Another critical piece of technology is the SSPA, which is located on the satellite payload. These power amplifier devices have evolved from being largely Si-based to GaAs and GaN.9 Over the past few years, we have seen solutions like GaN-on-diamond being developed at companies like Akash Systems.10 Increasing the efficiency of these devices from today’s approximately 30 percent levels to upwards of 50 percent would result in dramatically improved overall system performances, and help close business cases more easily.

The industry is expecting a spike in launch demand starting in 2024, a year in which a potential launch shortage may occur. Out of the four medium and heavy lift launch vehicles available today (SpaceX’s Falcon 9, ULA’s Atlas V, Arianespace/Roscosmos’ Soyuz-2 and Arianespace’s Ariane 5), only one is available due to vehicle retirement and U.S. sanctions. Rocket Lab’s Electron and Virgin Orbit’s Launcher One have successfully delivered payloads to orbit and are expected to be operational with more than ten launches a year by 2024, but these are considered small launchers. The long development time of new vehicles might leave the industry with only one medium-lift launch vehicle able to deliver more than ten launches in a year in 2024. This development poses a major risk to the satellite communications industry and it suggests that a launch supply shortage could lead to higher launch prices and substantial delays that might prevent NGSO systems from achieving their milestone requirements.

REGULATORY CHALLENGES

Satellite systems are governed internationally under the United Nations (UN) via the treaty-based ITU. Every three to five years, the ITU hosts the WRC, which is the culmination of a three-to-five-year regulatory review cycle. During the years between WRCs, working parties (WPs) and study groups (SGs) collaborate to conduct analysis and put forth proposals about topics like spectrum allocation, licensing, interference management and future studies. Country delegations to the WRC consist of national regulators, such as the FCC in the U.S. and Ofcom in the U.K., along with industry players like Intelsat, EchoStar, OneWeb, ViaSat, SpaceX and Amazon and government entities like National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA), National Oceanographic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Over the past decade, international and local regulatory discussions have centered around a handful of topics. High on the list have been interference mitigation techniques for protecting incumbent terrestrial networks via PFD limits and geostationary systems through time-based, statistical EPFD limits.11 BIU requirements, which define the number of satellites necessary to prevent expiration of an ITU filing. Other important issues for the satellite industry revolve around the terrestrial spectrum allocation for 5G and 6G technologies, along with coordination rules.

In the U.S., the FCC functions to regulate “interstate and international communications through cable, radio, television, satellite and wire. The goal of the Commission is to promote connectivity and ensure a robust and competitive market.”12 To facilitate spectrum sharing, the FCC authorizes the right to transmit signals over specific bands of spectrum. Unlike terrestrial systems, the FCC implements a processing round approach for satellite spectrum allocation.13

FCC processing rounds were held in 2016, 2017, 2020 and 2021, with these rounds alternating to cover either Ku-/Ka-Band or V-Band. Over the course of these processing rounds, more than 20 unique applicants submitted market access requests seeking authorization for over 70,000 total satellites. Since the end of 2019, the FCC has seen the number of NGSO satellites in orbit increase 31.4x with the introduction of FSS NGSO systems. Unfortunately, this unprecedented level of activity has resulted in increasingly long waiting times for FCC approval. The 2016 Ku-/Ka-Band Processing Round took an average of two years from the point at which an operator first submitted their application to the time the FCC made their First Action. In the March 2017 V-Band round, this delay increased by nearly a year to 2.9 years.1 To address this issue, the House Energy and Commerce Committee introduced bipartisan legislation in the Satellite and Telecommunications Streamlining Act and the Secure Space Act on December 8 to reform FCC licensing rules.14

This trend of increasing wait times, coupled with the scarcity of spectrum resources has created a competitive environment among stakeholders leading to questions about how the FCC should consider its sharing rules.15 Fortunately, some of the major players in the satellite field have reached coordination agreements that allow their current and second-generation broadband networks to coexist. On June 13, 2022, OneWeb and Starlink requested that the FCC dismiss the previous coexistence complaints they had filed against one another and that the Commission instead focus on approving both second round systems as quickly as possible.16,17 Similarly, on September 24, 2022, Amazon and Telesat reached an agreement.18

CONCLUSION

The accomplishments of the satellite industry over the past decade are a true cause for celebration. Given that more than 4000 satellites are operational across Starlink and OneWeb alone, it is likely that these networks will continue to make technological history in the coming decades. However, it is also the case that advances in user terminal, power amplifier and launch availability will be imperative as these networks continue to roll out to ensure financial viability and affordable service offerings. It will also be critical that our national and international regulators continue to review existing regulations and update outdated policies promptly to encourage innovation and enable new entrants into the sector.

References

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