This milestone on a modernized A2100 satellite sees the hybrid propulsion integrated with the payload module and transponder panels. Using a combination of electrical Hall current thrusters and liquid apogee engine, the propulsion subsystem serves as the structural backbone of the satellite and is essential for maneuvering it into its final orbit as well as keeping it on station throughout its mission. The modernized A2100 builds on a flight-proven bus that is the foundation for more than 40 satellites in orbit today. Through an internally-funded, multi-year modernization effort, Lockheed Martin has enhanced the spacecraft's power, propulsion and electronics, while also adopting the latest advanced engineering and manufacturing techniques to decrease production costs and timelines. There are five modernized A2100 satellites currently under contract to Lockheed Martin. They are designed for a host of missions and customers around the globe.
The DFH-5 platform builds on China’s current-generation DFH-4 but triples its payload capacity, hosting communications packages up to 2,200 Kilograms with a payload power up to a whopping 28 Kilowatts, surpassing the most powerful commercial platforms currently on the market.DFH-5 inaugurates innovative systems like a truss acting as structural backbone, twice-deploying solar arrays, high-thrust ion engines for orbit control and a new type of self-controlling propellant system.
There aren't many threads on comsats anywhere here, so let's try one.http://news.lockheedmartin.com/2017-08-10-Lockheed-Martin-Successfully-Integrates-First-Modernized-A2100-Satellite
There are lots of threads on comsats, they're just found in the launch vehicle mission sections
“We are the first company to demonstrate full electric propulsion for satellites of this size and capacity,” said Nicolas Chamussy, Head of Space Systems at Airbus. “With this spacecraft we are clearly setting a new benchmark - enabling powerful and complex satellites to be launched in the most cost efficient manner.”EUTELSAT 172B combines electric power of 13 kW with a launch mass of around 3,500 kg only, thanks to the latest EOR (Electric Orbit Raising) version of Airbus’ highly reliable Eurostar E3000 platform...Customers can therefore either achieve a significant saving on launch costs, or a substantial increase of the payload power for a given mass. Furthermore the Hall Effect Technology used by Airbus makes transfer to the operational orbit significantly faster than other electric propulsion technologies.Innovation solutions include two deployable robotic arms to orientate the satellite’s electric propulsion thrusters to control thrust direction and attitude during different phases of the mission. In addition, WALIS (Wide Angle Localisation Integrated System) is a proprietary network of ground stations developed by Airbus around the world, to enable Airbus engineers to control orbit raising operations until the satellite reaches geostationary orbit.
Anyone have a good explanation why mounting thrusters on robotic arms is beneficial ?
Quote from: savuporo on 08/14/2017 04:31 amAnyone have a good explanation why mounting thrusters on robotic arms is beneficial ?Can control thrust direction while keeping solar panels directed at sun and antenna directed at earth.
Kymeta receives first-ever FCC authorization for 11,000 electronically-steered, beam-forming flat panel antenna terminals in the United States, and unlimited Ofcom authorization for antenna installation in the United KingdomRedmond, Washington—August 31, 2017: Kymeta Corporation has received blanket authorization from the FCC for commercial distribution of 11,000 of its KyWay™ terminals in the United States. This is the first-ever blanket license issued by the FCC for an electronically-steered, beam-forming flat panel antenna terminal, a significant milestone for the satellite communications industry at-large. It is also the first-ever blanket license issued by the FCC for any vehicle-mounted earth station terminal. Kymeta also received an indefinite-term, unlimited installation commercial license from the UK regulatory agency, Ofcom. Kymeta KyWay™ terminals will be available under these licenses for land mobile, maritime, and fixed IoT applications.The FCC’s blanket license will allow Kymeta—the company delivering on the promise of global, mobile connectivity—to operate 5,000 vehicle-mounted Earth stations (VMEs), 5,000 fixed IoT installations, and 1,000 maritime Earth stations on vessels (ESVs).The implications for maritime, IoT, and the automotive industry in the United States, is significant. “This is the first time electronically-steered, beam-forming flat panel antenna terminals have been given blanket authorization by the FCC,” said Nathan Kundtz, CEO and President of Kymeta. “The satellite spectrum has 5,000 times the capacity of all terrestrial networks, and that means that connected cars, construction sites, vessels, rail, buses, and other traditionally difficult-to-connect industries are now going to have the opportunity for uninterrupted access wherever they are, and wherever they go.”The company also received authorization from Ofcom to provide service to an unlimited number of vehicle-mounted, shipboard and IoT installations in the United Kingdom. This authorization from a European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) and Electronic Communications Committee (ECC) member country is an important milestone. Ofcom’s compliance with ECC decisions regarding ESVs mean that Kymeta installations under this authority are granted free circulation in the 48 CEPT member countries.“Free circulation in European waters means one less hurdle to overcome in the regulatory approval process,” said Håkan Olsson, Vice President of Maritime at Kymeta. “Ofcom and FCC approvals are major milestones as they enable seamless connectivity in the US, Caribbean and Europe—the most populated areas for satellite communication. We expect regulatory bodies for the rest of the world to follow suit shortly.”Kundtz is excited about Kymeta’s future as commercial licensing authorizations in the US and the UK position the company for future approvals, taking it one step closer to providing uninterrupted mobile satellite communications to the world. “The complete Kymeta solution makes connectivity as available as the sky,” said Kundtz. “The best way to think about our antenna is that it’s like a pizza box that delivers connectivity. All you need to do is take it outside, turn it on, and you’re connected. It’s the magic pizza box that delivers the internet, and these approvals are helping us to deliver on our promise of global, mobile communication.”About KymetaWhat’s the missing link to connecting billions of people to high-speed mobile access? Antennas. And Kymeta offers the world’s only commercially-viable electronically-scanning satellite antennas and terminals. Kymeta antennas and terminals deliver high-throughput communications for land, sea, and air, making mobile connectivity as available as a view of the sky. Plus, the world’s largest satellite operator, Intelsat, has joined forces with Kymeta to deliver KĀLO global access services that combine with Kymeta antennas and terminals to provide revolutionary mobile connectivity. Without Kymeta mTenna™ technology, connecting and staying connected to all those new satellites while on the move will be difficult, if not impossible.If it moves, Kymeta will keep it connected. Anywhere.For more information, visit kymetacorp.com and KALO.net.
Quote from: savuporo on 08/14/2017 04:31 amAnyone have a good explanation why mounting thrusters on robotic arms is beneficial ?Three possibilities: First, if what you need is torque, it's more efficient to be further from the center of mass. Second, with fixed thrusters you need three opposing pairs to get control in all three axes. If you can point the thrusters using the arm, you only need one pair. Third, it could reduce the need for redundancy. A thruster that can be pointed using the arm could substitute for any other thruster, not just one pointed in a particular direction.
Electric propulsion can come with trade-offs though, according Mike Glogowski, director of propulsion at Orbital ATK.“They produce more drag in some cases, certainly for Hall [-effect] thrusters versus, say, pure ion thrusters,” he said at the Satellite 2017 conference in March. “They can also engender erosion of surface materials, which likewise would put deposits on your spacecraft surfaces. They also have potential electro-dynamic interference effects that all have to be accounted for, and likewise they are also very expensive compared to a heritage chemical system. But even with all those features they have become quite a key offering now among many satellite prime contractors.”
After years of development, Lockheed Martin completed the first flight build of its new Multi-mission Modular (MM) Solar Array. The new design is a major component of Lockheed Martin’s multi-year modernization of its LM 2100 satellite bus, which is part of its newly-enhanced family of buses.According to Lockheed Martin, the flexible array design delivers 50 percent more power than previous rigid array designs at 30 percent less mass. By swapping rigid panels for thin sheets, the upgraded design achieves reduced weight and compact stowage. ...
Case in point : Recent Eutelsat 172B launch, a significant milestone for Eurostar E3000 platform
Eutelsat’s newest satellite reached its target position in the geostationary orbit this week only four months after its launch, setting an industry record for the fastest all electric orbit-raising.Eutelsat-172b was launched June 1 along with Viast-2 aboard an Ariane 5 rocket.The satellite’s builder Airbus said the record time had been achieved thanks to a set of innovations including a pair of deployable robotic arms that orientate the satellite’s Hall thrusters allowing better control of the thrust direction and attitude during different phases of the mission.
If this spreads throughout the industry, it could be trouble for big launchers like Falcon Heavy and NG.
Quote from: Kryten on 10/26/2017 08:30 pmIf this spreads throughout the industry, it could be trouble for big launchers like Falcon Heavy and NG.I quote: - "low volume, to launch up to 4 at a time (stacked)", ie 8 tons, firmly into FH territory.
Almost like Avio knew that was coming when they designed Vega-C....
Launching stacked from 2 to 8 tonnes is brilliant, since they can fly the same sats on anything from Antares and Soyuz to Ariane 5/6 and Falcon Heavy. Really opens up the market.
Quote from: Welsh Dragon on 10/26/2017 08:40 pmQuote from: Kryten on 10/26/2017 08:30 pmIf this spreads throughout the industry, it could be trouble for big launchers like Falcon Heavy and NG.I quote: - "low volume, to launch up to 4 at a time (stacked)", ie 8 tons, firmly into FH territory.Launching stacked from 2 to 8 tonnes is brilliant, since they can fly the same sats on anything from Antares and Soyuz to Ariane 5/6 and Falcon Heavy. Really opens up the market.
Those SES specs were their vision for the future, not an actual order.
Big news in satellite communications today: SES (one of the biggest GEO satellite operators, and owner of the O3b MEO constellation too), has announced the design or its future GEO sats:- fully digital, for completely flexible spectrum/footprint allocation- use of less expensive commercial components- low mass, at 2000kg- low volume, to launch up to 4 at a time (stacked)- short lifetime, less than 7 years- cheap, at less than 50M$ to build- 18 month from contract to GEO slot (vs more than 30 currently)That's the same philosophy as for the next-gen O3b constellation built by Boeing: fully digital with a phased-array antenna for maximum flexibilityThe source is Peter B. de Selding:https://www.spaceintelreport.com/ses-tells-satellite-builders-prepare-total-rethink-business/It seems to me they want to exploit SpaceX's reusable rockets fully: quick and cheap launch is required for that kind of satellite
Lockheed Martin, which 3D printed both halves of the 46-inch titanium fuel tank domes on an American-made Sciaky EBAM 110 machine, announced last week that the tanks met or exceeded the performance and reliability required by NASA, allowing it to become a standard product option on LM 2100 satellites.
GomSpace Sweden signed a contract with Astrocast, a Swiss nanosatellites provider, to deliver a propulsion system for each of the 10 nanosatellites in the first orbital plane of the new Astrocast constellation. This will be the first propulsion system operating on a constellation of 3U cubsesats.
A consortium comprised of U.S. U.K., and Canada-based private equity companies agreed to buy Inmarsat for $3.4 billion. The consortium, made up of Apax Partners, Warburg Pincus International, and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), disclosed the proposal for the takeover last week, although it was made on Jan. 31. Lansdowne Partners, which currently owns 11.4 percent of the company, backed the deal, according to a report from Bloomberg.
Kymeta – the communications company that is completing the connectivity fabric for everything, everywhere — announced a new partnership with Türksat, one of the world’s leading companies providing satellite communications across a wide area extending from Europe to the Middle East and Africa, at SATELLITE 2019. The partnership will bring connectivity solutions to Türksat customers for voice, data, internet, TV, and radio broadcasting.
.@BoeingSpace kicks off #WSBW by announcing its 702X line of satellites for GEO orbit. Based on @SES_Satellites mPower MEO sats, under construction. 702X starts at 1,900kg for lighter GEO version, w/ 25-Kw, 1-Tbps models at upper end. Delivery w/in 3 yrs of contract.
Iridium said Sept. 16 that the new seven-year, $738.5 million contract ensures continuity for voice, data, broadcast and other services to Defense Department and associated users.
Iridium’s 2013 contract was worth $400 million, or roughly $80 million per year. Under the new deal, Iridium stands to receive $105 million per year on average.
