newspace international ......with the ote acting as the lens, gathering light coming from space and...

1www.newspaceinternational.com NewSpace International - July/August 2019

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NewSpace International - July/August 2019 www.newspaceinternational.com2

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Build

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#EDITOR #NEWSPACE #NASA #GAMES #TESLA

Dr Amy Saunders

Editor

Humankind has been dabbling in the space sector since the1950s, when the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, was launched.

Public interest has risen and fallen in the years since as major events like the 1969Moon landing and key film releases like 1977’s Star Wars and 1998’s Deep Impacthave brought our industry to the headlines.

In recent years however, the general public has been more intrigued by thespace sector than ever before. Talk of space hotels and space tourism, reusablerockets, satellite-based cryptocurrencies and, notably, the 2018 launch of ElonMusk’s Tesla Roadster into space, has really brought out industry into the spotlight.Tongues are wagging as the public waits to see what the next big news will be. Asaccess to space has become more affordable than any other time in history, interesthas piqued. Numerous companies, academic institutions, governments andindividuals are embroiled in the space arena; even schools are getting in on theaction, hoping to inspire pupils with an interest in space.

Interestingly, this phenomenon has also spread to the gaming world. No longerare gamers restricted to space-based shooters or role-playing games set on otherplanets; in April 2019, ‘Space Company Simulator’ was announced, a game in whichplayers can launch rockets, satellites, spaceships and orbital stations in an attemptto lead their company in ‘a race for technological and financial domination.’According to the INTERMARIUM production studio, the gameplay will reflect thechallenges faced in space exploration in a way that has not been shown in othergames. Indeed, Szymon Janus, Studio Head at INTERMARUM, says that ‘SpaceCompany Simulator’ will truly reflect the gritty realities: “We have researchedhundreds of pages of NASA reports and other aeronautical sources of informationwhile making the game as realistic as possible [and] keeping the gameplay funand accessible.”

So, if you fancy dabbling in the NewSpace race while limiting your spend toless than today’s most affordable CubeSat, ‘Space Company Simulator’ will beavailable exclusively on PC in the third quarter of 2019! With any luck, as well asbeing as entertaining as previous management games like Theme Park or TheSims, the game will help inspire more of the younger generation into the spacesector where they are sorely needed.

mailto:[email protected]


Letter from the Editor 3Building a NewSpace empire

NewsBlast 6Key news from around the world

Bringing Space into the headlines 10The space industry is going through a renaissance right now withcommercial companies and billionaire investors bringing space into theheadlines. This paradigm change is both a threat and an opportunity forthe space value change, according to the ‘2019 AlixPartners Aerospace &Defense Outlook.’ Luigi Peluso, a Managing Director at the Aerospace,Defense and Airlines Practice at AlixPartners LLP reports on theimplications of the study for the NewSpace sphere.

Speed and robustness: The key to winning the Spacerace 12As the NewSpace era marches on, delivering off-world connectivitybecomes ever more vital for aerospace companies everywhere.Ubiquitous Internet connectivity, everywhere and always-on, is in highdemand the world over. Roman Buff, Market Manager of Aerospace atHUBER+SUHNER, outlines the challenges in delivering such connectivity.

A Big Data World 16We live in a data-driven world. Billions of sensors spread across the globeand on-board satellites orbiting above it record anything and everything,whether they be traffic patterns, weather formations, remote machineapplications on oil rigs and in agriculture, stock room supplies, medicineconsumption patterns, etc.

Combining network architecture and satellitetechnology for a 5G future 18With 5G now upon us, ground technology architecture is in need of aradical overhaul in order to enable these new capabilities to reach theirfull potential. Semir Hassanaly, Market Director, Cellular Backhaul andTrunking at Newtec, outlines how networks can be modernized for a 5Gfuture.

3D printing with Windform composite 22CRP USA’s main activities to date have been 3D printing with Windformcomposite materials, additive manufacturing and Stockcar racing. Thecompany has made great strides in additive manufacturing (SelectiveLaser Sintering technology) and has made its mark on the satellite worldwith the production of an entirely 3D printed CubeSat. Stewart Davies,Director of Operations at CRP USA, opines on the use of 3D printing inspace-based technologies.

Front cover: Photo courtesy ofShutterstock

EditorAmy [email protected]

Marketing and BusinessBelinda [email protected]

Sales DirectorJill [email protected]

Sales ManagerSam [email protected]

PublisherRichard [email protected]

No part of this publication maybe transmitted, reproduced orelectronically stored withoutthe written permission from thepublisher.

DS Air Publications does notgive any warranty as to thecontext of the materialappearing in the magazine, itsaccuracy, timeliness or fitnessfor any particular purpose. DSAir Publications disclaims allpersonal responsibility for anydamages or losses in the useand dissemination of theinformation.

All editorial contents Copyright© 2019 DS Air PublicationsAll Rights ReservedISSN: 2516-4848

DS Air Publications1 Langhurstwood RoadHorsham, West SussexRH12 4QDUnited KingdomT: +44 1403 273 973F: +44 1403 273 972

10

CONTENTS





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#ORBEX #INNOVATIVESPACELOGISTICS #NASA #JAMESWEBB

Orbex and InnovativeSpace Logistics signEuropean space launchagreement

To include your news in NewSpace Internationalmagazine please contact

Dr Amy [email protected]

Innovative Space Logistics and UK-based orbital launchservices provider Orbex have signed a wide-rangingCooperation Agreement at the 33rd Annual Conferenceon Small Satellites in Logan, Utah. The co-operation willinclude technical launch services including launchmanifest coordination and payload integration. As part ofthe agreement, ISL will also procure orbital spacelaunches from Orbex for a number of its smallsatcustomer missions.

Netherlands-based company ISL is one of the world’sleading players in smallsat launches, having executed orsupported the launch of over 350 CubeSats into orbit overthe past decade.

ISL is focused on the provision of regular launches forCubeSats, nanosatellites and microsatellites and provideslaunch brokering services, technical consultancy, launchadapters and dispensers, flight certification testing andlaunch insurance services to a broad range of customers.

With $40 million in project financing, Orbex is the best-funded European private launch provider. In February2019, Orbex publicly unveiled the engineering prototypeof the Stage 2 of its reusable Prime launch vehicle, adedicated smallsat launcher, which is up to 30 percentlighter and 20 percent more efficient than any othervehicle in the micro launcher category. Orbex Primeutilizes bio-propane, a clean-burning, renewable fuel thatcuts carbon emissions by 90 percent compared totraditional hydrocarbon fuels. On August 1, 2019, Orbex’spartner, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) confirmedthat it had signed a 75-year lease option with landowners,the Melness Crofters Estate, to build and operate aspaceport on its land.

“It is extremely attractive for many of our customers tobe able to launch from Europe,” said Abe Bonnema,Director at ISL. “Orbex has very quickly emerged as aleader in the developing European launch market, and itmakes sense to cooperate further, as this market evolves.The innovation in their launch vehicle, Prime, as well asthe quality and experience of their personnel makesOrbex a natural partner for ISL.”

“There are very few companies globally that have thededicated smallsat expertise that ISL has accumulated”said Chris Larmour, CEO of Orbex. “This cooperation willenhance both ISL’s and Orbex’s commercial offerings andtogether we will be able to provide competitive all-European solutions. The European launch services marketis evolving fast and we will be able to jointly address manyof the emerging requirements for European launches.”

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s SecondaryMirror Support Structure (SMSS) was deployed for thefirst time using the telescope’s flight electronics atNorthrop Grumman’s clean room in Redondo Beach,California. The milestone marks another majorinteraction of the Observatory (Optical Telescope andIntegrated Science Instrument [OTIS] module and theSpacecraft Element [SCE]), working together as theywill in orbit.

“Moving into a phase where we can begin usingWebb’s actual flight electronics in the spacecraft tooperate all elements in the remainder of theobservatory is remarkable,” said Scott Willoughby, vicepresident and program manager, James Webb SpaceTelescope, Northrop Grumman. “The deployment ofthe SMSS marks a successful milestone for Webb, aswe move towards full integration of OTIS to the SCElater this year.”

The SMSS is the tripod connecting Webb’s round0.74 meter diameter secondary mirror to the OpticalTelescope Element (OTE). The OTE’s large mirror,known as the primary mirror, is comprised of 18hexagonal segments making up the 6.5 meter diametermirror. The OTIS acts as the eye of the observatorywith the OTE acting as the lens, gathering light comingfrom space and providing it to the science instruments,which act as the retina. Webb’s secondary mirror is thesecond surface that light from the cosmos hits on itspath into the telescope. The secondary mirror issupported by three struts that extend out from thelarge primary mirror. The struts are hollow tubes madeof carbon fibre composite that is about 40-thousandthsof an inch (about 1 millimeter) thick, built to withstandthe extreme temperatures of space.

Every interaction with Webb is complex, especiallybuilding and testing it in a 1-G environment wheregravity affects everything. Webb is designed to workin a zero-G environment, therefore testingdeployments on the ground requires offsetting andnegating the effect of gravity to simulate on orbitconditions. The deployment was the first time Webb’ssecondary mirror’s deployment and latching motorswere driven by the electronics in the spacecraft bus,which used the flight software reading the flighttelemetry in the exact same way that it will be done inflight. In this joint effort, electrical and mechanicalengineering teams across NASA and NorthropGrumman worked together to successfully executethis milestone. This was also the last time the SMSSwill be deployed on the ground—the next time will beafter launch in space.

NASA’s James WebbSpace Telescopesecondary mirror deploysfor the first time using thespacecraft flightelectronics




https://www.satellite-evolution.com


Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraftdeparts International space station, beginssecondary mission

#NORTHROPGRUMMAN #CYGNUS #TRISEPT #ROCKETLAB #SPACEDEBRIS

Northrop Grumman Corporation announced that itsCygnus™ spacecraft has successfully unberthed anddeparted from the International Space Station (ISS),beginning its secondary mission before it re-entersEarth’s atmosphere. The NG-11 Cygnus spacecraft,named in honour of Apollo 1 astronaut and spacevisionary Roger Chaffee, left the ISS after a 109 day stayat the station.

While docked at the orbiting laboratory, astronautsunloaded approximately 7,000 pounds of vital suppliesand scientific equipment. They then loadedapproximately 5,300 pounds of disposable cargo on toCygnus for removal from the station.

The next phase of the mission will demonstrateenhanced capabilities Cygnus offers that go well beyondcargo supply and disposal. The spacecraft will deploymultiple CubeSats via the Slingshot CubeSat DeployerSystem installed by NASA astronauts prior to unberthingfrom the ISS, and the NanoRacks external CubeSatdeployer. Cygnus will then remain in orbit to coincidewith a second Cygnus spacecraft scheduled for launchin October to the International Space Station -- its firstextended duration flight to demonstrate its capabilityto fly two Cygnus vehicles simultaneously and supporthosted payloads for longer periods of time. This newestinnovation reinforces Cygnus’ ability to serve a robustand growing commercial economy in low earth orbit.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global securitycompany providing innovative systems, products andsolutions in autonomous systems, cyber, C4ISR, space,strike, and logistics and modernization to customersworldwide.

TriSept Corporation has signed comprehensive launch service agreements with Millennium Space Systems andRocket Lab to support a unique mission aimed at helping to solve the ever-increasing low-Earth orbital debrischallenge. Millennium Space Systems is designing and building, and will be operating the Millennium RAPTORsatellites and working with TriSept to manage the mission for the DRAGRACER initiative. This rideshare missionwill launch aboard the Rocket Lab Electron launch vehicle in early 2020. Once in space, the 25kg small satellitewill split into two payloads to demonstrate how a new deorbit technology, the Terminator Tape developed byTethers Unlimited Inc., can help reduce orbital debris.

“The DRAGRACER mission is all about providing an affordable, effective and scalable solution to the orbitaldebris challenge facing the LEO small satellite market and the global space industry,” said Mike Scardera, vicepresident of Advanced Concepts, Millennium Space Systems. “It is the first in a series of critical project missionswe expect to launch with TriSept. By working with such a seasoned support crew, we can focus on building thebest flight solutions for today’s challenges in space.”

Millennium Space Systems to test orbital debrissolutions with TriSept, Rocket Lab and TethersUnlimited

The S.S. Roger Chaffee Cygnus spacecraft successfullydeparted from the International Space Station on Aug. 6to begin the second phase of the NG-11 mission. Credit:NASA.



http://bit.ly/2bgAi7b


#ORIONSPAN # HUMANCOMMUNITIES #TOURISM

Bringing Space intothe headlinesThe space industry is going through arenaissance right now with commercialcompanies and billionaire investors bringingspace into the headlines. This paradigmchange is both a threat and an opportunity forthe space value change, according to the‘2019 AlixPartners Aerospace & DefenseOutlook.’ Luigi Peluso, a Managing Director atthe Aerospace, Defense and Airlines Practiceat AlixPartners LLP reports on the implicationsof the study for the NewSpace sphere.

Luigi Peluso, AlixPartners LLP

Photo courtesy of LeoSat

Question: The space industry is growing at more thanfive percent annually; which space sub-sectors areseeing the most growth, and why do you think someareas are faring better than others?Luigi Peluso: Growth in the overall industry appears tobe driven by remote sensing, military and civil, non-US/EU OEMs, and non-US/EU launch segments. Thesegment that appears to be facing the strongestheadwind is satellite services. There are also significantlevels of private investment going into launch platformsand constellations of small satellites.

Question: Among traditional satellite operators, asteep price decline in capacity in recent years has hada major impact on EBIT and profitability. Are we yet at

the bottom of this incline, or do you feel things arelikely to get worse in the coming years?Luigi Peluso: As such that the new space-basedcapacity coming online will have a lower $/bps thanthat of previous generations of assets, satellite operatorswill likely be forced into discounting legacy capacity.Additionally, as the legacy satellite operators begin toexplore growth avenues to offset declining revenue andprofitability in their traditional service offerings, they willlikely have to confront the traditional terrestrial telecomplayers that have much lower cost to serve, thusdepressing prices even further.

Question: According to the report, the promise of anew business model for commercial space has yet to



#ORIONSPAN # HUMANCOMMUNITIES #TOURISM

bear much fruit, with the influx of new investments inconstellations likely to exacerbate satelliteovercapacity and result in bankruptcies. Do you feelthis is a very real possibility, and if so, which types ofinvestors and operators are likely to bear the biggesthit?Luigi Peluso: Yes! We suspect that the operators whoare heavily leveraged will likely have more challengesthan operators that are carrying less debt, as the debtservicing will create additional pressures. Constellationsserving mobility segments may fare better in preservingpricing power where there are natural barriers to entryfor fixed or limited microwave presence. However, aswe see more legacy and new operators target thissegment, pricing pressure will likely be inevitable.

Question: In recent years, we’ve seen a shift in focusform GEO to NGSO, with 9,278 small satellites plannedfor launch in the near future. There’s some concernthroughout the space sector about the potential‘shielding effect’ of these small satellites causingtransmission problems between GEO satellites andground terminals; what’s your assessment of thispotential problem?Luigi Peluso: Interference is a real concern from aregulatory and operational perspectives. Currently, thesolution is for the NGSO operators to downgrade powerlevels on the equatorial orbital plane. However, as thenumber of constellations and spacecraft proliferates, thecoordination between the various stakeholders willbecome increasing complex to manage.

Question: The launch market has undergone a majoroverhaul over the last decade, with reusability anddedicated small satellite launchers key priorities forprivate investors and government agencies alike.What do you think the impact will be on the traditionalheavy launch companies? Do they need to adapt tostay in the game?Luigi Peluso: Considering the 9,000 or so satellitesproposed from the various NGSO constellations, theheavy launch industry will likely continue to have ahealthy backlog. Heavy launch companies are feverishlydeveloping rideshare capabilities for their offerings.However, given the complexities associated withmissions, orbits, orbital planes, etc, the realities ofrideshare is not so straight forward. The analogy of thiswould be like trying to sell a charter air service using anAirbus A380 from JFK with some passengers wantingto go to Paris while some others want to go to Rome,and a few wanting to go to Frankfurt. SpaceX, given itsunique position as both a launch service provider andaspiring broadband service provider, is launching theirown Starlink satellite constellation to fill the gap indemand.

Question: What’s on the horizon for the space sectorof the future, and is there room for everyone?Luigi Peluso: Much of the innovation and investment isled by private investors with both capital and a passionfor space. Time, and market dynamics, will determinethe winners and losers. Even with aggressive forecastsfor growth, not everyone is going to make it.

Photo courtesy of SSTL



#HUBER+SUHNER #CABLES #SPACE #CONNECTIVITY

Speed and robustness: The key to winning theSpace raceAs the NewSpace era marches on, deliveringoff-world connectivity becomes ever morevital for aerospace companies everywhere.Ubiquitous Internet connectivity, everywhereand always-on, is in high demand the worldover. Roman Buff, Market Manager ofAerospace at HUBER+SUHNER, outlines thechallenges in delivering such connectivity.

Soaring demand for high speed Internet access acrossthe world is driving competition in the NewSpace marketto deliver a reliable worldwide Internet system fromspace. Amazon, SpaceX and OneWeb are just a fewcompanies that are deploying satellite constellationswith the mission of delivering Internet connectivity toall corners of the globe. However, bringing greaterInternet access to underserved areas of the worldcomes at a high cost. The greatest challenge thatcompanies face in the space race is providing Internetaccess to everyone which is also affordable foreveryone.

The space technology challengePreviously the cost of deploying a satellite into spacecost billions of pounds, but this has now reducedsignificantly. Unlike before, private companies are nowable to enter space, which was once the reserve ofgovernmental agencies and large telecommunications

providers alone. The use of space is also far more diverseas opportunities have widened and different companieshave accepted the challenge of space missions. Due tothis, space technologies have developed and becomemore affordable.

The mission of providing an Internet service for themasses has challenged the space industry to developnew and improved technologies which are lessexpensive. It is vital to do this so that masses of satellitescan be deployed in space to enable satelliteconstellations to cover every corner of the globe. Bydoing this, low-latency high-bandwidth connectivity canbe streamed to the half of the world’s population thatremains unconnected, giving even more access to thebenefits that Internet offers.

Image: HUBER+SUHNER

Image: HUBER+SUHNER




As companies try to overcome challenges in this area,some have failed their space missions as a result ofinvesting heavily in satellite technology that was veryexpensive and did not bring a return on investment.High-quality and cost-effective space technologies arethe key to success in a satellite constellation mission.Acting too quick will be the downfall. Waiting for moreadvanced technologies which are more cost-effectivefor mass deployment is the strategic game thatcompanies such as SpaceX and OneWeb are playingand might be winning.

Widespread satellite constellationsWith many companies working on deploying low Earthorbit (LEO) satellite constellations to cover the vast spaceof the globe and provide reliable, high speed Internetconnectivity, the satellite industry is beginning to havea significant advantage in the telecommunicationsmarket. Hundreds of satellites are due to be launchedin the next 20 years to achieve widespread Internetconnectivity.

Although the cost of satellites has decreased overthe years, the cost of deploying satellite constellationsis still significantly high. The infrastructure, satellitelaunch and the management of every satellite from theground is expensive. In addition, the masses of satellitesrequired to achieve global high-speed Internet accesshas presented a challenge to the NewSpace market tocreate small, lightweight, reliable space connectivitysolutions which are also low-cost.

While satellites must be low-cost to be achievable,

they must also be able to stand the test of time for manyyears to come. Space technologies must bedependable. Companies do not have any room for errorsor losses in connection as repairs are very difficult inspace. As companies race to deploy their satelliteconstellations, the winners in the long run will be theones who use the most advanced and secure spaceconnectivity solutions to provide reliable connectivityfor many years to come.

Spaceflight ready connectivityBetween the many companies aiming to deploy satelliteconstellations, thousands of satellites are going to bedeployed in space within the next 10-15 years. OneWebhas a mission to deploy 650 satellites by 2021 andlaunched its first batch of satellites in February 2019.SpaceX plans to launch 12,000 satellites by 2027. Thestake in investment to deploy these satellites in theirmasses is high and the results of finding Internet servicecustomers will not reap the benefits for a while yet.

These satellites require many high-performancecomponents to build an infrastructure which effectivelysecures a connection in space and plays its role in thevast satellite constellation. These components must besmall, lightweight and at the same time robust to ensureeffective resiliency in the harsh environment of spacefor many years.

In previous years, Push-on connectors for aerospaceand spaceflight applications had low endurance undersevere environmental conditions, making themunsuitable for the environment of space. Following

Image: HUBER+SUHNER




Observing the Earth from spacenumerous innovations, though, components such asconnectors can now maintain a secure connection inspace under extreme space-flight vibration and shocklevels. For example, the disengagement forces of astandard SMP (Sub-Miniature Push-On) connectorpreviously prevented risk of connectivity loss.Responding to this challenge, HUBER+SUHNERdeveloped the SMP-SL (Sub-Miniature Push-On-Self-Lock) connector to include a low-profile self-lockfeature. This design increased the robustness of theconnection without increasing the small form factor ofa standard SMP connector.

The SMP-SL connector was developed specificallyto address the need of a small form factor, reliablelocking push-on connector which also reducesinstallation time and eliminates the risk of de-mated RFinterconnects. The connector was also designed with avisual feature to minimize quality control inspectionefforts specifically designed to withstand the harshestshock and vibration requirements of aerospaceapplications. This space qualified RF connectivitysolution has already been deployed in LEO satelliteconstellations. The SMP-SL connector, which can onlybe de-mated with a removal tool to eliminate the risk ofunintentional de-mating, includes a flight-qualifiedmechanical interlock feature to enable a quick, secureconnection every time. This innovative connector designis paired with the spaceflight proven HUBER+SUHNERsolderless minibend cable solution to eliminate the riskof failing solder joints without sacrifice in electricalperformance.

Low-cost dependable connectivityQuick to design this flight-ready SMP-SL connector forLEO satellite deployment, HUBER+SUHNER specificallyprovided satellites with a reliable, low-cost andadvanced solution to excel the progression of spaceconnectivity missions. This is key in the NewSpacemarket as drastic cost reduction and lead time reductionefforts will help satellite constellations reach theirmission of providing long-term reliable, high-speedinternet connectivity to people across the world.

Image: HUBER+SUHNER

Image: HUBER+SUHNER



#SATELLITEVU #EARTHOBSERVATION #POLLUTION

http://bit.ly/297Mdms


#BIGDATA #SENSORS #ARTIFICIALINTELLIGENCE # IOT

A Big Data WorldWe live in a data-driven world.Billions of sensors spread acrossthe globe and on-board satellitesorbiting above it record anythingand everything, whether they betraffic patterns, weatherformations, remote machineapplications on oil rigs and inagriculture, stock room supplies,medicine consumption patterns,etc. The list goes on and on. Whilesome are opposed to this blatantmonitoring of everyday lives andthe potential for privacybreaches, this new era of Big Datapromises to change the world forthe better.

Image: Shutterstock

Big Data is everywhere. Deeply intertwined withmachine learning and artificial intelligence, Big Data isexpected by many to be key to a whole host of newtechnologies, services and applications, as well as thecontinued evolution of the services and industries weknow today. The data landscape is changing in a wayno one could have predicted, and data itself has becomebig business; sales of data analytics tools are expectedto hit US$187 billion this year.

Big what?Big Data may well have filtered into the generalawareness of the public over the last decade but asksomeone on the street or a family member what BigData is, and they’ll be hard-pushed to tell you. Indeed,while most of us working in technical areas will havesome kind of hazy awareness of Big Data, it may holdno more genuine meaning to us than the next piece ofbusiness jargon.

So, what is Big Data? A 2016 definition states: ‘Big Datarepresents the information assets characterized by sucha high volume, velocity and variety to require specifictechnology and analytical methods for its transformationinto value.’ Essentially, Big Data is data too big for mostcommonly-used software tools to capture, manage andprocess within a reasonable time period. So, just howbig is Big Data? That seems to be a moving goalpost,having grown from a few dozen terabytes in 2012 tomany exabytes today.

Where does Big Data come from?Data is being produced, collected, reported andanalysed all the time, everywhere. The exabytes of databeing produced every day around the world stems frombusiness transactions, machine-to-machine (M2M) andInternet of Things (IoT) interactions, social mediafunctions, satellite Earth observations, Internet browsersearches, water levels, online shopping purchases,banking transactions, crime rates, etc.

According to one report, autonomous vehicles arecurrently the world’s leading producers of data. Self-driving cars in Boston, Las Vegas and Pittsburgh arecollating data on road widths, nearby vehicles,pedestrians, as well as car analytics such as travelspeeds and how well the car is driving on a specificsurface. Indeed, in one tenth of a second, some 15,000pieces of data can be generated by connected vehicles;this is expected to rise to 20,000 in 2020. This data iskey to the ongoing evolution of autonomous vehicles,being fed into the artificial intelligence algorithms thatmake them operate safely.

The analysis and actionable applications of Big Dataare as diverse as predictive manufacturing in theautomotive industry, delivering personalised medicineand prescriptive analytics, streamlining the collectionand distribution of Information Technology (IT), orincreasing productivity and innovation in commercialorganisations and governmental entities. Thepossibilities seem endless. Indeed, even Gmail hasbegun using Big Data to feed Google AI for its new SmartCompose feature which, based on common speechpatterns, attempts to finishes your sentences for you(quite a handy feature, in my personal opinion).

Does Big Data mean big decisions?Big Data is imperative to many business-makingdecisions the world over today, but only by a smallnumber of organisations so far, as Big Data is notuniversally well-utilised or even supported or trusted.Bigger isn’t always better, and we’re now hearing insome spheres that Big Data has become too big; there’stoo much of it, and it’s simply not possible to usefullyprocess all the data we’re now collecting.

Indeed, data which was meant to help, is actuallyhindering many companies today. It takes more than justthe right tools to analyse the quantities of data we’reseeing now – many businesses lack the knowledge baseto conduct a meaningful analysis and are becomingbogged down. That’s hardly surprising given the



#BIGDATA #SENSORS #ARTIFICIALINTELLIGENCE # IOT

Image: Shutterstock

quantities of data we’re talking about.However, with data and the right analysis, businesses

can make huge profits from streamlining their productsand marketing, governments can (in theory) increaseefficiency and take steps to increase their effectiveness,and healthcare providers can anticipate changes indemand ahead of time. Examples of improvements BigData can bring stretch across the board; banking, finance,military, meteorological, ocean exploration, oil and gas,etc., all stand to gain once Big Data becomes moreaccessible and actionable by more organisations andindividuals.

Big Data = Big challengesBig Data is a big opportunity for some, a hindrance forothers, and a challenge for all. While it can bring greatinsight, develop better applications, and improveefficiency and effectiveness, there are also three keyareas of concern.

Ethics around privacy have become a majorconsideration for many throughout all walks of life,including the military, government, business andconsumers. Data which is useful in Big Data analyticsand artificial intelligence applications can also identifyspecific individuals; private citizens are becomingincreasingly aware of this fact, but it remains unclearexactly how their data is being used. Accordingly, stricterregulations are being brought into effect to protectconsumers.

Today’s data protection legislation requires propercaretaking of personal information, data privacy, andstrict controls on how data is used. Moreover, users mustbe able to understand what data is being collected. Thisis quite a challenge for data harvesting companies.

Infrastructure insecurity is now a bigger threat than

any time before in history. While consumers generallyhave a reasonable awareness of the importance ofdevice security thanks to many years of hacking, onlinebanking scandals and digital identity theft, etc., billionsof low-cost devices, including Internet of Things (IoT)sensors, are still being created with security as a verylow priority. This low (or non-existent) security makessuch devices vulnerable to hacking at the source andimpacts on the trustworthiness of the data collected.The data is also vulnerable to attack when it is beingtransferred or stored; with so much data being storedwith cloud service providers, security levels must berigorous and assured, which many today are not.

Poor data management, in some cases where thereis no clear ownership of data, and in others, where thereis poor control over its use, is another challenge.Maintaining good data management and complying withdata privacy regulations has never been as complex asit is today. Furthermore, companies must be able to auditthe way data is acquired, processed, analysed andsecured, and also how the outcomes of any analysisare used.

Big changesIt’s irrefutable that Big Data is set to change the worldforever and irreversibly. When trains, planes andautomobiles can drive themselves (planes reportedlycan already, but the assumption is that passengerswouldn’t be too happy being flown without a pilot), shopsand pharmacies can re-stock themselves with anartificial intelligence predicting future needs based onBig Data, and satellites can intelligently and dynamicallymanage their own transponders down to fractions of asecond, to name just a few examples, the world will bemore efficient and less wasteful than ever before.



#5G #NEWTEC #CLOUDCOMPUTING #GEO #LEO

Combining network architecture and satellitetechnology for a 5G futureWith 5G now upon us, ground technologyarchitecture is in need of a radical overhaul inorder to enable these new capabilities toreach their full potential. Semir Hassanaly,Market Director, Cellular Backhaul andTrunking at Newtec, outlines how networkscan be modernized for a 5G future.

Semir Hassanaly, Newtec

Already, it is estimated that 127 devices are connectedto the Internet each second. By 2025, it is expected thatthere will be 75 billion devices in the world, all relyingon a mixture of technologies including 4G, 5G, Wi-Fi andthe Internet of Things (IoT).

This population boom of devices, which is beingfurther driven as 5G sees an increasing number ofrollouts, brings with it a set of challenges for thecommunications industry. Edge cloud and edgecomputing for remote connectivity – which for IoT willbe a powerful catalyst for growth across the key markets– AI, big data and cloud computing for centralizedconnectivity will bring requirements that organizationsmust adapt to if they want to be competitive.Additionally, the question of how to provide flexible andagile connectivity for all devices anytime, anywhere atan efficient cost, looms.

As 5G marks a shift towards a connectivity landscapedominated by wireless, satellite communication ispoised as an invaluable component to tackling thequestion of how to ensure the 5G world is realized to apotential that is characterized by reliable connectivityand coverage. It is important, however, to ensure thatinteroperability with the terrestrial world is bothachievable and done seamlessly.

Architectural changesThe ubiquity of Internet and cloud computing requiresorganizations to pursue architectural overhauls of their

networks. The diverse performance requirements of thearray of 5G services in a range of industries means thetechnology needs a new architecture to accommodateit. Operators must step away from monolithic and layer-based architectures to distributed ones, such asmicroservice architecture, which is easier for greenfielddeployments, service-oriented architecture (SOA), whichis heavy on integration, or service-based architecture(SBA), which is the ideal middle-ground.

The common denominator is that they are alldistributed architectures, meaning service componentscan be accessed through a remote access protocol. Thebenefits a distributed architecture can offer over

Image: Newtec



#MOON #SPACE #WATER #MOONBASE #NASA #ESA

http://bit.ly/32KCQmR



monolithic and layered-based architectures are vital andwide-reaching and can radically improve a business’operations. Among these advantages are betterscalability, better decoupling, where the service isdesigned without knowing who its consumer is, andbetter control over development, testing, anddeployment. Components within a distributedarchitecture facilitate change control and maintenance,leading to more modular, responsive and robustapplications.

SDN and NFV – Complementary components for amodernized networkIn addition to service-focused architectures,virtualization technologies are a crucial tool fororganizations looking to manage information in the faceof the wave of data spurred by 5G and othertechnologies. Virtualization helps reduce developmentcosts, increase quality and accelerate the speed ofsoftware deployment or time to market. Furthermore, itfacilitates the use of third-party components, opensource and commercially available off-the-shelfhardware and software products.

Software Defined Networking (SDN) and NetworkFunction Virtualization (NFV) are the pillars ofvirtualization and, when used together, can enable the5G future effectively by improving the network flexibility.

SDN is designed to make networks more flexible andagile by breaking up their control and forwarding planes,allowing for direct programmable control of the network,and for the infrastructure to be abstracted forapplications.

Traffic flow can be adjusted dynamically to meetfluctuating needs and demands and SDN controllers canbe implemented in software to allow a global view ofthe network to be maintained. The SDN looks like asingle, logical switch to other applications and SDN

controllers also use standards protocols and interface.NFV replaces hardware-based network services,

such as routers, firewalls, load balancers and WANoptimization devices with virtualized software. Thesenetwork services can then run on commercial off theshelf (COTS) platforms, reducing costs and allowingscalability through the software flexibility and canoperate on mobile or fixed connectivity. In the adventof 5G, NFV can be utilized to facilitate network slicing,allowing for multiple virtual networks to operate on ashared physical infrastructure. Therefore, virtualnetworks could be customized to meet the needs ofoperators.

To supplement virtualization, NFV orchestrators allownetwork operators to quickly introduce and operate newcloud and NFV-based services in their networks whilekeeping costs under control. Network operators canleverage the service agility, automation and flexibilityoffered by SDN, NFV, and the cloud as orchestratorsallow the intelligent allocation, creation andmanagement of resources, working with heterogeneoussystems. This could potentially service a global clouddeployment in different geographical locations and withdifferent providers, managing public clouds and privatedeployments.

Up in the skySatellite communications are poised to be a vital pillarof the new 5G infrastructure and, although geostationarysatellites (GEO) continue to expand high-throughputofferings, constellations of low Earth orbit (LEO) andmedium Earth orbit (MEO) satellites are proliferatingrapidly. Offering lower latency and high capacity, thenew wave of satellite communications can fill theconnectivity gaps for different applications.

These trends in satellite come at an opportune timeas 5G is getting off the ground and is poised to radically

Image: Newtec




transform our lives. It is leading to a huge shift towardsa landscape dominated by wireless connectivity withmajor architectural changes accompanying this shift,essentially based on virtualization.

To integrate satellite technology into the overallcommunication map, service providers will need toprovide seamless connectivity between terrestrial andsatellite. Therefore, traffic will be dynamically steeredto the best transport options available according tobandwidth, latency, network conditions and otherapplication-specific requirements. A suite oforchestrators will make this steering decision, alsoleveraging the 3GPP network slicing. This interworkingbetween terrestrial and satellite is now well recognizedand promoted in the 3GPP standards.

Full integration within the virtualized architecture willtherefore apply to satellite as well, beginning with thecore of the network and then expanding to the edge.Management of the NFV infrastructure will beperformed through a Management and NetworkOrchestration (MANO) framework which will allow easyintegration of multiple applications. Some core mobilenetwork functionality could be moved to the edge anda Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC) platform couldhost different applications like caching and multicast,which can help reduce latency and improve Quality ofExperience (QoE) for the users.

Starting a dialogTo provide organizations with the required tools torealize the business potential of combining the featuresof 5G, network architecture and satellite, Newtec, aleader in the design, development and manufacture ofequipment for satellite communications, took NewtecDialog® to another level. The Newtec Dialog platformimplements a service-based architecture leveragingnetwork orchestration, virtualization and management

functions, separating the baseband function from theprocessing (similar to the BBU and RRH split in themobile space) and facilitating the deployment in a cloudenvironment.

Newtec Dialog promises lower-cost, highly flexibleand scalable infrastructure, providing customers with theability to get better service access anytime andanywhere in the world. Customers and service providerswill be able to scale services up or down quickly toaddress changing needs. This scalable architecture isopening the door to upcoming satellites which offerbeam steering, beam switching and beamforming. Itbecomes very simple to add new beams or new servicesand manage the whole solution seamlessly. It also totallyblends with the 3GPP 5G architecture specifications,implementing similar concepts (for example,virtualization), sharing the management functions (forexample, MANO), leveraging key features such as slicingand facilitating the seamless interworking betweenterrestrial and satellite. Of course, the architecture isextended to the remote terminal as well which benefitsfrom the same scalability, flexibility and costeffectiveness features and can also become part of anedge cloud.

A fully connected worldWith this seamless interworking, terrestrial networks, 5Gand satellite are all coming together through thearchitecture space, jointly evolving to the point whereend-users will become unaware of what network theyare using.

Together, this new unified network will unlock amultitude of new applications and services and propelus into a fully connected world where flexibility and agilitywill underpin everything. Satellite will also become moreprevalent in this new connectivity era, opening significantbusiness opportunities for the entire industry.

http://bit.ly/30D789j


3D printing withWindform compositeCRP USA’s main activities to date have been3D printing with Windform compositematerials, additive manufacturing andStockcar racing. The company has madegreat strides in additive manufacturing(Selective Laser Sintering technology) and hasmade its mark on the satellite world with theproduction of an entirely 3D printed CubeSat.Stewart Davies, Director of Operations at CRPUSA, opines on the use of 3D printing inspace-based technologies.

Stewart Davies, Director of Operationsat CRP USA

Question: Can you provide an overview of CRP USA’scapabilities and expertise?Stewart Davies: CRP USA currently runs five LaserSintering systems and are experts in the application ofWindform TOP-LINE composite materials across severalindustries. We have full inspection capabilities as wellas finishing and assembly of final components. We havespaceflight heritage on Windform Carbon-composite XT2.0 and Windform SP, and Windform Glass-compositeLX 3.0.

Question: We understand you’ve produced an entirely3D printed CubeSat which doubles up as a dispensingsystem for two smaller TubeSats. What can you tellus about this system, and its mission in space?

Stewart Davies: The TuPod was developed to launchTubeSats from a standard P-Pod. The original TubeSatkits were developed by Interorbital Systems (IOS) foruse with their Neptune launch vehicle. Several kits werepurchased and in process prior to the completion ofNeptune. In this case, one of these systems was granteda ride on a JAXA resupply mission to the ISS. TheTancredo Sat-1 TubeSat was assembled by TancredoMiddle School students in Ubatuba, Brazil and wassupported by the Brazilian Institute of Space Research(INPE), the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB), and InterorbitalSystems engineers. It was the first TubeSat to be placedin orbit. The second was a TubeSat developed by Open

3D Printed TuPOD deployed. (C) JAXA NASA

#3DPRINTING #WINDFORM #CRP #TUPOD #TUBESAT




http://bit.ly/2Tcta03


Space Networks. The TuPod was able to carry anddispense 2 TubeSats using a standard 3 U P-Pod. TheTuPod performed flawlessly and has deorbited.

Question: What makes Windform a suitable materialfor the production of 3D printed CubeSats? How doesit compare with traditional materials?Stewart Davies: Windform has some unique propertiesfor an additive material. Low outgassing, resistance toUV and its light weight vs strength are some of the key

characteristics that allow for it to replace a traditionalmaterial like aluminium in some applications. Thefreedom of additive manufacturing allows the creationof more complex geometry. From a distance the TuPodlooks relatively simple, but upon closer examinationthere are some areas in the design that would have beenmore difficult to accomplish in a traditionalmanufacturing method. Leveraging this properly hasbeen a key that our customers in the space industry havequickly adapted.

Whether it is entire structures or smaller components,we have been amazed at the creativity. The time toproduce the parts is often dramatically less thantraditional methods.

Question: There are a number of companies workingwith 3D printed space assets right now. What’s yourassessment of the potential for 3D printing technologyin space?Stewart Davies: I believe it will follow a path ofadaptation fairly quickly once the technologies canprove themselves to be reliable and repeatable. We arecurrently in a field that has a lot of hype of what may bedone, but this is outstripping the reality of what can bedone. While being able to produce metals and polymerscomponents via additive manufacturing allows for manydifferent options, it is still just one of the tools in thetoolbox and does not always make sense for everyapplication.

3D Printed CubeSat manufactured in Windform XT 2.0

3D Printed TuPOD with two TubeSats(back). Courtesy GAUSS Srl




Question: What are the challenges involved in 3Dprinting assets for space, and how might they beovercome?Stewart Davies: As mentioned previously, it is the abilityto ensure the performance and reliability of both theprocess and materials. We work extremely hard tocontrol our process and it is this type of effort that makesour customers understand that we are not just crankingout parts like a traditional rapid prototyping servicebureau. We test both equipment and materials on aregular basis. Some of these methods add time andadditional cost, but it is needed to ensure we producethe best parts possible.

Question: What’s on the horizon for CRP USA for thenext twelve months and beyond on the satellite andspace front?Stewart Davies: We are testing a new machine at ourfacility in North Carolina. This gives us a larger envelopeand we are planning to leverage this on some currentand new upcoming projects. We will have new materialsthat will be coming online as well, so we hope to workwith our customer on implementation of these in thecoming months. One of our struggles is that almost allof our work falls under NDA and we are not able todiscuss the work publicly. Projects like the TuPOD andthe work published by UTIAS on the CanSat7 are veryhelpful, but it is a small window into some of theincredible projects that we have been fortunate enoughto be involved. We are always ready to see what creativechallenges our current and future customers are goingto bring.

Rampart, BUS assembly test

3D Printed hybrid rocket engine in Windform XT 2.0




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