ThinKom and KSAT bring new antenna architecture to satellite ground stations
Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT), a leading provider of communication services, and ThinKom Solutions have partnered to bring the ThinKom phased array antenna gateway array to market, targeting earth observation, broadband, Telemetry, Tracking and Command (TT&C), and other Ground Station as a Service (GSaaS) applications.
With constellations in non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) growing at an astounding pace, disruptive technology and innovative approaches such as these are needed to deliver dramatic improvements in ground station performance and scalability.
This partnership will use the new ThinKom gateway arrays built on field-proven, high-efficiency, patented VICTS (Variable Inclination Continuous Transverse Stub) technology. As the global leader in satellite ground stations, KSAT’s ambitious network expansion relies on utilizing cutting-edge technologies and ThinKom’s phased array antenna technology is the key to enabling KSAT to continue to scale at unprecedented levels.
Modular, scalable gateway arrays developed by ThinKoom are engineered to provide a fully customizable, software-defined ground segment solution. The multi-beam, multi-band, multi-orbit system allows gateway providers to keep pace with advancements in satellite networks due to the system flexibility which digitally combines independently controlled antennas into compact, highly efficient arrays. This type of architecture enables rapid deployment, software-defined beamforming, and superior satellite acquisition and tracking.
Commenting on the partnership, KSAT Chief Technology Officer John Hesket said: “At KSAT, we take pride in being a technology leader and our commitment to continually evolving our ground stations. In our search for better ways to address the high-density constellations, phased array technology emerged as an obvious choice. Finding a commercially viable solution that brings significant benefits over our legacy antennas has been challenging, but ThinKom has a very innovative approach that meets our technology goals, while also meeting our commercial objectives.”
This new gateway array architecture will join KSAT’s global footprint of more than 270 parabolic apertures spread across every continent. This new architecture will reduce total cost of ownership through hot-swappable modules, reduced infrastructure, installation, and maintenance costs, more efficient spectrum utilization, low power consumption, and a smaller physical and visual footprint when compared to traditional parabolic dishes.
“The next generation of satellite networks requires a new paradigm in the ground segment,” said Bill Milroy, ThinKom Chairman and Chief Technology Officer. “We are bringing this technology to the commercial ground segment in partnership with KSAT, a technology leader in delivering innovative ground station solutions. By increasing aperture density while reducing total cost of ownership, we can deliver a step change for future-proof gateway connectivity to every orbit and at every frequency, from S-band through Ka-band and beyond.”
The array repoints from a setting satellite to a rising one nearly instantly, matching a key advantage of electronically steered antennas. At the same time, the ThinKom gateway array delivers full-duplex, horizon-to-horizon, make-before-break connectivity for truly uninterrupted communications with NGSO constellations.
With a fully operational system targeted for 2024, this collaboration between KSAT and ThinKom exemplifies the type of future-forward thinking needed to deliver a new paradigm for satellite ground stations.
Technology overview
Each array is configured with at least one digital beamformer. As the brains of the entire system, it digitally combines the signals from multiple antenna modules to form any number of beams. This requires dramatically lower power consumption than other phased-array approaches.
The beamformer digitizes signals from individual antennas, runs real-time algorithms to account for time delay and phase shift, then combines the signals into one, forming a much larger equivalent aperture. The aperture scales with the combined active area of the antennas.
Multiple beamformers can be linked into a mesh network. This allows for combining any number of antennas, as well as make-before-break handoffs.
ThinKom engineers also designed the beamformer with the output in mind. The combined signals it sends to the customer-supplied modem can be analog or digital, making it completely agnostic.
The beamformer has the intelligence to maintain constant gain and phase-continuous signals during satellite handoffs. It also electronically manages sky scanning, fast acquisition, precision tracking and signal discrimination.
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