Page 66 - SAMENA Trends - March-April 2023

SATELLITE UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Intelsat 40e Enters Geosynchronous Orbit

Intelsat 40e (IS-40e), a geosynchronous satellite that relies on spot- across North America on an hourly basis with the ability to stay
beam technology to provide a large amount of capacity over North over a region of interest during a natural disaster like a major fire
America for Intelsat’s commercial aviation, mobility and network or volcano eruption.
service customers, was successfully launched aboard SpaceX’s
Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida
at 12:30 a.m. “The IS-40e high-throughput technology serves as
a significant commitment to our North American commercial
aviation, mobility and network customers,” said Dave Wajsgras,
CEO at Intelsat. “As we continue to refresh our fleet of satellites
and add capacity, Intelsat is focused on providing the best value
and service for our customers and their end users. The satellite
also includes a NASA payload that will be the first instrument to
monitor air pollution across North America from geostationary
orbit.” The Maxar-manufactured IS-40e satellite will be positioned
at 91 degrees West and deliver a wide range of services and
coverage. In addition, IS-40e hosts NASA’s, “Tropospheric
Emissions: Monitoring Pollution” or TEMPO payload. Operated by
Intelsat, the TEMPO instrument will monitor and track air pollution

China to Develop Satellite Constellation for Deep Space Exploration

China will develop a satellite constellation
named Queqiao, or Magpie Bridge, to
provide communications, navigation
and remote-sensing services for deep
space exploration, according to a senior
Chinese space expert. Speaking at the
First International Deep Space Exploration
Conference held in Hefei, the capital of east
China's Anhui Province, Wu Yanhua, chief
designer of the major project on deep space
exploration, said that China plans to build
the satellite constellation in three phases.
A pilot of the constellation will be built
around 2030 to support the fourth phase
of China's lunar exploration program and
the construction of the International Lunar
Research Station. And a basic constellation
will be built around 2040 to realize regional
navigation and provide services for will serve as a relay platform for the fourth Space Exploration Laboratory launched
manned lunar exploration and deep space phase of China's lunar exploration program, a global call for proposals for the design
exploration for planets such as Mars and providing communications services of the Magpie Bridge constellation in a
Venus, Wu said. The satellite constellation for Chang'e-4, Chang'e-6, Chang'e-7, bid to gather new ideas and solutions
is expected to be built into an expanded and Chang'e-8 missions. According to for the future satellite constellation. The
model around 2050 to provide services for Yu Dengyun, an academician with the International Deep Space Exploration
exploring Mars, Venus, giant planets, as well Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Conference, hosted by the Deep Space
as the edge of the solar system, Wu added. the future Magpie Bridge constellation Exploration Laboratory, is one of the major
As a part of the constellation, Queqiao-2, will be a space infrastructure and public activities held to celebrate the Space Day of
or Magpie Bridge-2, a relay satellite for service platform built and operated in China, which falls on April 24. The two-day
communications between the far side of the deep space. It will feature the capability of event invited more than 500 guests from 14
moon and Earth, is planned to be launched efficient communications, navigation, in- countries and regions.
in 2024, according to the China National orbit computing, and information storage,
Space Administration (CNSA). The satellite etc. During the conference, China's Deep
66 MARCH-APRIL 2023