PAGE 1
SatMagazine Worldwide Satellite Magazine April 2013 Maritime SATCOM Space Engineering
PAGE 2
SatMagazineApril 2013 2 We reserve the right to edit all submitted materials to meet our content guidelines, as well as for grammar or to move articles to an alternative issue to accommodate publication space requirements or removed due to space restrictions. Submission of content does not constitute acceptance of said material by SatNews Publishers. Edited materials may, or may not, be returned to author and/or company for review prior to publication. The views expressed in SatNews Publishers various publications do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of SatNews Publishers. All rights reserved. All included imagery is courtesy of, and copyright to, the respective companies or named individuals. Published monthly by SatNews Publishers 800 Siesta Way Sonoma, CA 95476 USA Phone: (707) 939-9306 Fax: (707) 838-9235 2013 SatNews Publishers Silvano Payne, Publisher + Writer Hartley G. Lesser, Editorial Director Pattie Waldt, Executive Editor Jill Durfee, Sales Director, Editorial Assistant Simon Payne, Development Director Donald McGee, Production Manager Dan Makinster, Technical Advisor Chris Forrester, Senior Contributing Editor Alan Gottlieb, Senior Contributing Editor Bob Gough, Senior Contributing Editor Jos Heyman, Senior Contributing Editor Giles Peeters, Senior Contributing Editor Mike Antonovich, Senior Contributing Editor Richard Dutchik, Contributing Editor Bert Sadtler, Contributing Editor Jan Einar Bringedal Patrick Decool Chris Forrester Martin Jarrold Jos Heyman Hartley Lesser Reinhold Lppen Bert Sadtler Pattie Waldt { Think you know SATCOM? { Prove it. SatMagazine, MilsatMagazine and SatNews are always seeking articles covering the SATCOM and related industries, features that would be of interest to our thousands of global readers. If you have an insightful, fresh and relevant article, or an idea you feel holds merit, we would appreciate the opportunity to discuss the material with you. Please contact Hartley Lesser, Editorial Director: hartley@satnews.com 530.448.6049 { Publishing Operations Authors + Contributors SatMagazine. April 2013, Vol. 6, #1
PAGE 4
InfoBeam SatMagazine. April 2013, Vol. 6, #1 Adding Two To The Books (ILS + Intelsat), 10 Satellites Study Set Up (SS/L), 10 Hybrid Help, Intelsat + Digital Networks), 10 R&D Courtesy Of SADI (Norsat), 11 Spanish Digital Movie Distribution Calls For Many Talents (HISPASAT), 12 Active Within Minutes (C-COM), 14 Spot-On Comms (On Call Communications), 14 Second Stage In Final Stage (ATK), 15 Making A Messier Of Things (NASA), 16 Helping This Sapphire To Glean, 16 New Controller + On The Skids (Winegard), 17 A Most Important 30 Year Anniversary For SAR, 18 Must Have Report Now Available From Space Foundation, 20 Bringing Apple iOS Into The Mix (Satcom Direct), 21 Feeding The Screen (KenCast + DCDC), 22 Becoming Pals With Connectivity (OnAir), 22 Much Ado About Manufacturing + Launch Services (NSR), 23 SatMagazineApril 2013 4
PAGE 6
Advantech Wireless, 9 AnaCom, Inc., 19 Arabsat Satellite, 7 Comtech EF Data, 23 CPI Satcom Products, 17 Global Link Productions Inc., 21 Harris Corporation, 5 MITEQ Inc. / MCL, 15 NewSat Limited, 13 Newtec CY, 3 SatFinder, 53 SatNews, 2 Singapore Exhibition Services CommunicAsia2013, 49 Space Foundation NSS, 33 Space Tech Expo (Smartershows Ltd.), 43 Teledyne Paradise Datacom LLC, cover + 11 Terrapin Ltd. SatCom 2013 Africa, 39 Index To Advertisers SatMagazine. April 2013, Vol. 6, #1 SatMagazineApril 2013 6
PAGE 8
SatBroadcasting: Talk Of The Show + Getting Tough On Broadband, 24 There was, without doubt, a spring in the step of SES Romain Bausch as well as other senior staff at the recent... By Chris Forrester, Senior Contributing Editor Executive Spotlight: Malcolm McMaster, President, Globecomm Maritime, 28 Mr. McMaster possesses many years of experience with a number of companies, where he exercised full P&L responsibility for operations in the... Sadtler On Careers: And A Good Divorce To You, 34 No, you did not mistakenly pick up a legal journal with an article written for attorneys about the dissolution of married... By Bert Sadtler, Contributing Editor Consumerization Of IT @ SeaA Challenge Or An Opportunity, 36 When it comes to smartphones and tablets, we only have to sit down in a caf or in an airport... By Reinhold Lppen + Patrick Decool, Astrium Services Spotlight On Maritime With Terry Neuman, iDirect, 40 Terry Neumann is part of the market development team within iDirect. He focuses his time and resources on promoting and expanding the use of VSAT. Expanding Horizons For Satellite Broadband @ Sea, 44 There is no doubt that the maritime industry is increasingly vital for a plethora of resources for... By Martin Jerrold, GVF Maritme SATCOM Forum. Executive Spotlight: Kim Gram, Vice President, Cobham SATCOM, 46 Kim Gram has held the position of Vice President of the Aeronautical Business Unit at Cobham SATCOM (previously Thrane & Thrane A/S) since 2009. A Look At... Early Maritime Satellites, 50 Traditionally, communications with ships on the high seas was conducted by morse code or by via radio communications... By Jos Heyman, Senior Contributing Editor LEON: The Space Chip That Europe Built, 54 Similar to home computers, the sophisticated capabilities of todays space missions are made possible by the power of their processor chips. Integrating Carriers For Cost-Effective Passenger + Crew Connectivity, 64 Satellite communications usage at sea typically reflects trends on land and, today, more than ever... By Jan Einar Bringedal, Marlink Features SatMagazine. April 2013, Vol. 6, #1 SatMagazineApril 2013 8
PAGE 10
InfoBeam SatMagazineApril 2013 10 International Launch Services (ILS) and Intelsat S.A. Intelsat enjoyed another steady year in 2012, # # (SSL) has been selected orbiting satellites. SSL will examine options The six-month study contract was awarded under a operators, SSL is wellSSL also has experience launched into 24 hour Tundra hosted payload experience telecommunications satellite, which was launched in 2012 Intelsat-14, which hosted hosted payloads also includes commercial communications # Artistic rendition of DMSP, courtesy of U.S. Air Force.
PAGE 11
11 SatMagazineApril 2013 Norsat International Inc. has been awarded a $13.3 Strategic Aerospace and Defence Initiative (SADI). and performance. Norsats microwave components are used worldwide for satellite signal transmission and reception Fly-away satellite terminals with improved ease-of use and technical performance Communications-on-the-Move (COTM) technologies that provide connectivity throughout moving deployments Wireless communications technologies for Land Mobile Radio (LMR). Novel antennas that deliver high performance, reliability, and durability Complementary Communications solutions, providing end to end solutions for applications such as monitoring, surveillance and emergency communications
PAGE 12
InfoBeam SatMagazineApril 2013 12 contents distribution. It is estimated that, trailers per year to 2,000 compared to those currently used, as they streamline the reduce the time spent to In addition, security theatres in Spain, will the dissemination process in cinemas, in this way Hispasat will supply and its deployment content can reach cinemas onto their projectors in three hours, and a trailer in just a the multimedia contents console located at the that represents a unique communication model, #
PAGE 14
InfoBeam SatMagazineApril 2013 14 # #
PAGE 15
15 SatMagazineApril 2013 Arnold Engineering commercial motor, which was order to accurately test the Initial data indicate the motor commercial customer which produced the Thrust #
PAGE 16
InfoBeam SatMagazineApril 2013 16 with more papers written It is the closest and a deep red colour as seen in due to a phenomenon # Image credit: NASA, ESA & A. van der Hoeven. part of the ground the Sapphire satellite which implements the downloaded Sapphire processor was produced In recent years, many commercial and military In order to support electro-optical sensor will satellite was launched into #
PAGE 17
17 SatMagazineApril 2013 Winegard has designed a new controller package that incorporates an controller housing. with the new controller, systems and controllers are operational worldwide, deployment without the need electronic components inside antenna deployment and technicians are not required operator needs to do is control center, connect the The antenna system the appropriate satellite and #
PAGE 18
InfoBeam SatMagazineApril 2013 18 satellite series carried To date, more than Sarsat system, while 11 were sent into space as the alert detection, location, the alerts to search and satellite launched nine months payloads added enormous nearly three decades now and the satellites equipped with stations and mission control rescue coordination centers that dispatch personnel to Artist conception of NOAA-N Prime in orbit. Credit: Lockheed Martin. SARSAT diagram, courtesy of NOAA.
PAGE 19
19 SatMagazineApril 2013 detect sudden deceleration was installed only on low satellites, such as the hardware was also installed on immediate detection, in The current constellation The six operational and communications satellites #
PAGE 20
InfoBeam SatMagazineApril 2013 20 grew to $304.31 billion in total of $285.33 billion. space products and country to country, with India, percent, while other nations, sector, easy-to-understand Launches 78 launch attempts took place in 2012, a drop of 7.1 percent from the 84 launches in 2011 (but higher than the 2010 total of 74) Russia led with 24 launches, China had 19 launches and the United States totaled 13 launches. For the second year running, the Chinese launch rate was greater than that of the United States The United States led in terms of launch vehicle diversity, however, with ten types of orbital rockets launched in 2012. Workforce According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data, the size of the U.S. space year in a row, dropping 3.8 percent, from 252,315 in 2010 to 242,724 in 2011 (the most recent full year for which data is available) a decrease of about 9,500 workers. However, the changes varied by sector, with some portions of the space industry growing while others contracted The United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)s civil servant workforce decreased drop of 2.9 percent. However, there is evidence that the employment situation in areas related layoffs, including Florida, is beginning to improve Both Europe and Japan saw increases in space workforces; the European industry workforce showed very modest growth in 2011; in Japan, the overall workforce grew by 7.5 percent, while employment at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Japans government space agency, dropped Space Products and Services The Space Foundation Index These indexes, which are updated daily on the Space to-understand mechanisms in the space, satellite and
PAGE 21
21 SatMagazineApril 2013 to interface with their Apple devices. supports and operates on the maintenance personnel with Honeywell Satcom Terminal channel list updates to the support product that allows connect to multiple satcom #
PAGE 22
InfoBeam SatMagazineApril 2013 22 distribution operation to theaters nationwide, and content, it can handle content at entertainment speeds includes simultaneous # #
PAGE 23
23 SatMagazineApril 2013 opportunities within the sector primary research with all In parallel, this study and restraints in the industry This report answers many #
PAGE 24
By Chris Forrester, Senior Contributing Editor SatBroadcasting: Talk Of The Show + Getting Tough On Broadband here was, without doubt, a spring in the step of SES Romain Bausch as well as other senior staff at O3b which sees the Thales Alenia prior to their transfer to Arianespace s Guiana spaceport with a Soyuz Bausch Steve Collar Indeed, when you examine the general state of readiness of the O3b project, with ground segment installations having been built and completed on time, and hard orders coming in from telcos around the world, it is clear there are grounds for optimism. However, a joking request to visit Fiji and see how the local clients will be tapping into O3bs constellation was met with only a polite smile! Perhaps the strong fundamentals of SES also boosted his optimism, given the impressive launch schedule (for O3b and conventional GEOs) which will add some 1000 Ku-equivalents to SES existing 1400-transponder inventory. Add in O3bs remaining contracted MEO craft, and we Artistic rendition of the O3b Networks constellation. SatMagazineApril 2013 24
PAGE 25
said. O3bs team is busy pitching for contracts, and is winning more than its fair share. While services will not kick in before was happy to predict quite large expansion plans for O3b. Additionally, SES enthusiasm is perhaps rubbing off on Sarah Simon from released a note to clients on March 18th (HOLD SES, SELL Eutelsat) and, while expressing the view that both SES and Eutelsat would continue to deliver organic growth that is well above the sector average, she added that the next six Europes satellite operators. She also re-valued O3b in terms of SES current stake from a cautious 481m euros to a much more interesting 700m euros. She also pointed out that with annual contracted revenues on O3b already well over the 100m/year euros range (she suggests 175m euros a year), it is more than exceeding Eutelsats own 100m euros a year that KA-SAT targeted for 2014. Regarding Eutelsat, she said, the most important will be the outcome of the arbitration with SES concerning the 28.5 degree orbital position. If Eutelsat is successful, our estimates will likely be maintained. However, if the judgement goes against Eutelsat, we estimate a PBT downgrade for what impact, if any, sequestration will have on Eutelsats U.S. government business. The third is progress with KA-SAT, which, having had a slow start, now appears to be gaining traction with various new services emerging. For SES, without doubt, the most important event will launch on May 28, 2013. The backlog continues to grow, and we expect acceleration in demand once proof of concept has been delivered. A second issue for SES will be decisions regarding whether or not to order more satellites (for Latin America and/or Asia). A third will be decisions that the company makes regarding the use of cash at the end of 2013. We estimate that the company will end the year with net debt/EBITDA of 2.7x, well below the 3.3x limit. Even allowing for the purchase of control of O3B, SES looks likely to need to return cash to shareholders in 2014, we think. For SES, we look for a successful launch of the three wholly-owned satellites due to launch in June, as well as for the eight O3B satellites which are due to go into orbit in Q2 and Q3. Regarding the latter, this could trigger an increase in the markets appreciation for this asset which, being below the line at present, does not appear to have been fully factored into SESs fair value by the market. Overall, Simon gives a fresh valuation for SES, boosting its price target from 22.50 to 28.60 euros per share. Eutelsat Gets Tough On European Broadband Speaking of Eutelsat the company is starting to make demonstrable progress with its giant KA-SAT broadband satellite. Eutelsat says it now has 72,000 active Tooway terminals as of December 31stthats up from 52,450 in June of last year. structure for Tooway last month. The increased subscriber levels on broadband means that Eutelsats Value-Added Services division grew 37.6 percent to 31.2m euros. Eutelsat says it is now launching Tooway services in Turkey and Russia. Challenged on the pricing strategy for Tooway, Eutelsats Deputy CEO Michael Azibert says it is possible to reduce prices because of the increased throughput of the satellite and the price follow, he added, speaking at the Eutelsat half-year results announcement on February 8th. Azibert said none of the spot25 SatMagazineApril 2013 SES Spring launch schedule End May ..................... Four O3b MEOs, on Soyuz Early June ............................. SES-6 on ILS/Proton June .......................................... SES-8 on Falcon 9 Late June ................................ Astra 2E on Proton For SES, without doubt, the most important event will be the launch of the O3B satellites. Sarah Simon, Berenberg Bank. Eutelsat Vs. SES Eutelsat and SES are arguing over access to the 28.2/28.5 degrees East orbital positions. Questioned on the current status of the arbitration, Michel de Rosen said the two arbitration initiatives were running (one with Deutsche Telekom, the other with SES]. We believe our rights are solid. Therefore we do not need to create any [financial] provision. This is still what we believe, and have no further comment. During the Big 4 presentation, Intelsats Dave McGlade (r) jokes, My EPIC is bigger than your O3b.
PAGE 26
beams are full and theres plenty of capacity available. We are also hopeful to sell complete beams to [subcontractors]. We are also creating with our partners a telemarketing campaign [for KA-SAT/Tooway]. In other Eutelsat halfyear numbers (to December 31st), which were released late on February 7th, overall revenues grew 5.2 percent at 633.6m euros, while EBITDA grew 4.9 percent to 501.9m euros, helping deliver its operating margin of 79.2 percent. Net income was up 14 percent. Overall group revenues were helped by the strong performance of Hispasat (meaning a 20 percent increase in Hispasats revenues to Eutelsat). Mr. De Rosen also said Eutelsats increase in Hispasats shareholding was not yet processes. We have yet to pay over the cheque, he joked, but we have no idea as to the future intention of Spains government shareholding. Our investment in Hispasat is a longterm one. Other key metrics include a record contract backlog for Eutelsat of 5.4B euros (up 0.5 percent) and a useful increase on the 4.9B euros in place two years ago. At December 31, 2012, the total number of TV channels broadcast by Eutelsats satellites was 4,485, up 7.5 percent (+312) year-on-year. The channel count includes 398 HDTV channels, up 40.6 percent, implying an overall HD penetration rate of 8.9 percent compared to 6.8 percent a year earlier. The strongest channel growth was recorded at the 7 degrees/8 degrees West video neighbourhood (+25 percent). The largest increase in HDTV channels (+97 percent) showed 36 degrees East, with coverage of Russia and sub-Saharan Africa. HDTV adoption is very encouraging says Azibert with the number of HD channels doubling over the past two years. Eutelsats Hot Bird neighborhood at 13 degrees East (covering Europe), 7 degrees/8 degrees West, 16 degrees East and 7 degrees East (covering Turkey) all reported growth in HD channels at rates higher than 30 percent. Eutelsat says the professional business on KA-SAT is also developing; in October, for example, 12,600 professional terminals were deployed via distributor Datagroup in the Ukraine during national parliamentary elections. Eutelsats Air Access division will become active in the next few months, starting with the Air Lingus However, Eutelsats Data Services segment fell back by 1.5 p the African market which remains, however, one of the strongest as well as the end of a contract with a late-paying customer whose capacity has since been resold, says the company. CEO Michel de Rose n explained the strategic partn ership with Russias RSCC covering 36 degrees East and 140 degrees East, with 36 degrees East will see added Ka-band capacity on its replacement satellite, for example, while 140 degrees will have its current capacity doubled. Tampa, Rio, Johannesburg, Dubai, Madeira, Singapore and Beijing. These were additional to locations in Paris, London, and and Africa and the video market generally still represented plenty of upside revenues for the operator and Ultra-HDTV is just around the corner. growth in Africa from VSAT demand which would lead to considerable increase in transponders although Africa represented a highlycompetitive environment not only from industry rivals but also from services such Mr. De Rosen the period to 2015, and anticipating 5 to 6 percent growth for this year, and 6 to 7 percent CAGR growth for the following two years to June 2015, with EBITDA margins of around 77 percent in the period to June 2015. SatBroadcasting: Talk Of The Show + Getting Tough On Broadband (Cont.) Michel De Rosen, CEO, Eutelsat Eutelsats numbers Six months ended December 31 2011 2012 Change Revenues 602.4 633.6 +5.2% Operating expenses (123.9) (131.8) +6.4% EBITDA 478.5 501.9 +4.9% Depreciation and amortisation (153.0) (163.3) +6.8% Operating income 325.5 338.6 +4.0% Financial result (66.9) (54.4) -18.7% Income tax expense (99.3) (104.0) +4.7% Income from associates 5.2 6.2 +19.9% Group share of net income 156.8 178.5 Data: Eutelsat Ultra-HDTV is just around the corner SatMagazineApril 2013 26
PAGE 27
Operator Eutelsat is re-introducing what it describes as the fastest satellite-based broadband available in the U.K.and at lower-than-ever prices for a satellite-based system. The new package offers potentially unlimited overnight data download and cheaper home consumer receiver units. Eutelsat says that the new pricing should appeal to the U.K.s 3.3m digitally deprived homes. Eutelsat says it has 72,000 Tooway numbers, up from 52,450 broadband subscribers at the end of June 2012. Tooway was launched in 2007 in a simpler form, offering 3.6 Mb/s downstream and just 384 kb/s upstream. KA-SAT was designed to give much faster speeds and as a High Throughput Satellite (HTS) is capable of working much harder thanks to its spot-beam technology. KA-SAT was launched in 2010, and its service went live in May 2011. Last July 30th, Eutelsat said that the pre-KA-SAT Tooway user base was just one quarter of the 52,400 total. The new recommended monthly retail prices for the new U.K. Tooway satellite broadband services start from less than ($31) a month including VAT for the entry level Tooway S service, rising to just under ($75) a month for the Tooway XL service, which offers a monthly data allowance of 30GB and unlimited data use overnight (11:00 p.m.-7:00 a.m.). However, to tap into a fully uncapped/unlimited (day and night) service will cost .99 ($114) per month or 74.90 euros in mainland Europe. Some of these new prices (in particular Large, Xtra-Large and Absolute) are lower than those announced last summer. Although the names were then tagged a little differently, the new prices seem to more aggressively priced. Comparing and contrasting the old vs new rates is something of a challenge given the / differences, and new download limits, but heres the end result. Whatever their location, the benefits of high speed broadband, including applications such as film downloads, heavy file uploads and video chat that are now standard user expectations. Research shows that there are 3.3m U.K. premises that cannot receive broadband or receive a service of less than 2 Mbps, said Eutelsat. Eutelsat has suggested that its European potential market is in the region of 30 million under-served (or non-served) and about 3.3m in the U.K. Steve Petrie, Eutelsats U.K. commercial manager for Tooway, says that support is going to be given to its local retailers. We have listened to them and our customers and potential users. We think we are now delivering what the market needs to take it to the next level. Petrie declined to supply existing subs numbers. The new packages, called Tooway S, M, L, XL and Absolute, will be available through service providers from February 1st and will offer across the board download speeds of up to 20Mbps and upload speeds of up to 6Mbps. Eutelsat says the enhanced Tooway system is the fastest satellite broadband service in Europe. The services are delivered by KA-SAT. No plans for Sea Launch. Michel de Rosen said the options for using Sea Launch were duplicated with other options with Arianespace and that currently Eutelsat had no plans to use Sea Launch. Simultaneously with the results announcement came news that Eutelsat had signed a fresh multi-year, multi-launch agreement with Arianespace covering up to four launches in the 2016-2017 time-frame. This fresh contract is additional to the one in place and signed last year covering one launch and one extra option. Eutelsat on HellasSat We are fiscally conservative. As we demonstrated when we bought GE-23/E-172A there was a price we were happy to go to, but no further. Our main priority is organic growth. We do not need and are not looking at any major transformational transactions, although we will look at single deals that are highly targeted. But we have nothing in the oven just at the moment, but if an opportunity comes our way we are ready to grab. Eutelsat pricing compared July 2012 Feb 1 2013 Flat 2 .90 Tooway S .99/.90 Flat 8 .90 Tooway M .99/.90 Tooway L .99/.90 Flat 50 .90 Tooway XL .99/.90 Tooway .99/.90 Absolute Data: Eutelsat 27 SatMaga zineApril 2013
PAGE 28
Executive Spotlight: Malcolm McMaster, President, Globecomm Maritime # M with extensive international experience and role in the launch of Fortune 100 2007 and oversaw the sale of and launched March 2011, where he drives the creation of an expanded product line that includes products with an increased
PAGE 29
SatMagazineApril 2013 29 SatMagazine (SM) Good day, Mr. McMaster. Would you please tell our readers how you came to become involved in the maritime communications industry? What positions in your career have held you in good stead for your current executive position with the Company? Malcolm McMaster While my previous background was not in maritime communications, it sometimes feels that getting into this business was almost inevitable. I was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, traditionally a major shipbuilding area, and I spent almost 20 years working in the maritime industry, both with ship-owners and shipyards. I was involved in capital goods, manufacturing, and after sales support sectors. From day one, the international aspect of shipping held tremendous appeal for me. Subsequent to my and worked with companies such as Lucent and Motorola When I joined as President in 2007, it seemed the most natural fusion of my previous maritime and telecoms experience. In 2009, I oversaw the sale of Telaurus to and the subsequent creation and launch of in March 2011. A large part of my focus has been (and still is) on maximizing the synergy between the different component organizations that, to varying degrees, provide the product and service offerings of Globecomm Maritime: Telaurus, Globecomm Europe, and Globecomm South Africa. Most recently, as an organization, we have been driving an expanded product line, including a global hybrid VSAT/L-band offering, an increased focus on crew welfare related value-added services, and Machine to Machine ( M2M ) services. SM How does Globecomm Maritime work with the parent Company and is there any independence in operations and service decisions for your market segment? How does Globecomm support Globecomm Maritime? Malcolm McMaster As a company, Globecomm is organized by market verticals, and Globecomm Maritime is effectively the brand name of the maritime market vertical. The willingness of Globecomm corporate to allow us to operate independently, and to provide support whenever it The Globecomm approach is you are the maritime experts, so you run the businessjust let us know how we can help and what you need in the way of support. The actual support we get takes a number of forms, but includes 24/7 state-of-the-art Network Operations Center, one of the largest Ku-band networks in the world, access to results from a company that has produced 35 consecutive SM What are the key needs and demands from maritime customers revenue generation? Malcolm McMaster These are very interesting times for maritime communications, both for our customers and for us as a provider of airtime and value-added services. There is increasing demand for the land-based experience at sea, both for business communications and for crew welfare services, and the choice of communications platforms and solutions has never been broader. But that doesnt necessarily make the buying decision easier for customers. Our role is to help shipowners, managers and operators to select packages of hardware, software, and airtime that partnership approach is the key to continuing revenue growth in the future. Another area where we are seeing demand grow strongly is for real-time data systems that are used to remotely manage hardware devices and processes onboard. This kind of M2M communications has long been common in the energy market but ship and cargo owners are now embracing it to improve visibility on their supply chain.
PAGE 30
SM How does Globecomm Maritime satisfy those needs? Why should customers decide on your solutions rather than other companies offerings? Malcolm McMaster Globecomm Maritime is able to meet these needs because adaptability. We pride ourselves on being technology agnostic, which means that we are able to focus on what is the best solution for the customer, and this, of course, varies from customer to customer. For the majority of ships broadband is not going to be what we experience in our homes and businesses. So we spend a lot of time helping users get the most out of limited bandwidth at sea. As the demand increases so does the idea that ships can simply adopt mainstream applications and use of bandwidth or cost. Our heritage is in developing value-added solutions that are optimised for maritime, such as real-time email, remote IT access, crew Wi-Fi and message pre-billing, and we will continue to help owners get the best out of their connections. For higher value shipping sectorstankers and LNG for examplethere is scope for higher bandwidth services, such as VSAT. On top of our maritime experience, which comes from providing service to 3,500 ships globally, our expertise with land-based applications positions us very well to accommodate the higher end services which can take advantage of the increasing bandwidth available to these users. and managers is in hybrid solutions. As well as providing hybrid Ku/L-Band solutions, we also provide combined VSAT/ GSM solutions used to provide end-to-end, 24/7 automated monitoring and real-time information control for vessels trading worldwide. SM Given the somewhat sluggish business environment currently surrounding maritime, what seems to be of most importance to the customerthe provision of maximum possible bandwidth or tailor-made, budgeted solutions? Malcolm McMaster The reality is that there is no simple answer to this question, needs. Some customers see the advances in technologies as a great opportunity to do a lot more without driving up their costs, while others are more cost conscious and want to use the newer technologies to do what they have always done, but at a much lower cost. Many more traditional, and perhaps conservative, owners are still not focused on the opportunities that the new generation of maritime communications presents. What has happened over the last decade is that technology providers, rather than the owners, have been driving the market forward. The tail has been wagging the dog. The message that we need to get across to changeresistant owners/managers is that this newer technology far beyond the IT department, and the sales message has to be heard at board level and has to demonstrate the real communications. In effect, we need to demonstrate better ROI that can be achieved. When you can demonstrate how such applications as weather routing and vessel tracking can save fuel, how crew comms can retain valuable human capital, and how online training or videoconferencing can improve competence and increase agility, the decision process should become much easier. Equally important is the need for predictability in both performance and pricing. We are agnostic about the technology services we provide, but whichever it is, owners need the solution to work as reliably as possible. For most owners that means global, seamless services from providers with a reputation for maximum uptime. And shipping is no different to any other business in the sense that owners price services such as VSAT packages or L-Band bundles increasingly popular so there are as few surprises as possible. SM Pricing for products and services is a ticklish issue within the maritime communications environs how does Globecomm leeway in customized pricing plans for company ranging from Malcolm McMaster In terms of our L-band services, Globecomm, like other distribution partners, is a price taker. We have to work with the business decisions of the airtime providers. While some prices have risen in the last couple of years, its worth remembering that in comparative terms airtime has never been cheaper and we work to provide packages that are tailored as far Photo of a LNG carrier. Courtesy of Azbil Corporation. Executive Spotlight: Malcolm McMaster, Globecomm Maritime (Cont.) SatMagazineApril 2013 30
PAGE 31
31 SatMagazineApril 2013 as possible towards what a client really needs. In the longer term, though, our focus will be as much about the value added services touched on earlier as in selling airtime. The barriers to entry in re-selling bandwidth are comparatively low. Having the experience to help a shipmanager gain value from their communications and save fuel through trim optimisation or engine monitoring is not, however, knowledge that can be gained overnight. SM Globecomm has certainly been one of the innovators in crew calling services, providing Wi-Fi and dedicated crew networks. and for the industry in general? Malcolm McMaster The potential for growth in providing crew services is very over some maritime VSAT installations, you can see that crew communications makes up a large portion of the demand. When you think that Smartphones have only really been in the mass market for less than a decade, the generation who began using these as teenagers is just beginning to come huge increase in demand from crew wanting access not just to email but to the web and social media applications too. Shipowners are coming under increasing pressure to provide that access, with some reporting that they struggle to retain good quality crew unless they provide these services. We have been hearing about crew retention issues for several years, but it is only now with the advance of broadband, coupled with lower airtime pricing, that owners and managers are beginning to embrace the idea. This creates a strong opportunity for Globecomm to build on its innovative approach to crew communications. An additional important dont want to have to manage the crew access. We realised that it would be comparatively simple to enable a ship for Wi-Fi and separate ships business from crew business. This separation is very helpful, and leaves the crew to manage the connections themselves. SM Are nexgen HTS services a true game changer? Will there continue to be a place for L-band in the future? Malcolm McMaster High Throughput Satellite ( ) services will be a game changer for some, but not for everyone. At the higher value end of the market, we can expect to see more oil and gas, tanker and offshore and military users consider HTS as a way to improve their operations. However, the market for L-band is not going away, and for mainstream merchant shipping I would expect that it will continue to provide the backbone of connectivity even after services such as Global Xpress and EPIC NG become operational. We may see the ARPU and total revenue decrease for L-band as the higher end customers move to VSAT and ships using L-band. Globecomm will continue to support those users and help them gain the best possible value out of L-band airtime,
PAGE 32
SatMagazineApril 2013 32 even while they are considering which next generation solution could be right for them. SM Please offer your views on the future of value-added and new serviceswill there be new technologies, such as the everexpanding cloud, making an impact on SATCOM over the next few years? Malcolm McMaster Value added services are already an extremely important component of our offering as bandwidth and hardware have tended to become more commoditized. Just as with a consumer offering, the key differentiator as a service provider is what you enable your customers to do with the available technology, and how well you can support those capabilities. For Globecomm that means embracing the potential of maritime industry. We are already seeing the cloud making inroads into maritime, and the opportunities for virtualisation and replication of databases, and for M2M applications mean that this will not only continue, but will accelerate. With the support of Globecomm, and the Globecomm Cloud, we are in a very strong position to help our customers to adapt to and take advantage of these changes. SM Are there are new products or services we might see from Globecomm Maritime during 2013? Malcolm McMaster Globecomm Maritime is continuously refreshing and improving its product portfolio. Examples include a new and improved anti-virus solution, and our se@REMOTE software for remote management of a ships IT network. However we which we will be announcing very shortly. Our next launch will be a big one for crew communications, and will give seafarers a very cost-effective chat solution with video capabilities. The most well known product in this space is great when youre ashore, but it was not designed for use over satellite. Our solution will give ships the same functionality, but it has been purpose-designed for maritime and so keeps bandwidth usage and costs under control. Were very excited about the potential and the early feedback from customers has been very encouraging. SM Please tell us about the most satisfying product(s) or project(s) you have been involved with during your career that truly bring a smile to your face. Malcolm McMaster Thats a very tough question as there have been many events during my career that have brought me tremendous feelings of satisfaction. However, I think I would have to say that helping bring about the sale of Telaurus to Globecomm, thereby helping to bring Globecomm into the maritime business, ranks right up there. In the same vein, I am extremely proud of the achievements of our team over the past few years. In a time for shipping and tremendous change in satellite communications, we have been able to double both our revenues and the size of the Globecomm made its initial foray into maritime in 2009. # Executive Spotlight: Malcolm McMaster, Globecomm Maritime (Cont.)
PAGE 34
SatMagazineApril 2013 34 By Bert Sadtler, Contributing Editor and President of Boxwood Search Sadtler On Careers: And A Good Divorce To You... N When it is determined that critical talent is holding the company back, a change must be made. When changing critical talent out, does it always have to be an uncomfortable event that results in a broken relationship? This event is inevitable. What are you doing about it? Professionals have goals, ambitions and a personal life to juggle. The challenges and rewards, which attracted the professional to originally join your company, may no longer apply as the employees career has developed. Companies have goals, objectives and the responsibility to deliver value to their stakeholders. When the employer hired the professional, enough of the employees goals and the employers goals intersected to make for the foundation of a good employer/employee relationship. As time has gone on, the employee has developed The companys growth objective may be through existing market penetration, the penetration of new markets, acquisitions or something else. Are the goals of employee and employer still intersecting? Has the employer reached a point where the company must keep growing in order to remain relevant and remain in business? What direction will deliver needed growth? Once the employer has determined a direction for growth, what changes are needed? What got the company to this point may not be what the company needs to get to the next level. From the perspective of critical talent, what got the company to this point may have included the efforts of some extremely dedicated employees who have earned the employers loyalty. While the loyalty is well deserved, it can cause the employer to evaluate the employees future abilities and contributions through clouded lenses. The evaluation should be based upon the critical employees potential and not based on the critical employees list of past accomplishments. Can this person get you where you need to go? They know when a critical employee has maximized their ability to contribute. Sometimes, it is a matter of additional training or an adjustment in responsibilities. In other cases, no amount of training or different responsibilities will emotional conclusion: How can we possibly move them out after all of the loyalty they have given us. It is a challenging dilemma. What is the likely result of a critical employee Unhappy critical employee Critical talent who is not challenged and unable to pursue career development An employer who is less competitive and less productive An employer with a critical employee viewed by peers as under-performing
PAGE 35
35 SatMagazineApril 2013 to overcome. Employers who have successfully faced this have decisively made a change. Whether the change takes the form of a brutal termination or some type of amicable employment divorce Websters Dictionary include or suggest that a failure has occurred. It does not point blame. It does not involve alimony. There is no mention of children or mothers-in-law. Nothing needs to be split-up. If we agree that businesses and people must both continually develop, then we must also agree that both wont necessarily develop in the same direction. Bad employment divorces leave deep emotional scars with no one as the winner. What is the likely result of a good employment divorce? New opportunity for the talent to take on new challenges and career development Lasting appreciation by the talent toward the previous employer for professional treatment and care during the employment divorce Opportunity for the employer to solely focus on acquiring new critical talent without needing to address any untidy departing employee issues Likelihood that the departing talent could become an ally working within the industry Possibility that the departing employee could some day return to the employer in a more advanced role and delivering renewed value On a personal note, I have observed good employment divorces only a few times and wish it were more common. It is impressive when both parties openly speak well of the other with genuine respect. Both parties have moved forward and changes in the marketplace. As was mentioned at the top of this discussion, nothing is static. With the embracing of change comes the anticipation that talent will change, as well. Accepting that a transition is a part of growth, there comes a time when the and the employee is better suited to take on a new role for a new employer. With communication and professionalism, the event can be a win-win. It makes you ask, Why doesnt this happen more often? You can get there from here. Good divorces can be a very productive solution to an employment relationship that is no longer delivering the value. About Boxwood Search #
PAGE 36
SatMagazineApril 2013 36 By Reinhold Lppen and Patrick Decool, Astrium Services Business Communications Consumerization Of IT @ SeaA Challenge Or An Opportunity? W an airport departure lounge to realize how indispensable these devices have Five years ago, consumers access and use of the latest hardware and software were driven by the PCs and laptops provided by their companies. Users made the most of their hardware primarily in a corporate context, using the same or similar hardware at home. However the relentless quest by consumers for alwayson connectivity and mobility, and the ability of innovators to cater for these needs in well-marketed and user-friendly and expectations. The phenomenon known as consumerization of IT has since emerged as a direct result, essentially denoting the increasing use by consumers of personal technology and communications devices in a professional environment. These changes are happening quickly and are set to continue. According to market analysts Frost & Sullivan 1, the iPhone became mainstream within 80 percent of Fortune 500 companies in only three years following the products launch Android devices reached three million business users in less than two years. Authors: top, Reinhld Lppen; bottom, Patrick Decool
PAGE 37
37 SatMagazineApril 2013 Analysts IDC 2 also conducted research into people who use a mobile device for professional reasons and found that, in Western Europe, the population of mobile workers is due million people are expected to use a mobile device by 2015. the way in which companies manage their IT systems. Such introduces a number of additional challenges for IT infrastructure access, and so on. The shipping industry is certainly no exception. Crew members are, after all, consumers themselves. They have the same desire to stay in contact with friends and family and keep abreast of the latest news as non-maritime users. Being on board a vessel for several weeks or months, the demand for private communications becomes even higher. Crew increasingly demand access to the tools which will enable them to do satisfy their needs. Their thirst for data is expected to become a competitive differentiator for many will be attracted by easy access to personal communications ( Skype instant messaging, chat functions, Facebook etc.). In the shipping community, it is estimated that 60 to 70 percent of crew use their own personal laptops while away at sea, and 30 percent have smartphones 3 with growth set to continue. Current trends show that crew are likely to keep as use a smartphone or a tablet for phone calls, social media, games and multimedia, mirroring the trends among landbased consumers. While there are similarities between maritime and land-based consumers in the nature of adoption, the major difference is how IT managers deal with the issues linked to the use of consumer devices on board ship. Clearly, when it comes to communications at sea, a satellite link is never far from the equation, and this has a fundamental impact on the way that an IT manager provides access to those devices.
PAGE 38
SatMagazineApril 2013 38 What is currently being seen, through the phenomenon of consumerization of IT, is an even stronger emphasis on the issues which have always existed when providing crew with access to private communications, notably budget, potentially disrupted business functions, and network security. For example, an important factor for IT managers is keeping crew comms completely separate from business functions to ensure avoiding congestion of lines and potential corruption of business-critical data through malware. Certain satellite comms providers have developed systems which enable IT managers to dedicate a local area network (LAN) to the crew members, and install a Wi-Fi connection to which they can establish an Internet connection from their smartphones and tablets. Crew members behavior with personal devices also has a major impact, in the sense that these encourage bandwidthhungry activities such as downloading and streaming, and to a lesser extent, browsing. The burning question for IT managers is how to avoid overrunning the comms budget, bearing in mind that crew are capable of generating ten data apps is unrestricted. A major factor is the choice of satellite service. For month cover many ships corporate and crew needs. Such services from typically provide a connection up to 1.5Mbps, with the possibility to upgrade to 2 or 3Mbps at a higher cost, but with guaranteed throughput speeds. Shipping companies who invest in VSAT for corporate supplying crew communications with the same equipment, with priority on the ships business. Ku systems currently available are ideal for this type of package. The launch of a Ka services in 2013 will provide even more scope, with higher Contrary to VSAT, Mobile Satellite Services ( MSS ) offer a pricing scheme based on the amount of data consumed, so it is most important that IT managers set limits and alerts for business and crew in order to avoid receiving unexpected high data costs. Again, a number of solutions running over MSS systems enable IT managers to do this. Another major issue for IT managers when it comes to crew is additional, time-consuming administration. Given the increasing use of personal devices at sea, the trendsetting satellite communications providers have developed software and solutions to enable crew to administrate private comms themselves, directly from their tablet computer or their smartphone. Once the separate LAN has been set up, crew linked to the amount of data they wish to consume and the subsequent cost. What is clear from these examples is that the phenomenon that is the consumerization of IT, or the increasing use of personal devices by crew on board, need not present such a challenge for IT managers. Clearly it requires them to deal with a host of dramatically different cost, security and technical issues which previously were not part of their remit. However, recent developments have shown that the forwardthinking SATCOM providers are stepping up to the challenge and working on solutions to help them tackle these head-on. The thirst for data and related apps and platforms will continue to grow among shipping company staff as it will on land among the rest of the consumer population. With this as a backdrop, the best ships systems will be run by IT managers who simplify the management of satellite communications and, even better, place the responsibility for crew comms with the crew themselves. For further information... http://astriumservices.com/business-communications-maritime/ References 1 Separating Fact from Fiction: Which Enterprise Mobility Solutions Offer Real Value? 2 Worldwide Mobile Worker Population 2009-2013 Forecast About the authors # Consumerization Of IT @ Sea (Cont.)
PAGE 40
Spotlight On Maritime With Terry Neumann, Director, Market Strategy, iDirect SatMagazine (SM) Good day, Mr. Neuman. Could you say that the Maritime SATCOM market segment is a booming market? Terry Neuman VSAT has clearly become the standard for onboard communications. The latest that there were nearly 12,500 vessels equipped with VSAT growth rate of 19 percent. COMSYS also projects that VSAT adoption will double by 2016, expanding to more than 26,000 SM How are different segments of the market embracing VSAT? Terry Neuman As the market expands, different segments are embracing VSAT at various paces. Were seeing two general camps: Those who have adopted VSAT and want to run more bandwidthintensive applications on their networks, and those who are waiting for better economics to install VSAT on their vessels. cruise lines, oil and gas operators, mega-yachts, and military organizations. Shipping companies are moving beyond basic voice and data connectivity for crew. Increasingly, they want to leverage VSAT for route planning, engine diagnostics, weather applications all to improve productivity and lower operational costs. Photo courtesy of International Satellite Services, Inc. SatMagazineApril 2013 40
PAGE 41
Cruise ships are expanding in size and taking on more passengers, who now want to stay connected to social media. Oil and gas companies are turning to VSAT to send large data greater use of video for multiple applications. All these scenarios are testing the data throughput limits of current VSAT networks. Other segments of the maritime marketincluding and other specialized vesselsare holding out on VSAT until they see more favorable economics. For this segment, High Throughput Satellites ( ) will likely encourage them to move forward. SM How will HTS make a difference? Terry Neuman HTS delivers higher throughput rates at a lower cost per Mb. As a result, its projected that HTS will substantially lower the price of satellite capacity. HTS services will run on smaller terminals that are less costly and easier to install than standard options today, which reduces capex and installation costs. This is all welcome news for end users waiting on VSAT prices to come down. Plus, it will open untapped segments of the maritime market for service providers. have embraced VSAT. Faster, more affordable capacity will will also be able to expand their network to more of their VSAT will become more integral to their daily operations and deliver a strategic business advantage. SM Ku versus Ka? Terry Neuman We are seeing HTS come to the market in different ways. These include Kaand Ku-band, global and regional satellites, as well as open and closed systems. However, theres one key question thats dominating industry conversations right nowwill there be a major difference between Kaand Kuband HTS services in the maritime market? There are certainly technical differences between the two frequency bands that need to be taken into consideration. However, to the end customer, all they care about is a consisten, reliable service. Its not the satellite bands that make the differenceits the business models linked to them. Essentially, service providers need to look at HTS offerings on both bands and then decide whats the correct go-to-market strategy for them. Do they want a closed HTS system that enables them to quickly acquire capacity without the cost of owning infrastructure and the time commitment involved to deploy a new network? Is it an open system where service providers bear the cost and management of ground infrastructure, but have the opportunity to bring added value to their customers through SLA design, network monitoring and other offerings? satellite operators in multiple regions. Theyll need to manage a blended portfolio because end users will want one network, and one master service plan that covers all their vessels, infrastructure platform, the easier it will be for service providers to manage customer expectations and grow their business. SM What should the market be focused on today? Terry Neuman HTS is coming, but there is also a lot to act on right now. For example, VSAT ground infrastructure providers are addressing the need for higher throughput rates by building faster remotes. iDirect s new X7 remote can support 100Mbps of combined throughput. Thats exponentially faster than any TDMA remote being used in the maritime market today. In addition, the X7 is HTS ready. Making an investment now is also making an investment in the future. SatMagazineApril 2013 41
PAGE 42
Maritime service providers also need to focus on the value of VSAT for business applications. COMSYS notes that while crew welfare continues to consume the largest proportion of any VSAT connection, purchase decisions are now primarily driven by the need to support corporate and operational applications. Greater access to communications can deliver productivity. Vessels are becoming highly functional remote headquarters to share business and operational data. In this context, VSAT enables corporate network applications such as VoIP and ERP systems. It will also support shipping industry application such as data exchange on cargo, or with port authorities to speed up preand post-arrival reporting for customs. VSAT can also power vessel management applications. Whether its the ( Electronic Chart Display and Information System ) initiative for electronic navigation, or engine management, more and more systems on board a vessel are starting to transmit real-time data information for improved performance and safety. These systems can enable fuel savings, or enable system monitoring and trouble shooting from personnel on shore, which centralizes knowledge management. SM How can providers best plan for the future? Terry Neuman Theres a lot of change and growth coming to the maritime strategy to meet escalating bandwidth demands and prepare for HTS. At the same time, they need an integrated platform that can support global growth and an increasing range of applications from core and emerging markets. # iDirects new high performance X7 remote offers faster throughput for bandwidthintensive maritime applications Higher data rates are not only maintaining revenue growth, they are pushing VSAT vendors to develop and introduce new product models able to support the services that end users are demanding. iDirects new X7 modem significantly raises the performance of its Evolution system and positions TDMA over SCPC as the solution of choice for bandwidth intense applications. The X7 is the first in a family of nextgeneration remotes that are optimized to deliver best-in-class Adaptive TDMA throughput performance and operate with high-throughput satellites. Four key features of the X7: Faster throughput. Built on an entirely new multi-core hardware system, the X7 is able to reach new levels of combined outbound and inbound throughput. This remote will work on C, Ku and Ka band beams. This enables service providers to deliver the data rates needed for high-end maritime services for segments like cruise and oil and gas, supporting bandwidth-heavy busi ness applications and multicast services like IP TV, remote training, HD broadcast and video. Dual DVB-S2 demodulators with fully independent RF chains. With this unique feature, service providers can support voice and data services while receiving up to 12 sponder or satellite. The dual demodulator will also make it very easy to transition from traditional broad beam to high-throughput spot beam satellites. VLAN-aware 8-port switch and embedded Group QoS. Service providers can physically segregate multiple end SLAs for each unique user group. This is a great feature in markets where you may have a multi-tenant environment like in the offshore oil and gas segment. Embedded AC/DC power supply. The X7 remote comes with multiple choices of embedded Power Supply Unit Converters. SatMagazineApril 2013 42 Spotlight On Maritime With Terry Neumann, iDirect (Cont.)
PAGE 44
By Martin Jarrold, Chairman, GVF Maritime SATCOM Forum Expanding Horizons For Satellite Broadband @ Sea A Challenging Environment Maritime is one of the most challenging environments for effective communications, while at the same time being one for which communication is vitally importantoften, quite literally, a lifeline. Indeed, satellite is at times the only way to effectively communicate when at sea, reaching where other communication methods simply cannot provide the needed services. The challenge is that by its very nature maritime satellite installations use comms-on-the-move (COTM) solutions and often use auto-deploy technology. For manufacturers to produce these products so as not to cause satellite interference, especially as they will be moving during operation, is by no means a simple task. With more and more products on the marketplace and manufacturers facing stiff competition, that challenge is becoming all the more apparent. In 2010, the Global VSAT Forum (GVF) established the GVF Maritime Satcom Forum (MSF) to facilitate more productive satellite-sector engagement with shipping companies. GVF has focused on building strong relationships with the international association of shipping managers, InterManager, as well as running a number of practical initiatives to address the challenges of satellite communications at sea. SatMagazineApril 2013 44
PAGE 45
Understanding Who Wants What, Where, + For Whom The maritime marketplace is like no other, meaning that satellite operators need to fully understand the wide-ranging requirements that vary by type of vessel, type of owner / operating company, data volume, and crew requirements. Only by fully understanding these requirements and how they differ for each customer can the satellite operator offer a truly targeted offering to address these to each individual user. This very subject was recently the focus of a meeting at Satellite 2013 in Washington. Delegates learned how to better recognize and address those individual needs. At The Helm + At The Desk. The technology of communications and the exchange of information it facilitates have undergone highly-accelerated development. With such advanced communications, the maritime communications service environment has now progressed fully into the broadband age. Ships captains in the 21st Century have to wear two hats: Vessel commanders captains access to mission critical satellite communications solutions, supporting complex maritime applications and business applications is essential for a successful voyage and for a successful enterprise. At Satellite 2013 in another GVF-led session, the satellite environment is providing all the answers and, If not, What is missing ? The session addressed a number of key issues, including the following: GMDSS in theFixed & Mobile Satellite Environment No maritime SATCOMs discussion is complete without addressing GMDSS in the Fixed & Mobile Satellite Environmentmore so with the advent of maritime piracy on commercially (VSAT) environment can serve to meet GMDSS requirements, supplementing the position of the established mobile satellite service in performing this function. Maritime Comms For A New Arctic Horizon Climate Change is here, bringing forth new opportunities for the maritime sector. With the Northwest and Northeast passages open to navigation for a longer period of time every year, and commercial activity in the Arctic region increasing dramatically, new challenges for the delivery of satellite-based broadband communications solutions to the higher northern latitudes present themselves for analysis. Test Procedures Satellite interference is a huge problem facing our industry today. As mentioned above, the communications sector is that the systems are mainly auto-deploy or comms-on-the-move, which are potentially prone to errors if not built correctly. Therefore testing auto-deploy and comms-on-themove products is one way of reducing errors and potential interference from these systems. GVF has systems, and is currently working with the industry equipment. Those products, which pass muster, are then considered compliant with a range of industry requirements, which make them less prone to error and less likely to cause satellite interference. The key factor with those test procedures in place, will be ensuring that VSAT service providers and other satellite operators encourage their customers to use earth station equipment that has been tested and shown to be compliant with Meeting The Challenges There is no doubt that the maritime satellite communications sector has a number of unique challenges, however these are being overcome through more effective collaboration between the satellite and maritime industries. There are a number of practical initiatives to help resolve those challenges reliable provision of satellite communication upon which it relies. About the author 45 SatMagazineApril 2013
PAGE 46
Executive Spotlight: Kim Gram, Vice President, Cobham SATCOM K was responsible for the presence in Asia for the total business within Mobile Satellite
PAGE 47
47 SatMagazineApril 2013 In parallel with his regional responsibilities in Asia, he was SatMagazine (SM) Good day, Kim. First, lets introduce you to our readershow did you become involved in the satellite communications industry? Kim Gram After graduating with a masters degree in business sciences, I have worked with technology companies for most of my career. I have found it very challenging and exciting to apply the methodologies of strategy development, sales and marketing in a broad sense to the international development [now part of ] approached me and asked if I was interested in heading up their global maritime business within satellite communication, it was a very easy decision to say yes. SM What training did you receive in order to participate in this dynamic environment? What would you advise students to Kim Gram It is a good question. It depends very much on which area of the business they want to engage inwhether it is in a commercial role, a product development role or in the manufacturing of the equipment. It is quite clear that the of SW, Radio Frequency Electronics and mechanical design. However, looking at my own 11-year history in the business, arriving as a business graduate into the industry has been great fun. It is really all about passion for the technology. Thinking about it, I have seen colleagues with very different backgrounds, and not necessarily with masters degrees in anything, have very impactful roles in the industry. SM Would you tell us about your move from maritime into the aeronautical side of the business? Kim Gram Variety is the spice of life. In Thrane & Thrane, and now Cobham SATCOM following the acquisition, I have really had responsibility for the maritime business. Then I had the responsibility for our Asia organisation across our land mobile and maritime businesses, involving establishing our local organisation in the region while also running the day-to-day business. My trade is international business development and, in that way, I apply the same methods independently of which technology or market I am in. When I was asked if I would take over the Aero business, I was very excited to take on the challenge because there is a huge opportunity to make a difference in aircraft SATCOM. SM the independence necessary for a successful business unit? Kim Gram In terms of the aero business, Cobham SATCOM in Cape Town and Thrane & Thrane A/S have always been competitors and business partners at the same time. The opportunity to join these two businesses creates the engineering platform to really make a leap in the kind of satellite systems available to the airline industry. SM What does the Global Aeronautical Satellite Communications business encompass for Cobham? Kim Gram deck is increasingly looking at its use of streaming data for actively engaged in the committees working on future SATCOM systems that will provide the connectivity to make aircraft a business domain where people can be connected with the rest of the organization. While doing this, we need to be sensitive to the security issues and need for versatility of the future SATCOM communication systems. SM What is Cobhams vision for aircraft SATCOM moving forward and what is the parent companys role in these technologies as far as support and implementation are concerned? Kim Gram To me, it is an opportunity to change the airline industry from an environment where an aircraft to a large extent remains the only workplace without an IP data link for professional communications. Aircraft are the only remaining workplace where the people working there are not connected with the
PAGE 48
SatMagazineApril 2013 48 planning with an IP Pipe. Being the largest provider of mobile satellite systems, I believe that Cobham has an obligation to contribute to changing this situation. Our aim is to provide technologies and systems that, in a cost effective way, will ensure that the operation and maintenance department of the airlines will have the option of being connected to the aircraft continuously for all aspects of the work. That is what we have achieved in the maritime industry during the last decade. We are talking about developing a new generation of the airline industry. I have felt a strong encouragement from Cobham to pursue this vision. SM What are your thoughts regarding aircraft SATCOM for the will the competition become and what advantages will your business offer to potential customers? Kim Gram The demand for connectivity will continue to grow and we can really tap into this potentially huge market thanks to the integration of Cobham and Thrane & Thranes broad-based portfolio antenna systems. Our AVIATOR portfolio offers wireless communications to a very broad range of aircraft, including turboprops, light jets, air transport aircraft, military aircraft and unmanned aircraft vehicles. There are a range of systems which are compact and lightweight, offering simple and cost-effective installation. SM For the growing demands of militaries and governments within the airborne SATCOM environs, how will you create the products and services? Kim Gram Cobham has a huge presence in defence and armed forces for land, sea and air applications, with our radar products, specialist antennas and microwave subsystems playing vital roles throughout the world, so the platform is already in place for the SATCOM channel. SM What is your experience in approaching the commercial airline and related industries? Kim Gram We have lots of commercial customers using Cobham antenna systems and with almost every segment, from high end to low cost airlines, planning to add the capability of supporting Internet connectivitythere are lots of opportunities for us. We will be at the forefront of crucial issues such as differentiating passenger connectivity from SM extending itself over the next few years? Kim Gram The SwiftBroadband service that our AVIATOR terminals are made for has already proven popular in the business aviation market, supporting an extensive range of communications applications for passengers in the cabin by offering built-in applications such as voice and email. Wireless connectivity can support a host of applications in the cockpit, from enabling on-line use of modern EFBs to accessing real-time weather The AVIATOR systems and connectivity will continue to support current and future advances in cockpit technology. We are also committed to providing a new, smaller, less expensive terminal that will provide the capability for forthcoming safety services, which will be a very big focus in the coming years. SM Given your experiences in this industry over a broad array of business units, what project or projects truly brings a smile to your face? Kim Gram Well, it was always satisfying to ensure that Lars Thrane the co-founder of Thrane & Thrane, had the best communication systems on his private jet, made by the company he started in 1984. However, we are now into the next phase of the story and as Cobham SATCOM, Im sure that there will be many successful projects that will put a smile on my face. Using our skills and experience to develop new technology and provide reliable, cost-effective communication systems for # Executive Spotlight: Kim Gram, Cobham SATCOM (Cont.)
PAGE 50
SatMagazineApril 2013 50 By Jos Heyman, Senior Contributing Editor A Look At... Early Maritime Satellites space age in 1957 saw the gradual introduction Marisat Marisat system owned by and leased to the U.S. Navy and then, on February 19, 1976, the Marisat-1 satellite was launched. Built by using the type HS-356 platform, the transponders that operated in the C-band, 1.6/1.5GHz and 300/200MHz bands, to provide telephone, telex and data communications between naval ships and shore stations. The satellite was followed by two more satellites to complete a global system. With the introduction of the Fltsatcom series of satellites, Marisat-1 and -3 were eventually handed over to where they were repurposed for civilian communications. Marisat-2 had a more interesting career. In 1991, the satellite was relocated to 178 degrees West where it stayed until 1996. The satellites orbit had a slight inclination of 3 degrees, which gradually increased to 13 degrees.
PAGE 51
51 SatMagazineApril 2013 This made it ideal for communication services for the was out of reach from geostationary satellites. The inclined orbit provided about 6 hours of communications each day. To provide a direct link to the U.S., the location of the satellite was changed from over the Indian Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean at 33.9 degrees West. On October 29, 2008, after 32 years of service, the longest for any commercial satellite to date, it was retired from active service and boosted into an orbit about 200km higher than its operational slot. Marecs In 1973, the ( ESA ) initiated the development of a maritime satellite system named MAROTS based on the experimental OTS communications satellite. Following design changes, the program was later renamed Marecs and two satellites were launched into a geostationary orbit on December 20, 1981, as Marecs-1 and Marecs-B2 on November 10, 1984. The latter was a replacement for the original Marecs-B satellite, which failed to orbit on September 10, 1982. The satellites, which had been built by Aerospace and had a mass of 497kg., were equipped with two transponders which operated in the Cand 1.6/1.5GHz bands. They provided communication facilities between ship and shore based stations as well as between ships themselves. The Marecs-B satellite incorporated some design improvements to make the circuitry less susceptible to electrostatic interference.
PAGE 52
SatMagazineApril 2013 52 The Marecs-1 satellite was handed over to Inmarsat on May 1, 1982, after initial problems that had been experienced due to the electrostatic discharges on the satellites external surface during geomagnetic storms were overcome. In 1991, Marecs-1 was moved to 22 degrees East. Marecs-B2 was later shifted to 26 degrees West and then to 55 degrees West. Inmarsat In 1979, the s International Maritime Organization ( ) established the International Maritime Satellite Organization ( ), for the purpose of establishing a satellite based communications network international organization and 79 countries eventually joined. From the start, it used the designation Inmarsat and it began full operations in 1982. Over time, the organization also began to provide services to aircraft and global portable In 1999, the organisation was converted into a private company registered in the United Kingdom. The conversion created the commercial Inmarsat plc company as well as a regulatory body that retained the name of International Mobile Satellite Organization. continues to provide communications providing telephony and data services to users worldwide, via portable or mobile terminals which communicate to ground stations through a number of geostationary telecommunications satellites. It also provides communications services to a range of governments, aid agencies, media outlets and businesses with a need to communicate in remote regions or where there is no reliable terrestrial network. With the transfer of the Marisat and Marecs satellites to Inmarsat, there was never an Inmarsat 1 series of satellite. The Inmarsat 2 series of satellites had been built by British Aerospace and were based on the Eurostar 1000 platform. They had a mass of 690kg. and operated in the C-band for satellite/shore communications and the 1.6/1.5GHz band for satellite/ship transmissions. The capacity was for 150 voice channels that were serviced by four transponders. The Inmarsat-3 series of maritime communications satellite were built by Astro Space using the AS4000 platform. operating in the C-band and the L bands as well as a GPS navigational instrument. Inmarsat currently owns three Inmarsat 4 series satellites, while three Inmarsat 5 series satellites will be launched starting in 2014. About the author http://tiros.zarya.info/ # A Look At... Early Maritime Satellites (Cont.)
PAGE 54
SatMagazineApril 2013 54 LEON: The Space Chip That Europe Built S Alphasat Proba-V Sentinel BepiColombo All of Layout of the LEON2-FT chip, alias AT697. Image courtesy of Atmel.
PAGE 55
55 SatMagazineApril 2013 To give an idea of the kind of complex factors involved in its design, the in its name stands for fault tolerant meaning microprocessor can withstand the random memory due to space radiation. This years Proba-V microsatellitesurveying daily vegetation growth on a daily basis for a community of scientists previously served by the Spot satelliteswill use the While Alphasat employs an older chip in LEON2-FT will be operating an experimental star tracker aboard the satellite as well as the payload computer. Sentinels coming year, will similarly harness LEON2-FT chips in their GPS receivers and startrackers for navigation. ESAs 2014 IXV Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle for testing atmospheric reentry will control its avionics with a LEON2-FT chip. 2015s BepiColombo mission to Mercury and 2018s Gaia star-mapper are using the same design. The underlying LEON design has also been made available to Europes space industry as the basis for companyowned system-on-chip microprocessors optimized for dedicated tasks. For instance, is using it to create a space-based GPS/Galileo satnav receiver. Innovating For Independence place? As one of the only worldwide bodies to deal with the entire range of space activities, the Agency is as concerned with the internal components used to put together missions as well as the design of the missions themselves. One of the main reasons for ESA to exist is to ensure the independence of Europes space industry, said Roland Weigand of ESAs microelectronics section. Alphasat I-XL, launching in 2013: This new class of 6-ton telecommunications satellite is the result of a public-private partnership between ESA and Inmarsat, providing high data rate services to mobile users around the globe as well as carrying experimental technology payloads. Its large size gives it 12 kilowatts of power and signal processing capacity and a longer lifetime, attractive to the telecom market. After launch in 2014, the BepiColombo composite spacecraft will start its six-year interplanetary journey to Mercury. A mission to the inner Solar System is extremely challenging from the technical point of view: not only will the spacecraft have to survive and operate in the very hot environment around a planet so close to the Sun, but it will also require a large amount of energy to brake against the Suns gravity and enter into orbit around Mercury. Image courtesy of ESA-AOES Medialab The processor board for Qinetiq Space Belgiums Advanced Data & Power Management System (ADPMS) is designed to run small satellites or payloads and was first flown on ESAs Proba-2 mission in 2009. The ADPMS runs on an ESA-developed LEON2-FT chip, seen towards bottom left. Photo courtesy of Qinetiq Space Belgium
PAGE 56
SatMagazineApril 2013 56 If we are too dependent on parts from outside Europe whose supply could be restricted at any time then the competitiveness, even the long-term viability, of our space sector comes into question. Thats become a real concern with foreign export controls and related regulations. microprocessor development back in the 1990s as they became more central to the performance of space missions. Independence from non-European parts is also a driver of our European Components Initiative, in place for the last decade, which is working with European industry to bring new components to market. LEON: The Space Chip That Europe Built (Cont.) Computing Performance Of ESAs Standard Microprocessors ESAs history of microprocessor development in terms of millions of instructions per second (MIPS), from the MA31750 developed in 1992 to the ERC32 three-chipset version in 1995, followed by the single-chip ERC32 four years later, then the LEON-2 FT (commercially known as the AT697) in 2005, with the Next Generation Microprocessor (NGMP) LEON-4 due out in 2015. Chart courtesy of ESA.
PAGE 57
57 SatMagazineApril 2013 Leading Up To LEON: ESAs First Microprocessors ESA engineers began by taking existing designs and adapting them for use in space. This process began with the Agencys MA31750 16-bit microprocessor, designed in the early 1990s. Manufactured in the United Kingdom (U.K.), this microprocessor is sold internationally and is still in widespread use in the satellite telecommunications sector as well as serving ESA missions, including comet-chaser Rosetta For its next attempt, the Agency adopted the ( Scalable Processor Architecture ) open industry standard, resulting in the design. The initial three-chip set (each chip containing part of the microprocessor) was developed in the mid-1990s. Commercialized by as the it was employed by several International Space Station computers, by the Automated Transfer Vehicle ( ) supply truck, and by ESAs highly automated Proba-1 Earth observation microsatellite. The microprocessors second generation, developed in the late 1990s, merged these three chips into a single chip the single chip , subsequently commercialized by Atmel as the This product has been at the heart of European space systems for more than a decade. Notable adopters include the inertial units guiding the Ariane 5 launchers and the Herschel and Planck space observatories, among other ESA science missions. sold, and it remains on sale to this day, valued in the space industry as a mature, reliable product, Roland added. Starting Over Then, for ERC32s follow-on microprocessor came the concept of starting over from scratch. The idea in the second half of the 1990s was not just to rely on this existing SPARC open architecture but to take full control of the functionality, which meant making our own design, explained Roland An artists rear view of Proba-2 as it looks toward the sun and a rear side as it looks towards the Sun. The two complete DSLP (Dual Segmented Langmuir Probe) antennas can be seen on the back of the solar panels, as well as the back solar array. Also visible is the top side of the satellite, with two large star trackers and a pair of cylindrical S-band antennas on opposite corners which are used for communication with ground control. Proba stands for PRoject for OnBoard Autonomy. The Proba satellites are among the smallest spacecraft ever to be flown by ESA, but they are making a big impact in the field of space technology. Proba-2 is the second of the series, building on nearly eight years of successful Proba-1 experience. Proba-2 is the result of ESAs commitment to technological innovation. Altogether, 17 new technological developments and four scientific experiments are being flown on Proba-2. Image is courtesy of ESA-P. Carril, 2009 Rosetta, Running On ESAs MA31750 Chip An artists view of ESAs Rosetta cometary probe. The spacecraft is covered with dark thermal insulation in order to retain its warmth while venturing into the coldness of the outer Solar System, beyond Mars orbit. It relies on specially-engineered low intensity low temperature (LILT) solar panels for its power. Selected in November 1993 as a cornerstone mission of ESAs long-term science programme, the Rosetta probe was launched by an Ariane 5 on 2 March 2004, on an 11-year journey to the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Built by EADS Astrium, the Rosetta probe consists of a 3,065-kg spacecraft (1,578-kg dry mass) designed to enter orbit around the comets nucleus in August 2014 after a series of gravity assist manoeuvres to gain enough orbital energy, with three swing-bys at Earth (March 2005, November 2007 and November 2009) and one at Mars (February 2007). En route to the comet, the probe will flyby the asteroids 2867 Steins (September 2008) and 21 Lutetia (July 2010). The spacecraft carries 11 science instruments to probe the comets nucleus and map its surface in fine detail. It will also land a package of instruments (the Philae Lander) to study some of the most primitive, unprocessed material in the Solar System. The mission will provide clues to the physical and chemical processes at work during the formation of planets, beginning 4.6 billion years ago. Image is courtesy of ESAJ. Huart.
PAGE 58
SatMagazineApril 2013 58 LEON: The Space Chip That Europe Built (Cont.) Development of the microprocessor was initiated by two, then ESA staff, Andr Pouponnot and Jiri Gaisler in coordination with their division head, Richard Creasey Not that the small ESA team did everything themselves: By initially releasing a reduced version of the LEON design as open source code to a worldwide community of users, including many universities, they crowdsourced valuable debugging feedback ahead of manufacturing. ERC-32, ESAs is once more manufactured by Atmel. Features are etched onto its underlying semiconductor at 180 nanometre (nm) scale, compared to the single-chip ERC32s 500nm scale. The smaller the scale, of course, the more computing power can be crammed onto an individual chip. To give an idea of scale, an individual atom measures a few nanometres across, while a typical human hair is about 60,000 to 100,000nm wide. Manufacturing at such a scale sounds impressive, but the commercial semiconductor industry is typically operating several generations ahead of the space industry. LEONs First Flights The ( launched to ESAs Columbus module on the Space Station within a prototype computer payload called the ERC32-Based ISS Flight Computer The DMS-R flight computer for the Russian segment of the International Space Station, designed around the three-chip version of ESAs ERC32 microprocessor (single computer shown). Image courtesy of ESA. Ariane 5 runs on single version ERC32 chip On November 10, 2012, an Ariane 5 launcher lifted off from Europes Spaceport in French Guiana on its mission to place two telecommunications satellites, Eutelsat 21B and Star One C3, into their planned transfer orbits. Flight VA210 was Ariane 5s 52nd successful launch in a row since December 2002. Photo courtesy of ESA/CNES/ArianespacePhoto Optique Video CSG.
PAGE 59
59 SatMagazineApril 2013 This served to gather data on the internal Station environment before being converted into an experimental system detecting ( AIS ) signals The following year, a second LEON2-FT chip ran technology demonstration mission focused on solar and space weather monitoring. Both chips remain fully functional to this day, achieving market acceptance. Global Ship traffic detection from ISS based on AIS signals The COLAIS experiment with NORAIS receiver was switched on 1 June 2010. More than 90,000 Class A AIS messages were gathered between 1900 GMT on June 2nd and 0900 GMT on June 3rd. Image courtesy of FFI. LEON2-FT-based ERNObox The ERNObox has been designed for operation in the Columbus module of the ISS. Built by Astrium Space Transportation in Bremen, Germany, it is a prototype computer based around a new generation of ESA-developed LEON2-FT processor chips, its name coming from the German for modular computer in low Earth orbit. Photo courtesy of Astrium. Artistic rendition of the Venus Express
PAGE 60
SatMagazineApril 2013 60 LEON: The Space Chip That Europe Built (Cont.) four years that the LEON has been on sale, Roland said. It is a general-purpose microprocessor, so it can serve in a main computer to run the satellite platform, but can also be used for payload computers to oversee particular experiments. An Intangible Asset The LEONs versatility extends beyond the physical microprocessor itself. ESA also has full rights to reuse its IP core ( ), meaning the underlying code that describes the circuit, the key input needed, after several design steps, to embed the circuit onto a real chip. Existing separately from the manufactured circuit, this LEON source code can be applied to various different platforms, such as becoming part of a dedicated system on a chip with specialized peripheral functions, such as data compression or encoding and decoding. In fact, a LEON IP core actually was launched even before the AT697 into space, said Roland A programmable chip based on a radiation-tolerant version of this IP core has been controlling a visual monitoring camera on ESAs Venus Express mission since 2005. LEONs Next Steps Not that the LEON story ends with the LEON2-FT. Alphasat and Europes Galileo navigation satellites use next-generation -based reprogrammable chips within payload elements, embedding a new IP core evolved from the previous LEON design by Swedish company of the spacecraft-computer-on-a-chip Developed by with ESA support, for manufacture by Atmel, this entire satellite platform or payload in space. of missions that include Frances Spot-6 Earth observation satellite that was launched in September 2012. to develop the Next Generation Microprocessor ( ) for the decade to come, which will be based on the microprocessor: Four CPUs will serve a comprehensive set of peripherals to provide move to multicore processors in terrestrial markets. The chances are that whatever hardware you are reading this article on would not cope well with space. Assuming its mechanical structure survived the launch acceleration and vibration, it would then face sustained hard vacuum and temperature extremes. Within a matter of months or even weeks, its central microprocessor would doubtless be fried by radiation exposure. LEON3 spacecraft controller on a chip SOC3. Photo courtesy of Astrium. Frances Spot-6 Earth observation satellite launched in September 2012. Image courtesy of Astrium. Radiation-driven Single Event Effect Charged particles in space can randomly flip memory bits as they pass through microprocessors. Computer chips have to specially designed to minimise the impact of such Single Event Effects. Image courtesy of NASA.
PAGE 61
61 SatMagazineApril 2013 Space is awash with charged particles of various energy levels, either emitted directly from the Sun or the wider When a high-energy particle strikes a computer chip, the consequences can include the random of microprocessor memory cellsknown as a Single Event Upset through to transistor gate ruptures up to a complete burn-out, called a latch-up Sustained radiation exposure can also weaken the underlying quality and electrical conductivity of the chips semiconductor material, potentially leading to degraded performance or excessive power consumption. As microprocessor gates become smaller and the absolute levels of power go down, our circuits are becoming more vulnerable to Single Event Upsets, said Weigand Even terrestrial chip manufacturers are growing more concerned about hardening against radiationespecially for products like network routers or medical applications where reliability needs are absolute. For the radiation-heavy space environment the problem is, of course, many orders of magnitudes worse. Space radiation affects satellites The space beyond Earth is awash with radiation. Charged particles emitted from the Sun, confined within Earths magnetosphere or originating from the wider Universe are a major cause of satellite anomalies and malfunctions. Image courtesy of SSA. South Atlantic Anomaly Heightened radiation in Earth orbit The South Atlantic Anomaly is an region of higher radiation exposure within Earths magnetic field. Many satellites tend to be affected in some way as their orbit takes them through this area.
PAGE 62
SatMagazineApril 2013 62 Robustness Through Redundancy Dedicated microprocessors such as ESAs LEON family are essential for space missionsradiation-hardening is one of the main factors driving their design. Physical shielding has a role to play, but can only extend so far. Heavy ions can still pass through an aluminium box, or else interact with it to produce a shower of secondary particles that could be almost as harmful. The key to designing for rad-hardening is really redundancy, Roland added. You might duplicate your bits at different sites around the microprocessor or use parity coding to add on extra bits that help with detecting errors. Or you can triplicate your bits and then use a voting system to detect and correct errors: The result that comes up the most is likely to be right. Alternatively you can perform the same calculation multiple timestemporal instead of spatial redundancy. Whatever mode of fault tolerance is used, there is a price to pay for that redundancy. Your chip will be larger, run slower and consume more power in return for its increased reliability. To limit these penalties requires a careful optimization of the design, striving for compromises with the expected processor timing performance. Before introducing radiation tolerance features, the chip designers should ideally have in-depth knowledge of how the processor works. This is a real problem with commercial processorsbased on proprietary information already been designed. Instead, for the LEON, we decided to start from scratch, adding redundancy from the beginning. LEON: A New Recipe For Chips is to think about what it needs to do. In this case, serve as a general purpose processor for space-based computer systems. The next step, having selected the SPARC open standard standard into a text-based description suitable for translation into an electronic circuit. Coding is performed using a hardware description language called which resembles a software to describe an electronic circuit, Roland explained. LEON: The Space Chip That Europe Built (Cont.) LEON2-FT-UMC The LEON family of processors are ESAs equivalent of Intel Inside: high-performance 32-bit microprocessors that have been optimised to operate satellites onboard computers. FT stands for fault tolerant: its design is proofed against Single Event Upsets caused by space radiation and incorporates triple modular redundancy to guard against software flips, with its memory protected by error detection and checking and parity bits adding extra bits per memory item so any disruption can be identified. The LEON2-FT is available commercially as the AT-697 processor, sold by ESAs development partner Atmel Corporation. Two further LEON generations have since been unveiledhe LEON4-FT is the latest. Photo courtesy of ESA. LEON2-FT within its container Boasting a fivefold performance improvement on the ERC-32, ESAs LEON2-FT is once more manufactured by Atmel, commercialised as the AT697. Features are etched onto its underlying semiconductor at 180 nanometre scale, compared to the single-chip ERC32s 500 nm. The smaller the scale of course, the more computing power can be crammed onto an individual chip. Photo courtesy of Atmel.
PAGE 63
63 SatMagazineApril 2013 The resulting description contained several thousand lines of code: The This VHDL code could then be simulated on computers to validate it was operating as intended in advance of producing any hardware. A reduced version of the LEON IP core was distributed to the user community to obtain crowdsourced debugging tips. The next stage was then to physically translate that code to create a test board hosting a programmable chip called a ( ) where the LEON design could be put to work and tested. The reprogrammable nature of the FPGA allowed chip manufacturing, when the microprocessor design is etched onto semiconductor chips. Into the Nanoworld Conservative space technology tends to lag behind its fastermoving terrestrial equivalent: The LEON2-FT is etched to a resolution of 180nm, while the forthcoming Next Generation Microprocessor will go down to 90nm or even 65nm. For comparison, Intel s latest CPU is around 32nm. These 90 and 65nm technologies, while available in the commercial world for many years, are currently being validated for use in space through a pair of ESA activities called the Design Against Radiation Effects ( ) and Deep Sub Micron ( DSM ) initiatives. This descent into the nanoworld throws up fresh design challengessuch smaller technology is more sensitive to Single Event Upsets, for examplebut success would mean that spacecraft designers can go on assuming enhanced processing performance for future missions for many years to come. For additional information on ESA Space Engineering activities, please visit http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Engineering Clean room for chip fabrication. Microprocessor manufacturing is an extremely costly process, so all errors have to have been designed out in advance of batch production. Photo courtesy of STMicroelectronics.
PAGE 64
SatMagazineApril 2013 64 By Jan Einar Bringedal, Head of Sales, Marlink Integrating Carriers For Cost-Effective Passenger + Crew Connectivity S as well as to support passenger and crew bandwidth has enabled applications and to support network users. These developments have seen usage increase and costs to be reduced. Yet, by the very nature of the maritime environment, it is still less affordable to connect to the Internet at sea than it is to logon
PAGE 65
65 SatMagazineApril 2013 Expanding Coverage An on-going challenge for providing connectivity at sea is coverage and obtaining enough bandwidth. However, near global coverage is now available. Marlink parent company has been a key player in improving the availability of SATCOMs at sea and has made a number of coverage extension deals in the past 12 months. In November of last year, Astrium Services renewed capacity on the SES-4 satellite to provide Marlink and other Service Provider customers with advanced services for maritime business communications, tracking equipment and engine performance, as well as ensuring crew and passengers experience high levels of availability. Located at 338 degrees East, SES-4 is among several SES satellites providing capacity to Astrium Services, enabling of various customers. In September, leveraged capacity on the Intelsat 22 satellite to enhance its maritime VSAT services, such as WaveCall and Pharostar with Indian Ocean coverage. Astrium Services is also using the Intelsat 21 satellite, which is designed to provide Ku-band coverage in the southern Atlantic Ocean, to expand the maritime VSAT service capacity The most recent coverage extension was in February of 2013, when Astrium Services announced a deal with Intelsat for C-band capacity to be used by maritime customers in the Mediterranean, Atlantic Ocean, North Sea and Gulf of Mexico. The agreement was made to meet the high bandwidth requirements of C-band customized VSAT users, and supports broadband and expanded capabilities in the cruise, ferry and offshore sectors. Marlink will use C-band capacity on the Intelsat 907 at 332.5 degrees East to provide fast, reliable data connectivity and voice communication for passengers and operational purposes through its Sealink service. Hybrid Networks With VSAT and global L-band coverage from and there is now satellite communications coverage for all of this planets oceans. Many vessels operate closer to land, whch means 3G/4G connectivity is a possibility. In ports, Wi-Fi is already well established. All of these carriers are different. WiMax is also available and even TVRO can be used for communication, where inbound data can be channelled through a vessels satellite TV antenna. All these channels have positives and negatives. For the majority of vessels, a single service (usually L-band or VSAT) may be selected but some vessels, with hundreds or thousands of passengers, have higher bandwidth requirements. In order to provide them with connectivity services that are on par with what a customer may have at home, a single carrier may not be the best solution. Hybrid networks, which integrate different services, can offer all of the bandwidth thats needed, while also offering more reasonable costs. Such is achieved by automatically selecting the least cost carrier, depending on where a vessel is at any one time. If a vessel is within 3G or 4G range, there would be an automatic switch from VSAT or L-band to the ships on-board Wi-Fi. Rather than simply installing a range of disparate services and equipment, the critical aspect that delivers true hybrid, onboard networking is a central operations center that can manage and automatically select the best carrier for the job. Although this technology is in its relative infancy, Marlink has completed a number of custom projects for passenger vessels using the XChange solution from Astrium Services to provide the switch between VSAT and L-band. This has assisted the operator in offering free or low-cost vessel-wide Wi-Fi, the charged amount based on the savings the operator can accrue through least-cost routing. XChange is an integrated solutions platform, providing a single solution for voice, VoIP, data and Internet accessall independent of the satellite network in use. This technology data and VoIP communications to seafarers and crewwhile IT managers on shore can maintain full control over the shipboard network infrastructure. Satellite services automatically switch, based on available coverage in any given area.
PAGE 66
SatMagazineApril 2013 66 Passenger Connectivity An established ferry operator in northwest Europe is improved, free, Internet connectivity for passengers on seven ferries serving Scandinavian routes. The solution, called CoastalRoam is only available as a custom project, installed for custom hybrid networks as a mainstream service. It is a specially developed addition to the Sealink customized VSAT services already in use aboard the customers vessels and was deployed following a user trial aboard a single ferry on its route between Sweden and Denmark. of 38 vessels, including fast ferries, traditional combi-ferries, RoPax ferries for freight and passengers, and RoRo ferries purely for freight in Scandinavia, the North Sea and the Irish Sea. The passenger vessel market is competitivethis demands a high level of services on board that include valueadds such as free Internet connectivity for passengers. The operators goal is to make any voyage as comfortable and convenient for the passengers as possible. The company understood that Internet connectivity is crucial toward achieving this goal,however, the offer of free Wi-Fi on effective manner. The ferry company asked Marlink to help offer the service and balance the Wi-Fi costs versus the expected high levels of customer satisfaction free Internet would generate. and was made possible through the companys existing use of the Sealink service. The solution integrates satellite with 3G and 4G for vessels sailing around Norway, Sweden, Poland, Germany and Denmark. Whenever the vessels are within range, the public Internet on board the vessel switches automatically to the fastest service available, using a lower cost carrier for free passenger connectivity. The combination of 3G antennas and the Sealink customized VSAT services on board these seven ferries now ensures seamless free connectivity for passengers. As CoastalRoam enables automatic switching, the system is able to locate the fastest and least-cost connectivity available at any given time. This makes the service cost and time effective for the ferry operator and helps them to remain competitive in the market. Free Internet for passengers is readily available via 3G and 4G when in range and on VSAT at other times, while the Sealink customized VSAT service is used to provide highly reliable and cost-effective connectivity for critical vessel business operations, in addition to supporting additional businesses on board the ferry. The adoption of hybrid solutions at sea will not be an overnight sensationit will likely be led by passenger vessel operators, who understand the value customers uniquethe seed has been planted and hybrid connectivity will continue to garner attention. 4G is already being implemented using a similar solution for another Marlink customer in Norway. The focus here was not to offer free passenger connectivity. Instead, this ferry operator is using the potential of faster, more available, and lower-cost connectivity to improve the Internet services it offers as part of its business conference portfolio. By being able to show conference organizers that their guests will experience high levels of connectivity while on board, this customer is able to enhance its offering and grow its unique approach by offering business conference facilities on board its vessels. The hybrid system is also enabled for other carrier customer aims to expand its use to other operational locations and is actively seeking telecom providers with good 3G and 4G coverage and competitive prices as partners to replicate the ground-breaking solution already enjoyed on the operators Scandinavian ferries. # Integrating Carriers For Cost-Effective Passenger + Crew Connectivity (Cont.)
xml version 1.0 encoding UTF-8
REPORT xmlns http:www.fcla.edudlsmddaitss xmlns:xsi http:www.w3.org2001XMLSchema-instance xsi:schemaLocation http:www.fcla.edudlsmddaitssdaitssReport.xsd
INGEST IEID ELO6ZEC1C_9S8JSF INGEST_TIME 2017-04-26T21:18:04Z PACKAGE AA00054427_00113
AGREEMENT_INFO ACCOUNT UF PROJECT UFDC
FILES
|