Sphere is a Russian project of a global satellite communications system , which implies the launch of more than 600 small communications satellites and remote sensing of the Earth. [1] . The project is a development of the previously announced global satellite system “Ether” [2] [3] , also known as the “Global Multifunctional Infocommunication Satellite System” (GMISS) [4] . The system’s users will have access to telephone and Internet access services , including communication services for the “ Internet of Things ”, vehicle monitoring and unmanned vehicles. The "Sphere" should include both existing projects - the GLONASS navigation system, the Express broadcasting system , the Gonets personal satellite communication system, and new ones - the Express-RV satellite communication system, the Marathon global data transfer system , the mid-orbit broadband Internet access system “Skif” and the satellite communication system “Ether”. [five]
| Sphere | |
|---|---|
 Satellite Gonets-M | |
| General information | |
| A country | Russia |
| Application | Satellite communications and remote sensing |
| Specifications | |
| Platform | Gonets-M1 |
| Flight duration | the expected lifetime of each satellite is 10 years |
| Production | |
| Status | Design |
| Scheduled | 640 |
| First start | planned in 2022 |
The Russian project "Sphere" is designed to compete with foreign systems of global satellite communications OneWeb and Starlink [6] [7] .
History
The first work on the preparation of the “Ether” project by the Russian space systems company began in 2015. The project proposed the use of communication satellites (including geostationary), cellular networks, as well as atmospheric satellites - electric drones, capable of flying at high altitude in the atmosphere for months [8] .
For the first time, Roskosmos plans to create a Russian global satellite communications system under the working title Global Global Multifunctional Infocommunication Satellite System (GMISS) became known in November 2017. The project to create a satellite system was included in the action plan of the state program "Digital Economy". In December 2017, the government commission on the use of information technology, led by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, approved the project [9] .
We have our own program ... "Sphere", which involves launching over 600+ satellites over the next few years, which will be engaged in positioning, Earth sensing, and communications. It will be a breakthrough in general. This is another area where we can make a breakthrough, because the quality of communication will be such that it can, in fact, replace cable communication both in quality and in coverage of the entire territory will be no worse, but should be cheaper and more affordable. This as a whole can lead to an absolute revolution in the field of communications. - President of Russia on the air of the Direct Line with Vladimir Putin on June 7, 2018. [ten] |
In May 2018, Roscosmos officially announced the global Ether system. It was assumed that the "Ether" system will consist of 288 satellites with an orbit of 870 km altitude and will provide full coverage of the Earth's surface with a signal. According to the Russian Space Systems (RKS) company, which is a subsidiary of the state-owned corporation Roscosmos, the Ether system under the project would have been operational even if the ground infrastructure had been disconnected. At that time, the RCC also reported that the Ether system could simultaneously provide 10 thousand mobile transport facilities, 10 thousand collective Internet access points, 10 million personal communication subscribers and provide about 1 billion transactions per day through secure channels with minimal signal delays - from 5 to 15 milliseconds. [1] The deployment of the system was planned by 2025 [11] . The preliminary cost of the project was estimated at 299 billion rubles [2] [12] . The estimated profitability of the project was assumed when connecting ten million subscribers with their costs of $ 100 per year [8] .
In June 2018, it became known that the system received a new name - “Sphere”. Under the project, the number of communication satellites in the constellation was more than doubled to 640 artificial satellites for communication and remote sensing of the Earth, and the launch of the first part of the satellites should take place three years earlier, in 2022. The launch of the entire group of small communication satellites, as conceived by the developers of the system, should be carried out in 6 years from 2022 to 2028 [13] .
Features
- Full project orbital grouping : 640 vehicles
- Communication satellite : “ Gonets-M1 ” (presumably) [14]
- period of active existence : at least 10 years (“Gonets-M1”)
- signal delay : 5-15 milliseconds
- Orbit :
- height : 870 km
- launching into orbit : cluster launch; 25 Angara-A5 heavy-class launch vehicles for the entire group
See also
- OneWeb is the UK global satellite communications system.
- Starlink - SpaceX global satellite communications system.
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 Russian global satellite communications system “Ether” / “Sphere”. Dossier.
- ↑ 1 2 “Daughter” of “Roskosmos” introduced the “Ether” satellite system for ₽299 billion
- ↑ The Roskosmos project on worldwide Internet access will be called “Ether”
- ↑ Julia Silence. Digitized billions // Newspaper "Kommersant". - 2018 .-- January 10. - S. 10 .
- ↑ The “Russian OneWeb” project has risen in price to ₽534 billion
- ↑ "Roskosmos" on "Ether" took 300 billion
- ↑ Roscosmos to create rival OneWeb Satellites
- ↑ 1 2 Andrey Tyulin: the Internet should be everywhere - in the forest, in the ocean, in the mountains . RIA Novosti (05/23/2018).
- ↑ The Government will be offered to create a global satellite network for ₽299 billion
- ↑ Direct line with Vladimir Putin (June 7, 2018)
- ↑ Russian system of global satellite communications EFIR deployed by 2025
- ↑ Putin's assistant criticized Roscosmos for lagging behind Elon Mask
- ↑ I. Safronov. "Sphere" received "Ether" and the budget . Kommersant (07/19/2018).
- ↑ Gonets-M1 will provide the Sphere system with communications, a source said.
Literature
- Andrei Tyulin: the Internet should be everywhere - in the forest, in the ocean, in the mountains. . RIA Novosti (May 23, 2018).
- V. Shiryaev. Russia will build its satellite Internet. Thus, the Angara project is being saved from the budget. . Novaya Gazeta (No. 78 dated July 23, 2018).