Editorially Speaking: "Making Money in Space: A Venture Capital Perspective" "AI: The Next Revolution in NGSO Network Management" with Kythera Space Solutions CEO Jeffrey Freedman and CSO Eric Halverson "Behind Intellian's Remarkable Success: An Exclusive Interview with CEO Eric Sung" "Understanding the Complex World of Industrial IoT" with Iridium V.P. of IoT, Tim Last "ST-Engineering iDirect's Mx-DMA MRC: Finally, SCPC, Dynamic SCPC and TDMA in a Single Return Technology " with V.P. of Product, Bart Van Poucke
In This Issue...
Table of Contents Industry Trends and Analysis: (pg. 3) Patee Sarasin, former CEO of Nok Air: "Unlocking the Riches of In-flight Wi-Fi" (pg. 4) David Bruner, former V.P. Panasonic Avionics: "Buckle Up! :Turbulence Ahead in Airline Connectiviy Markets" (pg. 15) "The Promise of the New Iridium and Aireon Services: Big Advancements in Air Traffic Management on the Horizon" (pg. 26) Ernst Peter Hovinga, CEO Hiber: "Disrupting the Satellite IoT Connectivity Market: The Promise of Hiber" (p.31) "Upcoming and Recommended Satellite Mobility Events" Pg. 38)
Satellite mobility World
Highlighting Disruptive, New, Mobility-Focused Satellite Ventures and Technologies
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Volume VI, No. IV April 2021
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Welcome to the April 2021 Issue of Satellite Mobility World. This month, we're focusing on several new disruptive technologies, Artificial Intelligence, IoT and ST Engineering iDirect's new Mx-DMA-MRC. In AI: The Next Revolution in MEO-LEO Network Management, we interview Kythera Space Solution's CEO, Jeffrey Freedman, and Chief Solutions Officer Erik Halverson. Kythera is a leader in AI software and is currently developing the NMS for SES mPower. Next, in Understanding the Complex World of Industrial IoT, Tim Last, Iridium's V.P. of IoT, overviews this highly complex and segmented market and the challenges providers face in effectively serving both real-time and intermittent applications. In another technology-focused feature, we learn about iDirect's Mx-DMA platform, Mx-DMA MRC, which, using an entirely new waveform, which combines the advantages of SCPC, dynamic SCPC, and TDMA into a single platform. Finally, we're pleased to present an exclusive interview with Intellian's CEO, Eric Sung. Eric reviews the state of maritime and energy mobility markets and shares the story of Intellian's incredible growth and the innovative new products it will soon bring to market. In our Editorial, Making Money in Space: A Venture Capital Perspective, we evaluate several of industry's new ventures. Satellite Mobility World Published by Gottlieb International Group, Inc. Tel. +1-703-622-8520 Arlington, VA USA www.gottliebinternationalgroup.com © Copyright 2021 Published by Gottlieb International Group, Inc. Arlington, VA USA Tel: 703-622-8520 Gottlieb's Satellite and Mobility World is published monthly (except August) by Gottlieb International Group., Inc. Suite 100, 1209 South Frederick Street, Arlington, VA USA 22204 © Copyright 2019 (Tel +1-703-622-8520) Body text
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Table of Contents... "Hot News and Commentary" (pg.3) "SmallSat News and Ventures" (pg. 4) Editorially Speaking: "Making Money in Space: A Venture Capital Perspective" (pg.6) "Coming Soon to Mobility: AI: The Next Revolution in NGSO Network Management" with Kythera Space Solutions CEO, Jeffery Freedman and CSO Erik Halverson (pg.10) "Behind Intellian's Remarkable Success,an interview with CEO, Eric Sung (pg.18) "Understanding the Complex World of Industrial IoT" with Iridium's V.P. of IoT, Tim Last. (pg.28) "ST Engineering iDirect's Mx-DMA MRC: Finally, SCPC Dynamic SCPC and TDMA in a Single Return Technology" with ST Engineering iDirect's V.P. of Product, Bart Van Pouke. (pg. 38) Upcoming and Recommended Mobility Events (pg.45)
SATELLITE MOBILITY WORLD
Hot News and Commentary
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Hanwha Systems to launch 2,000 LEO Communications Satellites by 2030 SEOUL, KOREA, Mar 29, 2021 - Hanwha Systems, a major Korean Defense Contractor, today announced it is joining OneWeb, Starlink, Telesat, Project Kuiper, the Russians and maybe the EU in the race to capture a share of the NGSO market. Like Viasat, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Global Eagle and Panasonic, it's targeting the commercial passenger aero market and what it believes to be an emerging market of cargo delivery drone aircraft. After acquiring the assets of British flat panel developer, Phasor Solution and investing in Kymeta, it plans to offer initial services on the first component of a 2,000 satellite constellation, which is scheduled for completion by 2030. The company will invest $440 million by 2023, and will issue stock to raise an additional $1 billion through issuing stock. By 2030, it projects revenue of around $4 billion by 2030. Lockheed Martin and Omnispace Explore Space-Based 5G Global Network LITTLETON, COLO. AND TYSONS VA., Mar. 23, 2021 – Omnispace, LLC and Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), have entered into a strategic interest agreement to explore jointly developing 5G capability from space. The proposed global 5G standards-based non-terrestrial network (NTN) would offer commercial, enterprise and government devices ubiquitous communications worldwide. This type of network has the potential to redefine mobile communications, benefiting users requiring true mobility, regardless of environment or location. Omnispace’s vision is ‘one global network ’ that will combine the reach of a non-geostationary orbit satellite constellation with the capacity of the world’s leading mobile wireless carrier networks. This 5G NTN will leverage the company’s priority 2 GHz S-band spectrum rights and employ 3GPP standards to enable direct-to-device connectivity and interoperability. In collaboration with Lockheed Martin, this hybrid 5G network would provide the coverage and capacity to support essential applications requiring seamless, reliable, global communications. “Omnispace is fully committed to the vision of creating a new global communications platform that powers 5G connectivity directly to mobile devices from space,” said Ram Viswanathan, president and CEO for Omnispace. “We welcome Lockheed Martin’s holistic approach to complex systems and deep expertise in satellite technology and government markets, along with their commitment to creating innovative communication solutions.” Seamless, global 5G connectivity has a wide range of civil and commercial applications. It also brings the coverage and capacity to support defense, government and military use, including mobile joint all-domain interoperable communications. “We share a common vision with Omnispace of a space-based 5G global network that would enable users to seamlessly transition between satellite and terrestrial networks — eliminating the need for multiple devices on multiple networks,” said Rick Ambrose, executive vice president of Lockheed Martin Space. “Ultimately, it’s about empowering end users with low latency connections that work anywhere. This step forward has the potential to upend space-based mobility. Through a shared vision to redefine mobile communications for the 21st century, Omnispace and Lockheed Martin are collaborating to deliver a potential global 5G from space solution. This would be the first truly dual-use 5G platform for commercial and government missions. Kymeta Interoperability with Kepler LEO Satellites Promises Powerful Connectivity of the Future with Kymeta™ u8 Terminal Redmond, Wash. and Toronto, Ontario, March 23rd, 2021 — Kymeta (www.kymetacorp.com), the communications company making mobile global, and Kepler Communications (www.kepler.space) announced today the successful demonstration of the Kymeta u8 Terminal with LEO satellite acquisition, tracking and throughput measurements, during extreme cold weather temperatures. The collaboration with Kepler supports Kymeta’s goal to develop solutions that are future proof with a clear LEO upgrade path and compatible with growing mega constellations. In 2020, Kepler was selected for an extended u8 beta trial to capture the extended Northern winter in Inuvik, Canada. Frequent revisit times from the Kepler LEO satellites combined with the local environment of unprotected cold weather, snow, and ice provided a unique testing opportunity for the latest Kymeta technology. Results have demonstrated a significant increase in performance with lower latency, enhanced look angles and speeds that are approaching 10X faster than earlier products with higher throughput and total data passed. The u8 system is designed to work down to -40oC. During testing, Kymeta and Kepler were able to update software facilitating the testing of new algorithms in real time. Updates included capabilities of on-board FPGA-based tracking receivers, which allowed for usage of channels more than 2 times larger than previous demonstrations. Testing results exceeded expectations during these cold weather trials with average uplink and downlink speeds of 100 Mbps, providing the ability to transfer more than two Gigabytes of data with each pass. Initial testing was completed using linear polarization on the u8 – in a future software upgrade the addition of circular polarization support will lead to additional increases in data transfer speeds. Comtech Telecommunications Corp. Expands Satellite Modem Product Line MELVILLE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar. 31, 2021-- March 31, 2021-- Comtech Telecommunications Corp. (NASDAQ: CMTL) announced today that its subsidiary, Comtech EF Data Corp., a leading provider of satellite communication equipment (together “Comtech”), introduced a new product, the CDM-650 Satellite Modem. The CDM-650 leverages the heritage and feature set of Comtech’s SLM-5650B/C, CDM-625A and CDM-425 modems, which have been adopted and deployed globally to support government and commercial applications. “We are pleased to introduce the new CDM-650 Satellite Modem to address the needs of foreign government and military entities,” said Fred Kornberg, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Comtech. “The advanced feature set available in the CDM-650 provides the performance, reliability and scalability needed for secure and mission-critical networks.” The CDM-650 Satellite Modem was purpose-built for secure government and military networks. The CDM-650 is suited for fixed location, on-the-pause and on-the-move communications applications. The product features Turbo Product Codes, three Low Density Parity Check (“LDPC”) code families, VersaFEC®-2 high performance LDPC short and long block forward error correction and a range of modulation, including BPSK, QPSK, OQPSK, 8PSK, 8-QAM, and 16-QAM. By employing the combination of state-of-the-art forward error correction and modulation techniques, the CDM-650 can optimize satellite transponder bandwidth usage. In addition, Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (“DSSS”) is an option on the CDM-650 for supporting both point-to-point and point-to-multipoint applications in conjunction with LDPC-based forward error correction and BPSK. The combination of advanced features provides ultra-low power spectral densities, enabling the use of small antennas when adjacent satellite interference is an important consideration. The CDM-650 offers data rates from 18 Kbps to 155 Mbps and symbol rates from 32 ksps to 64 Msps. The modem supports an Ethernet 10/100/1000T user traffic data interface that can be used in Bridge mode or Routed mode offering Quality of Service protocols and traffic shaping / congestion control methods. In addition, the modem supports backward compatibility and interoperability in certain modes of operation with Comtech’s SLM-5650B/C, CDM-625A and CDM-425 modems OneWeb and SatixFy Sign Agreement for In-Flight Connectivity (IFC) Compact Terminal London and Farnborough, UK – March 19, 2021: OneWeb, the global communications network powered from Space and SatixFy UK, a leading multibeam antenna and terminal design specialist, have signed an agreement to develop a new In-Flight Connectivity (IFC) terminal that will work over the OneWeb network as well as on Geostationary (GEO) satellite networks. SatixFy UK has formed a Joint Venture with Singapore Technology Engineering Ltd (ST Engineering), called JetTalk, to exclusively commercialize the IFC terminal for the Commercial Aviation market. The agreement reaffirms OneWeb’s ambitions in the global aerospace arena as it sets out its roadmap to support commercial, regional, business and government aviation users. The IFC terminal will unleash the power of OneWeb’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation and deliver a ‘home-equivalent’ inflight broadband experience, while also allowing operators to complement their legacy GEO service. The product is based on SatixFy’s Electronically Steered Multibeam Antenna (ESMA) technology, developed together with JetTalk, provides multibeam capability and operates simultaneously on multiple LEO and GEO satellites. New ThinKom Antenna Design Offers Flexible Installation Options for Special-Purpose Aircraft HAWTHORNE, Calif. – March 16, 2021 – ThinKom Solutions, Inc. has developed a new product variant of its VICTS aero satellite communication antennas enabling more flexible installation choices and allowing for smaller distributed and embedded phased-array applications. The new product variant, which targets government and military beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) satellite communication markets, integrates the VICTS antenna, antenna control unit (ACU) and power-supply (PS) electronics into a single low-profile small-footprint package. This eliminates the need for a separate line-replaceable unit (LRU) for the ACU/PS. Further, the unique high-efficiency and low-power characteristics of the VICTS phased array fully eliminate the need for other bulky and power-consuming LRUs, such as power-conditioning units, heat-exchanger units and external RF/power/cooling manifolds. “This new design is part of our strategy to become the preferred satellite antenna choice for smaller volume-limited and power-limited platforms,” said Bill Milroy, chairman and CTO of ThinKom Solutions. The incorporation of the ACU into the base of the antenna does not result in any increase in mounting footprint and maintains the antenna’s highly favored low-profile characteristics. The antenna measures less than 9 cm in total height, while retaining the flight-proven, high-reliability design and product features for which the VICTS antennas have become known. An added benefit of the new product variant is enabling the transmit and receive antennas to be co-located or alternatively mounted in remotely separated platform locations. This maximizes application flexibility in terms of packaging, weight balance and other airframe and operational considerations. “The integrated antenna unit will provide enhanced capabilities for our government customers by eliminating the separate ACU/PS LRU,” said Milroy. “In some cases, this will facilitate fully embedded installations, completely eliminating the external radome altogether. The absence of a visible radome uniquely enables highly reliable, high-bandwidth BLOS connectivity on sensitive and high-survivability special-mission aircraft and platforms. The system fully supports low-probability-of-detection and low-probability-of-intercept emissions characteristics and provides proven over-the-air compatibility with the latest hopped and spread-spectrum waveforms.” ThinKom has begun limited low-rate production of the new VICTS antenna product for a U.S. government customer. Initial units are currently going through integration, with formal qualification scheduled to start later in 2021. Speedcast Announces Successful Completion of Restructuring and Emergence Under New Ownership by Centerbridge Recapitalization provides Speedcast with clean balance sheet and financial strength and flexibility WASHINGTON, D.C., March 11, 2021 – Speedcast has successfully completed its restructuring process and today emerged from chapter 11 proceedings under the ownership of Centerbridge Partners, L.P. Following Centerbridge’s USD $500 million equity investment in the company, Speedcast now has a clean balance sheet with no secured debt and a healthy cash balance, optimally positioning it as a stable, long-term partner for its employees, customers and vendors. “We are pleased to have reached the completion of this process which is the culmination of a lot of hard work from our entire team,” said Joe Spytek, Chief Executive Officer, Speedcast. “I especially want to thank our customers and partners who extended us their trust as we completed our restructuring, and our employees for their dedication to supporting client operations throughout this process. I’m eager to work with Centerbridge to position the business for success and give our customers the tools to advance the performance of their operations in today’s changing market landscape.” Over the past 12 months, Speedcast has taken meaningful steps to reduce its cost structure and strengthen its operations. Now under new ownership, the company is moving forward on the course it set to transform its business and help customers evolve what their remote operations can achieve with fully connected systems that harness future-ready technologies and applications. Part of this effort includes integrating the company’s previous mobility networks to build a comprehensive, unified global platform capable of supporting the most demanding customer operations and digital transformation requirements. “We look forward to supporting Speedcast’s management team in building upon the company’s strong foundation to realize the growth opportunities that exist as they move forward,” said Jared Hendricks, Senior Managing Director, Centerbridge. “We are excited to work together to help Speedcast further strengthen its service offerings to ensure the company is poised to thrive.” Lepton Global Solutions Announces Partnership with Satcube to Expand its Network Offering for Small, Portable VSATs The partnership, leveraging Lepton’s global VSAT Network designed for small terminals, aligns with global need for networks that accommodate disadvantaged terminals. MCLEAN, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lepton Global Solutions (www.leptonglobal.com), a Kymeta company, and leading provider of satellite-based customized turn-key communications solutions and services, announced today a strategic partnership with Satcube (www.satcube.com). The partnership will add Satcube’s class of extremely small VSAT terminals to the company’s global satellite network, which is engineered to support terminal aperture sizes down to 45cm. In turn, Lepton Global Solutions will offer Satcube Ku terminals globally as a comms-on-the-pause (COTP) solution that are complementary with the Kymeta™ u8 comms-on-the-move (COTM) offering, running both on the same frequencies with easily transportable and operated hardware. Together, Lepton Global Solutions and Satcube are challenging the traditional ways satellite communications are delivered and consumed through highly automated, easily transportable products low in size, weight, and power. The goal of the partnership is to deliver world-class technology and services to defense, public safety, and commercial customers globally. Both the Satcube and the u8 terminal are designed to fulfill tactical, easy-to-use operational requirements. Their differing form factors and capability sets address differing applications of users on the move. SmartSky Surpasses 200 Patents; Transformation of the Connected Aircraft Sector Has Begun Research Triangle, NC – March 9, 2021 – SmartSky Networks announced today that it has surpassed 200 granted patents. This broad portfolio contains many essential innovations which empower and protect the company’s next-generation inflight broadband service, launching later this year. “SmartSky set out to transform aviation through innovations in communications technology and services,” said SmartSky CEO David Helfgott. “Our expanding patent portfolio represents the latest advances in a host of sophisticated tech needed to deliver on the promise of the truly connected aircraft, from our cutting-edge radio and antenna hardware to our sophisticated next-generation network and new aviation-related digital services.” SmartSky’s pioneering patents cover a breadth of areas crucial to providing office-grade inflight communications and related services, including air-to-ground specific features of network architecture, operation in the 2.4 GHz unlicensed band, beamforming, spectrum re-use, seamless handoff, and signal processing. In the digital services arena, patents cover topics including an aerospace commerce exchange (Skytelligence®), uses of blockchain relevant to aviation, dynamic 5-dimensional aircraft trajectory management and more. Intellian Signs $73 million Contract with OneWeb for User Terminals 8 March 2021– Intellian is delighted to announce that it has won a US$73 million contract with low earth orbit (LEO) satellite network provider OneWeb to develop and supply affordable compact user terminals. These innovative, easily-installed antennas will use next-generation technology to provide high bandwidth, low latency connectivity to OneWeb’s global satellite service, delivering to multiple markets including enterpriseand government services. “We’re delighted to collaborate with our trusted partner OneWeb to design and produce this game-changing terminal, which is set to transform satellite communications by delivering cost-effective connectivity and enhanced user experience to multiple markets,” said Eric Sung, CEO, Intellian Technologies. “This is another significant milestone for Intellian: we believe that innovation and ease of use are key to empowering connectivity, and the work jointly announced today by Intellian and OneWeb is fundamental to our goal to enable a globally connected world.” OneWeb is launching a constellation of 648 LEO satellites, which when complete will deliver affordable, fast, high bandwidth and low latency Ku-band connectivity to every corner of the world. Michele Franci, Chief of System Delivery at OneWeb, said: “We have a clear ambition to be a leader in the transformation of Space communications technology. We are delighted to continue our work with Intellian to develop a range of User Terminals that meet the needs of our customers in many different sectors including: small, medium and large enterprises; and major vertical sectors such as Enterprise, Maritime and Governments with mission critical applications.” The new low cost compact terminals will be unveiled later in the year and are scheduled to become available in 2022.
Smallsat News and Ventures
Announcing the AWS Space Accelerator for Startups London, March 31,2021 - Today, Amazon Web Services (AWS) has launched the AWS Space Accelerator, a four-week business support program open to space startups seeking to use AWS to help solve the biggest challenges in the space industry. The AWS Space Accelerator will provide technical, business, and mentoring resources to space startups around the globe. AWS is offering this opportunity in collaboration in partnership with U.K.-based venture firm Seraphim Capital, one of the world’s leading investment groups focused exclusively on the space industry, who will provide business development and investment guidance. Applications are open today and proposals are due by April 21, 2021. “Startups provide a catalyst for bold new experimentation in the space industry,” said Clint Crosier, director of Aerospace and Satellite at AWS. “We are proud to announce the AWS Space Accelerator as part of our ongoing commitment to help startups succeed, and to shape the future of aerospace. We look forward to helping the first cohort of companies launch and grow through this new program.” OneWeb Welcomes TrustComm as a DoD Distribution Partner Virginia, March 26, 2021 — OneWeb, the global communications network powered from Space, is announcing a distribution partnership with US DoD satellite communications application specialist, TrustComm Inc. The agreement, signed on 16 March, brings OneWeb and TrustComm together to deliver OneWeb’s high speed, low latency, beyond line-of-sight communications services – with initial focus on the northern latitudes. The partnership between OneWeb and TrustComm enables LEO-delivered connectivity to government customers. OneWeb’s LEO satellites bring an unprecedented opportunity to users. Supported by a global network of gateways and air, maritime and land user terminals, OneWeb’s Global Connectivity Platform will provide secure, high bandwidth and low latency secure data and internet connectivity to government customers across the globe. Initial services are expected to be available starting 4th quarter of 2021. TrustComm specializes in combining satellite and terrestrial communication systems into fully interoperable networks, providing customers with best-fit and customized end-to-end connectivity solutions in Ku, Ka, L, C and X-band frequency ranges. TrustComm operates a Teleport and Secure Managed Services Operations Center at Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston, Texas, and holds a number of DoD contract vehicles to provide managed satellite services. OneWeb’s partnership with TrustComm will focus on early adopters looking to take advantage of LEO technology including US Naval Research Laboratory, US Army Futures Research Lab and others. Solutions will be deployed initially into areas of operation including the Arctic which continues to suffer from poor levels in connectivity due to its high latitude and extreme terrain. OneWeb and TrustComm expect to support the biennial Ice Exercise (ICEX) in 2022. OneWeb’s Head of Government Services, Dylan Browne said: “The US DoD is OneWeb’s largest single customer and so we will ensure to have the tools and vehicles in place to contract for service this November when our network goes live above the 50th parallel. I’m delighted we can now count on the support of the TrustComm team who are leaders in satellite and terrestrial managed network service for DoD customers”. Rocket Lab Successfully Launches 19th Electron, Deploys 100th Satellite Long Beach, California. 23 March 2021 – Rocket Lab, a leading launch provider and space systems company, has successfully launched its 19th Electron mission and deployed six spacecraft to orbit for a range of government and commercial customers. The mission, named ‘They Go Up So Fast,’ also deployed Rocket Lab’s latest in-house manufactured Photon spacecraft to build flight heritage ahead of the upcoming CAPSTONE mission to the Moon for NASA. The mission launched from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula at 22:30, March 22, 2021 UTC, successfully deploying an Earth-observation satellite for BlackSky Global through Spaceflight Inc; two Internet of Things (IoT) nanosatellites for Australian commercial operators Fleet Space and Myriota; a test satellite built by the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Canberra Space in collaboration with the Royal Australian Air Force; a weather monitoring CubeSat for Care Weather Technologies; and a technology demonstrator for the U.S. Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC). The mission took the total number of satellites deployed to orbit by Rocket Lab to 104. After Electron successfully launched to an initial 550km circular orbit, the rocket’s integrated space tug or Kick Stage deployed its first five satellites to their individual orbits. The Kick Stage’s Curie engine was then reignited to lower its altitude and deploy the final small satellite to a 450km circular orbit. With its relightable Curie engine, the Kick Stage is unique in its capability to deploy multiple satellites to different orbits on the same small launch vehicle. Following the deployment of the final customer payload on this mission the Kick Stage was reconfigured to Photon, Rocket Lab’s in-house built spacecraft. Photon Pathstone is equipped with new power management, thermal control, and attitude control subsystems that will be utilized for the CAPSTONE mission to the Moon for NASA later this year. Photon Pathstone is also testing on orbit new deep-space radio capability, an upgraded RCS (reaction control system), and sun sensors and star trackers. Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Peter Beck, says: “Congratulations and welcome to orbit for all of our customers on Electron. Reaching more than 100 satellites deployed is an incredible achievement for our team and I’m proud of their tireless efforts which have made Electron the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket. Today’s mission was a flawless demonstration of how Electron has changed the way space is accessed. Not only did we deploy six customer satellites, but we also deployed our own pathfinding spacecraft to orbit in preparation for our Moon mission later this year.” Myriota Launches Commercial Service in the United States and Canada with Second-Generation Nanosatellites Adelaide, Australia – 23 March 2021 – Myriota, the world leader in secure, low-cost and long battery life satellite connectivity for the Internet of Things (IoT), today announced the availability of commercial IoT services in the United States and Canada, with the first of three new nanosatellites launching on Rocket Lab’s ‘They Go Up So Fast’ mission. Weighing less than seven kilograms and the size of a loaf of bread, the nanosatellites will deliver an improved, second-generation Myriota Network which will be open to customers in the US and Canada for the first time. The service launch is accompanied by a new Myriota Developer Toolkit, which provides developers with the tools needed to unlock their industry’s full potential, thanks to Myriota IoT connectivity. Myriota’s first-generation network is already delivering millions of messages in Australia and New Zealand and connecting critical industries like environmental monitoring, agriculture and mining. Myriota Certified commercially available products include Goanna Ag’s rain gauge and water tank level monitor – GoRain and GoTank, Yabby’s dam level monitor – the Yabby Floating Level Sensor – and the Yabby Level Sensor and Rain Gauge. Myriota has attracted over AU$50 million venture capital from investors including MainSequence Ventures and Hostplus, as well as US-based Boeing HorizonX Ventures, In-Q-Tel, and Singtel Innov8. The launch of Myriota’s American and Canadian services follows the acquisition of select satellites and ground stations from exactEarth Ltd. (TSE: XCT) in April 2020. Kepler Communications Announces Successful Launch of 2 New GEN 1 Satellites Creating the Largest Constellation by a Canadian Company TORONTO, ONTARIO, March 22nd, 2021 – Kepler Communications welcomed two new satellites into their constellation today, further expanding the active constellation to 15 satellites in total. These two satellites, KEPLER-6 and KEPLER-7, were successfully launched via Soyuz 2 out of Baikonur Cosmodrome as part of the CAS500-1 mission at approximately 02:07 AM EDT. Once fully operational within the constellation these will add additional capacity to Kepler’s Global Data Services offering while also making Kepler Communications the Canadian leader in terms of the number of satellites in space. Kepler’s GEN1 satellites were assembled at Kepler’s facility in Toronto. The GEN1 platform represents an evolution beyond Kepler’s pathfinder satellites, with an increase to a 6U-XL satellite system. The increased size accommodates significant technology enhancements, including additional power and antenna capabilities that allows the support of both Ku and narrowband spectrum from a single satellite. This multi-spectrum support is achieved with Kepler’s proprietary Software Defined Radio (SDR) which has been proven onboard the thirteen satellites already on orbit. Wen Cheng Chong, CTO of Kepler Communications added, “These spacecraft carry an upgraded narrowband payload that is fully designed, built and integrated in-house in a matter of a few weeks since the launch of our last batch in January. The new payload allows Kepler to bring into use our spectrum filing and rapidly run on-orbit experiments for different narrowband frequencies to determine the best combination of frequencies to provide a globally harmonized IoT service. Additionally, these spacecraft also help to increase our network capacity and decrease data latency for our Global Data Service. The rapid iteration cycle clearly showcases the team's endeavor for the 10x that challenges the norm in the satellite industry.” Redwire Selected As Solar Array Supplier for PlanetiQ Constellation Spacecraft Jacksonville, FL (March 9, 2021) – Redwire, a new leader in mission critical space solutions and high reliability components for the next generation space economy, has been selected by PlanetiQ, a commercial weather satellite constellation operator, to supply solar arrays for their HD GPS-RO weather satellites. The contract will include delivery of a 130-watt solar array for PlanetiQ’s spacecraft. The agreement marks PlanetiQ’s third flight contract for Redwire’s solar arrays. Previously, Redwire’s subsidiary Roccor delivered two sets of solar arrays to PlanetiQ, dating back to 2018. “We are proud to partner with PlanetiQ as a trusted solar array provider to enable their important mission to improve weather forecasting and climate monitoring,” said Al Tadros, Chief Growth Officer and Executive Vice President of Space Infrastructure for Redwire. “Our cost-effective solar array solutions are enabling greater power generation for small satellites that is driving new innovation.” “We are very pleased to continue to work with Redwire as one of our primary spacecraft component supplier base,” said Chris McCormick, Chairman of PlanetiQ. “Their space-based expertise on deployable structures and solar arrays has been invaluable to our mission.” In June 2021, PlanetiQ launches their next GNSS Navigation and Occultation Measurement Satellite (GNOMES) on the Transporter 2 launch out of Cape Canaveral. The satellite is designed to provide radio occultation data to improve weather forecasting and climate research and to help monitor space weather. The company is building additional satellites to launch in the next two years as it builds out a full constellation of 20 low Earth orbit satellites that will gather near real-time, high-quality weather, climate and space weather data.
A Venture Capital Perspective
Investing in Space is exciting and every day, we learn about new ventures. SPAC mergers are launching Space companies into the public market at an unprecedented rate. Yet, what investors in the Space industry often forget is that Space investing is no different than any other investing . The same basic principles apply. Venture capitalists know that demand for a service or product must be genuine and the business economically viable. You can’t build successful companies on mesmerizing dreams and fantastic technology alone. That’s why firms searching for VC investment are subject to an exhaustive due diligence process, and not surprisingly, few survive. Understanding the VC analysis process lends valuable insight into the prospects for many of today’s Space-related ventures and the SPACs. Here are some key venture capital criteria. Venture capitalists want a business with big potential – typically $100 million or more in annual revenue. The company has to solve big problems and offer a realistic risk to reward ratio. Its target market needs to be well-defined and the founding team well-versed in its intricacies. Companies that claim everyone as their market or present uncharacteristic skyrocketing growth projections, claim no competition or forecast billion-dollar revenue streams invite rejection. Hype doesn’t sell well in the venture capital world. Given the stringent criteria necessary to win VC investments, it’s easy to see why seasoned VCs would never consider investing in some of today’s “hot” Space ventures. OneWeb and Starlink are perfect examples of such companies. Seeded initially by contractors that had their risk cushioned by lucrative contracts, OneWeb initially raised billions of dollars to target the unserved satellite internet-to-home market. Later, realizing the difficulties inherent in building a massive consumer business, it decided to go after the mobility market. Never mind that because the constellation has no inter-satellite links, it lacks the full global coverage needed to serve global shipping and aviation. Now, post-bankruptcy, its new lead investor, the British Government, wants to turn it into a LEO GPS service, placing it in competition with Iridium and several other GEO based GPS services. Given its new direction, how can it fail? Politicians funded it, and the new CEO is an accountant. What’s not to like? Conceived by Elon Musk, Starlink shares the uncertainties of a vaguely defined consumer market with OneWeb. With its service priced at $99 per month and a potential $900 entry fee (a $500 antenna bit + a $300 installation + $99 first month's fee), Starlink is a premium service with a limited market. While, it may attract a percentage of the three million existing U.S. satellite Internet subscribers who hunger for low-latency, it won't reach those who can’t afford HNS or ViaSat’s at $59 per month, let alone the billions of unserved in the third world. So, where will Musk get the thirty million, $99 per month subscribers he needs to generate his projected $30 billion in revenue and fund his jaunt to Mars? At ten times the number of current U.S. satellite Internet subscribers, it’s little wonder he recently petitioned the FCC to allow him to serve mobility markets and pursued and won a portion of their Rural Broadband Opportunity Fund. Could he be nervous about finding enough customers to justify the project’s $10 billion price tag? OneWeb and Starlink’s efforts to move beyond the consumer market highlight an undeniable truth. Neither Elon Musk or anyone else knows the consumer market’s size, or if it is large enough to support even one LEO constellation. If it isn't, fortunes will have been spent and Musk will have plenty of company picking up the pieces - Project Kuiper, OneWeb, the Russians, Chinese and possibly the EU. Given the uncertainty, it’s easy to see why OneWeb and Starlink are turning their sights, like Telesat, to the much more lucrative B2B market. Of course, not all Space ventures are as risky as the consumer focused LEOs. The ones we like share some characteristics. First, their target markets well-defined and easy to size. They can prove their technology and business model without spending fortunes, and their risk to reward ratio falls within venture capital standards, ten-times return on capital in five years. Hawkeye360, SAR providers Capella Space, Iceye and Rocket Labs all meet many basic VC investment criteria, and all have VC investors. The size of their markets is quantifiable. Governments buy their products and services in large quantities, and they have proven their technology and their ability to sell their services - all at reasonable cost. Kepler Communications is another company we like. Using software-defined radios, they upload and deliver large quantities of data from remote locations. They made money with their first CubeSat. By now, it should be clear. There’s money to be made in Space investing, but it will not be in mega-capital ventures. Intelligent investors will build a portfolio of small companies with well-defined markets, realistic objectives and reasonable capital needs. That’s how you make money in Space. - Alan Gottlieb
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OneWeb and Starlink’s efforts to move beyond the consumer market highlight an undeniable truth. Neither Elon Musk or anyone else knows the consumer market’s size, or if it is large enough to support even one LEO constellation.
With Kythera Space Solutions: Leading Developer of Artificial Intelligence Software
oon, thousands of highly complex next-generation satellites will populate the skies. Many will be equipped with beamforming, onboard processing, and optical links and will deliver capacity when and where needed in fractions of a second. In this fast-moving, new world of satellite technology, manual optimization of satellites and their networks will no longer be possible. Computers running highly advanced Artificial Intelligence-driven applications will manage these new satellites and their networks. To find out more about AI algorithms, their development, function, and use we met with Kythera Space Solutions CEO Jeffrey Freedman, Andy Musliner EVP, COO and Chief Solutions Officer Erik Halverson. Unique in its field, Kythera Software Solutions has years of experience with AI, including successful engagements with Direct TV and TerreStar. More recently, SES selected them to build the software to power their new O3b mPower network. SMW: I understand that Kythera Solutions specializes in the design, optimization, and management of next-generation networks. In 2019, SES Networks selected Kythera Space Solutions to develop the Adaptive Resource Control (ARC) System for its advanced O3b mPOWER MEO constellation. Can you tell us a bit more about the company’s evolution and how you arrived where you are today? Jeffrey Freedman (JF): We have been in the business for a long time. Kythera Space Solutions is a spin-off of RKF Engineering, which started about twenty years ago. RKF initially provided consulting engineering and, later on, started doing resource optimization. In 2003, One of our early resource optimization clients was Direct TV. Our next major contract was with TerreStar. You may recall, TerreStar built a GEO that communicated with a Smartphone. Now, we do AI and optimizations for many types of systems. More recently, we won a major contract with SES to optimize their O3b mPOWER network. SMW: At the highest level, I understand that AI uses software that “learns” a system’s behavior and manages it based on experience. What are the different types of AI and, how do they function? Erik Halverson (EH): There are many different branches of AI. Some of the more common ones embody machine learning and statistical techniques. In machine learning, algorithms analyze large quantities of data and find hidden patterns that a human could not identify. For example, a “blip” that occurs twenty minutes before some other phenomenon and is a strong predictor of that phenomenon. A statistical technique we rely on is Bayesian Inference. It describes the probability of an event based on prior knowledge of conditions related to the event, for example, making a forecast based on the likelihood of a thunderstorm. There, we would use a combination of historical and current data, including atmospheric pressure, temperature, and other variables. Given that information, it’s possible to determine the probability of a storm and its severity. In the satellite world, you need predictions to have a high probability of success, because in many instances, an incorrect decision could degrade the service for thousands of users. We are solving complex problems with many risks and uncertainties, and the result of what we produce is an algorithm that tells the satellite to do something. So, we better have a very high level of confidence that what AI is telling a satellite to do is a good idea. Although we employ AI a lot in our work, we apply it very carefully because we’re mindful of the consequences of incorrect AI-based decisions. SMW: How do you develop an AI-based solution? EH: The development of our AI-based solutions begins with a definition of the problem and its time sensitivity. For example, how much time does the AI have to decide – seconds, hours, minutes? In working with TerreStar, we had to figure out where to point the satellite antenna in one-tenth of a second. Depending on the problem and time element, we can narrow down the choice of algorithms to several and assess the pros and cons of each. We then test them in a simulation to see which one or combination best meets our requirements. SMW: According to our research, some AI applications include beam hopping, anti-jamming, traffic forecasting, channel modeling and interference management in the satellite world. Given that each application is unique, can you discuss how AI can manage each and thereby optimize the performance of the entire network? JF: Let’s start with what is beam hopping. In the past, we would have one beam fixed on the user. Signals would be sent down from the satellite and received. In beam hopping, a beam moves around or “hops” in a fast-moving pattern, from terminal to terminal, to provide improved coverage. However, demand at each terminal is constantly changing. Networks can use AI to regulate hop time, frequency, and the amount of data delivered to each terminal. The beams need to hop so they don’t create interference and can still meet demand. Only milliseconds are available to the network to reconfigure the beams. There are hundreds of reconfiguration options and the correct configuration must be chosen to optimize performance. That’s a complex problem, and AI is an ideal way to solve it. AI is also helpful in forecasting traffic. It’s a classic application for machine learning. A lot of data is available on each subscriber’s channel usage patterns, allowing you to make predictions regarding their future use. Imagine an Internet subscriber that every day logs on to the network at six o’clock. AI identifies such patterns and adjusts the network to accommodate them. Channel modeling is another area where AI is especially useful. Using AI, I can input a lot of data and use it to optimize the satellite transmission. I can input different signals to help me predict the signal’s quality when it reaches a terminal on the ground. This same technique also applies to predicting and managing interference. Finally, AI can help counter jamming. Jamming generally materializes as interference from a strong signal. Is it deliberate? Is it accidental? Once you know more information about the jammer, you can take action against it. You might change frequencies or gain settings to mitigate it. To counter the interference, you need to determine the jammer’s location, as well as what frequencies and power they’re using. AI learns their behavior over time and helps determine how to stop the jamming. SMW: From the NOC perspective, how is AI used in the actual management of the network? JF: That depends on the NOC operator. With the advent of beam hopping and multiple networks and the coming of LEOs, managing many aspects of the network will be impossible without AI. Given the speed required to detect and react to demand changes, human management is no longer possible. It must occur automatically, sometimes in milliseconds. However, where real-time network optimization is not required, AI can generate recommendations to human operators, and they can decide whether or not to act on the recommendation. The action they take depends on the comfort level of those running the network. SMW: There is a lot of discussion about satellite onboard processing, and beamforming and inter-satellite linkage. Could you address each of these areas and discuss the relevancy and potential benefits of AI in these applications? JF: It depends on the architecture. In some architectures, there is a routing problem. The signal has to get from point A to point B – maybe halfway around the world. What is the best path through the network of inter-satellites links to the ground? For example, a satellite in a constellation might have four links, with the ability to access the satellite in front of it in the same orbit, the one behind it, and two in adjacent orbits. Here, I could use AI to determine the most rapid routing of the data to the end point. In the high-speed financial transaction market, AI could make a critical difference. SMW: As you may be aware Isotropic systems is developing the first multi-frequency, multi-beam phased array. The new antenna will be capable of accessing multiple networks and both Ku and Ka-Band frequencies. Is this capability complementary to the new automated beamforming capabilities of the new satellites? JF: Yes. AI is complementary to Isotropic System’s new antenna. As soon as you have the freedom of switching around beams and frequencies, you can decide which satellite you are addressing and what frequency to use. The question is how do you use that freedom? Once AI decides which beam and frequency to use on the network, the terminal can adjust to accommodate it. For example, a cruise vessel using O3b mPOWER transitioning from an area where O3b mPOWER satellites provide coverage to an area where a Ku-Band GEO provides coverage could switch automatically. That’s the future of satellite networking. SMW: Today, we see software-defined radios on satellites. Ultimately all elements in a satellite network will be software-defined. What role will AI play in the future of satellite networks? JF: AI will be a big part of the future. It has to be. Networks and satellites are getting more complicated, and you need automation to make the networks run efficiently. Twenty years ago, you could use Excel to manage your satellite. When you have thousands of beams and satellites, Excel doesn’t work anymore.
AI: The Next Revolution in Network MEO-LEO Network Management
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With more than 30 years of telecommunication engineering and software development experience, Jeff is both CEO of Kythera Space Solution and CTO of RKF Engineering, Kythera’s sister company. He is the visionary and technical genius behind the business. Jeff holds dozens of patents in satellite payload design, satellite resource management software, and telecommunication architectures and is highly regarded as a subject matter expert in satellite performance, antenna design, payload design, and dynamic satellite control systems. Jeff has also led groundbreaking software development efforts, including “CAGE,” which won the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center GSFC Software Of The Year Award, and “3d Choreographer,” which won Windows Magazine’s Win 100 Award. Jeff holds a BSEE from North Carolina State University, an MSEE from Cornell University, and a Ph.D. in EE from the University of Maryland. Erik is Kythera’s Chief Solutions Officer, responsible for defining and overseeing the implementation of Kythera’s products and customer solutions. Erik is arguably the industry’s leading expert in satellite payload optimization and dynamic management systems that drive improved performance, capacity, and service quality. When he’s not directly leading the development of an innovative new customer solution, Erik is using his rare spare cycles to develop novel algorithms for beamforming, satellite network optimization, and satellite systems engineering analysis. Erik holds a BS in Computer Science and Mathematics from the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and an MS in Computer Science, with an emphasis in Robotics, Sensing, Planning and Optimization, from Duke University.
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Behind Intellian's Remarkable Success: An Exclusive Interview with CEO Eric Sung
he world of satellite antenna design and manufacturing has become increasingly complex. Not long ago, stabilized parabolic antennas and stationary geosynchronous satellites met the needs of most mobile VSAT applications. Today, the new crop of emerging MEO and LEO constellations is challenging the limits of antenna design. Antennas must now accommodate constellations of multiple frequencies and diverse orbits and track spacecraft 24/7 across the skies. No company we know has done more to meet the challenge presented by NGSOs than Intellian Technologies. Led by CEO and Entrepreneur Eric Sung, the company, founded in 2004, has grown from a $10 million to a $120 million leader in the mobile VSAT antenna industry. The company that began a simple, stabilized maritime antenna now leads the industry with a product line of innovative new antennas, including the first Tri-Band, the v240MT, installed on over one hundred of the world's cruise ships. To find out more about Intellian's remarkable success, Eric's plans for the company's future, and the state of the mobility VSAT industry, we caught up with Eric at the company's West Coast headquarters. SMW: Intellian has grown rapidly. Can you give us your outlook in Cruise, Cargo, and Energy markets through 2023? Eric Sung (ES): Cargo: Over the last few years, there has been a lot of restructuring in the cargo shipping industry. Driven by resurgent demand for consumer goods, the industry is well on its way to recovery. To compensate crews for an extended time at sea and COVID restrictions on disembarkation at ports of call and accommodate the increased use of IoT and business applications, more ships are adding VSAT connectivity and upgrading to higher bandwidth. While a few years ago, a ship crewed with twenty-five seamen managed with a two Mbps downlink and a 500 Kbps uplink, today, it’s not uncommon to see four Mbps downlinks, and usage of gigabytes per day. Bandwidth pricing is also moving from pay-by-use to unlimited, fixed pricing services. While most of the traffic is still over the downlink, the use of IoT applications is increasing and, in the future, uplink traffic is expected to increase. To meet the increase in demand, those vessels already equipped with VSATs can upgrade to our new NX series. Cruise: Cruise remains challenging as ships remain banned from sailing from U.S. ports. On the brighter side, the outlook is improving. Today, all of the cruise lines are preparing to resume operations sometime this year, and they are still building new ships, all of which are very large and require high-throughput VSAT antennas. So, the demand for v240MT antennas on the newbuilds has been relatively unaffected. While retrofits have been slow, we are just starting to see an increase in that business. Some companies feel that it's an opportune time to refresh their systems to prepare for the rising demand. As you know, Cruise lines compete primarily with all-inclusive land resorts, which have access to high bandwidth. So, they need to offer competitive connectivity to retain and attract new customers, especially the younger crowd. Cruise companies know that home-like connectivity is strategically important to their business. It’s also a high-margin profit center, second only to their onboard casinos. We’re well-positioned to take advantage of the demand for higher performance connectivity. With O3b and our v240MT, we can Tx and Rx 650 + Mbps bi-directionally. Carnival has installed over two hundred v240MT antennas. Bandwidth demand is now multi-Gigabit per second on larger ships, and some are deploying five or six antennas. They dedicate two for O3b and two for Ku and C-band, and all of the capacity can be channel bonded. Uplink traffic has also increased due to posting videos on social media and the increase in IoT applications. That’s why we are installing a very high-powered BUC on our antennas. So, from our perspective, we expect significant improvement in v240MT Cruise sales. Energy: The Energy industry has been a difficult market. However, we have recently seen a rise in oil price from $10 mid-pandemic to around $60 today. So, despite the shift to green energy and electric cars, there is a reason for optimism. As you know, the oil price is a crucial determinant of their spending. So, as the oil price increases, the industry has more budget to spend on technology. That’s why we see an increase in demand for the v240MT for offshore rigs and platforms and smaller antennas for offshore service vessels. We’re shipping a lot of these antennas to Brazilian operators and other Majors. Oil, product, and LNG carriers are also doing well, and we consider them as part of the Energy segment. SMW: Are you planning to diversify into other markets – land, aero, or military? ES: While we continue to invest in maritime, enterprise and military will also be a focus. We are currently developing MEO-LEO parabolic and phased array terminals for enterprise, cell backhaul, rural broadband, mining, education, civil government, disaster relief, and military markets. For example, we are building a wide range of terminals for OneWeb and have developed one for SES O3b. We’re also setting up an office in Maryland that will focus exclusively on Ku and Ka-band phased array antenna development. SMW: Given the emergence of MEOs and LEOs, what impact do you expect they will have on satellite communications terminals, and how will Intellian accommodate the shift to NGSOs? ES: We expect demand for NGSO antennas to grow significantly by 2024 and are developing products that support LEO and MEO constellations in maritime and enterprise markets. With the introduction of these new constellations, I expect to see a migration from GEO to NGSO. We have foreseen these developments, and that’s why our NX series of terminals feature upgradability to NGSO capability. Current owners of an NX antenna can add a second antenna to accommodate NGSO tracking, which will work in tandem with their existing antenna to provide “make before break” connectivity. In addition, as I mentioned previously, we have already invested significant resources in the development of phased array antennas, which will also be useful in LEO and MEO markets. SMW: Tell us more about your Intelligent Mediator? How does it function in a multi-orbit environment? Can it handle GEOs, LEOs, and MEOs simultaneously? ES: Today, it’s not unusual to find multiple antennas deployed on large Cruise and military vessels. Carnival has four or five v240MT antennas. They usually dedicate two for O3b, one for C-band, and two for Ku-band. When ships are going through an area with lots of rain, the Ka-band antennas shifted to C-band or Ku-band to avoid a drop in throughput. Every satellite constellation and frequency combination is possible. So, an intelligent device has to manage the change in frequency and satellite orbits. That’s the function of our Intelligent Mediator. The IM is constantly evolving. It works on all brands of VSAT antennas, and our third-generation product will support channel bonding. SMW: Intellian has developed a series of antennas that manage gateway uplink connectivity for LEOs. Can you tell us more about the antennas you are developing for NGSO gateways? ES: We are developing a new gateway platform for LEO-MEO-HEO constellations in the 2.4 to 4.5-meter aperture ranges and have already demonstrated 1 Gbps speed on OneWeb satellites using a 1.5-meter gateway platform. Because LEOs and MEOs operate closer to the earth than GEOs, gateway antennas can be smaller. However, because of the large numbers of satellites in these constellations, a corresponding number of gateway antennas is required. They have to operate in very challenging environments, from desert heat to arctic cold without a radome, and they must run continuously, 24/7, 365 days per year, and work at a very high level of tracking accuracy. Therefore, the antennas we have in development are different from existing antennas. They use a very high-power servo motor, a 100-watt BUC, and special software for monitoring, control, and configuration. Even though no antenna manufacturer has proved themselves in this very challenging NGSO gateway market, with over two decades of success in maritime and other challenging industries, we believe we can set the standard for performance and reliability in this challenging new market. SMW: Given LEO capabilities, isn’t it conceivable that LEOs could be popular in maritime markets? As LEOs require either a dual parabolic antenna solution or a phased array, wouldn’t a phased array solution be a preferable solution, given the high cost of a dual parabolic antenna tracking solution? ES: When comparing parabolic and phased array antennas, it’s important to note the differences in performance relative to pricing. Some high-end phased array players price their 1.00-meter terminals in the $30,000 range, yet the antenna performance is only equivalent to a 37 cm parabolic antenna. In comparison, a 45 cm parabolic terminal is less than $12,000. So, two 45 cm antennas working in tandem would be price competitive with a $30,000 phased array in a MEO-LEO application. Over the next five years, I expect the performance of phased arrays to improve, but I also expect the price of parabolic antennas to fall. So, while phased arrays may be preferable in some enterprise applications, dual parabolic solutions will remain competitive. Pricing at the consumer level is much more challenging. SMW: Intellian has announced a new R and D center in Korea. Intellian has a history of significant investment in R and D, more than most companies. What products have resulted from that investment, and can you tell us what products are currently under development? ES: We founded Intellian in 2004, built our current innovation center/factory in the middle during the financial crisis in 2009, and opened it in 2010. At that time, our corporate revenue was less than $10 million. Today, the original building is at capacity and in the middle of another crisis, we are investing $10 million to build a new R and D facility, which will significantly increase our R and D facility's size and triple the space available for manufacturing. To staff the new facilities, we have been focusing on hiring a lot of new, highly experienced engineers. At the new center, we’ll focus heavily on developing the new phased array product line, the new gateway antennas, and new platforms to support LEO-MEO customers. SMW: You recently introduced the C700 Iridium antenna. I understand that the antenna uses 12 phased array patch antennas. Is the L-Band patch antenna design unique and, if so, what are its advantages? ES: Several months ago, we launched the Iridium Certus terminal, which uses a phased array technology. We invested heavily in this technology, including the twelve different patch antennas, which enable the antenna to maintain connectivity, especially at low look angles, a condition that often occurs in rough seas. Our partners' feedback on the antenna's performance and features available has been excellent. Because it supports 700 Kbps on the downlink, this terminal is being used by partners both for VSAT backup and also as a primary terminal. It is a very versatile premium product, and we see installs across all markets and vessel types. We expect significant demand for it in the next 12 months as customers get to experience the features and performance it has to offer. SMW: You recently followed the introduction of the v60e with a new v45C Ku-Band stabilized antenna, thereby increasing the product offerings in your compact antenna product line. Where does v45C fit, and what makes it unique? ES: While the v45C is small and light, weighing in at only 23 kg, it offers excellent performance at a reasonable cost. It’s an “open platform” antenna optimized for any GEO HTS Ku-band satellite. It features the same popular Aptus software platform supplied with our NX Series, which provides guided installation and configuration and performance management through a Web interface or mobile application. We see great demand for the 45c in fishing, leisure, and sub-sectors within commercial maritime, including vessels operating in coastal or inland waters. Soon, we will have Ka-band and MEO-LEO versions as well. Through such products, we can make VSAT more accessible and transform connectivity for smaller boats and vessels, bringing Intellian innovation and reliability to new markets. SMW: You have also built a new European Headquarters in Rotterdam. Can you tell us more about it? ES:EMEA has been a key area of growth for Intellian, with some of our most loyal partners based in the region. It’s key as part of our commitment to the region that we continue to invest in our infrastructure. In addition, with our entry into enterprise, cellular backhaul, and military markets, a robust European presence is essential. So, despite the pandemic, we decided to build a European headquarters in Rotterdam. With the new facility, we will triple our warehouse capacity and provide an enhanced service capability and training for our European customers. I think we will be able to move into the new facility this summer. In addition to our presence in Rotterdam, we will open a new office in London. That’s all part of our global expansion strategy .SMW: You recently announced your 2019 revenue, which was around $100 million. What is your revenue outlook for 2021 and 2022? ES: We generated $110 million in revenue in 2019. While our revenue was flat last year, during the pandemic, I am expecting more than a twenty percent growth in revenue in 2021. Our corporate plan is to maintain that level of growth every year for the next ten years. With a much wider portfolio of products for maritime, enterprise, land, military, including phased arrays and an improved post-pandemic economic environment, we are confident in our ability to reach our goals.
Eric Sung is chief executive officer and chairman of the board of directors of Intellian Technologies, the world leader in maritime satellite communication antenna systems. He established Intellian in 2004, bringing technology industry leadership, extensive Telco experience to the company. Under his leadership, Intellian has grown to be the No.1 market leader and went public on KOSDAQ in 2016. Eric designs and executes corporate vision and strategy at Intellian, facilitating team’s activity across global business units, product strategy, strategic business development and finance. He is also responsible for sharing Intellian’s strategy and vision with Intellian team, customers, partners, shareholders and investors. Previously, he established a software and IT consulting company in 2000, where he served as chairman of the board and CEO and led the company’s IPO in 2003. Eric Sung graduated as BS in Electronic Engineering from Yonsei University in Korea. He is a member of the Korea Venture Association and was named vice chairman of the board in 2016.
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Understanding The Complex World of Industrial IoT
he industrial satellite IoT market is booming. Lower satellite transmission cost, the emergence of inexpensive small terminals, and Cloud services' availability have accelerated the IoT segment's growth. At Iridium, IoT and associated communication devices are a $90 million annual business. However, it's not a simple business. High-value real-time, and low-volume intermittent transmission services are the two principal market segments. Meeting demand at both ends of the market requires a highly reliable global network, real-time data delivery capability, inexpensive terminals, and a vast network of value-added resellers. These barriers to entry that may be difficult for many new CubeSat-based providers to overcome. To find out more about this market's unique characteristics, we turned to market leader Iridium and its V.P. of IoT, Tim Last. SMW: Tim, what industries are leading in the adoption of IoT and M2M? Tim Last (TL): As the cost of electronics has fallen and various data transmission technologies have become available, the use of IoT has exploded. Focusing on satellite IoT, we see growth in many areas, including fleet management, industrial monitoring & process control, tracking of assets, and off-road telematics. Usage examples include resource extraction equipment and vehicles in the mining and oil and gas industries. Manufacturers such as Caterpillar and Komatsu install IoT telematics units on vehicles such as tractors, bulldozers, and dump trucks to ensure efficiency, security, and in many cases, to drive service and warranty aspects of their business Asset tracking is another use for IoT. For example, in oil & gas extraction, work can’t begin until trucks are in place and chemicals, water tanks, and pumps are brought onsite in a specific order. Here, as in other logistically complex industries, IoT plays a major role. In industry, there are a wide set of possibilities. In consumer, it’s everything from automated thermostats to automobiles. SMW: Is IoT a significant area of focus for Iridium? TL: Industrial IoT is our fastest-growing segment. It far exceeds that of other satellite communication segments. Although we don’t specifically break it out in our results, if you include personal communication devices like the devices we do with Garmin, it’s around $97 million per year of service revenues and in addition, the associated enabling hardware that drives these business solutions. SMW: The market appears to be split between high-value real-time data and low-volume intermittent data. How do these services differ in terms of cost? TL: While a lot of data is one-way – the need for a network that enables two-way comms is critical. The vast major of data moves from the asset in the field to the Cloud, where some application or dashboard accesses it. While users may issue commands over the network, incoming data from the asset represents ninety-five percent of the data transmitted. In our Short Burst Data Service (SBD), most IoT applications use modest amounts of data per month (for example, between a few kilobytes and a hundred kilobytes) but this enables those industries and businesses to deliver the ROI that their specific IoT application needs. We ship hundreds of thousands of low-cost SBD modems per year to our value-added resellers. There, integrators incorporate them into finished devices and solutions. For example, CalAmp manufactures a range of cellular products, but then adds satellite capability, producing a dual-mode device that uses cellular as primary and satellite as a back-up, thereby assuring the end-user continuity of service. Today, we have customers who use our Short Burst Data Service to do high-value, real-time as well as intermittent data services. Our SBD service, for example, offers a latency of generally under 30 seconds globally, and it’s an excellent fit for many IoT applications. Suppose you move up to our circuit-switched IP data services with Iridium Certus. In that case, you have a real-time service with a latency of two hundred to three-hundred milliseconds, and one that can serve a wide variety of value-added applications ranging from simple telemetry to services with voice and video. The costs of using the IoT services vary significantly. Depending on data usage, they might be as high as $200 per month or as little as $2. We work closely with each of our customers and integration partners to find the right solution that meets their budget and performance needs. SMW: Are there applications in which cellular and satellite options can complement each other? If so, can you give some examples? TL: Generally speaking, satellite IoT solutions are practical only when terrestrial communications are unavailable, unreliable or when the application demands back up due to mission-criticality, for example, in air traffic or disaster management. A hurricane might take out a cell tower, but it can’t take out a satellite. We do have some solutions where satellite is the primary means of data transmission,. For example, asset or personnel tracking. However, in most cases, where cellular is available, it will likely be the primary means of connectivity due to its low cost. We have many partners that have developed dual-mode, satellite, and cellular telematics solutions. They will buy the transceivers or license the enabling technology and integrate them into their products. One company that does this integration is Sierra Wireless. SMW: How do you market your IoT connectivity services? Do you rely totally on integrators to craft solutions? Can you give us some examples of value-added resellers, the markets they address, and the solutions they provide? TL: We don’t sell directly to end-users. All of our business is through value-added integrators. Many of our partners are solution providers and focus on delivering value over and above the basic connectivity. While some partners may mark up data, most offer a value-added solution. The value might come from a unique device or software, making it easy for the partner to market a high-value private label solution. In that case, the end-user might not even know that Iridium is providing the data transmission service. For example, in the energy industry, we have an end-user that has deployed ten or fifteen thousand asset trackers through our partner, Schlumberger. In that application, Schlumberger uses its dashboard and “owns” the customer. SMW: Is your SBDS competitive with CubeSat-based services in one-way, low-volume, intermittent data applications, such as monitoring storage tank levels, climatological data, tracking livestock, shipping containers, remote temperature, and pressure monitoring, etc.? TL: While CubeSat applications can compete on price, they find it challenging to overcome all of the obstacles necessary to deliver a quality service. They need to get licensed in all countries and do it with an ecosystem that provides many solutions. Quality of the satellite network, technology, licenses, and a network of value-added resellers are all critical elements for success. Iridium built an ecosystem around all of these, and it’s challenging for competitors to re-create. Iridium’s network today can offer most of the advantages that these new networks are promising, and we already have the global footprint, distribution, and support with our partners necessary to keep customers' operations running smoothly. SMW: Management of M2M and IoT applications is critical to enterprises. What sort of control do end-users have over their networks? How do they provision new terminals on the network, monitor data usage, and upgrade or downgrade services? Is there a competitive advantage in providing user-friendly network management capability to the end-user? TL: Management of an IoT platform is critical to maintaining profitability. All of our integration partners can manage provisioning and billing, set up alarms and receive information on network and transceiver usage, and run reports – all via our Web interface. With it, they can also monitor and control costs. Other partners might manage our network through their portal. We also provide 24/7 access to our customer care through or service portal, assuring prompt resolution of any technical issues. SMW: Iridium Certus and Pilot are on a large number of vessels. Are your IoT service plans available through these terminals? TL: We don’t differentiate IoT plans on our maritime products today – if you have an Iridium Certus terminal/product onboard, then you can utilize that for ship's business, voice, or IoT needs as you see fit. We have many partners in the maritime market that integrate our terminal with their own value-added services (some of which are IoT focused). We then provide the backhaul of that data via our Iridium Certus service and their data centers. SMW: What is the importance of Cloud connectivity in M2M and data transmission applications? How does Iridium use its relationship with AWS to enhance the value of its services? TL: To make it easier for customers to adopt Iridium for modern IoT applications, we integrated AWS Cloud connectivity with our SBD service a couple of years ago. Today, over ninety-five percent of IoT applications are built and deployed in the Cloud. End-users will rarely deploy these applications on their in-house infrastructure. With AWS Cloud services, you no longer need to connect to us. Applications developed in the Cloud now port directly to our network. Because Amazon distributes applications and data to Amazon sites around the world, access is assured anywhere. SMW: Will the coming of Ku and Ka-band LEO networks affect IoT data transmission markets? TL: IoT is not a focus today for most of the new LEO providers. Instead, they concentrate on providing broadband connectivity to the masses or on mobile applications such as maritime and aero. So, I think any effect they might have on the IoT market will be modest for a long time. Besides, at Iridium, we have a highly defensible business model differentiated through technology, a redundant, weather-proof network, specialized terminals and management software, and an established network of IoT value-added providers – all of which LEO providers would find challenging to replicate. That said, we are always working to ensure we understand the marketplace. In many , we opt to partner with these companies where we find complementary opportunities.
With Iridium's V.P. of IoT Tim Last
Tim Last is Vice President & General Manager of the IoT line of business at Iridium Communications Inc., the only satellite communications company that offers truly global voice and data coverage. In this role, he is responsible for Sales, Business Development, Product Management and income for the Iridium IoT portfolio, which has continued to post double-digit subscriber growth every year since the company went public in 2009. Mr. Last and his team partnered with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to introduce Iridium® CloudConnect, which is the first and only satellite cloud-based solution offering truly global coverage for IoT applications through AWS. Mr. Last holds a Master of Science in Telecommunications Business from University College London.
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With Bart Van Poucke, V.P. Product Management...
T Engineering iDirect, known for its innovative platforms, is introducing a new return technology called Mx-DMA MRC. It is the first integration of the three most popular return technologies, SCPC, Dynamic SCPC, and TDMA, into a single, highly efficient waveform. For the first time, VSAT users can accommodate high-bandwidth dedicated links to shared thin-line applications on a single return technology. To find out more about this highly advanced waveform, we met with Bart Van Poucke, V.P. Products at ST Engineering iDirect. SMW: Can you explain to our readers what Mx-DMA Multi-Resolution Coding (MRC) is and how it has come about? Bart Van Poucke: (BVP): Mx-DMA MRC is a new patented, multiple-access waveform adding new dimensions to our previous Mx-DMA HRC return technology. It offers the scalability of MF-TDMA (which allows efficient sharing of bandwidth on satellite return links) and the efficiency of SCPC - all in a single return technology that’s suited to support a wide variety of applications. With it, service providers can serve many use cases on a single return link, from high-bandwidth applications on cruise ships to large enterprise customers, all the way down to low-bandwidth SCADA. It’s now possible to share satellite capacity more efficiently over a group of satellite terminals and applications, thereby achieving the lowest total cost of ownership (TCO). Mx-DMA MRC marks the end of trade-offs between efficiency and scalability, making it the best choice for service providers that require a powerful and flexible return technology. Can you tell us how it works? BVP: We designed it to seamlessly and rapidly adapt to changing network traffic and link conditions without introducing TDMA-like jitter and latency. It effectively manages traffic burst and changing link conditions, thereby maximizing available bandwidth resources for a given availability, adjusting MHz, the frequency plan, symbol rate, modulation, transmission length, code block size, and power in real-time, regardless of the number of terminals in the satellite network. The resource allocation takes into account the Quality of Service (QoS) and builds on proven power management with regrowth control and Adaptive Coding and Modulation (ACM) loops. Because it self-optimizes the link in real-time, precise knowledge of the traffic or pre-selection of return technologies for different links is not required. As a result, Mx-DMA MRC can support the delivery of a mix of different traffic profiles for thousands of terminals using a shared return capacity. For example, if a terminal has a steady traffic demand, it will operate in an SCPC-like link with dynamically changing transmission parameters. The entire allocation operation is performed seamlessly without any data packets lost. Its real-time response capability is made possible by precise time and frequency synchronization between the hub and the modems, allowing it to operate at five-millisecond intervals with up to 25 transmit plans created per second. If a terminal has no traffic to send, it automatically logs off, consuming zero capacity. It rapidly logs on using a robust logon scheme when traffic becomes available. SMW: Traditionally, maritime users have fallen into two groups: Cruise, with very high demand for bandwidth, that has relied on SCPC and Mx-DMA, and Cargo, a low-demand market that has relied on TDMA. What is the value-add of Mx-DMA MRC in each case? BVP: Good question. Due to the cruise market’s high demand for bandwidth, its needs are typically served with SCPC or “stacking” modems. With Mx-DMA HRC and its 200 Mbps throughput capabilities, we can now address even the highest bandwidth requirements in a VSAT environment with a single modem. It combines the SCPC-like performance of Mx-DMA HRC with the shared network capabilities of TDMA without adding extra latency and jitter, making for an even better environment for sensitive, real-time applications. Besides, all vessels with different bandwidth requirements, and antenna sizes, can co-exist in the same environment because of its self-organizing nature. For example, in a market like fishing, it can serve thousands of vessels in a single network. Even though all of them might not be at sea simultaneously, the platform ensures that every vessel’s connectivity requirements are automatically optimized. The whole worry of creating carrier plans, sizing the BUC, and accounting for the mix of terminals, fixed or mobile, is eliminated, allowing the user to focus on service definition. SMW: Mx-DMA MRC combines SCPC, dynamic SCPC, and TDMA into a single platform. Given the dedicated use of Mx-DMA in cruise and TDMA in cargo, why is a platform with all three capabilities important, or does the combination offer ST Engineering iDirect the opportunity to gain economies of scale by selling a “do-it-all” platform? BVP: It allows us to pass the “do-it-all” on to service providers, many of who straddle many markets and sectors within them. While Mx-DMA MRC combines the features of SCPC, dynamic SCPC, and TDMA into a single platform, it’s much more than that. It’s an entirely new waveform, developed from the ground up, implementing the three technologies’ best capabilities. It allows us to deliver to our customers the most capable and flexible platform to address multiple verticals, not only maritime, and to do that with the lowest total cost of ownership. SMW: One of Dialog's limitations is its inefficient use of space segment in a TDMA infrastructure. How does your Mx-DMA MRC improve TDMA performance? If not, why should I care? BVP: As previously mentioned, Mx-DMA MRC offers a massive improvement for space segment efficiency over its previous TDMA implementation. In early adoption, customers have seen efficiency improvements of 40-60% over the previous MF-TDMA system while retaining TDMA’s excellent scalability. It supports more than 5000 active terminals with a broadband access traffic profile on a single demodulator, eliminating any terminal scalability bottlenecks. Doing so, it improves space segment efficiency for TDMA and hub density at the same time. SMW: Does Mx-DMA MRC open any new markets? If so, what markets? BVP: Let’s focus on maritime. In cruise markets, the platform provides a wide variety of service options making it attractive to both large and small vessels. Large vessels benefit from the dynamic SCPC flexibility, and small vessels with more sporadic bandwidth requirements, from Mx-DMA’s shared network capability. And it’s not just the maritime sector that benefits – it’s every business. We offer service providers across all vertical markets the opportunity to offer new services from one multi-service platform. Enterprise, SNG, Government, Cellular Backhaul, and Maritime market applications can serve higher bandwidth requirements with increased efficiency and address low-bandwidth applications. SMW: Can you tell us about the experience of any early adopters of Mx-DMA MRC in both high and low bandwidth demand markets? BVP: Yes, a couple of early adopters have deployed Mx-DMA MRC. The first one we can announce is Ningbo BIRDSAT, a Chinese service provider that has deployed the technology on five hundred coastal fishing vessels. Their first priority is supporting crew welfare with connectivity for applications such as instant messaging, video streaming, and mobile TV. Their fishermen spend an average of two hundred days at sea every year. Given the tragic stories we have heard of the danger of long periods at sea without proper communication to home, we are proud to support this important human resource requirement. Since deploying Mx-DMA MRC, Ningbo BIRDSAT has reported a boost in network efficiency, which has helped decrease the cost per satellite transponder and further improve service for jitter-sensitive applications. As a result, BIRDSAT has plans to deploy more satellite networks based on the technology.
ST Engineering iDirect's Mx-DMA MRC Finally, SCPC, Dynamic SCPC and TDMA in a Single Return Technology
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Bart Van Poucke, VP Products at ST Engineering iDirect, is responsible for the complete products and service portfolio. Bart entered the satellite world by joining Newtec in 2010 working in product management and marketing. Bart has been active for almost 25 years in the telecom industry in various positions. He obtained his electrical engineering degree at the polytechnic KU Leuven, Campus Ghent, Belgium in 1996. After several years at Siemens Private Networks, he joined the imec in Leuven, Belgium to work in wireless R&D and business development later on. His drive is to introduce technologies that enable new applications and business models for a more connected world.
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There are many mobility related satellite industry events, most of which have gone virtual or been postponed due to COVID 19. At the moment, the only "live" shows/conferences in the immediate future are PTC in Hawaii and Sat 2021. Upcoming Conferences: ****RESCHEDULED: Asia Pacific Maritime: Singapore: Live Show 16-18 March 2022: Biggest maritime show in Asia. *****SeaTrade Cruise Global, Miami: RESCHEDULED: 27-30 September 2021: The Cruise Industry is a huge user of VSAT services. making this show an important venue. It should not be missed - an important event for satellite service suppliers. ****Global Connected Aircraft: RESCHEDULED June 8-10, 2021 Now VIRTUAL: A popular conference address in commercial aircraft connectivity. ****SMM: Hamburg, Germany RESCHEDULED September 6-9 2022: A must attend for those interested in VSAT use in the cargo segments. *** CABSAT: LIVE: 24-26 May Dubai, UAE: The first major Satellite Event to come back live! *****COMMUNICASIA: LIVE AND VIRTUAL 14-16 July Singapore: The most important communications event in Asia. *****SMALLSAT 2021, NOW VIRTUAL - 7-12 AUGUST: The best small satellite conference. Not to be missed! **** Satellite 2021: Washington D.C.: LIVE: RESCHEDULED: July 26-29, 2021 The year's most important Trade Show/Conference Event. Great for an industry overview. Many good break away sessions on specific topics.
Upcoming and Recommended Satellite Mobility Events
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