Software-Defined Satellite Will Be Launched Soon (bbc.com)

kbahey writes: Traditionally, large satellites are configured on the ground for specific tasks that cannot be changed after launch, even if market demands evolve. The new "Quantum" satellite scheduled to be launched soon, will change all that: its coverage, bandwidth, power and frequency can all be altered in orbit. The 3.5-ton spacecraft will be operated by Paris-based telecom operator Eutelsat, in a R&D partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA), with manufacturer Airbus acting as the prime contractor. A company official stated that the satellite "will bring unprecedented flexibility to our customers, allowing for in-orbit payload re-configuration and taking customization to a new level, while also opening the way to a paradigm shift in the manufacture of telecommunications satellites." The BBC says "being able to totally reconfigure an in-orbit platform would allow an operator to adapt to any shifts in the business landscape -- without the need to build and launch another bespoke platform." All the operator would have to do is simply reprogram the existing satellite.

Comments

General purpose communications satellite

[Mostly a lurker]

Yes, the satellite can be reprogrammed within certain limits, but it cannot be changed into a weather data collection or a mapping satellite just by doing some reprogramming. That will need to wait for a satellite with general purpose 3D printing and robot manufacturing built in, as well as uploadable software. I suspect that is not on the immediate horizon.

Re:LEO and SDR.

[Anonymous Coward]

It is not uncommon to have something like an SDR in a satellite. Some are dumb frequency translating relays, but the ones with in-orbit functionality typically have updateable radio hardware.

Yay!

[Harold Halloway]

Hackable satellites!

its good

[Harrybells]

Traditional satellite networks depend on the closed and planned architecture. Thus, there are many challenges such as configuration update, new communication and networking technologies introduction, truly-differentiated services provision, satellite network device interoperability, and the integration of satellite and terrestrial networks. Software-defined networking (SDN) has the features of flexibility, programmability, and logical centralization, which increases network resource utilization, simplifies network management, reduces operating cost, and promotes the evolution and innovation. In this paper, a new software-defined architecture for next-generation satellite networks, called SoftSpace, is presented.

Well, as long as it's a paradigm shift and all ...

[recrudescence]

Sounds like someone is thinking outside the box, leveraging some core competencies and hitting the ground running. An amazing display of synergy and proactivity if you ask me. I bet it runs on a blockchain on the cloud.

Re:LEO and SDR.

[grep -v '.*' *]

It is not uncommon to have something like an SDR in a satellite.

This is about the ONLY place where I'd want to omit moving the the Berg jumpers for an update. Every other (terrestrial) computer should have them if they need to be reprogrammed at the BIOS / evil UEFI level. Unfortunately, not so.

Hey, if we add the jumpers to a satellite, wouldn't we then need a space force to go there and update them via a 8" floppy? That, or maybe we could turn Elon Musk's flying car on remotely and have it drive itself back home. Dragsters have parachutes of them, why not a Tesla?

sounds like a bad idea

[sad_]

is this modelled after 'modern' software development?
you know, like in games and certain other software, where after the first install (on release day) you get to install immense patches fixing stuff.
so after launch and deployment in space, the first thing it will have to do is get a software update, and another one and another and...

and let's not talk about the risk that the update mechanism will get hacked and then anything is possible.