Advances in satellites, networking technology enable better federal hurricane response planning
It’s a daunting task to prepare for emergency response to the growing number of impactful events like these. However, tested and proven solutions like GEO sat...
American weather forecasters are pretty adept at predicting hurricanes. Meteorologists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration start tracking tropical storms as soon as they begin to form. They predict windspeed and probable points of landfall well in advance. This helps the government direct evacuation orders to the right communities, saving lives, vehicles and the few personal items people can take with them.
What can’t be foreseen is the damage these storms cause to buildings, roads, utilities and other local infrastructure. Hurricanes cost billions of dollars in property damage every year, and the destruction is getting worse as climate change increases storm intensity and adds a new variable of severe coastal flooding from rising seas. Property insurance companies are raising rates, not just to cover costs, but also to dissuade homeowners from coastal and other communities in states that could be ravaged by hurricanes.
As assuredly as hurricane season comes around every year, emergency planners know that storms will cause power outages, disable cell towers and make telephone networks inoperable. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, tasked with coordinating the overall response, needs to ensure that it can access backup communications networks quickly to link first responders from a wide range of agencies to one another and facilitate the dispatching of emergency workers and the coordination of the many services required.
By lining up resources in advance, FEMA and other planners are better prepared to work with equipment and satellite bandwidth vendors to implement solutions when they are needed. Equally important is staying informed of new resources that might have become available since the last major storm. For instance, in just the past year or so, several new technologies have emerged that can reduce the cost of temporarily replacing communications networks with substitute equipment. These include low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations, mobile antenna technologies, standalone 5G networks and more.
One of the biggest changes in just the last year is the availability of new satellite services. Satellites in geosynchronous orbit (GEO) are 22,000 miles from the earth, far away from damaged cell towers and flooded coastal communities left in a hurricane’s wake. With decades of tried-and-true performance after hurricanes, GEO satellites remain a dependable and affordable option for emergency connectivity, and getting a connection only requires setting up a small portable satellite dish.
But now, new LEO systems have come online to offer another option for satellite connectivity in the aftermath of a hurricane. These satellites orbit at only about 600 to 1,000 miles from earth, resulting in a lower latency, or signal lag, when compared to the GEO satellites. Lower latency can be advantageous for certain applications.
As with any type of connectivity, speed, latency, price and availability will vary and should all factor into the choice of GEO or LEO system or, in some cases, a combination of both for an extra layer of resiliency for mission-critical communications.
New antenna technologies
Ideally, FEMA and state emergency management agencies pre-stage communications equipment near potential hurricane impact areas. For GEO satellite connectivity, the standard connection is with a dish known as a “very small aperture terminal” (VSAT). Using the VSAT requires a certain amount of training or expertise to point and align correctly for optimal GEO service.
Here again is a new technology that’s just entering the market and makes a great option: the electronically steerable, flat panel antenna used for LEO connectivity. Models can include indoor modems and flat antennas, which measure about the size of a briefcase and self-align to a satellite constellation so long as it has a clear view of the sky. Some antennas are capable of connecting to a satellite constellation in seconds and can support download speeds of up to 195 Mbps with low latency, thus providing a new option for enhanced emergency communications.
Standalone 5G networks
The same 5G technology being rolled out for cellular phone connectivity can be used to set up standalone 5G networks that connect an array of communications devices over large outdoor areas. These standalone networks operate a bit like indoor Wi-Fi networks but can cover large outdoor areas and support hundreds if not thousands of connections. Networks like this are currently in use at locations such as the Defense Department’s Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in Washington state to support operations, maintenance and flight traffic management. Laptops, cell phones, sensors and other equipment connect to the network as they might an office Wi-Fi router, enabling a wide range of functions.
Direct-to-device services
Another innovation that has real promise for emergency communications is connecting conventional cell phones to satellites. This is just becoming a possibility, with the latest generation of the Apple iPhone having a chip that can send and receive basic messages via satellite when the phone is outside the reach of the mobile network. A company in Europe offers a ruggedized phone that connects to satellites for similar direct-to-smartphone service. It’s easy to see the appeal of smartphone connectivity over satellite for post-hurricane communications — and for out-of-network mobile connectivity for non-emergency communications, too.
Preparing for the future
Data compiled by NOAA found that from 1980 to 2022, the U.S. had an average of eight weather/climate disaster events per year with losses exceeding $1 billion. Through the beginning of June, there have already been nine so far in 2023. It’s a daunting task to prepare for emergency response to the growing number of impactful events like these. However, tested and proven solutions like GEO satellites, combined with the new LEO satellites and other emerging technologies developed by the communications industry, offer useful options for government agencies to help overcome the communications barriers facing first responders in the wake of these events.
Advances in satellites, networking technology enable better federal hurricane response planning
It’s a daunting task to prepare for emergency response to the growing number of impactful events like these. However, tested and proven solutions like GEO sat...
American weather forecasters are pretty adept at predicting hurricanes. Meteorologists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration start tracking tropical storms as soon as they begin to form. They predict windspeed and probable points of landfall well in advance. This helps the government direct evacuation orders to the right communities, saving lives, vehicles and the few personal items people can take with them.
What can’t be foreseen is the damage these storms cause to buildings, roads, utilities and other local infrastructure. Hurricanes cost billions of dollars in property damage every year, and the destruction is getting worse as climate change increases storm intensity and adds a new variable of severe coastal flooding from rising seas. Property insurance companies are raising rates, not just to cover costs, but also to dissuade homeowners from coastal and other communities in states that could be ravaged by hurricanes.
As assuredly as hurricane season comes around every year, emergency planners know that storms will cause power outages, disable cell towers and make telephone networks inoperable. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, tasked with coordinating the overall response, needs to ensure that it can access backup communications networks quickly to link first responders from a wide range of agencies to one another and facilitate the dispatching of emergency workers and the coordination of the many services required.
By lining up resources in advance, FEMA and other planners are better prepared to work with equipment and satellite bandwidth vendors to implement solutions when they are needed. Equally important is staying informed of new resources that might have become available since the last major storm. For instance, in just the past year or so, several new technologies have emerged that can reduce the cost of temporarily replacing communications networks with substitute equipment. These include low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations, mobile antenna technologies, standalone 5G networks and more.
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New satellite service options
One of the biggest changes in just the last year is the availability of new satellite services. Satellites in geosynchronous orbit (GEO) are 22,000 miles from the earth, far away from damaged cell towers and flooded coastal communities left in a hurricane’s wake. With decades of tried-and-true performance after hurricanes, GEO satellites remain a dependable and affordable option for emergency connectivity, and getting a connection only requires setting up a small portable satellite dish.
But now, new LEO systems have come online to offer another option for satellite connectivity in the aftermath of a hurricane. These satellites orbit at only about 600 to 1,000 miles from earth, resulting in a lower latency, or signal lag, when compared to the GEO satellites. Lower latency can be advantageous for certain applications.
As with any type of connectivity, speed, latency, price and availability will vary and should all factor into the choice of GEO or LEO system or, in some cases, a combination of both for an extra layer of resiliency for mission-critical communications.
New antenna technologies
Ideally, FEMA and state emergency management agencies pre-stage communications equipment near potential hurricane impact areas. For GEO satellite connectivity, the standard connection is with a dish known as a “very small aperture terminal” (VSAT). Using the VSAT requires a certain amount of training or expertise to point and align correctly for optimal GEO service.
Here again is a new technology that’s just entering the market and makes a great option: the electronically steerable, flat panel antenna used for LEO connectivity. Models can include indoor modems and flat antennas, which measure about the size of a briefcase and self-align to a satellite constellation so long as it has a clear view of the sky. Some antennas are capable of connecting to a satellite constellation in seconds and can support download speeds of up to 195 Mbps with low latency, thus providing a new option for enhanced emergency communications.
Standalone 5G networks
The same 5G technology being rolled out for cellular phone connectivity can be used to set up standalone 5G networks that connect an array of communications devices over large outdoor areas. These standalone networks operate a bit like indoor Wi-Fi networks but can cover large outdoor areas and support hundreds if not thousands of connections. Networks like this are currently in use at locations such as the Defense Department’s Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in Washington state to support operations, maintenance and flight traffic management. Laptops, cell phones, sensors and other equipment connect to the network as they might an office Wi-Fi router, enabling a wide range of functions.
Direct-to-device services
Another innovation that has real promise for emergency communications is connecting conventional cell phones to satellites. This is just becoming a possibility, with the latest generation of the Apple iPhone having a chip that can send and receive basic messages via satellite when the phone is outside the reach of the mobile network. A company in Europe offers a ruggedized phone that connects to satellites for similar direct-to-smartphone service. It’s easy to see the appeal of smartphone connectivity over satellite for post-hurricane communications — and for out-of-network mobile connectivity for non-emergency communications, too.
Preparing for the future
Data compiled by NOAA found that from 1980 to 2022, the U.S. had an average of eight weather/climate disaster events per year with losses exceeding $1 billion. Through the beginning of June, there have already been nine so far in 2023. It’s a daunting task to prepare for emergency response to the growing number of impactful events like these. However, tested and proven solutions like GEO satellites, combined with the new LEO satellites and other emerging technologies developed by the communications industry, offer useful options for government agencies to help overcome the communications barriers facing first responders in the wake of these events.
Read more: Commentary
James Clevenger is director of Hughes Network Systems.
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