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(abstract) Space Science with Commercial FundingThe world-wide recession, and other factors, have led to reduced or flat budgets in real terms for space agencies around the world. Consequently space science projects and proposals have been under pressure and seemingly will continue to be pressured for some years into the future. A new concept for space science funding is underway at JPL. A partnership has been arranged with a commercial, for-profit, company that proposes to implement a (bandwidth-on-demand) information and telephone system through a network of low earth orbiting satellites (LEO). This network will consist of almost 1000 satellites operating in polar orbit at Ka-band. JPL has negotiated an agreement with this company that each satellite will also carry one or more science instruments for astrophysics, astronomy, and for earth observations. This paper discussed the details of the arrangement and the financial arrangements. It describes the technical parameters, such as the 60 GHz wideband inter-satellite links and the frequency, time, and position control, on which the science is based, and it also discusses the complementarity of this commercially funded space science with conventional space science.
Document ID
20060037929
Acquisition Source
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Document Type
Preprint (Draft being sent to journal)
External Source(s)
Date Acquired
August 23, 2013
Publication Date
October 9, 1994
Subject Category
Communications And Radar
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
observations
information low earth orbiting satellites astronomy astrophysics earth
communication space science satellites commercial partnership funding cost

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