ESA maps possible Arctic communication
Increased shipping along the Northern Sea Route has triggered the European Space Agency initiated to map the communication gaps in the Arctic for the next decade.
The past summer showed that commercial shipping from Europe to Asia along the north coast of Siberia is not only a science fiction plan, it is highly possible already now.
Not only shipping along the Northern Sea Route, but also increased economic activities will need communication infrastructures for the future in the Arctic.
One of the challenges for Arctic shipping is the lack of proper communication and monitoring in the very remote waters on the top of the Globe.
Read more: Preparing for next year’s Northern Sea Route season
The European Space Agency (ESA) has therefore initiated the ArctiCOM study to be performed by SINTEF Norway, supported by Telenor and Norwegian Marine Technology Research Institute, as well as the two Canadian companies Euroconsult and Telesat.
Satellites will be the most appropriate means, according to ESA. Currently only low-data rate, low-earth orbiting satellite communication systems such as Globalstar and Iridium exist to serve the Arctic.
A number of new low-earth orbit satellite communication systems will be operational in 2015 offering medium data rates, including a number of satellite systems dedicated to messaging. In addition, both Canada and Russia are designing their highly-elliptical orbit satellite systems for broadband communications and earth observation, according to a press-note posted at the web-portal of ESA.
