2018 SPECIAL
GMV calls for new approaches to space technologies
Last year , GMV became a member company of the Eurospace association . Can you share with us an overview of the space industry in Europe , and what are the technologies and / or solutions you see relevant to the Asia-Pacific space industry ? Miguel Molina : Over decades , the space sector in Europe has reached a level of maturity that allows reliable access to space and fully operational programmes delivering services strategic for governments , and for answering the citizens ’ needs .
Satellite imagery and satellite communications ( including localisation ) have become the norm for a range of major applications , such as for meteorology ; for disasters monitoring ; for surveillance purposes ; for providing localisation , navigation and cartography software and services ; for emergency and / or secured communication , and for delivering connectivity everywhere ( in-flight and to the most isolated places ), just to mention a few .
Can you share with us GMV ’ s plans in expanding into the broadcast and media industry , and what opportunities do you see in Asia-Pacific ? Molina : GMV is expanding its presence on the payload domain , particularly in terms of configuration , redundancy and capacity management . Today , operators are looking for the adaptation of the payload to the real and immediate user needs , and to be able to react faster in order to minimise the margins in the payload operation , and improve the final cost .
The versatility and flexibility delivered by the new-generation payloads design will be supported by our innovative Payload Control System ( PCS ), which enables the efficient operations of the payload from the ground while supporting a high degree of operations automation . The new payload concept will be able to include antennas electronically steerable and shapeable , geolocation capability , as well as an advanced Digital Signal Processor ( DSP ) stage with capabilities for channel selection , channel filtering and reprogrammable capabilities , including routing for any antenna and beam .
Miguel Molina , business development manager for space , GMV , details some of the trends the company is seeing in the satellite sector , and how GMV is continually reinventing itself to better serve customers ’ needs .
What are some of the strategies GMV has developed for HTS , and what opportunities does HTS have to offer to the broadcast sector ? Molina : High throughout satellite ’ s ( HTS ) main purpose is to provide higher throughput over smaller surface areas while offering lower cost per bit , which is today a major driver for telecom operators and service providers in order to be competitive .
The concept is also about looking for services not covered by the previous standard payloads , like the possibility to cover regions unserved or underserved by terrestrial technologies , in-flight connectivity , enhanced maritime communications , high data rates and high-bandwidth applications , and improved governmental services .
As indicated before , GMV is providing dedicated tools to manage how these types of payloads and services are configured and operated — minimising the margins and increasing efficiency .
At the 3rd ESA International Security Symposium last year , GMV ’ s Julio Vivero pointed out that big data and security are the two new challenges for space . Can you elaborate on his opinion , and how will both big data and cybersecurity intelligence impact the space industry ? Molina : The explosion that we are seeing in terms of data availability from space systems , particularly from LEO orbits and Earth Observation satellites , is creating a real need in terms of data management for such an amount of information .
In Europe , only the Copernicus programme and the Sentinels fleet are achieving levels of Petabytes that are requiring a dedicated data management system , as it is the case today for banking or massive Internet applications . The public availability of this data and the easy availability of information is also creating the need for a powerful and reliable access for intensive data exploitation of this information in hundreds of applications providing useful services to final users worldwide .
Today , several institutions are developing the required infrastructure to manage this public information in Europe . The challenge in the near future will be to find a way to coordinate all this data sources and to provide reliable and powerful access .
This growing relevance of space-based services in our societies , although mostly unnoticed by citizens , has gathered attention from several types of attackers : from anonymous hacktivists to cybercrooks or hostile governments .
For a long time , the security over the network was not a real driver when designing a future space ground segment . More and more , however , the use of dual systems and the potential risk to suffer an external attack in the network are putting a new relevant requirement affecting the design of the network . We need to protect our systems against external attacks and we need to be able to manage in a proper way the data according to its qualification level . Again , the experience acquired in other markets — such as banking — is fully reusable and
GMV is seeing several trends that will change how space technologies are approached , at a rate of innovation not seen in a long time . should be adapted to the space domain . However , not all space missions are equally attractive to the different types of potential attackers , neither would they be equally exposed to attacks . As an example , earth observation or military missions will gain more attention from hostile governments , communication missions will typically be more attractive for cybercrooks as long as they benefit from them , and virtually anything with a minimum notoriety will be a target for hacktivists .
What are some of the technology trends you are taking note of that will have a sustainable impact on the space industry in 2018 ? Molina : These are exciting times for us . We are seeing several trends that will change how we approach space technologies , at a rate of innovation not seen in a long time . I would like to highlight the following ones : n New payload concepts will show us the future evolution of communications systems . n Integration of 5G is key and the satellite community should work with telcos to explore synergies for 5G , especially since connectivity is needed everywhere on a permanent basis , and when the failure of earth communication systems should be anticipated . n The issue of sustainability in space is really crucial . In space , we have a growing amount of debris . There are several areas of improvement related to this topic , such as the identification and follow-up of the elements contributing to this debris , the removal and de-orbiting of the objects , and the definition of principles / rules , avoiding further proliferation . n Constellations of hundreds of thousands of small , low-cost satellites are under deployment . In parallel , we are also defining new technologies and techniques for satellites manufacturing . n The access to space is evolving to new concepts targeting relative lower costs , keeping the reliability for existing systems and new micro / small launchers and also enlarged / heavy versions . n The massive use of electric propulsion ( including orbit raising ) is increasing the lifetime of satellites and reducing the cost at launch . n The exploration of space is also becoming global . More nations are now within reach of space than ever before , while the influx of fresh capital is driving innovation and new technologies from the private sector . The possibility to fix permanent establishments in the moon or having a man walking on Mars seems to be achievable targets in the coming decades .
High Altitude Pseudo-Satellites ( HAPs ) are aircraft positioned above 20km altitude in the stratosphere for long-duration flights ( defined in terms of months or years ). These unmanned aircraft may be airplanes , airships or balloons offering advantages and complementary applications over satellites , terrestrial infrastructures and Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems ( RPAS ) at relatively low cost .
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