Page 11 - Satellite

Current solar cycle intensity's peak in 2024, may impact Earth's satellites

The current ongoing solar cycle is likely to peak its intensity in 2024 and can potentially impact Earth's space weather, according to researchers at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Kolkata. It is known that roughly every 11 years, the intensity of solar activity reaches its peak, which manifests as violent disturbances in space weather such as solar magnetic storms or coronal mass ejections, impacting Earth's satellites and telecommunications. "During intense solar storms, the Earth's upper atmosphere expands outwards, thereby introducing friction on the low-Earth satellites. The friction can lead to a decay in the satellites' orbits and reduce their lifetime. Thus, they are able to live in space for a much shorter time than they were originally supposed to," Dibyendu Nandy, the study's corresponding author and Professor of Physics and Head, Center of Excellence in Space Sciences India, IISER, Kolkata, told PTI. The researchers also said that the mos

South Korea delays spy satellite liftoff, after North's satellite launch

South Korea has postponed the planned launch of its first military spy satellite set for this Thursday, officials said, days after rival North Korea claimed to put its own spy satellite into orbit for the first time. Under a contract with SpaceX, South Korea is to launch five spy satellites by 2025, and its first launch using SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket had been scheduled to take place at California's Vandenberg Air Force Base in the United States. The South Korean Defence Ministry said in a brief statement on Tuesday the launch was delayed due to weather conditions. Ministry officials said the launch was tentatively rescheduled for this Saturday but it wasn't a fixed date. South Korea currently has no military reconnaissance satellites of its own and partially resorts to US spy satellites to monitor moves by North Korea. After two launch failures earlier this year, North Korea said it successfully placed its Malligyong-1 spy satellite into orbit on November 21. South Korea said it ha

S Korea partially suspends pact with North after it launches spy satellite

South Korea will partially suspend an inter-Korean agreement Wednesday to restart frontline aerial surveillance of North Korea, after the North said it launched a military spy satellite in violation of United Nations bans, Seoul officials said. The South Korean announcement which will likely infuriate North Korea came hours after the North claimed to have placed a military reconnaissance satellite into orbit in its third such launch attempt this year. The North's claim hasn't been independently verified; the Pentagon said it was still assessing the success of the launch, while Japan stated there has been no confirmation that the North Korean satellite entered orbit. But the United States and its allies still quickly condemned the North Korean launch, which they believe was meant to improve the country's missile technology as well as establish a space-based surveillance system. North Korea says it has sovereign, legitimate rights to launch spy satellites to cope with what it calls

North Korea says it put a military spy satellite into orbit on third try

North Korea said it placed a spy satellite into orbit with its third launch attempt this year, demonstrating the nation's determination to build a space-based surveillance system during protracted tensions with the United States. The North's claim Wednesday could not immediately independently be confirmed. Observers doubt whether the satellite is advanced enough to perform military reconnaissance. But the launch still invited strong condemnation from the United States and its partners because the U.N. bans North Korea from conducting satellite launches, calling them covers for tests of missile technology. The North's space agency said that its new Chollima-1 carrier rocket accurately placed the Malligyong-1 satellite into orbit on Tuesday night, about 12 minutes after liftoff from the country's main launch center. The National Aerospace Technology Administration called the launch a legitimate right of North Korea to bolster its self-defense capabilities. It said the spy satellite ..

OneWeb gets regulatory approval to launch satellite broadband services

OneWeb India is the first organisation to be granted this authorisation. Eutelsat OneWeb, the low earth orbit operator, is part of Eutelsat Group

North Korea tells Japan it will make 3rd attempt to launch spy satellite

North Korea told Japan that it will make a third attempt to launch a military spy satellite later this month, Japanese media reported Tuesday. Kyodo News, citing Japan's coast guard, said that North Korea notified Tokyo of its plan to launch the spy satellite sometime between Nov. 20 and Nov. 30. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told officials to try to talk Pyongyang into scrapping the plan in cooperation with the United States and South Korea, the Kyodo report said. In North Korea's two previous attempts earlier this year, the rockets carrying the satellites failed during the launch due to technical reasons. North Korea had vowed a third launch would take place sometime in October, but failed to follow through with the plan without giving any reason. North Korea says it needs a spy satellite to deal with what it calls increasing US-led military threats. South Korea retrieved debris from the first launch and called the satellite too crude to perform military reconnaissance.

South Korea military warns North Korea not to launch a spy satellite

South Korea's military warned North Korea not to go ahead with its planned spy satellite launch, suggesting on Monday that Seoul could suspend an inter-Korean peace deal and resume frontline aerial surveillance in retaliation for a launch. North Korea failed in its first two attempts to put a military spy satellite into orbit earlier this year and didn't follow through with a vow to make a third attempt in October. South Korean officials said the delay was likely because North Korea is receiving Russian technological assistance and that the North could conduct a launch in coming days. Senior South Korean military officer Kang Hopil urged North Korea to cancel its third launch attempt immediately. Our military will come up with necessary measures to protect the lives and safety of the people, if North Korea pushes ahead with a military spy satellite launch despite our warning, Kang said in a televised statement. South Korean Defence Minister Shin Wonsik said in an interview with pub

Project Kuiper internet satellites fully successful in testing, says Amazon

The company said it had successfully used the prototype satellites for two-way video calls and streaming a high-definition film on Prime Video

Nasa, Isro gearing up to launch space mission to map globe every 12 days

The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) is set to be launched in the first quarter of 2024 after a few tests, particularly those related to vibration, NASA officials have said. "ISRO is projecting the first quarter of next year. So, I mean, that's ready," NASA NISAR Project Manager Phil Barela said during a media interaction here on Wednesday. He is expecting the launch of NISAR (spelt as 'Naisar') "not earlier than January" from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota aboard the ISRO Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark-II. The mission, which has three-year duration, aims to survey all of Earth's land and ice-covered surfaces every 12 days. This will start after a 90-day satellite commissioning period. Regarding the key tests that are pending to be undertaken, Barela said, "The vibration testing that's underway, but there's a whole slew of performance tests that we need to do." Battery and simulation tests have to be done to make sure that the system works fi

Here's why iPhone maker Foxconn is now chasing satellites and EVs

Foxconn Technology Group's second-straight slide in sales lays bare the folly of the Taipei-based manufacturer relying on Apple Inc. for more than half its business

Apple's top iPhone supplier Foxconn goes to outer space with new satellites

The launch of the LEO satellites marks a key moment for the Taiwanese electronics manufacturer as it diversifies into new sectors

Satellite internet to be reality soon: Jio Satellite, OneWeb get licences

Both companies now have pan-India Internet Service Provider (ISP) licences, essential for delivering internet connectivity through satellite or mobile networks, especially at homes and offices

South Korea plans to launch its first military spy satellite on Nov 30

South Korea said Monday it plans to launch its first domestically built spy satellite at the end of this month to better monitor rival North Korea, as the North pushes to expand its arsenal of nuclear weapons targeting its adversaries. The plan was unveiled days after North Korea failed to follow through on its vow to make a third attempt to launch its own reconnaissance satellite in October, likely because of technical issues. Jeon Ha Gyu, a spokesperson for the South Korean Defense Ministry, told reporters Monday that the country's first military spy satellite will be launched from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base on Nov. 30. The satellite will be carried by SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. Under a contract with SpaceX, South Korea plans to launch four more spy satellites by 2025, according to South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration. South Korea currently has no military reconnaissance satellites of its own and relies on U.S. spy satellites to monitor moves by Nor

We have become a non-terrestrial player, ahead of competition: Jio

Says JioSpaceFiber will leverage fewer satellites to provide gigabit speed broadband service

JioSpaceFiber: Jio previews satellite-based internet connectivity at IMC 23

Jio said the service has already been available in four remotest locations in India - Gir Gujarat, Korba Chattisgarh, Nabrangpur Odissa, and ONGC-Jorhat Assam

Soon, you will be able to use satcom services on your phone; here's how

At the present moment, there are 5-6 devices available in the global market that provide support for satellite connectivity

Airtel vs Jio: Is satellite communication next battleground for disruption?

It is Airtel vs Jio again as a new wave of satellite communication promises to take broadband internet to the remotest corners

Amazon seeks IN-SPACe's approval to provide satcom services in India

Amazon is also expected to apply to the DoT for a global mobile personal communication by satellite services (GMPCS) licence

Satellite constellations disrupt night sky observations, say astronomers

Astronomers are raising concerns around groups of large satellites orbiting the Earth, which could disrupt their ability to observe stars in the night sky and perform radio astronomy. The international team of scientists, including those from Imperial College London, have published a paper in Nature journal, detailing the impact of the prototype BlueWalker 3 satellite on astronomy. The BlueWalker 3 is a prototype satellite, part of a satellite constellation planned by its owner AST SpaceMobile, intended to deliver mobile or broadband services anywhere in the world. Observations of the BlueWalker 3 showed it was one of the brightest objects in the night sky, outshining all but the brightest stars, the researchers said. Several companies around the world have envisaged such satellite constellations. However, owing to their closer-to-Earth location and relatively large size, their potential to disrupt night sky observations is high, which is why astronomers are raising concerns aroun

Centre mulls proposal to allow satellite firms provide wireless service

According to experts, the move to provide mobility services authorisation to GMPCS licence holders will prepare the way for firms such as Elon Musk-owned Starlink to compete with telecom firms