SCaN the Future: A Virtual Event

NASA SCaN The Future, our virtual industry day event on Thursday, October 29, 1:00p.m. - 2:30p.m. EDT, will explain how our transition from provider to customer will help bring every consumer’s seamless, smartphone-like experience to all communications users in near-Earth space. Our Vision By 2030, practically all NASA missions in near-Earth orbit will utilize only industry-provided services to meet their space communications needs. No longer will we rely on government-owned space-based relay assets and a mixture of government and commercial ground network locations. Instead, ours will be a completely commercial paradigm. Our Two Objectives Increase current commercial direct-to-Earth (DTE) services from current levels to 100% by 2023—supporting current and future users. Transition all future space-based relay users to 100% commercial services by 2030. Our Motivation With the evolution and rapid growth of the commercial space sector in the last decade, NASA finds it has reached an opportune time to capitalize on commercial capabilities. To support the early space program, then our continuous human presence in low Earth orbit (LEO), NASA had, literally, to build all communications infrastructure from the ground up. Essentially, we were the first, the “only game in town.” Today, a viable, interoperable commercial market is capable of meeting these unique needs. Similar to the agency’s Commercial Crew and cargo programs, NASA will benefit from new partnerships with commercial service providers. Win/Win Proposition Everyone benefits when the advancements and market strength of interoperable commercial telecommunications are utilized in near-Earth space. NASA becomes one of many customers in a competitive commercial marketplace, and missions benefit from competitive pricing The U.S. space economy grows larger, more resilient and interoperable As the commercial sector takes over routine communications services, NASA can focus time, energy, and funds to tackle optical communications, quantum technology, deep space exploration, and more. Adopting commercial services allows NASA to phase out the Space Network’s space segment – a constellation of Tracking and Data Relay Satellites – and avoid further significant infrastructure investments Our Approach SCaN near-Earth commercialization will be dependent on market capability to meet all NASA mission needs. As in the terrestrial telecommunications industry, NASA hopes to see the market for space communications services grow and mature with interoperability. NASA will capitalize on technologies, standards and infrastructure developed over the last several decades, and benefit missions by creating a diverse portfolio of interoperable providers and services. Details Join the SCaN The Future virtual event on October 29 at 1 p.m. EDT via the WebEx Event platform. Receive your WebEx Event link by registering: Please send an email to [email protected] with your name, title, company and email address.