35th AIAA ICSSC Colloquium: High Throughput Satellite (HTS) Broadband Opportunities: Orbits, Architectures, Interference and Markets Trieste, October 16, 2017

What are the Challenges? 30min Talk Glyn Thomas : Lead Engineer Airbus VHTS & Active Antenna Programme

What are the Challenges? Generic Flexible design

Terminal Waveform

Design

Faster Time to market

Service Area Size

Network IP routing Latency

Aggregate EIRP

Frequency Reuse

Reduced CAPEX

Per Gbps

Launch / Servicing

Orbit

& Payload

Ground Segment

Future HTS

DC Power Efficiency

Dissipation

Gateway / Feederlink

Costs

Launcher Cost /

Cadence

Launcher Capability

GTO Fairing

In orbit Servicing Assembly

Multi-mission (DTH and data) Large Geostationary Satellite

Data MEO Satellite (O3B)

Constellation

Data LEO Satellite (Oneweb)

Constellation

More capacity implies more bandwidth implies more beams. Classically more beams implies more hardware / mass

Frequency Reuse

Antenna Challenge Applicable to all Orbits

Heritage HTS missions have used single feed per beam antenna’s Coverage flexibility is very limited Capacity flexibility can be offered through the application of beam hopping. Amount of payload hardware / mass / cost is linearly proportional to number of beams / capacity Gateway to user beam flexibility is difficult to provide Digital beam-formed active antennas offer the potential to provide thousands of beams from fewer feeds Digitally beam-formed active antennas offer the potential for generic faster lower cost payloads

Frequency Reuse

Generic Flexible design

Faster Time to market

Reduced CAPEX

Per Gbps

Service Area size (or scan angle) represents an challenge to the antenna design in all orbits. Direct Radiating Arrays offer greatest flexibility and scan angles. However generating small spot-beams to support high AEIRP often leads to complex arrays with large numbers of

elements Application of Terrestrial technology being developed for LEO / MEO scanning phased arrays could help.

Service Area size

Antenna Challenge Applicable to all Orbits

Beam hopping is a means to provide flexible allocation of capacity to time varying demand. Beam hopping also allows for simpler payload solutions in respect of number of repeater paths Beam hopping can be implemented on SFPB, or active arrays. Annex E of DVBS2X provides standards for the implementation of beam hopping.

0.0001

0.001

0.01

0.1

1

10

100

1000

10000

100000

1000000

0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500

Aver

age

capa

city

per

bea

m [M

bps]

Beam

Average served capacity per beam vs demand per beam Scenario 0 - Offered capacity

Scenario 0 - Demand

Adequacy to traffic demand Example of a Beam Hopping sequence on a AA architecture

Service Area size Capacity

Flexible Design

Reduced CAPEX

Per Gbps

More capacity implies more spectrum which implies more Aggregate EIRP Aggregate EIRP is the product of HPA power and Antenna Gain In DBFN systems processor / SSPA are integral parts of the antenna and contribute to the overall efficiency Studies show that antenna gain is an important driver to achieving high AEIRP whilst limiting platform DC / Dissipation

Frequency Reuse

Aggregate EIRP

DC Power Efficiency

Dissipation

DBFN Processor

Low DC Power High QTY ports Low cost

Efficient DBFN high Frequency

reuse

Regen / IP routing

(LEO) ISL capable

High Frequency Sampling

Wideband Ports

Active Array

QTY of HPA / Elements

Element Technology

HPA Technology

Industrialised For Mass

Production

N E

lement A

rray per pol

N H

PA RF P

ower

DB

FN P

rocessor N P

orts per pol

New Generation processor and Antenna are key technologies in the dream of a generic HTS payload Complex design trade-offs need to be respected. DC power, mass and industrialization are key requirements.

Frequency Reuse

Aggregate EIRP

DC Power Efficiency

New Generation

Array / Processor

Every orbit has an Important role to play. LEO can offer lowest latency and high aggregate EIRP, ISL can provide low latency paths MEO can offer a compromise in latency and provides high throughput for premium services GEO is king for point to multipoint latency insensitive data The same payload technology challenges and solutions exist in each orbit.

Platform Power circa 25kW No Satellites for Global = 3 Simple user terminals Targeted Coverage & point

to multipoint

MEO ~8000km FS = 191dB Latency = 26ms

Platform Power = 0.5kW - ?kW No Satellites for Global = 648 Low latency Low free space loss Very high aggregate capacity

Platform Power = 1.5kW – ?kW No Satellites for Global = N/A Tracking user terminals Medium latency and very high Point to point capacity

LEO ~800km FS = 171dB Latency = 2.6ms

GEO 36,000km FS = 204dB One way Latency = 120ms

Orbital Layers for

applications

5G Spaceweb

Common Technology

New Generation

Array / Processor

Number of Gateways required can be come large hence investment in mass produced G/W The application of Q and V band can increase the BW per RF gateway and free spectrum for user beams. Diversity systems are needed to manage the impact of rain fade on any given GW location Optical offers the potential to provide high capacity systems with few GW locations Regenerative processing on the uplink, has the potential to reduce the Nb of RF gateways. For constellations this is also a driver, ISL can help extend reach and provide low latency routes

Ka-band

Q and V band

Ku band

W band

Gateway / Feederlink

Costs

Feeder Link Challenge Applicable to all Orbits

Terminal / Waveform User Terminals

GEO orbit offers simple static user terminals. Waveforms / Coding and modulation such as DVBSX are established and offer growth potential in respect of 256APSK / Gateway precoding / Beam-hopping.

MEO and LEO require scanning terminals. Huge progress is being made in this domain. Further potential exists for 5G approaches include edge processing and MMIO.

Phasor Flat Panel Antenna

Launch cost and cadence remains a major part of the overall HTS business case Especially important for constellations Strong Innovation ongoing from both US and European Players. More capable rockets, re-use, larger fairing, direct GTO injection All reducing cost of entry to space

Launch

New Glen

Ariane 6 Space X Falcon Heavy / BFR

Servicing & Make in Space Challenges

Opportunity to build antennas / payloads with out constraints of launcher. Opportunity to upgrade or refuel existing space assets. Opportunity to support debris removal and or de-orbiting.

Servicing Make in Space

Made in Space Airbus

What are the Conclusions?

Launch / Serving

Orbit

& Payload

Ground Segment

Future HTS

Future HTS represents a golden new era for telecom satellite • All the challenges are being solved by our industry. • GEO MEO and LEO all have an important role to play • Satellite will be a core part of the future 5G space wide web.

GEO

MEO LEO