Why Now?
TECHNOLOGY
We suggest a new satellite data relay infrastructure in Low Earth orbit using a combination of radio and optical communications to vastly increase the bandwidth, responsiveness and security of next generation space based data networks. The backbone of Space Union network would consist of 32 gateway satellites flying around 700 km altitude and distributed in 4 polar orbits. Gateway satellites would use high speed laser terminals to pass the data between each other and a combination or radio and optical communication for ground station links. Instead of the need to directly communicate with specific ground station for limited pass duration, customer satellites in Low Earth Orbit would be able to relay their data to the nearest available ground station via satellites operated by Space Union at any time.
How would it work:
- The Space Union network would be distributed over the Low Earth Orbit into “cells”, where each cell is served by at least one gateway satellite. Think of it as a mobile cellular network in space with gateway satellites serving as base stations.
- Each gateway satellite provides the cell with constant network coverage which can be used for transmission of telemetry, telecommands of any other type of data.
- Client satellites inside a cell establish connection to the gateway satellite via Ka band inter-satellite radio links.
- The data is then relayed across the network via high speed optical laser links to the nearest available ground station or another client satellite.
- Gateway satellites use either a laser terminal, a radio transmitter or a combination of both to downlink the data to ground stations.
OUR SERVICE
bandwidth scalability
Our cellular network topology would allow radio frequency to be re-used many times while optical communication has orders of magnitude higher bandwidth than the whole current radio spectrum and is not regulated.
Responsiveness
The constellation is distributed in such a way that at least 2 gateway satellites would be accessible at any instant of time. Since each satellite orbit is crossing the poles, ground stations placed in polar regions would enable full time 24/7 access to the network.
Security
Due to a very narrow signal beamwidth, optical communication is known to be highly resistant to jamming, interference and eavesdropping. Furthermore, de-centralized network architecture ensures that even if one of the gateway satellites is undermined the network would still be fully functional.
OUR TEAM
People who makes it happen.
Arūnas Elsteris
co-founder and CEO
Experienced Network Marketing Specialist, Real Estate Guru and Business Owner with high work-motivation & capacity to simultaneously manage multiple projects. Skilled in time management and building & maintaining business relationships with an MBA Degree from Kaunas technology University. Co-founder of Space Union and many other different l companies.
Laurynas Mačiulis
co-founder
With more than 9 years of experience in space sector, he held such positions as a research assistant at NASA AMES, a chief engineer and project coordinator of Lithuanian satellite missions LituanicaSAT-1/2, a co-founder and CTO of a growing Lithuanian space company “Nanoavionics”. He is currently also a PhD candidate at Vilnius technical university in the field of satellite design optimization.
Vidmantas Tomkus
co-founder
Worked more than 25 years at different major positions in Telecommunications and Satellite industry. He led the development and construction of Satellite Teleport and Data Centre in Liepiskes, Vilnius region and contributed to the launch of Lithuanian satellite Litsat-1. Vidmantas Tomkus is a Space expert of 7th and 8th Research Framework Programme Horizon 2020 from Lithuania.
Martynas Milaševičius
mechanical design engineer
Martynas is fueled by his passion for space engineering and free space optical communication technology. He is already experienced in space product manufacturing and assembly with a background in mechanical design, CAD systems, and space optics. Martynas is also working on a new type of satellite laser beam steering mechanism for his PhD thesis at Vilnius Technical university.
Andrius Stankevičius
communications engineer
Andrius is electronics engineer passionate about designing, testing, perfecting new product prototypes. He has worked on many different projects in biomedical engineering, radio engineering, audio engineering, sensor signal processing & recognition fields.