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Technology Development & Applications (2006)

IPSTAR

In the private sector, SSPI recognizes Shin Satellite for design and implementation of the first satellite and ground system dedicated to the next generation of broadband satellite services. In August 2005, Shin Satellite placed the highest capacity commercial satellite ever launched into orbit. iPSTAR, built by Space Systems/Loral, was designed to provide broadband Internet via satellite service in the Asia-Pacific region. Using breakthrough technology, iPSTAR has the ability to support a large number of subscribers per transponder and make possible a commercially viable service at prices suitable to the economies of the region. The innovative design involved extensive hardware reuse, high-performance spot beams with an aggressive multi-band frequency reuse plan, and an innovative interface including the first commercial deployment of Adaptive Coding and Modulation on the outbound and inbound links. This pioneering technology will deliver a sizeable reduction in space segment cost and provide sufficient capacity to serve up to 4 million broadband subscribers. In addition, the satellite provides seven separate broadcast regions with sufficient capacity to support over 150 video channels, covering nearly all of Asia. iPSTAR service is now being marketed through partners in Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and other nations.

 

ViaSat

In 2006, SSPI makes a special award in the field of standards to recognize ViaSat, Inc. for its application of the DOCSIS® standard to satellite communications. DOCSIS, the Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification, was developed by the CableLabs industry consortium to define interface requirements for cable modems used in high-speed data distribution over cable TV networks. ViaSat has applied the DOCSIS standard to a satellite service as an alternative to Digital Video Broadcast (DVB), which has been the leading satellite standard for broadband IP broadcast services. ViaSat's DOCSIS over satellite product includes a transmit/receive terminal (Outdoor Unit) and modem (Indoor Unit) that enable cost-effective broadband Internet access via satellite. ViaSat adds unique firmware and a satellite interface to the low-cost DOCSIS and DTH chipsets in order to produce a high-performance, compact subscriber terminal for broadband applications including Internet access, Voice over IP, MPEG video over IP, high-bandwidth FTP and IP multicast. Compared with the current DVB standard, this DOCSIS based ViaSat product provides higher capacity per transponder at Ka-band, scaleable and cost-effective gateway infrastructure, and lower terminal cost.

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