Phys.org July 30, 2021
The European Space Agency launched the world’s first commercial fully re-programmable satellite from French Guiana on Friday [July 30, 2021] ushering in a new era of more flexible communications paving the way for a new era of more flexible communications. Unlike conventional models that are designed and “hard-wired” on Earth and cannot be repurposed once in orbit, the Eutelsat Quantum allows users to tailor the communications to their needs—almost in real-time. Because it can be reprogrammed while orbiting in a fixed position 35,000 kilometres (22,000 miles) above the Earth, the Quantum can respond to changing demands for data transmission and secure communications during its 15-year lifetime, ESA said. The communications beams, each of which can be modified to change its area of coverage and the power of the telecommunications signal it emits. Customers can make changes in minutes. The satellite can be used to provide mobile coverage for moving objects such as aircraft or oceangoing vessels, in disaster areas, and pinpoint the origin of signals. The Eutelsat Quantum will cover a large geographical area from West Africa to Asia for 15 years…read more. More information
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