One of the regions most hard-hit by the hurricane was Lee County, FL, with some local officials saying it could take upwards of five years to recover from the storm.

Not unlike other large storms and natural disasters, one of the casualties of Hurricane Ian in places like Lee County was the critical infrastructure. Electricity was knocked out for more than 2 million people, and critical communications infrastructure was compromised, as well, making it impossible for some residents to contact their loved ones or reach out for assistance.

Following the storm, a team from SES Space & Defense  joined together with individuals from AWS, SimbaCom, and Help.NGO to bring much-needed communications services and connectivity to those impacted. We recently sat down with G Ramos Carr of SES Space & Defense to discuss what conditions were like on the ground, why satellite communications were needed, and what the team was able to bring to the response and recovery efforts.

Government Satellite Report (GSR): When Hurricane Ian struck, what impact did it have on the terrestrial networks and communications infrastructure in the State of Florida?

G RamosCarr: Hurricane Ian was one of the most powerful storms to ever hit the U.S. While it was technically a Category 4 storm, Hurricane Ian’s incredible strength and high windspeeds almost qualified as a Category 5. Overall, more than 140 miles of area across Florida were damaged.

In many of these damaged areas, there was a significant impact on critical infrastructure – including communications. In some of the counties impacted by the hurricane, we saw cell sites go down for several cellular providers. We also saw numerous aggregation points responsible for providing mobile backhaul for large regional areas impacted due to a lack of electricity or compromised fiber optic cables.

“Any time a disaster strikes or a major emergency occurs, those impacted want to communicate with loved ones. This need to communicate can’t be met when terrestrial networks are down.” -G RamosCarr

This meant that essential communications and connectivity services were not available for citizens. But it also meant that some smaller local and municipal government organizations had no connectivity or communications capabilities. Even with FirstNet available for disaster recovery and response personnel, there was a population of first responders that had no way to communicate with each other or coordinate operations.

GSR: When folks think about disaster response and recovery, they think about rescuing people from flood zones, and providing housing, food, and water. Why is restoring connectivity and communications also a priority in these situations? What capabilities are denied when comms are denied?

G RamosCarr: Any time a disaster strikes or a major emergency occurs, those impacted want to communicate with loved ones. This need to communicate can’t be met when terrestrial networks are down. Worse, this rush to reach out to family and loved ones only taxes and strains existing terrestrial networks. So, the networks that are still working become overloaded and incapable of meeting the demand placed on them.

Then, there are other things that need to be done for people to return to a sense of normalcy and “life as usual.” Insurance companies need to be contacted. Applications for government assistance and services need to be completed and submitted. These are all things that can only be done when there is connectivity.

And that’s just talking about the citizens impacted by the disaster. The first responders and disaster recovery personnel have their own connectivity needs. They need the ability to coordinate operations and activities. They’re often operating in difficult, dangerous environments and need the ability to keep in touch with each other or request help when needed.

Even with emergency cellular services like FirstNet available, there were some disaster and emergency response personnel without connectivity in remote locations following Hurricane Ian. There was one particular location in Lee County with no connectivity or communication services for search and rescue operations that were being conducted from a beachhead command center.

“Together, the team leveraged MEO terminal kits to deploy communications to those that were impacted by the storm.” -G RamosCarr

Operations and missions like these are dangerous enough and become more dangerous when there is no ability to communicate and call for help.

So, while food, shelter, and water are needed in disaster response scenarios, connectivity is imperative.

GSR: SES Space &Defense worked with SimbaCom, AWS, and Help.NGO to leverage MEO satellite connectivity to help in disaster response. What types of services did MEO deliver? What did it enable on the ground in Florida?

G RamosCarr: All three of those organizations played a key role in helping SES Space & Defense bring high-throughput, low-latency Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) connectivity to those that needed it after Hurricane Ian.

SimbaCom’s field service representatives volunteered to help in the relief effort and played a critical role in getting our MEO satellite terminals on location to deliver connectivity.

The AWS Disaster Response Team deployed to the area and used our MEO satellite connectivity as a backbone to provide connectivity. They even provided Amazon Distribution Centers as muster points for the local community, and command centers for our operations. And Help.NGO handled the logistics for the team – ensuring our people had what they needed to operate.

Together, the team leveraged MEO terminal kits to deploy communications to those that were impacted by the storm. Amazon Distribution Centers were given high-throughput connectivity so that those gathered in tents there could have the connectivity they need. Several municipal government buildings, like firehouses, were connected via high-throughput MEO connectivity to enable communications and the coordination of response efforts. We even enabled insurance claims processing for the Florida Department of Financial Services.

But the most impactful utilization our MEO satellite provided was to the beachhead command center in Lee County, where an 85CM terminal was deployed to help fill the communications gap for first responders. In that location, there was no connectivity. We were able to deliver fiber-like connectivity for them that was faster and more capable than even traditional satellite service.

GSR: Why was a NGSO satellite solution important in this use case? What does an NGSO satellite solution – like the O3b MEO satellite constellation – bring to the table that GEO satellites don’t?

G RamosCarr: In some of the emergency shelters and muster points where people were impacted by the storm, there were insurance professionals and government representatives that had satellite connectivity. Often, these individuals were equipped with traditional very small aperture terminals (VSAT) connected to GEO satellite services that were shared via a traditional TDMA network.

“The MEO satellite capacity that we were able to provide has an experience much more similar to fiber connectivity.” -G RamosCarr

Many of them found that they had limited bandwidth. That limited bandwidth was further limited because it was shared by everyone else with a VSAT. The satellite capacity that they were using wasn’t dedicated capacity – so every person with a VSAT was effectively competing for bandwidth and throughput. As a result, communications were impacted and connectivity was slow, spotty, or unreliable.

The MEO satellite capacity that we were able to provide has an experience much more similar to fiber connectivity. When plugged into a local distribution service, users thought they were using the same traditional backhaul used in their homes. They had the ability to access real-time streamlining video, access government and insurance company websites, and even video calls with loved ones. Ultimately, the MEO connectivity provided a seamless experience in the middle of the catastrophe.

It wasn’t long before those insurance professionals and even FEMA personnel were switching to the connectivity provided by our MEO satellite service. It was faster, more reliable, and similar to their traditional home and cellular networks.

GSR: How long did it take to get SES satellite connectivity established in Lee County? Is there special equipment that is needed? Is it a difficult or time-intensive process to get satellite connectivity delivered to an area like this?

G RamosCarr: Obviously, since the equipment wasn’t present on site and ready to be deployed to the location, we had to transport it from where it was stored to the impacted areas in Florida. However, once we were on site, we were able to deliver high-throughput, low-latency connectivity to those that needed it within hours.

Candidly, the largest slowdown that kept us from making a larger impact more immediately was awareness. The local government agencies simply didn’t know that we were on the ground and able to deliver this capability to them. Once they learned that the service was available, we were able to deliver it to them very quickly and efficiently.

In the case of Lee County, we were able to get the 85 CM terminal loaded, brought out to where they were operating, and get service deployed all within a couple of hours.

The post How NGSO Satellite Delivered Needed Comms Following Hurricane Ian appeared first on SES Space and Defense.

These solutions included managed satellite services that deliver an end-to-end network that is faster and easier to deploy for military and government organizations. They also included a new generation of turnkey mobile satellite solutions that can be easily moved where needed and utilized to deliver a large area of high-throughput, low-latency connectivity to those that need it via 5G or WiFi.

And while these solutions sound exciting in their ability to make satellite more accessible and easy to use for government and military organizations, we wanted to learn more about how they could make a difference in specific government use cases. In particular, we wanted to learn how a common scenario where satellite is often necessary – emergency and disaster response and recovery operations – could benefit from these new technologies.

To get a window into the ways these new satellite services and solutions could transform emergency and disaster response efforts and operations, we sat down for an in-depth discussion with Rashid Neighbors, who is the Vice President of Mobility and Integrated Solutions at ‎SES Space and Defense. During our discussion, we asked Rashid about how each of these solutions could be used in emergency response, what makes them different, and how they could effectively work together to transform the way the government communicates and operates in emergencies.

Here is what he said:

Government Satellite Report (GSR): There’s a long-held belief that satellite isn’t user-friendly. That rolling out satellite communications in emergencies isn’t seamless or possible at the speed necessary for emergency response. How is the satellite industry working to change this? What’s already been done?

Rashid Neighbors: No one ever wants to be in a situation where they have to use satellite communications because a natural disaster has destroyed terrestrial communications infrastructure. However, SATCOM is best suited to quickly provide connectivity in these sorts of scenarios.

We know that these scenarios require communications that are reliable, easy to use, and quickly deployable. So, the satellite industry has worked aggressively to tailor our solutions, make them more user friendly and eliminate a lot of the expensive hardware necessary to utilize SATCOM. One of the ways we’re doing this is by introducing managed services and new solutions that deliver the full end-user experience. This ensures that satellite services are there to meet mission-critical communications requirements in all situations.

GSR: Some of your associates at SES Space and Defense have recently contributed articles to the Government Satellite Report about some exciting new technologies and solutions that appear to be making satellite service more scalable, flexible, user-friendly and affordable. Included in that were the SKALA Global Network and new “Roll-On, Roll-Off” mobile satellite solutions. Let’s start with SKALA. How can the SKALA Global Network be used in emergency and disaster response scenarios?

Rashid Neighbors: In emergency response situations, SKALA is an excellent solution for keeping individual first responders and tactical operators connected with cost-effective terminals and hardware to utilize it. These off-the-shelf commercial solutions can be deployed quickly and inexpensively to meet the basic communications requirements of responders in the field.

In fact, an inexpensive fixed antenna on a non-pen mount that people in the industry often refer to as a “leave behind antenna” because of its low price point and mobility is all that’s really necessary to access the SKALA Global Network. And those antennas are excellent in wildfires and other natural disaster scenarios. They can be deployed quickly and easily and communications can be established in very short fashion. The lower price point of these antennas also means that local and federal government organizations and emergency response organizations could even preposition some of the equipment across the country to help further accelerate response.

“Think about the tactical operators responding to a hurricane that knocked out cellular networks…SKALA is an affordable, quickly-deployed solution to get those individuals the basic connectivity and communications services they need to save lives and safely do their jobs.” – Rashid Neighbors

Using the SKALA Global Network and these “leave behind antennas,” government organizations could deliver moderate throughput communications capabilities such as email, voice, access to situational awareness and mapping applications, and other services enabled by basic connectivity. This makes the service very cost-effective, while still delivering everything the first responder needs in the field to stay connected.

GSR: What about these “Roll-On, Roll-Off” mobile satellite solutions? Why would they be an exciting solution for emergency and disaster relief initiatives? What kinds of capabilities could that enable?

Rashid Neighbors: Our new, turnkey mobile connectivity solution set is extremely exciting for a number of reasons. They’re entirely integrated, self-contained and weather-proof solutions that are designed to work with our O3b MEO satellite network. The O3b MEO satellite constellation orbits at 5,000 miles versus 22,000 miles for traditional GEO satellites, which enables it to not only offer incredibly high throughputs, but do so with very low latency.

Combining O3b MEO satellite service with these new “Roll-On, Roll-Off” mobile connectivity options means that high-throughput, low latency connectivity can be delivered to practically any scenario and environment. These solutions are easily airlifted – or moved by forklift or crane – to where they’re needed. Once power is supplied, they begin providing an area of connectivity via 5G or WiFi, whether they’re on a ship at sea or on land.

So, how does this translate to a natural disaster or emergency situation? When disaster strikes, emergency response organizations come onsite and work to establish a center of operations where they can manage the situation, monitor tactical operators, provide care and services to impacted residents and perform other operations. If we airlift or trailer this mobile connectivity solution to this center of operations, we can deliver high-throughput, low-latency, broadband-like connectivity for the entire area to help support those operations and provide communications for the individuals close by.

This solution delivers so much capacity and bandwidth that the capabilities are basically limitless.

Individuals responsible for managing and directing response and rescue efforts could use it to access and monitor real-time, HD video feeds from drones and other sensors. They can use it to download large reports with images and maps. They can use the connectivity to aggregate and analyze an incredible amount of data. Field hospitals could use it to access and transmit medical histories and imagery. They could even use it to deliver telemedicine services into the field for victims of disasters.

GSR: How are these two solutions different? If you were an organization responsible for emergency and disaster response, why would you choose one over the other? Are there cost considerations? Hardware considerations? Differences in capabilities?

Rashid Neighbors: The major difference between the two solutions is the amount of throughput that they deliver. The SKALA Mobile Network is a solution that can be accessed with hardware that has an incredibly small footprint and that can deliver connectivity to the very edge – the tactical operator out in the field conducting search and rescue operations and other disaster response operations.

These individuals – forward operators – don’t require the immense capacity of the “Roll-On, Roll-Off” mobile connectivity solution. Instead, they require mission-critical, basic communications services in locations and scenarios where they have no other option because other networks are not available.

“All of these organizations and agencies are embracing digital transformation initiatives, network-enabled platforms, and applications to improve their operations. Solutions like SKALA and the “Roll-On, Roll-Off” mobile connectivity solution are just extending access to those solutions out to the tactical edge…” – Rashid Neighbors

Think about the tactical operators responding to a hurricane that knocked out cellular networks. Or the crew responding to a fire in a national forest where cell towers were never constructed. SKALA is an affordable, quickly-deployed solution to get those individuals the basic connectivity and communications services they need to save lives and safely do their jobs.

The “Roll-On, Roll-Off” mobile connectivity solution is a larger footprint solution that delivers much higher throughputs and capacity. If SKALA is capable of connecting the forward operators, the “Roll-On, Roll-Off” mobile connectivity solution would be used to deliver mission-critical connectivity to the command center.

Together, they can ensure that every individual and organization responsible for a coordinated, effective emergency response operation has access to the communications services that they need, when and where they need them.

GSR: How would the use of these solutions be better than what emergency and first responders are working with today? What additional capabilities would it give them? What other benefits would it enable?

Rashid Neighbors: Imagine a hurricane hits a large, well-populated region – or even an island – within the United States. This hurricane knocks out all communications infrastructure and terrestrial networks, so there’s no existing communications for first responders and the emergency response and relief agencies and organizations – agencies like FEMA – to use to stay connected and coordinated when they get boots on the ground.

In the past, the tactical operators and forward operators going out into the disaster-impacted areas to look for survivors and deliver aid to local residents would be resigned to just line-of-sight radio communications. This would enable them to have voice communications with those close by, but they wouldn’t have the reach-back connectivity needed to interact with the people that support them.

The agencies establishing command centers and base camps would also lack communications, hindering their ability to gather intelligence on the situation and have complete situational awareness. Agencies like FEMA – which functions to file claims and deliver economic relief and assistance to victims of natural disasters – would often revert to paper forms. This would drastically slow down the claims process.

Now, think about the same disaster response situation with the SKALA Global Network and the “Roll-On, Roll-Off” mobile connectivity solution in place.

The command center where operations were planned and monitored could have high-throughput, low-latency connectivity to support all of its operations. Forward, tactical operators could have basic communications services that not only allow them to stay connected with other emergency responders in the field, but to report back and communicate with the people that are providing them with support and managing operations.

Finally, an agency like FEMA could be using connected tablets and other ruggedized mobile devices to gather claims information and file claims. This would eliminate errors and lost claims information, while also expediting the process.

All of these organizations and agencies are embracing digital transformation initiatives, network-enabled platforms, and applications to improve their operations. Solutions like SKALA and the “Roll-On, Roll-Off” mobile connectivity solution are just extending access to those solutions out to the tactical edge – to the places where terrestrial networks either never existed, or no longer are available.

To learn more about the role that satellite solutions can play in emergency preparedness and disaster response, click HERE to download a complimentary copy of the whitepaper, ‘Emergency Response From Space.”

The post Fostering a more collaborative and coordinated disaster response with satellite appeared first on SES Space and Defense.

As network-enabled solutions have increasingly made their way into government and military operations, connectivity at the edge has become increasingly essential. Seemingly every government application, system, platform, or weapons system today is network-enabled or relies on access to data. Unfortunately, many government and military missions are conducted in places where terrestrial networks aren’t available.

In the case of our military, operations may be conducted in the middle of a foreign nation where they have yet to invest in building a terrestrial network infrastructure. Or, existing network infrastructures may be denied or untrusted for transmitting sensitive military data. Or, the mission may involve a ship at sea or a transport plane traveling well beyond the reach of any existing terrestrial network.

But this requirement isn’t limited to the military, and our government doesn’t only face this challenge outside of our borders. Large swaths of this nation – in many rural and remote locations – lack high-bandwidth terrestrial network connectivity. And places that do have terrestrial networks may find them compromised when they’re needed most – times like disaster scenarios and emergency relief situations.

In these instances, the ability for satellite to deliver connectivity to virtually anywhere, regardless of the presence of terrestrial networks is what makes it so essential. Unfortunately, satellite connectivity carries a stigma and misconceptions about ease of use and accessibility. There have long been concerns about the cost, interoperability, availability, and mobility of the ground hardware necessary to utilize satellites. And there have also been concerns among government users about cost and dependability.

Luckily, technological advancements and the introduction of new solutions and satellite acquisition models over the course of the last few years have gone a long way towards eliminating these challenges and misconceptions. Over the course of the next few articles, I’ll be joined by my associates at SES Space and Defense and other contributors to the Government Satellite Report as we look at some of the exciting new solutions, advancements, and offerings that are making satellite connectivity easier to use, more accessible and more available to the government organizations that need it in the field.

And one of the first offerings we’d like to discuss isn’t something new, per se. Rather, it’s a satellite managed service offering that has become a best practice in the private sector and is now being offered with the same dependability, reliability, and customer support that’s needed for government use cases – the SKALA Global Network.

Shared capacity on virtually any hardware
Traditionally, the use of commercial or purpose-built satellites by the government or military requires that the user builds the entire end-to-end infrastructure. Needless to say, this is an incredibly time-consuming and expensive undertaking with a return that may not be worth the investment. This is especially true for government agencies responsible for emergency and disaster response that will use their satellite solutions sporadically and only when disaster strikes.

But what if that agency could utilize the satellite hardware – terminals and antennas – that they already have to quickly, easily, and seamlessly connect via a commercial satellite solution without having to build the connection to the Internet and the uplink/downlink to the satellite? What if they could simply lease a small amount of capacity for a short period of time and have it function – when needed – without having to invest in and install hardware at a teleport? This is what satellite managed service offerings can deliver.

“With satellite managed service solutions, such as SKALA, agencies get just the satellite connectivity and capacity that they need for the short period of time in which they’re responding to an emergency situation…”

The managed service approach to commercial satellite acquisition is something that has become commonplace – or even a best practice – across the maritime industry in recent years. And it’s now something that’s available for government agencies through managed service offerings such as the SES Space and Defense SKALA Global Platform.

To implement SKALA, SES Space and Defense invested in and built the terrestrial network infrastructure necessary to make an end-to-end satellite solution function. Government agencies and organizations need only to have an existing contract with the company and load a configuration file onto their existing terminals and antennas to receive the satellite connectivity that they need.

With satellite managed service solutions, such as SKALA, agencies get just the satellite connectivity and capacity that they need for the short period of time in which they’re responding to an emergency situation. And they get access to that capacity without having to integrate their own hardware into a teleport, or invest in new hardware and terminals.

But there has been some concern within the government when it comes to acquiring satellite as a managed service because the satellite capacity of a spacecraft or transponder is available and shared between a number of different users. Sharing capacity through a satellite managed service has created hesitancy among government organizations that are wary that the capacity will be taken or monopolized by other users when it’s needed most.

Thankfully, this is another concern that has been eliminated via innovation and new technologies.

Companies like SES Space and Defense that are offering managed service solutions are embracing contention ratios that ensure that the number of users – and the number of terminals in use across those users – will never approach the bandwidth and capacity limits. They’re also utilizing next-generation network management solutions and spacecraft with steerable beams to ensure that the requisite, contracted capacity is always available when it’s needed most.

As government agencies and the military increasingly rely on network-connected solutions, applications, and systems to accomplish their missions, the need for connectivity will only grow. And the off-grid nature of many of those missions will only make satellite an increasingly essential part of their operations in the future. Agencies that have avoided embracing satellite because of the hardware requirements and fear of high costs no longer have to go without.

Managed services, like SKALA, are the solution – making it possible to get the requisite connectivity with the necessary reliability they need without the effort and expense of building their own end-to-end satellite system.

In the next article in this series, my associate, Ernie Higham, will take an in-depth look at innovative, all-inclusive mobile terminal solutions that are making high-throughput, low-latency connectivity possible practically anywhere on the planet.

The post SKALA – how satellite managed services could deliver seamless emergency response connectivity appeared first on SES Space and Defense.

Fill out the form below to download a complimentary copy of the “Emergency Response From Space” whitepaper and learn how satellite communications can keep first responders connected in disaster response scenarios:

The post White Paper: Emergency Response From Space appeared first on SES Space and Defense.

When these massive storms strike, an immediate response is necessary to save lives and bring services back to impacted areas. But responding to these types of disasters – from hurricanes to earthquakes to wildfires – comes with its own set of challenges. When these disasters take down the critical infrastructure in an area, they compromise some of the same systems and networks necessary for powering the disaster response and rescue effort.

Take terrestrial and cellular networks as an example.

Today’s military and government agencies rely on network-enabled tools and platforms to operate. This emergence of network-centric operations means that having access to their full set of mission-critical capabilities requires network connectivity. But what happens when terrestrial networks – like cellular networks – are down? How can these mission-critical capabilities be made available when the networks that deliver them are compromised?

The answer could be found in the satellites orbiting around the Earth. But to take advantage of satellites in disaster response, the government and military will need to plan ahead. Let’s take a detailed look at what satellite networks can deliver to the disaster response effort and explore some of the ways that the government can plan ahead to ensure that they’re available when they’re needed.

The services that can be delivered via satellite
In disaster response situations, operational and situational awareness are essential. Responders need to know where the people are that need help, and they need to know how to reach them. Maps drawn and compiled before a disaster are untrustworthy and unreliable – roadways can be flooded or destroyed. Real-time, up-to-date intelligence is necessary to help responders find areas of need and reach the people in need of assistance.

Many of the same tools being utilized by the military for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) can be utilized to bring this real-time data to the response effort. But high definition (HD) video from drones, and accurate, real-time GIS data (i.e maps) are large files that need high bandwidth connectivity to reach responders in the field.

The same can be said for communications. Response efforts need to be coordinated and responders need to be connected to enable collaboration and planning. When cellular networks are down, the ability for responders to communicate becomes limited to line-of-sight voice/text communication. Providing a high bandwidth network connection expands the communication options to include streaming HD video, enabling responders to connect with people around the globe.

The same connectivity enabling situational awareness and communication can also deliver critical life-saving expertise. For example, real-time video communications can be used in telemedicine, bringing remote doctors and specialists together with local medics/doctors to collaboratively see, diagnose and advise on a survivor’s condition, particularly those in need of specialized medical care.

Telemedicine, and other key support efforts, to these decimated locations can only be enabled by high bandwidth, low latency satellite communications. Satellite connectivity is not dependent on the presence and availability of terrestrial networks, making it the perfect solution for connectivity in disaster response situations.

Finally, today’s newest satellite technologies, like that from Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), are capable of delivering fiber-like connectivity with extremely low latency. The satellite throughputs can deliver fiber-like speeds, meaning that practically any video, data file or voice/text can be delivered out to the edge…but response time is still dependent on preplanning and having deployment kits ready in advance. .

Making satellite possible in disaster situations
Obviously, satellites are not dependent on an existing terrestrial network/infrastructure but communication through the satellites requires some ground equipment, specifically terminals.  These terminals and antennas are necessary to take advantage of any satellite signal, and they may not be readily available in the event of a natural disaster.

That said, there is some precedent in the government to build and distribute transportable terminal “kits” (satellite ground infrastructure) that can be rapidly moved and set-up to establish connectivity in emergencies.

This kitted capability is already in use by the FAA for a program called FTI-SAT, which functions to reestablish communications for airports and radar data in emergency and disaster situations. In this implementation, the kits are deployed and set up rapidly to ensure that airports in disaster areas can be reopened as soon as possible.  This satellite-based communication serves to pass the radar, voice and data that the control tower and planes need to smoothly flow into and out of the airport.

These are kitted capabilities that could also be deployed to areas where natural disasters are predicted, then regional response teams can use them in emergency response situations. If combined with a transportable private LTE cellphone system, a satellite kit would provide the backbone for mobile communications for survivors of, and responders to, the natural disaster.  Much like terrestrial cellular networks, a MEO satellite essentially powers all mobile devices in an area with connectivity through space.

With severe weather incidents increasing in frequency and ferocity, it’s essential to think about the best way to outfit and enable our disaster response and first responders. Communications are key in these situations – but the infrastructure necessary to enable communications is often among the casualties. Using satellite in disaster response situations is a viable and effective solution, and the logistics of doing so are perfectly plausible if the government plans accordingly.

For additional information about the benefits that satellite can deliver in disaster response and recovery operations, click HERE. 

The post Empowering disaster response and recovery from space appeared first on SES Space and Defense.

Considering the recent events of just the past few years, this is an increasingly important role and mission for our military.

Last year’s hurricane season brought three separate “100 year” storms to the Unites States in Hurricanes Maria, Irma and Harvey. This year’s hurricane season has brought us another, already, in Hurricane Florence, which pummeled the eastern shores of the Carolinas – flooding major roads, toppling trees, stranding people in their homes and leading to the deaths of 40 people.

These examples were just within the United States. Many other nations across practically every continent also experienced significant natural disasters in recent history – from monsoons and flooding across Southeast Asia, to an earthquake in Mexico. What’s worse, many of these weather-related natural disasters – such as hurricanes and flood events – are only expected to increase in ferocity and frequency as the global climate changes.

Needless to say, it’s more important now than ever that our military is prepared to respond to these global disasters – helping to save lives, mitigate damage and play key humanitarian roles in impacted areas. To accomplish this effectively on a global stage, the military needs to be able to work seamlessly with our allied nations.

Lessons Learned from INDOPACOM’s 2018 Pacific Endeavor Exercise
This need to communicate effectively with our alliance partners was on display recently when I had the opportunity to attend INDOPACOM’s 2018 Pacific Endeavor in Kathmandu, Nepal.

For those who aren’t familiar, the Pacific Endeavor Exercise is a multinational risk reduction and communications interoperability exercise with the goal of better enabling information sharing and capacity building across more than 20 partner nations. This annual event brings together more than just government organizations, it also gets representatives from the Unite Nations, nongovernmental organizations, academia and private industry into the same room to ensure that communications and collaboration are possible when disaster strikes.

Pacific Endeavor is unique in that its focus and format changes year over year. In odd years, it’s comprised of tabletop exercises. In even years, it focuses on technical interoperability and testing. Being an even year, technical interoperability was the focus of this year’s event.

SES was on hand to participate in the Industry Day during the event, as well as deliver presentations about the role of satellite in disaster response. To say that our message about satellite in emergency response and preparedness was well received would be an understatement.

Lack of fiber infrastructure in the Pacific serves as opportunity for MEO satellites
What we heard from many of the government participants at this year’s Pacific Endeavor Exercise was that their theater provides unique disaster response and emergency preparedness communications challenges for government and military organizations. The Pacific theater is vast, and mostly a maritime environment. In emergency and disaster situations, terrestrial networks are often compromised. In the Pacific, terrestrial networks don’t have to be compromised – they may not exist in the first place.

Regardless of whether terrestrial networks simply don’t exist, or are compromised by a natural disaster, satellite can be relied upon to quickly and efficiently reconstitute communications between strategic and alliance partners. This is essential in disaster response situations, both for enabling collaboration and coordinating efforts, and for delivering essential intelligence and information to military personnel on the ground.

What was even more exciting for the government leaders and decision makers that we spoke to was what new innovations and technologies in space can deliver for the disaster response and emergency preparedness efforts. Much discussion centered around the emergence of MEO and LEO satellite constellations, including the O3b MEO satellite constellation operated by SES.

These new, advanced satellite constellations are high throughput satellites located strategically closer to Earth than traditional GEO satellites. This means that they’re capable of delivering immense bandwidth at extremely low latency, opening the door for more data and larger files to be distributed to areas impacted by disasters. This is a gamechanger, capable of enabling the distribution of even the largest geo-intelligence files and ISR video files to those that need the most – the boots on the ground.

We’re experiencing previously unheard of natural disasters at an increasingly alarming rate. What were once considered “100 year storms” are no longer only happening every 100 years – they’re happening multiple times per year. When these storms strike, and when other natural disasters happen, our military is often amongst the first to respond. In these situations, it is essential to have communication between our forces and allied nations, a common network where information can be shared, and the geo and intelligence data necessary to help our soldiers make informed decisions for their safety and the safety of those around them.

Military leaders know the importance of shared comms and real time data in these environments. So, it was really no surprise at all to see how excited they were about the innovation that’s occurring in the commercial satellite space. The disasters of the future will see a response from a coalition of allied nations, and those individuals will be informed and collaborate thanks to commercial satellite capabilities.

The post INDOPACOM prepares for disasters with Pacific partners appeared first on SES Space and Defense.

SATCOM also enables drones to relay real-time intelligence and situational awareness, identification and communication of ingress and egress routes and facilitates assessments detailing whether emergency responders could be in immediate danger.

These volatile situations also require video conferencing capability between emergency personnel and senior leaders so that they can evaluate conditions on the ground.  Given the likely destruction of pre-existing capabilities, SATCOM may be the only alternative.

SATCOM Brings the Backup
We saw in the wake of many recent disasters and emergencies that radio communications and networks can be brought down due to damage to terrestrial infrastructure or the simple overloading of networks. This was especially true following Superstorm Sandy and 9/11 in and around New York City, where the sheer number of family and friends trying to check on their loved ones overloaded networks and made it impossible to connect via mobile device to anyone on the ground.

This is a real concern that can derail a coordinated emergency response effort, and is only exasperated by the natural restrictions of radio networks – including line-of-sight limitations.

That’s why Commercial SATCOM (COMSATCOM) is becoming a desirable back-up for nations looking to build redundancy and resiliency into their disaster and emergency response communications networks. Satellite communications aren’t restricted by line-of-site requirements and can be more resilient than radio networks. By deploying mobile terminal systems, satellites will continue to operate through earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, floods, terrorist attacks and any other emergency situations – ensuring that the flow of information is never compromised.

Case Study: Emegency.lu
Emergency.lu is a global multi-layer platform for the international humanitarian community that aims to improve the worldwide preparedness and rapid response capacity by filling the communication gap in the first hours and days after a disaster.

When a natural disaster hits, it is vital that those needing help have access to a system that provides efficient and critical communications. But with terrestrial services often damaged, disrupted , or becoming overloaded by people phoning for help, providing a connection with the rest of the world is often a difficult and lengthy process.

Video: How Emergency.Lu provides humanitarian assistance via satellite

This is where emergency.lu comes in. Since emergency.lu is a multi-layer platform consisting of satellite infrastructure and capacity, communication and coordination services, satellite ground terminals for rapid as well as long-term deployment and transportation of equipment to the disaster area within the first 12 to 20 hours. It can restore communication capabilities quickly and thus enable efficient rescue efforts or information flow from those affected to their loved ones.

The 24/7 basis of the emergency.lu platform is an innovative, end-to-end service for the international humanitarian community. This pioneering platform has improved the effectiveness of rapid response.

Next-Generation Emergency Response Communications
With the emergence of high throughput satellites (HTS), and next-generation LEO and MEO constellations that offer incredible throughputs and low latency, COMSATCOM has become a viable alternative for delivering voice, video and data – regardless of how much bandwidth is required.

Today’s disaster and emergency response is more effective than ever before. It works quickly to stem the amount of property damage, reduce the number of casualties and works to ensure the safety of the emergency responders providing relief. To accomplish this, emergency response teams rely on constant communication and collaboration. Nations are increasingly turning to COMSATCOM to deliver the resiliency and redundancy they need to ensure the networks driving communication are always on and always available – regardless of the conditions on the ground.

For more information on the use of COMSATCOM in emergency situations, click on the following additional resources:

• Milsat Magazine: What Fiber in the Sky Means to the Warfighter Today
• RFI Response: Operational Trial Of A Satellite Communication System For New Jersey’s First Responders
• White Paper: Saving Livelihoods by Satellite
• O3b Infographic

The post In disaster response, COMSATCOM provides backup to emergency personnel and military appeared first on SES Space and Defense.

This wildfire has been so sustained and has grown so large that it’s made international headlines. It’s estimated that the soonest all residents displaced by the fire will be able to return to their homes is June 15, and even that is conditional and based on the situation improving extensively.

Wildfires like this one in Canada are terrifying for their unpredictability and their almost unlimited potential for damage. Unfortunately, they’re more common than you’d anticipate. According to the EPA, the National Interagency Fire Center has documented an average of 72,000 wildfires per year since 1983. And that number could continue to rise. A 2008 study released by the National Wildlife Federation states that global warming has drastically increased the probability of wildfires in the western United States. There are a variety of reasons for this increase including:

• Longer fire seasons
• Drier conditions
• More fuel for forest fires
• Increased frequency of lightning

The Need for GEOINT in Command and Control
One of the ways that organizations can better prepare is to explore innovative new uses of existing technologies to better respond and fight wild fires. In an article in the nationally-distributed Canadian newspaper, the Globe and Mail, earlier this month, reporter Affan Chowdhry, interviewed Rick Swan. Rick is the director of wildland firefighting safety and response at the International Association of Fire Fighters in Washington, D.C. and previously spent 33 years fighting fires California.

What really stood out in Rick’s interview was just how essential GEOINT and command and control are in the fighting of a wildfire – both for firefighter safety and for effectively battling a blaze. When asked about how to keep firefighters safe in the face of a massive wildfire, Rick answered:

“…as the person who is responsible for a number of resources on a section of the fire, your eyes are not focused down on the tactical level; your eyes are focused on what is around you, because you are the eyes and ears for those people that are performing that tactical duty. And you’re looking out ahead of the fire, you’re looking at what’s behind it. You’re looking out for the potential of other issues coming up as far as access and water supplies and safety areas and safe refuge areas that you can deploy into if you needed to.”

The ability to see the entire scope of a fire and see the full, high-level picture, decision makers and senior leaders can ensure that no firefighters get surrounded, that they’re not cut off from necessary supplies and that the right citizens are being evacuated at the right time.  This intelligence guides the movement of firefighters, which citizens are evacuated and dictates strategy.

The Emerging Role of Satellite-Connected UAVs in Forest Fires
Traditionally, GEOINT (geographical intelligence) has been gathered by helicopters. Unfortunately, the average helicopter used in this capacity can only stay in the sky for an average of two hours and could unnecessarily put pilots in danger. For this reason, a new weapon is being put into service in the battle against wildfires – satellite-connected UAVs.

In 2013, a Predator UAV was able to help California firefighters battle the Rim Fire burning away Yosemite National Park. The MQ-1 Predator drone was on loan from the California National Guard, and was capable of delivering real time video intelligence of the fire for a total of 22 hours at a time. This wasn’t the first time a drone was used in response to a wildfire. Previous fires in 2008 and 2009 also utilized drones to determine hotspots and provide intelligence to decision makers.

The MQ-1 Predator is capable of delivering the real-time, HD video intelligence that firefighters and emergency response personnel need to battle fires effectively, while protecting their firefighters. They also eliminate the need to put pilots at risk by forcing them to pilot aircraft around raging wildfires. It would not be surprising to see them become a steadfast and integral part of fighting wildfires now and into the future.

Utilizing COMSATCOM ensures that government organizations don’t have to pay for the construction and launch of their own dedicated satellites for the operations of drones in firefighting efforts – a cost that would be almost impossible for them to accommodate. COMSATCOM also ensures that the high-bandwidth, low-latency connections that these agencies need are available when and where they’re required.

UAVs, or unmanned aerial vehicles are an incredible new tool in the battle against wildfires. Their introduction to these emergency scenarios couldn’t be timed any better, as reports indicate that climate change and other factors could increase the frequency and ferocity of wildfires. COMSATCOM will continue to deliver the connectivity necessary to make these tools available to firefighters and first responders.

The post How COMSATCOM Enables The Next Generation of Firefighting appeared first on SES Space and Defense.

Ultimately, today’s advanced IP capabilities require incredible throughput and bandwidth to work effectively. The latency that occurs when using traditional, geosynchronous (GEO) satellites for the delivery of these communications can negatively impact the quality, reliability and functionality of these services, leaving warfighters and first responders disconnected and at risk.

Accelerators – such as the ones made by XipLink – can help overcome the challenges created by latency, and ensure that GEO satellite communications are capable of delivering the connectivity, data and information needed in the field.

To learn more about how XipLink and other accelerators work, we asked Samuel “Sam” Bickham, a Satellite Communications Network Engineer at SES, to walk us through how they’re used, how they function, and even how to set them up with a BGAN satellite terminal.

Sam walks through all of those things, and gives a hands-on demonstration as to how to use this technology, in the following video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIF-PdRVBMI

Additional Resources:

• To learn more about bandwidth accelerators, click here
• To read our Q&A with Jack Waters, the CEO of XipLink, click here.

The post VIDEO: Using accelerators to deliver mission-critical communications to the field appeared first on SES Space and Defense.

These same SATCOM and COMSATCOM services are essential for military personnel in theater, where terrestrial networks and cellular infrastructure simply isn’t available.

However, there is a problem when it comes to utilizing mobile, portable COMSATCOM and SATCOM kits in these situations. The latency from satellite connections reduce the speed of communication and even lead to some IP capabilities being throttled back. This results in first responders and warfighters that are getting connectivity that is just a fraction of the throughput and capacity that the federal government is paying for.

Luckily, there’s an answer to this challenge, in the form of acceleration hardware and software solutions. To learn more about how these solutions work, we sat down to interview Jack Waters, the CEO of a company that makes some of the most advanced acceleration solutions on the market today – XipLink.

During our discussion, Jack discussed the reasons why the military and other federal agencies have embraced acceleration, and the advanced capabilities that accelerators are enabling out in the field. Here is what Jack had to say:

GovSat Report: Can you tell our readers about XipLink and its technologies? What do XipLink’s solutions do? How would you describe the difference between a satellite connection utilizing XipLink and one that doesn’t utilize XipLink?

Jack Waters: At our core, XipLink is a TCP acceleration company. Without utilizing TCP acceleration, COMSATCOM users would get about 30-35 percent throughput on a satellite link. So, if a government decision maker contracts for a satellite connection with a particular throughput and capacity, they may only receive 35 percent of that speed due to a number of different reasons.

Utilizing TCP acceleration solutions – such as those provided by XipLink – that 35 percent can be bumped up to 95 percent. This has become so important that most satellite modems today have accelerators built in.

XipLink’s solutions offer another important feature for the federal government user. Most government’s data is encrypted prior to transmission so even built-in acceleration in the modem can’t “see” the traffic. This means that the government user needs to accelerate data traffic at their facility prior to encryption and transmission. XipLink and others offer standalone or virtual accelerator solutions that can be utilized for this purpose.

In addition to acceleration, XipLink’s solutions can also add optimization – functions such as data compression, header compression and link balancing/bonding. All of these are value-adds on top of acceleration that can deliver more data throughput than the link capacity allows. The link balancing/bonding features allow more diversity, capacity and up-time by enabling two or more physical links to be logically combined into a single logical link.

Ultimately, optimization is the amalgamation of acceleration, compression, link balancing and other data reductions into one service. Stated another way, TCP acceleration fills the pipe efficiently and optimization allows you to exceed capacity of the pipe.

GovSat Report: What are the use cases for XipLink’s solutions in the federal government? How do XipLink’s technologies help the federal government get the most out of its COMSATCOM investment?

Jack Waters: One use of our solutions is in theater with special operations forces. They need communications kits in small, lightweight form factors – the smaller and more mobile their equipment, the better. We’ve been able to incorporate acceleration solutions into their terminals as software – eliminating the need to carry extra hardware.

Mobile communications for the warfighter is by far the number one use of our solutions. Communications have moved to IP (Internet Protocol), and it’s essential that IP communications solutions are portable, with high speed and capacity. Users don’t want to lose capacity just because they’re mobile. XipLink allows them to achieve the highest capacity they can on the mobile link.

Another application for the federal government is disaster recovery and backup. In these situations, they need another connection in case the primary link goes bad or isn’t available. In the military, they’ll have a three prong or four prong hierarchy of connectivity to ensure they’re always connected. XipLink and satellites serve to provide that backup and emergency connectivity.

GovSat Report: What role does SATCOM play in disaster response and recovery? How can XipLink’s solutions – in conjunction with COMSATCOM services – help keep first responders connected? What kind of capabilities does the combination of COMSATCOM services and XipLink’s solutions deliver to first responders?

Jack Waters: Our technologies are used widely across first response and disaster response organizations.

In the past, emergency organizations primarily utilized one or two analog radio channels for low quality voice communications only. With significantly more bandwidth available today and the intrinsic need to utilize Internet protocols for high-quality combined Voice/Video/Data the first responder community has adopted satellite connectivity for essential communications. In this case accelerators and optimizers provide additional bandwidth capacity, keeping operating costs reasonable as well as prioritizing critical communications over less essential traffic on the network.

In this situation, you can get a combination of today’s video and data at speeds close to what people are used to in the office, coupled with high quality voice.

The ability to create a Wi-Fi hotspot also expedites communications and makes set-up easier. It’s something people are used to. It doesn’t take a special effort to connect the devices anymore – which used to take hours. Things are easier to connect, which enables faster communication.

GovSat Report: How can the combination of COMSATCOM services and XipLink technologies benefit the military in theater? What kinds of data and what capabilities can a COMSATCOM connection with XipLink bring to the warfighter in theater?

Jack Waters: There’s obviously going to be many similarities for why and how first responders and military personnel use these technologies. However, the main difference between the first responder and military is physical size.

First responders have trucks and vehicles that have their equipment mounted inside them, much like they would be in a datacenter. For the military, there’s more of a need for mobile, lightweight, more easily transported solutions that are quickly deployable and capable of being carried by the warfighter. In many cases, they need accelerators as software that’s installed on a device.

Ultimately, the functionality is the same – delivering voice, data and video to the forward operating base at the highest possible capacity.

Throughput and capacity is especially important for the military. The GEOINT, mapping and logistics applications that they use – applications capable of tracking enemy combatants, or locating where friendly alliance troops are located – require significantly higher speeds and bandwidth. It’s essential to have a quality, high bandwidth connection if you want a more connected, informed warfighter in theater.

Additional Resources:
• To find learn more about bandwidth accelerators, click here.
• Stay tuned for our XipLink Video which will be released next month. Subscribe for the alert via the subscription box on the top right.

The post Embracing the government’s need for speed – how accelerators deliver the throughput and capacity that the military and first responders need appeared first on SES Space and Defense.