Pioneering space communication with terrestrial know-how by Dan Rhodes, Director of Business Development, Filtronic
For years, expertise in terrestrial applications has served as a launchpad for innovation. Companies honed their skills by building the networks that connected us on earth, but now, eyes are turning skyward. By adapting their capabilities to the unique demands of non-terrestrial applications, these same players are unlocking new possibilities and rewriting the rules of communication beyond the atmosphere. Here, Dan Rhodes, Director of Business Development at designer and manufacturer of RF-to-mmWave components and subsystems, Filtronic, explores the bridge between terrestrial expertise and non-terrestrial ambitions, highlighting how terrestrial success is becoming the fuel for stellar solutions.
Bridging the terrestrial and non-terrestrial wireless communications worlds is not merely a matter of applying existing technologies to a new canvas. While both environments share fundamental principles of physics, plus they rely on robust components such as transmitters, receivers, filters and amplifiers, the shift upwards introduces a unique set of challenges and demands.
On Earth, networks operate within the relatively familiar confines of our atmosphere, where distance limitations are measured in kilometres and power requirements are readily met. But as we venture beyond the horizon, the equation changes dramatically.
In space, communication distances balloon into hundreds or thousands of kilometres, necessitating solutions that can punch through the void with greater power whilst also remaining energy efficient. Platforms like satellites and balloons become new transmission towers, imposing tight weight and size constraints on the equipment they carry. And the harsh reality of space adds an extra layer of complexity, with components needing to withstand the unforgiving onslaught of radiation and extreme cold in a vacuum. These factors demand a nuanced approach, where terrestrial expertise is not simply transplanted, but adapted and refined to meet the specific needs of the non-terrestrial realm.
