Page 101 - SAMENA Trends - September 2019

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China Launches 5 Remote Sensing Satellites

Five new remote-sensing satellites were developed by the China Academy of Launch spatial resolution and the largest coverage
launched on a Long March-11 rocket Vehicle Technology, and the satellites width of their type in China. The data will
from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center were produced by the Harbin Institute of be used for precise quantitative analysis
in northwest China’s Gobi Desert. The Technology and operated by the Zhuhai of vegetation, water and crops, and will
satellites belong to the commercial Orbita Aerospace Science and Technology. provide services for building smart cities,
remote-sensing satellite constellation The newly launched satellites comprise said Orbita, the largest private operator
project Zhuhai-1, which is comprised four hyper-spectral satellites with 256 of hyper-spectral satellites in orbit.
of 34 micro-nano satellites, including wave-bands and a coverage width of 150 The company aims to cooperate with
video, hyper-spectral, and high-resolution kilometers (km), and a video satellite with a government organizations and enterprises
optical satellites, as well as radar and resolution of 90 centimeters. The Zhuhai-1 to expand the big data satellite services.
infrared satellites. The carrier rocket was hyper-spectral satellites have the highest

U.S. Air Force Space Command’s $738.5 Million Unlimited Satellite Service

Contract with Iridium

Iridium Communications Inc. has been the government and Iridium’s ecosystem company’s EMSS contract serves as a
awarded a $738.5 million, seven-year, of partners, bringing their expertise to model for how commercial operators can
fixed-price contract with the United States further enhance the capabilities of the cost-effectively and efficiently deliver
Department of Defense through the U.S. DoD’s SATCOM portfolio. In support critical satellite managed services to
Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) of the EMSS program over the past 20 the warfighter. Iridium offers the DoD
to provide unlimited satellite services years, Iridium and the DoD have jointly unrivaled access to its unique, operational,
from the company’s LEO constellation. developed an operational environment that low-earth orbiting network of 66 cross-
Through what is known as the AFSPC’s provides the critical network transparency linked satellites. When you combine
Enhanced Mobile Satellite Services and collaboration to enable successful Iridium’s unique network, the company’s
(EMSS) program, Iridium will continue execution of the warfighter’s mission. ecosystem of dedicated partners and
to deliver access to global secure and In fact, Iridium was one of the initial six an innovative, fixed-price, seven-year
unsecure voice, broadcast, netted or industry participants in the Commercial contract, you an optimal environment for
Distributed Tactical Communications Integration Cell (CIC) to engage with DoD and other USG program offices is
System (DTCS) and select other services the U.S. Air Force’s (USAF) Combined created to effectively plan for and budget
for an unlimited number of DoD and Space Operations Center (CSpOC) in an their programs, taking full advantage of
associated DoD-approved subscribers. effort to improve information sharing the Iridium capability. The program has
With an unprecedented seven-year term, and network situational awareness as been a great example of partnership and
the company said this contract serves as the DoD continues its use of commercial innovation between industry and the DoD
a testament to the ongoing value Iridium satellite networks. This now includes the as Iridium continuously explores ways
provides in support of the DoD’s vision for ongoing transition of EMSS, along with to meet their emerging requirements.
an integrated SATCOM)enterprise and in all commercial SATCOM services, from When this level of network transparency,
recognition of the significant investments the Defense Information Systems Agency collaboration and the ease of acquisition
the company has made into its network to the USAF. Scott Scheimreif, EVP of is combined, the result is a significant win
over the past several years. Under the Government Programs, Iridium, said the for the DoD and their users.
current fixed-price contract, the EMSS
program has continuously increased
its adoption and utilization of Iridium®
services at a significant rate, while the
capabilities delivered have also evolved
over time from simple telephone voice
and data to broadcast, multicast and other
Internet of Things (IoT) services. Over the
course of the previous contract period,
DoD subscribers grew from approximately
51,000 to more than 125,000, a 145 percent
increase. This growth in adoption has also
resulted in increased collaboration between

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