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Astranis has announced the development of UtilitySat, a groundbreaking multi-mission, GEO satellite that will offer on-demand connectivity for a variety of applications, including disaster relief, bridge capacity, and surge scenarios.

UtilitySat is set to become the world’s first commercial GEO satellite capable of conducting multiple fully-operational broadband connectivity missions. It supports standard Ku-, Ka-, and Q/V-bands and utilizes Astranis’ proprietary Software-Defined Radio (SDR) technology to dial in exact frequencies.

One unique feature of UtilitySat is its ability to relocate multiple times throughout its lifetime along the GEO belt. This is made possible by Astranis’ innovative dual-propulsion architecture, comprising a chemical monopropellant system and an electric ion thruster.

The development of UtilitySat began nearly two years ago, with a focus on addressing various mission requirements. Its versatility allows it to serve as bridge capacity for customers awaiting dedicated satellites, as an on-orbit spare, or as supplementary surge capacity for broadband services.

The significance of UtilitySat is particularly evident in emergency situations where terrestrial connectivity is disrupted. During natural disasters, reliable communication becomes critical for first responders and disaster relief efforts. With multiple UtilitySats deployed on-orbit, Astranis can rapidly provide additional capacity that is compatible with existing, cost-effective, GEO ground terminals.

Initial conversations with potential customers have highlighted a strong demand for UtilitySat’s capabilities. Once customers understand the benefits it offers, they often express interest in leasing the entire satellite’s capacity. The ability to quickly deploy extra capacity sets UtilitySat apart from traditional GEO satellites, paving the way for a future where customers can augment their capacity needs on-demand.

While the first UtilitySat mission will target the commercial market, Astranis has also observed significant interest from government customers, particularly the U.S. Government. In the context of national security, combatant commanders require the ability to task dedicated satellites to specific Areas Of Responsibility (AORs) at a moment’s notice. UtilitySat’s surge communications capability presents a valuable tool for military leaders, enhancing resiliency and operability in contested environments.

Astranis’ use of on-board digital signal processing enables a standardized satellite design while leveraging software for tasks previously handled by hardware. UtilitySat utilizes the Astranis MicroGEO platform, incorporating additional frequency bands and advanced software capabilities to optimize spectrum utilization, regardless of its on-orbit location.

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