Editorially Speaking: "SPACs: Welcome to the Space Investment Casino" Feature Interview: "Coming Soon to Mobility"- Telesat's New LEO with V.P. Erwin Hudson and Director Manik Vinnakota "Isotropic's Multi-Beam, Multi-Frequency ESAs" with Brian Billman, V.P. Product Development "Maritime's Artificial Intelligence Future" with ioCurrents' Chief Innovation Officer Cosmo King "Cashing in on IoT: HiSky's New Opportunity for Bandwidth Providers" with CEO Shahar Kravitz
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
sm
Cover: Telesat's New LEO Satellite
Volume VI, No. III March 2021
Gottlieb's
Hot News and Commentary
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Comtech Telecommunications Corp. Closes Strategic Acquisition of UHP Networks Inc. MELVILLE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar. 3, 2021-- March 3, 2021 -- Comtech Telecommunications Corp. (“Comtech”) (NASDAQ: CMTL), a global leader in the advanced secure wireless communications market, announced today that it has closed the acquisition of UHP Networks Inc. (“UHP”), a leading provider of innovative and disruptive satellite ground station technology solutions. Founded in 2011, UHP is based in Canada and has developed revolutionary technology that is transforming the growing Very Small Aperture Terminal (“VSAT”) market. UHP’s unique time divisional multiple access (“TDMA”) technology used in its VSAT platforms has software defined network functionality that offers best-in-class support for very large networks. With over 3 billion people globally who are not connected to any wireless services, the UHP acquisition allows Comtech’s customers to cost-effectively provide service to end-users with the quality and reassurance of the Comtech brand and service offerings. Fred Kornberg, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Comtech said, “The acquisition of UHP fits perfectly with our strategy of offering the most robust and advanced wireless communications solutions for our global customers. We are delighted to acquire UHP and expect use of its incredible technology to expand globally for many years to come.” Inmarsat Announces Appointment of Rajeev Suri as CEO LONDON: - FEBRUARY 24, 2021 -Inmarsat, the world leader in global, mobile satellite communications, announces that Rajeev Suri, former Nokia CEO, will join the business and assume the role of CEO and become a director of Connect Bidco Limited, the holding company for Inmarsat, from 1 March 2021. Rupert Pearce will step down as CEO from 28 February 2021. Rajeev’s most recent role was President and CEO of Nokia, a position he held for six years. Prior to that, he was the CEO of Nokia Siemens Networks for five years, a joint venture company that merged Nokia’s and Siemens’ networks businesses. Since stepping down in August 2020, Rajeev has worked in senior advisory roles with private equity firms Warburg Pincus and Apollo Global Management. He has a record of accomplishments, including moving Nokia to one of the top two players in telecommunications infrastructure through both M&A and organic growth, doubling revenues to EUR 23 billion in 2019 and increasing non-IFRS operating profit from EUR 28 million in 2009 to over EUR 2 billion in 2019 during his eleven years of leadership. Rajeev led the consolidation of the network infrastructure sector from ten players to three major players in just over a decade, leaving the overall industry much healthier. During his time as Nokia CEO, large shareholder returns in the form of dividends and share buybacks of EUR 8.5 billion were made. Rajeev most recently led Nokia’s leadership in 5G for communication service providers and successfully diversified Nokia into new business areas. He established an independent software business that became the leading telecom software business in the world, quadrupled the annual recurring revenue run rate of the patent licensing business and led a new foray into large enterprise networks with double digit revenue growth over the last several years. Rajeev will be based in the UK. Andrew Sukawaty Inmarsat’s Chairman, said: “The Board is delighted to welcome Rajeev to Inmarsat and we look forward to working closely with him and with the existing Executive team. Rajeev’s experience will support Inmarsat’s future growth and we look forward to the business transitioning successfully to another capable leader.” SmartSky Raises Additional Capital as Aviation Broadband Wi-Fi Service Launch Nears Research Triangle, NC – February 22, 2021 – SmartSky Networks today announced that it has closed on more than $32 million in additional equity and debt funding as it prepares for the launch of its next-generation aviation Wi-Fi connectivity service later this year. “In a display of confidence in the future of SmartSky’s groundbreaking technology and services, we received new funds from our institutional investors,” said SmartSky CEO David Helfgott. SmartSky’s office-grade inflight Wi-Fi service for business and commercial aviation uses the pioneering company’s uniquely scalable, single-beam-per-aircraft approach, which is backed by a substantial patent portfolio and years of flight testing. Building on this transformative capability, the company is enabling advanced new applications through Skytelligence®, its digital innovation platform, to improve safety and efficiency while providing the industry with new ancillary revenue sources. Telesat Lightspeed to Receive $400 Million Investment from the Government of Québec MONTRÉAL, CANADA, February 18, 2021 – Telesat, one of the world’s largest satellite operators, announced today that it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Government of Québec for an investment of $400 million into Telesat Lightspeed, Telesat’s highly advanced Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite network. Telesat will invest $1.6 billion into Québec, both directly and through its supply chain, which will include a significant portion of Lightspeed manufacturing and operations. The Lightspeed program will create 600 high-paying STEM jobs, leverage Québec’s substantial aerospace expertise and infrastructure, and allow the province to harness the significant economic growth from the burgeoning New Space Economy. Lightspeed, the most innovative, cutting-edge broadband satellite network ever conceived, will bridge the Digital Divide both in Canada and throughout the rest of the world. All $ amounts referenced in this release are in Canadian dollars. Agreement with the Government of Québec Under the terms of the MOU, the investment by the Government of Québec will consist of $200 million in preferred equity as well as a $200 million loan. It is expected that a final agreement will be completed in the coming months. This collaboration comes on the heels of Telesat’s selection of Thales Alenia Space as prime contractor for Lightspeed and its recently completed $600 million partnership with the Government of Canada to affordably bridge Canada’s digital divide through Telesat Lightspeed. Telesat Lightspeed operations to be located in Québec As a result of this agreement and given Québec’s world-class expertise and competencies in the aerospace sector, Québec will be a key partner for the manufacturing and operations of Lightspeed. Specifically, the province will be home to a large Telesat campus that will house a broad range of Lightspeed technical operations, including the Network Operating Centre, a Satellite Control Centre, the Cybersecurity Operations Centre, the Engineering Lab and an advanced Landing Station providing secure, high-capacity communication links to the Lightspeed constellation. This new campus will host approximately 320 new, highly skilled Telesat jobs, largely in STEM. Telesat selects MDA to manufacture sophisticated phased array antennas in Québec In light of their world-class expertise, Telesat has selected leading Canadian space technology company MDA to manufacture the cutting-edge phased array antennas to be incorporated into the Lightspeed satellites. In manufacturing these revolutionary antennas, MDA will leverage 3D additive manufacturing and will incorporate advanced beam hopping technology that will allow the Lightspeed constellation to dynamically and flexibly focus high capacity broadband links into rural and remote communities and other demand hot spots around the world. Lightspeed satellite manufacturing in Québec, positioning the province to be a global leader in the New Space Economy Telesat’s prime contractor, Thales Alenia Space, will establish the final manufacturing of the advanced Lightspeed satellites at an assembly, integration and testing facility in Québec and, in this regard, is in discussions with Québec-based partners. This state-of-the-art facility will leverage next-generation manufacturing capabilities to deliver on average one Lightspeed satellite per day. Lightspeed satellites are the most advanced LEO broadband satellites ever conceived, incorporating a wide range of cutting-edge, disruptive technologies. K4 Mobility Raises $5.7 Million as Start-Up Gains Momentum CHICAGO, IL, February 25, 2021 - K4 Mobility, the innovative maritime VSAT start-up led by former by former Gogo CEO Michael Small, has raised $5.7 million from Hyde Park Angels, the University of Chicago and other investors. K4 Mobility has raised around $14 million since it launched in 2018. K4 brings a unique blend of AI-based satellite network selection and the ease of smartphone network control to the maritime industry. The company currently serves several dozen yachts in the Caribbean, but the potential for their service extends to a broader market of VSAT users that includes tens of thousands of ocean going cargo and leisure vessels operating around the world. Kymeta Opens Customer Support Center in Santander SANTANDER, SPAIN, February 22, 2021 - Santander Teleport, a leader in the teleport operations industry, and Kymeta Corporation (www.kymetacorp.com), the Santander communications company making mobile global, have entered into an agreement to open a technical and customer support center at the Santander Teleport facilities in Spain. The new venture will extend Kymeta´s existing support operations to the other side of the Atlantic. The technical center will be operated by highly skilled multilingual engineers and will launch later this month. The agreement supports Kymeta’s goal to deliver unmatched and world-class support that is available 24x7. Kymeta Support provides a first line of support and seamless workflow from order placement to delivery. “We are delighted to reach this agreement with Kymeta and contribute to their continuous growth,” said Carlos Raba, Managing Director of Santander Teleport. “Their unique revolutionary technology and their focus on providing the best products, services and support to their clients are perfectly aligned with our own company DNA. We are very grateful for the trust that Kymeta is placing in us, and we hope that this will be one of many more successful collaborations between both companies.” “In selecting Santander Teleport, we are aligning our support offering both geographically and linguistically with our customers in the European region and beyond. Santander is a best-in-class technical facility, and we look forward to providing 24x7 service across the Kymeta platform with their support” said Richard Hadsall, Vice President of Global Network Operations, Kymeta. Telesat to Redefine Global Broadband Connectivity with Telesat Lightspeed, the World’s Most Advanced Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Satellite Network Thales Alenia Space Selected to Manufacture First-of-its-kind Dynamic LEO Broadband Network with Services Starting in 2023 OTTAWA, CANADA - February 09, 2021 - Telesat, one of the world’s largest satellite operators, announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Thales Alenia Space to be the prime manufacturer of Telesat’s global LEO constellation, Lightspeed, initially comprised of a fleet of 298 next-generation satellites integrated with an advanced ground network. Lightspeed is the most innovative, cutting-edge broadband satellite network ever conceived. Thales Alenia Space and its affiliate Telespazio have made a Lightspeed capacity commitment in connection with the agreement. Telesat and Thales Alenia Space have engaged in substantial and sustained collaboration on Lightspeed’s innovative design. Specifically, Lightspeed has been optimized to serve the fast-growing broadband connectivity requirements of fixed and mobile network operators, aeronautical and maritime users, enterprise customers and governments. Operating under Telesat’s global Ka-band priority spectrum rights, the first Lightspeed satellites are expected to be launched in approximately two years, with customer beta testing beginning shortly thereafter and commercial services commencing in the second half of 2023. “We are very pleased to be moving forward with Thales Alenia Space on Lightspeed, the most advanced and capable LEO network in the world,” stated Dan Goldberg, President and CEO of Telesat. “As the world’s leader in manufacturing and implementing cutting edge global satellite constellations, Thales Alenia Space is the right industrial partner to deliver Lightspeed, a fully integrated global communications network that will revolutionize satellite-delivered broadband and give Telesat and its customers a decisive competitive edge in this high growth market.” Goldberg added: “The name Lightspeed underscores the essential speed advantages inherent to Telesat’s LEO design. Lightspeed is the most technologically capable satellite communications network in history and exploits the latest advances in space-based data processing, laser communications, digital antenna technology and machine learning.” Lightspeed will provide fibre-like connectivity across the entire Earth at price points that allow network operators to efficiently and economically enhance their network coverage, performance and profitability. Designed with a deep understanding of the bandwidth intensive applications and cloud-based network connectivity that users require, Lightspeed will eliminate the hurdles that telecommunications service providers face today when incorporating satellite into their networks. Operating roughly just 1,000 kilometers above Earth in LEO, Lightspeed will be free from the long latency delays and capacity limitations that are inherent to satellites in geostationary and medium Earth orbits. In addition, Lightspeed satellites incorporate leading-edge technologies and features, including: Sophisticated phased array antennas on each satellite that are combined with advanced beam hopping technology to create approximately 135,000 beams that can dynamically focus multiple Gbps of capacity – an order of magnitude higher than any other system - into demand hot spots like remote communities, large airports or major sea ports; Nearly 1,200 high capacity optical links – four on each satellite – that combine to create a first-ever, highly resilient, flexible and secure space-based IP network, moving data across the network and around the world at the speed of light; Data processing in space, including full digital modulation and demodulation on the satellite, coupled with a revolutionary end-to-end network operating system, that improves link performance and gives customers unprecedented flexibility for routing traffic across the globe, eliminating gateway hops for the fastest, most secure, end-to-end delivery of data; and A patent-pending architecture for the constellation of satellites, which features satellites operating in both polar and inclined orbital planes. This results in true pole-to-pole global coverage, concentrating capacity in areas where it is most needed to maximize network efficiency and achieve superior unit cost economics. Telesat is developing affordable end-user terminals, with a range of antennas and modems optimized for each of the market verticals Lightspeed will serve. In addition, Lightspeed leverages industry-wide network interface standards to enable simple, seamless integration with customers’ terrestrial networks, without the need to integrate proprietary hardware or software. Under the terms of the Agreement, the parties have provided for the advancement of the program while the financing for the project is being finalized. The commencement of full construction activities and the final constellation deployment schedule are subject to, and conditional upon, the progress of the financing for the program. As a responsible owner and operator of space assets for nearly 50 years, Telesat has designed and will operate the Lightspeed satellites in a manner that ensures that LEO orbits are safely available for other users and that the night sky is safeguarded for astronomical observation. Isotropic Systems Secures Over $40 Million in Funding to Accelerate Growth and Development of Unique Multi-Beam Antenna ahead of 2022 Launch LONDON, UK – 8th February, 2021 – Isotropic Systems, a leading developer of transformational broadband terminal technologies, announces that is has fully secured funding of over $40 million providing the necessary capital required to develop its game-changing multi-beam antennas. The round brings together equity and grant funding support from the UK Government and market leaders in Aerospace and Telecommunications. SES led the round, along with participation from specialised space investors Orbital Ventures, UK government’s Future Fund and existing investors Boeing HorizonX Global Ventures, Space Angels and Firmament Ventures. Demand for the oversubscribed round was driven by recent development contracts for Isotropic Systems’ transformational terminal, advanced over-the-air testing, and the accelerated development and roll-out of its phase one terminal expected early 2022. With funding in place, Isotropic Systems plans to accelerate its production phase in time to support new constellations and satellites launching in all satellite orbits from 2022 onwards. Isotropic will also open a 20,000 sq. ft. technology and testing facility near the company headquarters in Reading, UK, and will see the company create an additional 150 highly skilled engineering roles to the UK over the next two years. Isotropic Systems’ patented radio frequency optics technology enables the high-performance multi-beam antenna to simultaneously link with multiple satellites in multiple orbits without any compromise in the performance of each link. This industry first unlocks the global satellite ecosystem for unprecedented connectivity across a broad range of markets, including government, defense, maritime, enterprise, and aerospace. With multiple new space constellations being launched by organisations including OneWeb, Inmarsat, Intelsat, SpaceX, Amazon, SES and Telesat, innovation in space needs to be matched by innovation on the ground and air. “Isotropic Systems is extremely well positioned to unlock a new age of high-powered, multi-orbit connectivity with our next-gen multi-beam antenna,” said John Finney, Isotropic Systems Founder and CEO. “As one satellite constellation after another is announced for launch in future years, our technology is unique in that it allows service providers and end users to take the best of the many thousands of satellites going into orbit using a single integrated terminal, unlocking the demand for the satellite industry as a whole, radically changing the way bandwidth services are delivered to end-users and vastly exceeding the capability of any single satellite system. This unique, cost-effective solution has allowed us to attract world class investment support from our industry, which in turn will allow us to unlock significant export revenue for the UK economy and across the satellite sector. As we grow our UK-based team, collaborative partnerships and capabilities, we are proud to support tech innovation in the UK to solve connectivity challenges across a broad range of key vertical and geographical markets around the world.” Intellian’s Innovative New v45C Antenna Brings VSAT to Smaller Vessels 15 February 2021 – Intellian is proud to announce the v45C, the smallest antenna the company has yet developed for the maritime satellite communications market. The C in the product name represents its compact form factor: this new 45cm unit will bring VSAT to new markets where there is limited space available for communications equipment, such as workboats, leisure craft, fishing boats, small commercial and government vessels. Intellian is committed to empowering connectivity for all, and recent launches have focused on enhancing user experience and capabilities with smaller VSAT solutions; first with the 60cm v60E antenna launched last year, and now the v45C. The v60E has been a global success across multiple markets, with a significant volume of installations and sustained growth demonstrating that small VSAT is a key area of interest for both new and existing customers. The v45C extends the portfolio still further, opening up a new market of smaller vessels which have yet to benefit from the data speeds and capacity delivered by VSAT. Both the v60E and the v45C draw on the advanced technology developed for Intellian’s NX Series antennas, which range in size from 85cm to 150cm. Installation is made straightforward by single-cable, dome-on connection, while commissioning is facilitated by the built-in, browser-based AptusNX antenna management and diagnostics software. This enables the installer to follow a simple wizard to get the system up and running, and permits both local and remote diagnostics. Eric Sung, CEO, Intellian Technologies, said: “We’re delighted to launch the new v45C antenna, which is an innovative and keenly anticipated addition to our maritime VSAT product portfolio. The v45C antenna will deliver compact, cost-effective connectivity to multiple customer segments, especially those which have been unable to install VSAT in the past owing to space considerations or performance constraints. We expect the v45C to open up new markets, and look forward to collaborating with new customers to help them make the most of the many advantages that VSAT connectivity with Intellian products has to offer.” Kymeta Expands Its Next Generation Solutions with Commercial Availability of the u8 GOV Terminal and u8 GO REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kymeta (www.kymetacorp.com)—the communications company making mobile global—announced today the expansion and availability of its KymetaTM u8 product, including the Kymeta u8 GOV terminal with an embedded iDirect 950mp modem and the u8 GO transportable terminal. Kymeta u8 GOV terminals are designed to meet the needs of government, military and specialized commercial use and support. The u8 GOV terminal includes a FIPS, 140-2 level 3 TRANSEC module and meets the demands of tactical users in scenarios that require secure data, voice, and video connectivity in highly mobile military, government and other rapid response applications. The u8 GOV terminal covers the full Ku-band and is available today as a turnkey terminal with a satellite modem, cellular modem, and SD-WAN capabilities. It is compliant with existing security requirements as defined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). “Kymeta’s solutions meet the mission-critical needs of military, first responders, and commercial customers providing ‘always-on’ connectivity for mobile platforms, making communications on the move more seamless and reliable than ever,” said Rob Weitendorf, Vice President, Business Development, Kymeta. Also available today, the u8 GO transportable terminals come in multiple configurations including ODU, Commercial and GOV terminals, and enable safe transport with a hardened and rugged shipping case for protection and provide a built-in vehicle mount to support easy communications on the pause (COTP) and communications on-the-move (COTM). This transportable configuration is easily maneuverable and ideal for rapid deployments and has been tested against military transportation standards including MIL-STD-810H, Transit Drop, Transportation Shock, and Loose Cargo Vibration. The u8 GO includes an outdoor AC/DC power supply, supports communications on the pause (COTP) with a 25-degree tilt mechanism, and can also be mounted on a vehicle for easy deployment in a multitude of use cases. The Kymeta u8 solutions, which now also include the u8 GOV terminal and u8 GO transportable case, provide a complete connectivity solution for communications-on-the-move (COTM) and networks-on-the-move (NOTM) when and where you need it most. The u8 terminal, with Kymeta’s revolutionary software-defined, electronic beam-steering technology, is low profile and easy-to-mount on vehicles and vessels. The u8 turnkey solutions come in multiple terminal configurations that provide customers with the hardware, software, and connectivity they need. Kymeta recently launched its next-generation antenna, terminal, and services in Q4 of 2020, and has received an overwhelmingly positive response from the industry. The Kymeta u8 terminal paired with Kymeta’s hybrid satellite-cellular connectivity services, Kymeta Connect™, transforms the purchase and consumption of mobile data with all-inclusive hardware, connectivity, and services monthly subscription. The Kymeta u8 is the world’s only commercially available flat-panel electronically steered antenna built specifically for mobility and designed for the needs of military, first responders, and commercial customers.
Smallsat News and Ventures
Small Satellite Launch Pioneer Rocket Labs Will Go Public Through a SPAC Merger March 1, 2014 - Rocket Labs announced it's going public through a merger with the Vector Acquisition SPAC. The deal, which values the company at $4 billion, on closing, is another in a growing parade of Space-related SPAC deals. Funds generated through the offering will enable the company to further the development of its Neutron rocket, a much larger version of its Electron. On the same day of the Rocket Labs announcement, CubeSat imaging company, Spire, also announced it intention to enter into a SPAC transaction, making it the sixth Space company to join the SPAC merger mania. GomSpace and J.P. Morgan Test Blockchain Transaction on GOMX-4 Constellation UPPSALA, SWEDEN - February 25 - GomSpace and J.P. Morgan have successfully utilized the GOMX-4 satellites for an in-orbit demonstration (IOD) and tested tokenized value transfer in space. The IOD from GomSpace enabled J.P. Morgan to test the world’s first bank-led tokenized value transfer in space, executed via smart contracts on a blockchain network established between satellites orbiting the earth. GomSpace and J.P. Morgan successfully executed a transaction between two low earth orbit (LEO) satellites, which validated the approach towards a decentralized network where communication with earth is not necessary. This breakthrough opens the door to a potential peer-to-peer DvP (‘data versus payment’) satellite marketplace in the long term, as private companies prepare to launch their own constellations. “We are proud to have supported J.P. Morgan as they explored this novel use case of a space-based payment infrastructure utilizing blockchain technology” – says Niels Buus, CEO of GomSpace. The project was made possible due to GomSpace’s GOMX-4 satellites already in orbit and which are highly reconfigurable. This allows GomSpace to provide rapid in orbit demonstrations, such as this project, as a service to our customers exploring new uses of space technology and our nanosatellites. ICEYE’s 3 Newest Satellites From Late January Launch Return First Radar Images HELSINKI, FINLAND - February 25 - ICEYE, the global leader in persistent monitoring with radar satellite imaging, published today its first set of images from the three ICEYE SAR satellites launched at the end of January by the SpaceX Transporter-1 mission. All three spacecraft have successfully completed initial operations and are now progressing through the calibration process. Once the calibration stage and final preparations are completed, the spacecraft will become commercially available for customers to order images. Radar satellite imaging is used to monitor locations of interest both day and night, and even through cloud cover. “With the largest fleet of SAR satellites in the world, optimized for mission specific performance, ICEYE is uniquely positioned to deliver best-in- class persistent monitoring performance,” said Rafal Modrzewski, CEO and Co-founder of ICEYE. “Seeing the first images from new spacecraft is always an exciting time. Each of the frames represent a massive amount of effort from our team.” Nanoracks Launches Two CubeSats on NG-15 Cygnus WALLOPS ISLAND, VIRGINIA - February 22, 2021 – Earlier today, the NG-15 Cygnus spacecraft berthed with the International Space Station (ISS), carrying two CubeSats in the Nanoracks External Cygnus Deployer (E-NRCSD). The Cygnus arrived at the ISS after launching from Wallops Flight Facility Pad 0A on February 20, 2021 at 17:36 UTC. In celebration of Black History Month, the NG-15 Cygnus has been named in honor of Katherine Johnson, a NASA mathematician who had a vital role in early human space flight missions. This launch is Nanoracks’ ninth mission providing opportunities for CubeSat deployment from the Cygnus. The CubeSats onboard today’s launch, IT-SPINS and MySat-2 (DhabiSat), were built by students and researchers at Montana State University and Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi. The Cygnus will remain at the ISS for several weeks to complete its primary science and technology goals. After the Cygnus departs from the ISS, it boosts to a higher altitude, where the E-NRCSD dispenses the CubeSats into orbit. The IT-SPINS CubeSat was selected for launch by NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI) as part of the Educational Launch of Nanosatellites-33 (ELaNa-33) mission complement, sponsored by the NASA Launch Services Program (LSP). MySat-2 (DhabiSat) is the second CubeSat built by Khalifa University to be launched by Nanoracks. MySat-1 was deployed from the NG-10 Cygnus spacecraft in February 2019. These small satellites enable students to design, implement and test software modules for attitude determination and control systems. Orbit Fab and Benchmark Space Systems Team to Establish In-Space High-Test Peroxide-based Refueling, Servicing Infrastructure SAN FRANCISCO and BURLINGTON, VT – February 23, 2021 – Orbit Fab, the Gas Stations in Space company, and Benchmark Space Systems (BSS), a leading provider of in-space mobility solutions, today announced a green, hydrogen-peroxide based refueling and servicing infrastructure partnership to extend satellite missions and provide the essential fuel for the evolving ecosystem in space. As part of the teaming, Orbit Fab will bundle its RAFTI fluid transfer interface with Benchmark’s Halcyon thruster system to offer an integrated refillable, non-toxic propulsion package. The innovative refueling solution is set for a technical demonstration at the SpaceX launch pad and in space aboard Orbit Fab’s first operational fuel depot to be lifted into orbit on a Falcon 9 later this year. Benchmark Space Systems will use Orbit Fab’s Satellite Gas Cap™ fluid transfer interface, known as RAFTI, to fuel Orbit Fab’s Tanker-001 Tenzing on the ground. Benchmark will also offer the RAFTI interface as an option with its Halcyon and Peregrine propulsion solutions for in-orbit refueling. “We expect the bundled high-test peroxide-based propulsion package will become an essential building block for the in-orbit ecosystem for satellite servicing, national security, and space commercialization,” said Daniel Faber, CEO of Orbit Fab. “Together with Benchmark Space Systems, we share a long-term perspective and commitment in order to establish a sustainable in-space infrastructure that enables spacecraft to ‘maneuver without regret.’ And we benefit tremendously from the maturity of the Benchmark propulsion system, which is already flight qualified.” “Our non-toxic, hydrogen-peroxide fueled propulsion systems provide the thrust levels, precision and control required for a broad range of rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO), and our integration with Orbit Fab’s RAFTI fuel port opens the door to a safe, sustainable infrastructure for in-space mobility,” said Ryan McDevitt, Benchmark Space Systems CEO. “Spaceflight Inc.’s Sherpa Orbital Transfer Vehicle is a great example of the immediate and fielded customer base we see for Orbit Fab’s refueling depots and our HTP propulsion package that opens the door to an exciting new ecosystem in space.” Benchmark recently announced an exclusive services agreement with rideshare leader Spaceflight to provide a full range of non-toxic chemical propulsion solutions designed to accelerate satellite rideshare deployments to prime orbital locations aboard its next-generation Sherpa OTVs. Astro Digital is integrating Orbit Fab's fuel tanker including Benchmark's Halcyon system for positioning and steering along with other customer payloads being hosted by Astro Digital on an AD Corvus Micro Satellite bus launching to sun synchronous orbit. Orbit Fab intends to operate many satellite tankers with HTP and has agreed to use Benchmark as its propulsion system provider for these future missions. Orbit Fab’s Tanker-001 Tenzing will store HTP propellant in sun synchronous orbit, where it will be available to satellite servicing vehicles and other spacecraft as they need to be refueled. Hydrogen peroxide is an environmentally friendly and cost-effective fuel that is particularly effective for in-space thrust and maneuverability. When compared to electric propulsion systems, non-toxic chemical propulsion, such as HTP-based systems, delivers spacecraft to their orbital locations much faster. Hiber Brings Technical Assembly in-House Increasing Efficiency & Affordability of Go-to-Market Solutions Amsterdam, The Netherlands - 10th February, 2021 - Hiber, the European satellite Internet-of-Things (IoT) company, today announces that its most recent satellite, Hiber Four, has been successfully launched in space, via SpaceX’s first rideshare mission of 2021 - Transporter-1. Hiber Four is a second generation satellite developed and assembled by Hiber’s engineers in its Amsterdam office. Hiber Four, and its sister satellite Hiber Three (launching in March), are half the volume (3U) of the previous generation, which reduces the mass and decreases the launch costs by up to 50%. The newest generation of satellites also have an on-board propulsion system allowing Hiber’s ground engineers to adjust the satellite’s orbit. This ensures that Hiber Four, and its future descendants, avoid collisions and, importantly, de-orbit themselves at the end-of-life, making Hiber one of the most responsible CubeSat constellation operators in the world. “This is just the start of what’s coming," says Maarten Engelen, MD Technology and Co-founder at Hiber. “We moved all of our integration and operations for satellites and end-to-end solutions in-house last year, which gives us greater control over cost, functionality, and speed of improvement. By controlling the full solution, we can innovate faster and respond quickly to customer needs.” Unlike the previous generation of satellites, which relied on external development and assembly, Hiber Four was developed in-house by Hiber’s satellite team. The satellites and Hiber’s end-to-end IoT solutions demonstrate the company’s ability to develop technically complex systems and operate them in the most harsh conditions. An example of this technical innovation is Hiber’s most recent product, HiberHilo, a complete end-to-end wellhead pressure and temperature monitoring system for oil and gas companies. By moving development in-house, Hiber is able to develop innovative and secure solutions on demand at a faster and more affordable rate, benefitting both its customers and the industry as a whole. “Hiber Four is the start of a new era at Hiber,” says Erik Wienk, COO, Hiber. “Not only does Hiber Four mean we can give better service levels to our customers, but it also shows what we’re capable of as a team.” BlackSky, a Leading Real-Time Geospatial Intelligence, Imagery and Data Analytics Company, to List on NYSE Through a Merger with Osprey Technology Acquisition Corp. HERNDON, VA and NEW YORK, NY February 18, 2021 – BlackSky Holdings, Inc. (“BlackSky”), a leading provider of real-time geospatial intelligence and global monitoring services, and Osprey Technology Acquisition Corp. (“Osprey”) (NYSE: SFTW), a special purpose acquisition company, today announced they have entered into a definitive agreement for a business combination that would result in BlackSky becoming a publicly listed company. It is anticipated that the post-closing company, BlackSky will be listed on the NYSE with the ticker symbol “BKSY”. Founded in 2014, BlackSky is a first mover in real-time Earth observation leveraging the innovative performance and economics of small satellite constellations to deliver high revisit global monitoring solutions. BlackSky’s Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning powered analytics platform derives unique insights from its constellation as well as a variety of space, IoT, and terrestrial based sensors and data feeds. BlackSky monitors global events and activities providing enhanced situational awareness for commercial and government customers worldwide. BlackSky has developed a fully integrated proprietary technology stack that includes a constellation of high-resolution small satellites that monitor global events and activities at high revisit rates, an AI and machine learning enabled software platform that tasks the constellation and translates data into actionable insights, a proprietary database that continually captures information on global changes, and an application layer that delivers on-demand solutions directly to the customer. BlackSky has also established a vertically integrated small satellite design and production capability through its LeoStella joint venture with Thales Alenia Space. BlackSky has five satellites in commercial operation and is scheduled to add an additional nine satellites to its constellation in 2021. Ultimately, BlackSky seeks to establish a constellation of 30 high resolution multi-spectral satellites capable of monitoring locations on Earth every 30 minutes, day or night. BlackSky has established contracts with multiple government agencies in the United States and around the world. BlackSky’s pipeline of opportunities grew by $1.1 billion in the last twelve months and stands at $1.7 billion today.
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Welcome to the March 2021 issue of Satellite Mobility Word. With the coming of the new year, we see massive disruption ahead. New technology is rapidly emerging, and the world of mobile satellite connectivity will never be the same. This month, we focus on Telesat's LightspeedTM LEO constellation, Isotropic Systems coming multi-beam, multi-band Electronically Steered Antenna, hiSky's dedicated IoT network, and ioCurrents Artificial Intelligence-based Vessel Optimization platform. In our feature interview with Telesat's V.P. of LEO Erwin Hudson and Director of Product Development, Manik Vinnakota, you'll discover Lightspeed's potentially disruptive impact on maritime and aero mobility markets. Following Telesat, Isotropic Systems V.P, of Product Development, Brian Billman, reveals Isotropic System's coming multi-beam, multi-frequency ESA, the first antenna to enable simultaneous access to any Ku or Ka-band constellation, GEO, MEO, or LEO. Next, hiSky's founder and CEO Shahar Kravitz explains how satellite operators and integrators can leverage hiSky's IoT network to create a new revenue stream in the high-growth IoT market. Finally, for ship owners and managers seeking lower operating costs, ioCurrents Chief Innovation Officer, Cosmo King, unveils their AI-Based Predictive Maintenance and Voyage Optimization platform. Enjoy! Satellite Mobility World is published by Gottlieb International Group, Inc. Arlington, VA USA www.gottliebinternationalgroup.com © Copyright 2021 1209 South Frederick Street, Arlington VA USA 22204 www.gottliebinternationalgroup.com +1-703-622-8520 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
Table of Contents... "Hot News and Commentary" (pg.3) "SmallSat News and Ventures" (pg. 4) Editorially Speaking: SPACs: Welcome to the Space Investment Casino" (pg.6) "Coming Soon to Mobility: Telesat's New LEO Erwin Hudson V.P. LEO and Manik Vinakota Director of Product Development (pg.9) "Isotropic's Multi-Band, Multi-Frequency ESAs" with V.P. Product Development Brian Billman (pg.20) "Maritime's Artificial Intelligence Future" with ioCurrents Cosmo King (pg.27) "Cashing in on IoT: hiSky's new opportunity for bandwidth providers" with CEO Sahar Kravitz (pg.38) Upcoming and Recommended Mobility Events (pg.50)
SATELLITE MOBILITY WORLD
SPACs: Welcome to the Space Investment Casino
Editorially Speaking...
Driven by the success of SpaceX and huge recent investments in Starlink, OneWeb, Project Kuiper, and the falling costs of space ventures, exuberant investors are piling into space-related ventures. ARK Investments has announced the formation of a new Space ETF. Desperate SPAC founders, hot to close deals before their SPAC’s expire, are rushing to capitalize on Space investment fever. Recently, five Space companies, Momentus, Virgin Galactic, AST & Science BlackSky, and rocket-builder Astra have either already merged or plan to merge with SPACs. Yet, hidden behind the mesmerizing excitement of Space investment lies a thicket of regulatory, technological, and business obstacles, making most of these SPAC unsuitable for other than venture capital investment. Separating the potential winners from the losers requires in-depth industry expertise, little of which is possessed by most SPAC founders, let alone the general public. Space is hard, and while investment in many of these new SPACs could yield short-term profits, many are potential long-term losers. Here’s our view on the listed and upcoming Space and SPAC ventures. Space-Based Internet: Of the companies involved in this segment, only the New Providence merger with AST & Science and Telesat will soon list publicly. In terms of risk, the two companies sit at opposite ends of the spectrum. Telesat is launching Lightspeed, a 298 satellite LEO constellation targeted at the deep pocket enterprise market. Unlike consumer-focused Starlink and OneWeb, it’s explicitly designed for high-demand, ultra-high speed-low-latency service, making it more attractive to maritime, aviation, and cellular backhaul customers than any other service currently available. Recently, the company merged with Loral, and it's expected to list on the NASDAQ this summer. AST & Science is different. We analyzed the company in our December 2020 and January 2021 editorials. AST proposes to connect users directly to the Internet via a vast network of satellites that beam broadband directly to mobile phones. While an intriguing vision, AST is not ready for the public market. It has no FCC license. It plans to operate on frequencies unavailable for satellite to ground transmission, and its beams may interfere with adjacent mobile networks, making licensing unlikely. NASA has also raised objections based on the potential for collision with its A-Train satellites, and lastly, the technology it proposes to deploy exists only on paper, never having been tested in Space. Prospective public investors should wait to invest. Until AST secures a license and validates its assumptions through the launch and testing of a fully functional prototype satellite, it’s a venture capital, not a public market opportunity. Despite its huge risks, the company plans to go public through a merger with the New Providence SPAC later this year. Satellite In-Orbit Transfer and Servicing: Next, we review Momentus. Today, to reach transfer orbit, most small satellites take advantage of inexpensive, shared-payload services. Momentus proposes to use small, water-powered “space tugs” to loft satellites without thrusters from transfer to target orbit. The company’s service is an extension of large launch vehicle operators' popular shared payload services. There's a lot of new competition in this market, including launch providers Rocket Labs, Virgin Orbit, and Astra (anther just announced SPAC deal). Their small rockets will launch satellites directly to their target orbits, making transfer operations unnecessary. In addition, many satellites have thrusters and don't need inter-orbit transfer services. The majority of satellites launched today are either small satellites or CubeSats and are LEOs. Most have lives of five years, or less, are launched in large numbers and will fall on their own. They are not candidates for inter-orbit transfer or the other in-orbit services offered by Momentus While its water-powered technology shows promise for Space travel, how much of a market exists for its “Tugs" is uncertain. Whether the company can find enough customers to reach its multi-billion-dollar revenue projections is a long-term, very risky bet. Launch Providers: In what may well be the most attractive new SPAC offering, Rocket Labs, the leading small launch company, has just announced its intention to go pubic. The company has a solid market position and proven technology. In this case, we think a public offering makes sense. Imaging: Here, we turn to BlackSky. It differentiates its services through an AI-based image monitoring technology used in the surveillance of high-profile targets. It provides monitoring and alerts to its mostly government customers, including the CIA and NRO. Funded by their nearly bottomless budgets, these Agencies have an insatiable appetite for intelligence and are likely to remain the company’s primary customers. Historically, government contractors have been unable to grow their business in commercial markets. They are addicted to the pursuit of massive government contracts and don’t have the patience to weather the commercial sector’s long-term growth characteristics. Why chase small commercial contracts when you can land a $100 million government contract in a single deal? With BlackSky, investors need to watch out for the ups and downs of government budgeting and contracting. Depending on winning or losing large contracts, BlackSky’s revenue stream could vary significantly. In Conclusion: While there is a lot of excitement in Space investing, new opportunities for public investors are rare in reality. Fueled by the excitement of Space, some of these investments are rife with unproven technologies and untested business assumptions. As the “house” in a casino, SPAC founders, in many cases, will be the most likely winners. - Alan Gottlieb
With Telesat LEO V.P. Erwin Hudson and Manik Vinnakota Director of Product Development
Coming Soon to Mobility Telesat's New LEO
Since late 2020, Telesat has achieved three significant milestones: an announcement of becoming a public company; the selection of Thales Alenia Space as the contractor for its new Lightspeed LEO constellation; and a just-announced $400 million investment from the Government of Quebec. Telesat is now in position to move rapidly ahead to launch Lightspeed, the world's first enterprise-grade LEO constellation. That's big news for the mobility market. To find out more about this soon to be available constellation and its relevance to the rapidly expanding maritime, airline, and business jet connectivity markets, we met with Telesat's V.P. of the LEO project and well-known industry veteran, Erwin Hudson and Manik Vinnakota, Director, Commercial and Product Development. SMW: Can you tell us more about your merger with Loral Space and Communications? How will it benefit your efforts to raise capital for the LEO constellation? Manik: Telesat has entered into an agreement with its major shareholders, Loral Space & Communications Inc. (“Loral”) and Public Sector Pension Investment Board (“PSP Investments”) under which Telesat Canada and Loral will become subsidiaries of Telesat Corporation, a new publicly traded company. The transaction is expected to close in mid-2021 following the required regulatory approvals and the approval of Loral’s stockholders. It provides Telesat access to the public equity markets to support its growth initiatives, including its revolutionary Lightspeed network. The new public listing assures that public market investors, including Loral’s stockholders will own Telesat directly and can participate in Telesat’s growth. SMW: Can you update us on any significant changes to the satellites from your original specifications, and do you plan to launch all of the 300 satellites by the second half of 2023? Erwin: We still have a combination of polar and inclined satellites. We have 78 satellites in polar orbit in six planes of 13 each and twenty planes of 11 in inclined orbits at fifty degrees inclination. That’s 220 satellites for a total of 298. Other than the number of satellites, there have not been any major modifications. However, as we have refined the design, we have been able to increase each satellite’s expected capacity – a ten to twenty percent improvement without any changes in weight or power specifications. We have four inter-satellite links on every satellite, and each has phased array antennas and beam hopping capabilities, resulting in a space-based mesh network. Upon contract signing, we are about twenty-four months from launching the first satellites. The polar satellites will be first, and then half of the inclined fleet. That’s 198 satellites, and with that number, by the end of 2024, we can provide a fully global service. After that, the additional satellites will serve to augment the capacity of the constellation. SMW: Why did you choose Thales Alenia to build your satellites? Erwin: We took a competitive approach throughout the selection process. Thales participated in our LEO program as early as 2016, and they have been a rock-solid partner from the very beginning. They submitted a compelling offer in terms of price and schedule, and we have been through all kinds of design reviews and technical due diligence with them. Thales has experience with LEO satellites, having built the Iridium NEXT constellation, and there are some high level similarities between the two constellations. Both employ a relatively large LEO spacecraft bus, for example. So, given their similarity in design and manufacturing challenges and Thales’ proven ability to successfully execute similar projects, we are happy to be working with them. SMW: Dan Goldberg states that the new Lightspeed constellation “exploits the most technologically capable satellite communications network in history and exploits the latest advances in space-based data processing, laser communications, digital antenna technology, and machine learning. How do these advances benefit mobility? Erwin: All these features will improve the overall quality of services we offer. In particular, having inter-satellite links (ISLs) on every satellite means we cover the entire globe, including the poles. Lightspeed allows an aircraft to depart from Toronto or Montreal and fly to Beijing over the North Pole while maintaining continuous, uninterrupted coverage. It also means full coverage for high latitude aero and maritime ocean crossings, coverage of new far northern shipping routes like the Northwest Passage and the Pacific, a region very challenging to serve without ISLs. Our high data rates are another advantage. For example, we can do Gbps links to a Cruise ship and hundreds of Mbps into an aircraft. The fact that we have software-defined networks, digital radios, full onboard digital processing and optical connectivity across the network allows us to provide a unique level of service to mobile customers that would be very difficult to get from other networks. SMW: Can you elaborate on the advantages inherent in onboard digital processing? Erwin: Onboard processing improves system performance by increasing spectral efficiency, particularly on gateway links, and by providing in-space routing flexibility. User terminal antennas must be small enough to meet cost and installation constraints, while gateway antennas have less restrictive size limitations and may be quite large, 3 m to 4 m or larger. As a result of the small user antenna size, it is almost always the satellite to user links that determine the performance of a satellite network. For analog or bent-pipe satellites, the satellite to user links establish the spectral efficiency of both the user links and the gateway links. For example, if the user links are operating at 1.5 bps/Hz, with an analog satellite user link signals are passed through to the gateway links, and as a result the gateway links are also limited to the same 1.5 bps/Hz. With digital on-board processing however, the satellite payload re-optimizes the modulation and coding and can achieve 4 to 5 bps/Hz on the gateway links while still maintaining excellent user link performance, improving capacity by a factor of three and reducing the number of gateways required by up to 3-times. We need fewer gateways, system capacity is increased and we can serve mobile users with smaller and more flexible terminals. On-board processing also enables full space-based networking. With modulation and demodulation on the satellite, the on-board routers can decode packet headers and read the routing instructions, allowing them to dynamically route data across the optical network. This ability to do on-board routing enables true global coverage, enhanced network security, more robust operations and significantly enhances Telesat’s advantages over other LEO systems. SMW: Cruise Maritime: One of the largest mobility markets in terms of capacity is the Cruise market. Cruise vessels currently demand more than 100 Mbps, and that is likely to increase. These vessels now deploy several 2.4-meter Tri-Band antennas capable of tracking GEOS, LEOs, and MEOs, and channel bonding is common. Will the capacity of your LEOs be sufficient to eliminate the need to channel bond IP streams? Manik: Lightspeed is perfectly suited to serve the Cruise market's needs now and into the future. Firstly, the Lightspeed network will deliver Gbps speeds to a single vessel with a 2.4-meter antenna. So, there is no need to channel bond or implement other complicated workarounds required for high latency systems to deliver these very high speeds. Another reason is the high capacity required when numerous Cruise vessels aggregate in a small area like the Caribbean or near major Cruise ports, and with Lightspeed we can bring in over 20 Gbps to a Cruise port or hundreds of Gbps to the Caribbean. In addition, Lightspeed’s low latency offers a significantly improved user experience vs. GEO and MEO solutions. To validate our coverage and performance assumptions, we performed comprehensive simulations. Based on the data from years of experience serving the Cruise market, we have determined that we have enough capacity to meet the most demanding scenarios in all cruising regions. SMW: Do you see a role for phased array antennas on Cruise ships? Manik: Since a Cruise vessel might require a gigabit per second of throughput, they would need to have a very large phased array or an array of multiple antennas. At present, that solution doesn’t seem practical vs. the high gain we can achieve with a pair of 2.4-meter parabolic antennas. SMW: Cargo Maritime: Compared to Cruise vessels, cargo vessels use very little satellite capacity, only around 1 Mbps or less and are already equipped with conventional stabilized VSAT antennas, do you expect to see this segment upgrade to Lightspeed? If so, what feature of your new offering will drive them to upgrade? Manik: In the cargo market, where bandwidth and capacity are not major issues, quality of the connection remains a key requirement. As satellite broadband proliferates and enterprise cloud-based applications come into play, latency becomes a major limitation, especially with GEOs. Of course, high latitude coverage is also a major advantage for our Lightspeed network. Transoceanic container ships often follow high latitude, great circle routes. At these latitudes, accessing GEO satellites at low look angles can be difficult. Icelandic, European, and Alaskan fishing fleets operating in the far north can lose coverage in rough seas. So, the high look angles offered by our LEO satellites in the northern latitudes are a significant advantage. SMW: Commercial Inflight Connectivity: The market for inflight connectivity is becoming increasingly saturated. ViaSat, Intelsat, and Inmarsat are all vertically integrated. ViaSat is launching Viasat 3s with 1 Terabit of Capacity. OneWeb, Starlink, and Project Kuiper are also rapidly developing their constellations. Gogo and SmartSky are both launching new-generation ATG systems capable of 100 Mbps. Soon, we will see free Wi-Fi, and the airlines will have to pay for it, making it subject to pricing pressure. In a market so competitive, can Telsat operate profitably? Manik: Today, airlines see IFC as a significant part of the onboard customer experience, making continuity, quality, and cost of the service key factors. Because Lightspeed offers global coverage, it can provide broadband service for polar aero routes and all high-latitude transoceanic routes, giving us a huge advantage over GEO satellites. By delivering high capacity to airport hubs globally, airline passengers will be able to enjoy a quality, gate-to-gate Internet experience. Coupled with enterprise-grade resiliency and low latency, we will deliver performance comparable to an at-home, fiber experience at transformative economics. That's something our competitors can't do. SMW: Business Jets: Today, mid-sized and small business jets rely on ATG or Swift Broadband because no small footprint, low power antenna is available. Assuming a suitable satellite antenna is developed for the business jet segment, do you believe that LEOs can effectively compete against GEOs and the new ATG systems? Is this a market that Telesat plans to pursue? Manik: Business jet connectivity is an important segment of the aviation market that Lightspeed will serve. To reach both large and small business jets, we are working with our partners to develop compact phased array terminals that will deliver significantly higher throughput than existing GEO and ATG systems. While large business jets use tail-mounted antennas to access broadband, these antennas are not suitable for LEOs. Unlike ground-based applications, where an arrangement using two antennas tracking in tandem may be practical, in the air, it is not. Here, a phased array with steerable multi-beam capability is essential. Due to a huge potential market in aero, several manufacturers, including Gilat and Qest, already have systems in advanced stages of development. Once such antennas are available, users of business jets will experience similar coverage, low latency, and high throughput that Lightspeed offers to larger aircraft. SMW: Cellular Backhaul: Can you tell us about your prospects for the Cellular Backhaul market? Do you see it as a major target for the Lightspeed constellation? Manik: 5G and 4G backhaul are very important applications for us. Both high-capacity and low-latency are critical to this market. Using Lightspeed LEO, mobile operators can handle the high data rates associated with 5G, and they will no longer need to spoof satellite connections to reduce latency as they do with GEO cellular backhaul, a process that creates security issues. So, given the advantages of Lightspeed, we have experienced great interest in our network. Vodafone and Telefonica have already tested with us. SMW: Of the three competitive constellations, OneWeb, Starlink and Kuiper, you note that they are focused on the consumer market. However, realizing that this market will be difficult, OneWeb now focuses on mobility. Why wouldn’t Starlink and Kuiper follow their lead and shift into the enterprise market as well? In that case, what is your primary competitive advantage? Erwin: From the very beginning, we intended Lightspeed as a service for high-demand enterprise markets. There are many choices you make as you finalize the design of a satellite constellation. Whether you are going to serve a large number of consumer terminals or a smaller number of high-capacity enterprise terminals dictates the final architecture. If , like Starlink and OneWeb, we had designed our service purely for consumers with narrowband carriers and smaller peak bandwidths, allowing us to operate with smaller, less sophisticated terminals, we would have built a very different system. Lightspeed is highly optimized to deliver quality and flexibility of service with the service management tools that enterprise customers need to run their networks. Consequently, while OneWeb may have made all the right decisions in designing a consumer system, their service characteristics will just not be as compelling to the enterprise market. We believe we will have a big competitive advantage over those systems designed for the consumer market that want to re-brand themselves as suitable for enterprise. SMW: Telesat already sells satellite capacity to the world’s leading maritime and aero integrators. Starlink, OneWeb, and Kuiper do not have this channel to market advantage. How meaningful are these relationships as you compete against other LEO players? Manik and Erwin: Not only do we have meaningful business relationships with our integrator and reseller customers, we have worked with them over several years to design the Lightspeed system. So, they have already planned how and where they will deploy it. Some of our GEO customers are already talking to us about transitioning from our GEO to LEO services, especially where coverage and low latency are of critical importance.
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"If like OneWeb and Starlink, we had designed our service purely for consumers with narrowband carriers and smaller peak bandwidths, allowing us to operate with small, less sophisticated terminals, we would have built a very different system. Lightspeed is highly optimized to deliver quality and flexibility of service and the service management tools that enterprise customers need to run their networks." "
Erwin Hudson is Vice President, Telesat LEO. He is responsible for directing the development and implementation of Telesat’s planned LEO satellite constellation that will offer high throughput, low latency communications on a global basis. Mr. Hudson is one of the industry’s most experienced executives in satellite-enabled broadband networks. He was Chief Technology Officer at WildBlue Communications, an early satellite broadband provider. Prior to WildBlue, Mr. Hudson was a senior executive at Space Systems Loral and, before that he was Director Satellite Communications at TRW Space & Electronics. Mr. Hudson recently led the ViaSat team that NBN Co selected to provide the ground infrastructure for the satellite portion of Australia’s National Broadband Network. He holds a number of key industry patents. Mr. Hudson earned an Electrical Engineering degree from North Carolina State University, a Masters in Electrical Engineering from The Ohio State University and a Professional Engineers Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Southern California.
Manik Vinnakota leads commercial go-to-market strategy for Telesat Lightspeed globally, covering aeronautical, maritime and terrestrial verticals. He is responsible for defining service offerings and engaging strategic partners. Prior to Telesat, Manik assisted mobile and wireline telcos across North America, Asia & Africa in their commercial transformations. He has a global telecom perspective combining terrestrial and satellite technologies. Manik has an MBA from INSEAD and is an engineer from BITS, Pilani.
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Isotropic's New Multi-Beam, Multi-Frequency ESAs
The satellite industry has long been searching for the perfect antenna, an electronically steered, multi-beam terminal capable of simultaneously accessing both Ku- and Ka-band satellites. Isotropic Systems is on the verge of producing such an antenna and bringing a revolution in the satellite mobility market. Along the way, in 2022, Isotropic will introduce the first Ka-band, ESA terminal able to connect to satellites in any orbit, GEO, MEO, or LEO, and in 2024, a Ku-Band iteration and potentially, the first multi-frequency ESA. To find out more about Isotropic's revolutionary and highly disruptive technology and its progress in bringing it to market, we met with Isotropic's V.P. of Product Development, Brian Billman. SMW: You recently announced you had secured over $40 m in funding. Tell me about your recent funding round. Where does that take you? What is the timing of your next round? Brian Billman (BB): Yes, our most recent round did secure $40 million of funding. Led by SES, our successful funding drive involved a broad range of Space investors, including Orbital Ventures, the U.K. government’s Future Fund, and existing investors Boeing HorizonX Global Ventures, Space Angels, and Firmament Ventures. In our next funding round, toward the end of this year, we will raise sufficient funding to complete our first product and provide the working capital to scale up the company to positive cash flows. SMW: What is your first commercial product, and when will you launch it. What are your initial target markets? BB: Next year, we will be taking our first product to market, the world’s first full-performance multi-beam Ka-band antenna. Covering the full commercial and military frequency bands, it will be the first true multi-beam terminal to connect to satellites in any orbit – LEO, MEO, HEO, or GEO. Our initial target market is military, fixed, and on-the-move communications applications. For the military, our antenna resolves several issues. Affordability is one. Today, they use small, expensive parabolic antennas that can’t keep up with off-road tracking requirements. That’s why the army has only a tiny percentage of their vehicles equipped with satellite connectivity. To resolve the problem, they seek rugged, cost-effective antennas capable of connecting to multiple networks and switching between them simultaneously. Our antenna is the perfect fit. Another market suitable for our antenna technology is aero. Aero integrators are mostly interested in lightweight, low power consumption, good scanning performance – out to seventy degrees, with the ability to simultaneously enable TV and inflight connectivity. Multiple network access is also an important advantage, especially when shopping for the best connectivity option. Lastly, we see a near-term opportunity on cargo ships, where reliability is crucial along with the ability to connect to low-latency LEOs or MEOs to enable mission-critical Cloud computing capabilities. SMW: What is the status of your Ka-Band antenna? Where are you in the product development cycle? BB: Leveraging our new financing, we have been able to accelerate the development process. We recently opened up a new engineering facility and are in the middle of developing multiple hardware iterations to arrive at a final design optimized design for high performance, ease of manufacture, and low cost. As we seek feedback from our partners and customers, we have kept them in the loop through live demonstrations of ground to satellite transmissions. As a result, by the time we get to product launch, the antenna will be optimized for their satellite networks. SMW: I understand you will be launching a Ku-band in 2024 and possibly a multi-frequency product. Can you tell us more about these products? BB: Our Ku-band optical beamformers are already proven. The development of a dual Ku and Ka-band ASIC is well underway. That means our transition to the Ku line will be much smoother than the original Ka terminal development. However, our Ka-band solution will be the first to market to meet huge demand and serving the operators and partners that have supported us both technically and financially. Soon, GEOs, MEOs, LEOs, and HEOs, operating in both Ku and Ka-bands, will orbit the earth. Established players Inmarsat, Telesat, and SES operate across all four orbits and both bands, driving the need for ESAs with multi-orbit and frequency capability. In this highly competitive market, we’ll deliver a single antenna capable of accessing any network at a price point competitive with antennas that support only a single frequency. That’s a truly unique competitive advantage. SMW: What would be the most logical market for the multi-frequency, multi-beam product? BB: This antenna will be a popular product in many markets because it will enable users to shop multiple networks for the best value. For example, aircraft equipped with our antenna could access any provider. This feature allows airlines, cruise companies, or cargo vessel owners the complete freedom to select the best network for their performance and pricing requirements. SMW: What about the Mobile Backhaul market? BB: It is also a key market for us. Satellite operators and MNOs value an antenna capable of addressing multiple satellite constellations, regardless of orbit or frequency. Today, if a mobile operator has turned to the satellite ecosystem, they have exhausted every other option. They have long viewed satellite as a tax on network performance, differentiation, the total cost of operation, and returns. Tomorrow, operators will access next-gen satellite bandwidth across multiple orbits. Isotropic's Ku-band terminals will enable MNOs' to redefine the routing of traffic across the network and drive rural services' profitability. For the first time, MNO’s are developing a real appetite for deploying new satellite services where in the past, fiber would have been the only option. We are looking forward to deploying many thousands of our Isotropic Systems' antennas to mobile towers around the world. SMW: What is the Isotropic antenna's major differentiator? BB: Without question, it's the achievement of seamless multi-orbit and multi-network connectivity without compromise in performance or scaling cost. Even with our initial products, you can access satellites in multiple networks operating in the same frequency, not just a single network, light up additional links and establish a full performance link onto a completely different network. Besides, you can also switch whenever you want or link to multiple beams simultaneously. For example, you could maintain a link with a GEO while also linking to a LEO or MEO. Because our antenna generates multiple full performance beams without cutting the antenna aperture in half or sharing the hardware, there is no performance degradation when you turn on multiple beams. It's full-duplex and fully scalable with full access to the entire aperture and no beam usage restrictions. We are not aiming to deliver incremental gains in performance. Instead, we will be offering a technological leap forward. There is a real sense of excitement within our engineering teams that we can put new and unrivaled solutions into the marketplace. SWM: What about Starlink and Kuiper? They have just released new ESAs. Do you see them as competitors or customers? BB: We view those operators as emerging opportunities, not competitors. While we view each of these new constellations as innovative in their own way, each operates as a “walled garden,” locking in end-users. Isotropic takes down the “walls," allowing users to pick and choose, combining each constellation's best features to meet their own special needs. That’s where we will play our part, enabling a new world of choice and flexibility for the consumer.
With Brian Billman, V.P. of Product Development
"We’ll deliver a single antenna capable of accessing any network at a price point competitive with antennas that support only a single frequency. That’s a truly unique competitive advantage."
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Brian joined Isotropic Systems in its early days in 2017 and currently leads the Product Team ensuring successful productization of Isotropic’s ground-breaking technology. His expertise in the design and development of mmWave communication, radar, and electronic warfare systems, cultivated during his years at Northrop Grumman, has helped Isotropic push the envelope in solving their customers’ most challenging requirements. Most recently, at L3Harris Specialty Applications Division, Brian led the hardware design team in successful delivery of a wide variety of unique, rapid turnaround specialty products for government customers. Brian received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Bucknell University and his M.S. in RF Electrical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University.
Maritime's Artificial Intelligence Future
With ioCurrents Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer Cosmo King
Driven by the struggle to maintain and enhance profitability in a tough economic environment, vessel owners and operators are seeking new tools to lower operating costs and enhance efficiency. Increasingly, they are turning to Big Data and Artificial Intelligence solutions for Predictive Maintenance and Voyage Optimizations solutions. ioCurrents, a start-up based Seattle, Washington, is a leading provider of these solutions. The company's innovative platform, MarineInsightTM, combines Big Data collection with AI and to analyze vast quantities of data from engines, generators and fuel systems and ship the results via satellite to shore. To find out more about MaritimeInsight's unique capabilities, we met with co-Founder and Chief Information Officer Cosmo King. SMW: Can you give us some background on ioCurrents? Who are the key players, and what is the mission of the company? Cosmo King (CK): Bhaskar Bhattacharyya, CTO, and I founded ioCurrents 2015. We had previously worked together at another startup called SpaceCurve, where we built high performance geospatial databases. While we saw value in such a database, we realized that the data needed to be combined with analytical capability to truly unlock its value. Bhaskar and I saw the perfect opportunity to build on that database technology and develop a platform with analytics applications for deployment at the edge of the network. Both Bhaskar and I grew up around the maritime industry, and we knew how difficult and expensive it is to send data from ship to shore. A platform that could gather and analyze large amounts of data on a vessel with only limited transmission to shore would be a perfect fit. So, we developed an onboard, out-of-the-box solution for maritime featuring AI-based Predictive Maintenance, Condition Based Maintenance, and onboard Energy Efficiency Optimization. We call it MarineInsightTM. Along the way, we built an incredible team of seasoned technology veterans who joined us in our mission to make the maritime industry safer and more efficient. SMW: iOCurrents is one of the first shipping-related software companies to apply AI to vessel predictive or condition-based maintenance and voyage optimization. Can you explain MarineInsight’s functionality? How is data output is converted into actionable data for the ship’s crew? CK: Basically, MarineInsightTM combines data from sensors that monitor engines, generators, fluid level, GPS location and other critical equipment and displays it in a time series on our Web portal. The solution is available at two levels. At the basic level, MarineInsightTM graphically displays the output in a time series, overlaid with a red area, where the equipment’s performance exceeds the manufacturer’s specified operating parameters. Data can be displayed from a single sensor or multiple sensors, allowing the viewer to view interrelationships between the outputs – a feature that helps investigating the root causes of a malfunction. For example, crew and technicians onshore can monitor changing engine temperatures, see when temperatures rise above manufacturer’s specifications, monitor the effect on other inter-related systems such as oil pumps and generators. The data gathered and consolidated at the initial product level can then be used to develop the AI models. At the next product level, we introduce Artificial Intelligence. Here, we offer more refined alerts, such as those derived from statistical analysis or ioCurrents Machine Learning models. Because the AI-driven system learns the normal behavior of multiple systems over time, it can detect behavior that varies from the norm, indicating equipment or subsystems that need attention, and automatically notify crew or technicians onshore. An analysis of learned behavior over time is much more indicative of a problem than a short-lived variation of a system from its normal operating parameters. So, in the instance of an oil pump declining, will ideally have other sensors monitoring the temperatures of bearings, cylinders and other components, allowing us to determine whether they are operating out of spec and for how long. This type of condition monitoring allows maintenance to be scheduled when necessary and avoids unnecessary maintenance. SMW: How long does it take to train your algorithms before they reach full capability? CK: Because most advanced machine learning models require a lot of data, it can take several weeks before the system is operating at an optimal performance level. Once the system accumulates a significant amount of data on normal operation over time, it’s capable of recognizing meaningful anomalies. We start by providing a basic out-of-the-box solution in the form of visualization, which immediately demonstrates value. We then build value with AI-driven analytics. In Phase One, we can automatically set statistical alert thresholds within the first few weeks of operation. These drive an initial set of alerts and inputs to model training. Phase Two begins after about three weeks of non-idle engine operation. We have enough data to build initial basic models that detect anomalies and protect equipment. In Phase Three, after about five weeks of non-idle engine operation, the system can build several machine learning algorithms, each based on a different data set, that compete to be the best model for monitoring each asset. SMW: We have discussed how MarineInsight’s Predictive Maintenance and Condition Based Monitoring features. Can you tell us about its role in Voyage Optimization? CK: Our Voyage Optimization function relies on the input of sensors that monitor the engine and related systems and then incorporate weather, speed, and position-related data. While we were originally able to make inferences useful in optimizing the voyage based on engine data alone, we have since added data on speed over ground, time and location data from GPS, and wind information from an anemometer and wind vane, giving us true vs. apparent wind. By combining all of the data, we can better recommend optimal settings for the engine and associated systems. We’re constantly improving our models through the addition of new data inputs. For, example, we are planning to incorporate location information from the AIS system and or the ECDIS. SMW: How is your platform implemented? Do you install specialized hardware on the vessel? CK: Basically, we offer two alternatives. We can either supply an industrial Edge computing device we call the DataHub. It can be connected to any data access point on the vessel and can be self-installed in about three hours. Alternatively, MarineInsight can reside in the Cloud. If we analyze very large data sets, it usually makes sense to install our hardware on the vessel, process the sensor data and send a small, limited set of conclusive data to the Cloud. In that scenario, we process the data on the vessel and our patented technology applies a high degree of compression to the resultant data sets before encrypting them and synchronizing them to shore. Even in that case, we still send around 200 MB per month. So, unless we are collecting a very limited amount of data or the vessel has a Ku or Ka-band VSAT, onboard processing is a more practical alternative. For example, even sending 200 MB per-month to shore using Inmarsat L-Band, would cost around $900 per month. Whether we install our hardware device on the vessel or ship the data to the Cloud for processing depends on the amount of sensor data to be processed and the cost of transmission to the Cloud. SMW: What is the business model? How do you generate revenue? Do you license the platform for a monthly fee, or do you charge by data volume? We charge for our services at a fixed amount per month per vessel. Initially, we offer a very low-cost introductory module that collects the data, displays it graphically, provides alerts and reports. We can quickly get users on the introductory module at a low monthly rate, think hundreds not thousands of dollars (USD).So, they don’t have to invest a lot to try the platform. From there, we offer several additional low-cost monthly add-ons in an a-la-carte fashion. These automated and accurate solutions focus on relieving time and pain in the categories of regulatory and class burdens, operations KPI tracking and reporting, and engineering and maintenance departments recording and analysis. Later, they can upgrade the product to AI functionality, which adds much more capability in terms of predictive maintenance and voyage optimization, which is considerably more valuable, and we sell it at a higher monthly fee. The use of an upgradable modular approach makes it much easier for clients to start their digitalization evolution, rather than signing up for a long term, high cost, high time involvement experiment. . It’s minimal risk to the customer and allows them to begin to experience our services’ value immediately. That approach makes it much easier for the customer to enhance their solution based on their needs. SMW: You note that your target maritime target markets include bulk cargo, tankers, container ships, tug & barge, and commercial fishing. Where have you installed the majority of systems? Can you describe some of the benefits achieved? We have installed the system on OSVs, tugboats, bulk carriers, and tankers. Based on the data analyzed, we can see many opportunities to increase efficiency. For example, we can see when a vessel is generating significantly more power than they need to meet demand, a situation that results in both increased wear on the equipment and wasted fuel. We can also optimize the data analysis for priorities other than fuel-saving such as timeliness of arrival and avoidance of downtime. One of our longest standing clients in the workboat industry had 4-5 high pressure fuel pumps fail every year, as they do long-hauls from Seattle to Alaska. Since we have been installed (circa 2017) they have had 0 failures. These types of failures in-voyage require rescue tugs, the coast guard gets called in, maintenance, and in one case an engine replacement as fragments of metal were sucked into the mains. All told, about $75,000 – over $1,000,000 when they take into account delays, cancellations and opportunity costs. The ROI is clear. SMW: You mentioned ioCurrents is funded by venture capital. What firms have invested? How much is invested so far and are you in the process of raising additional capital? That’s right. We raised some money in April of 2019 to build the technology into a scalable solution. Our primary investor to date is a Seattle firm, Imagen Capital Partners. In fact, Jesse Brink was the original investor in ioCurrents on the Imagen team. He liked what we were doing and later joined us as CEO. All I can say regarding future raises is that we have received a lot of interest in what we are doing lately and are honored and humbled by the intrigue. It’s great validation of our decisions so far.
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Cosmo King is the CEO and co-founder of Seattle based ioCurrents, the leading real-time predictive analytics platform for the maritime industry. The company’s platform, MarineInsight™, analyzes and transmits vessel equipment data in real time to help operators prevent machinery failures, reduce maintenance costs, increase fuel efficiency, and minimize downtime. With more than 25 years’ experience in the tech industry, King has worked at various tech companies, honing his expertise on system automation for storage and cloud products. Before launching ioCurrents, King was part of the original engineering team at Isilon Systems as they grew from startup to a global storage industry leader acquired by EMC. King is an industry expert in cloud computing, distributed systems, data storage, and security. Having grown up on the Chesapeake Bay and now calling the Pacific Northwest home, King was inspired to start ioCurrents after working with geospatial IoT and sensor data and seeing the benefits that edge analysis technology could provide to the maritime industry.
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Cashing in on IoT: hiSky's New Opportunity for Bandwidth Providers
An Interview with hiSky CEO Shahar Kravitz
As satellite operators and integrators struggle to broaden their markets and boost margins, a new IoT management platform from Israeli company hiSky now offers the opportunity to participate in potentially lucrative IoT markets. hiSky's platform is a completely integrated solution consisting of a proprietary hub and modem infrastructure, to a compact, new terminal, and a powerful network management system (NMS). The platform minimizes data transmission costs through Ka or Ku-band transmission combined with a technology that reduces the data overhead associated with TDMA VSAT. The result is volume data transmission at costs far below VSAT or L-Band-based IoT services. Soon to be integrated into the ST Engineering hub, iDirect clients can leverage hiSky technology to create profitable new IoT and M2M services. To find out more about what this unique platform offers, we met with hiSky CEO Shahar Kravitz. SMW: As I understand it, you are an IoT Virtual Network Operator. You install a Hub at the teleport of a satellite operator or integrator. The service is sold either by hiSky directly, a reseller network, or satellite operator or integrator. In all cases, the reseller hosts the hub, and hiSky manages the network. Is that correct? hiSky is an agile IoT networks provider. We provide an easy-to-use, Cloud-based IoT management platform and offer the freedom to connect from any device anywhere and anytime. When we started the company, our original intention was to integrate existing hardware and software to deliver an IoT service. We soon realized that the technology to develop an IoT service in the Ku and Ka-band frequencies didn’t exist. So, we created it. We established the company in 2015, and our headquarters is in Israel. There are 43 employees in Israel, and our U.K. subsidiary has 22 focused on R&D and support of the program we have with the U.K. Space Agency and the European Space Agency. In total, we are around 65 employees, and we’re growing. I am the co-founder and the CEO. As an IoT platform as a service provider, we build the entire ground infrastructure required, including the hub, modem, terminal, and Network Management System (NMS). Our technology is an enabler that allows us to deliver the service. We are not a satellite operator. Instead, we install our hub at Ku and Ka-band satellite operators and integrators. This arrangement is attractive since we enable capacity providers to profit from their excess capacity. They participate on a revenue share basis, or we can buy capacity from them. They also choose to provide integration services and offer a high-margin, value-added IoT service. Companies benefit from our proven connectivity to cover every terrain, establish private commercial IoT networks, gain insights from high volume secure data, and more. SMW: Can you explain how the role of the hub, and highlight the advantages of the network? The hub in the teleport has three main functions: 1) It controls and monitors the terminals in the beam; 2) It connects the Internet to our NMS, which provides all the end-user configuration and billing; and 3) It sends all the data from the field directly to the client’s server. Our network operates with far less overhead than a conventional TDMA VSAT IP network. We transmit fewer bits and combined with high-frequency Ka or Ku-band, we provide IoT data service at a very low cost. The big gainer from our network is the end customer who pays and consumes exactly the data he needs and does not pay any extra money because of the overhead. SMW: How does the reseller configure the hiSky platform for each customer, including adding new subscribers, configuring the service, implementing different plans, billing, etc.? Our NMS, hiSky360, runs in the Amazon Web Services Cloud. The opening page of the application features a global map displaying the coverage areas of our satellites. You can click on each area and drill-down to see the terminal/HUB configuration and performance data for each satellite link, including data transfer rates and the amount of data transferred – all in a graphical timeline. Resellers can also grant access to the NMS’s various levels, allowing end-users the complete flexibility required to control any aspect of their service. For billing, the NMS can accommodate multiple pricing plans as well as generate billing information. If needed, they can use our API to integrate the billing data into their billing platform. The NMS also provides a link to our help center, should assistance be required. hiSky 360 is a powerful NMS, which significantly enhances the value of our service platform. SMW: IoT markets are highly segmented. End-user requirements vary based on timeliness, direction (simplex or duplex), data volume, or whether the end-user has a connectivity option. Given this level of variability, where does hiSky fit into the market? We have seen many variations of use cases. We can currently support from 5 Kbps up to 500 Kbps depends on the satellite performance. Because we use the existing GEO satellite infrastructure, we can support real-time IoT services. We are at the greatest advantage in applications requiring real-time performance and delivering large volumes of IoT data at very low cost. SMW: How does your service compare with L-Band providers such as Iridium and Astrocast? Unlike IoT services that use L-Band, we decided to work with GEO satellites in high frequencies. We started with Ka-Band and then followed with Ku-Band. Both frequencies transmit data at a fraction of the cost of L-Band and offer significantly greater capacity. While L-Band has the advantage of weather resistance, the market for extreme reliability in the IoT market is not large and confined to time-critical M2M applications. Another advantage unique to hiSky is built-in voice capability in the same terminal so you can switch between IoT to Voice services. hiSky developed a unique smartphone interface that allows users of our terminal to make voice calls from their smartphones. Another advantage of using Ka or Ku-band is the ability to provide a private network to the customer. We can install our NMS on the customer premises data center, which reduces the chance of information leaking from the Internet, so our data transfer is much more secured. SMW: Several of your competitors may have a terminal that costs under $25. Can your terminal compete with them? If you compare us to other on the move terminals that can transfer data at the same rate you will see that we are a quarter of their price. Other terminals you mentioned are very limited in the amount of data they can transfer, making them unsuitable for many applications in the market. Since our network supports a wide range of data transfer options, from 1 to 100 Kbps, it is suitable for most types of IoT applications. In a market where the demand for data transfer is rapidly accelerating, our higher data capacities offer a significant speed advantage over competitive services. It’s all about volume. Keep in mind that the terminal cost is a one-time purchase. Data usage is an ongoing expense. As the saving between L-Band and Ka or Ku-Band is significant, the higher the data volume, the faster the terminal pays for itself, so our Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is much less than the competitors. The advantage is large when sensor data can be aggregated via Wi-Fi or other networks and transmitted over our terminals and network. In addition, our existing Dynamic Ka and Ku band terminals are designed to operate with the coming LEO Satellite constellations, which will allow us we to offer broadband connectivity up 30 Mbps, using the same terminal and network. SMW: Given those advantages, you have chosen several target markets: Agriculture, Automatic Teller Machines (ATM), Fisheries, etc. Can you give us some examples of use cases? ATM's operate at a low data rate, and VSAT is an inefficient solution. It's expensive to install and its TDMA IP protocols generate very high overhead, resulting in much higher data volume and associated operating cost. That makes our solution a very good solution. In addition to potential in the ATM market, we have several use cases in agriculture and water management. An irrigation company is using our platform for flood control. An IoT application connects to a primary computer that controls the open and close irrigation valves, collects water levels and more. Another agricultural application includes two-way communications with agricultural vehicles. Using hiSky, the client transmits data to planting and harvesting equipment to determine the optimal daily operation plan. Once the planting or harvesting is complete, the network forwards the data to the headquarters. There, it’s measured against the original specification. We can also upgrade the firmware on a planter, harvester, or another agricultural service vehicle. In fisheries, the crew can transmit data on the catch from ship to shore to advertise the catch. SMW: Given that Ku-Band is more widely available, more reliable in adverse weather than Ka-Band, and the fact that IoT doesn't require Ka-Band capacity, why did you choose first to develop a Ka-Band terminal? We started in Ka-band because the bandwidth was thirty percent less than Ku. While the terminal development was more complicated than a Ku-band terminal, the experience we gained made it much easier to develop the Ku-band terminal. In less than four months after deciding to do a Ku-band terminal, we had a solution in hand. Many countries have Ka-band, so we have the flexibility to work with everyone and everywhere. SMW: I understand that you are working with iDirect to integrate the hiSky platform with their hub, thereby enabling iDirect hub owners to operate your terminals. Can you tell us more about the relationship? ST Engineering iDirect is our strategic partner since 2019. Powered by our robust cloud-based solution and our innovative small-form-factor terminals, ST Engineering iDirect will deliver a highly scalable IoT solution over their existing platforms branded under the iDirect-Newtec name. We are incorporating our waveform and modem technology into their platforms, including hubs and gateways. The integration will enable their customers to benefit from this innovative technology without having to step up another platform. It will save CAPEX cost to the satellite operators and service providers. ST Engineering iDirect will roll these new IoT solutions out, enabling their service providers and satellite operator customers to gain immediate market access to the fast-growing LDR (low data rate) and MDR (medium data rate) IoT market through their existing infrastructure. SMW: What is hiSky’s business model? How do you and the resellers generate revenue? We generate revenue based on data volume. we can support about 4,000 terminals on 1 MHz, let’s take an example that the customer pays only $10 per/month per terminal for the service, that’s $40,000 revenue per month. Working with us, the reseller can generate significantly higher revenue with less bandwidth.
hiSky Network Management System
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About Shahar Kravitz: With 25 years of management experience, Shahar has expertise and know-how in all aspects of business, from technology through commercial processes to the ecosystem in which he operates. A born entrepreneur and natural leader, his approach begins with bringing onboard the right people to create the right partnerships, and continues with inspiring his team to think outside the box. Shahar has been instrumental in the development of satellite communications on the move. Before founding hiSky, he was CEO of Commtact Ltd. Under his leadership, the company grew from a start-up to being a major player in communications for defense applications, worldwide. Between 2003 and 2005, he acted as Deputy CEO of Aeronautics Group Ltd., a leading provider of integrated turnkey solutions based on unmanned systems platforms, payloads and communications for defense and HLS markets.
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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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