Worldwide Satellite Magazine January 2010 Satmagazine
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Worldwide Satellite Magazine January 2010 SatMagazine In This Issue... Small Satellites — Small Package, Huge Potential Executive Interviews Sir Martin Sweeting, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. David McCourt, Satellite Holdings, LLC Forrester, Gottlieb, NSR, Radford Insights, Focus, Case Studies and more.... EDITORIAL + PRODUCTION Silvano Payne SatMagazine January 2010 Publisher + Writer — BEAM — Small Satellites Hartley Lesser The Editors............................................................................. Editorial Director 4 Pattie Lesser — BEAM — The SmallSat Market Editor By Phil Davies, SSTL. .............................................................14 Chris Forrester — NewsBEAMS — Associate Editor The Editors...........................................................................17 Michael Fleck Contributing Editor—Europe InSight — European Pay Radio Begins To Motor! Susan Sheppard by Chris Forrester ................................................................32 Contributing Editor—Asia Executive Spotlight Richard Dutchik Professor Sir Martin Sweeting, SSTL ......................................37 Contributing Editor InSight — The New Challenge At Sea Alan Gottlieb by Alan Gottlieb, Gottlieb International ......................................43 Contributing Editor Dan Makinster InSight — NSR Contributing Writer North America, The Waning Star...........................................48 Tony Radford InSight — Chronicles Of SATCOM Contributing Writer The Performance Appraisal by Tony Radford .......................52 Focus — Event SALES & MARKETING SatExpo Europe 2010 ..........................................................55 Jill Durfee Case Study Sales Director / Ass’t. Editor Breaking Down Barriers by Victor Barendse, Wired Ocean ....56 Focus — Taurus II DEVELOPMENT Rocketing Ahead by Baron Beneski, Orbital Sciences ............59 Simon Payne Development Manager Focus — Event — Bigger + Better Than Ever The 26th National Space Symposium ...................................61 Vol. 7 No. 8 Case Study — All Aboard! January 2010 THIS ISSUE’S AUTHORS The Kazakhstan Train Connection by SES WORLD SKIES .................67 Victor Barendse Executive Spotlight Baron Beneski David McCourt, Skyware Global ............................................69 Phil Davies Case Study — Surviving The Deadliest Catch Chris Forrester With SAILOR Onboard by Thrane & Thrane ..........................72 Alan Gottlieb Focus — Interorbital + TubeSat Hartley Lesser TubeSat Preps For Neptune 30 by Randa Relich Milliron .......75 Pattie Lesser Case Study — Matching The Pace Of Aerospace Randa Relich Milliron by Tim Nichols, Siemens PLM Software .................................81 Tim Nichols ADVERTISER INDEX Tony Radford Advantech .............................................................................. 45 Published monthly by AnaCom, Inc. ............................................................................ 7 Satnews Publishers AVL Technologies ................................................................... 57 800 Siesta Way Comtech EF Data .................................................................... 77 Sonoma, CA 95476 USA CPI .......................................................................................... 79 Phone: (707) 939-9306 Futron .................................................................................... 29 Fax: (707) 838-9235 GlobalLink .............................................................................. 85 © 2010 Satnews Publishers Gottlieb International Group ................................................... 47 We reserve the right to edit all submitted Intelsat General ........................................................................ 3 materials to meet our content guidelines MITEQ / MCL ............................................................................ 1 as well as for grammar and spelling NEWTEC CY .............................................................................. 5 consistency. Articles may be moved to NSR ........................................................................................ 49 an alternative issue to accommodate PacTel International ................................................................ 23 publication space requirements. Paradise Datacom ................................................................... 21 Submission of content does not constitute SatCom 2010 Africa ................................................................ 73 acceptance of said material by SatNews Sat Expo Europe 2010 .............................................................. 9 Publishers. Edited materials may, or SAT-GE ................................................................................... 83 may not, be returned to author and/or SMi (Oil & Gas SatCom) ........................................................... 19 company for review prior to publication. SSPI ........................................................................................ 53 The views expressed in our various Thuraya .................................................................................. 15 MASTHEAD CONTENTS publications do not necessarily reflect the Wavestream ............................................................................ 33 views or opinions of SatNews Publishers. BEAM: editors SatMagazine — January 2010 3 BEAM — editors ur wish to you is for a most joyous and fruitful ONew Year. Our industry, although far from immune to the economic doldrums affect- ing the global economies, has a resiliency we should all be most thankful for, and to that end, with the proper attitudes and earnest work, all should see a continuing recovery in 2010. SatNews Publishers is most thankful for your continued sup- port and if we can do anything to assist you with your endeav- ors as far as content is con- cerned, please contact us and let us know of your interests. Thank you! With today’s extremely cost sensitive market for SATCOM and MILSATCOM, it’s no wonder more focus and attention is being afforded to small satellites. Weight is the issue — heavy, multifunction satellites require launch vehicles of significant size to deliver them to their assigned orbits, and such is a most expensive proposition. Due to small satellite’s lower weights and smaller size, the cost to launch them is far less as, usually, multiple small satellites can be simultaneously propelled into orbit. Additionally, the piggy back method can also apply to small satellites, allowing them to ride along in launch vehicles as additional passengers for a large satellite payload. Another factor of significance for smaller satellites is their lower cost for their manufacture. Many Commercial and military/government interests continue times, a variety of smaller satellites can be to fuel additional developments, with the latter espe- built using mass production techniques. cially interested in smaller satellites due to their ability to become fully operational in a far shorter period of time There are, basically, four “types” of smaller than larger satellites, a most important condition for satellite: mini, micro, nano and pico. The warfighters. following four classifications are for the satellite’s “wet mass,” which includes the fuel for the spacecraft, from lightest to heaviest: 4 SatMagazine — January 2010 BEAM — editors • Between 0.1 and 1 kg (0.22 to 2.2 pounds) due to their ability to become fully operational in — picosatellite, which includes its sub-genre, a far shorter period of time than larger satellites, a CUBESAT, measuring 10x10x10 cm3 and a most important condition for warfighters. Smaller maximum mass of 1 kg) satellites can also be replaced in far shorter time and a full constellation (or a “swarm,” when • Between 1 and 10 kg (2.2 to 22 pounds) — applied to nanos and picos) can be deployed with nanosatellite advanced technologies while maintaining cost restrictive budgets. • Between 10 and 100 kg (22 to 220 pounds) — microsatellite Additionally, smaller satellites, once on orbit, present a unifying capability and can work • Between 100 to 500 kg (220 to 1,100 pounds) harmoniously together to produce objectives. — minisatellite Where, previously, ground control stations were needed to order the satellites into various Small satellites also require a great deal of formations, now such can be done automatically innovation, especially when it comes to the with the smaller satellite far more responsive, time- power driving the spacecraft for attitude control, wise, to alter an objective’s needs. propulsion, instrument use. Typical sources including butane, carbon dioxide (or a liquid Among the latest small satellite missions — that can be safely vaporized to deliver “push”), BeeSat, a pico satellite project of the Technical electric power (solar or battery), with any number University of Berlin. The main objective of of new and unique propulsion systems being BeeSat was to prove the viability during on orbit currently developed by a number of companies. verification of newly developed micro reaction Commercial and military/government interests wheels for pico satellite applications. continue to fuel additional developments, with the latter especially interested in smaller satellites BeeSat 6 SatMagazine — January 2010 BEAM — editors Although there or clusters of are currently pico satellites several developers will result in of CUBESATs, completely new many of them applications at lack a precise very low cost. attitude control BeeSat will demo