IAI Will Exhibit its 'Amos 4' Communication Satellite
ISRAEL - 28 JANUARY 2010
The fifth International Ilan Ramon Space Conference will begin today (27.1.10) at the Fisher Institute for Air and Space Strategic Studies at the Air Force House in Herzelia, Israel, in cooperation with the Israel Ministry of Science. Conference participants will include Professor Daniel Hershkowitz, Minister of Science and Technology; Ms. Yael German, mayor of Herzelia, and other guests, including the conference guest of honor, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden.
Bolden visited at Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) yesterday (Jan. 26th) for an overview of IAI's space capabilities, given by IAI Corporate VP and GM of the Systems, Missiles and Space Group, Yossi Weiss, as well as a tour of the satellite production lines at IAI's facilities.
Lectures and panel discussions will be held on a variety of subjects in the field of space, and will be led and attended by representatives of the academic world and the Israeli defense industries, as well as high-ranking officials from the Israel Ministry of Defense and the Israel Air Force. Italian, Canadian, American and Israeli space agency representatives will also be present, including the president of the Israel Space Agency, Dr. Zvi Kaplan.
The conference provides an important opportunity for meetings between scientists, executives and high-ranking officers in the field of space in Israel and abroad. In addition to the conference, which will be held for two days (January 27th-28th), an exhibition will take place, at which IAI will present models of a number of its systems: the full size TecSAR satellite (and the images produced by the satellite), a nano-satellite (weighing 10 kg), the satellite's mission engineering station, a command and control station for the Amos 3 satellite, and stabilized electro-optic payloads.
Mr. Jeff Sneller, ISR Systems Engineer of Northrop Grumman, will give a talk on the joint IAI-Northrop Grumman program for IAI-made TecSAR satellites. The joint program is intended to be used by the U.S. Department of Defense for scientific projects and purposes. The TecSAR satellite, which this month celebrates two years since its launching, is the most advanced SAR satellite in its class worldwide. The satellite system is composed of the satellite itself and the advanced ground station, which work together to process the images obtained by the radars, transforming them from radar images to regular optical photos.
The TecSAR is the smallest SAR satellite of its kind. Its small dimensions allow for it to be used as a tactical satellite, which makes it a candidate for Responsive Space missions, and allow for launches from small, inexpensive launchers. The satellite weighs approximately 300 kg, compared with other satellites, which weigh 800 kg or more.
Mr. Giora Eyran, project manager of the Amos 4 satellite in the Space Division of IAI's Systems Missiles and Space Group, will speak tomorrow (Jan. 28th) on the advanced Amos 4 communication satellite. The satellite is scheduled to be launched in the third quarter of 2012, and will be delivered to the customer, Spacecom, after it has completed all the required tests. The satellite is programmed to last for approximately 12 years.
The Amos 4 is one of the most advanced satellites of its kind in the world, including an innovative platform and a payload that is at the forefront of technology. The satellite's platform is modular and was designed to fit in the weight category of 2.5-4.5 tons, which will give it a distinct advantage in the satellite communication market. The satellite's communication payload provides service for Ka and Ku bands. The satellite weighs 4.2 tons.
In addition to the platform modularity, the Amos 4 is extremely cost-effective for the optimal platform, which allows even more width for the payload or, alternatively, more gasoline, either of which improves the return on the investment. The satellite also has redundancy subsystems to ensure high quality and continual service for the lifespan of the satellite.
"When building the satellite, we relied on our knowledge, capabilities, and experience in subjects such as avionics, control, and systematic automation. IAI gained this experience over the course of many years, during which it became a leading satellite developer and producer, and a center for space knowledge," said Mr. Eyran.
The satellite has 10 antennas. In terms of commercial satellites, that number is unprecedented. All of the antennas are gimbaled automatically, such that once the satellite has been properly positioned at 65 degrees east, the African, Asian, and European continents will be completely covered by the satellite's beams. One of the 10 antennas is a multi-beam antenna (MBA), and two of the others are dual band, wideband antennas, which can transmit and receive at two frequencies.
Integrated into the Amos 4 is a unique, systematic solution to the complicated challenge of continuity and stability of beam coverage during orbit - the MBA antenna, which includes innovative elements in both the ground station and the satellite itself. The payload allows for immediate, effective management of wideband antennas via the ground control station and according to customers' varying needs. The greater flexibility that comes with operating the satellite's payload gives the customer clear marketing advantages.
Another element of the innovative technology used in the Amos 4 is the systemization of the ground segment, which allows for the automatic command and control of the satellite; as well as the operation of an architecturally multi-layered payload, which in turn allows for the allocation of resources and automatic control for every service provider that the payload covers. As a result, each service provider can plan its missions and independently and privately control its resources from its own control station. Every antenna is gimbaled to the relevant service area, as determined by the service provider, which lets it tilt accordingly, providing the maximum coverage and operations.
As well as managing resources from the ground control station, the service providers can monitor the services, solving any potential problems more rapidly than ever before, and ensuring continuous high-quality service.
In conclusion, Giora Eyran said: "The development of the Amos 4 communications satellite creates a flexible, dynamic satellite system, which was built based on a deep understanding of the customers' needs and a full utilization of the aerospace engineering abilities available at IAI. Some of the project's engineers were young, while others were more experienced, and their teamwork led to ground-breaking, innovative technology."
Source: Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd.
ISRAEL - 28 JANUARY 2010
The fifth International Ilan Ramon Space Conference will begin today (27.1.10) at the Fisher Institute for Air and Space Strategic Studies at the Air Force House in Herzelia, Israel, in cooperation with the Israel Ministry of Science. Conference participants will include Professor Daniel Hershkowitz, Minister of Science and Technology; Ms. Yael German, mayor of Herzelia, and other guests, including the conference guest of honor, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden.
Bolden visited at Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) yesterday (Jan. 26th) for an overview of IAI's space capabilities, given by IAI Corporate VP and GM of the Systems, Missiles and Space Group, Yossi Weiss, as well as a tour of the satellite production lines at IAI's facilities.
Lectures and panel discussions will be held on a variety of subjects in the field of space, and will be led and attended by representatives of the academic world and the Israeli defense industries, as well as high-ranking officials from the Israel Ministry of Defense and the Israel Air Force. Italian, Canadian, American and Israeli space agency representatives will also be present, including the president of the Israel Space Agency, Dr. Zvi Kaplan.
The conference provides an important opportunity for meetings between scientists, executives and high-ranking officers in the field of space in Israel and abroad. In addition to the conference, which will be held for two days (January 27th-28th), an exhibition will take place, at which IAI will present models of a number of its systems: the full size TecSAR satellite (and the images produced by the satellite), a nano-satellite (weighing 10 kg), the satellite's mission engineering station, a command and control station for the Amos 3 satellite, and stabilized electro-optic payloads.
Mr. Jeff Sneller, ISR Systems Engineer of Northrop Grumman, will give a talk on the joint IAI-Northrop Grumman program for IAI-made TecSAR satellites. The joint program is intended to be used by the U.S. Department of Defense for scientific projects and purposes. The TecSAR satellite, which this month celebrates two years since its launching, is the most advanced SAR satellite in its class worldwide. The satellite system is composed of the satellite itself and the advanced ground station, which work together to process the images obtained by the radars, transforming them from radar images to regular optical photos.
The TecSAR is the smallest SAR satellite of its kind. Its small dimensions allow for it to be used as a tactical satellite, which makes it a candidate for Responsive Space missions, and allow for launches from small, inexpensive launchers. The satellite weighs approximately 300 kg, compared with other satellites, which weigh 800 kg or more.
Mr. Giora Eyran, project manager of the Amos 4 satellite in the Space Division of IAI's Systems Missiles and Space Group, will speak tomorrow (Jan. 28th) on the advanced Amos 4 communication satellite. The satellite is scheduled to be launched in the third quarter of 2012, and will be delivered to the customer, Spacecom, after it has completed all the required tests. The satellite is programmed to last for approximately 12 years.
The Amos 4 is one of the most advanced satellites of its kind in the world, including an innovative platform and a payload that is at the forefront of technology. The satellite's platform is modular and was designed to fit in the weight category of 2.5-4.5 tons, which will give it a distinct advantage in the satellite communication market. The satellite's communication payload provides service for Ka and Ku bands. The satellite weighs 4.2 tons.
In addition to the platform modularity, the Amos 4 is extremely cost-effective for the optimal platform, which allows even more width for the payload or, alternatively, more gasoline, either of which improves the return on the investment. The satellite also has redundancy subsystems to ensure high quality and continual service for the lifespan of the satellite.
"When building the satellite, we relied on our knowledge, capabilities, and experience in subjects such as avionics, control, and systematic automation. IAI gained this experience over the course of many years, during which it became a leading satellite developer and producer, and a center for space knowledge," said Mr. Eyran.
The satellite has 10 antennas. In terms of commercial satellites, that number is unprecedented. All of the antennas are gimbaled automatically, such that once the satellite has been properly positioned at 65 degrees east, the African, Asian, and European continents will be completely covered by the satellite's beams. One of the 10 antennas is a multi-beam antenna (MBA), and two of the others are dual band, wideband antennas, which can transmit and receive at two frequencies.
Integrated into the Amos 4 is a unique, systematic solution to the complicated challenge of continuity and stability of beam coverage during orbit - the MBA antenna, which includes innovative elements in both the ground station and the satellite itself. The payload allows for immediate, effective management of wideband antennas via the ground control station and according to customers' varying needs. The greater flexibility that comes with operating the satellite's payload gives the customer clear marketing advantages.
Another element of the innovative technology used in the Amos 4 is the systemization of the ground segment, which allows for the automatic command and control of the satellite; as well as the operation of an architecturally multi-layered payload, which in turn allows for the allocation of resources and automatic control for every service provider that the payload covers. As a result, each service provider can plan its missions and independently and privately control its resources from its own control station. Every antenna is gimbaled to the relevant service area, as determined by the service provider, which lets it tilt accordingly, providing the maximum coverage and operations.
As well as managing resources from the ground control station, the service providers can monitor the services, solving any potential problems more rapidly than ever before, and ensuring continuous high-quality service.
In conclusion, Giora Eyran said: "The development of the Amos 4 communications satellite creates a flexible, dynamic satellite system, which was built based on a deep understanding of the customers' needs and a full utilization of the aerospace engineering abilities available at IAI. Some of the project's engineers were young, while others were more experienced, and their teamwork led to ground-breaking, innovative technology."
Source: Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd.
