A South Korean manufacturer has revealed Ka-band antennas and designs for a LEO terminal ahead of their first commercial deliveries
Intellian Technologies unveiled two new VSAT systems for Ka-band maritime connectivity services in Q2 2019. It revealed a terminal with a 1.5-m diameter reflector that can be switched between Ka- and Ku-bands in May 2019.
The v150NX will be supplied by default for Ku-band, but can be converted to Ka-band by changing the radio frequency assembly and feed. The reflector and radome are optimised for operating across both frequency bands, removing the need to replace other equipment.
v150NX supports VSAT from geostationary, medium- and low-Earth orbit (LEO) constellations of satellites. It will also be compatible with future 2.5GHz wide Ka-band networks. This antenna delivered speeds of up to 830 Mbps in trials.
Intellian chief executive Eric Sung says this antenna is ready for operation with new high-speed and low-latency networks. “With simplified installation and ensured compatibility with future constellations and networks, our new 1.5-m antenna is one of the innovative, flexible and cost-effective connectivity platforms available for diverse users at sea,” he says.
v150NX can be interconnected with no loss of signal even at longer distances, using Intellian’s fibre links. The NX platform means this 1.5-m antenna uses a single cable that combines transmit, receive and direct-current power.
Also in May, Intellian introduced a 1-m Ka-band antenna for Inmarsat’s Global Xpress (GX) on the NX platform. GX100NX can be installed on ships from July 2019 to deploy Fleet Xpress services. It has a single coaxial cable that combines power with transmission data and links to an all-in-one below deck terminal with a GX modem.
GX100NX also supports 2.5-GHz wideband Ka networks and can be upgraded with a more powerful 10-W block up-converter. The below-deck terminal integrates an antenna control unit, a modem, a power supply, a four-port switch and a mediator in a single unit.
Antenna management and control is through AptusNX software that includes an installation wizard with a step-by-step commissioning guide. It can alert an operator when predictive maintenance is required.
Intellian is partnering with satellite operator OneWeb to develop terminals to operate with LEO constellations. These terminals will enable the high-speed, low latency service to remote facilities and maritime.
This agreement follows the launch of the first six OneWeb LEO satellites in February 2019. OneWeb terminals will be a mixture of compact flat panels and dual parabolic antennas. Intellian will design and manufacture these terminals ready for the first commercial deliveries in 2020.
Oceaneering International will use its VSAT connectivity for video streaming, real-time data transmissions and to remotely pilot underwater survey and inspection vehicles. ROVs will be manoeuvred from Oceaneering’s onshore mission support centres in Stavanger, Norway, and Houston, US. The business intends to open more ROV control centres in the future.
In April, Oceaneering secured a contract to provide a combination of VSAT and 4G connectivity to Pacific Drilling’s fleet of drillships under five-year digital service packages. Pacific Drilling chief information officer Corey Thompson said this “strategic investment quadruples our bandwidth conduit, lowers latency in decision-making, and accelerates our technology road map,” adding that this will “bring about the digital transformation of our assets”.
Oceaneering said it would guarantee service level availability for industrial and mission-critical data and will assume 100% accountability for network uptime and remote operations offshore.
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