ESA to launch reprogrammable satellite
Paris, July 30: The European Space Agency (ESA) will on Friday launch the world’s first commercial fully reprogrammable satellite, paving the way for a new era of more flexible communications.
Unlike conventional models that are designed and “hard-wired” on Earth and cannot be repurposed once in orbit, the Eutelsat Quantum is based on socalled software-defined technology that allows users to tailor the communications to their needs — almost in real time.
“When a satellite is launched, demand and markets can change over time,” Ms Elodie Viau, the agency’s telecommunications and applications director, said.
“A satellite that is not ‘fixed’ and can adapt to customers gives us better prospects.”
A successful launch would pave the way for mass production of the satellites, which have so far been one-offs.
The Quantum will be part of the payload for an Ariane 5 rocket due to launch from the Guiana Space Centre in Latin
America between 2100 and 2230 GMT on Friday (between 5am and 6.30am Singapore time).
In addition to the Quantum, to be operated by Paris-based Eutelsat, the rocket will also deploy a conventional satellite for Brazil’s Embratel.
Because it can be reprogrammed while orbiting in a fixed position 35,000km above the Earth, the Quantum can respond to changing demands for data transmission and secure communications during its 15-year lifetime, ESA said.
The 3500kg Quantum model has eight communications beams, each of which can be modified to change its area of coverage and also the power of the telecommunications signal it emits.
Using software made available to the customer, these changes can be made “in a matter of minutes” , according to Eutelsat.
This means the satellite can be used to provide mobile coverage for moving objects such as aircraft or ocean-going vessels, or to provide coverage after a natural disaster or for oneoff events.