Notably, not all satellite communications companies have their own launch capabilities. Amazon’s Kuiper constellation is still under design, but last year (2020) the company received approval from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to operate a constellation of approximately 3,200 internet satellites in LEO by July 30, 2029. (FCC) approval (Amazon must launch 50% of the constellation by July 30, 2026 to maintain clearance). To put these satellites into orbit, Amazon recently selected United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rockets for at least nine launches.
However, advances aren’t just limited to launch space. Current and previous advances in electric propulsion systems and microelectronics, such as the development and availability of cost-effective active electronic phased arrays, field programmable gate arrays, and application-specific circuits (a type of semiconductor chip or integrated circuit); Design is being accelerated. Deployment cycles and satellite capabilities.
Why is pLEO an advancement?
As pLEOs swarm, they will be able to provide uninterrupted, real-time, and ubiquitous coverage of the area. This in itself represents a major change in the way we think about satellite communications. Unlike traditional systems, where it was costly and complex to move data around the earth using GSO for the “last mile” while still relying heavily on terrestrial fiber, pLEO It creates opportunities to move data around the globe.
The progress pLEO represents also tells the story of the business models that satellite companies can now pursue. Companies can now approach satellite systems as a service that they sell to their customers, rather than a bespoke, sustainable business investment that the customer requires. For example, Amazon Web Services (AWS) now offers “a fully managed service that lets you control your satellite communications, process your data, and scale your operations without worrying about building or managing your own ground station infrastructure.” I am. In other words, rather than ground stations as bespoke investments that require you to invest in and acquire specific equipment to access, AWS offers “ground stations as a service” that you purchase and seamlessly integrate into your business operations. We have built a business model centered on Tailor it to your specific use case and preserve those assets over time. Flexible payloads, such as those developed by Airbus, are another example, providing operators with the ability to reprogram a satellite’s mission (such as frequency, coverage, and/or power allocation) after the spacecraft is in orbit. Masu. This means that satellite systems in the past were mission-specific and invested significant resources. Today’s satellite systems, currently disrupting the market, aim to be plug-and-play capable of serving a wide variety of telecommunications needs.
What is the end result?
With LEO swarms and satellites on the horizon, 5G networks have a viable alternative to fiber for real-time data backhaul. This provides utility for extending coverage in areas where fiber installation is not economically viable (remote areas) or feasible (ships or aircraft). It also provides backhaul redundancy and alternatives in urban areas where fiber is already installed to accommodate the growing number of connected devices and data traffic, a unique demand brought about by the explosion of IoT devices. may improve connectivity. . This means that due to the evolution of satellite systems and the future requirements promised by 5G proponents, 5G will need to rely on an integrated communications system in which both ground and space components work together.
What purposes can satellites be used in 5G networks?
To fully realize the promise of 5G networks (nearly ubiquitous and instantaneous coverage of large numbers of connected devices), satellites will serve as both ground- and space-based components and become more central within communications networks. must play a role. Realizes more diverse functions. Given the evolution of the satellite industry both in terms of business models and technology, a larger role is now possible for the first time.
In particular, the specific and diverse roles that satellites will play in the future remain an open question, and the answer depends not only on technical and economic feasibility, but also on industry and business decisions. However, in 5G networks, satellites can serve three potential functions. It’s providing additional backhaul, creating redundancy, and providing better connectivity to remote and rural areas. In each of these cases, there are a variety of business models that could potentially emerge, from direct connections to devices to connections between end users and the core network.
