5G from Space
- [Mobile 5G from Space, Lockheed Martin]
- Satellites in 5G Networks
5G has arrived, and new equipment is currently being installed in densely populated cities around the world. In many cases, the need for 5G capacity has outpaced infrastructure improvements, especially in sparsely populated and inaccessible areas.
For many years, satellite communications have been a separate technology, independent of mobile networks. Now there is the next generation of satellites - built with 5G architecture - that will integrate with networks to manage connections to cars, ships, planes and other IoT devices in remote and rural areas.
In the near future, 5G signals will be launched from space and support our "ground" 5G infrastructure on Earth. The end result is a new satellite space race - promising a seamless wireless experience for customers around the world.
- Features of 5G from Space
Space-based 5G could enhance services to cities, but also connect remote areas, including areas without traditional mobile service, offshore ships, natural disasters and contested battlefields.
Features of 5G from space:
- Connecting a multitude of Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and devices
- Voice and data services for commercial, protected and secure communications anywhere.
- [Space-based Internet - Interesting Engineering]
- Space-enabled 5G to Help Reach Remote and Dangerous Places
Engineers used a converged satellite and terrestrial network to communicate with a flexible quadruped robot designed to explore environments that are too risky for humans to enter. This could help workers in many industries, including nuclear power generation, perform tasks from a distance in potentially dangerous situations.
The canine-like robot, developed by US engineering firm Boston Dynamics, can be fitted with multiple different sensors for inspection and controlled remotely by a human operator. It can also navigate and complete some tasks autonomously. The robot has been used by organizations around the world for a variety of applications, including remote monitoring of nuclear power facilities and tracking the progress of construction projects.
The seamless and ubiquitous connectivity provided by integrated satellite and terrestrial telecommunication networks can help operators maintain constant contact with the robot, even if it is located in a remote area with little ground coverage.
A combination of private 5G networks, satellite and commercial 4G networks work seamlessly to provide constant connectivity from operator to robot.
[More to come ...]
