August 2016
High-resolution Earth observation data is changing the character of war
.... Spacepower is ubiquitous, or in the case of Earth observation near ubiquity, because communications, satellite navigation and environmental monitoring satellite systems provide coverage of the entire Earth’s surface. Finally, spacepower provides...
April 2017
Urgent action needed to keep satellites safe in orbit
... of uncorrelated objects contains the high area-to-mass (HAMR) objects [15]. Space weathering and satellite aging A modern communications satellite is a complex system involving numerous subsystems that have finite lifetimes due to mechanical wearing...
August 2017
On-orbit assembly will deliver major benefits in coming decade
... further compounded by the need for inclusion of redundant systems to provide contingency against damage during launch. Communication satellites have similar constraints that limit flexibility and operations, and Figure 1 illustrates how these affect...
January 2019
Preparing for a robotic revolution in Earth orbit
... antennas could provide higher throughput, more precise beam steering, and other advantages to communications satellites. These could be robotically assembled in a tile-like fashion. Even space telescopes could be designed for robotic assembly...
April 2019
The changing economics of space
... and operators. A tough challenge remains in bridging NewSpace approaches with the stringent requirements of old space. Commercial communication satellites are very often unique, each with their own design differences. A one-size-fits-all approach...
September 2019
Extending the life of geostationary orbit satellites
... servicing, the rise of spacecraft such as MRV and MARV will compel satellite manufacturers to include robotic servicing ports on the next generation of communications satellites. Like USB ports on computers, these universal ports will allow for both...
