Page 92 - SAMENA Trends - October 2019

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Satellite Players Sweeten US Spectrum Offer

available in the top 46 metropolitan areas offers a good balance of coverage and
in the country within 18 months and the capacity compared with low-band or
remainder within 36 months. CBA added it mmWave. Opening the C-Band would
reached a consensus with major operators bring the country into closer alignment
including AT&T, Verizon and US Cellular with others across the globe which have
on guidelines for the proposed sale. The already earmarked the spectrum for next
The C-Band Alliance (CBA), a coalition of updated plan is a significant jump from generation deployments. However, the
satellite service providers, strengthened a the 180MHz CBA previously proposed: the move comes as pressure mounts on the
proposal to open key mid-band spectrum group said it was able to increase its offer FCC to hold a public auction for the band,
to US mobile operators, adding 100MHz of thanks to advanced technologies which rather than allowing CBA to manage the
bandwidth to a prior offer. In a filing with improve the efficiency of satellite video sale. Last week, US politicians introduced
the Federal Communications Commission delivery. The CBA’s offer comes as the FCC new legislation which would require the
(FCC), the group offered to make a total scrambles to make mid-band spectrum FCC to conduct a public auction of at
of 280MHz of spectrum between 3.7GHz available to operators for 5G deployments. least 200MHz of C-Band spectrum by 30
and 4.2GHz (C-Band) available to mobile The spectrum is in short supply in the September 2022. The FCC is currently
operators through a private auction. It US, but is considered critical for the weighing its options, with a decision
pledged to make 100MHz of the total next-generation technology because it expected before the end of 2019.

RAF Pilot to Help Launch UK Space Force Satellite

Fifty years after the lunar landing the
Royal Air Force is taking its first small
steps into space. Flight Lieutenant
Mathew Stannard will be the first RAF
pilot to help launch a satellite as part of
the Ministry of Defence’s £30m space
program. He will be swapping the cockpit
of his RAF Typhoon jet for a heavier and
slower Boeing 747. The specially adapted
passenger plane has been designed to
carry a rocket which can launch satellites
into space. Working with the Virgin Orbit
program in California, Flt Lt Stannard will
be a pioneer of the fledgling Space Force.
Speaking to the BBC in his first interview
since being selected for the project, he said
he was “very excited” to be joining a “very
cool” space industry. He reminds me he
is not going to be the UK’s first person in
space. Helen Sharman and Michael Foale
preceded him along with, more recently,
Tim Peake, who once served in the Army. a much larger rocket to launch a satellite changer is the satellite technology. The
But he will be the RAF’s “first person to go from the ground, but Virgin Orbit aims to one that he will fire into orbit next year will
along this route to be followed by many make it cheaper and quicker. Its specially be the “size of a washing machine”. The
more”. The MoD’s spending on the space adapted 747 named Cosmic Girl carries a RAF already has a similar small satellite in
program is modest when compared with much smaller rocket under its wing, which orbit - launched conventionally from India
the billions of dollars already being spent will be fired into orbit at about 30,000 feet. last year. The UK-developed Carbonite
by the US, China and India. But it is yet The rocket will contain a small satellite 2 provides high quality video to the RAF
more proof that space is the new frontier of about 300kg. Flt Lt Stannard said the and the plan is to have a “constellation”
and next frontline for defence. The RAF unique selling point of Virgin Orbit is that of these small satellites in orbit, providing
pilot notes that “it’s the commercial sector it can be “launched from anywhere in the high quality images, video and secure
leading the way”. Historically, it has taken world” including the UK. The other game communications.

92 OCTOBER 2019