Satellites have been known for having a wide static coverage area. The European Space Agency (ESA) has finished the initial in-orbit testing of its next-generation beam-hopping satellite, which changes that assumption. It is able to switch the satellite capacity between different places on Earth up to 1,000 times per second. Named after a baby kangaroo, JoeySat features services from managing real time surges in commercial demand, to providing broadband on planes, and responding to emergencies and natural disasters.
JoeySat was developed with $66.1 million funding from the U.K. Space Agency awarded to U.K. satellite technology firms through the European Space Agency’s Sunrise Program.
The signal strength can also be rapidly deployed to 5G mini hubs connected to the OneWeb communication network, to help meet wider service demands, according to Massimiliano Ladovaz, CTO at OneWeb.
“The JoeySat reflects the spirit of innovation and collaboration in space and promises to enable OneWeb to continue enhancing the performance and capabilities of our high-speed, low-latency satellite network to areas in need,” Ladovaz said. “The innovation behind the JoeySat would not be possible without ESA and the UK Space Agency, and we thank them for their invaluable partnership.”
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