NEWS

LATEST NEWS EXTRACTS FROM THE APSCC

Microsoft, SES and GRC Showcase Azure Cloud for Remote Missions via Secure GovSat Connectivity Service

June 30, 2021 - Microsoft and SES, in partnership with GovSat and UK-based solutions provider GRC, came together to demonstrate how Microsoft Azure Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities can be brought directly to end-users deployed globally in a highly secure, reliable way while maintaining network sovereignty - allowing users to exploit key Azure workloads regardless of location and drastically boosting the efficiency of critical missions. In these demonstrations the Azure Stack Mini R device was connected to a quick deployable tactical satcom terminal from GRC through the secure SATCOM connection on GovSat-1 satellite, and sent directly to Azure UK via the SES Cloud Direct service, giving connected and disconnected access to Azure services. The first demonstrations of its kind highlighted how this technology could be used in a number of scenarios such as a remote disaster relief operation, collecting information for analysis, at any given classification, allowing AI and ML models to be used to APSCC Monthly e‐Newsletter 2 July 2021 categorise and assess the information locally before using the available SATCOM to update the overall situational awareness picture and, if required, updating the AI and ML models via hyperscale Azure DevOps processes.  

Thuraya Signs Agreement with Delta Bridge to Drive Government Satellite Connectivity Growth

June 30, 2021 - Thuraya has signed a Solution System Integrator partnership agreement with Delta Bridge. Through the partnership, Thuraya and Delta Bridge will deliver key government customers secure satellite communication connectivity and mission-critical applications for the defense and government sector, backed by the companies' broad portfolios of experience and capabilities. Delta Bridge specializes in secure turnkey telecommunication solutions catering to the mission-critical needs of U.S. government customers, supporting logistics, oil and gas and maritime initiatives. Since 2006, the company has supported U.S. government integration projects. Leveraging Thuraya's innovative technologies and solutions, Delta Bridge will support government customers and build on its history of research and development (R&D), engineering, conceptualization and project management.

Sateliot Leads First In‐orbit Demonstration of 5G NB‐IoT Nanosatellite to Extend Mobile Coverage

June 30, 2021 - Sateliot, the satellite operator that will launch a constellation of nanosatellites to democratize the Internet of things (IoT) with 5G coverage, has materialized the world’s first implementation and in-orbit demonstration of the 5G NB-IoT stack by nanosatellite that will allow extending coverage to mobile operators, as reported today in the framework of the MWC where it participates. In this way, Sateliot validates its project by confirming that the service tested in the laboratory is already working on the first of its nanosatellites already orbiting in space. Thus, the company has verified that the signals can be transmitted by this fast-moving satellite (LEO-600) and detected and decoded by a device on the ground. Precisely, this technical advance comes at the same time that the 3GPP, the body that periodically brings together the main players in the telecommunications sector to define the various communication standards, has approved the inclusion in the definition of the 5G-IoT standard of ‘scenario 4’ or also known in the sector as ‘Sateliot scenario’ in which low orbit nanosatellite networks are contemplated to provide IoT services.

OneWeb Fully‐funded with New $500m Investment. Secures $2.4bn in Total Funding

July 29, 2021 - OneWeb has secured further fund-raising on the anniversary of the successful bid by UK Government and Bharti Global (Bharti) to purchase OneWeb from US Chapter 11 to bring its total funding to $2.4 billion. OneWeb has completed its transformation with the exercise of a Call Option by Bharti to invest an additional $500m into the company. Today's announcement comes as OneWeb prepares for its eighth launch on 1st July, delivering highly anticipated and strategically valuable Arctic region coverage down to 50 degrees latitude. The Call Option is expected to be completed in the second half of 2021, subject to regulatory approvals. On completion of the Call Option and with Eutelsat’s $550m investment, Bharti will hold 38.6%. The UK Government, Eutelsat, and Softbank will each own 19.3%. The final shareholding structure may alter to the extent a member of the shareholders’ group chooses to exercise a part of this call option. On completion, OneWeb will have secured $2.4bn of equity investment, with no issued debt.

Speedcast Completes Oil & Gas Industry Performance Testing on Telesat’s Phase 1 LEO Satellite for Petrobras

June 29, 2021 - Speedcast has completed an oil and gas industry performance testing of Telesat’s Phase 1 LEO satellite using data provided by Brazilian state-owned petroleum company, Petrobras. Identified testing data was selected to represent the company’s typical data, voice and video applications. The testing program is part of Speedcast’s ongoing commitment to evaluate technology advances with the potential to expand the quality and scope of services for its global customers who require high-performance connectivity solutions for their critical, maximum-uptime operations. Consisting of nine individual tests, the program measured overall performance of throughput, latency, packet loss and jitter across applications including videoconferencing, video streaming, web browsing, file transfer, voice and remote desktop. Results showed latencies of about 35 milliseconds, which is indicative of the final Telesat Lightspeed network design, whereas the other performance factors demonstrated the ability to move data reliably across the satellite. Testing over the robust Ka-band link demonstrated latency, data rates and application performance that are equivalent to a fiber-connected office environment. This enables the use of secure, cloud-based applications such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, which require a lower latency than what’s possible with a Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) satellite. Overall, these tests demonstrated that a LEO satellite can provide an experience equivalent to or better than an office APSCC Monthly e‐Newsletter 3 July 2021 environment, enabling the integration of LEO into a combined solution to meet customers’ needs and provide a reliable, low-latency solution.

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About APSCC
APSCC is a non-profit, international organization representing all sectors of satellite and space-related industries. The aim of the organization is to exchange views and ideas on satellite technologies, systems, policies and outer space activities in general along with satellite communications including broadcasting for the betterment of the Asia-Pacific region.

Conferences, forums, workshops, and exhibitions are organized through regional coordination with its members in order to promote new services and businesses via satellite as well as outer space activities. APSCC membership is open to any government body, public or private organization, association, or corporation that is involved in satellite services, risk management or associate fields such as data-casting, informatics, multi-media, telecommunications and other outer-space related activities with interests in the Asia-Pacific region. More information is available at www.apscc.or.kr.