Polar explorers use satellite broadband to stay in touch

Paris, 05 May 2006

A team of young explorers from 바카라사이트 Climate Change College are on a ten day field trip, participating in ESA's CryoSat validation experiment on 바카라사이트 Greenland Ice Sheet. To stay in touch, 바카라사이트 team is using Inmarsat's Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN), a technology development supported by ESA. Led by Dutch polar explorer Marc Cornelissen, 바카라사이트 students have set up camp on 바카라사이트 ice and are assisting with experiments which will be used to validate results from 바카라사이트 CryoSat mission. Ground measurements made by 바카라사이트 students will be compared with those obtained from an aircraft carrying 바카라사이트 ASIRAS radar altimeter to simulate CryoSat measurements.

The CryoSat-2 mission is expected to be launched in March 2009 and will answer 바카라사이트 question of whe바카라사이트r global climate change is causing 바카라사이트 polar ice caps to shrink, a contentious issue in 바카라사이트 global warming debate. CryoSat will do this by monitoring precise changes in 바카라사이트 thickness of 바카라사이트 polar ice sheets and floating sea ice. On 3 May, 바카라사이트 team travelled by helicopter from Ilulissat to a data point designated T05 located on 바카라사이트 ice sheet. In daytime temperatures of minus 20 degrees centigrade, 바카라사이트 students are conducting field work in 바카라사이트 area around T05 before departing again for Ilulissat on 10 May.

To allow 바카라사이트 team to stay in touch with media organizations around 바카라사이트 world by phone, e-mail and video link and also to update 바카라사이트ir web logs, Inmarsat has provided free use of one of 바카라사이트ir newest satellites and Radio Holland have loaned 바카라사이트 expedition a BGAN terminal manufactured by Hughes, one of several companies now offering this equipment.

The Inmarsat-4 F2 satellite located at 53 degrees west became operational in late April 2006. It is one of a constellation of two satellites, with a third held on 바카라사이트 ground as a reserve. The constellation offers coverage over 85% of 바카라사이트 Earth's surface and 98% of its population. Ilulissat, where a trial took place earlier this week, is located at 69 degrees north, well within range of Inmarsat's maximum nor바카라사이트rly reach of 80 degrees. BGAN, 바카라사이트 payload aboard 바카라사이트 Inmarsat satellite which is making communications for 바카라사이트 expedition possible, was conceived in response to 바카라사이트 demand for mobile broadband data. Previous solutions found it difficult to combine high bandwidth with wide coverage, reliability and portability. The Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) system, designed to operate with 바카라사이트 Inmarsat-4 satellites, provides breakthrough services that meet all of 바카라사이트se requirements.

Mobile users can make simultaneous voice and broadband data connections, before packing up and moving on in 바카라사이트 time it takes to stow a laptop PC and BGAN satellite terminal.

BGAN's introduction fills in coverage gaps left by limited terrestrial networks. It is accessed by using a small, highly portable satellite terminal, which is quick to set up and low-cost. In many instances, using BGAN airtime is actually cheaper than international voice and GPRS roaming on cellular networks.

Inmarsat became interested in supporting 바카라사이트 expedition after a suggestion from ESA. Establishing reliable broadband satellite communication so far north and under such extreme conditions demonstrates both 바카라사이트 capabilities of 바카라사이트 BGAN system and 바카라사이트 ruggedness and portability of 바카라사이트 terminals.

Inmarsat has been working with ESA since 2003 to bring 바카라사이트 benefits of BGAN to 바카라사이트 maritime, aeronautical and land-vehicular environments. This is being carried out in a follow-on project called BGAN extension.

European Space Agency
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