The Small Satellite Integrated Communication Environment (I.C.E.) - An Update

The Integrated Communication Environment (ICE) concept was initially presented at the 2014 Small Satellite Conference. This paper presents the results of an analysis we subsequently performed that establishes the viability of this novel satellite communication technology. Our point to point link budget analysis confirms that a viable ICE system can be realized using 4G LTE technology operating at 1.9 Gigahertz that can yield a data rate of more than 3 Megabytes per second. Continuing advancements in cellular technology, increases in bandwidth, and low installation costs offer the small satellite community a global satellite communication solution that has significant advantages over legacy ground site system architectures. The ICE approach effectively offers a simple means to upload your satellite command plans via email or text while downloading streaming live data through a select set of modified cell towers. Additionally, and even more importantly, it offers a new layer of Space Resiliency by migrating communications from highly vulnerable ground sites to thousands of cellular nodes. A key component of the ICE concept is to modify existing cellular towers by adding fixed upward-pointing, narrow beam antennas. A single cell tower provides only limited communications access. However, by distributing these antennas over appropriately spaced cell towers we can create overlapping coverage that spans very large areas. The goal is to integrate satellite communications into existing cellular networks to break free from the legacy ground station approach, thus offering a new communications paradigm for future satellite programs. The satellites themselves must also be modified, but SMALLSAT and NANOSAT satellite systems already exploit the size, sophistication, and capabilities of Smartphone technology, which is currently being considered for the operating system on many new small satellite applications. The benefit of using this technology is further enhanced when one considers the inherent communications capabilities offered by these highly sophisticated devices. Although the technology has greatly evolved over the past decade for terrestrial use, modifications will be required for the satellite communications application; such as increased transmit power in conjunction with a downward pointing high-gain antenna. In the ICE concept, a generic approach is proposed for sending data to and from the satellite in logically-small transfer packages (ICE Pacs), designed to identify standardized data types: Command and Control (C2) uplink; Status of Health (SoH) downlink; Data Packages; etc. ICE not only offers a novel and affordable means for communicating with small satellites, but can stimulate growth of a whole new community that supports this communication concept solution. At the national level, ICE offers the Space Resiliency community a low cost risk mitigation layer in the event that communications with legacy ground sites is lost. As we begin to launch large constellations of small satellites, it is becoming increasingly clear that the legacy ground site architecture will not meet the communications demands needed to realize the benefits of these small satellite constellations. It is time to put our legacy satellite communications approach on ICE