Satellite Communications & Space Technology Articles
Sustainability in the stars – Can we stabilise our own planet with off-world resources?
Despite popular opinion around the space projects being somewhat lacklustre given the weight of environmental concerns on Earth, there exists a healthy potential for supporting a greener planet with off-world resources, specifically the Moon’s Helium-3 reserves. Such futuristic concepts seem far beyond our time, but some developers are already working on establishing these realities today. (Published in Satellite Evolution Global June 2022 - Environment Special)
Space agencies galvanise projects to unlock the mysteries of Jupiter’s moons
Beyond the expected fascination with the Moon and Mars, Earth’s nearest gas giant, Jupiter, encapsulates a wealth of promising moons that scientists have long been eager to study, though the incredible distances involved, and challenging environments have made experimentation difficult. With new ESA and NASA technologies and expertise, the secrets of the biggest planet in our solar system could be set to unravel. (Published in Satellite Evolution Global October 2022 - Globalisation Special)
Bring space down to Earth - How the UK is nurturing the green space revolution
As the global space industry begins to truly flourish, they are beginning to attract the attention of environmental activists, who are understandably concerned about the cost the planet pays for our satellites and spacecraft. With the proverbial rulebook on space business waiting to be written, we find ourselves at a pivotal juncture, with the opportunity to normalise sustainable practice in space before we start making mistakes. The UK has been a haven of this “green space” narrative, and has the potential to disrupt the unsustainable markets we see forming and influence budding space economies. (Published in Satellite Evolution Global June 2022 - Environment Special)
Can the satellite industry really bridge the digital divide?
The digital divide has plagued us since the internet began its history, elevating some to extents of social, economic and cultural significance as an unacceptable remainder were left behind. With satellites becoming popularly understood as a key turning point in the struggle, we spoke to landmark connectivity providers at Forsway, as well as a foremost expert on the subject in Waheed Adam, Board Member at the Mobile Ecosystem Forum. (Published in Satellite Evolution Global October 2022 - Mobility Special)
Pop Culture Gaming Features with Wired
Mirrorscape Wants to Conjure Your Favorite Tabletop Game in AR
It’s fair to say that the virtualization of our lives has become one of the standout frontiers of the 21st century, which the metaverse stands to accelerate. One of the hottest testbeds for this market will likely be the augmentation of realities we associate with our desks and tables for work and play, as well as any other spare pieces of furniture we have lying around. Mirrorscape, an AR platform bringing augmented reality to tabletop gaming, is one of many companies eager to jump in and apply AR technologies to a space they feel makes sense for consumers. (Published on Wired.com, January 2022)
Citizen Sleeper's Creator Was Inspired by Our Modern Dystopia
Citizen Sleeper is a superb narrative adventure indie game about surviving the urban sprawl of a struggling space station. Think The Expanse meets Cart Life. The game has proven to be the toast of narrative adventure gamers for weeks now, praised as a cerebral cyberpunk revelation and a tour de force of hope from the dark margins of galactic society, positioning it as a solid contender for awards season. (Published on Wired.com, July 2022)
The Case for Orc Wizards—and Why You Should Play RPGs 'Wrong'
Gatekeeping is a tired, boring phenomenon whereby a fanbase dreams up an imagined complexity and reverence for the thing they enjoy, and weaponizes it condescendingly toward their new or casual peers to make them feel out of place in those spaces. Motivated by the same momentary rush of power that fuels bullies, gatekeeping hurts both the communities it infects and the industries that create and refine the things they love. When tolerated, gatekeeping prevents the growth or evolution of a fanbase, guaranteeing its slow death from within. (Published on Wired.com, July 2021)
The Incredible, Absurd World of Disco Elysium: The Final Cut
Disco Elysium is a narrative-focused gem that emphasizes a vast story, worldbuilding, and themes, which overdelivers on its promise to leave you stunned, and perhaps changed, by the game’s end. Exploring madness, heartbreak, postwar culture, racist pseudoscience, and cryptozoology in a game that’s equal parts existential philosophy and absurdist satire, Disco Elysium was like nothing we’ve seen before. (Published on Wired.com, June 2021)
Satellite Communications & Space Technology Interviews
Shagun Sachdeva - Kosmic Apple - The power of NewSpace startups
With tech trailblazers like Bezos, Musk, and Branson fueling space economics, the investment community has fast developed a fascination for NewSpace startups. With powerful ideas and a great potential for disruptive growth, Shagun Sachdeva, Founder of Kosmic Apple believes we're likely to see more big moves in the sector, but there are still lessons to be learned. (Published in Satellite Evolution Global July 2022 - Emergent Space Special)
Dr. Kevin Petty - Spire tells Congress they’re ready to protect America from ecological catastrophe
In mid-2022, Spire Global was called to Congress along with other academic and corporate representatives to discuss the state of weather prediction technology, and the private sector and academic power available for the United States Government to leverage. Dr. Kevin Petty, Vice President of Weather and Earth Intelligence, Spire Global Inc, discussed the proceedings with us, and what they mean for the future of atmospheric sensing in a world facing ecological calamity. (Published in Satellite Evolution Global October 2022 - Globalisation Special
Caitlin Kontgis - Satellogic - Earth observation is preservation
In 2022, Satellogic signed an agreement with the GREEN+ Jurisdictional Programme on monitoring all subnational protected areas of the planet. Now in 2023, with their multiple launch agreement with SpaceX coming into force, covering its next 68 satellites, Satellogic aspires to capture every square meter of the Earth's surface daily in high-resolution to support environmental protection. I spoke to Caitlin Kontgis, Satellogic VP of Go-toMarket about the green opportunities in space, and how they ripple across various industries. (Published in Satellite Evolution Global February 2023 - Launcher Special)
Dr. Sethu Saveda Suvanam - What ReOrbit says we can do today to make our satellites reusable
A particularly onerous complaint of the new era of LEO satellite networks across industry debates has been their longevity. As developers struggle to find the lowest possible cost for their platforms, quality, flexibility, and longevity can all be sacrificed. With an effective servicing market still far on the horizon, measures must be taken as soon as possible to make space industries as reusable as possible. Sethu Saveda Suvanam, Founder & CEO of ReOrbit offers his plan for what can be done today. (Published in Satellite Evolution Global October 2022 - Globalisation Special)