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.

While the launch of these first two satellites will not immediately result in the SES O3b mPOWER satellite service becoming available to government users, it’s a massive first step in what will be a revolutionary introduction to the commercial satellite industry. And it’s a long time in the making. The SES O3b mPOWER satellite service was first announced in September 2017 and has been anxiously awaited by military and government satellite customers ever since.

With the launch right around the corner, the Government Satellite Report sat down with the CEO of SES Space and Defense, David Fields, to discuss the SES O3b mPOWER service. During our discussion, we asked why the service is considered revolutionary across the satellite industry, why government and military users are excited about its launch, and the technology trends that are making this new service necessary.

Government Satellite Report (GSR): The first O3b mPOWER satellites are tentatively slated to launch later this week. Why is this such an exciting milestone for SES Government Solutions? What about these new satellites is so revolutionary?

David Fields: It’s important to understand that the O3b mPOWER satellite service represents a truly transformational advancement in commercial satellite capability. The O3b mPOWER service is a massive breakthrough in the delivery of satellite capacity from non-geostationary orbit (NGSO).

Being positioned in MEO enables the O3b mPOWER satellites to deliver incredible capacity at extremely low latency. This higher throughput and lower latency are ideal for many of the advanced IT solutions and capabilities that are being implemented across the U.S. government and military today.

Our government and military customers need lower latency and higher throughput. They need a more simple and more flexible ground infrastructure that is more customizable and easier to secure. They need the ability to leverage sovereign gateways. O3b mPOWER delivers all of these things to our government and military users.

The service is not a closed system. It enables military and government users to leverage their own gateways. It enables them to bring their own waveforms. It’s compliant with all of their most rigid security requirements.

O3b mPOWER delivers all of these things because it was built with the needs of our government and military users in mind. It wasn’t designed to be a consumer solution that is also available to the government. SES built O3b mPOWER from the bottom up to meet government and military requirements.

GSR: If you were a government or military organization, why would O3b mPOWER be important for you? What trends are we seeing in the government that make the launch of O3b mPOWER an important development?

David Fields: That’s a great question, and it really comes down to data. Just look at the military – in particular. The amount of sensor data, the amount of video, and the amount of data – in general – that is being aggregated in theater and that needs to be transmitted back to senior military decision-makers is enormous now.

The amount of data that is being generated is staggering. And for that data to be useful for the military, it needs to be made available, analyzed for actionable insights, and shared in real time. That’s what will enable the military to make better, more data-driven decisions.

“We’re very excited to see these first satellites launched and get into orbit…There will be several additional launches after this initial launch. However, these first satellites that we’re launching will enable us to validate the service and capabilities.” – David Fields

The applications that the government and military leverage at the tactical edge will only continue to expand to fill the amount of bandwidth that these organizations can afford to buy. Our goal with O3b mPOWER is to deliver a cost-effective satellite service that delivers high-throughput, low-latency bandwidth when they need it, and where they need it.

GSR: When we talk to people about O3b mPOWER and the benefits that it will deliver, the capacity and low latency are usually the first things they mention. But there is more to O3b mPOWER than that – the satellites will also offer more flexibility. Why would the government care about that?

David Fields: These satellites are some of the most capable ever built. This enables them to deliver incredible flexibility for government users. O3b mPOWER gives government and military users the ability to define and steer beams. This is immensely important since it enables users to place a beam of satellite capacity where they need it and when they need it.

This means that government users are not locked into paying for an established amount of capacity or coverage that they don’t need. If they need capacity for a small group of naval vessels, or a small squad of warfighters, or even a single ISR aircraft, they can put a beam where they need it to meet that requirement.

Also, O3b mPOWER enables asymmetric capability. This means that the outbound and inbound capacity is not fixed. If more inbound capacity is needed, the inbound satellite capacity can be increased. If an ISR mission requires mostly outbound data so that HD video can be transmitted in real-time, that can also be accommodated. Government and military users will have the flexibility to tailor the capacity in either direction to meet their unique mission requirements.

GSR: Security is a major issue for the military today. How can O3b mPOWER protect military networks and data at a time when satellite is more essential, but the space and cyber domains are increasingly threatened?

David Fields: The nature of the O3b mPOWER satellites, themselves, make them more secure and more assured for government and military users. The ability to provision and steer a small beam of connectivity makes O3b mPOWER inherently more assured than wide beam satellite solutions.

The smaller beams that are utilized by O3b mPOWER are harder to locate for adversaries. They’re also harder to deny. As you know, satellite jamming needs to happen from within the beam, so a smaller beam is – by its nature – more difficult to jam for adversaries.

“The service is not a closed system. It enables military and government users to leverage their own gateways. It enables them to bring their own waveforms. It’s compliant with all of their most rigid security requirements.” – David Fields

But, jamming aside, security and assurance come down to the resiliency of the network.

Since the O3b mPOWER satellite service was designed with government and military users in mind, SES has ensured that they can bring their own waveform. This includes protected waveforms. Also, since the service was purpose-built for government and military users, it offers something that many commercial satellites can’t – bandwidth that is always available when and where they need it.

The O3b mPOWER satellite service offers capacity that is committed to government and military users, which ensures that they’re not competing with other authorized users. There won’t be a lack of capacity for government or military users because gamers, or consumers that are streaming entertainment content are dominating the capacity.

GSR: What advanced use cases and capabilities could you envision the government and military leveraging O3b mPOWER for in the immediate future?

David Fields: SES was one of the first companies to build an NGSO commercial capability. We have years of experience operating an NGSO constellation and truly understand the advantages and disadvantages of NGSO commercial satellite services.

O3b mPOWER leverages that experience and expands on our ability to deliver capabilities that government and military users have been asking for. That includes things like mobility and comms on the move for our military users.

“These satellites are some of the most capable ever built. This enables them to deliver incredible flexibility for government users.” – David Fields

Since O3b mPOWER provides smaller, more powerful beams, it can deliver capabilities to smaller antennas for use in ISR, land mobility, and other use cases that require small aperture terminals. These are capabilities that have not been served to date and are in high demand from our government and military users.

GSR: Obviously, when it comes to satellite services and solutions, the launch of a satellite doesn’t mean that the service is immediately available. What needs to happen in space after the satellites are launched? How long will it take for the satellites to come online? When will O3b mPOWER service be available for users?

David Fields: Every journey begins with a single step, and the O3b mPOWER journey begins this week with this launch. The current launch date is tentatively scheduled for December 16, 2022. That launch starts the process.

We’re very excited to see these first satellites launched and get into orbit. But, as with any NGSO satellite service, the satellites do not remain in a fixed point or location in the sky. This means that you need to have the full constellation launched for it to function.

There will be several additional launches after this initial launch. However, these first satellites that we’re launching will enable us to validate the service and capabilities. As the additional satellites are launched, SES will be building out the network and testing functionality to ensure that O3b mPOWER is ready for customers when it comes online.

We anticipate that this revolutionary service will be available for our users in Q3 of 2023.

For additional information about O3b mPOWER, click HERE.

The post Starting the Countdown to O3b mPOWER appeared first on SES Space and Defense.

It’s not unusual for the NDAA to feature a number of different directives and requests for the DoD and the disparate military services. They may be asked to research ways to increase readiness. Or they may be directed to identify new ways to deliver mental or physical wellness services to enlisted service members.

But this year’s NDAA had a very specific and somewhat unusual request related to satellite communications:

“Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretaries of the military departments and the heads of the Defense Agencies, shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on current commercial satellite communication initiatives, including with respect to new non-geostationary orbit satellite technologies that the Department of Defense has employed to increase satellite communication throughput to existing platforms of the military departments currently constrained by legacy capabilities.”

What are non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) commercial satellite services? They’re effectively any satellite communications service that are delivered via a satellite constellation that exists in an orbit closer to the Earth than geostationary orbit (GEO). And why is Congress so interested in NGSO satellite communications and its use by the DoD? There are a few good reasons for that.

The case for NGSO satellite
To truly oversimplify the operation of satellite networks, satellite communications function by a signal being sent into space, where it’s relayed by a satellite in orbit back to a physical location on Earth. The further the satellite is from Earth, the further that signal needs to travel – both in its initial journey to the satellite, and then in its return journey back to the Earth. The time that it takes to complete that journey is experienced by users as latency.

“Assurance is important when tools like satellite connectivity are mission-critical. The military needs to understand the risk that their satellite services face both on Earth and in space, and choose the solutions that will be available when they need them.”

By putting satellites in orbits closer to the Earth than GEO, commercial satellite providers have dramatically reduced the latency of satellite communications. When coupled with the next generation of high throughput satellite technologies, these satellites closer to Earth are capable of delivering incredibly high throughputs with incredibly low latency. This effectively results in a user experience not unlike a terrestrial fiberoptic network. But, unlike terrestrial networks, these NGSO satellite solutions are available practically anywhere on Earth – even in the most austere and geographically isolated of locations.

With the potential to deliver fiber-like connectivity to anywhere – from a military forward operating base in the middle of the desert, to a naval vessel afloat in the middle of the Pacific – it’s easy to see why Congress would be interested in the DoD investing in NGSO commercial satellite services. The use cases are almost limitless – ranging from traditional military operations, like intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), to the downright futurist, like delivering telemedicine services via video teleconference.

But “NGSO” is a relatively broad term that includes a number of different satellite constellations in orbits outside of GEO. There is a veritable alphabet soup of other orbits, including Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) and Lower Earth Orbit (LEO) where commercial SATCOM providers are operating constellations. As a result, there are a number of disparate satellite operators to choose from, and a wide variety of services to choose between.

Which NGSO satellite solution is the right one?
While NGSO satellite can deliver the connectivity that the military needs in an age where practically every platform and weapons system is network and software-enabled, there could be some confusion as to which NGSO satellite service meets the needs of the DoD. And that choice will only get harder, as a number of new satellite services are set to launch in the next half-decade.

Here are three considerations that DoD decision-makers should keep in mind as they evaluate NGSO satellite services and solutions to ensure they get one that will meet mission requirements:

Is it secure?
When Internet and other critical communications services were denied at the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a LEO satellite solution was rapidly made available to restore communications. Seemingly within hours, that LEO satellite service was degraded and denied, once again leaving the people of Ukraine without access to critical comms.

The provider of those services was heralded for its ability to quickly push updates to terminals and get that satellite service back online. But is that really what the military wants and needs?

As we discussed, today’s weapons systems and platforms work best when network enabled. The advanced AR, IoT, and other technology systems that the DoD is investing in for use on the battlefield are ultimately useless if they’re not connected. If today’s warfighters are trained on these systems, and are more effective with these capabilities, the military can’t have them denied – even if only temporarily.

“With the potential to deliver fiber-like connectivity to anywhere – from a military forward operating base in the middle of the desert, to a naval vessel afloat in the middle of the Pacific – it’s easy to see why Congress would be interested in the DoD investing in NGSO commercial satellite services.”

With the security of satellite communications so essential, the military should be looking for NGSO satellite solutions that have been cyber-hardened against the most pressing threats identified by the Office of Director of National Intelligence Space Threat Assessment. They should be looking for solutions that complicate an adversary’s targeting calculus by having no permanent paired linkage between U/L and D/L frequencies and polarities.

They should be looking for solutions that can quickly and easily adjust should attempts be made to jam or deny satellite service. For example, can a satellite solution rapidly adjust frequencies, polarities, power levels, bandwidth, handover timing, and beam location to avoid interference? And is there a GEO system available that can provide wide-area satellite capacity should the NGSO solution be denied?

Is it assured?
Not all of the threats to satellites are cyber and jamming threats. Sometimes there are threats to satellite communications that originate in orbit with the satellites. This includes the threat of interference and collision with other satellites in their orbit.

While GEO has traditionally been the home to most of the communications satellites in use throughout history, LEO is not exactly greenfield real estate. As of September 2021, there were 7,500 satellites in LEO. Compare that to the more than 550 satellites in GEO, and the approximately 140 satellites in MEO. Suddenly that orbit starts to sound incredibly congested. And that’s only going to get worse.

As smallsats and cubesats continue to become less expensive to purchase, and cheaper to launch, the number of them in LEO will increase exponentially. LEO is also considered by many to be the forerunner for the next generation of positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) satellites.

But, most importantly, since LEO satellites have an incredibly small Earth view, many satellites are needed in a LEO constellation to blanket the Earth in coverage. With numerous companies in a race to build LEO constellations with global coverage, LEO could see the addition of hundreds of new communications satellites in orbit just in the next few years.

Assurance is important when tools like satellite connectivity are mission-critical. The military needs to understand the risk that their satellite services face both on Earth and in space, and choose the solutions that will be available when they need them.

How much throughput is needed?
Satellite communications from GEO will play a role for the military into the future. It’s the most effective solution for covering a broad area in connectivity. NGSO satellite solutions will most likely play a more specialized role – providing incredibly high throughputs with miniscule latency for bandwidth-hungry modern IT solutions in the field.

“The advanced AR, IoT and other technology systems that the DoD is investing in for use in the battlefield are ultimately useless if they’re not connected. If today’s warfighters are trained on these systems, and are more effective with these capabilities, the military can’t have them denied – even if only temporarily.”

If the military needs to stream multiple, HD-quality ISR video streams from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or F-35s back to the military decision-makers that need the intelligence to make informed decisions, NGSO satellite is essential. Suppose the military wants to enable fiber-like connectivity for telehealth, or morale, welfare, and recreation (MWR) capabilities onboard a Naval vessel in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. In that case, NGSO satellite is the correct choice.

But different NGSO satellite solutions offer different levels of capacity and bandwidth. If a large amount of bandwidth is needed, the DoD should be looking for a solution that can deliver multiple GBPS to each individual terminal – which should be more than enough capacity for even the most bandwidth-hungry of applications.

Considering the importance of fiber-like connectivity for the next generation of military platforms and weapons systems, it’s easy to understand why Congress specifically asked for a report on the military’s use of NGSO commercial satellite services in the most recent NDAA. But, if the DoD is going to begin to increase its reliance on NGSO solutions, it needs to ensure it’s choosing the right offering for its requirements. Security, assurance, and throughputs are just three of the many considerations they should keep in mind when evaluating solutions, but they’re quite possibly three of the most essential.

To learn more about how NGSO satellite services from MEO can deliver advanced capabilities to the warfighter, click HERE to download a complimentary copy of the whitepaper, “A New Era of Connectivity.”

Featured image: U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Cameron J. Rider establishes satellite communication with the combat operations center. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Ulises Salgado). The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

The post 3 Considerations for Choosing the Best NGSO Satellite Solution appeared first on SES Space and Defense.

The TROJAN Network is the U.S. Army’s premier intelligence network, responsible for delivering operational intelligence capabilities and enhancing combat readiness for the warfighter, while enabling military decision-makers to make better, more data-driven decisions on the battlefield.

SES Space and Defense has been delivering satellite services in support of INSCOM and the TROJAN Network for more than two decades. To learn more about the Army’s TROJAN Network, why it’s essential for empowering the Army intelligence community, and why SES was chosen to continue delivering essential satellite services to INSCOM, we sat down with G. RamosCarr, a Senior Account Director at SES Space and Defense.

Government Satellite Report (GSR): Can you tell our readers a bit about the TROJAN Network? What does it do, and what role does it play for the Army?

G. RamosCarr: The U.S. Army has a large ecosystem of intelligence (intel) analysts and leads stationed all across the globe. These intel analysts all need access to the same data and intelligence information as their associates, and to be able to share important intelligence information.

That is the role of TROJAN.

The TROJAN Network functions to enable information and intelligence data sharing for the global network of intel analysts – whether they report to an individual combatant command or to INSCOM. By enabling intel data sharing and analysis, TROJAN effectively helps the U.S. Army make better, more informed, data-driven decisions.

GSR: Why is satellite an important component of TROJAN?

G. RamosCarr: This network of intel analysts and leads across the globe aren’t all operating in the same conditions and environments. In fact, many may be operating in austere environments where there is little or no terrestrial network connectivity, or where the existing terrestrial networks are denied or untrusted.

“Military intel is a highly prioritized user of MILSATCOM networks. However, when there are multiple satellite requirements happening concurrently, there is always the opportunity for satellite service to be preempted for other missions. There is only so much capacity available.” – G. RamosCarr

Satellite is essential in these environments because of its ability to deliver seamless, resilient connectivity and deliver essential intelligence data from in-theater to a known, trusted enclave. Satellite effectively gives a distributed network of intel analysts the same capability when they are deployed as when they are in headquarters.

GSR: Why are COMSATCOM solutions used for carrying TROJAN data and Army intelligence information instead of dedicated MILSATCOM resources?

G. RamosCarr: Military intel is a highly prioritized user of MILSATCOM networks. However, when there are multiple satellite requirements happening concurrently, there is always the opportunity for satellite service to be preempted for other missions. There is only so much capacity available.

Having a commercial partner that can deliver trusted, resilient satellite connectivity when and where it’s needed ensures that important intel data sharing and analysis doesn’t have to be interrupted because other missions preempted satellite communications. But there are other benefits that COMSATCOM brings to TROJAN and the U.S. Army intelligence community.

Considering the importance of military intelligence, and understanding that higher-quality intelligence data and information makes our military better and more effective, it’s understandable that the military would want to leverage the innovation of the COMSATCOM industry for its intel community.

Working with COMSATCOM gives the Army access to innovative new commercial technologies that are available today. Technologies that they would have to wait years to develop and deploy on their own. For example, at SES Space and Defense, we’ve built a Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) constellation in O3b. And, later this year we’re going to be launching the next generation of that MEO constellation when we launch the O3b mPOWER satellite service.

“When O3b mPOWER is launched, the number of HTS beams in a region will increase dramatically – from approximately 10 to literally thousands. These powerful beams will allow for the use of different transponder sizes, and for capacity to be scaled to meet requirements.” – G. RamosCarr

The unprecedented scalability, capacity, and automation that will be delivered via O3b mPOWER will be available this year to the U.S. Army. It would take them years to field a comparable, purpose-built solution.

GSR: Are there any security concerns when it comes to using COMSATCOM for this use case? How do companies like SES assuage those concerns?

G. RamosCarr: SES Space and Defense has a very mature information assurance and mitigation strategy that is constantly being iterated and improved on. One of the reasons why we’re a trusted partner for the military – and for the Army on the TROJAN Network – is because of our steadfast commitment to protecting our customers’ data.

Security is clearly a concern with something like TROJAN, but we can work with the customer to design their network and utilize security solutions that keep their data safe. In addition, there are inherent security benefits with our O3b MEO and O3b mPOWER satellite services. The satellites are always moving, making them much harder to track and jam. The beam steering and other features built into the O3b mPOWER satellite service also make them more secure and assured.

Finally, if there is a need in the specific areas of responsibility (AORs) where there is access to our GOVSAT-1 solution, the Army intelligence community could benefit from the added security and reliability of our commercially-available military X-band and Ka-band capacity.

GSR: This was a recompete for the TROJAN contract. What about SES’s delivery of service for the original contract made the Army want to continue working with the company?

G. RamosCarr: Our team has developed and executed on a strategy to support the customer and their mission needs based on hard measurement metrics and processes that we’ve put in place that enable the customer to success and accomplish their mission.

We’ve also been dynamic – changing and evolving the network to meet their shifting mission requirements. In addition, we’ve been innovative – bringing new and exciting solutions to the marketplace such as the O3b mPOWER satellite service.

GSR: Is the TROJAN Network operated at GEO only, or is there also a need and use case for NGSO satellite services, as well? How does the multi-orbit satellite constellation that SES operates help the Army when it comes to sharing intelligence data?

“The TROJAN Network functions to enable information and intelligence data sharing for the global network of intel analysts – whether they report to an individual combatant command or to INSCOM.” – G. RamosCarr

G. RamosCarr: Today, the requirement is for capacity from GEO, which we’re providing to meet the Army’s satellite requirements. There have been mission requirements in the past that warranted leveraging our different capabilities, including high throughput satellites (HTS) at GEO and MEO.

However, while there is a path to utilize those other technologies – and while we’ve been able to leverage them for the Army in the past when the mission required it – GEO is specifically what is required for this solution.

GSR: With the launch of MPOWER imminent, will this new contract enable the Army to leverage those satellites for their intelligence requirements? If so, what do they bring to the table?

G. RamosCarr: This contract doesn’t specifically enable the Army to leverage MEO services. However, we do have a BPA for MEO capabilities and there is a follow-on BPA in the works that will give the U.S. Army access to O3b mPOWER, which will be launched in 2022.

When O3b mPOWER is launched, the number of HTS beams in a region will increase dramatically – from approximately 10 to literally thousands. These powerful beams will allow for the use of different transponder sizes, and for capacity to be scaled to meet requirements. This new service can also be utilized by the U.S. Army with no ground infrastructure changes, since there is no need to send data through a SES gateway – it can be sent directly to where the U.S. Army needs it.

O3b mPOWER will be game-changing for the military, in general. But it will be revolutionary for the U.S. intelligence community.

For additional information on the TROJAN contract, click HERE.

Featured image courtesy of U.S. Army National Guard. Photo by Sgt. John Stephens, 49th MP Brigade. The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

The post TROJAN – Bringing Commercial Innovation to Army Intelligence Satellite Requirements appeared first on SES Space and Defense.

In an effort to evaluate and begin tapping into the accelerated innovation coming out of the COMSATCOM industry, NASA has created the Communications Services Project (CSP), an agency initiative that seeks to harness commercial industry’s advances in order to, “…ensure NASA missions have the reliable, secure and continual space communications on which their long-term operations depend.”

NASA recently announced that SES Space and Defense, in partnership with Planet Labs (Planet), will be awarded a Funded Space Act Agreement to support the development and demonstration of near-Earth space relay communication services in support of the agency’s future mission needs.

To learn more about the CSP, why SES Space and Defense was chosen to support the project, as well as how the company’s O3b mPOWER satellite constellation will deliver near-Earth comms capabilities to NASA, the Government Satellite Report recently sat down with Eric Gunzelman, a Senior Director at SES Space and Defense.

Here is what he had to say:

Government Satellite Report (GSR): What is the NASA Communications Services Project? What are they looking to deliver communications and connectivity for?

Eric Gunzelman: NASA’s Communication Services Project (CSP) is primarily focused on pioneering the future of NASA’s near-Earth space communications and evaluating the feasibility of leveraging commercial SATCOM networks to reliably support future NASA missions, particularly through space relay, also known as satellite-to-satellite communications.

NASA has recognized the growth in commercial satellite technology and the maturation of that technology to now handle communications relay through space, as a more efficient, cost-effective alternative to the purpose-built TDRSS that NASA has operated for decades.

TDRSS is a highly capable satellite that sits in Geostationary Orbit (GEO) and provides relay services to NASA science missions at Low Earth Orbit (LEO), with the highest-profile one being the relay mission from the International Space Station (ISS).

Sometimes these LEO satellites are not always in view of the ground station, but NASA investigators still need immediate access to the scientific data collected. TDRSS functions to relay that scientific data to the ground immediately even when the LEO satellite is not in view of an earth station.

For example, Johnson Space Center can communicate to astronauts who may be on the other side of the Earth, via the 24/7 direct communication TDRSS enables.

GSR: Why is NASA looking to replace TDRSS? Why is commercial satellite a viable or preferred candidate to replace TDRSS?

Eric Gunzelman: The main reason is the expense. It costs a lot of money to build your own purpose-built constellation of satellites to cover the globe. NASA believes that the commercial technology marketplace has matured enough to enable reliable space relay capabilities. As a case in point, the commercial imagery industry has matured to the point of providing high-resolution photographs that we have all seen on the national news throughout the Ukraine conflict.

NASA is providing the funding to not only help demonstrate these emerging COMSATCOM relay services, but also the “seed” money to develop the market such that NASA is one of many customers. If they can get CSP off the ground in a cost-share agreement to help create the market – but not be the sole proprietor of the service – then that will be a big win that will save the agency money over continuing to develop and launch a purpose-built TDRSS satellite system.

“O3b and SES have been operating in a mature MEO system since 2014, providing services to the U.S. government since 2016. They have delivered more than 10 gigabytes per second on 41 contracts. That experience and legacy will ensure that NASA is receiving a low-risk, high-payoff capability for space relay.” – Eric Gunzelman

GSR: Will SES Space and Defense be delivering capacity on GEO satellites only, or will it also be leveraging its Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellite constellation to deliver service to the CSP?

Eric Gunzelman: We will begin primarily with the hybrid, GEO/MEO concept. The long-term plan is to offer most of our services through MEO, due to its lower latency and higher throughput. However, we can provide services through GEO as well.

GSR: Why is the CSP so important for NASA? How has the agency’s connectivity and communications requirements changed and shifted to make connectivity in LEO so essential?

Eric Gunzelman: Most of NASA’s Earth-observing missions are in LEO because of its closer proximity to the Earth. And a lot of those scientific missions are best served if we can get the data back to the NASA Principal Investigator as soon as the event happens. This helps NASA understand the science as it happens on our planet, and enables NASA to identify any correlation with other events around the globe.

Currently, NASA science missions that operate in polar orbits sometimes need to wait up to 30 minutes to downlink their data to an earth station if they don’t have enough priority to use TDRSS.

GSR: How will delivering MEO capacity via O3b mPOWER better enable NASA missions in LEO? What will this make possible for them? What capabilities will it enable?

Eric Gunzelman: NASA has a handful of mission sets that can be serviced by relay, including launch and early orbit, as well as your standard LEO science missions. With our 50+ GEO satellites and new O3b mPOWER MEO constellation, we can service them without the need of being in view of a NASA ground station. This reduces the long-term costs for NASA, saving budgets on TDRSS procurement and ongoing operations and maintenance, and on the ground infrastructure required to support TDRSS.

“If [NASA] can get CSP off the ground in a cost-share agreement to help create the market – but not be the sole proprietor of the service – then that will be a big win that will save the agency money over continuing to develop and launch a purpose-built TDRSS satellite system.” – Eric Gunzelman

As noted earlier, NASA missions don’t always have access to TDRSS because of other mission priorities (such as manned flights/the ISS). There’s a priority structure. In addition, a market implies many vendors to choose from. So, in theory, NASA could have access to multiple providers so buying a service when they need it and only when they need it should save billions of dollars, averting the cost to build and maintain TDRSS.

In fact, NASA has been working on this effort for nearly a decade now. The Phase One studies showed that COMSATCOM technologies had advanced and matured to consider the market space. In fact, NASA has committed to Congress, as a result of their Phase One studies that they can get off of TDRSS by the early to mid-2030s, with some new missions capable of transitioning much sooner. The final TDRSS will fly out, and they will make use of their services as they can. But the current plan is to transition to commercial for new NASA missions beginning in 2026.

GSR: Why were SES Space and Defense and Planet chosen for this program? What role will SES Space and Defense play? What role will Planet play?

Eric Gunzelman: We were one of six vendors chosen by NASA — we offer the only mature non-GEO satellite system today, that being O3b constellation operating at MEO (8,062 km). This gives us a unique vantage point because we see more of the Earth at any one time than our LEO counterparts but we don’t suffer the high latencies of GEO satellites.

“Most of NASA’s Earth observing missions are in LEO…a lot of those scientific missions are best served if we can get the data back to the NASA Principal Investigator as soon as the event happens.” – Eric Gunzelman

Planet is chosen because they know how to build and launch LEO demonstration satellites with an Earth observation payload — they know how to build small efficient satellites with an earth-based mission (imaging in this case). Planet has launched nearly 200 satellites.

GSR: What is the timeline for the CSP? Is it up and working today? If not, when will it be operational?

Eric Gunzelman: It is a four-year demonstration program that will conclude with an operational service in the late-2025/early-2026 timeframe. Ideally, NASA wants to immediately transition from this demonstration program into operational service.

O3b and SES have been operating in a mature MEO system since 2014, providing services to the U.S. government since 2016. They have delivered more than 10 gigabytes per second on 41 contracts. That experience and legacy will ensure that NASA is receiving a low-risk, high-payoff capability for space relay. We are just moving the terminal from the ground to space, and bringing the connectivity along with it.

To learn more about the agreement between NASA, SES Space and Defense, and Planet click HERE.

The post Moving the Terminal from the Ground to Space – How COMSATCOM Will Enable the NASA Communications Services Project appeared first on SES Space and Defense.

If recent events in Eastern Europe have shown us anything, it’s that there really was cause for concern among military and satellite industry thought leaders. Satellite networks and communications have been an early target for adversaries as a way to deny mission-critical communications and capabilities. And with modern militaries relying heavily on network and software-enabled platforms, those satellite networks need to be resilient, because they’re now mission-critical.

One of the best ways to make satellite communications more assured is to enable the military to quickly and seamlessly move their signals to overcome the adversary’s attempts to deny them. If signals can be switched between commercial satellite networks and military satellite networks, the adversary’s targeting calculus becomes more difficult, and the military can more rapidly restore communications that were degraded or denied.

But even better would be the ability to seamlessly move signals from MILSATCOM assets in geostationary orbit (GEO) to commercial satellites in any orbit – including GEO, medium earth orbit (MEO), and low earth orbit (LEO). Not only would this make the targeting of satellite networks nearly impossible for the adversary, but it would also give the military access to an ecosystem of thousands of satellites with which to operate.

Interoperability between terminals and terrestrial networks has long been the stumbling block to enabling this kind of seamless switching between satellites. But recent tests being conducted for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) have illustrated that the obstacle of interoperability could soon be eliminated.

In December of last year, SES Space and Defense announced that it worked in close cooperation with Lite Coms to update the legacy U.S. Army Phoenix Terminal to be MEO capable for the U.S. Army. The upgraded terminal could operate with traditional commercial and military GEO satellites, as well as with commercial Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) constellations.

To learn more about this test and what it means for the U.S. Army, we sat down with the President and CEO of Lite Coms, Robert Jacobson.

Government Satellite Report (GSR): Can you tell our readers a bit about Lite Coms and its solutions? What solutions does the company design and manufacture? Who are they intended for?

Robert Jacobson: Lite Coms LLC is a three-year-old company in Victor, NY, comprised of a team of engineers, operations professionals, and programs professionals that have worked together for more than 20 years, building and delivering more than 11,000 VSAT terminals to defense customers in the U.S. and around the globe.

We create the most feature-rich and highest-performing products in the market. Our parabolic Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSAT) and Electronically Steerable Array (ESA) flat panel terminals are the most capable products available to the U.S. military and its coalition partners.

In the past three years, we have introduced more than a dozen products – each one more capable and more advanced than anything our competitors have on the market.  Military customers seek us out because of the performance of our product, our dedication to customer support, and our high attention to detail.

GSR: Why are terminals that are rugged, light, and easy to use essential for today’s military?

Robert Jacobson: The increase in advance technology on the battlefield can be taxing on an operator. And we don’t want to add to that stress. That’s why we believe the focus of the soldier, sailor, airman, or marine should not be on how to make their terminal function.

We are committed to using the latest in technology and industry standards to make their job easier through software, automation, miniaturization, and advanced packaging technologies for survivability. And we work to balance that with low size, weight, and power requirements (SWaP) to minimize the impact on the warfighter.

“SES and Lite Coms conducted testing in support of the U.S. Army…with the Phoenix E terminal delivering communications via the SES O3b MEO satellite constellation…The results were excellent. In fact, we became the de facto primary means of communications when other legacy hardware and new LEO-only systems were having difficulties.” – Robert Jacobson

As advanced technologies increasingly make their way into the battlefield and become critical to virtually every military mission, it’s essential that terminals can be operated by untrained users, and that they can be stored and transported in a rucksack instead of multiple transit cases.

GSR: Lite Comms recently worked with SES to make its Phoenix E terminal work with MEO. Why is MEO satellite connectivity desirable to the military? What advanced capabilities can MEO enable?

Robert Jacobson: We believe the Phoenix E MEO certification is a major milestone for the satellite communications community. This is the first time there is a WGS-certified and MEO-certified terminal available to the DOD. This also marks the first time that a low PIM, multi-carrier X-band terminal is available to them, as well.

The data rates offered through the MEO enhancement are truly game-changing. The Phoenix E on WGS has been tested to deliver data rates of 50 Mbps. The O3B network from SES will support data rates of up to 600Mbps on the same Phoenix E terminal.

GSR: Can the Phoenix terminals work with both GEO and MEO? How can these terminals enable multi-domain operations?

Robert Jacobson: We are striving to ensure all Lite Coms terminals are “Constellation Agnostic.” We believe that allowing the Expeditionary Signal Battalion-Enhanced to have single terminal – like Phoenix E – that can be used with constellations in both MEO and GEO brings a whole new paradigm of mission planning and options to our warfighter.

“We believe the Phoenix E MEO certification is a major milestone…This is the first time there is a WGS-certified and MEO-certified terminal available to the DOD. This also marks the first time that a low PIM, multi-carrier X-band terminal is available to them, as well.” – Robert Jacobson

Depending on the mission, they can use standard WGS on X-band or military Ka-band, or commercial Ku-band, traditional C-band, or the game-changing MEO O3b from SES.

GSR: Why would the military be interested in accessing satellite communications from different orbits utilizing the same terminals and hardware? What benefits could this deliver?

Robert Jacobson: Tailoring your communications to meet your mission requirements is of critical importance to the mission planners. Having the ability to expand your data throughput from 50Mbps to 600Mbps using the same organic products is of great interest to the military leadership.

Also, cost savings in hardware and in transport is staggering when you get data rates like this through a terminal typically capable of 50Mbps. The days of needing to bring 3.9 meter or larger terminals will be a thing of the past. We will drastically reduce the amount of equipment being transported via aircraft with this technology.

GSR: SES Space and Defense recently announced that they were doing some multiple orbit testing for the U.S. Army. How is Lite Coms involved in these tests? What do the tests entail, and what is the Army looking to determine with these tests?

Robert Jacobson: Last fall, SES and Lite Coms conducted testing in support of the U.S. Army. The testing took place over a number of months, with the Phoenix E terminal delivering communications via the SES O3b MEO satellite constellation for Army users in Fort Lewis and Yuma. The results were excellent.  We tracked the MEO satellites consistently and had no failures or breaks in communication for the duration of the exercise.

“The increase in advanced technology on the battlefield can be taxing on an operator. And we don’t want to add to that stress.” – Robert Jacobson

In fact, we became the de facto primary means of communications when other legacy hardware and new LEO-only systems were having difficulties. Our new Phoenix E terminals delivered resilient, high-throughput communications, and proved that MEO upgrades to the Phoenix are a worthwhile investment for the U.S. Army.

Lite Coms is very excited to continue working with SES and the U.S. Department of Defense to field constellation agnostic solutions for our users now and into the future.

To learn more about the recent testing conducted by SES Space and Defense and Lite Coms on behalf of the U.S. Army, click HERE.

The post Terminal Tests Show Multi-Orbit, Integrated Satellite Architecture is Well Within Reach appeared first on SES Space and Defense.

Since the Viasat attack, commercial satellite operators across the globe have been on high alert for potential cyberattacks and breaches that could potentially compromise or disable their critical systems. In fact, the Viasat attack led President Biden to issue an official statement imploring the commercial industry to prepare for what may come next.

“Most of America’s critical infrastructure is owned and operated by the private sector and critical infrastructure owners and operators must accelerate efforts to lock their digital doors,” read the President’s statement. “If you have not already done so, I urge our private sector partners to harden your cyber defenses immediately.”

During last month’s SATELLITE 2022 conference, the Viasat incident was top-of-mind as conversations about the attack buzzed throughout the halls and session rooms of the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

In one SATELLITE session entitled, “Securing Commercial Systems for Government Use,” the Viasat cyberattack set the table for the panel discussion, as experts from SES Space and Defense, Inmarsat Government, Eutelsat, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), and the U.S. Army examined how both the U.S. government and the commercial satellite industry can work together to bolster the security of our nation’s commercial systems in space.

Here are a couple key takeaways on securing commercial satellite systems from the adversary and assuring the resiliency of satellite services and connectivity for the future battlefield:

GEO, MEO, LEO…and switching in between

It is imperative that the U.S. military have access to the satellite technologies and services that facilitate assured communications for the warfighter. But just as important as providing those services is the security, resiliency, and speed of those critical systems.

The importance of high-throughput and low latency satellite services provided by Medium-Earth Orbit (MEO) and Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites was a major discussion point during the session. U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Robert Collins shared with the panel that the Army’s focus on its next capability set will be expanding its capacity for MEO and LEO connectivity at the edge, pointing to the orbits’ proven track records on delivering high-throughput, low latency connectivity.

He continued to say how PACE (Primary, Alternate, Contingent, and Emergency) communications plans on-orbit could also strengthen resiliency of critical space systems. “I think this SATCOM layer just adds an additional ability for us to do that,” said Maj. Gen. Collins. “We want to leverage it…This is certainly something that we can tap into, and really thickens our communications structure.”

Pete Hoene, President and CEO of SES Space and Defense, also agreed that connectivity provided by MEO satellites will provide the warfighter with high-speed connection that they require on the ground. Referring to the SES O3b MEO satellite service, Hoene explained that it can deliver, “fiber-like latency that is very high-throughput,” and that the next-generation constellation – O3b mPOWER – will build upon those capabilities even further.

Though the latency and throughput provided by MEO satellites solves the issue for warfighters on the ground, they do not necessarily solve security issues on-orbit. But in a recent, successful test by SES and Hughes, the satellite providers were able to demonstrate their ability to switch signals across satellites in Geostationary (GEO) and MEO.

This new signal-switching capability solves a massive amount of on-orbit security issues. By being able to switch signals across orbits, the U.S. can assure the resiliency and security of the satellite systems and services that are available to the military.

Deploying a rapid beam switching capability on an integrated COMSATCOM and MILSATCOM architecture can enable the U.S. military to seamlessly roll-over applications and systems to other satellites inter- or intra-orbit, stopping adversaries in their tracks if they attempt to jam or execute kinetic attacks on commercial satellites leveraged by the U.S. government.

Agile Acquisition

Another key takeaway from the session was the important role agile acquisition of satellite capabilities and services play in securing commercial space assets that the military utilizes. Implementing an agile framework would facilitate faster military adoption of commercial capabilities that are modified and tailored specifically for the warfighter.

According to Maj. Gen. Collins, implementing an agile acquisition framework will allow the military to adopt new commercial capabilities quicker, enabling operators to be ahead of the adversary, which in turn would make space systems more secure. “We can bring in these technologies faster, and we can keep pace with the threat,” said Maj. Gen. Collins.

For Hoene, stronger partnerships between industry and the U.S. government procurement agencies are needed in order for the commercial industry to properly invest in the new capabilities that the U.S. government wants and needs.

To learn more about the recent cross-orbit signal test by SES and Hughes, click HERE.

The post Securing commercial satellites against growing adversarial threats appeared first on SES Space and Defense.

At IMX, SES Space and Defense provided a resilient, redundant, integrated transport layer via satellite that seamlessly interconnected U.S. and Partner Nation afloat Mission Operations Centers (MOCs), the TF-59 Headquarters Robotic Operations Center (ROC), multiple Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USV), and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) systems. The ROC was manned by several coalition navy personnel who were able to have full situational awareness throughout the exercise through Full Motion Video (FMV), Electro-Optical (EO), and Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) images, complemented by numerous other sensor data packages.

This was only possible because the SES Space and Defense solution comprised a fully managed end-to-end network using the latest in afloat Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) capable stabilized SATCOM, including terminals from our partners General Dynamics Mission Systems (GDMS) and GetSAT.

The combination of SES Space and Defense’s high throughput and low-latency satellite network, as well as its terrestrial network, enabled TF-59 to present unprecedented real-time sensor data to the international partners in the ROC in a “single-pane-of-glass” format. This greatly enhanced the Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics products employed by TF-59 across the multiple operational areas and provided significantly enhanced situational awareness as TF-59 moves towards its goal of a digital ocean operating posture.

“We greatly appreciate the opportunity to continue supporting the U.S. Navy and its forward-deployed commands with advanced SATCOM at geostationary and medium earth orbits,” said Pete Hoene, President and CEO of SES Space and Defense.  “This exercise is a great example of how we enable the Navy and others to improve on their information sharing and maritime awareness requirements while leveraging multi-orbit constellations.”

SES Space and Defense is the only satellite operator with operational experience delivering multi-orbit, multi-band managed SATCOM services to the Department of Defense (DoD) and coalition forces. It provides the critical elements to meet the DoD’s Fighting SATCOM posture and deliver assured communications in a contested environment.

To learn more about the benefits that next-generation MEO and HTS constellations can deliver to end-users at sea, click HERE to download a complimentary copy of the Whitepaper, “High Throughput on the High Seas.”

The post SES Space and Defense Connects NAVCENT During International Maritime Exercise appeared first on SES Space and Defense.

However, there is a new approach to acquiring commercial satellite services that is rapidly gaining traction across the government – a movement towards satellite managed services – that promises to bring more innovative, more affordable satellite solutions to government users. As the government begins to shift from leased capacity to this new “Satellite as a Service” approach to satellite acquisition, commercial satellite providers are working to introduce exciting new technologies that can deliver the added resiliency, scalability, and flexibility needed to meet the demands of government users.

One of these providers – SES Space and Defense– has invested heavily into new systems and satellites that will enable the company to deliver high-throughput satellite connectivity to government users from multiple orbits, ensuring that its satellite service offering will be capable of meeting even the most bandwidth-hungry missions that absolutely demand assurance and resiliency.

A cornerstone in the company’s plan to offer multi-orbit connectivity to government users as a service is the recently-launched SES-17 satellite, a revolutionary High-Throughput Satellite (HTS) that was sent into orbit in October of this year.

To learn more about the SES-17 satellite, why the company refers to it as a satellite that was “built for managed services,” and what makes satellite managed services so attractive to the United States government and military, we recently sat down with Amit Katti and Rashid Neighbors of SES Space and Defense.

Government Satellite Report (GSR): SES-17 was launched in late October, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s in use already, correct? What is the current status of the SES-17 satellite, and when is it expected to go into service?

Amit Katti: SES-17 was successfully launched onboard an Ariane 5 launcher operated by Arianespace from a spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana on October 23, 2021. Currently, the satellite is on its way to geosynchronous orbit (GEO).

Carolyn Cuppernull: Once in orbit, [SES-17] will undergo in-orbit testing for optimal performance with the goal to commence services on June 15, 2022. So, anticipate that SES-17 will commence service in about four months.

GSR: Recently, when SES has talked about the exciting new technologies that it’s implementing in its spacecraft and ground segment, the company is touting its upcoming O3b mPOWER MEO satellite solution. Is SES-17 a part of that? If not, what is the difference?

Rashid Neighbors: SES’ O3b mPOWER service is a low-latency, high throughput satellite service offering that is anticipated to launch in Q1 of 2022. That service utilizes High Throughput Satellites (HTS) at an orbit closer to Earth – at Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) – to deliver incredibly high throughputs at extremely low latency.

While SES-17 is an HTS, much like the satellites that power the O3b mPOWER service, it will operate in GEO.

There are many reasons why a government agency or military organization would want to utilize a commercial satellite service delivered from GEO. Depending on the mission and the use case, a GEO satellite solution with a larger coverage area may be ideal. Or the data being transferred via the satellite may not suffer from slightly higher latency – such as voice data.

Ultimately, our intent is to provide the U.S. Government with highly resilient, multi-orbit hybrid satellite solutions. While the spacecraft technology in SES-17 and the O3b mPOWER satellites is fundamentally different, the ground system will be integrated through a centralized system called ARC. This allows our government customers to focus on their mission and applications and let SES Space and Defense worry about how the transport works.

GSR: You mentioned a system called ARC. What is that specifically, and what does it do?

Amit Katti: ARC functions like the motherboard for a computer. It basically creates a common interface for different processing units.

With ARC, we can coordinate mission assurance across different technologies and orbits. We can also manage the space and ground segment resources, together, for our U.S. government and military customers.

GSR: In our past conversations, you’ve referred to SES-17 as a satellite built for managed services. How is a satellite managed service different from how the government and military have traditionally acquired satellite capacity? Why would the government and military want to make a move towards managed services?

Carolyn Cuppernull: Typically, the government has worked with multiple commercial satellite service providers to lease or purchase wholesale bandwidth that it then distributes to its users, as needed. Ultimately, this system of purchasing capacity on the spot market was expensive for the government and limited its ability to leverage new technologies being leveraged by the commercial satellite industry.

A recent trend that we’re seeing in the government and military is a movement towards a managed service model. In this model, everything that is necessary for an end-to-end satellite network is delivered as a service. The satellite capacity, the ground hardware – including terminals and antennas – are all included in the service.

Rashid Neighbors: With a managed service model for satellite services, the government would always have the latest commercial technologies and solutions available to them. With systems like ARC in place, they’ll also have the added resiliency and capability of being able to leverage a multi-orbit constellation. This means they would have access to low-latency, high-throughput connectivity from MEO, as well as wideband high-throughput connectivity from GEO, and they would be able to seamlessly switch between those resources based on their mission requirements.

The government and military rarely operate in static conditions. The environment changes, the mission shifts and evolves. Having a satellite managed service that gives them access to the latest and greatest technologies, as well as a multi-orbit satellite constellation ensures that they’ll always have the communications and connectivity they need to accomplish their mission – even if mission parameters or requirements change.

The technologies in SES-17, and the development of the ARC system, make this satellite a natural fit for the “Satellite as a Service” model, since it enables us to listen to the government’s and military’s requirements, and tailor a multi-orbit satellite solution that meets their needs and helps them accomplish their mission.

GSR: What is the coverage area of SES-17? Where will the government and military be able to leverage the services of this satellite, in particular?

Amit Katti: SES-17 will service the majority of North and South America. The satellite will also provide coverage to an area that is of incredible importance to the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), delivering services to parts of the Arctic Circle. Coverage will extend east into Africa, and cover a large part of Europe, as well.

SES-17 also offers coverage over much of the Atlantic Ocean, delivering seamless connectivity for maritime and air travel between the Americas and Europe.

To learn more about SES-17 and its potential to enable multi-orbit satellite managed services to the government and military, click HERE.

The post Satellite Managed Services Take Off with Successful SES-17 Launch appeared first on SES Space and Defense.

During our conversation, the SATCOM Expert explained how latency is a roadblock to embracing advanced technologies, including augmented reality (AR) and cloud solutions, in theater, and why removing latency from the equation can improve military operations and decision-making.

In the second part of our discussion, we asked about the differences in throughput and capacity between traditional GEO satellites and the next-generation HTS spacecraft that will comprise the mPOWER constellation at Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). We asked about security and mission assurance, and the benefits that next-generation satellites can deliver in this area, and we talked about the other tertiary benefits of mPOWER that should excite senior leaders in the Army.

Here is the second part of our conversation:

Government Satellite Report (GSR): What is connectivity typically like at the very tip of the spear? What kind of capabilities does this enable at the Forward Operating Base (FOB)? What is limiting the capabilities that the Army can access in the field?

SATCOM Expert: For a standard GEO satellite, the maximum on a transponder size would be 72 MHz per transponder. The ability to push anything higher is limited and finite. Not only do you have a constellation that’s sitting farther out in space in geostationary orbit, but it’s also limited as to what it can do per transponder and per satellite.

The ability to aggregate multiple transponders across different satellites is very challenging and difficult. This means that the Army is limited in capacity and latency, and lacks scalability. This can be a real problem when you consider the large data and file transfer requirements at the FOB.

mPOWER can deliver up to 1.25 GB of continuous bandwidth, which eliminates the limitations facing GEO because of its fixed transponder sizes. With mPOWER, the user can scale their capacity from 1 Mb to 100 Mb to 1000 Mb at the drop of a hat. And that capacity is delivered at incredibly high power. That has traditionally been a problem for GEO satellites, since your ground terminals need more power to communicate with the satellite – requiring larger, higher-powered antennas and terminals. This enables O3b mPOWER users to utilize small form factor terminals and still receive high throughputs and capacity.

The O3b mPOWER constellation will have more than 50,000 beams—5,000 per satellite—at its disposal. Those beams are incredibly high powered and can be pointed to any asset that the Army needs. This will enable us to provide the amount of capacity needed – with very low latency – to a small form factor terminal practically anywhere on Earth. That is game-changing.

GSR: When it comes to military communications, mission assurance is always a hot topic. What mission assurance and security benefits does mPOWER deliver?

SATCOM Expert: mPOWER’s security and mission assurance comes from the size and power of its beams, as well as its flexibility. mPOWER’s beams can be easily steered and repositioned in real-time from Earth. This same flexibility also allows the beams – and the traffic they carry – to be made almost imperceptible to the adversary.

“…O3b mPOWER…allows military customers to dictate where they want their network topology and how they want it to look. And that can be changed on demand.” – SATCOM Thought Leader

Flexibility really is the key here. mPOWER gives users control of the satellites – to a certain degree. Military users can steer the beams to the geographical areas in which they’re operating. They can steer them away from sources of interference or jamming. mPOWER also allows users to operate their own private network topology.

That’s something revolutionary and unique to O3b mPOWER – it allows military customers to dictate where they want their network topology and how they want it to look. And that can be changed on demand. This gives them even more autonomy – the ability to shape and steer their network and communications infrastructure. This enables the military to deceive adversaries using spoofing capabilities.

Finally, the satellites move. Being at MEO, there is a change over every 26 minutes as one satellite passes out of range a new one enters. That means that every 26 minutes, military users are on another satellite. This makes it incredibly difficult for adversaries to track satellites down, jam them, or otherwise cause problems.

Ultimately, mPOWER gives the government customer the autonomy, security, and the control of a satellite constellation that they’ve never had before from a commercial partner.

GSR: Let’s talk about the capacity of O3b mPOWER. What kind of capacity is possible with this service? How does that compare to what is available now?

SATCOM Expert: What the government has now – in regard to gateway sizes – for their tactical or regional hub nodes are these pretty big satellite dishes. I think the smallest size of a dish for a tactical hub is 3.7 meters, and that goes all the way up to 7.2 meters at the regional hubs. And even with antennas and terminals of that size, the Army is still limited to throughputs in the 36 MHz-72 MHz range.

Their ability to scale from there is limited to their transponder number and size. If the Army only has one satellite with only one transponder on it servicing a region, they have no ability to scale. In that situation, to increase their capacity and throughputs, they would have to put another large ground terminal up and point it to another satellite. The end result is either limited capacity, or an infinite number of enormous satellite dishes pointing at different satellites.

With mPOWER, a 2.4 meter dish can easily do what a 4.8 meter dish does with a GEO satellite. The number and size of terminals can be cut in half because it’s scalable. This means that the Army doesn’t have to worry about running out of resources or capacity. If they need to scale from 0.5 Mb to 50 Mb to 100 Mb to 1000 Mb, mPOWER gives them that flexibility.

GSR: In addition to the innovating in space, SES is also innovating on earth – intruding the Adaptive Resource Control (ARC) advanced space network management system. Why should the Army care about ARC? What will it do for them?

SATCOM Expert: I spent 25 years operating the electromagnetic spectrum for the military and the special operations community. Without fail one of the first things that had to be done was to deconflict everything that connects to a satellite – including every individual satellite voice handset. Every transmitter and emitter had to be deconflicted manually. Every frequency that was being used inside of the satellite constellation had to be deconflicted.

“O3b mPOWER offers the ability to reuse spectrum, which increases the amount of different devices, vehicles and platforms that can connect to the satellite.” – SATCOM Thought Leader

And that was necessary for everything operating on a frequency in any domain. We had to ensure that an armored land vehicle, an aircraft flying overhead, and a ground station with comms-at-the-halt were all operating on different frequencies. We would work to ensure they were all on different frequencies, and then hope that we didn’t run out of frequencies before accomplishing the mission.

O3b mPOWER offers the ability to reuse spectrum, which increases the amount of different devices, vehicles and platforms that can connect to the satellite. Even better, the ARC system enables automated deconfliction, so that every satellite phone, manpack or small form factor terminal using mPOWER can be operating in the same space and same satellite as the aerial vehicle and the camp post. They can run underneath each other. And that is all done automatically by the ARC solution.

ARC is incredibly smart and intuitive. And it ultimately allows satellite resources to be maximized efficiently and effectively on a global scale.

GSR: mPOWER is not the first or only satellite service orbiting in MEO that offers low latency. How does O3b mPOWER compare to traditional O3b?

SATCOM Expert: The main and largest difference is the global capability. The merits of O3b classic have proven themselves for low latency, high-bandwidth solutions. But there are only 200 beams. And each one of those beams has a 450 mile radius. That makes O3b classic a finite solution with only so much capacity available to users.

A geographic combatant commander wants a solution that’s going to be available when and where they need it. They want a services that gives them a global end-to-end capability. And while O3b classic has been a game-changer in so many areas, mPOWER is exponentially improved in that area.

O3b mPOWER enables more scalability. It’s more flexible and portable. The service can be turned off in a region where it’s not needed, and then turned on somewhere else, as the mission requires. If the mission requires troops to have connectivity in Africa one day, and then Pakistan the next, the service can be turned off, moved, and turned back on in that new area of operations.

O3b mPOWER gives military users portability and scalability. And those are two big things that aren’t available with O3b classic today.

GSR: You’ve laid out multiple benefits of O3b mPOWER over traditional GEO satellite and even O3b classic. So, if you were a senior decision maker in the Army, right now, what would make you the most excited about mPOWER?

SATCOM Expert: What would be most exciting for me would be that – for the very first time, as a senior leader in the military – I would be able to fight with the gloves off and the limitations removed.

Right now, our military is fighting through and around established barriers to our success. mPOWER is allowing commanders to fight at the speed of war. It’s allowing them to command and control in the battle space, at the tactical edge, with all of the advanced technologies available to them, in real-time.

With O3b mPOWER, they can scale, add, decrease, and increase the satellite services at their disposal. They’re no longer limited to the confines of a GEO satellite solution. With mPOWER, they can push huge amounts of traffic to anywhere in the world.

For additional information about how HTS satellites at MEO can reduce latency and enable next-generation technologies on the battlefield, click HERE to download a complimentary copy of the whitepaper, “High Throughput Satellites for U.S. Government Applications.”

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