CesiumAstro successfully tested its active phased array antenna terminal solution with SES‘s geosynchronous satellite network, a key milestone as the company works to deliver hardware to the government and commercial aviation sectors. The terminal leveraged the Hughes HM400 modem to complete the test package.
This demonstration showcased the functionality and maturation of the industry’s first multi-beam capability allowing utilization of the terminal’s electronically steerable beam to maintain connectivity on the move.
– Wayne Phelps, program lead at CesiumAstro
The validation work, conducted in Austin, Texas earlier this summer, included connectivity between the CesiumAstro terminal and SES’s satellite on stationary and mobile platforms. The companies validated link closure to the satellite and end-to-end connectivity through a Hughes ground station in Woodbine, Maryland. The test protocol included general web surfing and, more importantly, streaming of full-motion video and a live webcam feed from the terminal to a remote site.
The video transfer, in particular, is key to proving support for the required capabilities of uncrewed intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance(ISR) missions. CesiumAstro recently announced a contract to trial its terminal aboard a U.S. Air Force MQ-9A Reaper, demonstrating these performance metrics.
The company also called attention to the terminal’s ability to deliver multiple links using the full aperture of the receive panel, without additional power draw. This allows for true make-before-break connectivity or simultaneous data flow over different satellites, potentially even different orbital planes.
CesiumAstro also appears to still be relatively on track for the testing timeline its executives outlined at Satellite 2023. The next significant milestone for its commercial products will be testing with Airbus, both for helicopter and commercial aircraft implementations. That work includes a ground test prior to the end of 2023 and flight testing in the first half of 2024.
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