#satellite_technology

[phonemantra-blog]

There is now a fine for using it. The Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry of Kazakhstan Bagdat Musin said at a press conference in the government that the issue of using the Starlink Internet in the country will be legally regulated only next year. Despite the fact that Kazakhstanis have already begun installing Starlink terminals, using this technology for personal purposes in Kazakhstan is illegal and you can get a fine for it. To regulate this, it is necessary to introduce a number of amendments to the laws regarding the use of foreign satellite systems by citizens of the country. [caption id="attachment_84015" align="aligncenter" width="780"] Starlink[/caption] “For now it’s a gray area,” Starlink will be legalized in Kazakhstan only next year According to Musin, the issue should be resolved next year, it is not yet clear, in the first or second half of the year, but by the end of 2024 - for sure, and now the use of Starlink satellite Internet in Kazakhstan is a “gray area”. At the same time, as we already wrote , in Kazakhstan they began to connect rural schools to Starlink: the first 10 institutions are connected, and plans are to provide satellite Internet from SpaceX to 2000 educational facilities in remote villages. Musin noted that this is framed as a pilot project, within the framework of which, among other things, the issue of changing the country’s legislation in the communications industry will be studied.

[phonemantra-blog]

At China Telecom 2023 China Telecom announced that the Tiani Platon S9 satellite smartphone will be unveiled on November 10 during the China Telecom 2023 environmental digital technology exhibition. According to reports, Tiani Platon S9 is a 5G satellite dual-mode mobile phone with a built-in satellite antenna, shaped like a regular smartphone. It can be used without changing cards or numbers. It can make and receive satellite calls and send and receive satellite text messages at any time. A satellite phone that is indistinguishable from a regular smartphone. [caption id="attachment_79591" align="aligncenter" width="600"] satellite phone[/caption] Tiani Platon S9 will be equipped with a large screen, curved on the sides, with as yet unknown characteristics, a high-capacity battery and fast charging. Previously, this smartphone passed the national 3C certification, which confirmed that it supports 5G networks and 66-watt charging.

[phonemantra-blog]

Thanks to samples brought to Earth by Apollo astronauts, scientists have determined that the Moon is more than 4.46 billion years old. It existed long before the appearance of life on Earth and plays an important role in the history of our planet and the formation of its climate. More than 4 billion years ago, during the young solar system, the Earth experienced a collision with a huge object the size of Mars. The Moon formed from the debris, but the exact time of its formation remained a mystery.  In the new study, scientists used regolith samples returned from the Moon by Apollo astronauts in 1972 to more accurately determine when the Moon formed. Their discovery made it possible to establish that it is 40 million years older than previously thought. The Earth's natural satellite is now believed to be over 4.46 billion years old. [caption id="attachment_73610" align="aligncenter" width="731"] satellite[/caption] “These samples are the oldest known solids formed after the impact. And because we know their age, they provide support for lunar chronology,” says Philipp Heck, senior author of the study. The discovery was the result of work by Philip Heck and graduate student Jennika Greer. “We were approached by our co-authors, Bidong Zhang and Audrey Bouvier, who needed nanoscale analysis of these samples to fully understand them,” says Greer, who is now a research fellow at the School of Geographical and Geosciences at the University of Glasgow. satellite turned out to be 40 million years older than thought Regolith contains tiny crystals that formed billions of years ago. These crystals serve as a key indicator of when the Moon likely originated. When an object the size of Mars collided with the Earth and formed the Moon, the energy from the impact melted the rock that later formed the surface of the Moon. “As long as the surface was molten, crystals could not form and survive. Therefore, any crystals on the surface of the Moon must have formed after the lunar magma ocean cooled. Otherwise, they would have melted and their chemical traces would have been erased,” says Heck. Since the particles must have formed after the magma ocean cooled, determining the age of the samples allowed us to establish the minimum possible age of the Moon. Previous research by co-author Bidong Zhang had indirectly pointed to the same range, but the latest study was the first use of an analytical technique called atom probe tomography to "determine" the age of the oldest lunar particles. “In atom probe tomography, we start by sharpening a sample of lunar material using an ion microscope. We then use ultraviolet lasers to evaporate the atoms from the surface. Atoms move through a mass spectrometer, the speed of movement tells us their mass, which in turn allows us to determine the composition,” Greer said. This atomic analysis carried out at Northwestern University, showed that many atoms had undergone radioactive decay. When an atom has an unstable configuration of protons and neutrons in its nucleus, decay processes occur in it, and then the atom emits several protons and neutrons. Scientists determined how long this process takes, and by studying the proportion of different isotopes of uranium and lead in a sample, they were able to more accurately determine the age of the samples.

[phonemantra-blog]

It will start in 2024 Roscosmos said that the production of regular Skif satellites, which will be part of the orbital constellation of the same name, will start in 2024. “We have signed a contract for the development and production of the first stage of the constellation consisting of six spacecraft of the Skif medium-orbit broadband Internet access system. A preliminary design is currently being developed, and the completion and start of manufacturing are planned for next year,” Roscosmos said in connection with the anniversary of the launch of the Skif constellation demonstrator. Roscosmos plans to protect the preliminary design by the end of this year and launch two satellites with each Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle in 2026 and 2027. Roscosmos announced the production of standard Skif satellites [caption id="attachment_73226" align="aligncenter" width="780"] satellites[/caption] The first Skif-D apparatus within the framework of the federal project "Sphere" was launched on October 22 last year on a Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle from the Vostochny Cosmodrome along with three Gonets-M apparatuses. The full constellation will consist of 12 “Scythians” - 4 on each of the three orbital planes. The mass of one satellite is 1750 kg, and the active service life of the satellite will reach 12 years. The federal project “Sphere” involves the launch of communications and remote sensing satellites. The project will include five satellite constellations for telecom services and another five for surveillance. Previously, Roscosmos announced that the Griffin project would be included in the Sphere program.

[phonemantra-blog]

China is preparing to send the Queqiao-2 communications satellite into lunar orbit to provide communications for a future mission to the Moon and further exploration missions China is preparing to place a new communications satellite in lunar orbit to provide communications for upcoming manned missions to the Moon. Queqiao-2 is scheduled to be launched on a Long March 8 rocket from the Wenchang Weixi Satellite Launch Center in early 2024. The 1,200-kilogram satellite will have a dish antenna diameter of 4.2 meters and a service life of more than eight years. Its first task is to provide communications for Chang'e-6, the first mission to collect samples from the far side of the Moon. This mission is planned for the second quarter of 2024 and will target the mid-latitudes of Apollo Crater. Chang'e-6's lunar operations will likely be completed in about 48 hours. [caption id="attachment_70265" align="aligncenter" width="705"] satellite[/caption] Queqiao-2's 24-hour elliptical orbit will give it direct communication with earth stations and Chang'e-6 at Apollo Crater. Queqiao-2 will then provide communications for the Chang'e-7 missions in 2026 and the Chang'e-8 missions to the lunar South Pole in 2028. For these missions, the satellite will move to a 12-hour orbit. An elliptical orbit is very stable and requires little fuel to maintain. China plans to deploy Queqiao-2 communications satellite to the Moon in 2024 Queqiao-2 is a more advanced version of Queqiao-1, launched in 2018 to support the Chang'e-4 mission. This first relay satellite is still in orbit at the L2 Lagrange point between the Earth and the Moon, approximately 70,000 kilometers from the Moon. It will use the X and UHF bands for communications with spacecraft and the S and Ka bands for communications with Earth. The new satellite will be launched with two experimental CubeSats, called Tiandu-1 and Tiandu-2, which will help test communications and navigation receivers. Queqiao-2 will also capture scientific payloads. These include an ultraviolet camera, an atomic meter, and equipment for the Earth-Moon Interferometry (VLBI) experiment. In addition, the device will be able to provide communications services for missions and research of other countries at the South Pole of the Moon or on the far side. The Queqiao-2 satellite could also potentially become the first of the “constellation” to orbit the Moon. The broader Queqiao constellation will provide communications, navigation, and remote sensing support for China's International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) project. An expanded version of the network will include relay satellites on Venus and Mars to aid in space exploration.

[phonemantra-blog]

Senegal is preparing to launch its first satellite, to be used for tasks such as monitoring natural disasters and developing agriculture. To better address challenges such as disaster monitoring and increasing agricultural productivity, Senegal plans to harness the potential of satellite technology and artificial intelligence. [caption id="attachment_68872" align="aligncenter" width="780"] satellite[/caption] Back in 2019, the country developed a two-year plan to create and launch its satellite, but the launch was postponed to 2023 as the creation of the satellite was delayed due to the pandemic. Senegal prepares to launch its first satellite At the official ceremony, Gayan Faye, coordinator of the Senegalese space project SENSAT, said: “After three years of hard work in collaboration with CSUM, our GAINDESAT is ready for launch.” SENSAT and CSUM are collaborating with the digital platform Ride Space to integrate the GAINDESAT satellite into Momentus' Vigoride spacecraft. The satellite will play an important role in collecting valuable data for Senegal, including information for fire and flood mitigation, soil erosion control, and agricultural development. Following the launch of GAINDESAT, Senegal will work on larger satellites and also plans to create a local ecosystem of scientific research and industrial innovation in the space sector in partnership with universities and local companies.

[phonemantra-blog]

Today this data is provided free of charge The government commission approved the submission to the State Duma of the Roscosmos bill, which allows the state corporation to sell Earth remote sensing data from space (ERS). Roscosmos plans to sell this data to consumers, including public authorities, as reported by Vedomosti, which reviewed the documentation and confirmed the approval of the document from sources close to the government commission. The project will be considered in the State Duma by the end of autumn. The project states that Roscosmos will be the only supplier of remote sensing data and products created on their basis. The law should be amended, according to which purchases of remote sensing data will be possible from a single supplier, Roscosmos. In addition, they plan to remove from the law the clause on the free provision of satellite images to any government bodies. Roscosmos wants exclusive rights to sell satellite images of the Earth to government agencies [caption id="attachment_64855" align="aligncenter" width="600"] satellite images[/caption] Roscosmos will become the only supplier of remote sensing data for federal and regional authorities. According to the plan, Roscosmos will provide only 67% of consumer needs, and the remaining 33% should be covered by an orbital constellation of commercial operators, including Sitronics, NPK BARL, and Gazprom Space Systems. If the project is approved, the state corporation promises to earn 89 billion rubles for the budget by 2035. If adopted, the law should come into force on January 1, 2025.

[phonemantra-blog]

The Indian government is pursuing reforms to attract private players and global investment in the space sector. The country's new space policy simplifies the rules for private participation and foreign direct investment The Indian government is continuing a series of reforms to increase private participation in the space sector and attract global capital. “We are moving from ISRO being the only player in the country's space sector to one where the private sector will play a larger role,” said Pawan Goenka, chairman of the Indian National Space Promotion Authorization Center (IN-SPACe), at the 74th m International Astronautical Congress in Baku on October 5. The Indian government approved the "Indian Space Policy 2023" in April this year, which is the result of a series of developments in recent years. "India's space policy has brought together everything related to space - satellite communications, remote sensing, space operations, transportation, navigation, everything - in one document of just 12 pages," Goenka said. [caption id="attachment_64326" align="aligncenter" width="780"] space[/caption] India wants to become a leader in satellite manufacturing. The reforms define clear roles for the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), IN-SPACe, and NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), and remove barriers to participation by non-governmental organizations. ISRO will function as a civilian space agency focusing on research and development of advanced space technologies and areas involving international missions, while IN-SPACe will regulate and authorize space activities in the country, develop start-ups, and facilitate collaboration with ISRO. The policy removes almost all restrictions for the private sector to participate in the space sector in India, which was previously almost inaccessible. The construction of rockets, their launch, the ownership and operation of satellites, the provision of services, and the acquisition and distribution of remote sensing data have become an open market. Additionally, India is set to finalize a new foreign direct investment policy in the space sector. The move is expected to liberalize foreign ownership rules to attract global investment. This will mainly affect areas such as satellite production, ground segments, and launch vehicles. “Currently, the Indian space economy is around $8 billion, which is just 2% of the global space economy,” says Goenka. However, according to him, the country is striving to increase this figure several times. There are several aspects in which India can have a competitive advantage. The first is manufacturing, India could become a manufacturing hub for small satellites Goenka also said the country could become "pretty big in small launch vehicles" and in low-Earth orbit satellite launches, and noted ground stations and remote sensing data as other areas of potential growth. He listed several advantages that could support India's position in these areas: new institutional support, state-level policies, a large domestic market, a large number of graduates in science, technology, and mathematics, and competitive labor costs.  According to him, this will increase India's share in the global space economy.

[phonemantra-blog]

The startup is preparing to launch a satellite designed to produce new semiconductors that could be used in electronic devices on Earth. Space Forge lost its first experimental satellite in January during a failed launch of Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne rocket. The new satellite, called ForgeStar-1, will head to the US for launch in late 2023 or early 2024. Space Forge has signed a collaboration agreement with US multinational aerospace giant Northrop Grumman to provide semiconductor wafers created in space, which Northrop Grumman can then further use in its manufacturing projects. [caption id="attachment_62249" align="aligncenter" width="780"] satellite[/caption] Semiconducting materials are an integral component of many electronic devices, but their production on Earth is expensive and requires large amounts of energy. However, space conditions make it possible to develop new semiconductor materials much more efficiently, said Space Forge CEO and founder Josh Western. UK startup Space Forge is preparing a satellite for semiconductor production in space Manufacturing complex semiconductors is a very labor-intensive and slow process; they are grown atom by atom. Gravity has a strong influence on this process, shifting the bonds between these atoms. In space, you can overcome this barrier because there is no gravity Western added that space is also an attractive environment because of the vacuum, which will be useful in protecting sensitive material from contamination. On Earth, this vacuum is created with the help of industrial machines. The combination of weightlessness and the vacuum of space could allow researchers to create semiconductors that are 10 to 100 times more efficient than those produced on Earth. The ForgeStar-1 satellite, about the size of a microwave oven, will house a miniature automated chemistry laboratory that will allow the team to remotely mix chemical compounds and develop new semiconducting alloys. However, instead of sending materials back to Earth, ForgeStar-1 will transmit the results of experiments to scientists in digital format, since this satellite is not designed to return to Earth. The global semiconductor industry is currently valued at more than $500 billion and is expected to double in size by 2030.

[phonemantra-blog]

Renew Satellite Constellation in 2025 The operator will pay a total of about $64 million for the first batch of satellites ordered last year from MDA, which supplies the spacecraft housings to Rocket Lab. The $327 million contract with MDA calls for the delivery of 17 satellites in 2025. The production agreement also includes an option for nine additional satellites at $11.4 million each. Apple agreed to reimburse Globalstar 95% of the cost of the constellation, including production and launch costs. And it provided an additional $252 million in loans to Globalstar to cover preliminary costs. [caption id="attachment_51228" align="aligncenter" width="780"] Renew Satellite Constellation[/caption] Globalstar Selects SpaceX to Renew Satellite Constellation in 2025 Apple plans to use 85% of the new network's capacity for the latest generation of iPhones, which can connect to one of 24 existing Globalstar satellites to provide emergency services when cell towers are unavailable. The remaining capacity will be used by Globalstar for its traditional services such as communications for monitoring devices and satellite phones. The company is also exploring the possibility of providing rental services for part of its spectrum for private networks. Analysts see Globalstar's frequencies as one of the company's most valuable assets as active negotiations continue with regulators and partners around the world.

[phonemantra-blog]

The station currently has a crew of three. The Australian company HEO Robotics published an interesting video filmed by a satellite directly from space. It demonstrates how China built its modular space station Tiangong (Tiangong, Heavenly Palace). [caption id="attachment_50882" align="aligncenter" width="780"] satellite[/caption] HEO Robotics specializes in off-Earth imaging, using spacecraft cameras and sensors to image objects in orbit, such as satellites. On August 30, the company released a video demonstrating some of these features. Footage shot directly in space was combined into one video showing step-by-step the completion of the construction of the Tiangong space station, consisting of three modules.  Impressive satellite video: Chinese Tiangong space station being assembled in orbit The company said: Using our off-Earth imaging capabilities, we have seen history unfold over 18 months. Every stage you see has been confirmed by a photo taken from another satellite in space.  A short video shows how the main module of the Tianhe space station (Tianhe), launched on April 29, 2021, is first visited by the cargo ships Tianzhou (Tianzhou) and the crewed spacecraft Shenzhou (Shenzhou), and then two experimental modules, Wentian ( Wentian) and Mengtian (Mengtian), which move, forming a T-shape.  https://youtu.be/yKNLDx7lHrw Currently, the Shenzhou-17 crew of three resides at Tiangong Station. China intends to keep the station for at least ten years, allowing for potential commercial use.