The European Space Agency (ESA) has made a new device that will keep the internet connected even when the power goes out.
When natural disasters or big events happen in cities, power outages or very limited coverage can happen quickly. This can cause power shortages and make it hard to get online or make phone calls. But to avoid these kinds of situations, new "power outage-resistant" communication technologies are being made to make sure that important services keep running. For example, the European Space Agency (ESA) has a new communications trailer.
This group worked with British and European tech companies Excelerate Technology, Eutelsat, and Livewire Digital, and the UK Space Agency helped them with the NOMADLINK project. The European Space Agency notes on its official blog that this initiative provides a fast and reliable connectivity gateway that can be deployed in minutes to deliver cellular networks in harsh weather conditions, thanks to hybrid and space-based technology.
According to the European Space Agency, "Hybrid connectivity combines terrestrial networks such as 4G and 5G with satellite networks to create an integrated system, while space-enabled connectivity refers to connectivity provided exclusively by satellites."
The NOMADLINK system provides ultra-fast (gigabit) connectivity via Excelerate’s Hybrid Edge technology, which incorporates Livewire Digital’s RazorLink technology to dynamically integrate mobile, satellite, and Wi-Fi networks, ensuring reliable and continuous connectivity even in areas with weak or no terrestrial coverage.
NOMADLINK also ensures continuous data transmission, access to internal system state, and understanding of the operating environment. Furthermore, the system integrates advanced satellite connectivity in low Earth orbit and geostationary orbit via spacecraft-mounted terminals operating on Eutelsat's OneWeb constellation.
With the aim of providing a resilient gateway wherever coverage is interrupted, the NOMADLINK project will be developed from March of this year until February of next year. Once completed, according to information provided by the European Space Agency, the project will contribute to "raising public awareness, building partnerships, and ensuring trials take place in key sectors in the UK, such as emergency services, agriculture, local governments, events, and rural industries."
Antonio Franchi, head of the European Space Agency’s 5G, 6G, and Sustainable Connectivity Space Programme, stated in the same official blog post that “the NOMADLINK project represents another major milestone in establishing Europe’s position in providing first-class connectivity solutions, especially in extremely hard-to-reach places,” thus providing “fast and reliable connectivity when it is most needed.”