Page 74 - SAMENA Trends - September-October 2022

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SES, Microsoft Virtualize Satellite Ground Networks

SES expanded a partnership with Microsoft to cover creation of fully- services to customers. John-Paul Hemingway, chief strategy and
virtualized satellite ground stations, seeking to bolster customer product officer at SES, noted terrestrial mobile networks have
offerings with a cloud-native service delivery architecture. The employed “virtualization and cloud-native” architectures for several
Satellite Communications Virtualization Program aims to create a years “to maximize flexibility”.
network of companies providing software-defined radios, customer
edge terminals, virtual network functions (VNF) and edge cloud
services. Microsoft plans to begin seeking companies to join the
program in Q4. The companies claimed the terrestrial element of
satellite communications will benefit from using standardized and
non-proprietary hardware, enabling remote updates for equipment
which is typically located in hard-to-reach places. SES and
Microsoft stated the virtualized ground systems could also serve
as an industry blueprint to better align cloud and satellite network
architectures. The VNF and edge cloud applications can be used
to address evolving customer needs at a faster rate while the
virtualized environment will enable new services such as network
slicing, SES stated. Steve Kitay, senior director Azure Space at
Microsoft, said satellites are a “key enabler” in providing its cloud

SES Successfully Launches Second and Third C-Band Satellites on ULA

Rocket

SES announced that the SES-20 and SES-21 satellites were uninterrupted commercial services to many Americans,” said
successfully launched into space by the United Launch Alliance’s Gary Wentz, ULA vice president of Government and Commercial
(ULA) Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Programs. “The Atlas V delivered the satellites accurately to a
in Florida, United States, at 5:36 local time on Tuesday, October near-geosynchronous orbit 22,300 miles (35,888 km) above the
4. Both C-band satellites will enable SES to continue delivering equator. Thank you to the ULA team and our partners for ensuring
TV and radio to millions of American homes and provide other the successful delivery of this multi-payload mission to orbit.” “Our
critical network communications services. SES-20 and SES- unique dual-launch configuration was again successful on this
21 will operate in the 103 degrees West and 131 degrees West mission,” said Ryan Reid, President of Boeing Satellite Systems
orbital slots, respectively, and are expected to begin operations International. “That coupled with the ULA Atlas V’s ability to
in November 2022. These launches are part of a broader Federal achieve an advantageous orbit enables SES to get these satellites
Communications Commission (FCC) program to clear a portion into service in a matter of weeks. We appreciate the faith SES has
of C-band spectrum to enable wireless operators to deploy 5G put in our industry team to make that happen.”
services across the contiguous U.S. (CONUS). In response to
this mandate from the FCC, satellite operators such as SES are
required to transition their existing services from the lower 300
MHz to the upper 200 MHz of C-band spectrum to make room for
5G. SES-20 and SES-21 are the second and third C-band satellites
that SES has launched as part of its effort to free up the lower 300
MHz of C-band spectrum across the U.S. by December 2023 while
maintaining uninterrupted services. SES-22 was the first C-band
satellite to be launched on June 29, 2022. “The successful launch
of SES-20 and SES-21 will allow us to support our customers in
delivering high-quality sports and entertainment to tens of millions
of US households while delivering on our promise to repurpose
spectrum to enable U.S. leadership in 5G,” said Steve Collar, CEO
of SES. “The second phase of our U.S. C-band clearing activities is
fully on track and we are grateful for the hard work of our partners at
Boeing and ULA.” “We’re excited to support our commercial partner
SES in their C-band transition efforts to meet the FCC’s objective
to deploy 5G service across the U.S. Their mission aligns with our
mission to connect the world and these capabilities will enable

74 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2022