What's Happening?
NASA's Glenn Research Center is advancing the Wideband Commercialization Project to enable interoperability between government and commercial satellite networks for near-Earth services. The project focuses on developing wideband terminal technology that allows spacecraft to 'roam' between NASA and commercial networks. This technology operates over Ka-band spectrum allocations, facilitating seamless connections and reducing communication costs. Ground-based testing was completed in 2021, and a flight demonstration is planned for June 2024 with the Polylingual Experimental Terminal (PExT).
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Why It's Important?
The development of wideband technology is crucial for NASA's transition towards using commercial satellite communication services. This shift aims to lower costs and improve service accessibility for NASA missions. By enabling interoperability, NASA can leverage commercial networks, enhancing communication efficiency and reducing latency. This initiative supports NASA's broader strategy of integrating commercial services into its operations, potentially benefiting future space missions and collaborations.
What's Next?
NASA plans to conduct a flight demonstration of the wideband terminal technology in June 2024. The demonstration will test interoperability between NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellites and commercial relay providers. Following the demonstration, NASA will continue developing wideband technology and identify potential missions as early adopters. The project offers opportunities for extended operation experiments using wideband technology.
