The need for operational flexibility for satellites in orbit has only grown. Tens of thousands of satellites means tens of thousands of opportunities for disaster. Our guest Kevin Lausten, President of Morpheus Space, is joining us today to talk about the technology behind satellite mobility, how it is evolving with smallsat designs and how its applications are growing beyond collision avoidance to support an emerging need for understanding what satellites are doing in space.

Game Changers is a limited series of short podcasts focused on pivotal new technologies or trends. In this episode, Melissa Quinn of Slingshot Aerospace walks us through the impact of artificial intelligence on the satellite and space industries. This limited series is brought to you by Constellations and Novaspace and highlights some of the key innovative topics that will be addressed at the upcoming World Space Business Week.

In this episode, SES Space and Defense Vice President of Product Management Michael Geist discusses the evolving landscape of multi-orbit satellite capabilities. The integration of LEO, MEO and GEO orbits are poised to enhance connectivity and operational resilience. As governments and commercial entities increasingly embrace multi-orbit strategies, the industry builds a stronger foundation for a more adaptable and resilient future in satcom.

• An increase in demand for MEO and LEO services has not resulted in a drop in demand for GEO.

• CASR, or the Commercial Augmented Space Reserve, is a new way for commercial companies to support military satellites in orbit.

• Geist predicts that the largest disruptor in MILSATCOM will be digitization, which will act as a gateway technology to automating many satellite networking functions.

Chapters:

0:26 – Introducing Michael Geist, SES Space and Defense

0:58 – the unique abilities of LEO, MEO and GEO

3:44 – multi-orbit capabilities and resilience through diversity

5:49 – shifts in popularity between orbits

7:07 – military satellites in orbit via CASR (Commercial Augmented Space Reserve)

8:57 – hybrid SATCOM architecture

11:05 – challenges in making CASR successful

13:33 – space data relay services

15:03 – Prediction: what will be the biggest technology disruptors in MILSATCOM?

About Constellations: Constellations is a podcast and publication by Kratos covering the new generation of space network technologies. Our core interests are space networks, softwarization, terrestrial-space interoperability, the ground segment, security—and, of course, the growing space economy.

- The podcast publishes biweekly on Wednesday mornings.

- The podcast has featured leading CEOs, analysts, and government guests from Space Force, AFRL, the White House, and more.

- By size, our audience is space industry leaders, engineers, military/civil space, and academia.

- We publish article contributions from outside organizations and have ongoing content partnerships with DIFI, Space ISAC, Space Intel Report, and Analysys Mason.

- Sign up to receive our newsletter: www.kratosdefense.com/constellations/newsletters

Game Changers is a limited podcast series about the game-changing technologies that will be discussed at the upcoming World Space Business Week. Tune in every Tuesday leading up to the event to hear experts answer 3 quick, hard-hitting questions to explain how they are changing the game.

In this episode, Robert Carlisle of Argo Space walks us through the impact of in-space transportation on the satellite and space industries.

Globally recognized organizations are exploring different advanced communication technologies from RF to laser links. Hear Jean Francois Morizur, Founder and CEO of Cailabs, share insights on the market for laser communications and how lasers complement the role of RF signals in satellite connectivity.

• Lasers require no spectrum access enhancing their ability global satellite connectivity.
• Novaspace predicts that launches of satellites with laser communication terminals on board will double year over year.
• Lasers provide an additional layer of security as they qualify as LPD/LPI (low probability of detection or intercept).

Chapters:

0:19 – Introducing Jean-Francois (JF) Morizur, CEO of Cailabs

1:06 – Satellites communicating via radio frequency

3:51 – main differences between RF and laser

6:20 – optical ground stations

9:03 – adding laser to traditional ground stations

11:29 – intersatellite laser links

13:22 – are laser links secure?

14:43 – government push for laser

15:28 – downlink to earth (DTE) applications

17:23 – best use cases for laser and satellite networks

20:04 – multi-orbit links

21:52 – Prediction: will laser completely replace RF?

About Constellations: Constellations is a podcast and publication by Kratos covering the new generation of space network technologies. Our core interests are space networks, softwarization, terrestrial-space interoperability, the ground segment, security—and, of course, the growing space economy.

- The podcast publishes biweekly on Wednesday mornings.

- The podcast has featured leading CEOs, analysts, and government guests from Space Force, AFRL, the White House, and more.

- By size, our audience is space industry leaders, engineers, military/civil space, and academia.

- We publish article contributions from outside organizations and have ongoing content partnerships with DIFI, Space ISAC, Space Intel Report, and Analysys Mason.

- Sign up to receive our newsletter: www.kratosdefense.com/constellations/newsletters

Highly-anticipated WILD WILD SPACE brings the space industry into your home! Constellations spoke with Ross Kauffman and Ashlee Vance, the team behind the upcoming HBO original documentary WILD WILD SPACE. The original HBO documentary follows three rocket and satellite companies – Astra, Rocket Lab, and Planet – and the quests of their idiosyncratic founders to conquer the burgeoning space industry.

New business models for software-defined satellites: this episode features Florian Thirion, Senior Product and Portfolio Marketing Manager at Airbus Defence and Space. New software-defined satellites give operators the capability to scale their business models and diversify the services they deliver to customers.

• Over 27,000 satellites with flexible architectures are forecasted to be manufactured and launched between 2021 and 2031.
• Software-defined satellites enables lower and progressive CapEx, can share capacity between operators, and have lower overall operation costs.
• In coming years, high throughput laser links between GEO and ground architecture will allow from 10-100 gigabits of massive data transfer.

Chapters:

0:00 – introducing Florian Thirion, Airbus Defence and Space

1:25 – current state of the satellite market

2:42 – why the industry is moving towards software-defined satellites

4:10 – bent-pipe satellites vs. software-defined satellites

6:55 – new capabilities made possible

8:25 – best applications for software-defined satellites

10:11 – increasing revenue and lowering CapEx

11:50 – working with ground systems

14:17 – multi-orbit orchestration

14:50 – prediction: software-defined satellites in five years

17:44 – building cloud connectivity in satellite

19:36 – long-term sustainability in space

About Constellations: Constellations is a podcast and publication by Kratos covering the new generation of space network technologies. Our core interests are space networks, softwarization, terrestrial-space interoperability, the ground segment, security—and, of course, the growing space economy.

• The podcast publishes biweekly on Wednesday mornings.
• The podcast has featured leading CEOs, analysts, and government guests from Space Force, AFRL, the White House, and more.
• By size, our audience is space industry leaders, engineers, military/civil space, and academia.
• We publish article contributions from outside organizations and have ongoing content partnerships with DIFI, Space ISAC, Space Intel Report, and Analysys Mason.
• \Sign up to receive our newsletter: www.kratosdefense.com/constellations/newsletters

5G from space holds the promise to make mobile connectivity accessible to everyone and everywhere. Past efforts to mainstream satellite communications did not have the advantage that 5G brings - a single technology standard that enables Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and satellite service providers to complement each other’s networks to deliver nearly ubiquitous, instantaneous, connectivity for large numbers of devices globally. With us today on Constellations Podcast is Lucas Hansen, Vice President and General Manager of Wireless and Satellite Direct-to-Device Communications at Keysight Technologies to discuss the opportunities, challenges, use cases and future of 5G from space.