Page 81 - SAMENA Trends - May-June 2024

SATELLITE UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Sateliot to Launch Four Satellites in 5G IoT Program

Looking to deploy what it says is the first low-Earth orbit (LEO) sat- service, is, assured Sateliot, “democratic and accessible”, open to
ellite constellation with 5G standards for internet of things (IoT) various use cases for small and medium-sized enterprises, public
and 100% global coverage, satellite operator Sateliot is to enter administrations, and large companies. Sateliot stressed that the
into the commercial phase of its 5G-IoT constellation with the fundamental part of these satellites lies in their interior, support-
launch of four satellites from SpaceX’s Transporter-11 mission. ed by their own innovative technology, tested and validated by the
The launch is scheduled for July, and the satellites will fly aboard European Space Agency (ESA) and mobile communications stan-
a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. dards body 3GPP. In 2023, Sateliot announced that it had worked
Each of the four CubeSat 6U satellites that Sateliot will launch through the Telefónica Tech and Telefónica Global Solutions (TGS)
in July 2024 represents an investment of €500m. They measure divisions to extend the reach of Telefónica’s 5G network, providing
20 x 10 x 35 centimeters and weigh 10 kilograms. They will or- an end-to-end satellite coverage extension to the operator’s cel-
bit at about 600 kilometers altitude and have a lifespan of over lular network through standard GSMA roaming. Commenting on
five years. The technology, which is designed to provide connec- the launch, Jaume Sanpera, CEO and co-founder of Sateliot, said:
tivity to more than eight million devices already subscribed to the “With this launch, the company enters a new dimension that will
allow Spain to lead IoT connectivity on a global scale.” Founded
in 2018, Sateliot claims to offer the first LEO satellite constella-
tion based on the 5G standard, allowing unmodified commercial
cellular NB-IoT non-terrestrial networks (NTN) devices to connect
from space. It claimed it was the first time in history that terrestri-
al cellular telecommunications merged with satellite connectivity.
The company’s business plan projects revenues of €500m in 2027
and €1bn in 2030, with an EBITDA margin of over 60%. With plans
to deploy more satellites by 2025, it said it has already secured
€200m in recurring revenue contracts from over 400 clients in 50
countries worldwide. To achieve its aims, the company is engaged
in talks with national and international space industry players and
investors to close its €30m Series B funding round.

Zimbabwe and Namibia Announce Satcoms Initiatives

More space-related announcements have recently been made,
this time by Zimbabwe and Namibia, underlining the continuing
growth of satellite communications initiatives in sub-Saharan
Africa. Zimbabwe is set to launch its second satellite, ZimSat-2,
in November after technical issues – the primary payload was not
ready – delayed the original 26 May launch. ZimSat-2 will feature
advanced sensors and imaging devices, supporting applications
such as mineral exploration, environmental hazard monitoring,
and management of droughts and human settlements. Pre-launch
tests for the new satellite are reportedly complete, and the satellite
is now awaiting the appropriate launch window in November.
Zimbabwe aims to introduce three additional earth observation
satellites in the coming years, building on the capabilities of its
first satellite, ZimSat-1, launched in November 2022. According (CRAN)-licensed satellite service provider, which is reportedly
to the Bulawayo24 online news service, ZimSat-1 currently aids poised to become a major player in the rapidly expanding low
in monitoring drought conditions, mine mapping, and other earth orbit (LEO) business as the Namibia Space Port develops.
data-driven activities from the Mazowe Ground Station. Also in More specifics about how this project will benefit Namibia are not
Southern Africa, the ITWeb Africa news service reports that private easy to find, but Engineering News says the new facility will focus
equity fund manager Eos Capital, which manages the Namibia mainly on ground gateway terminal hosting, Earth observation (EO)
Infrastructure Development and Investment Fund (NIDIF), has downlink services, and tracking, telemetry and control (TT&C). Dr
been given permission to start the Namibia Space Port project. Dawie de Wet, Group CEO of Q-KON, says: "We are honored to lead
Described by South Africa’s Engineering News as a satellite ground this transformative initiative that will not only enhance Namibia's
segment complex, the Namibia Space Port project is led by Q-KON technological prowess but will also contribute to the growth of the
Namibia, a Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia LEO industry in Sub-Saharan Africa."

81 MAY-JUNE 2024