Space Services Inc. is leading a team of established and entrepreneurial companies to investigate new commercial opportunities in space weather and remote telecommunications applications.

Antarctic Communications	Space Weather Warnings	Lunar Communications

NOAA CONTRACT

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) awarded the SSI team a contract in September 2005 to analyze the potential for next generation micro satellite and propulsion technologies, provided on a commercial “data buy” basis, for increased working times in solar storm forecasting and other government telecommunications needs.

By March 2006, the SSI team developed conceptual designs for a unique, solar sail powered telecommunications deep space platform that can provide services for both governmental and commercial customers. Two of the designs call for the placement of a platform at a location between the Earth and the Sun that, compared to the existing SOHO and ACE spacecraft, would provide much earlier warning of solar storm activity that could disrupt power and communication systems on Earth and in space. A third design would be particularly useful for relaying data from NOAA research stations in the Antarctic, and for relaying data from future NASA missions to the Moon’s south pole. Before flying any of these platforms, the SSI team recommends that a technology demonstration platform be flown to test the team’s solar sail technology – a new type of spacecraft propulsion that has yet to be actually used in space.

SPACE WEATHER

Space weather is the term used to describe the presence of energized particles from the Sun (solar storms) that affect the performance and reliability of both space-based and ground-based technologies and systems. Solar storms can disrupt and damage satellites, cause utility grid problems including blackouts, endanger astronaut health and well-being, and – as recent experience during hurricane Katrina showed - disrupt telecommunications, especially emergency communications.

REMOTE TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Planet Earth’s South Pole and the Lunar South Pole share a similar challenge. Existing and planned human scientific bases at both poles require high throughput and reliable telecommunications, and are difficult to access with existing systems. The unique vantage perspective provided by a solar sail enabled telecommunications platform may provide a cost-effective, innovative solution to multi-body polar communications.

COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL

A key feature of the SSI team’s approach is to integrate existing and emerging commercial space requirements for the proposed concept design with US government applications. The new age of commercial space presents the opportunity for cost-sharing between government and industry similar to the development of a commercial remote sensing or GPS industry. Adding “non traditional” space markets including corporate sponsorship and public participation can increase the benefits to industry and government of joint programs.