Page 57 - SAMENA Trends - April 2020

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SpaceX Launches Seventh Starlink Mission

In its quest to deploy the world’s most completely unavailable”. It is estimated internet.” The launch marked the 84th
advanced broadband internet system, the entire constellation will cost around flight of SpaceX’s own Falcon 9 rocket,
SpaceX has launched its seventh Starlink $10 billion “or more” to complete. On the which is now the most flown operational
mission from NASA’s Kennedy Space technology, SpaceX said: “Each Starlink rocket in the US. Falcon 9’s first stage
Center in Florida. Launched on 22 April, satellite weights approximately 260 kg and previously supported Crew Dragon’s first
it was SpaceX’s sixth of 2020 and takes features a compact, flat-panel design that flight to the International Space Station,
the total number of Starlink satellites in minimizes volume, allowing for a dense launch of the RADARSAT Constellation
orbit to 422, following earlier launches launch stack to take full advantage of Falcon Mission, and the fourth Starlink mission.
and two prototype launches in 2018. The 9’s launch capabilities. With four powerful Following stage separation, SpaceX
launch is part of SpaceX’s to build an phased array and two parabolic antennas landed Falcon 9’s first stage on the “Of
interconnected network of around 12,000 on each satellite, an enormous amount of Course I Still Love You” droneship, which
small satellites to “deliver high speed throughput can be placed and redirected was stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
broadband internet to locations where in a short time, for an order of magnitude Falcon 9’s fairing previously supported the
access has been unreliable, expensive, or lower cost than traditional satellite-based AMOS-17 mission. SpaceX was last year
valued at $33.3 billion, but a large share of
that is from Starlink’s activities – so much
so, Musk is reportedly considering to spin
off into its own business and take it public,
meaning SpaceX would return to its core
focus as a space transportation company.
In a $1 trillion internet connectivity market,
the growth prospects for Starlink are
strong and it already holds the largest
market share in terms of commercial
constellations. Over the last decade there
were around 230 satellites launched every,
but over the coming 10 years this will
increase to a forecasted 990 launches
a year, putting the market on course to
reach values of $292 billion by 2028,
a decade-on-decade increase of 28%,
according to figures published in January
by Euroconsult.

NEC to Offer Satellite System to Vietnam

NEC Corp. will offer an earth observation government-backed Japan International a space center in Hoa Lac, a high-tech
satellite system to Vietnam in what will be Cooperation Agency. According to NEC, park outside Hanoi, and operated by the
the first export of its kind by the Japanese the project also includes the development Vietnam National Space Center. Modeled
electronics and information technology of a ground system comprising a 9 meter- after NEC's radar observation satellite that
company. In a project worth about 20 diameter parabolic antenna and satellite is currently in operation, the "LOTUSat-1"
billion yen ($186 million), the satellite will control center, among others, as well as Earth observation satellite is capable of
be launched around 2023 and contribute local human resources related to satellite capturing high-definition earth images
to measures against natural disasters and operations and data analysis. Training of under all climate conditions, both day
climate change in the Southeast Asian local personnel is expected to contribute and night. The new 580-kilogram satellite
country. It is the first satellite project to enhancing monitoring capabilities and will be placed on Sun-synchronous sub-
by a Japanese company using official the ability to forecast natural disasters. recurrent orbit.
development assistance funds from the The ground system will be installed at

57 APRIL 2020