MCLEAN, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar. 7, 2016--
Intelsat General Corporation (IGC), a wholly owned subsidiary of
Intelsat S.A. (NYSE: I), operator of the world’s first Globalized
Network, powered by its leading satellite backbone, and L-3
Communication Systems-West (L-3 CS-West) announced today the successful
demonstration of new automatic beam switching technology that enables
Unmanned Airborne Systems (UAS) fitted with L-3 CS-West satellite
communications packages to operate on Intelsat’s high-throughput
satellite (HTS) platform, Intelsat EpicNG. This software
upgrade was funded and developed through a partnership between IGC and
L-3 CS-West to ensure that the existing unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)
platforms can take advantage of the 3x–4x throughput improvement that
Intelsat EpicNG enables. This demonstration was part of
Intelsat’s ongoing ecosystem work validating the compatibility of
existing hardware with Intelsat’s EpicNG high-throughput
satellites.
This over-the-satellite demonstration was conducted on Intelsat’s
Horizons-1 satellite using three separate bandwidth segments and a
navigation simulator representing a UAS flying through three separate
high-throughput spot beams on a single Intelsat EpicNG-class
satellite.
Using an L-3 CS-West hub and terminal modems for the end-to-end test,
engineers measured the performance of full-motion video and IP data
between the UAS and the hub controller as the system automatically
switched both frequency and polarization while the aircraft flew through
the three separate beams.
The new Intelsat EpicNG satellites are designed to increase
UAS data rate performance by 200 to 300 percent via their
high-throughput spot beams and enable broadband performance to antennas
with apertures smaller than 30 cm. This demonstration validated that the
UAS could automatically switch between these beams without user
intervention, thereby simplifying operations while fully leveraging this
increased throughput.
“Through our collaboration with Intelsat, both airborne and ground users
will be able to upgrade the software on existing L-3 wideband modems to
provide automatic beam switching capabilities for service on
high-throughput satellites like Intelsat’s EpicNG,” said Andy
Ivers, president of L-3 Communication Systems-West. “These results mark
an important milestone in providing our customers the ability to
modernize their existing assets within today’s fiscally constrained
defense budget environment.”
“This demonstration proves that modems using beam-switching technology
will support UAS operations at very high data rates on high-throughput
satellites,” said Skot Butler, vice president, Satellite Networks &
Space Services at Intelsat General. “This capability is an important
step in the evolution of satellite communications for these critical
platforms. Intelsat’s EpicNG also provides inherent
protection from signal jamming and greater throughput for full-motion
video and other bandwidth-hungry payloads.”
Following this successful demonstration, Intelsat General and L-3
CS-West plan to conduct further tests with user platforms employing the
recently launched Intelsat EpicNG IS-29 satellite.
Intelsat EpicNG is a high performance, next generation
satellite platform that delivers global high-throughput technology via
an innovative approach to satellite and network architecture utilizing
C-, Ku- and Ka-bands, wide beams, spot beams, and frequency reuse
technology to provide a host of customer-centric benefits. The Intelsat
EpicNG series digital payload will be instrumental in
allowing flexible and efficient use of spectrum, resulting in a dramatic
increase in the amount of throughput delivered on these satellites.
Intelsat EpicNG is based on open architecture and engineered
for backwards compatibility, allowing broadband,
media,
mobility
and government
organizations to realize the cost-efficiency of using existing hardware.
At the same time, increased control means these organizations can build
on their success by offering their end-users customized, differentiated
solutions — even defining such service characteristics as speed,
hardware and network topology.
See the demo video here
About Intelsat General Corp.
Intelsat General provides satellite communications solutions to
military, commercial and government customers over Intelsat’s fleet of
approximately 50 satellites and a global terrestrial network of
teleports and fiber infrastructure. Intelsat General also offers these
customers the option of placing a dedicated hosted communications
payload aboard an Intelsat satellite. From remote military outposts,
disaster recovery sites and U.S. embassies to health and homeland
security agencies, Intelsat General’s solutions support even the most
complex operations, from routine to mission-critical, anywhere on the
globe. These solutions address the numerous communications challenges
inherent in a wide range of applications. From Airborne ISR/UAV
scenarios to Distance Learning to Logistics, Intelsat General engineers
can enhance government, military and commercial communications to allow
customers to achieve their mission objectives.www.intelsatgeneral.com
About Intelsat
Intelsat S.A. (NYSE: I) operates the world’s first Globalized Network,
delivering high-quality, cost-effective video and broadband services
anywhere in the world. Intelsat’s Globalized Network combines the
world’s largest satellite backbone with terrestrial infrastructure,
managed services and an open, interoperable architecture to enable
customers to drive revenue and reach through a new generation of network
services. Thousands of organizations serving billions of people
worldwide rely on Intelsat to provide ubiquitous broadband connectivity,
multi-format video broadcasting, secure satellite communications and
seamless mobility services. The end result is an entirely new world, one
that allows us to envision the impossible, connect without boundaries
and transform the ways in which we live. For more information, visit www.intelsat.com.
About L-3 Communication Systems-West
L-3 Communication Systems-West (L-3 CS-West) is a leader in
communications systems for high-performance intelligence collection,
imagery processing and satellite communications for the DoD and other
government agencies. The company provides high data rate, wideband,
protected, real-time communications systems for surveillance,
reconnaissance and other airborne intelligence collection systems. To
learn more about L-3 CS-West, please visit the company’s website at www.L-3com.com/csw.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160307005372/en/
Source: Intelsat
Intelsat General Corp.
Nancy Nolting, 703-270-4280
Marketing
Program Manager