With the Pentagon completing a blueprint for the Golden Dome missile defense system in September 2025, now under review, the satellite industry is preparing to play a significant role as initial concepts evolve and the system architecture is defined. Satellite networks have long played a critical role in supporting defense capabilities across all U.S. military, defense, and intelligence agencies, including the Space Force.

Today, satellites enable secure communication among military leaders and warfighters. They support intelligence gathering, weather monitoring, and enhanced situational awareness. GPS satellites provide precision positioning and timing data for soldiers, aircraft, and military vehicles. Satellites embedded with sensors and cameras capture, track, and transmit critical information related to enemy ground, air, sea, and orbital activity, helping to anticipate and provide the opportunity to neutralize threats.

“Golden Dome is the United States’ defense initiative to address adversary missile threats,” explained Bryan Benedict, Senior Director of Innovation and Satellite Programs at SES Space & Defense. “Golden Dome encompasses the detection, analysis, tracking, and response of threats coming from conventional ICBMs, and from hypersonic ballistic missiles, which have completely different signatures.”

While still in the conceptual stage, Golden Dome will undoubtedly feature highly advanced space technology and a myriad of space-based components to protect the homeland from missile and advanced-weapon attacks. The program will elevate the space and satellite industry’s role in U.S. defense to an entirely new level.

From detecting, tracking, and even intercepting missiles to enabling data transmission and real-time communication among disparate assets, satellites will play an integral role within the Golden Dome architecture in the following three ways:

Gaining the Early Warning Advantage: 
A primary function of Golden Dome satellites is to detect missile launches instantly, regardless of where they occur worldwide. Infrared-equipped satellites in Geostationary (GEO), Medium Earth (MEO), and Lower Earth Orbits (LEO) can detect the heat signatures of hypersonic and ballistic missile launches and track their trajectories, enabling earlier threat detection and improved response coordination.

This multi-orbit approach is crucial, a point emphasized by Randall Trent, Senior Advisor, Business and Product Development at SES Space & Defense. “GEO satellites will be able to detect the launch, and then other systems can be alerted that something is coming. GEO sees the launch, MEO and LEO then follow it and track it. A successful Golden Dome architecture will require the use of assets in multiple orbits and an extensive ground connection infrastructure.”

Defense from Space:
In addition to detecting launches, satellites within the architecture could provide and forward information to defensive positions, enabling the tasking of ground- and space-based interceptors capable of destroying enemy missiles before multiple warheads are deployed. Commercial spacecraft will both augment and enhance the resiliency of the U.S. government’s sovereign systems – ultimately denying enemies the ability to use space to launch attacks.

A Resilient Nerve Center:
Perhaps most crucially, satellites will serve as the backbone for a secure, resilient, and centralized command and control system, connecting all space-based assets with those on the ground and at sea, providing real-time exchange of data and high-resolution imagery.

Satellite-powered communications will arm military decision-makers with critical insights related to battlefield conditions and enemy actions, all of which can be securely shared and used to inform decision-making at the highest levels, ensuring that responses to threats are coordinated, rapid, and effective.

Thus far, funding allocated for Golden Dome is a fraction of what will be required to advance the missile defense system from concept to reality. In the near term, the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is using the Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense (SHIELD) IDIQ to identify companies capable of contributing to the Golden Dome architecture and to facilitate commercial collaboration.

In the long run, the successful execution of the program will be dependent on the prowess and technological innovations these space and satellite companies can deliver.

The post Three Ways Satellites Will Play a Crucial Role in America’s Golden Dome appeared first on SES Space and Defense.

This was a key takeaway from a “Fireside Chat” with David Broadbent, CEO of SES Space & Defense, at this year’s Defense in Space 2025 Conference, held in late October in London.

Collaboration, not confrontation
When asked how, in his extensive experience working closely with the DoD as part of the Defense Industrial Base (DIB), the relationship between the military and its industry partners has changed and evolved, Broadbent shared a reality that is increasingly collaborative and far less combative than in previous years.

“Both in the UK and the United States, [the relationship] has definitely evolved,” Broadbent explained. “We’ve gone through periods of combative relationships with government on the acquisition side, and now through a period of collaboration and partnership.”

This new collaborative approach has coincided with changes in how the DoD evaluates requirements and conducts its acquisition and procurement processes.

“It was taking two years to define requirements, and an additional five to seven years to get something into orbit. A lot of that was driven by the ossified layer of bureaucracy in the U.S.,” Broadbent said. “What the Space Development Agency has done over the past few years is quite remarkable. They eliminated bureaucracy and built small, empowered teams centered primarily on output-based objectives. Those teams were incentivized not to just comply, not to just work endlessly with the traditional contractors to come up with exquisite requirements, but by outcomes, and they were given much more flexibility in how to achieve those outcomes.”

Nowhere is this new approach to acquisition more visible than in the Golden Dome project – a multi-layer missile defense system being championed by the Trump Administration. This aspirational anti-ballistic missile concept would leverage modern sensors and effectors to deny practically any attack on the United States.

However, the Golden Dome is both complex and innovative in nature, requiring the development and deployment of numerous sophisticated and futuristic technologies, including space-based interceptor systems. To meet the challenge, the DoD has effectively abandoned its traditional acquisition model in favor of something truly unprecedented.

“Effectively, the DoD has told industry that we don’t care whether you’re one of the big aerospace and defense primes, or whether you’re one of the new space startups. We want you to fund your own prototypes,” explained Broadbent. “We’ll go through a lab process, and we’ll evaluate your prototypes. Then, on the basis of those evaluations, we’re going to provide cash prizes at certain points in the competition before conducting the down select. It’s a totally different mindset.”

The new, more collaborative relationship with the commercial space industry, along with this new approach to acquisition that eliminates years of embedded bureaucracy in favor of an outcomes-driven approach, has helped open the door for new, innovative entrants in the commercial space industry to work with the military.

“There is incredible new investment in space that is powering new entrants [that] are coming in with very aggressive investment plans,” said Broadbent. “[These entrants] offer tremendous innovation and the ability to implement and deploy at incredible speed, meeting our desire to move at the speed of the threat.”

But innovation in space isn’t just being driven by these changes in the DoD. Increased commercial interest in satellite services is also driving investment in new space capabilities that satellite companies may have been reluctant to develop in the past.

More customers, more opportunities for innovation
Historically, satellites and satellite services were developed and designed by large prime contractors on behalf of the military to meet its exquisite requirements. But that’s starting to change.

“There’s a broader customer base for the types of capabilities that were previously used by governments, and therefore the risk to investment on the commercial side is lower,” said Broadbent. “If the government doesn’t buy it, somebody else will. The whole investment equation has changed.”

This increased commercial interest in space capabilities is making the satellite industry far more attractive to non-traditional players. But this is only possible because the government and military are more open to using satellites and satellite services that also service commercial customers.

“Traditionally, you had large aerospace and defense primes that were driving the pace of innovation. They were typically on sole-source contracts that were consistently over budget and behind schedule, and it was impossible to dislodge them. There wasn’t a lot of competition in the market,” said Broadbent. “We’ve moved from that to [having] many new entrants in the space that bring their own investment. The reason why they’re able to bring their investment is [the military’s] acceptance of hybrid space architectures – the U.S. government being far more comfortable with using commercial dual-use technologies to address certain space missions.”

With the military increasingly open to using satellites and satellite services that commercial customers also use, there is a larger addressable market to which new satellite companies can sell their offerings. This decreases the risk for investors, making it easier for innovative small startups to get funding.

But this trend isn’t just benefiting startup companies and their investors. The ability to develop new space capabilities and sell them to a broader audience of both public and private sector customers is also incentivizing investment and innovation at traditional satellite operators.

The post David Broadbent Lays Out a New Era of Public Private Partnership in Space at 2025 Defense in Space Conference appeared first on SES Space and Defense.

D2D 101: An introduction to direct-to-device
D2D connectivity commonly refers to the use of standards-based handheld devices, such as smartphones, to operate directly with satellites. This contrasts with traditional satellite services, which require terminals and terrestrial networks to deliver connectivity to the end user.

While many feel that D2D is a replacement for traditional satellite, it is more of a complementary service. D2D connectivity cannot offer the same throughput and bandwidth as a traditional satellite service. However, it can deliver connectivity and access to remote locations and areas of the globe even when the necessary terrestrial hardware is unavailable. All the end user would require is a compatible smartphone or other mobile device.

The D2D service being built by Lynk will accomplish this using a constellation of satellites located in low Earth orbit (LEO), where strong signals generated very close to Earth will deliver connectivity directly to end-user devices. The O3b mPOWER, operated by SES, will enable necessary space data relay capabilities that effectively backhaul data from the Lynk LEO satellites at very high speeds with very low latency, allowing them to significantly reduce the ground segment required to support their D2D services.

Together, the Lynk and SES constellations will enable government users and military personnel to have end-user devices that simply work, even without a satellite terminal. That is a powerful capability with nearly limitless use cases for the government and military.

Immediate comms when and where they’re needed
In the aftermath of major natural disasters, those tasked with search and rescue missions and responding to emergencies often find themselves without cell service or any terrestrial forms of connectivity. That’s because the same natural disaster that impacted their region invariably destroyed the network infrastructure that powers cellular and terrestrial networks.

Communication and situational awareness capabilities are essential for an effective and collaborative response. They’re necessary to ensure those conducting search and rescue operations don’t wind up needing to be found and rescued, themselves. They’re essential to get alerts about danger, requests for assistance, and other mission-critical communications. But without cellular and terrestrial networks, these essential capabilities are often unavailable.

Historically, satellite providers have deployed Cell on Wheels (COWs) or Cell on Light Trucks (COLTs) to affected areas. These solutions effectively deliver the terrestrial equipment necessary to establish a satellite-enabled Wi-Fi or 5G network that first responders can use for basic communications and situational awareness. However, these solutions aren’t always in place when disaster strikes.

With D2D capabilities, first responders – from law enforcement personnel to wildland firefighters – could have immediate access to essential connectivity, even before COLTs and COWs are deployed to a region. This would immediately make mission-critical communications and situational awareness capabilities available following a natural disaster, putting first responders in a far better position to locate, rescue, and assist those in need.

This same ability to immediately access mission-critical communications, even without satellite terminals or ground infrastructure, can be leveraged for a variety of civilian government use cases. Government employees dispatched to remote locations could benefit from the ubiquitous communications delivered by D2D.

Military operations are often conducted in remote, off-grid locations where terrestrial infrastructure is unavailable. However, concerns about data and signal security could limit the use of commercial D2D solutions for combat applications. However, there is an opportunity to leverage D2D connectivity for non-combat missions and operations.

The post SES and Lynk Global Partner to Enable Game-Changing D2D Capabilities for the Government appeared first on SES Space and Defense.

The nature of the public-private partnership will effectively see the EU and European Space Agency (ESA) committing government funds towards expanding existing MEO and LEO constellations. The resulting satellites will comprise a new satellite network called Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite (IRIS²), which will provide essential satellite communications services for the EU government and militaries, while also giving the partner companies additional satellite capacity that can be leased to allied nations and commercial customers.

This connectivity will also be assured and secured by its multi-orbit nature. By leveraging both LEO satellites and MEO satellites, the IRIS² constellation will be more difficult for adversaries to target. It will also enable the EU to enjoy the resiliency benefits inherent provided by two different orbits.

But why is the EU building its own sovereign satellite service at a time when commercial investment is increasing, and are there more commercial satellite capacity and constellations available for use than ever before? One only has to look at what’s happening in Ukraine to understand why this capability is now essential and no longer a “nice to have.”

In the early days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, some of the first casualties were the terrestrial networks that connected Ukrainians and enabled critical communications. The adversary understood the role that communications play in a coordinated defense and almost immediately eliminated this essential infrastructure. This left Ukraine looking to satellite communications from companies like SpaceX to deliver mission-critical communications.

The EU has seen the importance of assured SATCOM for defense and national security. They also see its potential for delivering connectivity to rural and remote areas – making IRIS² an important investment for Europe’s future. However, IRIS² will do more than provide critical connectivity for the EU. It will also usher in a new era of MEO satellite capability that offers connectivity anywhere on the globe and brings some of the most exciting technological advancements to MEO.

Inclined, optical, and new era for MEO
Part of building out IRIS² includes the development and launch of 18 new MEO satellites. These satellites will be in inclined orbits, specifically to offer high throughput, low-latency connectivity to the regions that could not be serviced by existing SES MEO satellites in an equatorial orbit.

Most communications satellites in GEO and MEO orbit above the Earth’s equator. This optimizes the satellite coverage over populated areas of the Earth but limits the coverage in higher latitude regions. By launching MEO satellites into inclined orbit, SES and the EU will effectively enable the IRIS² constellation to provide global service – enabling better and more complete access for EU nations including delivery of critical high throughput, low latency services to the polar regions, which are becoming increasingly more trafficked and contested due to a variety of factors including climate change and resulting resource competition.

However, connectivity to the polar region is just one advancement that will be evident in IRIS². The IRIS² MEO architecture will feature optical intersatellite links that will enable rapid communication between satellites and provide users much more flexibility on where to land their data.

Optical communications between satellites has been explored heavily by LEO satellite operators for use in their constellations – and for very good reason. By enabling satellites to relay data between themselves in the vacuum of space, satellites can more rapidly and effectively get data to its final destination on Earth. Enabling this capability on IRIS² MEO satellites will enable more seamless communications between even the most distant places on Earth.

While IRIS² will result in new satellites being added to the existing MEO constellation operated by SES, these satellites are not the only ones SES plans to add. The IRIS² satellites will be joined by other new satellites that SES will procure and launch into MEO as part of its next-generation MEO satellite constellation. The rapid increase in new satellites in MEO provides a myriad of new opportunities for global governments, and opens the door for new, innovative capabilities in space through the use of hosted payloads and secondary missions.

These payloads could include scientific missions, Earth observation missions, or could bring advanced communications, sensor, computing capabilities into space – including artificial intelligence (AI) and edge computing capabilities.

The IRIS² sovereign satellite initiative will bring secure, assured, and reliable satellite connectivity to the EU when it enters operation in 2030. But it will also usher in a new and exciting era for MEO satellite constellations. The investment in IRIS2 is sparking the further advancement of communications satellites in MEO, and it will result in MEO capacity extending to practically every corner of the globe and the introduction of exciting new capabilities to MEO satellite networks.

The post IRIS2 Poised to Deliver New Era of Global MEO Coverage appeared first on SES Space and Defense.

Put plainly, the demonstration conducted by ThinKom, SES, and Hughes effectively illustrated the ability for an end satellite user to seamlessly roam between satellite services originating in different orbits and leveraging different frequency bands.

To learn more about why this multi-orbit and multi-band capability is becoming increasingly essential for U.S. military users, we reached out to Ben Pigsley, the Senior Vice President of Defense Networks at SES Space & Defense.

During our discussion with Ben, we asked about the trends driving the U.S. military to embrace commercial satellite communications (COMSATCOM) from multiple orbits, the maturity and availability of multi-orbit and multi-band satellite services, and what both the government and satellite industry need to do to make this capability readily available for the warfighter.

Government Satellite Report: Can you define multi-band satellite for our readers? How is it different from multi-orbit satellite?

Ben Pigsley: Simply put, when two or more satellites are operating in different earth orbits – such as Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) or Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) – and are operating in the same frequency band, it is considered multi-orbit. When two or more satellites are operating in the same orbit – such as GEO, MEO, or Lower Earth Orbit (LEO) – but are operating in different frequency bands – such as Ku, Ka, C, or X – it is considered multi-band.

Both scenarios offer an added level of resiliency to a satellite network if you have the ground equipment to take advantage of the capability.

GSR: Why is multi-band satellite capacity crucial for the U.S. military? Why is multi-orbit crucial? Why does the military need its satellite architecture to include both?

Ben Pigsley: Today, the military is facing near-peer adversaries that have demonstrated their ability to disrupt, deny, and degrade our communications networks. In today’s environment, government networks are both congested and contested with deliberate and directed jamming, cyberattacks, and kinetic attacks.

Both multi-orbit and multi-band network solutions offer an elevated level of resiliency and increase availability to government customers. Higher availability is critical to the command-and-control networks operated by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).

GSR: What trends are we seeing – and what capabilities are we seeing from our adversaries – that make the creation of a multi-orbit, multi-band satellite architecture essential?

Ben Pigsley: I’ll go back to the fact that networks today are both congested and contested. Network congestion can cause unwanted disruptions due to what we refer to as “blue-on-blue” interference. This occurs when satellite transponders and networks are heavily loaded and one “friendly” network causes problems for another “friendly network” due to equipment malfunctions, improper equipment settings, and other unintentional actions.

“…increased resiliency in network design allows operations to continue either on another satellite in a different orbit, or on another satellite in a different band in the same orbit.” – Ben Pigsley

Contested commercial networks arise from adversaries with sophisticated, aggressive jamming techniques. In both cases, increased resiliency in network design allows operations to continue either on another satellite in a different orbit, or on another satellite in a different band in the same orbit.

GSR: What different elements or segments comprise the end-to-end network or infrastructure needed for effective multi-band and multi-orbit operation?

Ben Pigsley: Other than having the right space segment design, the most critical part of a highly resilient network is state-of-the-art ground terminals that can rapidly switch bands and orbits with minimal or no interaction from the operator.

Additionally, a sophisticated ground network infrastructure that incorporates a Software Defined – Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) is crucial. The addition of machine learning and artificial intelligence in the network are also key to the effective use of multi-band and multi-orbit networks.

GSR: Is the COMSATCOM industry ready to support multi-band and multi-orbit operation? What new technologies or equipment is necessary to enable this? When will that become available?

Ben Pigsley: Yes, the military’s industry partners are ready to support both multi-band and multi-orbit operations. In fact, leading operators like SES Space & Defense already provide these services using SD-WAN architectures delivering high-availability networks.

This is happening within all constellations — GEO, MEO, and LEO — supporting all types of government and military operations.

“Using the ICT Portal, military users can see the impact of network events and gain general situational awareness that can help key decision-makers make more data-driven, informed decisions.” – Ben Pigsley

It should be noted that ground terminal development has lagged the space segment development in this area. However, we see new terminal designs coming into the market every day that can take advantage of multi-band and multi-orbit operations.

GSR: Have there been any exciting advancements or tests done recently that show multi-band, multi-orbit capability may soon be on the horizon?

Ben Pigsley: We began testing and demonstrating multi-band and multi-orbit network designs in 2021. We implemented our designs with key customers at the end of 2022 and we continue to gather availability and performance statistics to help us make informed decisions on improvements to our networks.

Additionally, we’ve developed a customer portal – the ICT Portal – that is capable of tracking network performance in real time.  This capability enables our customers to see their networks in real time and make informed decisions on network loading. Using the ICT Portal, military users can see the impact of network events and gain general situational awareness that can help key decision-makers make more data-driven, informed decisions.

GSR: What can the government do to speed up the development of multi-band and multi-orbit capability from the COMSATCOM industry?

Ben Pigsley: I think the government is headed in the right direction with new requirements like SATCOM as a Managed Service (SaaMS), which does not specify specific orbits or frequency bands.  This allows industry to come up with creative solutions, which will likely include multi-orbit and multi-band offerings.

“In today’s environment, government networks are both congested and contested with deliberate and directed jamming, cyberattacks, and kinetic attacks. Both multi-orbit and multi-band network solutions offer an elevated level of resiliency and increase availability to government customers.” – Ben Pigsley

My suggestion is to continue and increase government interaction with industry so that future government requirements are clearly understood by industry.

GSR: What role can systems integrators and managed service providers play in delivering multi-band and multi-orbit implementations?

Ben Pigsley: Multi-band and multi-orbit networks require coordination and cooperation within industry. The most effective multi-orbit and multi-band network designs will include integrated solutions from multiple satellite operators, multiple terminal manufacturers, and multiple terrestrial network providers.

Industry can define ways to automate “roaming” from network to network, including orbits and frequencies, and develop system interfaces to orchestrate provisioning, operations, and billing of services. This type of coordination and cooperation can happen with both operators and integrators.

The post The Importance of Multi-Orbit, Multi-Band COMSATCOM for the DoD appeared first on SES Space and Defense.

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.

During our discussion, we asked Ram about the challenges that an austere space domain creates for the DoD, the technological challenges that the military faces when trying to integrate satellite networks with coalition and industry partners, and what some industry leaders are doing to make the seamless management of unified global networks a possibility for our military.

One of the advancements and innovative solutions available to the United States Department of Defense (DoD) is the Information & Communications Technology (ICT) Portal, a recently-released application that can enable military users to see their entire network – including both space and ground assets – on a single pane of glass. This new solution gives the military transparency into everything on their networks and allows for the easier management and operations of both terrestrial and space network assets and capabilities.

In the second part of our conversation with Ram, we asked specifically about the ICT Portal – what functionality it offers, how it can help the DoD, and what it will enable for the warfighter.

Government Satellite Report (GSR): In our last discussion, you talked about the sheer number of different space and ground networks that the DoD needs to see and manage as they work to integrate their own space assets with those of coalition and industry partners. How does the lack of a single, all-encompassing view of the network impact the military’s ability to manage its networks to overcome denied or disrupted capabilities or services? How does this impact the warfighter in the field?

Ram Rao: I have heard every high-ranking official in our military discuss the need to increase the speed of delivery and the speed of operations. But to accomplish this, they need end-to-end communications and data-centric global networks.

They are also looking to reduce the latency in satellite networks from the 600ms offered by satellites in Geosynchronous Orbit (GEO) to the 150-50ms offered by satellites in Lower Earth Orbit (LEO) and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO).

Timing is everything for warfighters. It’s no surprise that our adversaries are working towards pursuing efficient delivery capabilities. To continue to compete and win in the future, we need to remain faster and more effective despite their efforts.

“The ICT Portal is a web-based NetOps set of tools providing end-to-end situational awareness in a consumable “single pane of glass” user interface.” – Ram Rao

Global integration of our networks is crucial for seamless connectivity from one end of Earth to the other through various space and ground connections. The lack of a unified network will significantly and adversely impact the speed at which we deliver information and capabilities to warfighters, drastically reducing their effectiveness. However, with an integrated, resilient network – and agreed-upon access – there should not be any denials or disruptions.

GSR: What is the Information & Communications Technology (ICT) Portal? What was the initial concept and intention for the portal? What tools or capabilities does the ICT Portal give to military and government users?

Ram Rao: The ICT Portal is a flagship capability we offer to our customers and mission partners as a part of our network solutions. The ICT Portal is a web-based NetOps set of tools providing end-to-end situational awareness in a consumable “single pane of glass” user interface. The consolidated network visibility provides our mission partners something they generally don’t have with COMSATCOM networks – a near real-time view into the network.

Even when COMSATCOM networks work in tandem with MILSATCOM networks, the ICT Portal gives users a view of their space segment, teleports, gateways, hubs, and terrestrial circuits – all the way to the individual user terminals.

The ICT Portal offers users five views into their network – each with multiple capabilities. These capabilities and functionality include an operational dashboard, terminal console, capacity management tool, and reporting tools. Within each capability view are a variety of sub-views, each with dozens or sometimes hundreds of data points to observe, filter, and use to improve the understanding of the SATCOM network.

“Our ICT Portal’s satellite coverage overlays allow users to see both EIRP and G/T maps of the satellite coverage in their network. The intent of this capability is to show users their satellite coverage within the deployment area.” – Ram Rao

SES Space & Defense’s intention has always been to support our mission partners with capabilities that deliver complete visibility and transparency into their networks and provide the situational awareness required to make timely, informed decisions.

GSR: Can you provide an example of how and why the ICT Portal could be useful to the military doing a mission or operation? What could it enable them to do?

Ram Rao: Our ICT Portal’s satellite coverage overlays allow users to see both EIRP and G/T maps of the satellite coverage in their network. The intent of this capability is to show users their satellite coverage within the deployment area.

This enables them to know – before they deploy – the minimum terminal specification required in that location. For example, if they are in the 50 dBW contour, they will need a minimum of a 1.2-meter antenna with a four-watt BUC. Users can also select multiple footprints to see where they have overlapping or redundant coverage. This capability immensely helps quick and efficient planning.

Another useful example is our VSAT Point Assist tool. While it is best practice to always do a site survey prior to deploying a VSAT terminal, we understand that it’s not always possible for DoD missions. The VSAT Point Assist tool provides field techs with a way to do site surveys virtually.

“We are continually working with our customers to improve and expand the capabilities of the ICT Portal.” – Ram Rao

The VSAT Point Assist tool allows users to input a location and choose a satellite. It then generates an estimated pointing angle and provides other necessary information, such as elevation and azimuth angles. Users can also drag the icon to different locations to ensure a clear path to the satellite.

The goal is to enable the military to conduct site surveys without a physical presence in theater and save significant time and costs while allowing them to better prepare for missions in advance.

Another useful example I’ll share is the ICT Portal Weather Overlay capability, which offers more than 150 different options of illustrating near real-time, historical, and forecasted weather information. This tool allows users to select as many of these events as they want and add them to the active list – such as active fire points, lightning strikes, tropical cyclones, and other live weather events. They can even see hurricanes and their paths.

These overlays are essential to improve situational awareness for our warfighters. It allows them to visualize how rain, snow, or ice may affect satellite connections and identify any alternatives they may have.

GSR: Is the ICT Portal available today? If not, when will it be available? Also, who will be able to utilize it?

Ram Rao: The ICT Portal is available today for SES Space & Defense network customers and is being utilized by some of our current government partners.

We are continually working with our customers to improve and expand the capabilities of the ICT Portal. We have an extensive road map to add new capabilities and features to the ICT Portal, including AI/ML capabilities, a complete cyber monitoring package, and fully customizable reporting packages. We also plan to enable select mission partners to control portions of the network as needed for critical mission success.

To learn more about the SES Space & Defense ICT Portal or request a demonstration, click HERE.

The post The SES Space & Defense ICT Portal – Meeting Military Transparency and Network Management Requirements for Multi-Domain Operations appeared first on SES Space and Defense.

Gen. Allvin’s sentiment was an eloquent way to say that the U.S. military will need to work as a single unit and not disparate services – and will need to work hand-in-hand with coalition and industry partners – if it’s going to be victorious in the battles of the future.

This is not the first time we’ve heard a senior leader from one of America’s military branches discuss the need for collaboration to ensure success against the near-peer adversaries of tomorrow. This has been one of the fundamental cornerstones of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) as it builds its future force for the year 2030 and beyond.

However, collaboration, integration, and interoperability in one domain, in particular, have long been a challenge for the military. In space, where allied and industry partners each bring their own constellations of spacecraft and ground networks, getting everything to work together remains a challenge. And that challenge only grows more significant as the space domain continues to evolve from a benign domain into a warfighting domain.

To learn more about the need for interoperable space and ground networks as joint multi-domain operations become essential, we recently sat down with Ram Rao, the Director of Business Development Engineering, Technologies, and Solutions at SES Space & Defense. During our discussion, we asked Ram about the challenges that an austere space domain creates for the DoD, the technological challenges that the military faces when trying to integrate satellite networks with coalition and industry partners, and what some industry leaders are doing to make the seamless management of unified global networks a possibility for our military.

Government Satellite Report (GSR): It’s apparent that the battles of tomorrow will cross domains – requiring capabilities to be delivered from the space and cyber domains to joint warfighters from the U.S. and its allies on land, in the air, and at sea. How do military networks become more complex and complicated when the space domain and space capabilities are added to the equation?

Ram Rao: Correct. The U.S. DoD’s JADC2 framework is all about our warfighters and decision-makers from every service area – such as the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, National Guard, and now the Space Force – participating in and sharing quality data to make effective and timely decisions before our adversaries can act. Of course, this seems easy at a high level, but it’s very complicated to implement, albeit required.

It is not a secret anymore that our adversaries – especially China and Russia – have been advancing and testing their space and cyber war capabilities in the last few years. In fact, they’ve been developing and testing these capabilities aggressively in the space domain over the past year.

We have read about anti-satellite (ASAT) tests conducted by Russia and China that resulted in the destruction of satellites in orbit. We also have witnessed China grabbing its satellite from the GEO orbit and maneuvering into a graveyard orbit. It is obvious they are preparing and testing various capabilities that can enable them to deny our nation’s access to satellite connectivity. Capabilities like these have turned space from a benign environment into a warfighting domain.

Warfighting in domains such as land, water, and air has existed for a long time. There have been hundreds or thousands of strategies and tactics developed in these domains that have evolved. The space domain is a new warfighting domain, and defensive and offensive capabilities are still being developed and tested.

“…the interaction between different networks is not as integrated, automated, or seamless. It’s often done through the direct interfacing of circuits with VPN or HTTPS connections. Or lower-tech, less efficient methods are utilized – such as email, DVD, or paper.” – Ram Rao

Also, in space, there are no area limits or rules. The traditional warfighting domains have rules of engagement and occur in space-restricted arenas. Space is huge, there are no established rules of engagement, and the capabilities are still evolving. This makes the space domain much more complicated.

GSR: What impact does the introduction of commercial satellite services have on the resiliency and assuredness of space capabilities?

Ram Rao: The DoD figured out long ago that the commercial industry and the integration of COMSATCOM services into their MILSATCOM solutions is crucial for mission-critical capabilities. I believe that integrating LEO, MEO, and GEO capabilities from the U.S. military, allied militaries, and commercial partners is a massive deterrent to our adversaries.

These capabilities tremendously increase our resiliency in space and on the ground, making it difficult for adversaries to deny our satellite capabilities. The high speed, high bandwidth, low latency, and pole-to-pole coverage that COMSATCOM can provide is unparalleled and well-positioned for integration with MILSATCOM.

GSR: What challenges does the added complexity of integrating multiple satellite resources and services create from a network transparency, assurance, and management standpoint?

Ram Rao: There are multiple challenges. But the government and its industry partners are well aware of these challenges and are working collaboratively to solve them.

When we say COMSATCOM and MILSATCOM, we’re not just referring to two disparate networks. We are talking about hundreds, if not thousands, of disparate networks that need to be integrated worldwide.

“The DoD figured out long ago that the commercial industry and the integration of COMSATCOM services into their MILSATCOM solutions is crucial for mission-critical capabilities. I believe that integrating LEO, MEO, and GEO capabilities from the U.S. military, allied militaries, and commercial partners is a massive deterrent to our adversaries.” – Ram Rao

Network transparency, assurance, and management require agreed-up visibility and a standardized network interface. For example, the U.S. Space Force Enterprise Management & Control (EM&C) system requires network management systems from different DoD and commercial networks to be integrated at different levels.

That is a challenging task. Every participating COMSATCOM network may not follow the same standards. Also, when we start integrating the satellite capabilities of allied and coalition nations, we have to expect that different countries may follow different standards.

Assurance requirements for all countries are not the same. It’s difficult to ensure that various networks align on multiple requirements, including access levels. However, leading COMSATCOM industry players like SES Space & Defense have the infrastructure, capability, and experience necessary to integrate and operate as a part of a global military network.

GSR: How is the visualization and management of the whole military network – including military and commercial space assets and capabilities – done today? What tools exist that enable the military to see and manage everything?

Ram Rao: Most individual networks with their network management systems (NMS) have required visualization and management capabilities. However, the interaction between different networks is not as integrated, automated, or seamless. It’s often done through the direct interfacing of circuits with VPN or HTTPS connections. Or lower-tech, less efficient methods are utilized – such as email, DVD, or paper.

“The U.S. DoD’s JADC2 framework is all about our warfighters and decision-makers from every service area…participating in and sharing quality data to make effective and timely decisions before our adversaries can act. Of course, this seems easy at a high level, but it’s very complicated to implement, albeit required.” – Ram Rao

Not only is this laborious, but it doesn’t move at the pace of battle. Speed of delivery – especially during warfighting times – is a top priority for every military decision-maker.

A number of tools and platforms are being developed and introduced across the industry that provides a unified view of the network. Solutions such as the Information & Communications Technology (ICT) Portal, recently introduced by SES Space & Defense provides transparent and consolidated network visibility improving performance and operational decision-making.

To learn more about the SES S&D ICT Portal, click HERE.

Featured image: U.S. Soldiers from the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, set up a Satellite Transportable Terminal (STT) system at Orzysz, Poland. The STT is an optimized, over-the-horizon communications system ideally suited for tactical communications missions. (U.S. Army photos by Charles Rosemond, Training Support Team Orzysz)

The post Creating a Unified, Global Satellite Network to Power Joint, Multi-Domain Operations appeared first on SES Space and Defense.

But building, operating, and maintaining a network in the incredibly harsh and extreme conditions in remote Alaska is harder than it may seem. While the climate and large size of the state would clearly cause problems, there are other challenges that are less obvious. These include the local fauna, and even the disparate cultures of the native peoples that the network providers are looking to serve.

In the second part of our discussion with Vickie, we take a deep dive into these challenges and explore the way they impact what local organizations should be looking for in their industry partners.

Government Satellite Report (GSR): Why are microwave networks utilized for connectivity in these more remote locations?

Vickie Kelly: In some areas, satellite services are the only solution for delivering coverage and connectivity. For example, the Aleutian Islands, a chain of islands that separates the north Pacific Ocean from the Bering Sea, are so remote that satellite connectivity is the only option for the people there. There are also remote locations in the interior of Alaska that are only accessible via small plane that can only get connectivity with satellite.

Building a microwave network is a terrestrial solution that enables you to provide high throughput connectivity to these remote locations at a fraction of the cost of satellite. However, satellite services are still needed to provide backhaul services and connect those microwave networks back to the Internet. to get to some of these remote sites, but you still need to get back to the Internet.

However, while microwave is a lower-cost solution to satellite, it does have a high maintenance cost. Continuing to operate and repair the microwave infrastructure that comprises the network can be incredibly expensive and difficult.

For example, in one instance, a bull moose would not allow maintenance crews to get to damaged microwave equipment to fix the connection. This resulted in the maintenance crew hiring a helicopter to get to the equipment.

GSR: What unique challenges do industry partners face when building, operating, and maintaining networks in these regions? Is it the same as operating anywhere else in the globe, or do the remote location and harsh climate impact operations?

Vickie Kelly: The climate and environment certainly impact operating and maintaining a network like ours. As we discussed, the climate can make it difficult or impossible to get to the hardware for maintenance purposes. The incredible distance dictates traveling by helicopter or small plane, and those can’t fly when the weather is bad.

Also, as we discussed, the fauna of the area has been known to create its own challenges. We’ve even had foxes chew through the wires of our microwave network infrastructure. Despite having fences and other security solutions in place, the foxes found a way to get to the equipment. Apparently, they learned how to climb fences.

But there are challenges that don’t result from the weather, environment, and animals. There are also challenges that result from the different cultures and people that you serve and work with.

“…the climate can make it difficult or impossible to get to the hardware for maintenance purposes. The incredible distance dictates traveling by helicopter or small plane, and those can’t fly when the weather is bad.” – Vickie Kelly

When you’re working in remote areas of Alaska, you’re also working with the different tribes of those regions. Each of these tribes has its own culture and traditions. Culturally, you have to be very astute. You have to understand what their beliefs and traditions are, and understand if what you’re asking for may offend or betray those traditions and beliefs.

To help ensure that the people within our organization understand and respect these different cultures, we actively work to provide employment opportunities to locals. We employ and train them to help operate and maintain the equipment that’s near their town. We’ll hire them as guides and for transportation for our staff.

But we also provide them with employment opportunities because they bring additional cultural awareness to our organization, as a whole.

GSR: In addition to building, operating, and maintaining these networks, there must be other challenges and requirements that the local government faces. What other services are provided by industry partners?

Vickie Kelly: That’s an excellent question. In many cases, these organizations lack trained IT staff and support to help deliver many of the services that they need as technology becomes more essential in their daily operations. In those instances, we also provide the services that they need to make online capabilities possible.

For example, we provide bandwidth monitoring to ensure that the bandwidth is being used efficiently. We provide quality of service and bandwidth prioritization to ensure that the most mission-critical applications and workloads get priority. We deliver content filtering for schools to help keep children safe. We also provide services to help keep healthcare organizations in compliance with HIPAA requirements.

“The emergence of next-generation NGSO satellite solutions at MEO and LEO promises to offer extremely low latency, extremely high throughput satellite solutions that could provide fiber-like connectivity to practically anywhere on the globe.” – Vickie Kelly

We also enable content caching for school districts that allows them to download content so that it lives on a server locally. This means they don’t have to rely on broadband connectivity to utilize those assets.

GSR: Considering the importance of the network and the service that it delivers – as well as the unique challenges of the region – what should organizations in places like Alaska be looking for in an industry partner? What attributes, expertise and experience are necessary to operate in these environments?

Vickie Kelly: One of the most important things these organizations in Alaska need to be looking at is the contention ratios of the providers. If the bandwidth is contended, there is a good chance that it will not be available for them when they really need it – or that it won’t offer the high throughputs that they need for particular use cases or applications.

This can be difficult for end users because many network and service providers have become very good at hiding the language about the fact that their bandwidth is contended. They need to read between the lines and ask difficult questions to ensure that they’re going to get the service that they need when they need it.

“In some areas, satellite services are the only solution for delivering coverage and connectivity. For example, the Aleutian Islands, a chain of islands that separates the north Pacific Ocean from the Bering Sea, are so remote that satellite connectivity is the only option for the people there.” – Vickie Kelly

I also think they should be looking for providers that not only offer a solution for today but are also innovating for the future. Just because microwave networks are the best solution for meeting the bandwidth requirements of these remote communities in Alaska now doesn’t mean they always will be.

We’re at a very exciting time in satellite and broadband connectivity. The emergence of next-generation NGSO satellite solutions at MEO and LEO promises to offer extremely low latency, extremely high throughput satellite solutions that could provide fiber-like connectivity to practically anywhere on the globe.

These organizations need to be looking for industry partners that not only recognize how this industry is evolving but are also investing in the future of these technologies. They need to be looking for organizations that have the resources, knowledge, and capabilities to bring these new technologies to bear to help meet their mission requirements.

To learn more about the next generation of NGSO satellite solutions that can deliver high throughput, low latency connectivity to remote locations, click HERE.

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