Satellite manufacturing on the move

During World Satellite Business Week event held in Washington DC, I attended a panel together with key representatives from the space sector. Key themes dealt with the satellite manufacturing evolution, the digitalization of space systems as well as space sustainability.

What would be the “Holy Grail” in satellite manufacturing?

That’s the question panelists were asked during the panel. In terms of constellations and space systems in general, we consider that the first holy grail would be to make the multi-orbit strategy a reality from both end-user and telecommunications operator perspectives. Indubitably, in terms of connectivity services, complementarity between geostationary (GEO) and non-GEO satellites is something we really believe in. Thanks to it, telecom operators could benefit from a continuous global coverage, including poles and oceans, together with strong data-rate, geo-concentration and low latency. Nevertheless, to make it possible, there is a need for very competitive and ubiquitous terminals able to switch from one orbit to another in a seamless manner. More importantly, those terminals will be of no use if the ground system is not able to orchestrate these different network layers. We are working on these challenges, relying on the strong system expertise we have acquired when developing constellation solutions.

The second holy grail refers to software defined satellites that are becoming more and more popular among our customers. One of the promise of these satellites is to minimize the configuration efforts at procurement stage, given that most of this configuration can be done software wise. The holy grail would be to offer our customers the capacity to configure and even order our Software-Defined Space INSPIRE Satellites, on line exactly like we do when buying a laptop. We are getting closer and closer to that dream: product standardization and simulation tools availability allow customers to preview the performances of their future space systems and a Digital Sales Portal is at reach.?

Fully flexible and software-defined satellites in the spotlight

Thales Alenia Space ended the year 2021 on a high note, taking the lead on the telecom geostationary market with 5 Geostationary satellites as prime contractor, including 2 for SES: ASTRA 1P and ASTRA 1Q. First satellite will be based on our full electric and flight-proven Spacebus NEO solution; second one on our Space Inspire product line. I would like to take the opportunity of this success story to thank CNES and ESA for their continuous support in developing our product lines.

Today, it looks like software-defined satellite solutions have become the new standard in space industry. Current market share is around 50% and it is still increasing. We started the year on a very good news as Intelsat ordered 2 Space INPIRE telecommunications satellites to Thales Alenia Space, Intelsat-41 and Intelsat-44.

Our customers are increasingly facing an imperative need to offer advanced new services and seize new commercial opportunities at any given moment. Based on a new medium-size platform, our Space INSPIRE solution is software-defined, ultra-flexible and fully reprogrammable in orbit, including for coverage zones. Digital technology and flexibility allow satellite operators to dynamically allocate capacity where and when needed, in any bandwidth. Because these satellites are entirely customized by software, they can be reproduced as standard, and benefit from the kinds of production techniques used on constellations. This means we can offer our customers lower prices and shorter delivery schedules. And they can even share a ride with other spacecraft on board the launcher. Typically, Space INSPIRE satellites can support broadband connectivity, video contribution and video distribution.

Our Spacebus NEO product line is still the ideal solution for very high throughput satellites that deliver broadband connectivity worldwide. We are all looking forward to the launch of EUTELSAT KONNECT VHTS satellite, that will contribute to bridging the digital divide in Europe, providing High speed Internet in isolated areas dubbed the white zones.

Sustainability in Space

Sustainability in Space has become a strategic topic and a clear expectation from all our stakeholders, whether they are institutions, commercial customers, investors or citizens. Space programs have since their inception played an important role to ensure sustainability on Earth, capturing, for example through the Copernicus program, key data on land, marine and atmospheric environments, enabling emergency management in case of disasters and climate change monitoring. Today, the attention is shifting to Sustainability in Space. As there are more and more satellites orbiting around the Earth, there is a real necessity to optimize satellites life expectancy to avoid overcrowding cemetery orbits, and to remove existing space debris. Fully involved in environment monitoring, our company also contributes to preventing and safeguarding the space environment.?

PREVENTING

At Thales Alenia Space, we have?been working for long time on space debris prevention. In France, our experts have cooperated with CNES Space Agency and other partners on the definition of the French Debris Mitigation Law, which is considered as precursor in the international scene.

Space debris proliferation could completely condemn some orbits and prevent from launching Earth observation missions that are so important for environment monitoring. This is why we need to ensure common rules that will prevent such proliferation.

?At Thales Alenia Space we actively contribute to the debate and definition of common and international requirements on Space Traffic Coordination and Management both at the European Cooperation for Space Standardization (ECSS) and at the international ISO level. The international ISO standard organization is working on rules that needs to be followed by all the countries to ensure a level playing field for all space actors.

In addition, we develop technological building blocks that will make possible a better knowledge of the activity in this environment and a sustainable management of the satellites in orbit. I will give 3 examples.

SWOT, the joint oceanography mission between CNES and NASA, will be the first one fitted by design with a controlled atmospheric reentry subsystem avoiding any debris generation at satellite end-of-life. On Iridium NEXT, very soon in the design phase, we worked closely with our customer on a proper de-orbiting strategy in order to safely replace the previous generation. We implemented the right level of security and safety at the time, in order to ensure this “smooth” transition to avoid potential additional collision risks. We are also implementing Design 4 Removal and Servicing solutions on new European Copernicus satellites in order to facilitate the removal by an Active Debris Removal mission in the remote case of major failures preventing the proper disposal at end of life.

SAFEGUARDING

We are also working on solutions to anticipate the satellites end of life by developing brand new on-orbit servicing vehicles that will carry out a wide range of operations directly in space: station keeping, refueling, repairing or upgrading in order to provide life extension with advanced robotic operations. Thales Alenia Space?has already validated on ground with its project EROSS all the key technologies to provide on-orbit servicing. We are currently leading the European EROSS+ project to take all these technologies to space. These new vehicles will definitely contribute to a more sustainable space.?

"There can be no Plan B because there is no planet B"

First proclaimed by former US Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, this punchline echoes even more strongly today. Global warming continues to be everybody’s concern, as we strive to safeguard our one and only planet. There is hope, because we have the technological solutions needed to cope with the impact of global warming, while also protecting people across the world. And satellites are more than ever a critical part of this equation.

In a nutshell,?the Space for Life vision inspires our activities for a sustainable Earth and a sustainable space. At Thales Alenia Space we will therefore be glad and proud to contribute proactively to a Sustainable Use of Space, and be part of this collective endeavor, altogether with partners from the space eco-system and wider.

Artistic views ? Thales Alenia Space/Briot - SWOT satellite in clean rooms ? Thales Alenia Space/Imag[IN] - Videos ? Thales Alenia Space/Master Image Programmes