions can transport small satellites from sub- orbital space to prime orbital slots in a matter of hours. That allows mission operators to book a low-cost rideshare The Peregrine propulsion solution. Photo is courtesy of Benchmark Systems. to space, knowing they will quickly and safely complete the second leg of their space journey to optimal orbit.

SatMagazine Page 69 October 2020 RM Benchmark has signed an exclusive agreement with Spaceflight to provide a full range of non-toxic chemical propulsion solutions designed to accelerate satellite rideshare deployments aboard the next-generation Sherpa orbital transfer vehicles (OTVs). By leveraging Benchmark’s reliable, green, in-space propulsion systems, Spaceflight’s Sherpa OTV can cost- effectively deliver spacecraft to optimal orbits with greater precision and speed, and then rapidly deorbit when the mission is complete. The Sherpa-LT OTV will be equipped with Benchmark’s safe chemical propulsion as early as late next year. Our propulsion solutions are launch vehicle agnostic and support a broad range of spacecraft, from 1U cubesats through ESPA-class (1-500 kg) satellites, large lunar landers and orbital transfer vehicles with far safer and faster rideshare options than electric propulsion systems, which can take months to complete their trips to orbit. We are demonstrating our Starling thruster in a 3U Fastbus cubesat by NearSpace Launch that will be aboard Firefly Aerospace’s first Alpha flight this fall. Benchmark’s new Halcyon propulsion system — a monoprop thruster — is set to debut aboard two smallsats scheduled to launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 later this year. Benchmark Space Systems’ Starling thruster. Photo is courtesy of the company. Our Peregrine solution, a green hypergol propulsion system, has Benchmark Space Systems inked an exclusive propulsion already earned multiple developmental contracts with the U.S. Air deal with Spaceflight and you’re on the verge of your first Force, which will ultimately lead to qualification trials and demo and commercial flights into space. Can you share a commercial delivery. deeper dive into these milestones and what sets your propulsion solutions apart from other providers?

SatMagazine Page 70 October 2020 Benchmark’s propulsion features a patent-pending On-Demand Our team loves Vermont and we have a strong collaborative and Pressurization Systems (ODPS) that securely fires up the thruster once mentoring relationship with the University of Vermont that allows us to the satellite or OTV is safely in space and deployed from the launch work closely with and recruit aerospace students who are equally vehicle. That’s an important differentiator that has really resonated with passionate and curious about space. government and commercial missions. Benchmark has a growing team, and we’ve been able to stem the brain drain here in Vermont with exciting jobs centered around in-space Orbital space debris is a mounting challenge as more and mobility that have attracted top local talent and seasoned talent from more small satellites are launched into orbit. What is across the country. Benchmark Space Systems doing to help clear space of spacecraft once their missions are complete? What’s next for Benchmark Space Systems as you survey the new space horizon? RM Benchmark is absolutely focused on being a good steward in space. RM From the beginning, our propulsion solutions are just as capable of With the completion of our permanent licensing agreement with rapidly and safely deorbiting spacecraft as they are maneuvering small Tesseract Space that combines the intellectual properties, assets and satellites and OTVs into prime orbits. staff of both companies under the Benchmark Space Systems brand, Our thrusters are designed to accelerate re-entry in a safe and we have unmatched smallsat propulsion expertise and a full line of non- efficient manner — we’re continuously designing into our thrusters new toxic chemical propulsion solutions to deliver on virtually any mobility advancements across the firm’s full line of propulsion solutions. requirement in space. Spacecraft equipped with Benchmark’s in-space propulsion systems No longer do government and commercial missions have to can accomplish de-orbit or re-entry in a matter of hours or days, versus compromise by forcing the incorrect propulsion system aboard their weeks, months... or even years. satellite to get into space. Benchmark Space Systems is a full service propulsion solutions How did you first get interested in space, and how was provider that can work with customers to custom design the right Benchmark Space Systems born? solution strategy, from the beginning of their mission planning phase all the way through decommissioning their satellite. RM We have quickly become the single-point provider through a broad My earliest ‘what do you want to be when you grow up’ story centers range of collaborative partnerships that enable us to integrate around my absolute desire to be an aerospace engineer. That’s all I’ve everything from on-orbit servicing and refueling to end-of-life de- ever focused on for as long as I can remember. I come from an orbiting into a tailored solution, which is becoming increasingly engineering family —– all civil and electrical engineers. For me, space important aboard today’s new space missions. was always ‘the thing.’ We have a number of significant announcements coming up later I did my undergraduate work at Worchester Polytechnic Institute, this year and we’ll inform all when they occur. then earned my Masters and PhD in aerospace engineering at the University of Vermont, where we had a NASA grant that allowed us to www.benchmarkspacesystems.com study ways to make chemical propulsion more efficient for small satellites. That’s where my passion for space was fed and where the early designs and patented green propulsion capabilities were first developed, which ultimately led to the launch of Benchmark Space Systems years later.

SatMagazine Page 71 October 2020 Materion’s O-30-H beryllium was originally developed to make the mirrors for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Photo is courtesy of NASA,.

Advanced Materials Support Growth In Space-Based Systems

By Martyn Acreman, Defense Market Director, Materion Corporation

The satellite industry is experiencing tremendous growth of Other missions such as those for Global Positioning System (GPS) space-based systems ranging from the large, billion dollar navigation, global communications, scientific exploration and national projects such as the James Webb Space Telescope to smallsats defense also contribute to the expansion of space-based systems. used by the private and academic sectors for smaller commercial While the applications vary — from reflective optical systems, and research projects. structural components, mechanisms and thermal management solutions — the unique demands of the operating environment All these data-gathering programs are designed to understand and require the use of materials that perform reliably in extreme predict events impacting the planet or ensure commercial success temperature ranges. through weather forecasting, monitoring climate change, predicting Design teams must look beyond conventional materials, utilizing crop yields and the utilization of mineral resources. advanced materials to enhance and enable sophisticated space technologies. As space technologies advance, new materials that exhibit great potential for the next generation of space programs are needed.

SatMagazine Page 72 October 2020 Artistic rendition of the James Webb Telescope.

Advanced Materials for Space-Based Systems communications application, when made from beryllium metal, Materion offers advanced materials that provide a range of benefits for can position a mirror extremely accurately at very high speeds space applications, including beryllium metal, aluminum beryllium, and do so across a wide range of temperatures while maintaining investment cast aluminum beryllium, and aluminum silicon carbide adequate strength to survive launch loads. metal matrix composites (MMCs). Beryllium metal is also used in some thermal management applications because it has good thermal properties. One grade Beryllium Metal of beryllium has a thermal conductivity of 216 W/m.K and a heat Because of its high performance and reliability, beryllium has capacity of 1.95 J/g.K. This is important because the beam been used consistently on space structures since the inception of steering device may include an electronic housing and frames space programs. It has the highest specific stiffness of any metal that must conduct heat away from the device and associated with a modulus of 44 msi and a density of 0.067 lb/in3 — six and electronics. While this is just one scenario, there are many other a half times that of other metals. This differentiating property specific space-based applications where beryllium provides means beryllium is better equipped to maintain its properties critical thermal benefits. even with the harsh environment changes in space. Beryllium’s properties have led to its successful use for more Beryllium is available in a range of grades and product forms. than 50 years in space applications. This success can be One that has proven successful in many space programs is attributed to beryllium’s exceptional properties and performance, produced through powder metallurgy and is consolidated but not all of today’s space-based systems require the same level through a Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) process. It provides of high performance. adequate strength, with an ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 60 As commercial satellites become more common, other ksi and a yield strength of 43 ksi. advanced materials can offer the appropriate property sets Beryllium’s strength properties, combined with its coefficient of better suited to those applications and their unique needs. Metal thermal expansion (CTE) of 11.3 ppm/0C and its isotropic matrix composites are one type of material that supports new expansion allow design engineers to create very stable optical satellite technologies by providing a range of properties that systems across a range of operating temperatures. For example, align with the needed level of performance. a beam steering device used in a space-based laser

SatMagazine Page 73 October 2020 Aluminum Silicon Carbide Metal Matrix Composites Many reflective optical and electronic systems are produced using aluminum alloys such as AA 6061, but sometimes higher system performance is needed than is possible with conventional materials. An ideal solution for this situation is aluminum silicon carbide (AlSiC) MMCs such as Materion’s SupremEX composites. AlSiC MMCs are manufactured through powder metallurgy, which, combined with a proprietary high energy mixing process, produces a HIP material with a highly refined and homogeneous grain structure. This product group provides improved stiffness, high specific strength, elevated temperature strength, fatigue strength and a lower CTE than aluminum. SupremEX 640XA MMC was specifically developed for Beryllium’s unique property characteristics make it a critical material for optical space applications requiring stiffness and stability. This grade is applications. Photo is courtesy of NASA. manufactured from a gas atomized AA6061 powder and 3.0 Aluminum Beryllium Metal Matrix Composites micron SiC powder with a modulus of 20.3 msi and a density of Aluminum beryllium MMCs such as Materion’s AlBeMet have the 0.105 lb/in3, resulting in a specific stiffness that is almost double highest specific stiffness for any MMC with a modulus of 28 msi that of aluminum. and a density of 0.076 lb/in3 —that means it has a specific SupremEX 640XA has a CTE of 13.4 ppm/0C, which is isotropic stiffness that is more than three and a half times that of and is a very close match to AlBeMet AM162H at 13.9 ppm/0C. traditional aluminum. This allows both materials to be used together in optical system The most common grade of AlBeMet composite contains assemblies to produce stable optical performance across a range 62 percent beryllium and is made through a powder of working temperatures. metallurgy method where gas atomized aluminum beryllium Some grades of SupremEX MMCs were also developed to powder is consolidated through a HIP process. This grade improve manufacturability and provide extruded sections, rolled provides the needed level of performance with significant sheet, foils and forgings, offering greater potential for use in improvements in manufacturability. satellite applications. To date, AlBeMet composites have been used in more than 150 satellites that are currently flying in space in applications What’s Next for Advanced Materials including electronics housings for thermal management and As satellites continue to evolve and more missions emerge, the need many reflective optical systems. for advanced materials will continue to grow. Manufacturing Investment cast aluminum beryllium material such as technologies such as investment casting and additive manufacturing Materion’s AlBeCast® alloy offer another solution for applications will play a critical role in this evolution and materials providers like not requiring the extremely high-level performance of beryllium. Materion will continue to adapt to ensure that material solutions This material has a similar specific stiffness compared to properly support the growth of the space industry. aluminum beryllium composite HIP product. Using an example of a space-based beam steering device materion.com again, it may be advantageous to make the gimbal structures from AlBeCast investment castings and the mirror from AlBeMet Martyn is the Global Defense Market Director for composite. This way, the structures offer many performance Materion and has an extensive background in advantages with less input material and lower fabrication costs. working with beryllium metal, aluminum beryllium and aluminum silicon carbide metal matrix composites. His focus is to provide customers with advanced materials solutions that meet their next generation defense application needs. He has over 40 years’ experience in the manufacturing industry, suppling products for aerospace, defense, space, automotive, and nuclear power generation markets.

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