Communication technology has advanced in leaps and bounds through the years and it is nowhere more evident than in the rapid strides made in the field of satellite communication. It was once a technology that was so prohibitively expensive to be adopted that its use was severely limited. Now satellite communication or SATCOM has taken flight into the realm of airborne SATCOM that finds extensive use in both commercial and military aircrafts.
Airborne SATCOM equipment typically consists of a satellite data collection and storage unit, an antenna equipped with a maneuverable beam, and an amplifier of extremely high capacity. Usually, such an installation can support a data link channel along with multiple voice channels. Various manufacturers are also toying with the idea to upgrade the technology so that it can integrate with Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellites that flaunt high-data transfer rates. The new technology also promises to save on the fuel consumed by increasing the efficiency of the unit. These developments, in turn, will considerably increase the time-on-station. These new upgrades will prove extremely beneficial to military aircrafts, but commercial airliners too can take advantage of these.
The advances made in the arena of airborne SATCOM technology also augur well for the fliers. They will be able to receive faster and more reliable satellite TV signals and access to airborne internet services. This will add to the convenience of business travelers and enable commercial airliners to add to their stock of in-flight entertainment options.
This new technology holds other lures for the aircraft industry as well. It is cost-effective in a way that it can be implemented on a large scale; the unit demands no complex installation steps; and the various components of the system like the antenna are extremely lightweight. Manufacturers also promise prompt and efficient after-sales support.
The advances in airborne SATCOM technology have been gobbled up by the aircraft industry. At present, research and development work is in full swing to wring in more improvements in the existing technology, like in flight broadband Internet access at lower still costs and addition of more customer-friendly features. The aircraft industry is eagerly awaiting the upgrades.