On Orbit

Latest Episodes:

The Regulatory Landscape with Jennifer Manner Mar 03, 2020

Show notes

Satellite is an important part of bringing connectivity to users wherever they are. The regulatory choices that are made by governments can assist in bringing connectivity to users. Satellite spectrum is an invisible asset that is invaluable to us as a society. While it covers the planet, spectrum is actually scarce. How is the spectrum supply managed?

In this special episode of our six-part podcast series, "Connecting the Unconnected," EchoStar Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Jennifer Manner and I will examine the spectrum, funding, and other decisions that impact the ability of satellite providers to meet the demands of users on both sides of the digital divide.

Connected the Unconnected is a special six-episode podcast series focused on bridging the digital divide. The series is sponsored by Hughes Network Systems. The sixth and final episode of Connecting the Unconnected, The Future of Connectivity, will be published next week.

Rapid-Fire Inspiration — an SGx Preview with Karina Perez Molina Feb 25, 2020

Show notes

Just a few years ago, recent college graduate Karina Perez Molina met her first true mentor — former NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver, who inspired her to launch full force into a space policy-focused career. Karina landed internships with the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and the Los Angeles Mayor's Office of Economic Development, where she focused on aerospace and STEM initiatives for women.

Karina joined the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) in 2017, and is now in charge of producing the organization's SGx Keynote Series program at SATELLITE. Over the course of just a few years, SGx has become one of the most popular and beloved programs hosted at the SATELLITE show. The program, co-produced by SGAC and the Future Space Leaders Foundation (FSLF), consists of a series of short TEDx-style keynotes that connect the ideas of students and young professionals with the experience and insight of aerospace industry leaders.

Karina has been managing SGx for a couple of years now, and she's done a fantastic job bringing together a diverse and interesting group of speakers for the program. One of those speakers is Lori Garver. Karina knows Lori's speech at SATELLITE 2020 will be just as influential on new audiences as it was on her several years ago.

During this episode, Karina and I talk about how and why she got involved with SGAC, how SGx is designed to inspire and keep young professionals motivated, and how she landed the leading actor of hit sci-fi series "The Expanse" as this year's emcee.

For those of you who are interested in learning more about how you can get involved with SGAC, visit the organization's FAQ website.

In the Air, On the Ocean, On the Move Feb 18, 2020

Show notes

It's nearly impossible to recall a time before technology advances, broadband enhancements and widespread use of connected devices hurtled us into hyper-connectivity. But, not that long ago, if you were on an airplane or a cruise ship, you were, at least temporarily, one of the "unconnected."

According to a July 2019 Pew Research study, more than a quarter of Americans report being online "constantly," and another 45% of Americans go online several times per day. Hyper-connectivity behavior follows consumers wherever they go. More than 23,000 commercial aircraft will offer connectivity to passengers by 2028, according to analysts at Euroconsult, who are essentially predicting a 200% increase in connected aircraft during the next eight years.

On the ocean, the Asia-Pacific Satellite Communications Council calculated that there are 80,000 merchant, cruise, and government vessels currently at sea. The maritime Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) connectivity market has surpassed $1 billion, and, also according to Euroconsult, is expected to grow by approximately 10% over the next four years, as shipowners transition to the next level of broadband connectivity powered by High Throughput Satellites (HTS).

In our latest in the series "Connecting the Unconnected," I'm joined by Hughes Network Systems Reza Rasoulian and Royce Hernandez for a look at the latest developments in connectivity solutions for aero and maritime customers, the advantages and limitations of current technologies, what's emerging, and how Geostationary (GEO) and Non-Geostationary (NGSO) technologies can work together in the new, always-on environment.

Harvest Hub: Food Security from Space Feb 10, 2020

Show notes

Dr. Hannah Kerner develops machine learning solutions for NASA Harvest, a program led by the University of Maryland, in which a group of international partners use satellite data to make decisions related to food security and agriculture in the U.S. and around the world. Dr. Kerner said she appreciates the real-life implications of her work — for example, her team is responding to a locust infestation in Kenya, which has been called the worst in decades and is threatening farmland.

But Dr. Kerner's background in machine learning is out of this world, specifically on Mars and other planets with the Mars Science Laboratory, and she has also worked on commercial remote sensing at Planet. Dr. Kerner talks about how and why she made the choice to change the focus of her work from exploring other worlds to protecting and maintaining our own. "Earth is definitely the best planet, and we need to really really pay attention to this one," she says.

Hannah is also on the board of advisors for Students for the Exploration and Development of Space, an organization that she led in undergrad. She shares her experience navigating academia as a first-generation college student, how space companies are attracting young engineers, and ways the next generation looks at the industry differently.

When Disaster Strikes Feb 04, 2020

Show notes

In the wake of natural disasters, functioning communications services and infrastructure can mean the difference between life and death. Flooding, seismic activity, wildfires, high winds, downed trees — even recovery construction projects — can disrupt power and damage fiber and cable wires. If the local network infrastructure is compromised, first responders have to bring a network with them to share what they're seeing on the front lines with central command posts and to coordinate rescue and recovery efforts in the aftermath.

In the third episode of our special podcast series, "Connecting the Unconnected," Hughes Network Systems' Tony Bardo and Dan Brown join me for a discussion about the vital role that satellite technology plays in emergency services and disaster recovery, and the difference it has made in some of the most infamous disaster situations in recent years.

One of those instances is Hurricane Michael, which hit Florida in October 2018. During the storm, portable VSAT systems were deployed to help establish mission critical communications in high impact areas, allowing first responders to transfer data and coordinate rescue and recovery efforts. Tony and Dan explain how Hughes worked with federal emergency managers to provide connectivity to assist recovery efforts and help residents communicate with the outside world, and contact family members.

We also talk about the importance of creating resiliency in vulnerable communities and how it facilitates mission critical communications for first responders and emergency crews in disaster situations.

Kerbal Space Program's Aerospace of Play Jan 28, 2020

Show notes

Kerbal Space Program (or KSP as it's more commonly known by fans) is a tremendously successful space flight simulator. It has been hailed by game industry critics and space industry leaders such as ULA's Tory Bruno and SpaceX's Elon Musk as providing the "perfect blend of science and slapstick," as well as for its ability to create fun out of failure.

Grant Gertz is a game producer for Private Division, the company developing KSP's much-anticipated sequel. Gertz is unique in his industry in that he doesn't come from a computer programming background. He was once an aerospace engineer working at Aerojet Rocketdyne. When the opportunity arose to shift gears in his career and indulge in his love of video games, he took the leap.

During our conversation, we discuss his unique path to a career in video games, the influence of space technology on pop culture, the educational value of video games, and how developer Private Division plans to build on the success of the first release with Kerbal Space Program 2. Grant very generously took time out of his busy schedule to talk to us (as you can literally hear his team play testing the sequel in the background of the interview).

Changing Lives with Affordable Internet Access Jan 21, 2020

Show notes

Identifying affordable options to connect to the internet remains a challenge for billions across the globe. In urban areas, internet connectivity is usually provided by a high-speed cable or fiber direct to each home or business. However, a single-user-per-terminal model is not economically justifiable in areas unserved or underserved by terrestrial access.

This is due to two primary obstacles to building out infrastructure for expanding broadband Internet access. First, capital costs of terrestrial fixed or wireless networks are directly proportional to distance. Second, the typical business model for deploying broadband to communities with a lower median income base ultimately equates to an unaffordable service as subscription revenue has to exceed the expansion investments.

In our second episode in the series "Connecting the Unconnected," we're joined by Wilson Azevedo, Hughes Network Systems' Wifi Product Manager in Brazil, John Holguin, a Hughes Application Engineer in Colombia, and Hughes' Senior Director of International Networks, Vinay Patel for a deeper dive on satellite-enabled community Wi-Fi solutions and how they are creating affordable internet access in South America and around the world.

Vinay, Wilson, and John will examine the challenges and benefits to bringing remote communities online, the various models for community Wi-Fi, share stories/testimonials from communities and discuss the role Facebook is playing to expand access.

WTF is WRC (and Why Should I Care?) Jan 14, 2020

Show notes

Bandwidth is by no means an unlimited resource. Your family's smartphones, your in-home WiFi, and the dozens of Bluetooth devices in your automobile all take bites of different slices of the larger bandwidth pie. The rollout of 5G wireless is like someone walking up to that pie and shoveling a big scoop out of the center with both hands.

Who determines how to split the remainder of the pie? Who determines who should be compensated for the pie that was lost? OmniSpace Chief Regulatory and International Strategy Officer Mindel De La Torre joins us for this episode — a primer for those who don't understand how the ITU's World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC) works and an explanation of how it impacts the everyday consumer.

Connecting Rural and Hard-to-Reach Places Jan 07, 2020

Show notes

According to the ITU's The State of Broadband 2019 report released in late September, the world achieved greater than 50% global broadband Internet penetration in 2019 — a major milestone. However, significant challenges remain, and a significant portion of the population remains disconnected from even the most basic form of internet connectivity.

We've been exploring the topic of bridging the Digital Divide from different angles over several episodes of On Orbit. With billions of people around the world, including in the U.S., living in rural and hard to reach places, building technologies to meet connectivity's growing demand is a multifaceted challenge. In the first episode of our special podcast series, "Connecting the Unconnected," sponsored by Hughes, we're joined by Hughes Network Systems Dave Rehbehn and Mark Weimer to define connectivity challenges in rural and remote regions and address the viability, potential, timing, and impact of specific solutions.

In this episode, we define the challenges of connecting those in rural and "hard to reach" locations. Dave and Mark explain why satellite broadband is considered core to achieving higher and improved penetration to these regions, owing to its benefit of reaching remote areas at lower CAPEX than fiber.

We also discuss how connectivity challenges are only going to increase in the near future. According to the Cisco Visual Networking Index: Global IP traffic will triple over the next 5 years to 4.8 ZB per year (1 zettabyte = 1 trillion Gb) by 2022. The number of devices per person will average more than three by 2022. And, there will be three times as many devices as people on the planet. Adding to this demand, implementation of rising technologies like AI, ML, and IoT in homes, businesses, and on planes, ships, and cars requires a ubiquitous and interoperable network. People in rural and remote regions cannot be left behind! Global economic equality is at stake!

The Top 12 Space and Satellite News Stories of 2019 Dec 23, 2019

Show notes

As a holiday gift, we're bringing our last On Orbit episode of the year a day early! Via Satellite Editor-in-Chief Mark Holmes and Managing Editor Annamarie Nyirady join us to discuss the biggest space and satellite news stories of 2019. It definitely wasn't a boring year! Constellations, C-band drama, 5G, 3D printing, and mergers and acquisitions are just a few of the items that made the final list of 12.

Via Satellite will publish the entire list, along with write-ups about each news story, in the following edition of the Daily News Feed, which will be the last edition before the new year.

As soon as we get back from the holiday break, we'll be posting the first episode of our special six-episode series on how satellites can help bridge the digital divide - "Connecting the Unconnected." Co-produced with our series sponsor, Hughes Network Systems, Connecting the Unconnected will bring Hughes engineers and executives together with partners in Brazil and Colombia to talk about the important role that broadband connectivity plays in remote healthcare, education, disaster response, public safety, small business development, and quality of life. The first episode, "Defining the Divide," will post on Tuesday, January 7. Each of the following five episodes will post every other week between our regular episodes.

The Via Satellite team and I would like to thank all of you for listening to and supporting the On Orbit podcast! We're very happy that we were able to produce 19 quality episodes for you during our first year. If you have some time during the holidays, check out our archives to listen to past episodes and subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast platforms.

Have a pleasant and relaxing holiday and a Happy New Year! We'll see you in 2020!

-Jeffrey Hill, On Orbit Host and Producer