Session
Technical Session I: Private Endeavors
Abstract
Over half of humanity cannot regularly access the wealth of information available on the Internet. Despite the growth of cellular, cable, and fiber optic networks, a basic level of information and education remains unavailable to billions of people on every continent. Even as smartphones and tablets are seeing larger global adoption, the price of data in most of the world continues to be unaffordable for the majority of global citizens. Nanosatellite constellations have the potential to be a fiscally responsible mechanism for bridging this deepening information divide. The state of the art in maturing technical capabilities, increasing launch opportunities, and achieving commodity costing are enabling a new, investable format for global communication. This paper presents the Outernet project—a commercially viable nanosatellite communications constellation targeting underserved information consumers throughout the world. Outernet seeks to be the first global, long-term nanosatellite constellation providing a data broadcasting service that is both more desirable and more cost effective than a geosynchronous communications solution. We present our significant work identifying the key strategic components of a long-view strategy to leverage the continued downward economic forces on the commercialization of space. We review spectrum allocation and the regulatory hurdles surrounding tiny-LEO constellations and present cost-considerations and market comparables pertaining to broadcast data and space-based simple messaging services. Finally, we present examples of user-generated customer premise equipment used to receive and render unencrypted satellite signals. Most nanosatellite constellations to date have focused on either scientific experimentation or commercialization through imaging services. We conclude that nanosatellite constellations have reached sufficient maturity and cost to become the baseline for a new category of space-based data distribution. Our system-level analysis outlines the path to profitability for any global information delivery system at a cost that is orders of magnitude less than currently available options. Finally, we recommend areas where continued maturation, miniaturization, and commoditization would most beneficially refine the value proposition for these constellations.
Bridging the Information Divide: Offering Global Access to Digital Content with a Disruptive CubeSat Constellation
Over half of humanity cannot regularly access the wealth of information available on the Internet. Despite the growth of cellular, cable, and fiber optic networks, a basic level of information and education remains unavailable to billions of people on every continent. Even as smartphones and tablets are seeing larger global adoption, the price of data in most of the world continues to be unaffordable for the majority of global citizens. Nanosatellite constellations have the potential to be a fiscally responsible mechanism for bridging this deepening information divide. The state of the art in maturing technical capabilities, increasing launch opportunities, and achieving commodity costing are enabling a new, investable format for global communication. This paper presents the Outernet project—a commercially viable nanosatellite communications constellation targeting underserved information consumers throughout the world. Outernet seeks to be the first global, long-term nanosatellite constellation providing a data broadcasting service that is both more desirable and more cost effective than a geosynchronous communications solution. We present our significant work identifying the key strategic components of a long-view strategy to leverage the continued downward economic forces on the commercialization of space. We review spectrum allocation and the regulatory hurdles surrounding tiny-LEO constellations and present cost-considerations and market comparables pertaining to broadcast data and space-based simple messaging services. Finally, we present examples of user-generated customer premise equipment used to receive and render unencrypted satellite signals. Most nanosatellite constellations to date have focused on either scientific experimentation or commercialization through imaging services. We conclude that nanosatellite constellations have reached sufficient maturity and cost to become the baseline for a new category of space-based data distribution. Our system-level analysis outlines the path to profitability for any global information delivery system at a cost that is orders of magnitude less than currently available options. Finally, we recommend areas where continued maturation, miniaturization, and commoditization would most beneficially refine the value proposition for these constellations.
