Page 96 - SAMENA Trends - March-April 2022

SATELLITE UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Rivada to Launch 600 LEO Satellites in 2024

Rivada Space Networks has disclosed plans
to launch a constellation of 600 Low Earth
Orbit (LEO) communications satellites in the
coming years. Deployment will start in 2024
with full constellation deployment expected
by mid-2028. The company seeks to provide
secure, global, end-to-end enterprise-grade
connectivity for the telecoms, enterprise,
maritime, energy and government services
markets. Rivada Space Networks has been
established by US-based Rivada Networks and
will be based in Germany.

Lacuna’s IoT Network to Offer LoRaWAN Direct-to-Satellite Connectivity

The idea is for satellite coverage to fill
connectivity gaps in hard-to-reach areas that
are without cellular or Wi-Fi signals. It is planned
for the service to be available to customers
and distribution partners in Q3 2022. Asset
tracking, fleet management and data collection,
globally, are seen as target applications. It
will use LR-FHSS (Long Range-Frequency
Hopping Spread Spectrum) technology,
which has been designed for long-range and
large-scale communication scenarios such
as satellite IoT. The on-orbit operation has
been validated by Lacuna through several
years of their own sub-GHz ISM operations,
and is now also being made available using
Omnispace’s licensed, 2GHz S-band spectrum “We’re pleased to be working with Lacuna to introduce this new enterprise-class
rights. Basically, the idea is to integrate both service, which is part of our broader vision to deliver seamless terrestrial and
companies’ infrastructure to allow devices to satellite communications.” According to Lacuna, its initial set of sensors are smaller
connect between existing terrestrial networks than the palm of a hand and can connect over satellite for several years off a single
and previously un-connected regions around battery charge. “We are happy to announce this agreement with Omnispace which
the world. Lacuna Space is a UK and Dutch accelerates getting our technology to market and enables us to start delivering our
company – headquartered at Rutherford IoT services around the globe,” said Rob Spurrett, CEO of Lacuna. “Our customers
Appleton Laboratory Harwell Campus in Didcot, will be able to access Lacuna’s IoT service directly from inexpensive, battery-
pictured right – that provides low-cost global powered LoRa devices to extend connectivity to even the most remote areas of the
connections, for short data messages to world.” Earlier in the year, Lacuna Space and Semtech trialed extending the coverage
sensors and mobile equipment. The company of LoRaWAN by adding IoT-to-Satellite connectivity. Semtech – which is the owner
describes it as an ultra-low cost tracking and of the underlying Long Range modulation technology – has their radio silicon in
detection service. Based in Washington D.C, proprietary radio links. It has become the foundation technology on which LoRaWAN
with access to satellites and ground stations, protocol has been built by the LoRa Alliance (with 500 member companies, of which
Omnispace provides a 5G-based global cellular Lacuna is one). “We have trials and demonstrations underway in many countries
network via a non-geostationary orbit satellite and regions that were previously thought to be inaccessible to IoT,” said Lacuna
constellation (MEO and LEO), and is eyeing Space CEI Rob Spurrett back in January.” In competition with Omnispace, other
the IoT market. “Omnispace is reimagining companies looking to provide satellite-based 5G and broadband networks include
mobile communications solutions for users Elon Musk’s Starlink, Jeff Bezos’ Project Kuiper, the Lausanne-based Astrocast and
by employing standards-based solutions to the UK government-owned OneWeb. For Lacuna, competition in the Satellite IoT area
deliver global, real-time connectivity,” said Ram include Skylo, a satellite-based narrow-band IoT specialist that uses Inmarsat, as
Viswanathan, president and CEO for Omnispace. well as Hiber and Fleet Space Technologies.

96 MARCH-APRIL 2022