Traditionally, the mission profile and business model for satellites was determined by the operators and customers before the manufacturing process began. This approach was successful for decades, but the transformation of the communications sector requires the satellite world to evolve as well. Going forward, the flexibility of software-defined satellites (SDS) promises to transform how satellite operators design, deploy and manage space segment.
 |
This next-generation technology leverages advanced software to control and manage service capabilities and satellite operations. These highly configurable and reprogrammable platforms will allow satellite operators to modify platform functionality and performance in orbit and provide the capability to react to shifting customer requirements.
Next-generation ground segment platforms and technology will play a critical role in enabling the capabilities of the SDS platforms and help satelltie operators unlock new business opportunities. By leveraging virtualization, automation and even artificial intelligence, the next generation of ground platforms will help SDS operators and customers perform more efficient mission planning, scale up services more quickly and reduce operational costs.
Industry analysts are optimistic about the growth of SDS platforms, with some predicting that by 2040, nearly every satellite launched will be an SDS platform due to manufacturing costs coming down and customers demanding to use the platforms once they have demonstrated their advanced capabilities and market impact.
Service providers and technology providers are readying the delivery ecosystem to serve this market. This includes efforts to help customers solve operational challenges through improved tools and solutions that validate satellite and service performance and support troubleshooting. Executives emphasize enhancement of existing toolsets and the need to provide integrated systems that address customer issues across the ecosystem rather than through isolated, customer-specific tools.
This transition to SDS platforms will also require operators to provide every service the customer needs. This includes a hub to transform megahertz into megabits per second and vice versa and an infrastructure capable of interfacing with multiple satellite systems. They will also need to offer complementary tools that support the entire value chain, such as web interfaces that allow visibility into vital network information; terminal activation services and lifecycle management; ticketing systems to address technical issues; and an integrated billing system.
In the traditional satellite business model, this full suite of services often was only required by the largest operators and service providers, and these were often developed internally. In the future, this level of operations will be needed by companies of all sizes that want to succeed in the SDS environment.
The Advantages SDS Provides
The most significant advantage of SDS for operators lies in the service flexibility it provides. Historically, satellite operators had to decide on key design features – beam coverage, beam shape and foot print – long before launch and with little to no room for adjustments in orbit. With SDS, those constraints are eliminated. Operators can reconfigure beam sizes, activate or deactivate beams, and shift coverage areas dynamically in response to changing demand. This adaptability represents a major step forward in maximizing satellite efficiency and aligning resources in real time with customer requirements.
More Customization and Flexibility: SDS provides flexibility and agility, enabling on-demand service customization and improved responsiveness to customer needs. The ability to dynamically move satellite beams enhances customer outcomes and optimizes the use of individual platforms and satellite constellations.
| "...Next-generation ground segment platforms and technology will play a critical role in enabling the capabilities of the SDS platforms and help satellite operators unlock new business opportunities..." |
The options will be different based on the satellite customer, from global geostationary operators to regional operators to LEO operators, as well as the needs of the end users, from commercial users – where there are already strong uses cases that highlight how footprints and bandwidth utilization may evolve – to national and state defense customers.
Scaling Services More Easily: SDS platforms also enable service providers to scale up or down seamlessly to meet the needs of various applications and users, from communications to Earth observation. With SDS, operators can efficiently allocate resources and optimize their satellite constellations to deliver the desired performance and coverage.
A Delayed Launch, but a Promising Future
While companies are eager to test and launch services using the SDS platforms, the manufacturing delays of the SDS geostationary platforms are giving everyone a chance to learn more about SDS potential, SDS operations and discuss payloads and demonstrations and proof of concepts.
This gives the technology providers more opportunities to emphasize the importance of open standards along the entire value chain, and most seem receptive to the argument. “You have time to try a lot of technology, but they want the flexibility to choose the technology and how the waveform goes over satellite. They don’t want to be locked in one solution or another. They don’t have to change hub system with every new satellite. You can’t throw 1,000 terminals away when new technology is adopted,” the executive said.
As the satellite sector introduces, refines and embraces the potential of SDS, it will launch an era of innovation. From enabling large satellite constellations to supporting 5G networks, SDS will play a critical role in shaping the future of satellite technology and unlocking new opportunities for businesses, governments, and individuals worldwide.
----------------
Jason Bates is editor for the World Teleport Association which conducts research into the teleport and satellite industry, provides a unified voice for teleport operators and offers Teleport Certification programs to service providers. "Serving the Software-Defined Satellite Market of the Future" is available for free to members and for sale to non-members from WTA’s online store: www.worldteleport.org/store/
