ThinKom Solutions, Inc., today announced it has been nominated for Via Satellite’s 2019 Satellite Technology of the Year for its phased-array antenna solutions. The nominees are chosen based on innovation, benefit to the industry and overall disruption to the satellite landscape.
The annual award is presented by Via Satellite magazine to recognize an industry-leading new technology, innovation or concept. The winner will be named at the SATELLITE 2020 Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, March 11.
The Via Satellite editorial board commented: “Technologies were evaluated on their ability to meet significant market demand; create clear, significant cost-savings or technical efficiencies; make a profit; improve quality of life; disrupt the market; and demonstrate a scientific breakthrough.”
The six nominees were selected by the editorial board, and the winner will be determined by a combination of the editorial board and votes from Via Satellite readers, SATELLITE 2020 attendees and the general public.
Voting opened Friday, February 21, and closes on Tuesday, March 10. The public can cast votes online or using the SATELLITE 2020 official mobile app.
ThinKom was nominated based on a revolutionary new multi-beam “array of arrays” concept for land-based gateways to communicate with current and next-generation LEO and MEO satellite constellations. The new gateway concept uses multiple tightly arranged VICTS antennas, which are coherently combined to form antenna beams equivalent to parabolic dishes from 2.4m to 7m. The antennas work together to simultaneously track multiple satellites with look angles between 5 and 90 degrees in elevation. The array’s small visual signature, low profile, light weight and low power requirement enables flexible installation in locations such as a rooftop.
Bill Milroy, CTO of ThinKom Solutions, said: “We are leveraging our core phased-array VICTS antenna technology, which has been proven in the commercial aviation arena, to bring to market innovative solutions for the multi-band, multi-satellite and multi-constellation future.”
During 2019, ThinKom also completed the commercialization of its LEO/MEO/GEO/HEO interoperable Ka-band antenna for in-flight connectivity. The Ka2517 antenna has completed over-the-air tests on multiple GEO and NGSO Ka-band constellations, including an airborne test in which the ThinKom antenna system seamlessly roamed between SES GEO and O3b MEO satellites. The Ka2517 is currently operational on a U.S. military fleet of aircraft and is nearing introduction on several commercial airlines. Multiple STCs are planned this year.
In addition, ThinKom recently unveiled a proof-of-concept prototype for a new series of phased-array user terminals aimed at emerging high-volume enterprise and consumer market segments. ThinKom worked closely with a Tier 1 contract manufacturer to incorporate proven high-volume manufacturing processes and materials without compromising performance in terms of spectral efficiency, reliability and constellation interoperability.
About ThinKom Solutions, Inc.
ThinKom Solutions, Inc. (www.thinkom.com) is a leading provider of innovative, highly affordable, compact broadband antennas and products for aeronautical, vehicular, user terminal, gateway, satellite and man-portable applications. The company’s primary products uniquely enable near-term worldwide availability of high-data-rate connectivity in the X-, Ku-, Ka- and Q-bands. ThinKom offers a range of reliable, proven technology solutions for the consumer, enterprise, first responder, civil, military and intelligence communities.
