BUSINESS | POLITICS | PERSPECTIVE JULY 2021 MODERN CIVILIZATION WOULD BE LOST WITHOUT GPS
DOUBLING DOWN ON GPS
: Mapping out GNSS alternatives : Britain charting new satnav course
INSIDE
n South Korea's GNSS ambitions get a boost n Peace in the era of weaponized space n Drones in space
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boeing.com/sls CONTENTS JULY 2021
DEPARTMENTS
3 QUICK TAKES
24 COMMENTARY Spencer Kaplan It's time to seriously consider space-based solar power
26 COMMENTARY Brian G. Chow and Brandon W. Kelley Peace in the era of weaponized space
29 CONNECTING THE DOTS Drones in space
30 ON NATIONAL 07 10 14 SECURITY The world would Doubling Down Mapping out How Space Force be lost without While the U.S. Defense GPS alternatives learned to worry about GPS Department is investing in With the future of its culture of secrecy GPS and its international alternative PNT technologies, driverless cars and 32 FOUST FORWARD counterparts underpin it's also doubling down on delivery drones riding The other human huge swaths of the global GPS to counter the system's on reliable location spaceflight race economy. Losing the signal vulnerabilities to intentional data, space startups are would have devastating jamming by Russia, China investing heavily in impacts. and other adversaries. GPS augmentation and backups.
UPCOMING ISSUES 18 22 Our August issue goes Britain charts A big boost for full-throttle on the big propulsion trends for new satnav South Korea's GNSS small satellites. course ambitions Our September issue When it comes to With a pledge of cooperation zooms in on geospatial satellite navigation, the from the U.S., South Korea is analytics and remote British government has setting off on a journey to build sensing. struggled to find its way its own satellite navigation over the last five years. system, advancing a $3.3 billion budget for the effort.
COVER: Companies investing billions of dollars in autonomous cars, delivery drones and urban air taxis are counting on precise and reliable location data being available when they need it. Credit: Adobe Stock art ABOVE: Companies investing billions of dollars in autonomous cars, delivery drones and urban air taxis are counting on precise and reliable location data being available when they need it. Credit: Adobe Stock
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2 | SPACENEWS JULY 2021 QUICK TAKES
SIGNIFICANT DIGITS $250M The Seraphim Capital investment trust started trading on the London Stock Exchange July 14, raising about $250 million for large international acquisitions. Space startup investor Seraphim Capital’s Space Investment Trust trades under the SSIT.L ticker symbol. €90M BILLIONAIRE BOYS CLUB ESESAA awarded Ariane Group a Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson flew to the edge of space on his company’s contract to build a new kick SpaceShipTwo suborbital spaceplane July 11. The SpaceShipTwo vehicle, named VSS Unity, took stage for the Ariane 6. The con- off from Spaceport America in New Mexico at 10:40 a.m. Eastern, attached to its WhiteKnightTwo tract, worth 90 million euros carrier aircraft. Unity was released from the plane and ignited its hybrid rocket motor at 11:24 a.m. ($106 million), covers develop- Eastern, flying to an altitude of about 86 kilometers before gliding back to a runway landing at ment of Astris, a kick stage that the spaceport. Branson was one of six people, including two pilots and four crew in the cabin, on will be an optional addition to the Ariane 6 upper stage. Astris this flight, the first time the vehicle carried that many people. The flight took place just nine days will handle in-space maneuvers before Jeff Bezos is scheduled to fly on Blue Origin’s first crewed New Shepard suborbital flight, for payloads, such as transport- but Branson claimed he was not trying to compete with Bezos by moving up his flight. ing satellites to geostationary or- Branson said afterwards the flight was “beyond my wildest dreams.” Both he and Virgin bit. Astris will first be used to send Galactic executives said SpaceShipTwo performed as expected on its fourth flight beyond the ESA’s Hera mission to the asteroid 80-kilometer altitude the company defines as space. Branson flew in order to evaluate the Didymos in 2024. experience for future customers and said he found only a handful of minor things he would like to change. Branson said before the flight he would make an announcement afterwards, which many thought would be to announce the reopening of ticket sales. Instead, he said the company was working with a fundraising platform, Omaze, for a sweepstakes that offers two seats on an early $20M commercial SpaceShipTwo flight next year. Proceeds will go to a non-profit, Space for Humanity. Satellite propulsion company Yes, Elon Musk has a Virgin Galactic ticket. No, he didn’t just buy it. Amid the Orbion Space Technology has hoopla surrounding his own flight, Branson mentioned that Musk has a ticket to fly raised a $20 million Series on SpaceShipTwo, leading to reports suggesting Musk just bought it. In fact, says Will B round. The company says it Whitehorn, former president of Virgin Galactic, Musk purchased it 15 years ago, shortly will use the funding to scale up production of its Aurora plasma after Virgin Galactic started SpaceShipTwo ticket sales. It’s unclear where in the queue of thrusters for small satellites. ticket holders Musk is, and when, or even if, he would fly. The company is looking to ramp Meanwhile, Blue Origin is distributing some of the proceeds of the auction of a New up production to hundreds of Shepard seat to space nonprofits. The company said July 14 its Club for the Future units per year to meet demand foundation was making $1 million awards to each of 19 organizations to support space- from commercial constellations and from the U.S. government, related educational activities. The money comes from the $28 million auction for a seat such as units it is providing to on the July 20 flight, the first crewed New Shepard launch, although the company has Blue Canyon for satellites it’s not disclosed the identity of the winning bidder. Bezos separately announced July 14 he is
GALACTIC producing for DARPA’s Blackjack giving $200 million to the National Air and Space Museum to fund renovations and a new program. educational center. VIRGIN
SPACENEWS.COM |3 SPACENEWS JULY 2021 | 4 QUICK TAKES Power andPropulsion Element,inlate 2024 onaFalcon Heavy. Gateway orbitingthemoon.HALO willlaunchwithanotherGateway module,the a contractforthemodule,whichwillserveashabitat anddockingnodeforthe (HALO) module.NASAhadbeenworkingwiththecompanyfornearlytwoyearson fixed firm-pricecontracttoNorthrop fortheHabitation andLogistics Outpost The agencysaidJuly9itissueda$935million module forthelunarGateway. NASA finalizedacontractwithNorthropGrummantobuildthefirsthabitation NORTHROP’S microgravity research. of collaboration” withtheItalianAirForce to studypotentialapplications of space station. ThalesAleniaSpaceseparately announceda“memorandum the ISSat theendof that station’s lifetobepartof astandalone commercial the International SpaceStation in2024 and2025. Theywill beseparated from structure of twomodulesthatcovers theprimary willinitially beinstalledon T space stationmodulesforAxiomSpace. Thales AleniaSpacehassignedacontracttobuildthefirsttwo commercial CONTRACTAXIOM INKS FOR SPACE MODULES HALO CONTRACT he contract,valuedat $130million, FINALIZED SATELLOGIC expertise” inthefield. acquiring “smallercompanieswithmeaningful to analyze imagery. Planetisalsoopento development andmachinelearningtools more customers,aswellworkonsoftware spend itonaddingmore salespeopletowin imaging satellite constellation, butinsteadwill capital tofurtherexpanditsexistingEarth though, saidtheydon’tanticipate usingthe with $434millionincash.Companyexecutives, values Planetat $2.8 billionandwillprovide it dMY Technology Group, Inc.IV, inadealthat with aspecialpurposeacquisitioncompany, constellation. PlanetsaidJuly7itwillmerge software developmentteams,notitssatellite merger toincrease itssalesforce and Planet willusetheproceeds of itsSPAC PUBLIC GOING PLANET policy, willbecomethenewCEO onAug.1. of defensefor Rood, formerundersecretary according totheSEC. MomentussaysJohn endorsed falseclaimsinitsmerger documents, failed toperformproper duediligence and water plasmathrusters.Stable Road,inturn, the performanceof key technologies, including security issuesinvolvingKokorich andabout Kokorich misledStable Roadaboutnational CEO. TheSEC allegesthat Momentusand Kokorich, Momentusco-founderandformer continuing topursuechargesagainstMikhail and Exchange Commission.TheSEC is regarding falseclaimswiththeU.S. Securities more than$8millionaspartof asettlement and Stable RoadCEO BrianKabot were fined Momentus, Stable RoadAcquisitionCorp. MOMENTUS competitors basedonthedesignof itssatellites. be twoordersof magnitudelowerthanits sinceitscostswill for high-resolution imagery Satellogic arguesitcandominate themarket last weekthat willenterservicein6-8weeks. 13 operational satellites plusfourlaunched resolution imagingof theglobe.Satellogic has satellites by2025, whichwillprovide dailyhigh- it tobuildoutaconstellation of 300imaging Satellogic saidJuly6theproceeds willallow company anequityvaluation of $1.1billion. Fitzgerald, raising$271millionandgivingthe V, aSPAC sponsored byfinancialfirmCantor Satellogic willmergewithCFAcquisitionCorp. FINE, SPAC NEW AHEAD CEO
NORTRHOP GRUMMAN/THALES ALENIA SPACE QUICK TAKES
$25B FOR NASA IN HOUSE BILL
House appropriators passed a NASA spending bill July 15 after tweaking language regarding lunar landers and nuclear propulsion. The House Appropriations Committee passed a $81.3 billion spending bill that includes $25.04 billion for NASA. The full committee NRO’s NO. 2 TAPPED made no changes to overall FOR SPACE FORCE funding levels for NASA during its debate on the bill, but did LEADERSHIP POST adjust language regarding the The White House has nominated $1.345 billion for the Human the deputy director of the NRO Landing System to urge NASA to lead the new Space Systems “to bolster competition in Command. President Biden on lander development” rather July 13 nominated Maj. Gen. than direct the agency to Michael Guetlein for promotion to pick a second company, as lieutenant general and assignment one amendment proposed. as commander of the U.S. Space The committee passed an Force Space Systems Command. amendment inserting language Space Systems Command is on a flight demonstration for a new organization the Space nuclear thermal propulsion Force will stand up in Los Angeles (NTP) technology, similar to to oversee the development of language in past years’ bills. next-generation technologies Two days prior to the bill and the procurement of satellites clearing committee, NASA and launch services. It will take awarded three contracts to over activities led by the current begin concept studies of Space and Missile Systems Center NTP systems. The contracts, and launch wings in Florida and each worth $5 million, California. went to teams led by BWX Technologies, General Atomics Meanwhile, the director of the and Ultra Safe Nuclear Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) Technologies. The yearlong has withdrawn his nomination studies will refine concepts to be undersecretary of defense for nuclear reactors that for acquisition and sustainment. would be part of NTP systems, Michael Brown said he is dropping which promise much higher out due to an ongoing DoD efficiencies and shorter travel
OFFICE/SPACEX inspector general investigation times than conventional into personnel practices at DIU chemical propulsion systems. that could last up to a year. The NASA says it’s cooperating on DIU is the Pentagon’s commercial NTP technology development
RECONNAISSANCE outreach office based in Silicon A House spending bill would urge NASA to “bolster competition in land- with DARPA, which has its own Valley that has supported launch er development” rather than direct the agency to pick a second compa- NTP technology program. ny to compete with Human Landing System contractor SpaceX.
NATIONAL and other space startups.
SPACENEWS.COM |5 NEWS SPACEPLANES
China launches secretive suborbital vehicle for reusable space system
hina conducted a clandestine first test flight of a reusable suborbital vehicle July 16 as Ca part of development of a reusable space transportation system. The vehicle launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center July 16 and later landed at an airport just over 800 kilome- ters away at Alxa League in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. (CASC) announced. No images, video footage or further information, such as altitude, flight dura- tion or propulsion systems, were provided. The CASC release stated however that the vehicle uses integrated aviation and space The Chinese suborbital vehicle for a reusable space transportation system launched from the Jiuquan Sat- ellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert, northwest China. technologies and indicates a vertical take- off and horizontal landing (VTHL) profile. The test follows a September 2020 test Spaceplane (XSP) program, also known as 9-like launchers. The spaceplane, the de- flight of a “reusable experimental space- the XS-1 program, another VTHL concept. velopment and testing of which is to be craft.” The spacecraft orbited for days, re- The new test also follows days after a completed by 2030, should be capable of leasing a small transmitting payload and flight of Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo being reused more than 20 times. later deorbited and landed horizontally. flew passengers to the edge of space for It will be oriented to orbital altitudes The spacecraft is widely believed to be a the first time. of between 300 to 500 kilometers, meet reusable spaceplane concept, though no A spaceplane project was included in criteria of being “fast, reliable, and eco- images have emerged. a 2017 CASC ‘space transportation road- nomical,” and meet the needs of military Giant space and defense contractor map’. The plans also included fully reus- and civilian payloads, and be applicable for CASC also developed that vehicle and stated able launch vehicles and, around 2045, a space tourism. that the new vehicle tested July 16 can be nuclear-powered shuttle. The China Aerospace Science and In- used as a first stage of a reusable space Chen Hongbo, from CASC’s China dustry Corp. (CASIC), another giant state- transportation system. The implication is Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology owned enterprise, is working on its own that the two vehicles will be combined for a (CALT), told Science and Technology Daily spaceplane, named Tengyun. Demon- fully reusable space transportation system. in 2017 that the reusable spacecraft would stration and verification of the reusable 2020 The developments have not come out of be capable of carrying both crew and pay- two-stage-to-orbit Tengyun spacecraft the blue. China stated in 2017 that it aimed loads. Chen stated that some vehicles would is to be completed by 2025. Tengyun will DATA to test a reusable spaceplane in 2020. The have the characteristics of both aircraft and be a horizontal takeoff, horizontal landing SENTINEL U.S. Air Force’s X-37B spaceplane is cur- spacecraft. CALT was noted as the developer (HTHL) system. rently carrying out its sixth mission in orbit. of the suborbital reusable demonstration Chinese commercial companies and
Last year Boeing exited the Experimental vehicle launched July 16. CASC are also developing reusable rockets. COPERNICUS Chen stated the aim was full reusability, A number of private companies are plan-
ANDREW JONES moving beyond partial reusability of Falcon ning “hop” tests in the coming months. SN MODIFIED
6| SPACENEWS JULY 2021 INVISIBLE UTILITY
“Positioning, navigation and timing signals are important to so many stakeholders MODERN and for so many different applications that a disruption in these signals would likely be more economically significant CIVILIZATION today,” Alan O’Connor, senior economist and director of innovation economics at RTI International, the nonprofit research WOULD BE LOST institute that prepared the 2019 report, said by email. GPS and its GNSS (Global Navigation WITHOUT GPS Satellite System) counterparts — Europe’s Galileo, Russia’s GLONASS and China’s Beidou — play a vital role in myriad ircraft, cars, trucks, trains and ships rely on GPS for location data, economic activities. India’s NavIC and while GPS timing signals underpin cellular communications and Japan’s QZSS are similarly important in financial transactions. their respective regions. A A 2019 report sponsored by the National Institute of Standards GPS is the oldest and mostly widely and Technology estimated the loss of GPS would cost the U.S. economy $1 used PNT system. Many infrastructure billion a day, or $1.5 billion if the technology failed in the April-May planting networks still rely on GPS-only legacy season for farmers. Two years later, the costs could be even higher with receivers. Multi-constellation receivers the sharp rise in consumer solutions and location-based rideshare and are becoming a norm to provide for delivery services. GNSS continuity and accuracy. Since
STOCK these receivers pick up signals from any
ADOBE ANUSUYA DATTA available GNSS satellite, irrespective
SPACENEWS.COM |7 INVISIBLE UTILITY SPACENEWS JULY 2021 | 8 followed suit. The European Commission andtheEuropean Space Agency Since GPSestablishedaconstellation to provide worldwide positioning,navigation andtiminginformation in1993,Russia,ChinaandEurope have Space Technology andChinese AcademyofSciences Satellite manufacturers:Chinese Academyof Satellite manufacturers:LockheedMartin 1993 Full operational service: 2020 Full operational service: 24 satellites plusspares 35 satellites plusspares BeiDou GPS GLOBAL NAVIGATION SATELLITE SYSTEMS are ontrack to complete theGalileo constellation by Satellite manufacturers:OHB, Thales,Airbus Satellite manufacturers:ISSRechetnev 2022 Full operational service: 1995 Full operational service: 24 satellites plusspares 21 satellites plusspares GLONASS Galileo theendof 2022.
SPACENEWS/PENN STATE of the constellation, they should “GPS is so important in our everyday lives. If theoretically provide service continuity in the event of GPS loss. However, because it were to go away for a significant amount of they rely primarily on GPS, it’s not clear time, I am sure lives would be lost.” how they would behave if GPS were lost for hours. “GPS is so important in our everyday responders will suffer immediately. There HOW LIKELY IS A TOTAL GNSS lives. If it were to go away for a significant could be more accidents. Cellphones and BLACKOUT? amount of time, I am sure lives would internet will begin to degrade, but it’s A failure of all GNSS constellations at be lost,” Dana Goward, president of the hard to say how much and how quickly.” once is improbable. nonprofit Resilient Navigation & Timing The COVID-19 pandemic made the “The higher risk is attacks to GNSS Foundation, said by email. U.S. economy more reliant than ever systems from jammers or spoofers,” To date, GNSS outages have lasted less on telecommunications infrastructure. said Miguel Amor, chief marketing than one day, but a longer breakdown “There is broader recognition of the officer for autonomy & positioning at is possible. Galileo suffered a six-hour role infrastructure plays in our economy, Hexagon, a Stockholm-headquartered systemwide failure on Dec. 14, 2020, and a though many people are unaware of information technology company. weeklong outage in July 2019. GLONASS the connections between GPS, robust Anti-jamming and anti-spoofing failed in 2014 when its satellites broadcast positioning, navigation and timing technologies are available, but have corrupt information for 11 hours. signals, and the apps and tools we use generally been purchased by national Outages of individual GNSS satellites every day,” O’Connor said. security agencies rather than commercial are common and the systems are often customers, he added. subjected to localized jamming and ECONOMIC IMPACT OF Regional outages are more common. spoofing. In 2016, GPS-dependent timing DISRUPTION Geopolitical tensions have led to GPS equipment showed errors after an older A 2017 study commissioned by Innovate signal loss near the Middle East. In July satellite was retired. The 13-microsecond UK, the UK Space Agency and the Royal 2018, the NATO Shipping Center received discrepancy affected police and emergency Institute of Navigation estimated a five- reports from ships facing GPS interference communications equipment in parts day GNSS disruption would have an while transiting the Mediterranean. of North America for hours and caused economic impact of 5.2 billion pounds NATO also reported similar issues in power grid anomalies. ($7.2 billion), with road, maritime and December 2019 when ships and aircraft One reason GNSS failures are far- emergency service impacts accounting in the Mediterranean could not access reaching is the timing element. GNSS for 88 percent of the cost. Goward said GPS or GLONASS signals. satellites rely on atomic clocks for signal the cost of disruption would be far higher A U.S. Transportation Department synchronization, which allows users to in 2021 since location data has become report delivered to Congress in January determine the time with nanosecond pervasive. The UK Space Agency has identified technologies that can accuracy. As a result, banks rely on GPS commissioned an updated study to complement or backup GPS service. The to report the precise timing of financial determine the potential economic impact. report found no current replacement, transactions and cell towers use it to The past decade has seen a sharp though, for GPS positioning and synchronize network nodes. rise in the value of GNSS, which largely navigation capabilities. To ensure “The U.K. is critically dependent on coincides with the rise in smartphones, resilience, the Transportation Department GNSS. These services are integral to the smart devices and internet penetration, recommended critical infrastructure U.K.’s safety, security and prosperity, enabling a spurt in consumer solutions. owners and operators adopt diverse overseas territories and wider global “Satellite navigation systems are also positioning, navigation and timing interests,” Ian Annett, UK Space Agency important to unlocking future technologies technologies. SN deputy CEO, said by email. such as driverless cars, smart cities and artificial intelligence — transforming ANUSUYA DATTAIS A CANADA-BASED THE SAME IS TRUE FOR THE the way people live, work and travel,” JOURNALIST WHO PREVIOUSLY WORKED UNITED STATES. Annett said. The UK Space Agency is FOR GEOSPATIAL WORLD. DEBRA WERNER, If GPS were to fail, “it’s impossible to exploring innovative options for a UK SPACENEWS SENIOR CORRESPONDENT, predict the exact sequence of events,” space-based positioning, navigation CONTRIBUTED TO THIS STORY FROM SAN Goward said. “Transportation and first and timing capability. FRANCISCO.
SPACENEWS.COM |9 for adversaries, said the RAND Corp. in a recently published report. U.S. MILITARY In addition to denying GPS through electronic jamming attacks, foreign militaries could also target U.S. military DOUBLES DOWN GPS users with falsified PNT data, a technique known as spoofing. A GPS outage could wreak havoc across all ON GPS DESPITE military activities involving aircraft, ships, munitions, land vehicles and ground troops. “In an active military conflict, VULNERABILITIES even brief denials and spoofing of PNT might make a difference if well timed with other operations,” said the report. pace weapons meant to target of GPS and communications satellites.” In response to these vulnerabilities, U.S. satellites are a growing A constellation of 31 satellites (24 plus the Space Force is hardening what it calls concern for the U.S. military. spares) orbiting the Earth at an altitude the “GPS enterprise” that includes three SEspecially worrisome are of 20,000 kilometers, GPS is operated by segments: satellites in space, the ground electronic jamming devices designed the U.S. Space Force like a global utility. control system and user equipment. “We to interfere with GPS signals. GPS satellites in six orbital planes circle are looking at how we will continue to That threat is “real today and concerning,” the Earth twice per day broadcasting evolve this architecture into one that is the chief of space operations of the U.S. positioning, navigation and timing more robust and resilient than it is today,” Space Force Gen. John Raymond told (PNT) signals that are critical to the daily said Col. Ryan Colburn, director of the the House Appropriations Committee’s functioning of the civilian economy spectrum warfare division at the Space defense subcommittee during a hearing and essential to every facet of military and Missile Systems Center. in May. operations. DoD uses a number of PNT technologies Raymond pointed at China and The first satellite, called Navstar 1, was to complement GPS or to serve as backup Russia as the primary actors pursuing launched in 1978. The full constellation when GPS is degraded or unavailable. technologies aimed at “robust jamming became operational in 1995. Some military platforms use onboard
The military’s huge dependence on sensors to track their position and keep STOCK
SANDRA ERWIN PNT data makes GPS an attractive target time without the use of an external ADOBE
10| SPACENEWS JULY 2021 DOUBLE DOWN signal. Other PNT technologies use Concerns about military and civilian external sources of information other than GPS to determine the position of infrastructure dependence on GPS led a platform. Military combat aircraft use Congress to mandate a study in the 2017 GPS paired with inertial navigation systems so if GPS goes out the pilot National Defense Authorization Act. can still complete the mission. Inertial sensors and clocks allow a platform to comes down to funding programs, by satellites, the newest generation of GPS identify its position and keep track of default they choose GPS. now being deployed to replace aging time without an external signal like “Even if they don’t need that level satellites that have been in service since GPS. Other technologies rely on celestial of precise PNT, they’re asking for GPS the 1990s. and magnetic navigation to determine because that’s what they’re used to,” GPS 3 satellites are built by Lockheed position. There’s also a growing number Howard added. “A ship in the middle Martin under a 2008 contract from the of satellites in low Earth orbit that of the ocean doesn’t need precision U.S. Air Force. L3Harris supplies the transmit PNT information. within a few meters of its position but navigation payload. Compared to earlier None of these alternative PNT they’re still defaulting to that. It’s their generations, GPS 3 signals are more technologies, however, has reduced the comfort zone.” accurate and better protected against U.S. military’s dependence on GPS, said Concerns about military and civilian jamming, said Col. Edward Byrne, senior the Government Accountability Office infrastructure dependence on GPS led materiel leader at the Medium Earth Orbit in a May report. Congress to mandate a study in the 2017 Space Systems Division at the Space and “Alternative PNT does not appear to National Defense Authorization Act. It Missile Systems Center (SMC). be a particularly high priority for DoD,” directed federal agencies to assess and The GPS 3 constellation broadcasts a said Karen Howard, GAO’s director of identify PNT technologies to back up and new L1C civil signal, which is compatible science, technology assessment and complement GPS for national security with international GNSS like Europe’s analytics. and critical infrastructure. Galileo. Howard’s office investigated the The study, conducted by the RAND DoD is investing $4.1 billion in the GPS issue at the request of the Senate Armed Corp. and delivered to Congress in April 3 space segment, including production, Services Committee. 2020, listed an array of technologies that launch and operating costs of the 10 “We interviewed a number of people at can help to augment global navigation satellites, an SMC spokesman said. Five DoD and outside experts,” she said. “From satellite systems like GPS, but concluded GPS 3 satellites have been launched since everything we’ve heard, developing and that few can replace them. 2018. The remaining five are projected integrating alternative PNT technologies No single system is a perfect backup to go to space from 2022 through 2024. isn’t highly prioritized,” she added. “They for GPS, said the report. Some systems To provide additional security for are doing research, they’re looking into such as Europe’s Galileo are similar to military users, GPS 3 satellites broadcast it, but the department is heavily reliant GPS and could be a suitable substitute a stronger signal called M-code. Short on GPS.” if GPS were spoofed or disrupted by a for military code, M-code transmits at Jon Ludwigson, GAO’s director cyberattack. There are also ground-based much higher power and is more jam- of contracting and national security signals used for timing and positioning, resistant than civilian signals. The Air acquisitions, said Congress for years has including signals from public and private Force launched the first GPS satellite questioned DoD’s strategy of keeping Wi-Fi transmitters and cellphone towers. capable of broadcasting the M-code GPS as the centerpiece of its PNT Despite greater availability of alternatives, signal in 2005. architecture. Because of the success of “all research shows that dependence on A minimum of 24 M-code enabled GPS, “the alternatives really haven’t had GPS and other GNSS [Global Navigation GPS satellites are needed to provide global to step forward,” he said. Meanwhile, Satellite Systems] continues to grow,” coverage of the stronger signal, Byrne “there’s a rising call of concern that if noted RAND. said. The launch of the fifth GPS 3 last we lost GPS, what would that mean for month was significant, he noted, because our operational plans?” NEW GPS SATELLITES it was the 24th M-code capable satellite. “There are known vulnerabilities and DEPLOYED Despite greater availability of M-code, military officials talk about the need for A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on June 17 most U.S. military forces still can’t take alternatives,” Howard said. But when it launched the fifth of 10 planned GPS 3 advantage of the more secure signal
SPACENEWS.COM | 11 DOUBLE DOWN SPACENEWS JULY 2021 | 12 a one-stopor complete shop solution.” was M-code expected anyone don’t think but I signal, astronger “It’s bullet. silver not a is technology this that cautioned but equipment M-code fielding progress platforms. Corps Marine and Force for Navy, Army, Air cards receiver $434 seeks which proposal budget 2022 its in said Pentagon the receivers, of advanced systems. weapon all across receivers these long too to install for taking and M-code-capable enough forPentagon not producing at GAO. of contracting director the noted Ludwigson, equipment, user “Adversaries have longrecognized ourdependenceonGPSand have civil andmilitary users.” proliferated technologies todegrade,deny andspoof GPSsignals for assault shipUSSAmericainthePhillipineSea. Marine Corpscombat engineersuseutilizeGPSdevicesduringaJuly6exercise aboardtheamphibious usersU.S.The newgeneration ofGPSsatellites providesastrongersignalknownasM-code formilitary some making is DoD said Ludwigson fielding to the accelerate working is DoD out the called has GAO for years compatible don’t have they because million for M-code-compatible receiver equipment GPS four. first the ordered has Force already 3F.Follow-on or Space GPS satellites, The 3 to up produce GPS to 22 options with a$7.2 contract billion Martin Lockheed it when awarded to GPS commitment its affirmed 2018 Force in Air The 3 GPS IN LONG-TERM INVESTMENT technology.” on aspecific not on resilience, be should focus “The he added. options, backup needs still DoD laser and services, for search-and-rescue payload anew carry will also satellites new The data. PNT get can combat zones forces in U.S. to ensure regionally signals military stronger broadcast to ability the as such enhancements have will satellites The 2026. in launch to projected is 3F GPS first The to include architecture GPS entire the across efforts modernization pursuing are “We request. budget its in said DoD users,” military and for civil signals GPS spoof deny and to degrade, technologies proliferated have and on GPS dependence satellites. 3F GPS of two procurement for is the million $688 additional An of production. stages final the or in storage in are that 3satellites GPS five remaining of the integration for the and receivers, user and system ground GPS of the testing and development research, for is billion $1.1 About program. GPS the for billion $1.8 nearly seeking is 2022 year position retro-reflector to line product computerIBM’s server of sale the following reasons security for is This 2022. April by system OCX the from computerIBM hardware remove Raytheon that a requirement is delays to the Contributing testing. for delivered been have software control ground of the versions early and 2018 in program the restructured 2012. in started program the since growth cost in billion $2 more than and delays by hampered programs, troubled one of most DoD’s Control Operational GPS Generation Next the billion, $6.7 to cost Estimated signals. compatible and cyber-attacks against more secure to be designed system control ground to anew develop Raytheon selected Force Air the 3constellation, GPS the For of GPS. modernization the in hurdle segments.” user and ground space, in upgrades “Adversaries DoD Raytheon Force and Air The amajor been has system ground The in System determination. its the with proposed arrays have (OCX) long for stronger budget is better recognized considered for on-orbit M-code fiscal our
U.S. MARINE CORPS PHOTO BY CPL. KARIS MATTINGLY Chinese-owned Lenovo. Raytheon will replace the IBM computers with Hewlett Packard Enterprise hardware. The Space Force meanwhile is relying on a ground system developed by Lockheed Martin to control and operate the GPS constellation as a bridge until OCX is ready. The interim ground system allows the Space Force to implement the M-code signal. Raytheon is under contract to complete by 2025 a new upgrade to make the system compatible with GPS 3F satellites. A major criticism of the GPS program has been a lack of integration and coordination across the space, ground and user equipment segments. Both GAO and the Pentagon’s director of Northrop Grumman said July 1 it had delivered an ESPAStar-D spacecraft bus to L3Harris in support of operational test and evaluation have the NTS-3 mission launching in 2022 to demonstrate advanced PNT technologies. pointed this out in numerous reports and have called for better synchronization among the three segments of the GPS Research Laboratory’s Space Vehicles from just mid Earth orbit with GPS and enterprise. Directorate. start diversifying.” “One of the lessons learned from GPS Felt said AFRL scientists are working THE NEXT GENERATION OF was just how important it is to have tight on a more advanced military PNT signal GPS integration and coupling between the that would be stronger than M-code. With these challenges in mind, the Air user equipment, the on-orbit equipment “It’s a concept we call Q code, an even Force in 2018 embarked on a research and the software that flies the satellites,” more advanced way to do PNT signals project to demonstrate a new PNT satellite Felt said. using quantum and other advanced with advanced technologies that could Another key feature of NTS-3 is that communications technologies that can transition to the next generation of GPS. the satellite, the ground system and potentially be applied to navigation.” The project, run by the Air Force user equipment are fully digital and The Air Force in 2019 designated Research Laboratory, was named reprogrammable, said NTS-3 program NTS-3 as one of its “Vanguard” programs, Navigation Technology Satellite-3, or manager Arlen Biersgreen. a category assigned to projects that NTS-3, as it is the third major space “This gives you the ability to recover promise trailblazing capabilities. If the experiment by the U.S. military to quickly if there is a denial of service,” said experiment is successful, the Space advance positioning, navigation and Biersgreen. “If there’s an attack, we can Force likely will transition technologies timing technologies. The Naval Research pivot, we can do different encryption, demonstrated by NTS-3 to the GPS 3F Laboratory in the 1970s launched the we can do frequency changes so we’re program, or it could decide to build more NTS-1 and NTS-2 demonstration satellites able to defeat jamming as it occurs.” satellites like NTS-3 to augment the GPS that served as technological building Another benefit of reprogrammable constellation. blocks of the current GPS. satellites is that changes can be made NTS-3 is all about adding resilience L3Harris is producing NTS-3 using a without having to buy new hardware to the GPS system to ensure availability Northrop Grumman ESPAStar bus. The and fly it to space “which is expensive of PNT, said Biersgreen. satellite is scheduled to launch in 2023. and takes ages,” Biersgreen said. “PNT is sometimes considered to be Unlike the GPS program, NTS-3 will NTS-3 also is expected to add resilience synonymous with GPS because GPS is so pursue a more integrated approach to to the military’s PNT architecture by awesome, so accurate and so consistently
GRUMMMAN the development of the space, ground adding a higher layer in geosynchronous available,” he said. “The thinking is that and user equipment segments, said Earth orbit, he said. “With NTS-3 we are if a military user needs PNT information,
NORTHROP Col. Eric Felt, director of the Air Force looking at where we can move away they should get it from GPS.” SN
SPACENEWS.COM | 13 GNSS STARTUPS
STARTUPS MAP OUT STRATEGIES TO AUGMENT OR BACKUP GPS
ompanies investing billions of dollars in every billion miles. autonomous cars, delivery drones and urban “When you start doing the math, you realize almost every air taxis are counting on precise and reliable car in your fleet has to have sub-10-centimeter accuracy for location data being available when they need it. its entire lifetime,” said Patrick Shannon, CEO and co-founder CGPS-level accuracy of 4.9 meters for a smartphone operating of TrustPoint, a startup based in Silicon Valley and Northern under clear skies won’t be good enough. Before autonomous Virginia developing a new global navigation satellite system cars can speed down highways, they will need to know their (GNSS). IMAGE location within around 10 centimeters with roughly one error TrustPoint, founded in 2020, is not alone in seeing sky-
high potential for a 21st century GNSS augmentation system STOCK
DEBRA WERNER or alternative. Xona Space Systems, founded in San Mateo, ADOBE
14| SPACENEWS JULY 2021 positioning, navigation and timing better for stationary devices around the signals from the Iridium Next satellites. world and precise timing within three GPS reliance “It’s become a utility, which is part of nanoseconds. the problem.” “We offer this service to critical is so pervasive GPS reliance is so pervasive, in fact, infrastructure sectors, data centers, that disruption that disruption or manipulation of its wireless infrastructure providers, energy signal could threaten U.S. national and companies and so forth,” O’Connor said. or manipulation economic security. That message was of its signal conveyed by the White House in a 2020 AGE OF AUTONOMY Executive Order and a 2021 Space Policy TrustPoint and Xona are more focused could threaten Directive. on emerging markets. U.S. national The U.S. Transportation Department TrustPoint intends to support 21st delivered a report to Congress in January century technologies like self-driving and economic after testing alternative location and cars, air taxis, drone delivery services security. That timing technologies. And the Department and augmented reality applications of Homeland Security is working with being developed by commercial and message was the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure government customers. conveyed by the Security Agency to ensure the electric The global market for GNSS receivers, grid, emergency services and other ranging from inexpensive chipsets to White House in components of the nation’s critical precision devices that cost over $10,000, a 2020 Executive infrastructure are not solely reliant is projected to grow from a current level on GPS. of roughly $55 billion a year to over $175 Order and a 2021 “People realize GPS is a single point billion by 2029, according to a 2019 report Space Policy of failure for the entire U.S. economy,” by the European Global Navigation Manning said. “Nothing else out there Satellite Systems Agency. Directive. that can match it.” Before co-founding TrustPoint, U.S. government efforts to identify Shannon, a former vice president at technologies to complement or backup Astro Digital and SpaceQuest, considered GPS are helping fund alternatives. various business opportunities. When he California, in 2019, is working toward Xona won a Small Business Innovation began looking into “innovating on GPS the same goal. Research grant in 2020 from the National and revitalizing that industry,” he realized “GPS was designed to support human Science Foundation for research related to “the user base was just ginormous.” operators,” said Brian Manning, Xona its proposed low Earth orbit constellation. Xona was founded with an eye CEO and co-founder. “In the modern Satelles is an Iridium Communications’ toward the autonomous vehicles market. world, humans are quickly becoming subcontractor on a U.S. Army contract Manning’s co-founder Tyler Reid helped passengers, or they’re being taken out to develop a hosted payload for a small write standards for autonomous cars of the loop altogether. The machines satellite constellation with applications while working as a research engineer in replacing them have very different for navigation, guidance and control. Ford Motor Co.’s controls and automated requirements when it comes down to Since 2016, Satelles has offered systems organization. accuracy, security and resilience.” timing and location signals through a Reid, now Xona’s chief technology channel on Iridium Next satellites that officer, wrote “standards on autonomous GPS ALTERNATIVES was reserved for paging in the original car accuracy, integrity and resilience Startups and established companies Iridium constellation. targets,” Manning said. “We found that if developing commercial positioning, “Since not many people wear pagers you can meet the needs of autonomous navigation and timing constellations on their belts anymore, we use Iridium’s cars, you can pretty much meet the or alternative technologies don’t intend L-band frequencies for our positioning, needs of everything.” to replace GPS. navigation and timing signals,” O’Connor “GPS is amazing, don’t get me wrong,” said. INDEPENDENT said Michael O’Connor, CEO of Reston, Satelles broadcasts an encoded signal CONSTELLATIONS Virginia-based Satelles, which provides that offers accuracy of 20 meters or Both TrustPoint and Xona intend to
SPACENEWS.COM | 15 GNSS STARTUPS
While there is competition among the positioning, navigation and timing startups for contracts and investment, the enormous global market potential and national security concerns make it unlikely that one company or technology will eclipse all others.
establish small satellite constellations rather than requiring a subscription. characters, they could manipulate GPS in low Earth orbit to offer global Government customers seeking signals to make it appear they were positioning, navigation and timing specific security features may opt for somewhere else. services independent of existing GNSS subscriptions. “It’s a lot easier to sit on my couch constellations. Initially, though, the new and build a spoofer than it is to actually constellations intend to make money by JAMMING AND SPOOFING go get a Pokémon,” Manning said. augmenting GNSS data to offer higher A key advantage of delivering location While spoofing in Pokémon Go precision. and timing signals from low Earth orbit isn’t a serious problem, spoofing an “Leveraging the tens of billions of is power. autonomous car’s location would be. dollars of GNSS infrastructure from GNSS signals traveling 20,200 Satelles has encoded its signal to around the globe that already exists kilometers from medium Earth orbit to make spoofing “virtually impossible,” means you don’t have to replicate it for receivers on the ground can be disrupted O’Connor said. your own system,” Manning said. “Now, by low-power devices. TrustPoint’s DeMay said, “In a world if something goes completely haywire, The problem was demonstrated increasingly plagued by cyberattacks and all the GNSS constellations go down vividly in 2013 when a truck driver, who and electronic warfare, we not only or go dark, our system can continue spent less than $100 on a GPS jammer want to provide a more accurate service, to operate fully independently, just at he plugged into a cigarette lighter, but also, as alluded to in our company a reduced level of accuracy from the inadvertently disrupted air traffic control name, a service that can be trusted to centimeter level performance.” at Newark Liberty International Airport. support safety-critical applications. Xona intends to fly its payload on “Iridium satellites are 25 times closer To maintain security, Xona plans cubesats and offer its service through to the earth than GPS satellites and to continuously update hardware and subscription fees. In a national their beams are much more focused,” software. emergency, however, the company O’Connor said. “The net impact is that “We are designing our security such could activate its service on all devices to the signal received on the ground is that it can be upgraded at the speed of serve as a GNSS backup, Manning said. about 1,000 times stronger than GPS.” the technology,” Manning said. TrustPoint plans to establish a With that extra power, Satelles proved While there is competition among constellation of microsatellites in a in Transportation Department tests in the positioning, navigation and timing series of steps. 2020 that its signal extends indoors and startups for contracts and investment, “Filling out a constellation that can even into basements. The extra power the enormous global market potential operate on its own and manage its own also makes it “much more resilient to and national security concerns make it timing to get accurate positioning any kind of intentional or unintentional unlikely that one company or technology on the ground will take time and will interference,” O’Connor said. will eclipse all others. require hundreds of satellites,” said Chris Spoofing is another concern for “I think there will be multiple systems DeMay, TrustPoint co-founder and chief GNSS customers. to build as much resilience into the operating officer. “In the meantime, Pokémon Go, an augmented reality PNT ecosystem as possible,” Shannon TrustPoint has a solid plan for deploying application for smartphones released in said. “If GPS goes down, you’ve got a an interim constellation that still adds 2016, encouraged players to catch and LEO system. If we’ve got a crazy space a ton of value by augmenting GPS.” train virtual Pokémon characters. Players weather event, there are terrestrial The cost of commercial TrustPoint quickly learned, though, that instead positioning systems available. There service is likely to be built into devices, of traveling to various sites to find the will be a lot of players.” SN
16| SPACENEWS JULY 2021 SATELLES Satelles receiversconfiguredforU.S. Transportation Departmenttestingin2020. Typical customerinstallations requirefarlessgear. in January marked thefirsthigh-levelupdate to GPS-based services. — toimplementsomeformofprotectionfor defense andothercriticalinfrastructuresectors ticularly thoseintelecoms,utilities,transportation, measures toencouragemorecompanies—par- underpin modernlife. of satellitenavigationsystemsthatincreasingly alternative capabilitiestoimprovetheresiliency formed in December amid growing support for systems (GNSS). efforts tobackupglobalnavigationsatellite (PNT) companiesarejoiningforcestoaccelerate Competing positioning,navigation,andtiming open-market approach PNT alternatives champion The OpenPNTIndustryAlliance(OPIA)was A Space Policy Directivethe White House issued It comesastheU.S.governmentstepsup JASON RAINBOW been providingassured PNT services over Iridium on PNTtorelayandcross-checkinformation. veloping cubesatstoimprovelocation services. Space Systems, anOPIAmember company de- Brian Manning,CEOofCalifornianstartupXona on GPS—muchmoresothanitknows,”warned GPS informationabouttheirfields. planting season, whenfarmersheavilyrelyon if theoutageoccurredduringAprilandMay Institute ofStandardsandTechnology. study sponsoredbythegovernment’sNational of someadverseevent,accordingtoaJune2019 U.S. space-basedPNTpolicyinmorethan16years. if widespreadGPSserviceswerelostasaresult Reston, Virginia-basedSatelles,which has Financial transactions,forinstance,relyheavily “The worldismassivelydependentandreliant The studysaidthecostwouldlikelybehigher The U.S.economywouldlose$1billionaday of GNSS. to improvetheaccuracy, security and resiliency make PNThardwaretoserviceproviders seeking after addingtwoinMay,rangingfrom thosethat of relyingonjustonebackup. multiple solutionstoimproveresiliencyinstead of systems’strategyforalternativePNT,fueling ing frameworkstodevelopandadopta‘system approach forfortifyingGNSS. wide, theOPIA ischampioning amulti-technology space policydirectiveandsimilarmovesworld- cars, drones,shipsandotheremergingindustries. pabilities is seen asakey enabler for autonomous emerged inrecentyearsasimprovingGNSSca- trading ontheNewYorkStockExchange. commercial applicationsthatincludeprotecting solutions have alreadybeen implemented in 2016, isOPIA’sadministratorandfacilitator. Communications’ satellitestobackupGNSSsince The lobbygroupcurrentlyhas18members, The allianceispushingforgovernmentfund- Emboldened Many more alternative PNT technologies have Satelles’ SatelliteTimeandLocation(STL) S N by the U.S. government’s 17 SPACENEWS.COM | PNT UKSATNAV
BRITAIN CHARTS A NEW COURSE FOR SATELLITE NAVIGATION
hen it comes to satellite navigation, the governments not completing the final Brexit deal until British government has struggled to find December 2020. its way over the last five years. Among those issues was Galileo, the EU’s satellite Those problems began with a June 2016 navigation system. With the UK no longer an EU member, Wreferendum, when a narrow majority voted in favor of the the British government would need an agreement with the United Kingdom leaving the European Union. That triggered EU — including, likely, some financial contribution — to STOCK/ESA the long, complex process of Britain disentangling itself both continue participation in the manufacturing of Galileo from the EU across a vast spectrum of activities, with the satellites as well as access the system’s secure signal, the Public Regulated Service (PRS). The EU has such “third
JEFF FOUST country” agreements with Norway and Switzerland. SPACENEWS/ADOBE
18| SPACENEWS JULY 2021 By November 2018, though, any The British government nonetheless Building a full- hope of an agreement between London embarked on initial plans for a UK Global fledged satellite and Brussels died when Theresa May, Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), navigation system, the British prime minister at the time, allocating 92 million pounds ($127 announced that the UK would instead million) for an 18-month study. That on the same pursue its own satellite navigation system. effort looked at satellite and ground scale as Galileo “Given the [European] Commission’s system technologies needed to develop decision to bar the UK from being fully an independent navigation system. or its American, involved in developing all aspects of That effort, though, ended in Russian or Chinese Galileo, it is only right that we find September 2020 with the British counterparts, would alternatives,” she said. government deciding, in effect, it That decision raised eyebrows both would not pursue a full-fledged satellite cost billions of inside and outside Britain. Building navigation constellation. It replaced dollars and take a full-fledged satellite navigation the UK GNSS project with the Space- system, on the same scale as Galileo Based Positioning Navigation and years. or its American, Russian or Chinese Timing Programme, which would counterparts, would cost billions explore what the government called of dollars and take years. Moreover, “new and alternative ways” to provide Britain has at least limited access PNT services. to the Global Positioning System’s “Now is the time to drive this work encrypted signals. further to look into wider, more
SPACENEWS.COM | 19 UKSATNAV
When the British government announced in July 2020 that it was spending $500 million to take OneWeb out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, working in partnership with Indian telecom company Bharti Global, many in the space industry speculated that the government’s interest in OneWeb included potential use of the satellite constellation for PNT services.
innovative ways of delivering this or get provided to us that would provide be adopted, but also more likely to be important national capability,” Graham resilience through diversity?” vulnerable to the same threats that can Turnock, chief executive of the UK The program started with a request disrupt existing satellite navigation Space Agency, said in the government’s for information in October 2020, seeking systems. The latter approach, by contrast, announcement of the new program. ideas for alternative approaches to could be more robust to such threats, space-based PNT. The program then but may only be used by those who RESILIENCE THROUGH took those ideas, along with internal require that resiliency. DIVERSITY ones, and refined them into ones for In late May, the UK Space Agency The impetus behind the new program further study. In parallel, the program issued study awards worth more than is resilience. “Our critical national is looking at models for operating those two million pounds to six companies infrastructure is really not resilient systems commercially, with varying to study aspects of proposed satellite enough” should existing satellite degrees of government involvement. navigation systems. Neither the agency navigation services be disrupted, said Thomas said the government was nor the companies — Airbus, CGI, GMV Dean Thomas, chief engineer and joint keeping an open mind for how a satellite NSL, Inmarsat, QinetiQ and Sirius technical director of the Space-Based system would be set up, rather than just Analysis — disclosed details of those Positioning Navigation and Timing the conventional approach of satellites studies, other than they will examine Programme at the UK Space Agency. in medium Earth orbit broadcasting technical and cost issues associated “There is a risk that loss of these services L-band signals. That included low satellite navigation systems. would result in a critical impact on our Earth orbit constellations and using Rajeev Suri, the chief executive of infrastructure.” different frequencies. Inmarsat, endorsed the concept of a Moreover, Britain remains dependent Another alternative is breaking from British satellite navigation system in on other satellite navigation services. the current paradigm of “one-way” a July 8 speech at the Space-Comm “We are, it’s worth pointing out, the only ranging, where satellites broadcast Expo conference in Farnborough, permanent member of the UN Security signals that devices receive and use to England. “It would increase resilience, Council that does not have access to calculate a position. The study is open reduce reliance on existing, aging, non- its own national system,” he said in a to including two-way ranging, where sovereign systems, support domestic presentation at a Royal Aeronautical devices not only receive signals but jobs and innovation and help meet the Society conference in May. Britain also transmit them. requirements of our allies,” he said. is one of five permanent members, Those technical issues are linked to a “From our perspective it is absolutely alongside China, France, Russia and more fundamental tradeoff. “Do we want indispensable to the country’s future.” the United States. something that is very similar to existing Thomas said the program plans The new program is looking at how to systems, and thus easily adopted by both to complete the studies and provide provide that resilience without the cost receiver manufacturers and end users?” recommendations to the government in of a full system. “This program was asked he asked. “Or do we want a system that November. “There are no easy choices. to look at more innovative solutions. Do is very different from existing systems This is going to be quite a complex we really want to do a system that looks and perhaps provides resilience?” exercise,” he cautioned. “It’s going to very much like GPS or Galileo, or are The former approach, he argued, require some degree of compromising, there alternatives we can build or buy makes a new system more likely to one way or another.”
20| SPACENEWS JULY 2021 ONWEB ahigh providing about “It’s services. navigation full provide can argues later satellites accuracy,” timing good to able provide be we will satellites, on the anything changing “Without deploying. OneWeb currently is which 1” satellites, “Gen initial the with capability.” such to deliver satellites don’t need chief Ladovaz, Massimiliano said payload,” communications of our abyproduct really is deliver wecan “What constellation. satellite its using services PNT providing UK.” the across right businesses and to people benefits considerable could deliver that satellites low orbiting “considering mentioned Sharma Alok navigation satellite new the announcing when services” other and broadband “enhanced noted government British the deal, of the announcement its In either. it, disabuse giving services. for PNT constellation satellite of the use potential included OneWeb in interest government’s the that speculated industry space the in many Global, Bharti company telecom Indian with partnership in working protection, bankruptcy 11 out of Chapter OneWeb to take million $500 spending it was that July 2020 in announced OneWeb. in: investment larger afar made has government British the one but instead May in contract a study received not one that is system navigation satellite to aBritish linked closely most been publicly has that company The SATELLITE ROLE IN ONEWEB’S 2 Gen followed by would be They services timing with would start That considering fact, OneWeb in is, not explicitly while government, The government British the When technology the that constellation worldwide. multibillion-dollar he Business program, rationale, in said. NAVIGATION the officer decade In of didn’t would OneWeb. September, that additional Secretary OneWeb exactly provide “We European at a of constellations satellite discussion a at OneWeb during partnerships and development infrastructure of space president vice Vanotti, Maurizio said resilience,” high and spoofing, and jamming from of immunity advantages the all provide will “It services. navigation payload, communications the as frequencies band services, independent” is that service timing and navigation positioning, accuracy high availability, Ladovaz equipment, of ground terms completing coverageofEarth’snorthernlatitudes. OneWeb launchedabatch of36satellites July1, in challenges poses approach That services Those rather he astronomy said. of than other will traditional satellite conference use same the navigation L-band July Ku- 2. partner a becoming in government UK of the interest the with associated key aspects one of the was “That mentioned. Vanotti navigation of for degree some desire government’s important.” OneWeb very like is a system infrastructure for critical and, complementary are “We for he said. GPS,” areplacement to be don’t want “We services. navigation satellite other replacing, than rather services. PNT and provide would that terminals ground developing acknowledged. interest.” any not expressed has UK the far, so “but, he added, agreement,” access aPRS to negotiate open remains observation Earth Copernicus the in participation British for continued underway are Brussels. in programs space EU’s the about briefing 22 June European of the Space and Industry Defence head Pesonen, Timo not here,” said London, in is ball The programs. space EU in participation on its UK the with negotiate into Galileo. back UK to allow the discussions to resume willing be always EU, a to option sign the not discussed have officials government British While program. Galileo the rejoining to Britain closed not permanently is door vote, the cost including onit recommends, what depend likely will not clear, and is year late this recommendations its delivers Programme Positioning third-country complementarity UK the with well could fit That augmenting, OneWeb itself sees “On to open Union is European “The Brexit the after years five yet, And Space-Based the after happens What European and of Galileo, of both the schedule OneWeb.” system Commission, program. Directorate-General Navigation broadband where officials the agreement OneWeb it estimates. pursues, you European discussions Such in say 21 SPACENEWS.COM | need any connectivity and they proposes something during resiliency, with satellite Timing Union would the for S a N KPS
Artist’s view of Korea Positioning System. South Korea is on the path to building its own satellite navigation system, in cooperation with the United States, by 2035.
establish KPS by 2035 by launching eight new satellites — three satellites SOUTH KOREA’S into geosynchronous orbit and five into inclined geosynchronous orbit. GNSS PROJECT TO The first satellite for KPS will be launched in 2027, with a trial service scheduled for 2034 and a full-fledged TAKE OFF WITH one the following year, according to the ministry. $3.3 BILLION BUDGET The KPS, when established, will make South Korea the seventh nation in the world to have its own satellite-based outh Korea has set off on System” (KPS), the project cleared positioning, navigation and timing a journey to build its own the government’s budget feasibility system, after the U.S., Russia, Europe, satellite navigation system, in study June 25, taking one step closer China, India and Japan. Its coverage cooperation with the United to winning the proposed budget of encompasses Southeast Asia, Australia S INSTITUTE States, by 2035 to provide more accurate 3.72 trillion won ($3.3 billion) by the and New Zealand. and reliable position, navigation and Ministry of Science and ICT, which “The Korea Positioning System is timing information across the country. has pushed forward with the project an essential infrastructure for Korea RESEARCH Named “Korea Positioning since 2018. If the budget is approved in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
by the National Assembly, the ministry With cooperation between Korea and AEROSPACE
PARK SI-SOO will begin initial work next year to the U.S., we will be able to make a KOREA
22| SPACENEWS JULY 2021 successful development,” said Kwon Hyun-joon, a senior official of the Fugro unveils commercial Space, Nuclear and Big Science Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Science and service like GPS for satellites ICT, in a statement. “It will also make Geospatial data specialist Fugro unveiled For Earth-observation data providers, a big contribution to bringing more what it believes is the first commercial precise information on satellite position, investment in the domestic space service for precise positioning of satellites velocity and timing can improve the quality industry, as well as invigorating it.” in low Earth orbit. of data products. Customers may also adopt U.S. President Joe Biden promised Fugro, based in the Netherlands, is demon- SpaceStar for constellations management and to support the KPS project during the strating its new satellite positioning service, automatic collision avoidance, Scheer said. May 21 bilateral summit with his South SpaceStar, on Loft Orbital’s YAM-2 satellite. Prior to developing SpaceStar, Fugro of- Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in at Loft Orbital’s YAM-2 and YAM-3 satellites fered positioning technology for land and sea the White House. During the meeting, packed with payloads for various government applications. In 2008, Fugro began relying on the two leaders reached an agreement and commercial customers launched June 30 global navigation satellite systems to enhance on “civil global navigation satellite on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rideshare flight from data services. systems cooperation,” under which Cape Canaveral, Florida. Fugro began developing SpaceStar in 2016, the U.S. will support South Korea’s Satellites equipped with SpaceStar receive “when we realised that the same technology KPS development and enhance its location and timing signals from the GPS, could be delivered to the emerging new space” compatibility and interoperability GLONASS, Beidou and Galileo constellations sector, Scheer said. with the existing GPS. plus correction data through Inmarsat com- Loft Orbital executives see SpaceStar as a “Technological support of the U.S. munications satellites to pinpoint the satellite’s technology that could help the firm stand out is very important to develop KPS, location within 10 centimeters. in a field of competitors advertising space as especially when designing its signals Fugro’s proprietary algorithms offer a ten- a service. Precise location information could and frequency band,” said An Hyoung- fold improvement in typical global navigation be offered alongside other value-added joon, a research fellow at Science and satellite system performance, Daan Scheer, services like onboard processing and inter- Technology Policy Institute, a South Fugro’s satellite positioning commercial satellite links. Korean state think tank. “They have to manager, said by email. “Fugro’s SpaceStar service is something be designed to get compatible with the Fugro expects location services to be widely that can really help not only Loft Orbital’s existing GPS. Otherwise, KPS won’t be adopted in space as they have been on land. missions but also be of interest to the wider able to make an expected performance, “We know accuracy is addictive,” Scheer application of space situational awareness and it will also have a negative impact said. “We expect a similar growth curve in and safety,” Pieter van Duijn, Loft Orbital on GPS.” new space.” chief technology officer, said in a statement. According to experts, GPS has an error of up to 20 meters in distance measurement in South Korea, which Iridium makes second is too wide to be applied to run self- driving cars, urban air mobility and other forthcoming innovative products strategic GNSS investment and services that require extremely Iridium Communications has taken a stake GPS and international counterparts that accurate position information. This can in customer DDK Positioning, a Scottish operate in medium Earth orbit typically provide be reduced to 2.5 centimeters when GPS technology provider that uses Iridium’s positioning accuracy for civilian applications and KPS are put in practice together low-Earth-orbit constellation of mobile within 10 meters, according to DDK, which harmoniously, they said. communications satellites to improve the touts a precision range of five centimeters or The ministry said KPS will create accuracy of GPS and other global navigation less by using LEO satellites that orbit closer nearly 60,000 jobs and spark 8 trillion satellite systems (GNSS). to Earth. DDK expects demand for its services won worth of production. Companies In announcing the investment in May, will increase alongside advances in autono- involved in the KPS project include U.S.-based Iridium said DDK will expand its mous vehicles. LIG Nex1, Asia Pacific Satellite Inc., portfolio of custom network solutions for Iridium also partly owns Californian ven- Danam Systems, ACE Technologies precision agriculture, autonomous systems, ture Satelles, which also uses the operator’s and Hancom InSpace. SN maritime and infrastructure projects. network to augment GNSS signals.
SPACENEWS.COM | 23 JULY 2021 SPACENEWS | 24 development effort public researchand warrants aconcerted inexhaustible energy to provideclean, but SBSP’spotential obstacles remain, Hefty technological solar space-based consider seriously It’s COMMENTARY time power Spencer Kaplan I re-use capabilities andlaunch costs gin, andRocket Labhave that have but SBSP islikely technologically possible repeatedly cametothe same conclusion: the futuristic technology for and engineershave (SBSP) soundslike science fiction, scientists converted on receivers waves, radiation, satellites Peter n Although space-basedsolar power for to companies the tocome down it and late Glaser tobefeasible, launch costswill into 1960s, to beam transform Earth collect proposed electricity. like SpaceX, enterprising it explored developing where considerably. Now down incoming it orbiting using demonstrated into it decades but to would Blue focused scientist micro- solar Ori- be ians have February, Texas ergy SBSP its byproducts ians vide of of and boldly about thedevelopment time tothinkseriously are a had Petroleum SBSP. SBSP. fuel. It plummeting,it because inexhaustible instantly. system supplied is to national experienced difficult The create For the Reserve. one, uses and United modeled SBSP federal emergency Scientists SBSP a to it dynamic overstate widespread could produces clean States is If constellation government solar after the eventually energy and could power United national the radiation the no engineers outages Strategic harmful benefits also to to States when could civil- civil- pro- en use as in -
NASA/SOLAR DYNAMICS OBSERVATORY If the United States had a national To position itself well for the fu- space-based solar power constellation ture, the United States should begin when Texas experienced widespread treating space-based solar power like outages in February, the federal the groundbreaking technology that government could have supplied emergency power to civilians it could be. The government could instantly. start by naming a point organization to coordinate and lead SBSP research. Naming a lead organization will give SBSP a congressional “cheerleader” In recognition of the vast to attract federal funding while also potential of SBSP, nations clarifying domestic and international around the world have be- regulatory responsibilities. gun heavily investing in the The United States should also engage potentially transformative the private sector by subsidizing research technology. Japan enacted and development of SBSP. As it stands, legislation in 2009 that re- SBSP is likely viewed as too risky for robust quires its government to re- private investment, but if the government search SBSP and plans to build shouldered some of the cost, as it does a 1 GW system in the 2030s. The with other forms of green energy, the European Union and India have private sector might be more willing to also begun considering SBSP as a develop SBSP capabilities. potential power system for the future. Lastly, the government should fund No country, though, has approached a full-scale technology demonstration China’s interest and level of investment. of SBSP. There are still some hefty tech- China has built the world’s first SBSP nological obstacles like thermal issues base plant and plans to build a 100 kW related to building at scale and inex- satellite in LEO by 2025, a 1 mW satellite perience with space construction that in GEO by 2035, and a full, commercial remain. Launching a concerted, public satellite in 2050. research and development program Since SBSP could be a transformative under the auspices of a selected point have even proposed technology, it is reasonable to ask why organization could spark private sector using SBSP to power lunar the United States is not investing heavily interest while mitigating the remaining exploration and resource extraction in SBSP. In fairness, the United States has technological challenges. operations in the moon’s permanently launched a few research projects like As the United States approaches the shaded regions (PSRs), where traditional the Naval Research Laboratory’s (NRL) middle of the 21st century, it must think solar power would be impossible to utilize. Lectenna, Photovoltaic Radio-frequency audaciously and strategically about the SBSP has enormous military uses Antenna Module (PRAM), and Power future. Taking steps to bring SBSP out of as well. The military could use SBSP Transmitted Over Laser (PTROL) exper- science fiction and into reality would be to power remote bases instead of us- iments. The Department of Defense also a bold and necessary move to ensure the ing dangerous fuel convoys that cost launched a 100 million dollar partnership country is prepared for the challenges up to hundreds of dollars per gallon. with Northrop Grumman on Space Solar that lay ahead. SN SBSP could also theoretically be used Power Incremental Demonstrations and to power unmanned aerial vehicles Research (SSPIDR), which aims to launch SPENCER KAPLANIS A RECENT DUKE (UAVs), allowing them to stay in the air an SBSP demonstration spacecraft called UNIVERSITY GRADUATE WHO INTERNED WITH until their components fail. Removing Arachne in 2024. Still, though, the United THE CSIS AEROSPACE PROJECT AND POTOMAC energy as a limiting factor in military States lacks a clear plan for SBSP and is INSTITUTE FOR POLICY STUDIES. HIS VIEWS DO operations stands to radically change dangerously at risk of falling behind its NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THOSE OF CSIS OR conventional military doctrine. competitors. THE POTOMAC INSTITUTE.
SPACENEWS.COM | 25 COMMENTARY Brian G. Chow and Brandon W. Kelley
Peace in the era of weaponized space
e are on the verge of a new Three next-generation ASATs likely John Hyten, and Gen. John Raymond) era in space security: the to mature during the 2020s — namely, have expressed concerns that such RPO age of diverse and highly rendezvous spacecraft, ground-based spacecraft could be used to threaten our Wcapable dual-use space lasers, and cyberattacks — illustrate the critical satellites from close range. Gen. systems that can serve both peaceful urgent need for collaboration, critical James Dickinson, the commander of and anti-satellite (ASAT) purposes. These interrogation of assumptions, and (re-) U.S. Space Command, is one of the latest new systems, such as satellite-servic- examination of a wide range of old and voices to join this authoritative group, ing spacecraft capable of undertaking new ideas. All three ASAT types can be testifying April 20 before the Senate rendezvous and proximity operations developed and deployed under the guise Armed Services Committee that: (RPOs) and ground-based lasers capable of peaceful applications. Each of these “Beijing actively seeks space supe- of interacting with space objects, can- threat vectors will, as they advance, enable riority through space and space attack not feasibly be banned; nor should they counterspace operations with substantially systems. One notable object is the Shi- be, as they promise immense civil and greater strategic and operational impact jian-17, a Chinese satellite with a robotic commercial benefits. Instead, we must than is currently achievable. arm. Space-based robotic arm technol- find ways to maintain peace despite Moreover, all three next-gen ASATs ogy could be used in a future system for their presence. can be used while producing little space grappling other satellites.” The steps currently being taken by the debris — a feature clearly important It is good news that U.S. government United States to mitigate counterspace to China, as evidenced by its pivot to awareness of the rendezvous threat is threats are necessary but they will not non-debris-producing ASAT tests fol- growing. However, the signs that it is on the alone be sufficient — the next genera- lowing major international backlash horizon have been there for years (China tion of ASAT weapons will pose a much to its 2007 test of a direct-ascent ASAT testing began in 2008, if not earlier) and a greater threat than current systems, and that generated thousands of pieces of decade or more is far too long a lag in threat require tailored responses. We stand, as long-lasting space junk when a ground- recognition. Worse yet, noticing a serious we did in the 1950s and 1960s, at the launched ballistic missile collided with threat is merely the first step in a chain brink of poorly understood but poten- China’s Fengyun-1C weather satellite. of traditionally time-consuming moves tially catastrophic risks. The solution — e.g., selecting a solution, developing a now is the same as it was then: first, to THE DUAL UTILITY OF SATELLITE concept of operations, programming the exploit the United States.’ democratic SERVICING SPACECRAFT acquisition, and deploying the measures advantage in untapped intellectual cap- Rendezvous spacecraft provide an — to ready our deterrence and defenses. ital; and second, to harness the power excellent case study in the challenges To adequately deal with emerging threat of dissent and rigorous contestation to plaguing the status quo. These spacecraft vectors, the U.S. must greatly expedite improve predictions, strategic planning, are inherently dual-use: if a satellite can these processes. and cost-effective readiness. To that remove space debris from orbit or grap- In addition, the solutions required for end, the U.S. Department of Defense ple a friendly satellite for servicing (e.g., many next-gen ASATs must be carefully should establish an open and perma- for repair, refueling, or upgrades), then tailored and crosscutting. Three facets nent forum for submission of ideas by it can likely also grapple an adversary’s of the rendezvous threat illustrate this all concerned parties, both inside and satellite to change its orbit or disable it. particularly well. outside government, and facilitate Since 2018, at least 11 high-level space First, in 2018, the Committee on the on-the-record debate regarding their officials and organizations (including Peaceful Uses of Outer Space attempted validity and desirability. former Vice President Mike Pence, Gen. to establish voluntary “measures for the
26| SPACENEWS JULY 2021 “Beijing actively seeks space superiority through space and space attack systems. One notable object is the Shijian-17, a Chinese satellite with a robotic arm. Space-based robotic arm technology could be used in a future system for grappling other satellites.” — U.S. Army Gen. James Dickinson, testifying April 20 before the Senate Armed Services Committee
safe conduct of proximity space opera- experts should propose alternatives, debate systems and their similar follow-ons are tions,” but they were promptly blocked by one another, and synthesize the results. likely to remain vulnerable well into the Russia. This highlights that discussions Second, replacing legacy constella- 2030s, requiring timely warning and in decision-by-consensus international tions comprised of small numbers of defense mechanisms to keep them safe. forums cannot be relied upon to solve large and expensive satellites with new Even GPS is likely to be vulnerable by the rendezvous threat unless reinforced proliferated constellations of many small, the late 2020s. Thus far, GPS has been by external action. China and Russia have inexpensive satellites has gathered many broadly resilient to ASAT attack due to var- a strong incentive to block any such rules proponents as a means of reducing vul- ious countermeasures and its redundant — namely, that they could undercut China nerability. Doing so is indeed necessary, design. The GPS constellation consists of and Russia’s ability to hold our critical sat- but it cannot adequately counter the about three dozen satellites, each orbiting ellites at risk by positioning rendezvous rendezvous threat. This is because for twice daily, only four of which need to be attackers arbitrarily close to them. There certain critical and vulnerable satellites over a given area at once to sustain service. are, however, means by which the U.S. in higher orbits — e.g., SBIRS early missile For this reason, degradation is gradual, not could incentivize agreement and com- warning satellites, and AEHF satellites for catastrophic: even destroying six satellites pliance: for example, the U.S. could attach communications in nuclear-disrupted at once would only deny service to a lo- economic incentives (e.g. conditioning environment — proliferated constellations calized area for about 95 minutes per day. market access), or push for the use of lawful are technically infeasible, prohibitively If, however, one could disable most of the countermeasures to enforce international costly, or both. Additionally, as noted constellation, the result would be near-total legal obligations such as the Outer Space by Christopher Scolese, Director of the loss of GPS services worldwide. While this HERSOM
EJ Treaty’s Article IX requirement of “due re- National Reconnaissance Office, there is largely infeasible with current ASATs, by BY gard.” But identifying and implementing will be “some number of large [and vul- the late 2020s China may have enough
PHOTO the ideal solution will not be easy: this nerable] satellites to address questions RPO-capable small spacecraft to preposition
DOD exemplifies an issue on which a range of that only they can.” Thus, these legacy near every GPS satellite, allowing at-will
SPACENEWS.COM | 27 COMMENTARY Brian G. Chow and Brandon W. Kelley
disablement of the entire constella- tion. These threats underscore the need to We stand, as we did in the 1950s and 1960s, at carefully examine each next-generation ASAT individually, in order to identify in the brink of poorly understood but potentially advance any unique characteristics which catastrophic risks. might upend prior assumptions. Doing so is the only way to avoid strategic surprise, and would reveal which threats do (and harming sensors to damaging external Memorandum on Open Government, don’t) deserve priority and how solutions structures on satellites in LEO. This fun- which stated that “executive departments should be designed. damentally changes the nature of the and agencies should offer Americans Third, the forum would facilitate se- threat, and requires new solutions — yet, increased opportunities to participate rious and open debate regarding what to date, there has been little discussion in policymaking.” The ensuing Open capabilities the U.S. should procure and of such solutions. Government Directive reaffirmed that field, and how to do so in time (likely but Cybersecurity, too, requires swift action “the three principles of transparency, a few short years). Most counters to the and innovative thinking. Many commer- participation, and collaboration form the rendezvous threat, for example, will likely cial and civilian space systems remain cornerstone of an open government,” require bodyguard spacecraft to implement. vulnerable. As the U.S. plans to continue and led DOD to quickly establish its Open This is feasible: both the U.S. government increasing military integration with com- Government Plan (OGP). (e.g. DARPA) and the private sector (e.g. mercial systems, security standards must The Biden administration should direct Northrop Grumman) have demonstrated be improved. Additionally, there is little DoD to build on its OGP by adding an Ini- increasingly sophisticated RPO capabili- basis for confidence that military space tiative on Public Collaboration for Peace ties, including the ability to autonomously systems, and particularly their ground and Prosperity in Space. The first project dock with a target in GEO and make such segments, are truly cyber-secure now, or should be a series of workshops in which spacecraft far smaller and cheaper (e.g. that they will remain so going forward. relevant experts from the Pentagon and via DARPA’s Blackjack program). Despite At the same time, potential adversaries’ its partners (e.g., contractors and Federally these advances, however, the U.S. has yet cyber capabilities and doctrine are ad- Funded R&D Centers) collaborate with to develop spacecraft for active defense, vancing quickly. China’s rapid progress outside experts to assess, compare, and much less deploy them, and its handful in emerging technology fields could synthesize different proposals to counter of RPO-capable spacecraft are 10 times as also be a game-changer. One example is specific, individual ASAT threats emerg- heavy — and, probably, costly — as those Chinese development of quantum com- ing in the 2020s and 2030s. under development by Russia and China. munications satellite technology which, As a democracy, the U.S. naturally The U.S. must quickly develop and deploy as evidenced by the launch of its Micius generates a diversity of ideas. We can bodyguards comparable in quantity and satellite in 2016, leads all other countries; either keep them in silos, as we do now, cost to the potential rendezvous ASATs it the result could be that they can hack or we can exchange these ideas and faces, or it risks adversaries being able to our space systems but hamstring U.S. subject them to rigorous cross-exam- overwhelm our defenses. response via quantum cryptography. ination and potential cross-pollination. Standing now at the brink of a new era LASERS AND CYBERATTACKS WHAT’S NEEDED TO KEEP PEACE of weaponized space, our choice should Nor is the need for such a forum limited As these cases highlight, navigating the be clear. SN to rendezvous spacecraft. Two other era of weaponized space will require a emergent ASAT threats reveal similar meeting of the minds. For this reason, BRIAN CHOW IS AN INDEPENDENT POLICY requirements and lack of preparation: the Biden administration should estab- ANALYST WITH OVER 160 PUBLICATIONS. HE ground-based lasers (GBLs) and cyber- lish an institutional mechanism through CAN BE REACHED AT BRIANCHOW.SP@GMAIL. attacks. As U.S. intelligence agencies in- which a range of ideas can be solicited, COM. BRANDON KELLEYIS THE DIRECTOR cluding the Defense Intelligence Agency exchanged, and directly challenged and OF DEBATE AT GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY, have noted, GBLs will almost certainly defended to filter the signal from the noise. AND A GRADUATE STUDENT IN THE SECURITY become much more capable over the There is precedent for this. On his first STUDIES PROGRAM. HE CAN BE REACHED AT next decade, moving from dazzling or day in office, President Obama signed the [email protected].
28| SPACENEWS JULY 2021 CONNECTING THE DOTS Jason Rainbow
for large-scale light show displays. After seeing how its drones Drones in space could replicate fireworks that shoot quickly and vertically into the sky, Rammaxx CEO Dan Lubrich said it SATELLITES SEEN AS KEY TO GIVING FULL AUTONOMY began in December exploring ways TO UNCREWED AERIAL VEHICLES to also launch satellites with them. “As we realized how incredibly quickly drones can go up we re- alized that it could be useful for vertical lift, especially for space,” Lubrich said. dvances in commercial drone can provide a layer of resiliency in Rammaxx recently tested a proof technology are opening up case 5G wireless or other terrestrial of concept where a small group of new growth opportunities networks fail midflight. drones successfully lifted a small- Afor the space industry, “A drone does all the processing scale rocket to a certain height which has an often underappreci- for flying onboard,” Espeland says. before detaching from it, enabling ated synergistic relationship with “So the only thing you need is a the launch vehicle to continue its uncrewed aerial vehicles. little bit of data going through, and journey. The fast-evolving market for that can be enough for you to sit on A significant amount of rocket drones attracted $1.4 billion in another side of the world and know fuel in a conventional launch mis- venture capital investment in 2020, where the drone is, what speed it’s sion is burned early just to get off according to data from early-stage going at and what orientation it the ground, so the idea is to save space technology investor Sera- has [and for sending a command] costs by replacing most of the first phim Capital. to safely get it back to where it stage of a rocket with one or several That’s roughly double the amount needs to be. electric rapid-ascent drones. of capital it recorded in 2019, a sign “[A]s drones get full autonomy, Lubrich said it is looking to raise startups looking to provide services we will see that in combination with around $1 million to scale up its ranging from drone deliveries to space technology.” proof of concept and test it with building inspections are gaining QuadSAT is returning the favor to larger drones at higher speeds. traction. the space industry with a business Closer on the horizon, drones Clearing regulatory hurdles so that uses quadcopter drones that act are one of the technologies mobile drones can fly autonomously be- as stand-ins for satellites, enabling operators are considering to bridge yond visual line of sight (VLOS), operators to test and calibrate their connectivity gaps in areas with where they can then carry out antennas more efficiently than in challenging geographies, or where tasks without human intervention, a laboratory. natural disasters have knocked out marks the next step in the market’s Espeland said this capability is terrestrial infrastructure. evolution — and satellite commu- becoming increasingly valuable Alongside balloons, airships nications are crucial for making as the rise of megaconstellations and other high altitude platforms this a reality. places new demands on user ter- (HAPs), high-flying drones promise “This has to come from space minal development. coverage and latency advantages because you need something that U.S.-based startup Rammaxx by operating between terrestrial has coverage everywhere, no matter is also developing a drone-based and space domains. what,” says Joakim Espeland, CEO business that aims to serve the Drones and other HAPs could of Danish drone startup QuadSAT. space industry directly. complement satellite-based net- While satellites might not be the It recently launched a simplified works and enable telcos to provide primary connectivity source for all “electric firework” drone for retail more adaptable and comprehensive these next-generation drones, they customers, based on those used services. SN
SPACENEWS.COM | 29 ON NATIONAL SECURITY Sandra Erwin
How Space Force learned to worry about its culture of secrecy
n the 1964 Cold War satire, “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned satellite “but we see it as a weapon,” said Armagno. to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb,” the United States, The weapons the Space Force might have in its arsenal to the Soviet Union and the rest of the soon-to-be-annihi- counter aggressor satellites are not publicly disclosed or even Ilated world learn the hard way that the whole point of a discussed with U.S. allies. Armagno said this undermines the doomsday machine is lost if you keep it a secret. United States’ ability to deter development and deployment of That line, delivered by a fictional presidential science ad- systems like Shijian-17. viser to the Soviet ambassador upon realizing that a single “If we’re going to be a force that is taken seriously and deters, unauthorized nuclear first strike has triggered Armageddon, we need to start showing them things, we need to show them nicely sums up the challenge the U.S. military faces trying to what we have,” said Armagno. deter China and Russia from initiating attacks against U.S. Chief of Space Operations Gen. John Raymond has advo- satellites. cated for more declassification of U.S. space programs. “If you The U.S. military’s most advanced space technologies and want to deter, you have to be able to message your adversaries,” tactics to defend satellites are top secret. Deterring enemies is he told the House Armed Services Committee. hard to do when you can’t talk about your capabilities to defeat Some small steps have been taken in declassification. them, said Rear Adm. Michael Bernacchi, director of plans and The Air Force in recent years has shed new light on its X-37B policy at U.S. Space Command. spaceplane. The Space Force in 2020 disclosed it is operating Speaking at a National Security Space Association forum, a newly upgraded ground-based satellite communications Bernacchi said covertness is necessary to protect sensitive jammer. Raymond in March revealed the Space Force is information that could help adversaries, but too much secrecy working on a constellation of small radar satellites to track can run counter to deterrent goals. moving objects on the ground, a project that began in 2018 “The over-classification is killing us,” he said. There are but had been kept secret. certain crown jewel technologies that need to be kept secret Matt Donovan, director of the Mitchell Institute’s Space- “in case you’ve got to use them to win. But you can’t keep ev- power Advantage Research Center, said Raymond and other erything in reserve.” senior leaders have been working behind the scenes to get Since arriving at U.S. Space Command, he said, “I’ve noticed more information declassified but they face an uphill climb. almost everything in space is of such a classification level that I Decisions are made at the Executive Branch level and several can’t share with our allies. I can’t share with my fellow services agencies are involved. … You get to a point where it’s just not productive.” Donovan’s organization and other industry groups are Lt. Gen. Nina Armagno, director of the Space Force head- making the case that some declassification can benefit na- quarters staff, echoed that sentiment. tional security. Classification “is holding us back,” she said at a Mitchell In- He cited the Air Force’s B-21 stealth bomber as an example of stitute event. “There’s a reason you protect your treasure, but how the military could handle the disclosure of space systems. bureaucracies over the years just keep classifying.” The B-21 is a classified program so the Air Force only shows Space Force leaders worry that keeping U.S. capabilities renderings and doesn’t disclose the aircraft’s specifications under wraps is emboldening China. A case in point, said Ar- or capabilities. “But everybody knows that we’re building the magno, is the deployment of Shijian-17, a Chinese satellite with B-21,” he said. a robotic arm that the Space Force believes could be used to Donovan suggested the same approach could be applied grapple a U.S. satellite. to space assets. You can say you have a capability. Just don’t China insists Shijian-17 is an unarmed technology demonstration reveal specifics that might give an enemy a leg up. SN
30| SPACENEWS JULY 2021 ON THE HORIZON
AUGUST NOVEMBER DATE EVENT PLACE DATE EVENT PLACE
Space Symposium Global MilSatCom 23-26 Colorado London, United spacesymposium.org Spring, CO 2-4 www.smi-online.co.uk/defence/uk/ Kingdom global-milsatcom SEPTEMBER Space Tech Expo Europe Bremen, Ger- 16-18 www.spacetechexpo.eu many Satellite 2021 National Har- 7-10 www.satshow.com bor, MD New Space Europe Luxembourg 24 newspace-europe.lu OCTOBER Satellite Innovation DECEMBER 4-7 Silicon Valley, 2021.satelliteinnovation.com CA World Satellite Business Week Paris, France 13-16 www.satellite-business.com Space Tech Expo Long Beach, CA 6-8 www.spacetechexpo.com
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SPACENEWS.COM | 31 FOUST FORWARD Jeff Foust
The other human spaceflight race
he last several weeks have been dominated are likely to submit proposals this summer to NASA’s by headlines about a peculiar race between Commercial LEO Destinations program, which will offer suborbital spaceflight companies Blue Origin funded Space Act Agreements to support initial design T and Virgin Galactic: which company would studies of those stations. be the first to fly its founder to space? After some back- But that NASA program has problems of its own. and-forth developments, Virgin Galactic won the race While NASA requested a little more than $100 million July 11 when its SpaceShipTwo sent Richard Branson for commercial LEO development in its fiscal year 2022 and five company employees into the skies above New budget proposal in May, House appropriators July 15 Mexico’s Spaceport America. Jeff Bezos, though, won’t approved a bill that gives the program just $45 million. be far behind, as he is set to fly on New Shepard July The report accompanying the bill criticized NASA for a 20 as part of a crew that will include both the oldest lack of “clear goals and metrics for the transition” from and youngest persons to go to space. the ISS to commercial stations. The flights, and the competition itself, got plenty of NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel is also exam- attention — who doesn’t like a battle of the billionaires? ining the issue. The panel warned July 15 that a funding — but it’s not the most important race in commercial cut for the Commercial LEO Destinations program could human spaceflight today. A more fundamental com- delay it or force NASA to select fewer companies. petition is taking shape, pitting companies against the The panel is worried about other effects of commercial clock. Can those companies establish a human presence activities on the ISS during that transition period. Those in low Earth orbit before the International Space Station private astronauts will get less training than professional is retired around 2030? ones, creating the potential for safety risks, they warned, There have been encouraging signs in the last year. saying companies and NASA should set “realistic expec- Axiom Space announced its first mission to the ISS, tations” about the length of training. scheduled for launch early next year carrying three There are business risks as well. For years, Bigelow customers and a former NASA astronaut as commander Aerospace was the leader in developing inflatable mod- of a SpaceX Crew Dragon. Axiom has also signed a deal ules intended for commercial space stations. Bigelow, with SpaceX for three more Crew Dragon missions and though, furloughed all its employees in the early weeks raised funding to build modules it will attach to the ISS of the pandemic last year and still appears to be in stasis. and later serve as a core of a commercial station. The company is not listed among the “interested parties” However, one company doesn’t make for an in- that participated in briefings about NASA’s Commercial dustry. SpaceX has sold another Crew Dragon flight LEO Destinations program. to the “Inspiration4” project, a standalone mission Suborbital human spaceflight may yet still prove launching as soon as September, but that is a one-off profitable, but it is not on the critical path once thought effort intended to help raise money for St Jude’s Hos- to a greater human presence in space. The next decade pital. Space Adventures has its own contract for a Crew will be crucial, as companies not only have to develop Dragon mission but has not announced a launch date the technical capabilities for human spaceflight but also or crew for it and seems more focused on flying people build a business case for it, raise funding and deal with on Soyuz missions. the inevitable policy issues — and do it all in time to en- Then there’s the development of commercial space able a smooth transition from the ISS. It will be a more stations. Besides Axiom, companies like Nanoracks and complex race than dueling billionaires, but potentially a Sierra Space have shown an interest. They and others more rewarding one. SN
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