United States
Restoring Satellite Service Access After Disasters
Maintaining business continuity during and after natural or man-made disasters continues to evolve as a well-established satellite network application. Following hurricanes Gustav and Ike in September 2008, ViaSat quickly repaired or installed ground-based satellite terminals.
Competition in In-flight Internet Access
A new in-flight Internet provider, Row 44, which utilizes Hughes’ satellite network, will begin deploying service to North America commercially in 2009. Southwest and Alaska airlines are Row 44’s current customers.
Better Bandwidth with Upgraded Satellite Modems
Some of the key advances in satellite services technology are in ground equipment, particularly modems and routers. One of the leaders in this sector, Hughes Network Systems, in 2008 released an advanced networking device that can optimize corporate network bandwidth and reduce hardware complexity.
Shuttle Stress Analyzers Relieve Infrastructure Strain
Several product lines of fiber optic-based stress and strain analyzers have been created from a NASA technology spinoff developed to monitor structural strain on the Space Shuttle. The technology is unique because it can analyze stress and strain on components without requiring the disassembly of the Space Shuttle.
Pinpointing Pollution Prior to Olympics
Beijing Olympic organizers used remote sensing data from a U.S. satellite to analyze aerosol levels in and around Beijing before the games. The data enabled researchers to pinpoint reasons for the pollution and suggest ways to reduce it.
Disaster Charter Provides Timely Imagery to Response Teams
One of the key challenges in a flood involves getting timely and accurate information regarding flood-affected areas. Satellite imagery can mitigate the magnitude of flood damage by providing response teams with an overall image of the flooded area.
Earth Observation Assets Documenting Changes in the Gulf of Mexico
In 2008, NASA presented new efforts to use remote sensing data to improve the Gulf of Mexico coastal environment. NASA is working with the Gulf Coast Alliance, a partnership of the states of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, using seven NASA and internationally controlled Earth-observing satellites with direct coastal coverage.
OCO Failure to Launch
Environmental monitoring satellites provide decision-makers with critical information on climate change and natural disasters. The loss of a single satellite can cause significant gaps in Earth observation capabilities, as was the case in February 2009 when NASA’s Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) was destroyed in a launch failure.
Observing Ocean Effects on Fisheries from Space
Remote sensing satellite data is used increasingly by the fishing industry to understand ocean conditions and their effect on fisheries. Remote sensing satellites provide real-time data on sea surface temperature and surface winds.
Olympic Swimgear Redefined
Perhaps the highest visibility for a space technology spinoff in 2008 was the migration of technology used for space shuttle drag research into the design of the low-friction swimwear worn by a number of Olympic competitors, including multiple gold medalwinner Michael Phelps.