DARPA eyes space-based Internet for persistent battlefield data communications, surveillance, and satellite control

http://www.militaryaerospace.com/index/display/article-display.articles.military-aerospace-electronics.online-news-2.2010.8.darpa-eyes_space-based.QP129867.dcmp=rss.page=1.html


Satellite communications experts at the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in Arlington, Va., are taking the next step in developing broadband data communications links to orbiting satellite constellations, not only to establish persistent SATCOM  capability for fighting forces in the field, but also to enable real-time control of satellites from military theaters of operation.

The ability to control clusters of satellites from military theaters of operation like Iraq and Afghanistan not only could help establish predictable, round-the-clock satellite communications links for forward-deployed warfighters, but also has the potential to help establish controllable, persistent surveillance capability for the military commanders in the field who need it most.

DARPA awarded an $18 million research contract Friday to Inmarsat plc in London for the Persistent Broadband Ground Connectivity for Spacecraft in Low Earth Orbit program, which seeks to enable near-24/7, very-low-latency, on-demand broadband connectivity between ground satellite terminals and spacecraft in low earth orbit (LEO).