Beam-hopping satellite funded

摘要

A GROUP of British space technology companies has received £32m of government funding for their work on a new beam-hopping satellite. The innovation would enable a satellite to switch which part of the world it covers. The satellite, nicknamed 'Joey-Sat' for its beam-hopping abilities, will be able to remotely direct beams to boost coverage in certain locations, such as areas of high usage where the network is struggling to cope with demand.This will enable it to manage real-time surges in commercial demand or respond to emergencies such as natural disasters as they occur.Led by global satellite communications network OneWeb, the team, which includes SatixFy, Celestia UK and Astroscale UK, will use the funding to demonstrate the technology for its second-generation constellation of satellites.A demonstration satellite is expected to launch in 2022.